RTHK: Russia proxies hold breakaway polls in Ukraine

Kremlin-held regions of eastern and southern Ukraine entered the second day of voting to become part of Russia on Saturday, in referendums dismissed as a "sham" by US President Joe Biden.

The voting on whether Russia should annex four regions of Ukraine started on Friday, dramatically raising the stakes seven months after Moscow's troops attacked.

The same day polling got under way, UN and Ukrainian officials revealed what they said was more evidence of Russian "war crimes"  including executions and torture.

"Russia's referenda are a sham  a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law," Biden said.

"We will work with our allies and partners to impose additional swift and severe economic costs on Russia."

Ukrainian forces said they were clawing back territory from Moscow-backed separatists in the very lands Russia wants to assimilate.

Voting is being held in Russian-controlled areas of Donetsk and Lugansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south.

Authorities there are going door-to-door for four days to collect votes. Polling stations then open on Tuesday for residents to cast ballots on the final day.

It was also possible to vote at the building in Moscow that represents the Donetsk breakaway region.

Leonid, a 59-year-old military official, said he was "feeling happy".

"Ultimately, things are moving towards the restoration of the Soviet Union. The referendum is one step towards this."

The vote was announced earlier this week after a Ukrainian counteroffensive seized most of the northeastern Kharkiv region  bringing hundreds of settlements back under Kyiv's control after months of Russian occupation.

The four regions' integration into Russia would represent a major escalation of the conflict as Moscow would consider any military move there as an attack on its own territory.

The referendums are reminiscent of the one held after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in 2014.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday denounced the polls.

"The world will react absolutely justly to the sham referenda," he said, describing them as "crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine".

Earlier on Friday, G7 nations said the polls will "never" be recognised and have "no legal effect or legitimacy".

UN investigators meanwhile on Friday accused Russia of committing war crimes on a "massive scale" in Ukraine  listing bombings, executions, torture and horrific sexual violence.

Erik Mose of the Commission of Inquiry  an investigative team set up by the Security Council in March  said they had seen evidence of a "large number of executions" and the rape and torture of children.

In eastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian officials said on Friday they had finished exhuming 447 bodies from a site near the city of Izyum, which was recaptured from Russian forces.

"Most of them have signs of violent death, and 30 have signs of torture," said Kharkiv regional governor Oleg Synegubov.

"There are bodies with rope around their necks, with their hands tied, with broken limbs and gunshot wounds."

The Kremlin has accused Kyiv of fabricating evidence of the alleged war crimes.

Putin this week warned that Moscow would use "all means" to protect its territory  which former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev said on social media could include the use of "strategic nuclear weapons".

Moscow began its mandatory troop call-up on Thursday after Putin called for about 300,000 reservists to bolster the war effort.

But men were leaving Russia in droves before they were made to join, with flights to neighbouring countries booked up for days to come.

Some, however, could not avoid the summons.

Andrei, who turned 18 last week, was called up after being detained during the anti-mobilisation protests in Moscow.

He recently began university and should not have been caught up in the recruitment drive, according to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu who had said students would not be called up.

"As we say, Russia is a country of endless possibilities," Andrei joked bitterly.

Mikhail Suetin, 29, also detained at an anti-mobilisation protest, was also summoned.

"To be told 'tomorrow you will go to war'," he said, "that was a surprise." (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-09-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China reaps fruitful results in ecological conservation along Yellow River

18:05, September 23, 2022 By Wang Hao ( People's Daily

Swans that have just migrated to an old course of the Yellow River in Lijin county, Dongying, east China's Shandong province are foraging, October 2017. (Photo by Zhao Wenchang, Zhou Guangxue/People's Daily Online)

The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is hailed as the cradle of Chinese civilization. Over the past 20 years, China has intensified its efforts to restore ecology along the river, and the river that once dried up has seen no flow cutoff for 23 consecutive years.

According to Zhang Li, who works at the Lijin hydrometric station managed by the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) in Dongying, east China's Shandong province, the last hydrometric station before the Yellow River flows into the sea, flow data of the Yellow River at the Lijin hydrometric station was absent for 226 days around 1997. Besides, the seawater gradually eroded the shore and reduced the variety of near-shore species.

Unlimited water exploitation was the major reason for the rivers drying up. This set of data might suggest the tension between the supply and demand for water from the Yellow River: the waterway accounts for only 2 percent of China's total runoff but feeds 12 percent of the country's population and irrigates 17 percent of the arable land.

Unified water volume regulation was key to the Yellow River treatment. "With a target of keeping the river flowing, a total consumption volume from the river was set at the national level based on which local governments made their respective water usage plans. Adjustments were made every month and important cross sections were put under regular monitoring," said Ke Sujuan, an official with the YRCC.

The Dayuzhang Dam opens for Yellow River water division in Binzhou, east Chinas Shandong province, April 2022. (Photo by Chu Baorui/People's Daily Online)

On March 1, 1999, the first water volume regulation order was issued by the YRCC, and ten days later, water started running again in the river course. The Lijin hydrometric station finally saw flow data appear again.

As a result, wetlands along the Yellow River expanded, attracting more and more bird species and recovering biodiversity. Since 1999, the river has supplied over 670 billion cubic meters of water for tributaries and relevant regions, offering strong support for socioeconomic development and ecological progress in these places.

Meanwhile, by promoting water-saving agriculture and implementing water-saving projects in irrigation areas, China has constantly improved the effective utilization of irrigation water in the Yellow River basin. The average water consumption for irrigation per mu (about 667 square meters) in the Yellow River basin is lower than the national average.

In Dayudu irrigation area, Ruicheng county, Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi province, water from the Yellow River is elevated over 300 meters and used to irrigate over 500,000 mu of farmland. In the fields, irrigation poles are established every 18 meters and all of them can be started remotely on farmers' mobile phones.

The underground sprinkler system has reduced water consumption per mu from 150 cubic meters to less than 60 cubic meters, said Hu Tianni, a major local crop grower. The system has saved over 160,000 yuan ($22,698) in irrigation costs for the woman, who grows over 1,000 mu of wheat. Besides, Hu has also equipped her farmland with sprinklers, sensors, internet of things facilities and other new tech devices.

Photo taken in June 2022 shows water gushing out from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the Yellow River in Jiyuan, central China's Henan province.(Photo by Deng Guohui/People's Daily Online)

The water-sand imbalance was what made the Yellow River treatment difficult. As early as 1952, the YRCC set up an experiment station for the conservation of water and soil in Suide, a county lying on the west bank of the Yellow River in northwest China's Shaanxi province. A year later, the first silt arrester in northern Shaanxi was built in the county's Maliangou village by researchers.

Villager Li Wenyuan was told many stories about the silt arrester by senior villagers. According to him, a piece of farmland covering 150 mu has been formed by the sands and mud blocked by the silt arrester just years after it was built.

"Silt arresters not only conserve water and soil but also help increase grain output," said Dang Weiqin, chief engineer of the Suide experiment station.

Today, trees and grass are densely planted on local hills, and a series of biological, agricultural and engineering measures have been taken to block sand and mud in local waterways. "It means that more sand and mud is staying in gullies and more clean water is flowing into the Yellow River," Dang explained.

Thanks to comprehensive treatment projects, both the area and intensity of water and soil loss in the Yellow River basin have decreased over recent years.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Du Mingming)
A teenager was one of two people arrested for a shotgun and seven rounds of ammunition in Pe
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
NEW YORK (AP)  Looking to reintroduce the Philippines" to the world, new President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ambitious plans for his nation on the international stage and at home  if, that is, the twin specters of pandemic and climate change can be overcome or at least managed.

And if he can surmount the legacies of two people: his predecessor, and his father.

He also wants to strengthen ties with both the United States and China  a delicate balancing act for the Southeast Asian nation  and, like many of his fellow leaders at the United Nations this week, called on the countries that have caused global warming to help less wealthy nations counteract its effects.

Marcos, swept into office this spring, is already drawing distinctions both subtle and obvious between himself and his voluble predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who alienated many international partners with his violent approach to fighting drug trafficking and the coarse rhetoric he used to galvanize supporters.

Asked if Duterte went too far with his lethal drug crackdown, Marcos redirected the criticism toward those who carried out the plan.

His people went too far sometimes, Marcos told The Associated Press on Friday. We have seen many cases where policemen, other operatives, some were just shady characters that we didnt quite know where they came from and who they were working for. But now weve gone after them.

Marcos, 65, sat for a wide-ranging interview in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly's annual leaders meeting. Three months into his administration, he seemed energetic and enthusiastic  and eager to project his vision for the nation beyond its borders.

On Thursday, he met with U.S. President Joe Biden in a bid to strengthen the sometimes complicated ties that have ebbed and flowed between the two nations since the Philippines spent four decades as an American colony in the early 20th century.

There have been bits and pieces where they were not perhaps ideal, Marcos said. But in the end, that overall trajectory has been to strengthen and strengthen and strengthen our relationship.

In addition to Duterte, Marcos also must draw distinctions between himself and the most iconic figure in the Philippines' public sphere: his late father, whose name he shares. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., hero to some and plundering dictator to others, ruled from the 1960s to the 1980s, including a tumultuous period of martial law and repression. He made the family reputation an indelible part of Filipino history.

Addressing the family legacy directly is something the son has been loath to do, at least explicitly, though he vehemently rejects use of the term dictator to describe his father's rule. To him, the political baggage of his parents is a remnant of the past.

I did not indulge in any of that political back-and-forth concerning the Marcos family," he said. "All I spoke about was, What are we going to do to get into a better place? And people responded.

Engaging, he said, would have simply been a retread  and an unnecessary one. It doesnt help. It doesnt change anything," he said. "So whats the point?

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 political opponents and activists and ruled by decree. Thousands of Filipinos disappeared under his rule; some have never been accounted for.

When it comes to his predecessor, Marcos treads a nuanced political line as well. Distinguishing himself from Duterte's in-your-face rule can benefit him at home and internationally, but Duterte's popularity helped catapult him into office, and the former president's daughter Sara is Marcos' vice president.

The extrajudicial killings associated with Duterte's yearslong crackdown provoked calls that his administration should be investigated from the outside, and he vowed not to rejoin the International Criminal Court  a precept that Marcos agrees with. After all, Marcos asked, why should a country with a functioning legal system be judged from elsewhere?

We have a judiciary. Its not perfect," he said. I do not understand why we need an outside adjudicator to tell us how to investigate, who to investigate, how to go about it.

Marcos cast the coronavirus pandemic as many other leaders have  as a balancing act between keeping people safe and making sure life can push forward.

We took a very extreme position in the Philippines, and we eventually had the longest lockdown in any country in the world," he said. "That was the choice of the previous government. And now, we are now coming out of it.

In recent days, he has both removed a national mandate to wear masks outdoors and extended a state of calamity  something he said he didn't necessarily want to do, but keeping the declaration in place allows more people to continue getting help.

It's not very encouraging when people look at your country and they see, 'Well, it's under a state of calamity.' Thats not good for tourists. Its not good for visitors. Its not good for business, Marcos said.

Encouraging ties with China, particularly given Beijing's aggressive maritime policies, might be a daunting prospect for a nation so closely and historically aligned with the United States. But, Marcos says, it's possible  and necessary.

It is a very fine line that we have to tread in the Philippines, the president said. We do not subscribe to the old Cold War 'spheres of influence. ... So its really guided by national interest, number one. And second, the maintenance of peace.

Peace comes in many flavors. Last week, Marcos traveled to the southern part of the nation  a predominantly Muslim area of a predominantly Catholic country  to express support for a multiyear effort to help a onetime rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, give up their guns and govern their autonomous region effectively.

While Moro has come into the government fold, smaller militant groups including the violent Abu Sayyaf have continued to fight the government and wage sporadic attacks, especially in impoverished rural regions with weak law enforcement. Marcos dismissed Abu Sayyaf as a group that no longer has a cause other than banditry.

I dont believe they are a movement anymore. They are not fighting for anything, Marcos said. They are just criminals.

Marcos did not specify precisely why the Philippines needed to be reintroduced, though the country's image took a hit from 2016 to 2022 under the Duterte administration.

The purpose, really, that I have brought to this visit here in New York ... has been to try to reintroduce the Philippines to our American friends, both in the private sector and in the public sector, he said.

And after the pandemic truly ends, he said, the nation needs to find a fruitful path and follow it.

We have to position ourselves. We have to be clever about forecasting, being a bit prescient, he said.

We do not want to return to whatever it is we were doing pre-pandemic," Marcos said. "We want to be able to be involved and be a vital part of the new global economy, of the new global political situation.

Ted Anthony, APs director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation, was Asia-Pacific news director from 2014 to 2018, based in Bangkok. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted and, for more AP coverage of the UNGA, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
Dave Foreman put words like biodiversity and extinction on the map.

The former Tucsonan launched two groundbreaking environmental movements: the radicalism, civil disobedience and monkeywrenching of Earth First in the 1980s, and the rewilding movement to protect massive blocks of nature for wildlife in the decades since then. Both movements proved influential, serving as a springboard for tree-sitting protests and land planning efforts that persist today, not least the Tucson areas Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.

Foreman, who died Monday, Sept. 19, at age 75, was among the first if not the first environmental leader to conclude species and landscapes were disappearing and more sweeping actions than previously contemplated were needed to reverse those trends.

For outdoors people who saw animals and plants disappearing before their eyes and were frustrated by the environmental movements increasing reliance on lawyers rather than visionaries, Earth Firsts message was a resounding one. By 1990, the anarchist group had attracted thousands of followers, from hippied-out misfits to college professors, wrote Susan Zakin, a former Tucson writer and author of a history of that movement, in an essay posted the day after his death on her web magazine, Journal of the Plague Years.

Dave Foreman changed the way we thought about our country and about nature. Its not turning back the frontier and restoring Eden, but its still the best we have, Zakin wrote.

Foreman died in his Albuquerque home after a several-months battle with a lung illness. He had remained involved in conservation issues until the end, advising groups such as the Rewildng Institute, which he founded as a think tank to develop longterm land conservation plans, said John Davis, the institutes director and an associate of Foremans for 37 years. Foremans conservationist career spanned half a century.

But as a visionary, a redneck wilderness advocate and hell raiser, Foreman was regularly a target of sharp criticism. In the 1980s, he faced repeated charges of eco-terrorism  including from some mainstream environmentalists  for his advocacy of environmental direct action, going beyond civil disobedience and tree-sitting protests to tree-spiking, cutting down billboards and pouring sand into gas tanks of bulldozers, among other activities.

In the late 1980s, while living in Tucson, he faced federal felony charges and a high-profile prosecution that he led a plot to destroy power lines and damage nuclear power plants  charges leading to a plea deal that ultimately left only a misdemeanor conviction on his record.

In the 1990s and beyond, he faced accusations of racism due to his unstinting advocacy of immigration limits in the name of population control  charges he and his allies strongly denied.

Back in Foremans Earth First days, Outside magazine called him arguably the most dangerous environmentalist in America.

Longtime Tucson activist and former Earth Firster Kieran Suckling said last week that after spending a few years in other causes, It was when I encountered Dave Foreman and Earth First that I really found a vision that made my heart sing. Suckling and other founders of the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity all met as Earth Firsters.

He was a great speaker, he was charismatic, he was bombastic, he was funny and he was deadly serious about the essential importance of wilderness and wildlife to the planet, and to human society, and calling people to defend them as the highest calling in life, said Suckling, director of the Center for Biological Diversity.

The center came out of that vision, because we came from there. This was our origin story. This is where we learned our values, where we learned to commit, to be uncompromising, he said, although the center uses different tactics, such as litigation and lobbying.

Confessions of an Eco-Warrior

Born in Albuquerque, Foreman was a fourth-generation New Mexican whose family had come west in Conestoga wagons, Zakin wrote.

First exposed to the wild as a Boy Scout, Foreman earned a bachelors degree from the University of New Mexico as a history major. In college in 1964, he supported arch-conservative Barry Goldwater for president and formed a UNM chapter of the conservative Young Americans Freedom. He joined the Marines after graduating during the Vietnam War, but was dishonorably discharged after a couple of months for going AWOL.

Dave did not like to take orders, his associate Davis said.

He stayed a registered Republican until 1980, when the election of anti-environmentalist Ronald Reagan as president convinced him Republicans were no longer interested in conservation, and he switched to the Democrats, Davis said.

Starting in 1973, he worked for the Wilderness Society, as a Southwest representative and later a Washington, D.C. lobbyist, working in an office three blocks from the White House. That job triggered his alienation from the mainstream environmental movements ethos of moderation and compromise.

His turning point was RARE II, a U.S. Forest Service exercise to determine which forest lands deserved wilderness protection. The service decided in 1979 to recommend protecting only 15 million of 80 million still-undeveloped forest lands.

As I loosened my tie, propped my cowboy boots up on my desk and popped the top on another Strohs, I thought about RARE II and why it had gone so wrong, Foreman wrote in his his 1991 book, Confessions of an Eco-Warrior.

Then-President Jimmy Carter was supposedly a great friend of wilderness and a former top Wilderness Society official was an assistant Agriculture secretary overseeing the Forest Service, he noted. But we had lost to the timber, mining and cattle interests on every point. Moreover, damn it, we  the conservationists  had been moderate. The anti-environmental side had been extreme, radical, emotional, their arguments full of holes. We had provided more  and better  serious public comment.

That and internal dissatisfactions with environmental groups led Foreman and four activist friends to pour out their frustrations on a trip to northern Sonoras Pinacate Desert, later a national park. Then they drove to Foremans home in Glenwood, New Mexico, and, over a campfire, birthed the idea of forming Earth First.

Linda Lewis of Tucson, then conservation chair for the Sierra Clubs Grand Canyon chapter, accompanied them, and recalled Foremans gentleness and rage as he laid out his vision.

We all revered Ed Abbey, said Lewis, now Linda McNulty and board chair for the Tucson Audubon Society, speaking of the essayist-polemicist who authored The Monkey Wrench Gang about a group of eco-raiders plotting to blow up Glen Canyon Dam. He had this romantic, fierce love of the West, and we revered that. Earth First was going to be the Ed Abbey Monkey Wrench Gang in real life.

Dave called himself a radical but I cant think of a word that really describes the compassion, the consideration, the feeling he had for the earth. It tore him apart when a bulldozer ripped through untouched wilderness, or a chainsaw tore down virgin forest. He felt the fight was worth having and he wasnt afraid to have it.

The group called itself Earth First to sum up organizers view that in any decision, consideration for the health of the earth must come first, Foreman wrote.

No compromise

Earth Firsts first public activity came in 1981, when activists used three 100-by-20-foot rolls of black plastic, 1,000 feet of duct tape, and 1,000 feet of nylon rope to create a simulated crack that they poured over the face of Glen Canyon Dam, a project they viewed as an unforgivable offense against the wild for having drowned pristine wildlife habitat to create a reservoir. That drew them a lot of publicity, and the number of adherents grew quickly.

One was Paul Hirt while he was a University of Arizona student from 1981 to 1992. He found refreshing Earth Firsts motto of no compromise in defense of Mother Earth, recalled Hirt, now an Arizona State University professor emeritus of history.

If you are fighting environmental battles on a daily basis, you are usually losing. About all you can do is try to get some minor mitigations or compromises. It is demoralizing; youre just slowing the destruction, Hirt said. When an environmental organization comes along and says we are going to stop talking about compromise, about half a loaf, we are going to say in a moral sense, a scientific sense, what do we need to do to save nature, it was freeing, it was energizing.

Through the 80s, Earth Firsts popularity mushroomed. It promoted a philosophy called deep ecology, also known as ecocentrism, said a 2018 book of that title.

Ecocentric thought assumed that trees, bears, fish and grasshoppers should receive as much consideration as humans in decisions large and small about the shape of modern society, wrote author Keith Woodhouse, a Northwestern University history professor.

High-profile prosecution

By blockading roads, sitting in old-growth trees, filing appeals of timber sales and other steps, they stopped some timber sales in the Pacific Northwest, a gas-drilling project in Wyoming, and, temporarily, an oil drilling project in New Mexico. In one day in 1988, they held rallies, road blockades and other forms of protests at close to 100 sites across the country. Woodhouses book argued that between Earth First and more conventional environmental protests, the Forest Service slowly reined in its emphasis on industrial production or timber-cutting.

The group won hundreds if not thousands of individual victories through various tactics, but the most important thing is that Earth First did what it was designed to do: shake up the environmental movement and give it some backbone, said Todd Schulke, a Center for Biological Diversity co-founder who was previously an Earth Firster. A key victory was when Earth First and others efforts saved thousands of Northern California redwoods that would have been logged, Schulke said.

Tree spiking, however, proved controversial enough that eventually, Foreman himself wrote that it was time to at least reconsider it. One injury to a logger was documented from tree spiking  a 1987 Northern California incident in which a loggers blade struck an 11-inch nail that had been driven into a log, causing a huge section of blade to fly off its track and hit 23-year-old George Alexander in the face. The blade tore his left cheek, cut through his jawbone, knocked out teeth and nearly severed his jugular vein, the Los Angeles Times reported.

But the incident was never linked to Earth First, which took pains to always notify logging companies when it had spiked a tree, to discourage efforts to cut it, the group said.

The group eventually fractured on two fronts, however. First, in 1989, the FBI arrested Foreman and four Earth First colleagues, accusing them of attempting to use a cutting torch to destroy a power line tower feeding energy for a pump station for the Central Arizona Project. They were also prosecuted for earlier damage to power poles supporting power lines that fed two uranium mines and for cutting ski-lift poles at a ski resort near Flagstaff on land the Navajo and Hopi tribes consider sacred.

Foreman and others were charged with various crimes. Prosecutors alleged the action against the CAP pump station was a prelude to future efforts to topple power lines to the Palo Verde nuclear plant near Phoenix and the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in central California, along with the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility near Denver. It turned out as well that one of the alleged plotters was an undercover federal agent who had infiltrated the group for more than a year, Woodhouse wrote.

Most of those arrested other than Foreman had formed a separate but related group from Earth First. While the others charged received prison sentences of one month to six years, Foreman was able to plead guilty to a misdemeanor after serving five years of probation and wasnt imprisoned.

Woodhouse said his detailed research into the group turned up no evidence that Foreman was actually involved in any plot to destroy power lines or nuclear plants.

Nevertheless, the FBI sting helped prompt Foreman to leave Earth First by 1991, Davis said.

The other factor driving Foreman from Earth First was a growing internal split between him and others who stuck to the groups founding principle of deep ecology and those who favored infusing the groups mission with more social justice activities including feminism and crusades for economic justice for nonwhites and the poor in general.

Foremans view was those things are laudable goals, but theyre not what were focused on. While those issues need support, those are distinct issues needing their own groups, Davis said.

The big wild

Foreman co-founded the Wildlands Network in 1991, which aims to establish a network of protected wilderness areas across North America. He served on the Sierra Club board of directors for a time in the 1990s, but left after a dispute over immigration issues.

In the early 2000s, he co-founded the Rewilding Institute. Its website says it seeks to promote the integration of traditional wildlife and wildlands conservation with conservation biology to advance landscape-scale conservation.

It was a whole new powerful movement like Earth First, this idea its essential we protect big wildland spaces and that we need to go into every bioregion in the country and map out a connective network of the big wild, Suckling said. What Dave created was not an organization. Dave was creating ideas and movements.

Foremans biggest conservation legacy was helping other conservationists realize its not enough to save small, isolated parcels of wildland, Davis said. We need to connect big wild areas, thinking big in terms of large cores, wildlife corridors, top predators, Davis said.

Some specific areas in the Southwest and in the Northern Rockies have been protected due to Foremans recent efforts.The broader vision of a continuous corridor will be the work of decades and even centuries, Davis said.

Divided by immigration views

Foremans stance opposing immigration drew harsh criticism even from some environmental allies. Although he spoke out on this issue for many years, his views crystallized in the book Man Swarm, published in 2012, that called for immigration limits to curb U.S. population growth that he wrote could double the number of this countrys inhabitants in a century.

Overpopulation is the main driver of the extinction of many kinds of wildlife, the wrecking and taming of wildlands and wild waters, and the creation of pollution, including carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, he wrote.

Foreman advocated limiting immigration to the number of U.S. residents who leave the country each year, a policy that the Sierra Club had adopted in 1989 but rescinded in the 1990s after drawing huge protests.

Foreman's view was that immigrants from less developed countries would improve their living standards to at least approach those of existing U.S. residents, thereby ratcheting up this country's pressure on land, water, wildlife and the climate.

Foreman wrote, Were being an overflow pond for reckless overbreeding in Central America and Mexico (and for the Philippines and Africa and . . .). So long as we offer that overflow pond, there is less need to lower birth rates in those countries. He noted the World Bank reported Guatemalas fertility rate for women in 2012 was 3.8 children, far above U.S. levels.

"If we quit being the relief valve for the baby swarm in Guatemala, births would have to come down," Foreman wrote.

Suckling, Davis and Myles Traphagen of the Wildlands Project all disagreed strongly with Foremans immigration stance, but said they never thought he was racist.

But he refused to deal with the racist implications of his plans for stopping immigration, Suckling said.

Of Foremans Guatemala statements, Davis said, Dave should have realized that those words would have been construed as racist, and he should have tempered his language there. Those words come across as callous, but he would have been at least as callous in talking about white people who have big families.

Overall, Foremans major emphasis was on the problem of overpopulation, not immigration, and he was far more critical of the environmental impacts of affluent U.S. residents than of Latin Americans, Davis said.

Foreman also believed the U.S. needed to deal with economic and political pressures in Latin countries that were driving immigration. He also was outspokenly opposed to building a border wall, and once chided Traphagen and other younger environmentalists for not being willing to lay their bodies down to stop its construction, Traphagen said.

Thats racism

But Sergio Avila, a Sierra Club activist, particularly took issue with Sucklings view, saying, Its very likely that Kieran doesnt feel racism the way Indigenous people at the border feel racism. Its very likely that these people live in a bubble that doesnt allow them to see it. Its in the writings, he said of Foreman. Thats racism. Its not an opinion. Its a fact.

Depriving Latino people south of the border from coming here and improving themselves is racist, Avila said. What if people coming here, bringing a different perspective on how to address climate, water management, production of food improve things, he asked.

Avila himself came here in 2003 as a legal immigrant from Mexico to contribute, and I have contributed to these organizations binationally for 20 years. Besides the Sierra Club, Avila also has worked for Sky Island Alliance and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum as a biologist.

Avila also took issue with some of Foremans other environmental stances. While the Rewilding Institute say it wont remove people to restore damaged landscapes, Avila contends such activities often ignore the social and cultural histories of people, particularly Indigenous people, who had lived there before.

Looking at both sides, author Keith Woodhouse first praised Earth Firsts early emphasis on imperiled species and landscape protection, and noted the questions the group wrestled with about direct action and the limits of conventional environmental politics are the same questions the climate movement confronts today. Also, many ideas Foreman and his allies pushed for that were considered fringe, such as curtailing logging and dam removal, are now in place or being actively discussed today, he said.

As for tree spiking, I think it hurt Earth First. It was one of the things that led to the schism in Earth First. It was not a productive strategy, Woodhouse said.

He also thought it a mistake for Foreman to sideline social issues and act as if they were completely separate from environmental issues when they werent, he said.

I consider Earth First to be an important part in the history of conservation in the U.S. and an important influence, warts and all, on modern environmentalism, he said.
It pleased me to see GOP U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters changing his stated position on abortion to appeal to more voters.

And it was fun to see Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs make a Republican-style ad featuring two border sheriffs who support her, shoring up a political shortcoming on border security.

Call these moves flip-flops if you want, or misleading, or lies. Whatever. What I liked is these two candidates were recognizing majority opinion on two hot issues  border security and abortion rights  and trying to reassure voters they have mainstream positions. The voters can decide if they believe them.

This is old-fashioned tacking to the center, a tactic politicians used to take after they won their primary elections by appealing to their partys base. Its much preferable to the politics that we have seen too much of this year  existential doomsaying about the stakes of the election.

Talking about saving the country from deliberate destruction by Democrats became a mainstream Republican talking point after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election and blamed fraud. That in turn unleashed Democratic existential warnings as well, meaning many politicians are predicting catastrophe if their side doesnt win.

Among other candidates, Kari Lake, the GOP nominee for governor, has repeatedly framed her candidacy in existential terms. She put it this way, at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Aug. 6:

I know they want us to think it is a battle between left and right, but this is truly a battle between those who want to save America and those who want to destroy her.

At a Sept. 3 rally in Mesa, she encouraged attendees to fight with her against the evil forces trying to bring this great nation to our knees  the globalists, the Marxists, the cartels here in Arizona, the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), and frankly, the biggest threat might just be the corrupt career politicians in our own government.

Masters has made similar comments. At a July 22 Save America rally with Trump in Prescott Valley, he mused about what six years of Hillary Clinton as president would have meant.

I think that literally would have been the end of this republic, and Donald J. Trump saved us from that fate, Masters said.

Of course, in 2020, Democrats were saying much the same thing about the demise of democracy if Trump won reelection.

A political war

The idea that the existence of the country is at stake is a common talking point on the right, and obviously false. Anyone who knows Democrats or liberals  and I know my share  knows this is false, because the people they know are not trying to destroy the country. But Republicans, similarly, see themselves as safeguarding our political system, not destroying it.

When you talk about your opposition in the aggregate or abstract, its easy to demonize them. For months, the fundraising appeals by a GOP candidate for the state House, Cory McGarr, have caught my attention for this reason.

McGarr, who won the GOP primary in LD17 along with Rachel Jones, characterized the opposing party as radical socialists and Marxist Democrats while also slamming supposed RINOs in his party.

Its common lingo among those immersed in conservative media  Steve Bannon claims we are in a political and ideological war  but it is incomprehensible for those of us outside it.

And interestingly, during the Sept. 14 Clean Elections Commission debate, McGarr was conservative in his point of view but didnt demonize the opposition, as he did in his emails. Its harder to demonize individuals in front of you than an aggregation of supposed political enemies.

Biden demonizes GOP

Now, its easy for me to see through the ridiculous existential threats raised by Republican politicians, because I lean left politically myself and know, for example, that neither I nor the people I know are Marxist-Communist-pedophilia-spreading Satanists. Its ludicrous, actually.

But when I see how ridiculous those demonizing labels are, I have to, in good faith, look at the existential rhetoric coming from the left as well and question it. That rhetoric is not hard to find.

Democrats main existential warning lately has been about threats to our democratic system, though the overturning of Roe v. Wade and climate threats also come into play. And on the left, demonizing rhetoric comes from the top.

Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic, President Joe Biden said in a Sept. 1 speech. MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution. They do not believe in the rule of law. They do not recognize the will of the people.

This rhetoric also filters down to state and local politics. In the LD17 debate, one of McGarrs Democratic opponents, Dana Allmond, started her opening statement this way: This Nov. 8 Arizonans are going to elect lawmakers that are going to save our democracy and our dignity.

Now, I think Democrats fears about damage to democracy are more grounded than Republicans warnings of the destruction of the republic by Marxists. Thats because the last two years have been filled with real-world efforts to overturn the will of the people in the 2020 election, especially here in Arizona, but punctuated by the Jan. 6, 2021 effort to stop the peaceful transfer of power.

Anti-democratic authoritarianism has a real hold on some conservatives, thanks to the catastrophizing rhetoric of people like Trump and Bannon.

Still, I worry about the social impacts of both the Democrats and the Republicans political catastrophizing and demonizing. In Tucson we saw during the week of the 2020 election several examples of political violence, including one killing. Another man shot up cars in the parking lot of an elementary school because he thought the election had been stolen from Trump.

This week, Republicans have argued that Biden inspired a murder in North Dakota, by a man who killed a teen whom he labeled a member of a Republican extremist group, echoing Bidens extremist rhetoric in the Sept. 1 speech. Investigators arent sure that politics was the real motive, though.

Were not a mob

What seems to lead to the hatred and fear is the sweeping demonization of the political opposition as an existential threat. When Biden tried to separate MAGA Republicans from other Republicans in his comments about their threat to democracy, it failed, because MAGA Republicans are the bulk of the GOP. He was essentially demonizing the whole political opposition.

What politicians ought to do is what I saw happen when the candidates faced each other in the LD17 debate. They talked about themselves and the issues, disagreeing forcefully if sometimes awkwardly. In person, the ad hominem critiques were few.

Thats telling, because its how we naturally relate to each other as people, rather than as an aggregated mob such as The Left or MAGA Republicans.

We will have rough politics, of course, and should, especially after rulings like the one Friday that took Arizona back to a pre-statehood abortion ban.

But its more constructive to attack an opponent, for, say, shifting positions on abortion or border security, than to call them part of an evil movement that is an existential threat to our system. We still have to live with each other, after all.
Virtually all abortions in Arizona are now illegal.

Late Friday, Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson rejected arguments by Planned Parenthood of Arizona that a law, on the books since Arizonas territorial days, was replaced when lawmakers earlier this year approved a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The territorial-era law, a version of which dates to 1864, has only a single exception: to save the life of the mother. It prohibits the procedure including in cases of rape or incest.

The old law was never repealed, but could not be enforced, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1973's Roe v. Wade case that women had a constitutional right to abortion.

Planned Parenthood attorney Andrew Gaona had argued Johnson needed to harmonize the old law with what has been enacted since. That includes the 15-week ban approved this year by the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature, which was set to take effect Saturday, Sept. 24.

Planned Parenthood asked Johnson to rule that the new law applies only to doctors, with the old outright ban applying to everyone else.

She refused, saying her job was only to determine whether the injunction against enforcement of the territorial-era law, issued by the Arizona Court of Appeals in 1973  after the Roe ruling  is still valid.

The judge said it is not, now that the U.S. justices overturned Roe this summer. What happened since, including approval of the 15-week ban, is legally irrelevant, Johnson said.

"The court finds modifying the injunction to harmonize laws not in existence when" the injunction request was filed "is procedurally improper,'' the judge wrote.

She said a carve-out exempting doctors from the outright 1864 ban  the argument advanced by Planned Parenthood  "is not consistent with the plain language (of the territorial law) which contains no such exception.''

There is also the fact that when lawmakers approved the 15-week ban  before the Supreme Court overturned Roe in June  they spelled out they were not repealing the old law.

Johnson has now given Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich permission to enforce the old law.

We applaud the court for upholding the will of the legislature and providing clarity and uniformity on this important issue, Brnovich said in a written statement. I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans.

However, C.J. Karamargin, press aide to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, pointed out that while Johnson said the 1864 law can be enforced, the judge never specifically voided Senate Bill 1164, the 15-week ban the governor signed into law earlier this year.

And Karamargin said that, as far as Ducey is concerned, that law takes effect as scheduled Saturday.

That sets the stage for someone to ask the Arizona Supreme Court for guidance on which law takes precedence.

There was no immediate response from Planned Parenthood.

Pima County Attorney Laura Conover, a Democrat who sided with the organization, said her office now will be looking at available legal remedies, though she did not spell out what those are.

Having a near complete ban on abortion procedures puts people at risk, Conovers statement said. ... Additionally, the near total ban provides no consideration for victims of rape and incest, making society more vulnerable to these violent crimes. My priorities as Pima County Attorney are public safety and public health. I join our Sheriff and our Tucson Police Chief in reassuring the residents of Pima County of those priorities.

Cathi Herrod, president of the anti-abortion Center for Arizona Policy, said there are dozens of pregnancy resource centers throughout Arizona that can provide help to women, from prenatal care and adoption support to car seats and strollers.

Arizona can and will care for both mother and her unborn child, Herrod said.

Johnson emphasized she was not ruling on the constitutionality of the old law but dealing only with the 1973 injunction.

There have been arguments advanced that the statute runs afoul of the privacy provision of the Arizona Constitution. Kris Mayes, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, has advanced that theory and promised not to enforce the law if elected.

"While there may be legal questions the parties seek to resolve regarding Arizona statutes on abortion, those questions are not for this court to decide here,'' Johnson wrote.
Hurricane Fiona, now referred to as a post-tropical cyclone, has made landfall in Nova Scotia, racing through Canada's Atlantic seaboard early Saturday in what could be a "landmark" weather event for the country.

An unofficial barometric pressure of 931.6 mb was recorded at Hart Island, which would make Fiona the lowest pressure land-falling storm on record in Canada, according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre. Wind observations on Beaver Island in eastern Nova Scotia were recorded at 94 mph (152 km/h).

Parts of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island started to feel the storm's arrival Saturday morning as winds and rains extending far from the storm's center knocked out utilities. More than 376,000 customers across Nova Scotia have lost power so far, according to the region's power outage center.

Residents in New Brunswick, southern Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador additionally face severe weather as Fiona tracks north at more than 40 mph (65 km/h) following its landfall between Canso and Guysborough in eastern Nova Scotia. Fiona is expected to pass through Cape Breton Island on Saturday morning and reach the southeastern Labrador Sea by evening.

"The storm is producing severe winds and very heavy rainfall," the Canadian Hurricane Centre said before landfall. "Wide spread gusts of 80-110 km/h (50-68 mph) have been so far reported over Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Iles-de-la-Madeleine, with a peak gust to 144km/h (90 mph) over Beaver Island, Nova Scotia."

Fiona weakened slightly on Friday to a Category 2 storm yet is still expected to bring damaging storm surges, heavy rain and severe wind. Fiona had been a Category 4 storm early Wednesday over the Atlantic after passing the Turks and Caicos and remained so until Friday afternoon.

Officials along the Atlantic seaboard have urged those in Fiona's path to be on high alert and prepare for the impact of the storm, which has already claimed the lives of at least five people and shut off power for millions as it battered multiple Caribbean islands this week. Homes and water infrastructure across Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos were heavily damaged and many residents are still trying to recover.

Fiona is on track to be an "extreme weather event" in eastern Canada, threatening with about two months' worth of rainfall, forecasters in Canada said Friday.

"This could be a landmark event for Canada in terms of intensity of a tropical cyclone," and it could even become Canada's version of Superstorm Sandy, said Chris Fogarty, Canadian Hurricane Centre manager. Sandy in 2012 affected 24 states and all of the eastern seaboard, causing an estimated $78.7 billion in damage.

Fiona became post-tropical before making landfall, arriving at the same time as a trough of low pressure and cold air to the north -- much like Sandy did, according to Bob Robichaud of the Canadian Hurricane Centre.

"What these things tend to do, they tend to grow in size tremendously, which is again what Fiona is doing as well," he said Friday. "Sandy was larger than Fiona is expected to be even. But the process is essentially the same -- where you have two features kind of feeding off each other to create one strong storm like we're going to see overnight and into tomorrow."

Hurricane-force winds can extend up to 185 miles out from Fiona's center and tropical-storm-force winds up to 345 miles out, according to CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam.

Storm surge will be 'significant,' officials say

In the days leading up to Fiona's expected arrival, officials ramped up services to assist those in need and implored residents to take caution.

"It has the potential to be very dangerous," said John Lohr, the minister responsible for the Emergency Management Office for Nova Scotia, on Thursday. "Impacts are projected to be felt across the province."

Residents should brace for damaging winds, high waves, coastal storm surge and heavy rainfall, which may lead to prolonged power outages, Lohr said. Emergency officials have encouraged people to secure outdoor items, trim trees, charge cell phones and create a 72-hour emergency kit.

Shelters for residents have been established throughout Nova Scotia, including multiple in Halifax County, according to officials.

The area has not seen a storm this intense for about 50 years, according to Fogarty.

"Please take it seriously because we are seeing meteorological numbers in our weather maps that are rarely seen here," Fogarty said.

Prince Edward Island officials also implored residents to prepare for the worst as the storm looms.

Tanya Mullally, who serves as the province's head of emergency management, said one of the most pressing concerns with Fiona is the historic storm surge it is expected to unleash.

"Storm surge is certainly going to be significant. ... Flooding that we have not seen nor can we measure against," Mullally said Thursday during an update.

Canadian Hurricane Center modeling suggests the surge "depending on the area, could be anywhere from 1.8 to 2.4 meters (6-8 feet)," said Robichaud.

The northern portion of the island stands to bear the brunt of the storm due to the direction of the winds, which will likely cause property damage and coastal flooding, Mullally said.

All provincial campgrounds, beaches and day-use parks as well as the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park were closed Friday, the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office said.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

You can call us whatever you want, Joe. You can call us extremists. You can call us domestic terrorists. You know who else was called a lot of names, his whole life? Jesus.

 Kari Lake, MAGA Republican candidate for governor of Arizona

Lake was standing in front of a giant cross when she declared Arizonas MAGA Republicans are persecuted just like their Christ, the Christ I saw on their blasphemous T-shirts and banners on Jan. 6, a Rambo-Galilean depicted brandishing a semi-automatic gun and sporting a MAGA cap.

I do not recognize this very American Jesus who calls on His followers to follow a remorseless, adulterous, false prophet, to persecute immigrants, to bear false witness, or to marginalize the least among us.

What do I know?

My salvation at age 14 at a rocking Jesus Freak rally at the Reid Park Band shell during the summer of Spirit in the Sky lasted two weeks. Since then, I thought I knew every American variant of Jesus, from the savior of the snake handlers, to the divine deity of the dispossessed, to the spiritual sage of Jeffersons heretical Bible, yet Lakes Lord stumped me.

When Lake ostracizes transgender children, calls immigrants criminals and maligns drag queens as dangerous, she persecutes the marginalized.

Demonizing immigrants rather than seeking reform, she sows bones in our borderlands to reap cheap votes.

I dont recall Jesus saying, For I was thirsty and you gave me a bus ticket out of town, or I was a stranger applying for refuge and you stole my children and caged them. Or blessing all MAGA governors who persecute immigrants for thy polling sake, for thou shall be re-elected by Christians in name only.

This American tradition of misappropriating the Nazarene was noted, well over a century ago, by Mark Twain, who observed theres only one Christian in history that he knew of. And they crucified Him early on.

Their Nazarene variant blesses servitude to a charlatan. Blessed are the poor who tithe millions to Mar-a-Lago.

Their King of Kings blesses an avaricious adulterer, who is incapable of citing any favorite verse, who brandishes his Bible upside down and who calls upon his followers to murder thy Vice President.

Lake preached to the faithful MAGA flock, reminding them, He never stopped. They called Him names right up until His death!

Gods her co-pilot. Trumps the way and the truth. Shell never stop. Even if your tabulated votes shout otherwise. Verily, her fellow disciple, Mark Finchem, shall prepare the way for their orange Messiah.

When Lake, the humble Christian, once said, I am beloved by people, and Im not saying that to be boastful, her savior in Florida smiled, saying, Blessed are the boastful, for they shall inherit the Kingdom of Trump.

When Lake said, The 2020 election was corrupt and stolen! she was obeying the first commandment of her Mar-a-Lago messiah: Thou shall bear false witness, in my name, for it excites thy base. And if someone gets hurt? Thou shall be pardoned.

When Lake bore false witness against her Republican rival, Matt Salmon, by smearing him as sympathetic to pedophiles because he questioned her cameras in classrooms proposal, she was practicing the sacred creed she follows: The end justifies the means.

Lake knows banning abortions with no exceptions for rape or incest pleases her Jesus (who is unlike the Jesus of the Gospels who never spoke of abortion). Blessed is she who denies women reproductive autonomy and persecutes them without mercy.

Saying the Second Amendment protects your right to bear rocket launchers should please her freedom-loving MAGA Prince of Peace, the one with the AR-15. Blessed are those who sow fear, for thy makers of rocket launchers shall reap profits as thou reaps carnage.

Restricting your voting rights should please Lakes Lord of the Proud Boys and the Cyber Ninjas. Blessed be thy dark money, thy gerrymandering and thy rigged elections to come.

When Lake declared The same God who parted the Red Sea, who moved mountains, is with us now as we save this republic, I was unaware the same God who parted the Red Sea and moved mountains was helping Team Crazy inherit the Kingdom of Arizona.
Chinowth & Cohen Realtors welcomes John Buck to its Owasso office. Buck was born in Waterloo, New York but was raised in Casper, Wyoming. After graduating from Natrona County High School, he attended Cheyenne Aero Tech, where he received his Airframe & Powerplant license.

Previously, Buck worked for nine years as a facilities maintenance manager for Don Thornton. He also spent over two decades working as a contractor, so he has worked closely with real estate investors in Tulsa and its surrounding areas. This work experience led him to the decision to enter the real estate field. In addition to owning LBP & Associates, Buck is a full-service agent familiar with residential and commercial listings in Tulsa and surrounding areas.
Everything, according to cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton, can be hacked.

Well, she said, except for VHS tapes.

But with the determination of those wishing to inflict financial and psychological harm upon others via the internet, and the ease with which the tools to inflict that damage can be obtained, Payton joked that probably not even such antiquated technology as videocassette tapes are beyond the reach of hackers.

Payton spoke Friday at the Tulsa PAC to open the 2022-2023 season of Tulsa Town Hall, to discuss Securing the Future: Unmasking Cybercriminals & the Triple Threat Facing Business and You.

Payton served as chief information officer at the White House during the George W. Bush administration, the first woman to hold the position. She is the founder of Fortalice Solutions, one of the nations leading cybersecurity firms.

She also starred in the reality series Hunted and is the author of Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth.

Payton said the No. 1 cybercrime is not identity theft but business email compromise, where criminals often use freely available programs to track the internet activity of a given target, usually the CEO of a major company.

Once the hackers have gathered all the information they can find  including travel itineraries, possible passwords, even recordings of the persons voice that can be manipulated to create certain phrases  they use it to initiate wire transfers of large sums of money.

And because everything can be hacked, Payton predicts that before 2023 is out, someone will attempt  and maybe succeed  in hacking into some of the low Earth orbit satellites now in operation, from the International Space Station to the commercial objects that provide everything from GPS information to cellular phone service to worldwide online shopping.

Payton outlined other potential threats that include what she termed a black swan banking event, in which a cyberattack on a single financial institution creates a run on banks; the artificial intelligence now being used to generate computer code will create dormant security flaws that will later disrupt whatever business uses that program; and that forgeries and theft will rock the world of cyber-currency such as Bitcoin.

The key, she said, to protecting ones own interests is to diversify  not using the same email address for every place one visits on the internet, for example, and managing ones online presence regularly to avoid unpleasant and costly surprises. She also recommends having a back-up plan, to know what you would do should some part of ones online presence is compromised.

Payton described many peoples approach to cybersecurity as comparable to the time she was on her way to work and noticed a man carefully locking his very expensive bicycle to a tree. When Payton passed by later in the day, she saw that bike lock was still in place, as was the bicycles front wheel. The rest of bike was gone.

He had locked up what was the least expensive part of his bike, she said, but the most important and most expensive part of the bike someone had taken.

Cyber crime is going to happen, Payton said. Thats why its important to be resilient, and protect what matters the most.

Featured video:
After traveling such a long way to get to Tulsa, Elham Kucireks clients finally were moving into a place they could think of as their own.

But there was a problem, it turned out: They werent the only occupants.

It was in their kitchen. I couldnt believe it, said Kucirek, a refugee case manager with YWCA Tulsa, recalling her surprise upon seeing the photo of the snake, which one of her client families sent her a few months ago.

Then there was one in another place, too, that they found, she said, adding that bugs in the rent house were probably attracting them.

A call to the familys landlord only added to the frustration, Kucirek said.

He just laughs, she recalled, and he says Every house has snakes in them. Tell them to buy mothballs; that will keep them away.

Today, thankfully, the family has moved to a better place, Kucirek said. But it took five months and the involvement of YWCAs legal team to finally get them out of the previous lease.

One year since Sept. 24, 2021, when the first of the 870-plus Afghanistan evacuees began arriving in Tulsa for resettlement, its the only case of snakes Kucirek has heard of so far. But reports of other problems with housing, she said, have become far too common.

Moreover, the issues  from increasing rent and expenses to unsafe conditions and landlord conflicts  have no simple solution.

YWCA Tulsa reports that because of rising rent, around 45 of the refugee families (about 1 in 4) will need to be rehoused in the coming months, once their 18 months of federally funded rent and utilities coverage runs out.

We need to find solutions fast, said Julie Davis, YWCA Tulsa executive director, adding that the problem is rooted in the areas lack of affordable housing, which has led to a reliance on private options.

Meanwhile, landlord issues have multiplied, with many failing or refusing to address problems reported by refugee tenants.

Davis said: Weve seen major issues around pests, rodent infestations and things like that, HVAC units that are going out over the middle of the summer and not getting fixed.

Kucirek has spent a lot of time trying to contact landlords on behalf of her clients.

Many are kind and helpful, she said. Others are mean or just not happy to help.

Its frustrating, but theres only so much she can do as a case manager.

I have 40 clients with lots of kids and lots of issues, and time is just so limited, Kucirek said.

Thankful

Despite the housing concerns, many Tulsa refugees remain overwhelmed with gratitude and hopeful for the future in their new community.

One, Nahida, is a single mother with three children, all of whom are now enrolled in Tulsa Public Schools.

I am thankful to the American people and the president for this opportunity, she said, speaking through an interpreter.

We are happy and excited to be here. We are here together as a family, and no one can separate us.

But refugees like Nahida, while resilient in the face of hardship, deserve better housing situations than what many are experiencing, advocates say.

Nahida, whose husband was killed six years ago fighting the Taliban, fled Afghanistan to keep her family safe. However, if some fears were left behind, her new home has come with a few of its own.

The familys current rental house in Tulsa is in an unsafe neighborhood, Nahida said.

Police, who have advised her to move, have been called out twice so far. One of those times involved an intruder with a possible mental health issue barging into her home.

I was going to a doctors appointment, and I had unlocked the door but not the chain lock, Nahida said. She pushed the door in and broke the chain lock. I screamed, and she ran away.

Not wanting to leave her children, ages 8, 11 and 12, alone after school, Nahida has been unable to find a job that will fit her needs. That just makes her position all the more difficult.

Another refugee, Zainab, is facing difficulties of her own.

She and her husband have five daughters, ranging in age from 5 to 15 and including a pair of twins.

The family started out in a home with only one bathroom. Theyve since found a new place that has the space and facilities they need, but they wonder how long they will be able to stay there.

Zainab and her husband each have jobs, but hers is only part time so she can devote more time to English language classes and getting her drivers license.

The familys situation is typical of many other refugees, officials say. They are making progress, but they are not yet established enough to be ready for independence.

Zainab said she worries about what will happen when their federal refugee aid runs out next year.

A vulnerable community

The YWCA feels a sense of urgency to help, Davis said, and is working closely with Catholic Charities and the city of Tulsa.

The official refugee services provider for eastern Oklahoma, YWCA Tulsa has expanded its staff and recently opened a new location in south Tulsa.

Housing is a new challenge for the agency, though, and its learning as it goes.

Clearly, its not just a Tulsa issue or one affecting only refugees, Davis said. Its really a microcosm of the overall affordable housing issues that all Oklahomans and many across the country face.

But we have an incredible team of individuals who have already been very invested in housing in Tulsa, Davis said. We know we cant fix a decades-old affordable housing issue, so we will have to find innovative solutions.

Moving forward, they are also focused, she added, on connecting their refugee clients with the right landlords  those who will not take advantage of a community thats already vulnerable in terms of language barriers.

Davis said educating the tenants is key, helping them to know their rights and to understand what the terms of their leases are, and when and if they can take action if something negative happens.

For Nahida and Zainab, the subject of rights is an important one. They are thrilled, they said, to be in a country that grants so many rights to women.

As they continue to learn about their new rights and freedoms and how to exercise them, they hope to be a resource and help to other refugees, they said.

That includes with housing matters.

They want to be a voice, said Kucirek, who immigrated from Iran a few years ago.

It is an honor for me to be able to serve them, she added. And I hope that together we can find solutions.

Featured video:
The Horasis India Meeting 2022 will be launched in the Vietnamese southern province of Binh Duong on September 25 to 27, with the attendance of some 500 delegates from Vietnam, India and other countries from around the world, a press briefing was told.

This years Horasis India Economic Cooperation Forum, or Horasis India Meeting 2022, is hosted by the Peoples Committee of Binh Duong Province in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry, and Horasis, an independent international organization committed to inspiring the future.

This event was introduced at a press conference held by the organizers in Binh Duong on Friday.

Beginning in 2009, the Horasis India Meeting has become the foremost annual gathering of Indian business leaders and their global counterparts.

With the theme Opportunities for connection, cooperation, promotion of trade and attraction of investment, this years event is expected to welcome about 500 guests including government officials, diplomats, experts, entrepreneurs, experts and researchers of India, Vietnam and other countries around the world.

The event will consist of six plenary sittings and 26 dialogue and discussion sessions, where delegates will discuss economic issues of Vietnam and the region, and seek opportunities for cooperation in investment and business, among other issues of mutual interests.

Delegates are seen at the press conference featuring the Horasis India Meeting 2022 that will take place in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, for three days starting November 25, 2022. Photo: B.S. / Tuoi Tre

Within the events framework, participants will take a sightseeing tour to some key industrial parks and projects in Binh Duong as well as local tourist destinations.

The hosting of Horasis event this year, besides those in 2018 and 2019, aims to speed up the Binh Duong smart city project, attract more foreign investment, and promote the province among domestic and foreign partners, said deputy chairman of the provincial administration Mai Hung Dung.

Overcoming the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that hit Vietnam in early 2020, Binh Duong has achieved positive signs in investment attraction and economic and social development, Dung said.

The province has ranked second in attracting foreign direct investment in Vietnam over the first nine months of 2022, just behind Ho Chi Minh City, he added.

Among large projects, Binh Duong started construction of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park III (VSIP III) in March 2022, following VSIP I and II established in 1996 and 2006, respectively.

The provinces domestic business community is also growing stronger with nearly 60,000 businesses working effectively with international investors to develop the local economy and generate more jobs for residents.

In June this year, Binh Duong continued to be listed among smart cities in the world and the province authorities hosted an event on June 20-21 to honor the Top 7 World Smart Communities in 2022.

Dr. Frank-Jurgen Richter, president of Horasis, commented that the international community highly appreciated Binh Duongs smart city project, which is based on the coordination of three sides, namely the state, entrepreneurs and schools.

Horasis is a global visions community committed to providing a unique platform for companies from emerging and developed markets to globalize their organizations, as shown on its website.

Besides the Horasis Asia Meeting, Horasis also hosts the annual Horasis Global Meeting, Horasis China Meeting, Horasis India Meeting, as well as the annual gatherings of the Horasis Visionary Circle.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
HAVANA -- The rhinos, giraffes and lions that populate Cuba's national zoo have long been a wonder for all, but for deaf Cubans like Tatiana Romero, tours of the sprawling facility outside Havana have recently become a lot more welcoming.

Earlier this year, sign language interpreters began accompanying groups of deaf visitors aboard the bus and trails that take them across an enclosed plain designed to imitate the African savannah.

"When I was a child I used to visit the park. But many years have passed," said Romero, 35, who lost her hearing in the womb.

"The interpreter was a great surprise, now I can understand everything."

A group of partial hearing visitors look at a white rhinoceros during a tour in an enclosed plain at the Cuba's national zoo in Havana, Cuba, September 21, 2022. Photo: Reuters

The tours are one among several innovative program the state-run and operated zoo offers for people with disabilities, including animal therapy for children with Down's syndrome, autism and other special needs.

"Previously, very few (deaf) people visited the zoo because they could only see the animals," said Yoandra Oliva Lopez, an interpreter and educator with the zoo. "Now many more are visiting."

A group of partial hearing visitors touch a four-month-old jaguar cub named Cindy at the Cuba's national zoo in Havana, Cuba, September 21, 2022. Photo: Reuters

The zoo's environmental educators, who trained in a three-month program to learn sign language, now coordinate with local municipalities to facilitate tours for people with disabilities.

Zoo officials said they were also working to begin similar tours specifically for deaf children.

As the zoo's bus made its way around the mock savannah, the interpreter used sign language to describe to nine participants on a tour earlier this week the 13 species of animals that wander the plains, as well as their biology and eating habits.

A group of partial hearing visitors look at a white rhinoceros during a tour in an enclosed plain at the Cuba's national zoo in Havana, Cuba, September 21, 2022. Photo: Reuters

"It is wonderful to see their satisfaction... in receiving all the information," said Oliva Lopez. "Each guided tour that I give with them is an extraordinary experience."

Cuba's National Zoo is a favorite attraction for Cubans, with 1,473 specimens of more than 120 species of animals.

Friday is the International Day of Sign Languages.
Vietnam Days Abroad 2022, with diverse activities to promote Vietnams land, people and culture to international friends, will be held in Austria, India, and South Korea on the anniversaries of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and these countries, a diplomat has announced.

Tran Quoc Khanh, deputy head of the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO under Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the announcement at a press conference held in Hanoi on Thursday to introduce the coming annual Vietnam Days Abroad.

This is the time for us to further promote to international friends the image of a Vietnam overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, a fresh Vietnam with its rich culture identity and friendly and hospitable people, and a Vietnam willing to boost cooperation with other countries in all fields, Khanh said.

Specifically, Vietnam Day in Austria 2022 will take place on September 28 and 29 in Vienna, the Austrian capital, featuring activities such as the Vietnams Cultural Space in Austria and the Vietnam-Austria Business Forum.

The event will provide an overview of the 50-year cooperation and friendship relations between the two countries, opening opportunities to promote bilateral economic and trade ties and to further understand Vietnamese culture through Vietnamese tea art, Dong Ho folk paintings and lacquer paintings.

In particular, the orchestra of the Vietnam National Music Academy will join Austrian artists to perform some typical musical works of the two countries at the ceremony for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Austria.

More than a month later, the Vietnam Day in India 2022 is expected to be held from November 3 to 4 in New Delhi, the Indian capital.

During these days, activities celebrating the 50th year of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India will be held, offering chances to discover Vietnamese vegetarian cuisine, to learn about the Vietnamese tea art, and to join many other cultural promotion activities.

In South Korea, the Vietnam Day program is expected to take place from late November through early December in the countrys capital, Seoul, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Vietnam-South Korea diplomatic ties.

With the goal of targeting the young public, Vietnam Day in Korea in 2022 will focus on cinema exchange activities, cuisine programs with the theme of Family cuisine in the cultures of Vietnam and South Korea that feature Vietnams tea art, water puppetry performances, and the making of Dong Ho folk paintings.

Within the framework of the Vietnam Day programs in Austria, India and South Korea, the foreign ministry will coordinate with its partners to officially launch two digital cultural products including the online exhibition entitled Vietnamese Lacquer Painting and a Vietnamese culture-based video game named Lac Viet Adventure Diary.

Vietnam Days Abroad is an annual national promotion program hosted by the foreign affairs ministry since 2010 under the assignment of the Prime Minister.

The latest information about Vietnam Days Abroad 2022 will be updated on the Vietnam Days Abroad fanpage and the website http://vietnamdaysabroad.mofa.gov.vn.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Border guards of Kien Giang, a southwestern province of Vietnam, have received 226 Vietnamese citizens who had been tricked into taking high-paying easy jobs in Cambodia by human trafficking rings, a border official has reported.

These citizens were handed over by Cambodia authorities to the Ha Tien Border Guard Station at the Ha Tien International Border Gate in Kien Giang on Friday, said Nguyen Huu Viet, deputy head of the station.

They were rescued during a campaign launched by Cambodian agencies concerned in Preah Sihanouk Province to crack down on human trafficking organizations from September 18 to 22.

The campaign, with the coordination of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Preah Sihanouk, focused on three foreign companies operating in the province.

According to initial reports, all these rescued people had been duped into going to Cambodia to get easy jobs with high pay but they turned out to work as illegal or forced workers under the scams by human traffickers.

Most of these citizens have personal identification documents, except for a few who have lost them or had them retained by their employers.

Among the repatriated, those who had exited with legal passports will be eligible to make entry normally, while those who were sent to Cambodia illegally had to submit reports about their cases to Vietnamese authorities for verification, Viet said.

Border guard forces, local authorities, womens unions, and other related regencies will provide necessary supports for all the repatriated victims, the officer added.

Earlier on August 29, the same border station received 63 other Vietnamese victims who had been rescued in Cambodia through a joint effort of Cambodian authorities and the Vietnamese Consulate General in Sihanoukville.

Three days later, the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, repatriated an additional 26 Vietnamese citizens through Tinh Bien Border Gate in Vietnams An Giang Province, which also border Cambodia.

By joining hands with Cambodian authorities, Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs has so far this year repatriated more than 600 citizens who were tricked by human traffickers into working in Cambodia in miserable conditions, the ministry reported recently.

Thousands of Vietnamese people may have been smuggled to Cambodia in such scams, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Khong Ngoc Oanh from the Ministry of Public Securitys Criminal Police Department told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

A striking event happened on August 18 when 42 Vietnamese nationals fled the Rich World Casino in Cambodias Kandal Province and tried to swim across the border Binh Di River into Vietnams southwestern province of An Giang.

Among these runaways, 40 reached Vietnam, one died during the river crossing, and the remainder was recaptured by the casino guards, though he was later rescued and repatriated.

Currently, continued efforts by both Vietnam and Cambodian authorities are underway to crack down on human trafficking rings that cheated Vietnamese into going to Cambodia in their easy- job, high-pay scams.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has requested the Peoples Committees of provinces and cities across the country to set up plans for vaccinating children aged six months to four years old against COVID-19.

The vaccination drive will take place when there are sufficient conditions and scientific basis, according to the order signed by Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong.

The minister assessed that all 63 provinces and cities in Vietnam had actively implemented COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, ensuring safety, effectiveness and compliance with regulations and guidelines issued over the past time.

Authorities have administered 259 million doses to citizens aged from five years nationwide.

Most children aged 12 and above have been given two shots.

Up to 88 percent of children aged from 5-11 have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, and 60 percent have got two.

In preparation for the COVID-19 inoculation for children from six months to four years old, provinces and cities must submit a report on the number of children in this age group and propose the quantities of vaccine needed to the local Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology or Pasteur Institutes before September 30.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is necessary to increase the vaccination rate against COVID-19 in lower age groups, who are vulnerable due to their immature immune systems.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Australian Story profiles firefighter Mick Tisbury who campaigned all the way to the to the UN Stockholm Convention in Geneva to argue for worldwide bans on PFAS chemicals.

This episode is introduced by ABC health reporter Tegan Taylor.

Firefighter Mick Tisbury spent years fighting to uncover an alarming chemical contamination scandal.

Then, with no medical training, he found a way to help fellow firefighters and members of the public who were at risk of severe illness as a result of their unwitting exposure.

The experienced firefighter worked alongside a journalist to reveal the full extent to which carcinogenic chemicals and toxic firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals were misused at a volunteer firefighting training facility in rural Victoria.

Mick went all the way to the to the United Nations Stockholm Convention in Geneva to argue for worldwide bans on PFAS.

And on the way, he has come up with an ingenious solution to help people rid their bodies of these forever chemicals.

Monday September 26, 8:00pm, on ABC.
WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland should get double the amount of gas originally expected through the new Baltic Pipe from Norway in the fourth quarter thanks to work in Denmark being completed earlier than expected, a top Polish official was quoted as saying on Saturday.

The forecast came after Danish system operator Energinet said on Saturday the pipeline could be commissioned at full capacity from the end of November instead of Jan. 1 thanks to good progress on work in Denmark, a boost for Poland as it scrambles to replace Russian gas.

Poland was cut off from Russian gas supplies in April for refusing to pay in roubles.

"We ... received positive information from Denmark, despite the work still being underway, the full capacity of the gas pipeline is to be reached earlier than originally assumed," Mateusz Berger, the Polish government official in charge of energy infrastructure, told state-run news agency PAP.

"This should make it possible to double the amount of gas sent to Poland via the new route in the last quarter of this year."

The Baltic Pipe, which opens next week, is the centrepiece of a Polish strategy to diversify away from Russian gas that began years before Moscow's February invasion of Ukraine triggered a global energy crisis.

Norway's Equinor said on Friday it had entered into a 10-year agreement to sell natural gas to Poland's PGNiG in a deal covering a volume of 2.4 billion cubic metres per year, or around 15% of Polish annual consumption.

The gas will be transported through the Baltic Pipe, which has an annual capacity of 10 bcm.

The contract with Equinor supplements Poland's LNG supply, domestic output and potential imports via interconnectors with its neighbours ahead of the coming winter.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish; editing by Clelia Oziel)
The death of Adam Clapham, 31, is subject to a murder investigation (South Yorkshire Police handout)

A 16-year-old boy is among five people charged in connection with the false imprisonment, rape and murder of a man in Rotherham.

Adam Clapham, a 31-year-old reportedly survived by a young daughter, was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead on Spring Street after South Yorkshire Police received calls about concerns for his welfare on Monday.

Four people have since been charged with murder, false imprisonment, grievous bodily harm and sexual offences.

The first three to be charged with murder, false imprisonment, grievous bodily harm and oral rape were 31-year-old Robert Crookes, of no fixed address, Lynette Myers, 38, of Hounsfield Crescent, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named because of his age.

Police announced on Saturday that a fourth individual  Kieron Millar, 29, of Mount Pleasant Road  had been charged with murder, false imprisonment, grievous bodily harm and causing a male to engage in sexual activity, police said.

He was due to appear at Sheffield Magistrates Court this morning, according to the force.

Martin Shaw, 43, of Norfolk Street, Rotherham, has also been charged with assisting an offender.

Chief Superintendent Laura Koscikiewicz, district commander for Rotherham, said on Thursday: We continue to make progress and piece together the circumstances which have led to the tragic death of this young man.

UK news in pictures

23 September 2022: A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London (EPA)

22 September 2022: Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London (PA)

21 September 2022: A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent (PA)

20 September 2022: Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted (PA)

19 September 2022: The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel (AFP/Getty)

18 September 2022: A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral (Reuters)

17 September 2022: Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. (Action Images/Reuters)

16 September 2022: Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London (AFP via Getty Images)

15 September 2022: Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday (PA)

14 September 2022: The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday (PA)

13 September 2022: Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle (Getty)

We have been conducting several enquiries in the surrounding area and there are a small number of scenes in place as our investigations continue.

Officers remain in the area carrying out patrols. We understand incidents of this nature cause great concern among the local community, and we will remain in your neighbourhoods over the coming days to provide additional reassurance to local residents.

We are still keen to hear from anyone who may hold any information which could help us during our investigation. If you know something, please get in touch.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via live chat, online portal or by calling 101 and quoting incident number 256 of 19 September 2022. You can also give information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers via their website or by calling 0800 555 111.
Alex Scott says she can slip into dark places when facing torrents of racist abuse and trolling, which sometimes leaves her scared for her life.

The former footballer, 37, has become a regular fixture on sports commentary panels and made history in 2018 as the first female Sky pundit on a Sky Sports Super Sunday.

She joined the BBC World Cup commentary line-up the same year.

In an interview with The Times, Scott opened up about the online attacks she faces due to her role and how she found herself in a bad place after presenting at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Scott turned to drink before seeking therapy (PA)

She said: I can slip into dark places. And once I slip into dark places, I dont stop.

I loved being out at the Olympics, but afterwards I realised the mad pressure that Id put on myself to take everything  the trolling, the racism, Lord Digby Jones.

Last year, former Labour minister and ex-House of Lords member Digby Jones criticised Scotts pronunciation and asked if someone could give her elocution lessons.

Scott said: I went into the Olympics knowing the scrutiny that I would be under once again from all the trolls.

But then to open Twitter and see that from him, I was just like, Im not going to be silent any more. Ive had enough. So I just tweeted and went to bed.

Earlier that summer, Scott was targeted on social media over false reports she had been chosen to replace Sue Barker as the new presenter of A Question Of Sport, a role which went to Paddy McGuinness.

Sue Barker, who stepped down as host of A Question Of Sport (Adam Davy/PA)

That was at a level that I was scared for my life, the presenter admitted, saying she received death threats.

I was scared to leave my house to even go to the shop. Thats the stage that wed got to  that, oh my gosh, someone black might be replacing a national treasure could cause such hatred.

Scott briefly turned to drinking in a bid to drown out the trolls noise, The Times reports.

The football pundit says she is a proponent of therapy, which she sought after the abuse over A Question Of Sport.

I take lessons from whats happened to me. I wouldnt be the person I am without all this, she said.

In November, Scott will be heading to Doha to present the BBCs World Cup coverage, as well as presenting Sports Personality Of The Year in the UK.
A volatile passenger has been charged with a federal crime  and banned for life from American Airlines  after he was captured on video punching a flight attendant in the head, according to Justice Department and airline officials.

ARRESTED: An Orange County man is facing a federal charge after video captured him punching a flight attendant during a flight from Mexico to Los Angeles. https://t.co/RoYXGLRLV1pic.twitter.com/6ZG8E10x8U  ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 22, 2022

The incident occurred Wednesday on a flight from San Jose del Cabo in Mexico to Los Angeles.

Alexander Tung Cuu Le, 33, of Westminster, in Southern California, was arrested when the aircraft landed at Los Angeles International Airport, according to an American Airlines official. He was charged Thursday with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, said a statement by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California.

According to the statement, Le grabbed a flight attendants shoulder and demanded coffee about 20 minutes after the aircraft took off. He also allegedly disrupted passengers by hanging out near the first-class section of the cabin.

When another flight attendant told Le to return to his assigned seat, Le allegedly stood up and assumed a fighting stance towards the flight attendant by making closed fists with both of his hands, which the flight attendant interpreted as a threat, according to the DOJ statement.

A video taken by fellow passenger Barrie Livingstone shows Le apparently initially swinging his arm at the flight attendant but missing. As the attendant turned to walk away, Le can be seen rushing forward to strike the attendant in the head, eliciting cries of concern and outrage on the aircraft. The attack was witnessed by several passengers, the Justice Department said.

Story continues

Le then fled to the back of the plane, where he was apprehended by several passengers and crew members, the statement added.

Les hands and legs were cuffed, but he continuously unbuckled his seatbelt, causing flight attendants to restrain him to the seat with seatbelt extenders, officials noted.

Le has been barred from all future flights by American Airlines.

Acts of violence against our team members are not tolerated by American Airlines, said a statement from American. The individual involved in this incident will never be allowed to travel with us in the future, and we will work closely with law enforcement in their investigation.

The airline thanked crew members and passengers for restraining Le until the aircraft was met by law enforcement at LAX.

Le appeared Thursday at the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles, where he was charged.

The hearing was continued to Monday, Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorneys office, told SFGate. That will be a detention hearing to determine his bond, if any. Mr. Le has not pleaded to anything yet, McEvoy added.

Attacks on flight attendants have skyrocketed in the last two years, largely triggered by sometimes violent, defiant responses to requirements to wear masks earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Aviation Administration logged an incredible 5,981 unruly passenger reports last year. In 2020, the FAA investigated only 183 reports.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Peneco Beach in the city of Albufeira (Youdrone/Google Maps)

A British woman has died after falling ill after a swim in a tourist hotspot in Portugal.

The 45-year-old tourist reported feeling unwell after she got out of the sea at Peneco Beach in the city of Albufeira.

The alarm was raised at 1.15pm on Wednesday with medics rushing to resuscitate her.

Sadly, she was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor.

Her body was then taken to the Medical-Legal Office in Portimao - a port city nearby.

Albufeira is in the Algarve, a coastal region in southern Portugal visited by 2,7 million tourists last year.

Following the incident, a Foreign Office spokesperson said: We have not been approached for consular assistance but stand ready to provide support if necessary.
PARIS (Reuters) - Members of the French National Assembly said on Saturday they had asked the president of the lower house of the country's parliament to set up an investigation committee to look into alleged Russian financing of political parties.

In a letter to Yael Braun-Pivet, shown to reporters, MPs said the move was prompted by a recent declassification of U.S. intelligence showing Russia had paid hundreds of millions of euros to foreign political parties "with the aim to ... influence elections".

The eight MPs, who belong to French President Emmanuel Macron's En Marche party, also noted that Marine Le Pen's far-right Rassemblement National party is still paying off a loan granted by Russian banks.

"These facts clearly suggest a Russian will to weigh in the French public debate ... they warrant the set-up of an investigation committee to establish if French political parties - and which ones - have benefited from Russian financing," the MPs wrote.

Citing the declassified U.S. intelligence, a senior Biden administration official said on Sept. 13 the United States expects Russia will increasingly turn to covert political financing in coming months to undermine international sanctions over the war in Ukraine and maintain Moscow's influence abroad.

However the official did not detail which countries the Russian influence efforts were believed to have targeted or provide specific evidence to lay out the claims of secret financing.

(Reporting by Tangi Salaun; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by David Holmes)
The Government has launched an attack on nature with its mini-budget, conservationists have warned.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Wildlife Trusts and the National Trust have all criticised the Government over planned policies announced on Friday.

On Friday evening, RSBP England posted a lengthy Twitter thread in which it criticised the Governments proposed 38 investment zones.

These are areas in England where planning rules will be loosened to release more land for commercial and housing developments.

Make no mistake, we are angry. This Government has today launched an attack on nature. We dont use the words that follow lightly. We are entering uncharted territory. Please read this thread. 1/13 pic.twitter.com/NAPfIjLZKA  RSPB England  (@RSPBEngland) September 23, 2022

The RSPB said the policy seems to indicate a rolling back of rules on environmental assessments.

The charity tweeted: Make no mistake, we are angry. This Government has today launched an attack on nature.

As of today, from Cornwall to Cumbria, Norfolk to Nottingham wildlife is facing one of the greatest threats its faced in decades.

What the Government has proposed in todays mini-budget on top of yesterdays announcements potentially tears up the most fundamental legal protections our remaining wildlife has.

RSPB chief executive Beccy Speight told the PA news agency on Saturday the charity is really concerned.

Ms Speight called the investment zones a carte blanche for development, saying the Governments proposals have no provision for environmental assessment.

She also expressed concern that the Government does not plan to keep EU laws protecting wildlife, rivers, clean air and food standards after unveiling its Retained EU law Bill.

Story continues

Another point of concern for the RSPB is the suggestion that environment land management schemes, introduced to ensure the natural environment is protected on farmlands, will be rolled back, Ms Speight said.

As of today, from Cornwall to Cumbria, Norfolk to Nottingham wildlife is facing one of the greatest threats its faced in decades. 2/13  RSPB England  (@RSPBEngland) September 23, 2022

Nature is already in trouble. Taken together, these announcements, combined with the rumoured watering down of the new land management schemes for farming, could be the final nail in its coffin, she said.

Our economy and our health depend on a thriving natural world.

Referencing the increasing amount of sewage overflow into UK waterways and coastlines in recent years, especially this summer, she added: We all depend on a healthy environment.

Its time to strengthen protections, not do away with them.

Ms Speight called on members of the public to write to their MP to help stop the Government rushing the proposed legislation through without proper scrutiny.

What the Government has proposed in todays mini-budget on top of yesterdays announcements potentially tears up the most fundamental legal protections our remaining wildlife has. 3/13  RSPB England  (@RSPBEngland) September 23, 2022

The Wildlife Trusts shared the RSPBs thread and said: Make no mistake  we are also incredibly angry.

We stand with @RSPBEngland in calling out the unprecedented attack on nature launched by UK Government over the last few days.

Well be challenging this together and asking for our supporters to stand with us.

Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, told the PA news agency on Saturday: Environmental organisations were concerned that vital nature protections would be lost through Brexit but we were told all would be fine.

Instead we have a catastrophe.

Farming reform was supposed to be the silver lining but now the Government looks set to renege on that too.

He added: The estimated cost to UK farmers of soil degradation alone is 1.2 billion each year.

To secure a sustainable future for British food and farming, we need more nature.

The National Trust also shared RSPBs tweet, adding: Well be working with other nature charities and supporters to defend important protections for nature long into the future.

Criticism of the investment zones also came from Labour, with shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy saying: Slashing standards, destroying the environment and scrapping affordable housing is reckless and offers no prospect of sustainable growth. For most people thats levelling down, not up.

This country needs a serious plan to get jobs and investment into every nation and region, money back into peoples pockets and locally-driven growth, not more Amazon warehouses and deregulation.

Replying to the conservation organisations on Twitter, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) dismissed claims the Government is attacking nature.

We have a plan for economic growth, it tweeted.

If they carry out their plans nowhere will be safe. This map shows legally protected areas in purple and orange (the SACs and SPAs) mapped on to districts, in green, that want investment zones. Places where anything could be built anywhere. And these are just the start. 4/13 pic.twitter.com/hFaY77SXBb  RSPB England  (@RSPBEngland) September 23, 2022

It is not true to claim we are attacking nature nor going back on our commitments.

We have legislated through the Environment Act and will continue to improve our regulations and wildlife laws in line with our ambitious vision.

On the RSPBs concerns over the environmental land management schemes, a Defra spokesman added: Farmers are brilliant at producing high quality food for consumption at home and for export and now we need them to go further, as productivity gains have been flat for many years.

To boost the rural economy, food production and our food security, we will continue to support farmers and land managers by reviewing farm regulation, boosting investment and innovation in the sector.

This autumn we will set out our plans for working with industry to maximise the long-term productivity, resilience, competitiveness, and environmental stewardship of the British countryside.

A Treasury Spokesman added: Investment Zones will enable locally-elected leaders to set out bold new visions for their areas, and we want to ensure that they have every tool available to them in driving forwards local growth.

The Government remains committed to setting a new legally binding target to halt the decline of biodiversity in England by 2030.

We are working closely with areas to develop tailored proposals that support their ambitions and deliver benefits for local residents.
A memorial artwork has been unveiled in honour of police sergeant Matt Ratana, who was shot dead at a custody centre in Croydon, south London.

Sgt Ratana, 54, died of his injuries after being wounded almost two years ago on 25 September, 2020.

He was originally from New Zealand's North Island but had served in the Metropolitan Police for 29 years.

The artwork incorporates hundreds of epaulettes - the shoulder decoration worn by officers displaying their serial numbers - donated by grieving colleagues in emergency service and military teams across the globe.

At the centre of the circular design is a silver fern leaf - the Maori symbol for strength and enduring power - to acknowledge Mr Ratana's heritage.

The artwork was created by three students at Croydon College, where Sgt Ratana's colleagues hosted a project in January.

It now has pride of place on a wall in the custody centre, where a memorial service was held on Friday.

In attendance was Sgt Ratana's partner of five years, Su Busby, who in the wake of his death paid tribute to her "gentle giant" - describing him as her "partner, friend, confidant, support and soul mate".

She said: "I want to thank the students for the inspiring and imaginative collage they designed and created.

"I hope everyone enjoys this amazing piece of art depicting the fern, a symbol representing New Zealand, where Matt came from, and made from the epaulettes donated by police officers and emergency services, commemorating Matt's lifelong commitment to the police service he was so proud to belong to.

"I'm grateful for everyone's continued kindness, support and love in all our loss."

Student Georgina Pender, 18, from Lambeth, said the artwork was a "joint effort" with police officers.

"In making the artwork I learnt that even after bad things happen, there are a lot of good things that can come from it.

"It was interesting to see how much people loved this man I'd never heard of before," she said, adding: "It was nice to give something back."

Story continues

Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley also joined the service and was among those who paid their respects by laying flowers on the Matt Ratana memorial bench outside the custody centre.

Also present was commander for Croydon, Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer, who said: "The students have done a wonderful job of capturing what Matt stood for and how people far and wide were affected by his tragic death.

"Every day, colleagues will look at this spectacular artwork and they will remember Matt and be inspired to make a positive difference to others' lives in the way he did with such inexhaustible enthusiasm."
We use nine measures of performance, covering all stages of the student life cycle, to put together a league table for 66 subjects. We regard each provider of a subject as a department and ask each provider to tell us which of their students count within each department.

Our intention is to indicate how each department is likely to deliver a positive all-round experience to future students and in order to assess this we refer to how past students in the department have fared.

We quantify the resources and staff contact that have been dedicated to past students, we look at the standards of entry and the likelihood that students will be supported to continue their studies, before looking at how likely students are to be satisfied, to exceed expectations of success and to have positive outcomes after completing the course. Bringing these measures together, we get an overall score for each department and rank departments against this.

For comparability, the data we use focusses on full time first degree students. For prospective undergraduates who want to know where institutions rank in relation to one another, the Guardian scores have been averaged for each institution across all subjects to generate an overall university league table.

Whats changed for 2023?

The structure and methodology of the rankings has remained broadly constant since 2008 but, for the first time since 2014, this years guide follows a review of the subjects for which we calculate rankings. Managing the discontinuity in subject classifications has led to some exceptional methodology adjustments while other changes have been made to accommodate changing data availability.

Subject changes

The 2022 edition had 54 subjects but this edition has 66. The changes have come about as follows:

31 subjects have not changed whatsoever.

3 subjects have been renamed but otherwise stay the same.

8 subjects have seen changes to their composition, usually with this reflected in their title.

7 subjects have had one or more major area of activity removed to become a subject in its own right. The remaining subject has sometimes had an adjustment to its title.

2 subjects have been amalgamated into one.

2 subjects have been discontinued.

Finally, 16 subjects have been created.

Story continues

Our handling of the transitions varied by subject and by metric. The 49 subjects that had retained their identity, albeit with some adjustments to their composition, remained connected to their prior year data for value-added scores, meaning that two-year averages were available when needed for these subjects. The newly created subjects were not able to draw on data from previous years.

Because the continuation metric always uses at least two years of data, a broader connection was needed to connect data from previous years. New subjects were associated with the most relevant subject from previous years in order to pick up continuation data from those years. For subjects that had changed, the continuation methodology was adjusted to create multi-year averages that were not weighted by the number of first years in each academic year. This is a temporary change to methodology.

Career prospects data for 2018/19 was commissioned according to the new subject boundaries, though these first needed to be expressed using JACS codes instead of HECOS. Data was again aggregated across years in an unweighted manner but this is intended as a permanent design feature rather than as a temporary means of handling the subject transition.

Tariff scores were not affected by the transition as they do not use multi-year averages. SSRs operate at the cost centre level and were mainly unaffected by the changes to subject boundaries, though the amalgamation of subject pairs that have distinct cost centres did necessitate the creation of two aggregated cost centres. NSS data picked up the new subject mappings for all years and no extraordinary adjustments were needed.

Career Prospects

After delays prevented the 2022 edition from using the data for the 2018/19 academic year, the data for 2019/20 was released in time for this years edition. This enabled us to use two years together, though care was taken to make sure that the results were averaged in an unweighted manner rather than as a simple aggregation. This was because there were some signals that the graduating cohort of 2018/19 were more adversely affected by the pandemic than the 2019/20 cohort were.

Expenditure

The spend per student metric depends on information about how much each university spends on academic services and on subject delivery. Release of this information was delayed until 14 July 2022 which was too late for the data to be processed. Data from 2019/20 was used for a second year.

Average Entry Tariff

Our average entry tariff metric takes the tariff points held by young entrants and divides them by the number of young entrants with non-zero tariffs. In previous years there was an additional rule that the majority of entrants with tariffable qualifications had to be young (under 21) on entry. This year we have removed this rule but replaced it with extra conditions concerning the number of young tariff-bearing entrants relative to the total size of the department.

Value Added

The value added scores work by assigning each qualifying student a probability of being awarded a 1st or a 2:1 and then using this likelihood to produce a value added score if they are successful. When the continuation metric was introduced it used a similar concept, but was more sophisticated in how it assigned probabilities, often taking exact grades into account along with the age of the graduate when they started their course. This more sophisticated approach was transplanted into the value added score methodology for this years guide but the data received from HESA/JISC failed to differentiate BTEC and non-BTEC students when assigning probabilities. The results used are correct and meaningful but the additional enhancement to recognise BTEC students has been postponed to next year.

What are the metrics?

Entry standards

This measure seeks to approximate the aptitude of fellow students who a prospective student can anticipate and reports the observed average grades of students joining the department  not the conditions of admission to the course that may be advertised. Average tariffs are determined by taking the total tariff points of first-year, first-degree, full-time entrants who were aged under 21 at the start of their course, if the qualifications that they entered with could all be expressed using the tariff system devised by UCAS. There must be more than seven students in any meaningful average and only students entering year 1 of a course (not a foundation year) with certain types of qualification are included.

This metric contributes 15% to the total score of a department, and refers to those who entered the department in 2020/21.

Student-staff ratios

Student-staff ratios seek to approximate the levels of staff contact that a student can expect to receive by dividing the volume of students who are taking modules in a subject by the volume of staff who are available to teach it. Thus a low ratio is treated positively  it indicates that more staff contact could be anticipated.

Staff and students are reported on a full time equivalent basis and research-only staff are excluded from the staff volume. Students on placement or on a course that is franchised to another provider have their volume discounted accordingly.

At least 28 students and three staff (both FTE) must be present in an SSR calculation using 2020/21 data alone. Smaller departments that had at least seven student and two staff FTE in 2019/20, and at least 30 student FTE in total across 2019/20 and 2020/21, have a two-year average calculated.

This metric contributes 15% to the total score of a department. It is released at HESA cost centre level, and we map each cost centre to one or more of our subjects.

Expenditure per student

In order to approximate the level of resources that a student could expect to have dedicated to their provision, we look at the total expenditure in each subject area and divide it by the volume of students taking the subject. We exclude academic staff costs as the benefits of high staff volumes are already captured by the student-staff ratios but recognise that many costs of delivery are centralised: we add the amount of money each provider has spent per students on academic services such as libraries and computing facilities per student, over the past 2 years.

This metric is expressed as points/10 and contributes 5% to the total score of a department. It was not updated in the 2023 guide due to delayed data availability of financial information for 2020/21.

Continuation

Taking a degree-level course is a positive experience for most students but is not suited to everybody and some students struggle and discontinue their studies. Providers can do a lot to support their students  they might promote engagement with studies and with the broader higher education experience - and this measure captures how successful each department is in achieving this. We look at the proportion of students who continue their studies beyond the first year and measure the extent to which this exceeds expectations based on entry qualifications.

To achieve this, we take all first-year students on full-time first-degree courses that are scheduled to take longer than a year to complete and look ahead to the first of December in the following academic year to observe the proportion who are still active in higher education. This proportion is viewed positively, regardless of whether the student has switched course, transferred to a different provider, or been required to repeat their first year  only those who become inactive in the UKs HE system are counted negatively.

To take the effect of entry qualifications into account we create an index score for each student who has a positive outcome, using their expectation of continuation up to a maximum of 97%. To calculate the score there must have been 35 entrants in the most recent cohort and 65 across the last 2 or 3 years.

This index score, aggregated across the last 2 or 3 years, contributes 15% to the total score of non-medical departments and 5% to those of the medical subjects. However, it is the percentage score  also averaged over 2 or 3 years - that is displayed.

Student satisfaction

The National student survey asks final year students for the extent to which they agree with 27 positive statements about their academic experience of the course and support that they received. Responses are on a 5-point Likert scale (1. definitely disagree to 5. definitely agree) and we take the responses from full-time first-degree students registered at the provider course to produce two statistics: a satisfaction rate and an average response. The satisfaction rate looks across the questions concerned and reports the proportion of responses that were definitely agree or mostly agree while the average response gives the average Likert score between 1 and 5 that was observed in the responses to those questions.

To assess the teaching quality that a student can expect to experience we took responses from the 2021 and 2022 NSS surveys and aggregated them for the following questions:

Staff are good at explaining things

Staff have made the subject interesting

The course is intellectually stimulating

My course has challenged me to achieve my best work

The overall satisfaction rate for each provider is displayed, and the average response is used with a 8% weighting.

To assess the likelihood that a student will be satisfied with assessment procedures and the feedback they receive we took responses from the 2021 and 2022 NSS surveys and aggregated them for the following questions:

The criteria used in marking have been clear in advance

Marking and assessment has been fair

Feedback on my work has been timely

I have received helpful comments on my work

The overall satisfaction rate for each provider is displayed, and the average response is used with a 8% weighting.

To assess the overall satisfaction of students with their courses we aggregated responses from the 2021 and 2022 NSS surveys for the question overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the course.

The overall satisfaction rate for each provider is displayed, and the average response is used with a 4% weighting.

Data was released at the CAH (common aggregation hierarchy) levels of aggregation and we used details of how these map to HECOS (Higher Education classification of subjects) to weight and aggregate results for each of our 66 subjects, prioritising results from the most granular level. Our aggregation rules required that 2022 results are available and that the total number of relevant respondents across the two years was 23 or more.

Value added

In order to assess the extent to which each department will support its students towards achieving good grades, we use value added scores to track students from enrolment to graduation. A students chances of getting a good classification of degree (a 1st or a 2:1) are already affected by the qualifications that they start with so our scores take this into account and report the extent to which a student exceeded expectations.

Each full-time student is given a probability of achieving a 1st or 2:1, based on the qualifications that they enter with or, if they have vague entry qualifications, the total percentage of good degrees expected for the student in their department. If they manage to earn a good degree, then they score points that reflect how difficult it was to do so (in fact, they score the reciprocal of the probability of getting a 1st or 2:1). Otherwise they score zero. Students completing an integrated masters award are always regarded as having a positive outcome.

At least 30 students must be in a subject for a meaningful value added score to be calculated using the most recent year of data alone. If there are more than 15 students in both the most recent year and the preceding year, then a two-year average is calculated.

This metric is expressed as points/10 and contributes 15% to the total score of a department.

Career prospects

Using results from the Graduate Outcomes survey for the graduating cohorts of 2018/19 and 2019/20, we seek to assess the extent to which students have taken a positive first step in the 15 months after graduation, in the hope that similar patterns will repeat for future cohorts. We value students that enter graduate level occupations (approximated by SOC groups 1-3: professional, managerial & technical occupations) and students that go on to further study at a professional or HE level and treat these students as positive.

Students report one or more activities, and for each of these give more detail. If students are self-employed or working for an employer, we treat them as positive if the occupation is in SOC groups 1-3, if they have either finished a course or are presently taking one then we look at the level and treat them positively accordingly. Students who have no activity that is regarded positively, but who either reported that they were unable to work, or only partially completed the survey leaving details of an activity incomplete, are excluded from the metric.

The metric refers only to students who graduated from full-time first-degree courses and we only use results if at least 15 students in a department responded in each of the two years or if at least 22.5 students responded in the most recent year. Partial responses are used if the respondent provided details for any of the activities that they reported undertaking. We exclude the responses if, for an activity, we are unable to determine if it should be treated as a positive outcome.

We have always avoided averaging results across years for this metric because the national economic environment that leavers find themselves in can have such a big effect on employment and this is especially true when a pandemic affects the economy. Unfortunately, response rates for the graduate outcomes survey are not high enough to maintain this stance. We therefore average the career prospects statistics across the two years in an unweighted manner, in order to avoid any advantage or disadvantage for a department that had a higher response for a cohort in which economic conditions were better/worse. In situations where only the most recent year of data meets the threshold for usage we have applied the year-on-year sector difference observed for the subject concerned in order to simulate what a 2-year average might have looked like given changing economic conditions.

This metric is worth 15% of the total score in all the non-medical subjects.

How do we use the metric results?

First of all, we determine if a department has enough data to support a ranking. Often individual metrics are missing and we seek to keep the department in the rankings where we can. An institution can only be included in the table if the weighting value of any indicators that are missing add up to 40% or less, and if the institutions relevant department teaches at least 35 full time first degree students. There must also be at least 25 students (FTE) in the relevant cost centre.

For those institutions that qualify for inclusion in the subject table, each score is compared to the average score achieved by the other institutions that qualify, using standard deviations to gain a normal distribution of standardised scores (S-scores). The standardised score for student: staff ratios is negative, to reflect that low ratios are regarded as better. We cap certain S-scores  extremely high NSS, expenditure and SSR figures  at three standard deviations. This is to prevent a valid but extreme value from exerting an influence that far exceeds that of all other measures.

For metrics in subjects where there are very few datapoints we refer to the distribution of scores observed for a higher aggregation of subjects (CAH1). We also set a minimum standard deviation for each metric and make adjustments to the mean tariff that is referenced by departments with students who entered with Scottish highers or advanced highers.

Although we dont display anything, we need to plug the gap left in the total score that is left by any missing indicators. We use a substitution process that firstly looks for the corresponding standardised score in the previous year and then, if nothing is available, resorts to looking at whether the missing metric is correlated to general performance in that subject. If it is, the departments performance in the other metrics is used  effectively assuming that it would have performed as well in the missing metric as it did in everything else. If not, the average score achieved by other providers of the subject is used.

Using the weighting attached to each metric, the standardised scores are weighted and totalled to give an overall departmental score (rescaled to 100) against which the departments are ranked.

The institutional ranking

The institutional table ranks institutions according to their performance in the subject tables but considers two other factors when calculating overall performance.

First, the number of students in a department influences the extent to which that departments total standardised score contributes to the institutions overall score. And second, the number of institutions included in the subject table determines the extent to which a department can affect the institutional table.

The number of full-time undergraduates in each subject is expressed as a percentage of the total number of full-time undergraduates counted in subjects for which the institution is included within the subject table. For each subject, the number of institutions included within the table is counted and the natural logarithm of this value is calculated. The total S-Score for each subject  which can be negative or positive  is multiplied by these two values, and the results are summed for all subjects, to give an overall S-score for each institution. Institutions are ranked according to this overall S-score, though the value displayed in the published table is a scaled version of this, that gives the top university 100 points and all the others a smaller (but positive) points tally.

Each institution has overall versions of each of the indicators displayed next to its overall score out of 100, but these are crude institutional averages that are otherwise disconnected from the tables and give no consideration to subject mix. Therefore these institutional averages cannot be used to calculate the overall score or ranking position.

The indicators of performance for value added and for expenditure per student are treated slightly differently, because they need to be converted into points out of 10 before being displayed. Therefore these indicators do read from the subject level tables, again using student numbers to create a weighted average.

Institutions that appear in fewer than eight subject tables are not included in the main ranking of universities.

Course directory

The KIS database of courses, to which institutions provide regular updates to describe courses that students will be able to apply for in future years, is the data source of the courses that we list under each department in each subject group.

We have associated each full-time course with one or more subject groups, based on the subject data associated with the courses. We gave institutions the freedom to adjust these associations with subjects and also to change details of the courses. We include courses that are not at degree level, even though such provision is excluded from the data used to generate scores and rankings.
Clarence House in London (Nick Ansell/PA) (PA Archive)

Two men have been interviewed by police as part of an investigation into an alleged cash-for-honours scandal involving one of the Kings charities.

The Metropolitan Police said a man aged in his 50s and a man in his 40s were spoken to under caution earlier this month.

The force launched an investigation in February following a series of newspaper articles alleging a donor to The Princes Foundation was offered help securing a knighthood.

Anti-monarchy group Republic made a formal complaint to Met detectives about Charles and former close confidant Michael Fawcett in September 2021, following the stories.

Mr Fawcett, who has since resigned as chief executive of The Princes Foundation in the wake of the alleged scandal, had been accused of promising to help a Saudi billionaire donor achieve British citizenship and the honour.

Two men were interviewed on September 6, two days before the Queen died and Charles became King.

It is understood the King has not been spoken to by police, nor has he been requested to do so.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the latest development.

When the investigation was launched, a spokesperson for Charles at Clarence House reiterated a previous statement, saying the then Prince of Wales had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities.

On Friday, the Met confirmed two men had been interviewed in relation to offences under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925.

No arrests were made and the force said it would not be providing a running commentary on the progress of its investigation.

A spokesman for the foundation said: While it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation, it should be noted that The Princes Foundation continues to offer its full co-operation.

Last autumn, the Mail on Sunday published a letter from 2017 in which Mr Fawcett reportedly wrote that he was willing to make an application to change businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouzs honorary CBE to a knighthood, and support his application for citizenship.

Story continues

The letter, written on headed notepaper in Mr Fawcetts then capacity as chief executive of the Dumfries House Trust, said the applications would be made in response to the most recent and anticipated support of the trust.

Mr Mahfouz is reported to have donated large sums to restoration projects of particular interest to Charles.

Mr Mahfouz is said to deny any wrongdoing himself.
The Duke of York allegedly lobbied very hard to try and stop King Charles III from becoming the monarch after Queen Elizabeth II died, it has been claimed.

An explosive new book delving into the life of Camilla, Queen Consort, by royal commentator and biographer Angela Levin, alleges that Prince Andrew tried to convince his late mother to make Prince William king instead.

The author also claimed that Andrew attempted to block Charles marrying Camilla because he rarely got on well with his eldest brother.

Levin quoted a senior insider as saying: [Andrew] tried to persuade the Queen to block Charles marrying Camilla by being quite poisonous, mean, unhelpful and very nasty about Camilla.

The duke also allegedly claimed that the Queen Consort was not to be trusted because she was insufficiently aristocratic.

The same source added that Andrew plotted with Diana, Princess of Wales, to try to push Charles aside.

He allegedly sought to become Regent to William, who was a teenager at a time, and used Dianas friendship with his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, to do this.

A regent is a person who is appointed to govern a state temporarily when the monarch is a minor, absent, or otherwise unable to carry out their duties.

The insider reportedly told Levin that they were dark and strange times, where paranoia became reality.

However, Andrews very, very negative and extremely unpleasant behaviour failed to convince the Queen, who disagreed with him, Levin wrote.

I was told it was one of the rare occasions he didnt get his way, she added.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Camilla, Duchess of Conrwall and Prince Harry walk to Sandringham Church for the traditional Christmas Day service at Sandringham on December 25, 2011 (Getty Images)

Elsewhere in the book, titled Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall: From Outcast to Queen Consort, the author wrote that the Queen was initially did not accept Camilla as a member of the royal family and her daughter-in-law.

It was only when the royal couple announced they were engaged in 2005, 35 years after they first met, that the two womens relationship came to a turning point.

Camillas engagement ring, which featured a 12-carat sapphire surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds in an Art Deco design, first belonged to the Queen Mother, then the Queen, before it was passed to her.

Story continues

It was proof that [the Queen] had finally accepted Charless determination to marry her, Levin wrote.

Excerpts from Levins book have been serialised in The Telegraph ahead of publication later this month.

The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace and Andrews representatives for comment.
Riverdale actor Ryan Grantham sentenced to life for murder of his mother

Former Riverdale actor Ryan Grantham has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his mother in March 2020.

The former child star admitted to shooting his mother, Barbara Waite, in the back of the head as she played piano in their home in Squamish, near Vancouver.

Grantham, who played a supporting role in the CW show, also allegedly plotted to kill Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

He will spend the rest of his life behind bars, with no possibility of parole for the first 14 years.

Click here to sign up to our newsletters.
Bodies of some of the victims who died when a boat carrying migrants sank off the Syrian coast this week were returned to Lebanon in ambulances on Friday to the sound of sirens, sorrow and hails of gunfire.

At least 77 people were killed when the boat carrying migrants from Lebanon capsized, the countrys health minister said, amid fears the death toll could be far higher.

Among the dead were Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese attempting to flee crisis-hit Lebanon, to reach Cyprus by sea for a better future in Europe.

Around twenty migrants who managed to survive the shipwreck are now being cared for in Syria.

Desperate to flee

Despite the agony felt by families of the victims, some people in Lebanon say they would still be willing to make such perilous journies to escape the conditions in the region.

"They reached a point where they wanted to die at sea", said Salim Khalaf, whose brother and cousin are still missing. "If the boat came here now I would go. I would go."

Tens of thousands have lost their jobs while the Lebanese pound has dropped more than 90% in value, eradicating the purchasing power of thousands of families that now live in extreme poverty.
Spain's top criminal court has opened a fraud investigation into a medicinal cannabis investment platform which allegedly swindled people around the world of millions of euros.



Established in 2020, JuicyFields offered investors  who it called "e-growers"  the chance to profit from the cultivation, harvesting and sale of legal cannabis plants, promising returns of up to 66 percent.

But the Amsterdam-based company suddenly stopped operations in mid-July, froze cash withdrawals and vanished from the internet, investors allege.

The Spanish National Court opened its probe into JuicyFields on September 15 after a lawsuit filed by nearly 1,200 investors in July, a court document seen by AFP on Thursday showed.

Losses of up to 200,000

The class action lawsuit accuses JuicyFields of operating like a Ponzi scheme, in which early investors are paid out of deposits made by later investors.

It estimates that there are nearly 4,500 victims in Spain alone, who each lost an average of 6,500. Some individuals lost as much as 200,000.

The minimum investment was 50, and the money could be deposited and withdrawn via bank transfer or cryptocurrencies.

The company sought to impress investors by hiring social media influencers and displaying luxury cars at trade shows as a sign of its success.

At its height, JuicyFields claimed to have 500,000 investors.

On its website, the company says: "We welcome continued investigations by the authorities so that the truth can ultimately reach everyones ears and eyes.

"In the meantime, we have put a plan into action that will allow us to generate income with our own money with a view on at least repaying all the existing investors who have money tied up in the bank accounts."

It is not clear whether the cannabis plants listed in virtual greenhouses on the company's online platform ever really existed, according to journalists who have looked into its operations.

Story continues

French class-action suit

This is believed to be the first class-action lawsuit against JuicyFields, which according to media investigations scammed investors around the world.

A group on mobile messaging service Telegram in France for people who want to take legal action against JuicyFields has over 1,600 members. Several members say they have filed individual lawsuits against JuicyFields.

A class-action lawsuit is also expected to be filed in France against the firm.

Many investors are seeking to profit from the legal cannabis industry, where opportunities have arisen as more and more countries approve the plant for medical or recreational use.

(with AFP)
How Uruguay's Francisco Benitez Dominated EPT Barcelona to Win $1.1 Million

September 24 2022 Connor Richards

Looking back at this summer's 2022 PokerStars EPT Barcelona, most will remember Giuliano Bendinelli as the big winner for taking down the 5,300 buy-in Main Event for 1.5 million. But there was no one more dominant during the European Poker Tour festival in Spain than Uruguay's Francisco Benitez.

Benitez, a 16-year poker veteran who primarily plays online, started off the series on the Spanish coast by taking down two high-roller events, an already impressive feat (he was the only player to win multiple events at the festival) that he followed up by making two additional high-roller final tables.

All said and done, the 31-year-old Uruguayan cashed for $1.1 million at EPT Barcelona and picked up the four largest live cashes of his career, according to The Hendon Mob.

PokerNews spoke with Benitez during EPT Barcelona about his background as a professional poker player in South America and his breakout year on the European live circuit.

Read about PokerNews' favorite EPT Barcelona moments!

Learning Poker in Uruguay

Benetiz started playing poker when he was only 15 years old and was a professional by the time he was 18.

"I have 16 years (of experience) playing," Benitez told PokerNews. "13 years professional."

Francisco Benitez

How much poker is there in Uruguay?

"Not much," Benitez admitted, adding that there are a few tournaments but they are "not that big."

The South American country has hosted a number of poker festivals and events, including World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Punta del Este, Brazilian Poker Series (BSOP) Punta del Este and partypoker MILLIONS South America, where Benetiz finished fifth in a $25,000 Super High Roller for $60,000.

Benitez is also a constant traveler and has cashed in poker tournaments around the world, including at 2014's PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in the Bahamas and 2016's EPT Monte Carlo and at 2021's WSOP in Las Vegas.

"I live in Uruguay, but I travel a lot," he said. "Not a lot, a lot, but I travel four to six months a year."

But the vast majority of Benetiz' poker playing has been online, where he plays under the username Tomatee and has amassed millions in earnings.

"I love the feel of playing online, playing everything," said Benitez. "I play a lot online, every big series online. And I play EPT not (that) much, not every EPT. I don't play much live. I play two live tournaments per year, two EPTs and maybe something in Vegas. But not much."

"I love the feel of playing online, playing everything. I play a lot online, every big series online."

Crushing in Barcelona

Despite not playing the EPT much, Benetiz made the trip across the Atlantic Ocean to Barcelona and took down one of the first events of the series, 10,200 Mystery Bounty, for 114,080.

Francisco Benitez after his first victory at EPT Barcelona

In a winner's interview after that victory, Benitez told PokerNews the win gave him "more confidence for the rest of the tournaments" and that he planned to play everything  every high roller, the Main Event; everything.

Benitez, whose only request after the tournament was that he get a photo tossing his cards into the air, kept his promise and played a packed schedule at EPT Barcelona. It wasn't long before he found himself posing for another winner's photo with a second PokerStars spade trophy in hand as he took down 25,000 No-Limit Hold'em for 341,565 after a heads-up deal with his friend and fellow South American Ramiro Petrone of Argentina.

Francisco Benitez and Ramiro Petrone

After the ICM deal, a final hand was dealt to determine how who would take home the trophy and, as fate would have it, Benitez picked up his second win of the series.

Not long after, Benitez was making yet another run in 25,000 No Limit Hold'em, where he finished in fourth place for $197,272.

PokerNews spoke with Benitez a few days after that six-figure score on Aug. 15 as he played Day 1 of the 100,000 EPT Super High Roller and asked if there was a secret to his breakout live poker year.

"I don't know, no secret," he laughed. "Just focused ... I feel very good. I feel good. I don't have much to say, that's it."

While he didn't cash in the 100,000 event, Benitez made a deep run in 25,000 Single-Day High Roller later in the series and found himself heads-up against Leonard Maue for his third victory of the series. He couldn't win a flip when he got it in with ace-nine against the German's pocket deuces and had to settle for the runner-up prize of 421,480.

Battling With Erik

The small field of elite players in the EPT Barcelona high rollers included Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel, with whom Benitez had some history.

Last August, Benitez came close to winning his first bracelet in a $10,000 Super MILLION$ High Roller on GGPoker but ultimately finished runner-up for $759,419. Who finished first? None other than Seidel, who earned his ninth bracelet to tie Johnny Moss in fifth on the all-time bracelet list.

Benitez played with Seidel throughout the series and the two made a final table together in the 25,000 event that Benitez wound up winning, while Seidel fell in sixth place for 81,030.

Erik Seidel

"It feels good (to play with Erik) ... I am so curious and asked him about his age and how (much) time (he has spent) playing poker."

Benitez, a friendly player who at one point in the series PokerNews saw walking through the ESPT Main Event field and fist-bumping the players he knew, said he took the opportunity to chat with the legendary poker veteran who had denied him a bracelet.

"It feels good (to play with Erik) ... I am so curious and asked him about his age and how (much) time (he has spent) playing poker, and that's it," said Benitez. "He told me 37 years playing. Just curious, and feel(s) good to meet with him."

Seidel was in the 100,000 Super High Roller field as PokerNews chatted with Benitez. The Poker Hall of Famer went on to finish second in the event, the highest buy-in of the series, for $1.3 million.

Four Biggest Live Scores

While Benitez insisted there were no secrets to his success EPT Barcelona, the European festival was undoubtedly a breakout moment on the live felt for the Uruguayan.

All four of his cashes at EPT Barcelona were larger than his $89,903 cash from a third-place finish at the 2014 PCA, which was his biggest live score when he flew to Spain last month.

Francisco Benitez

Whatever live festival Benitez decides to play next, the Uruguayan poker pro will be sure to crush, though it will hard for him to be more dominant than he was at EPT Barcelona.

Benitez's full results at EPT Barcelona are available in the table below.

Francisco Benitez's 2022 EPT Barcelona Results

DATE EVENT PLACE PRIZE (IN EURO) PRIZE (IN USD) Aug. 18, 2022 Event #41: 25,000 No Limit Hold'em 2nd 421,480 $432,687 Aug. 12, 2022 Event #16: 25,000 No Limit Hold'em 4th 191,790 $197,272 Aug. 10, 2022 Event #11: 25,000 No Limit Hold'em 1st 341,565 $350,647 Aug. 8, 2022 Event #3: 10,200 No Limit Hold'em - Mystery Bounty (Event #3) 1st 114,080 $116,263 Total Cashes: 1,068,915 $1,096,869
Officials in Alabama have halted the lethal injection execution of a prisoner on death row because they couldn't find a vein before the midnight deadline.

Alabama corrections commissioner John Hamm said the decision to call off the scheduled execution of Alan Miller was made after it became clear they could not get the process under way in time.

The last-minute reprieve came nearly three hours after the US Supreme Court cleared the way for the execution to go ahead.

"Due to time constraints resulting from the lateness of the court proceedings, the execution was called off once it was determined the condemned inmate's veins could not be accessed in accordance with our protocol before the expiration of the death warrant," Mr Hamm said.

The execution team had began the process of trying to establish intravenous access, but he did not know for how long.

The execution was abandoned at around 11.30pm on Thursday - half an hour before the state's death warrant was set to expire.

Miller, a delivery truck driver, was convicted of killing three men in a workplace shooting rampage in 1999 near Birmingham, Alabama.

The 57-year-old had opted for nitrogen hypoxia instead of lethal injection due to a fear of needles, but his lawyers said officials lost his paperwork.

The technique is legally available to him, but has never been used in the United States.

It would cause death by forcing the inmate to breathe only nitrogen, depriving them of the oxygen needed to maintain bodily functions.

When Alabama approved nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method in 2018, state law gave inmates a brief window to designate it as their execution method.

Miller said he turned in the documents four years ago selecting nitrogen hypoxia, putting the papers in a slot in his cell door at the Holman Correctional Facility for a prison worker to collect.

His execution by any other means was blocked by a federal judge on Tuesday after finding it was "substantially likely" that Miller "submitted a timely election form even though the state says that it does not have any physical record of a form".

However, justices at the Supreme Court - in a 5-4 decision - lifted an injunction that had blocked the lethal injection execution from going forward.
Brazil's business sector, which views the economic policies of leftist presidential hopeful Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva with suspicion, will again vote for incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, but this time with more reservation, experts say.

Elected in 2018 on a promise to reduce state intervention, Bolsonaro stayed true to his word with a series of policies favoring business, introducing privatizations and drafting fiscal reform.

Small- and medium-sized business owners greatly appreciated Bolsonaro's refusal to pause the economy during the coronavirus pandemic, which killed 685,000 Brazilians, according to Daniela Campello, a political science expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.

The post-pandemic economic rebound also worked in the president's favor.

After GDP fell during the pandemic, Latin America's largest economy grew by 4.6 percent in 2021 and is expected to keep growing by 2.65 percent this year.

- Economic rebound -

Business leaders fear Lula will impose "greater state interventionism in the economy and a commitment to redistribution in favor of workers, his electorate," said Campello.

Lula has, for example, promised to roll back a 2017 labor reform that was heavily criticized by labor rights groups.

Meanwhile the agrobusiness sector, which accounts for almost 28 percent of Brazil's GDP, is one of Bolsonaro's most fervent supporters.

Oscar Cervi, a major grain producer, is one of the largest contributors to Bolsonaro's campaign with one million reais (around $200,000).

A convoy of tractors even took part in the traditional military parade in Brasilia during independence day celebrations on September 7.

The sector has benefited from investments in infrastructure such as ports and railways, and continues to fare well despite difficulties caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said Luiz Carlos Correa Carvalho, president of the Brazilian agrobusiness association.

Bolsonaro's opposition to Brazil's indigenous groups' claims on land -- an issue now in the hands of the Supreme Court -- additionally proved popular with a sector that thrives on chopping down rainforests to produce farmland.

Story continues

"Lula even said the agrobusiness is 'right-wing and fascist'... which is why producers are very afraid and view him as a threat," said Correa Carvalho.

- Support not unanimous -

The other fear in the agrobusiness sector is that Lula will follow the lead of neighboring Argentina's center-left President Alberto Fernandez and impose export taxes, said one consultant under condition of anonymity.

The president's faithful include a group of entrepreneurs currently being investigated by the Supreme Court for voicing their support for a coup d'etat should Bolsonaro lose the election.

But this staunch support for the far right leader is not unanimous.

Businessman Luis Stuhlberger insists he will "never again" vote for the "psychopath" Bolsonaro.

Business sector "support is more divided" than it was in 2018, said Christopher Garman, Americas executive director at the consulting firm Eurasia Group.

Auto industry and international commerce directors told AFP they did not want to take sides this time having supported Bolsonaro last election.

Powerful business organizations such as the Federation of Sao Paulo Industries and Federation of Banks even signed an open letter in defense of democracy following attacks by Bolsonaro against the electoral system.

Bolsonaro lost credibility for his fiscal management and has "a terrible reputation outside the country and... in environmental terms," added Garman.

And that convinced some heads of multinationals to embrace Lula.

mls/app/bc/bfm
French police have busted a major people-smuggling ring that has been sending migrants to the United Kingdom in dinghies, with more than a dozen boats and 700 life jackets seized in a raid.

French authorities said on Thursday that the ring was run by Iraqi Kurdish migrants and had a logistics hub in Lille, a northern French city about 100 kilometres from the northern Channel beaches around Calais that are used for crossings.

Three Iraqi men have been charged, along with three French suspects, after their arrest on Monday.

Police discovered "a real factory supplying nautical equipment" in Lille, the head of French anti-migration agency Ocriest, Xavier Delrieu, told AFP.

80,000 per crossing

In what was their biggest ever seizure of equipment, they found 13 inflatable boats, 14 outboard engines, 700 life jackets, 100 pumps and 700 litres of fuel, Delrieu said.

The group is suspected of organising 80 Channel crossings over the summer, of which 50 succeeded, with the smugglers netting around 80,000 for each one.

The arrests came due to intelligence-sharing between authorities in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK, which are attempting to crack down on migrants crossing the Channel by boat.

The original tip-off came after a border guard control discovered a group of young French people carrying inflatables from Germany into the Netherlands.

More migrants have crossed the English Channel to the UK from northern France so far this year than in the whole of 2021, British government figures showed on 13 September.

So far this year, 28,561 people have made the dangerous trip across one of one of the world's busiest shipping routes, according to provisional Ministry of Defence figures.

Smuggling via small aircraft

Earlier this month, Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, said that it had dismantled a criminal network involved in migrant smuggling, document fraud and money laundering that used small aircraft for their operations.

Story continues

According to a press release published on 16 September, the migrants were mainly Iraqi and Iranian of Kurdish origin. Carrying false diplomatic passports, they boarded private aircraft in Turkey that were officially bound for destinations in the Caribbean.

However, those destinations were never reached. Instead the planes would land at European airports and unload the migrants, who ditched the fake documents and applied for asylum.

According to Eurojust, smugglers charged "up to 20,000 per smuggled person".

(with AFP)
The top US and Chinese diplomats meet Friday in New York as soaring tensions show signs of easing, but Beijing issued a new warning against support for Taiwan.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi are set to meet on the sidelines of the annual United Nations summit, their first encounter since extensive talks in July in Bali where both sides appeared optimistic for more stability.

One month later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, infuriating Beijing which staged exercises seen as a trial run for an invasion of the self-governing democracy.

President Joe Biden in an interview aired Sunday said he was ready to intervene militarily if China uses force, once again deviating from decades of US ambiguity.

In a sign of smoother ties, Wang said he met in New York with US climate envoy John Kerry despite China's announcement after Pelosi's visit that it was curbing cooperation on the issue, a key priority for Biden.

But in a speech before his talks with Blinken, Wang reiterated anger over US support for Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory.

"The Taiwan question is growing into the biggest risk in China-US relations. Should it be mishandled it is most likely to devastate bilateral ties," he said at the Asia Society think tank.

"Just as the US will not allow Hawaii to be stripped away, China has the right to uphold the unification of the country," he said.

He denounced the US decision to "allow" the Taiwan visit by Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency after the vice president. The Biden administration, while privately concerned about her trip, noted that Congress is a separate branch of government.

- Arranging a summit -

But Wang was conciliatory toward Biden. The New York talks are expected to lay the groundwork for a first meeting between Biden and President Xi Jinping since they became their two countries' leaders, likely in Bali in November on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of 20 economic powers.

Story continues

Wang said that both Biden and Xi seek to "make the China-US relationship work" and to "steer clear of conflict and confrontation."

"However, what has happened is that the US seems to have two different sets of musical scores. Their leaders' political will for a stable bilateral relationship has yet to be translated into logical policies," he said.

The US Congress is a stronghold of support for Taiwan, a vibrant democracy and major technological power.

Last week a Senate committee took a first step to providing billions of dollars in weapons directly to Taiwan to deter China, a ramp-up from decades of only selling weapons requested by Taipei.

Tensions have also risen over human rights with the United States accusing the communist state of carrying out genocide against the mostly Muslim Uyghur people.

Biden, like his predecessor Donald Trump, has viewed a rising China as the chief global competitor to the United States and vowed to reorient US foreign policy around the challenge.

Russia's invasion in February of Ukraine quickly diverted the US focus to Europe but also heightened fears that Beijing could make good on years of threats to use force against Taiwan.

Yet US officials have also been heartened that China has shown some distance from Russia, nominally its close ally.

President Vladimir Putin at a meeting last week told Xi that he understood China's "concerns" on Ukraine, while Wang, in a special Security Council session on Thursday, emphasized the need to end the war rather than support for Russia.

In line with the Biden administration's focus on allies, Blinken met jointly Thursday with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea and immediately before his talks with Wang is expected to hold a meeting of the so-called Quad with Australia, India and Japan.

nr-sct/bfm
HA NOI  The tight supply of qualified candidates in the labour market is a glaring issue facing e-commerce firms, according to insiders.

Le Mai Anh, Vice Chairman of the e-commerce solution provider Smart OSC, said that his firm has 1,000 employees on the payroll and it needs about 500 new ones every year.

The firm has relied on campus recruitment to fill its vacancies but to no avail. Few candidates have the adequate skill set for the jobs. It has considered finding new blood elsewhere, such as in India and Sri Lanka.

"It's a tough job to recruit qualified staff, especially those who can speak English," he said.

The Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency revealed that just 30 per cent of staff in e-commerce solution providers have been trained in e-commerce.

The rest have graduated with degrees in other majors, including business administration and information technology.

The major-job mismatch indicates that the demand for e-commerce-majored candidates is significant and will grow larger in the next few years.

Vu Thi Minh Tu, Public Relations Manager of the e-commerce platform Lazada, shared this view, saying that the demand for highly-skilled e-commerce candidates is soaring and has surpassed the supply.

The demand-supply imbalance has left firms with no choice but to employ non-e-commerce-majored candidates, including business administration and marketing, to fill the gap.

Tran Manh Cuong, a human resource specialist at the e-commerce solution provider Sapo, echoed Tu's view, saying that candidates cut out for e-commerce are falling short of demand and this is where non-e-commerce-majored candidates come in.

A problem that compounds the situation is that e-commerce graduates themselves normally lack hands-on experience. Firms have to run many training courses to get them ready for their jobs, adding to recruitment costs.

Some universities have begun to adapt their curriculum to the situation.

Nguyen uc Tai, Head of the E-Commerce and Digital Economy Faculty, ai Nam University, said that the e-commerce curriculum at his university has been designed for practical rather than theoretical knowledge.

Under the curriculum, his undergraduates are required to work in a team and create their own products to gain firsthand experience. The experience, he believes, would keep them ready for e-commerce jobs, obviating the need for pre-employment training.

Vu Xuan Nam, Head of the Economic Information System Faculty, Thai Nguyen University, hoped that universities and firms would cooperate more closely to add more practical knowledge to the curriculum.

In response, Smart OSC said it is willing to dispatch its specialists to universities to help undergraduates with their training courses, which are expected to equip them with firsthand experience.

Nearly 75 per cent of Internet users in Viet Nam go shopping online and nearly 5.5 million users got in on the act during the pandemic, exposing the need for more employment in the sector.  VNS
THUA THIEN-HUE  Bayer Vietnam recently kicked off its Safe Use Ambassador Initiative (SUA) in the form of a contest for agricultural students at the College of Agriculture - Can Tho University and University of Agriculture and Forestry - Hue University.

It is meant to provide exposure to safe use of pesticides to the students, who will be the ultimate ambassadors for the transfer of technologies from universities to farmers.

Pesticides help farmers grow more food on less land by protecting crops from pests, diseases and weeds and securing optimum yields.

But the application of pesticides and protection products (CPPs) requires the greatest possible care. A lack of knowledge of safe use of CPPs remains a pressing issue among stakeholders across the world, and often leads to avoidable risks to human health and the environment.

To drive knowledge transfer in smallholder communities by extending the outreach of its training efforts, Bayer launched the initiative in 2017 to create a network of stakeholders who are able to share their advice on safe use with growers.

It is partnering with universities in the Asia-Pacific region to foster an exchange of know-how on best practices in the use of crop protection products by bringing students and farmers together.

It reached 40 universities in eight countries in 2020, and trained more than 10,000 students as certified Bayer Safe Use Ambassadors so far. They have in turn trained thousands of farmers during their farm visits and internships.

Chu Viet Ha, head of the crop science division at Bayer Vietnam, shared: Farmer safety is at the core of our sustainability strategy and needs to be addressed in partnership with relevant stakeholders.

As an industry leader in agriculture, Bayer works diligently to ensure that the companys products, services and technologies are safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible, while meeting grower expectations and needs.

A key part of this is ensuring our employees and growers are trained to use our products responsibly, ecologically and effectivelyfrom the handling and application of the products to the disposal of empty containers.

In Viet Nam, since its launch in 2017, the Bayer SUA Initiative has attracted the participation of more than 300 students and farmers.

This year it returns to the College of Agriculture - Can Tho University and, for the first time, extends its reach to the University of Agriculture and Forestry - Hue University.

The Safe Use Ambassador program challenges students to submit and implement a knowledge transfer plan to improve local farmers' and applicators' understanding of safe and responsible handling and disposal of crop protection products.

All candidates will join training on crop protection products and be provided with technology supports and guidance to put ideas into practice.

After the final evaluation, one student with the best performing project will be selected as Bayer Safe Use Ambassador. The winner will get the opportunity to join a training trip to Germany and interact with scientists and experts alongside winners from other countries.

Shortlisted students with impressive projects will be also offered an internship opportunity at Bayer Vietnam.

Dr Le Van Vang, head of the College of Agriculture and Applied Biology, Can Tho University, said, Appropriate personal protective equipment and proper disposal of pesticide containers limit farmers exposure to chemicals to reduce the risk of adverse health effects when applying those products.

We believe with Bayer's expertise and networks in agriculture, this programme can provide students with the best learning environment to improve their knowledge and prepare themselves for a future career in the agricultural sector.

Nguyen ang Huan, the 2019 Winner of Safe Use Ambassador, said: Being the winner of the Bayer SUA is one of the most memorable things that happened during my student days. This program provided me with practical knowledge, sharpened my soft skills and widened my networks in the agricultural sector, which is very helpful for me in pursuing future career goals. Additionally, becoming the Bayer Safe Use Ambassador made me more aware of the urgent need to progress toward sustainable agriculture as well as my responsibility in promoting product stewardship among farming communities to minimise risks to human health and protect the environment.
NINH BINH  The Cuc Phuong National Park in the northern province of Ninh Binh has coordinated with Save Vietnam's Wildlife (SVW) and the police in Ngoc Lac District in the neighbouring province of Thanh Hoa in rescuing two rare Owston's palm civets (Chrotogale owstoni).

The animals were illegally traded by two traffickers in Ngoc Lac District on September 21. The duo confessed that they bought the civets from hunters.

The animals were seriously injured in their legs, one of them in very bad condition. They are receiving treatment at the Cuc Phuongs Endangered Primate Rescue Centre (EPRC).

Nguyen Van Thai, director of the centre, said that the park is coordinating with the centre in expanding a breeding programme aiming to preserve Owston's palm civets and release them to nature later.

A breeding area to conserve civets will be built on an area of nearly 1 hectare in Cuc Phuong National Park. When operational, it can keep up to 50 individuals of Owston's palm civets, enabling 6-10 individuals to be released to nature each year.

Owston's palm civet is native to Viet Nam, Laos and southern China. It is listed as an endangered species by IUCN because of an ongoing population decline, estimated to be more than 50 per cent over the last three generations, inferred from over-exploitation, habitat destruction and degradation.  VNS
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
HA NOI  An informal ASEAN foreign ministers meeting (IAMM) took place at the UN headquarters in New York on September 22 to discuss cooperation within the bloc and coordination in member countries candidacies for membership of UN bodies and international organisations.

The event, held on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly, reviewed preparations for the 40th and 41st ASEAN summits and related summits, slated for November 10-13 in Phnom Penh.

Participants affirmed that their countries will keep working closely with Cambodia, which holds the ASEAN Chairmanship this year, to ensure the summits success.

They also welcomed some countries proposals to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) while affirming the TACs principles and values in guiding relations among regional countries, as well as between regional countries with external partners.

Officials also discussed the Myanmar issue, especially measures for the bloc to effectively engage in and build a favourable environment for dialogue in this country.

They voiced their deep concern over the Myanmar situation, stressing the necessity to continue effectively implementing the ASEAN leaders Five-Point Consensus, particularly promoting the work by the ASEAN Chairs Special Envoy on Myanmar to obtain more concrete progress.

They also affirmed the support for efforts by ASEAN Chair Cambodia and the Special Envoy, and agreed to increase humanitarian assistance for Myanmar.

Addressing the meeting, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc, authorised by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, thanked other ASEAN countries for their support to Viet Nam to successfully run for many important positions at UN agencies. He agreed on the continuation of the blocs normal practices, coordination, and mutual support in coming candidacies.

He emphasised that ASEAN needs to keep upholding and promoting the TACs principles and values, especially amid profound, fast, and complex changes in the region and the world that have multidimensional impacts on all countries.

Regarding the Myanmar issue, Ngoc held that ASEAN should be more persistent and active in helping the country overcome the crisis and seek solutions for the sake of its people.

The bloc should press on with implementing the consensus with concrete and realistic targets and clear results, he stressed, adding that Viet Nam and other ASEAN members strongly support Chair Cambodia, particularly the Special Envoy, to keep carrying out assigned tasks, thereby helping promote dialogue and reconciliation and work towards durable solutions for Myanmar and its people.  VNS
HA NOI  Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception in Ha Noi on Friday for Mongolian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Batsumber Munkhjin, who came to Viet Nam to co-chair a political consultation between the two foreign ministries.

Son affirmed that Viet Nam always treasures and wants to further develop ties with Mongolia.

He suggested the two foreign ministries work as bridges to urge ministries, sectors and localities of Viet Nam and Mongolia to increase exchanges and effectively implement bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements, especially in economy, trade and investment, as well as jointly hold celebrations for the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2024.

Munkhjin, for his part, affirmed that the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs would actively work with the Vietnamese counterpart and agencies concerned to step up bilateral ties effectively as agreed by senior leaders of the two countries.

The same day, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu and Mongolian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Batsumber Munkhjin co-chaired the 10th political consultation between the two foreign ministries.

Both sides said they treasured and wished to further develop bilateral ties in fields that match each countrys conditions and interests, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Vu suggested maintaining the exchange of delegations and meetings at all levels, and paying attention to bolstering ties via Party and parliamentary channels as well as people-to-people exchanges.

Mongolia considered Viet Nam a major partner in Southeast Asia, Munkhjin said.

He vowed to jointly hold celebrations for the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2024, further improve the efficiency of defence-security ties and create favourable conditions for representative agencies in Viet Nam and Mongolia.

They promised to actively and effectively realise agreements reached at the 18th meeting of the Viet Nam-Mongolia Inter-Governmental Committee for Commercial, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held in September 2022.

Vu stressed that Viet Nam would be a suitable partner to help Mongolia diversify its export-import markets, adding that both sides need to seek opportunities to lift two-way trade in the near future. He also proposed Mongolia assist Viet Nam in sending labourers to work in the country.

The Munkhjin agreed to accelerate talks for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on rice trade between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Mongolian Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry as soon as possible. He also consented to further boost bilateral educational and cultural cooperation.

On regional and global issues, the two sides shared the view that disputes in the South China Sea must be settled by peaceful measures via dialogue and on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), not use and threaten to use force, and not have acts to complicate the situation.

The Vietnamese side agreed to help Mongolia strengthen cooperation with ASEAN, APEC and other cooperation mechanisms and frameworks.  VNS
NEW YORK  Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh shared Viet Nams experience in economic development towards social justice while attending a Sustainable Development Impact Meeting held by the World Economic Forum in New York on September 23.

The event took place on the occasion of the high-level week of the 77th United Nations General Assembly.

Addressing a discussion on promoting inclusive trade, Minh emphasised the message that international trade not only serves the goal of pure economic growth but also needs to ensure environmental sustainability and inclusive benefits for all.

To share trade benefits fairly, the Vietnamese representative proposed several priorities to promote inclusive trade through public-private cooperation, in which the people and businesses play central roles.

"It is necessary to develop an overall, reciprocal and cohesive trade policy between green, digital and inclusive trade, and continue promoting the indispensable role of the rules-based, free, fair, transparent and inclusive multilateral trading system," he noted.

From the perspective of an economy that has joined 15 bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs), including new-generation deals with high standards on labour and the environment, Minh affirmed that the important lesson that Viet Nam had drawn was not to sacrifice social progress and justice, and the environment to pursue pure economic growth.

Many delegates attending the event also shared Viet Nams development views and appreciated Minh's proposals in promoting inclusive trade.

WEF Managing Director Mirek Dusek assessed that Viet Nam was an important part of the world trade as well as the global supply chain.

He said Viet Nam had not only gained great achievements in hunger eradication and poverty reduction but also had been making many positive contributions in the field of environmental protection and climate change response, becoming a model for other nations to follow.  VNS
NEW YORK  The United Nations (UN) will continue paying attention to and support Viet Nam's development priorities towards green and sustainable orientations, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on September 23.

During their meeting on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly (UNGA 77) in New York, Guterres appreciated Viet Nams active and responsible contributions to the common affairs of the UN in recent years, and said he hoped that the country would promote its role and contribute more to addressing global issues.

Minh, for his part, emphasised that Viet Nam had always backed multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations in global governance and coordination of efforts to address common challenges.

More effort should be made to help the UN operate more effectively and with sufficient resources to best meet the needs and expectations of member states, he said.

The Deputy PM reaffirmed Viet Nams commitment to working with member countries and UN leaders to advance important common agendas, from the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals to peacekeeping operations in different regions of the world.

Viet Nam is actively implementing its commitments at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) to net zero emissions by 2050, Minh stated, proposing the UN actively support the process of building the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

At a meeting with President of UNGA 77 Csaba Korosi, Minh appreciated Korosi's selection of the topic and priorities, affirming that Viet Nam, as Vice President of the UNGA, would actively support and contribute to the success of the session.

Korosi asserted that the UN appreciated Viet Nams contributions and thanked the country for its active role in the implementation of the SDGs. Viet Nam was a role model of economic growth associated with environmental protection, he stressed.

He also shared his priority of water resource management and wished to cooperate with Viet Nam in this field, as it was necessary to promote measures to prevent water crises, build a water-related database at regional and global levels, and connect national policies on water and climate change.

The UNGA President expressed his hope that Viet Nam would actively participate in and share its experience at the UN Water Conference in March 2023.

Agreeing with the UNGA Presidents initiatives and proposals, and sharing his special concern over water management, Minh said that Viet Nam always considered water an important security issue due to the impact of droughts, floods and sea levels rising and the development and over-exploitation of water resources.

Viet Nam was determined not to sacrifice the environment in exchange for economic growth, but there should be a balance between economic development and environmental protection, he stressed.  VNS
NEW YORK  Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh had bilateral meetings with the Dutch Prime Minister, and Foreign Ministers of Sierra Leon, Guinea-Bissau and Malawi in New York on September 23 on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 77th United Nations General Assembly.

During Minhs meeting with Dutch PM Mark Rutte, the two sides said that they treasured and gave priority to the development of the Viet Nam-Netherlands Comprehensive Partnership. They agreed to step up the exchange of high-level delegations, and resume bilateral cooperation mechanisms interrupted by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minh thanked the Netherlands for donating one million doses of vaccines and medical equipment and supplies to help Viet Nam overcome the difficult period caused by the pandemic.

He suggested the Netherlands soon ratify the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and work together with Viet Nam to effectively implement the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), in order to further strengthen trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Rutte affirmed that relevant Dutch agencies would closely coordinate with the Vietnamese side to organise activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2023.

During his meeting with Sierra Leonean Foreign Minister David Francis, Minh proposed the two sides closely coordinate and implement measures to promote the agreements reached by their senior leaders during the Sierra Leonean President's visit to Viet Nam in March 2022, strengthen cooperation in agriculture and mining, and boost trade and investment as well as cooperation at multilateral forums.

Meeting Guinea-Bissau Foreign Minister Suzi Carla Barbosa, the Deputy PM affirmed that Viet Nam attached great importance to its friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with African friend nations, including Guinea-Bissau.

The two sides agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in economy, trade and agriculture; and further promote the role of the Guinea-Bissau Honorary Consul in Viet Nam to promote bilateral cooperation, especially in economy. Minh proposed Guinea-Bissau support Viet Nams candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term.

Receiving Malawi Foreign Minister Nency Tembo, Minh suggested the two sides soon sign a Joint Communique on the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. Minh thanked for Malawi's support and expressed his hope to work with Malawi to promote cooperation between Viet Nam and African countries.

Both sides showed their belief that fine political-diplomatic relations would lay a foundation for the development of economic and trade ties in the coming time.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Health has just sent a document to the People's Committees of provinces and cities asking them to calculate the number of children from six months old to under five years old in order to prepare a plan on COVID-19 vaccinations for them when there is an established scientific basis.

In its document, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong stressed that this was an important and urgent mission and urged local authorities to give it proper attention.

According to the ministry, the country has so far administered over 259 million doses of vaccines against COVID-19 for those aged five and above.

Nearly 100 per cent of the population aged 12 and above have received the primary course of vaccination (two doses).

First dose and second dose coverage in children aged five to under 12 reaches 88 and 60 per cent, respectively.

Localities were asked to propose the need for vaccines for each age group of children from six months old to under one year old, those from one to under two, from two to under three, from three to under four, and from four to under five and send them to the Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the Pasteur Institute before September 30.

The information should then be sent to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology before October 10, and then the Ministry of Health by October 15.  VNS
BERLIN  The German travel news site reisereporter.de has listed Viet Nam among the ten most charming destinations for German holiday-makers to explore and escape the upcoming winter in Europe.

According to a recent article posted on the site, Viet Nam is one of the 10 most beautiful destinations that tourists should consider when planning a faraway trip for themselves and their families.

The author considered Viet Nam a country of cultural treasures and spectacular scenery, adding that it has over 3,000 km of coastline with diverse and rich nature. Coming to Viet Nam, visitors can immerse themselves in the vibrant life of the capital of Ha Noi or the southern hub of HCM City. In addition, Hoi An, the capital of lanterns in Viet Nam, is also definitely worth a visit.

The article advised visitors to begin their journey with trips through endless green paddy fields or national rainforest parks. Those who want to go to the beach were recommended to come to Nha Trang City, which houses vibrant beaches, modern resorts, and luxury shops, or relax with unspoiled nature on Phu Quoc Island.

The author also mentioned the mysterious Ha Long Bay in the north, which is endowed with countless limestone mountains and small islands, and the Hai Van Pass, which divides Viet Nams climate into two regions of the tropical South and the subtropical North.

Other destinations on the list were Chile, Florida (the US), Cuba, Morocco, Mexico, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tasmania (Australia) and Abu Dhabi (the UAE).  VNS
Texas State Technical College officials showed in a tour this week that progress is being made to rewire and rebuild Griffith Hall, the Waco campus signature residential hall that was shut down by the state fire marshal this spring.

But it will take several months before the 246-unit building can safely reopen, they said.

The State Fire Marshals Office ordered the college to evacuate the building in March, after inspectors found incorrectly installed wiring, a faulty fire suppression system, and inconsistent fireproofing and caulking. The dangers might have gone unnoticed if not for a pipe that burst in the buildings attic the month before.

While its been unpleasant, unfortunate and has made my job a whole harder, safety is paramount, said Jeremiah Bland, TSTC Wacos campus enrollment executive. So Im glad in the end that it happened.

Lee Lewis Construction, the firm that built the $20 million residence hall, is handling the rebuilding and repair along with original subcontractor Bowden Electric.

The college also hired a company to take 360-degree photos of each room before, during and after repairs.

Workers removed one segment of drywall from each wall to show off the rest of the wires before fire marshals conducted a more in-depth investigation.

It was pretty extensive, but selective demolition, construction project manager Michael Schumacher said.

A third-party building inspector, Bureau Veritas, follows behind the crews, conducting fire safety, mechanic, electrical, plumbing and framing inspections in each room before drywall goes back up.

They did an initial inspection and said, This is what youve got to fix in this room, and then the contractors go to work, Schumacher said.

Each report gets sent to the State Fire Marshals Office for feedback, and the inspectors will finish with a final inspection report. Once everything is finished and judged safe, the fire marshal will lift the evacuation order that closed the building.

They stop here periodically, just to check on progress, walk through the building and look at various things, Schumacher said.

Most units in the building are two-bedroom, two-bathroom units with a common area and kitchenette. Wiring on the third floor has been completed and inspected, and workers are in the middle of installing drywall. The second and first floors, which got the worst of the water damage, are still mostly wood.

The burst pipe was the first red flag, according to Schumacher, because it never should have been full of water. The building is outfitted with two fire sprinkler systems, a wet system of water-filled pipes and a dry system in the attic thats supposed to be water-free when not in use, to prevent just the kind of pipe break that occurred.

Bland said when he came to Griffith Hall that day, there was a two-story waterfall pouring down from the catwalk on the second floor to the lobby. College officials started to suspect the system was installed incorrectly.

It was raining, he said.

When it blew, the water pressure was strong enough to tear wallpaper from drywall. Water poured down into the rest of the building and collected in the lobby, which took the worst of the damage. The first step to dealing with the damage was removing panels of wet drywall, leaving the wiring exposed to the air and to the critical eyes of fire marshals called in by the college to investigate the broken pipe.

Schumacher said aside from wires not being fully secured to boxes and boxes missing bonding wires, there was also temporary lighting from construction left in the building. Various electrical boxes lacked fireproofing or needed more fire caulk.

Other dangers included a 4-inch-wide gap in the center of the building that runs from an expansion joint on the bottom floor to the attic. The fire marshals report stated the gap would have given any fire air and a pathway to travel to each floor.

Schumacher said its possible the water from the burst pipe pushed insulation out of the wall and created the gap, but hell never know for sure.

At present we have fire wool and fire foam at the top and bottom of each floor, he said. That was one big open crack all the way up.
Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin's order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine this farce. He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraines presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19.

Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada

TORONTO (AP)  Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone Saturday. Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves as it hit Nova Scotia. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injuries. Ocean waves pounded the town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Fiona has weakened to tropical storm strength as it moves across the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gains strength over the Caribbean and is forecast to become a major hurricane in coming days. An emergency order DeSantis initially issued for two dozen counties was expanded to a statewide warning on Saturday. The governor is encouraging residents and localities to prepare for the storm, which could lash large swaths of Florida. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly power up to a hurricane by Sunday and a major hurricane as soon as late Monday. It's expected to move over western Cuba before approaching Florida in the middle of next week.

'Fighting fit': Trial to show Oath Keepers' road to Jan. 6

It's been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution's case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn't a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation's capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks.

West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats

WASHINGTON (AP)  How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraines battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. Theres no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putins intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict.

Dissident: 'Iranian women are furious' over headscarf death

NEW YORK (AP)  Iranian activist Masih Alinejad says the videos and messages shes been receiving in recent days from women in Iran are showing how angry they are following a young womans death in police custody over a violation of the countrys strict religious dress code. The spur for this latest explosion of outrage was the death earlier this month of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The young woman was detained for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of strictures demanding women wear the Islamic headscarves in public. She died in custody. Protests have been going on around the country for days. Alinejad would love to see more support from those in the West, as well.

GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling

PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for womens rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless its necessary to save the mothers life.

Saudi Arabia's triumphant week reclaims the West's embrace

NEW YORK (AP)  Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabias busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the countrys national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown princes ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world.

CIA unveils model of al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri's hideout

McLEAN, Virginia (AP)  The CIA has revealed the scale model of the safe house where it found and killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan. The model is now on display at the CIA Museum, newly refurbished for the agency's 75th anniversary. Intelligence officials used the model to brief President Joe Biden in the White House Situation Room in July. The house shows several balconies, which officials used to show Biden where and how al-Zawahri liked to sit. The museum is not open to the public and generally restricted to agency employees and guests, but it allowed journalists in on Saturday to see its newest exhibits.

Kim Kardashian culls Dolce&Gabbana archives for Milan show

MILAN (AP)  Kim Kardashian took Milan by storm with a a new collection she curated for Dolce & Gabbana that took inspiration from 20 years of archival looks. The designers had refused to open their archives until Kardashian proved she had the right stuff. They were convinced after she and her sisters all wore vintage Dolce & Gabbana when Kourtney Kardashian got married in Italy. Saturday was a day of debuts at Milan Fashion Week. Maximilian Davis, a 27-year-old British designer with Afro-Caribbean roots, was at the creative helm of Salvatore Ferragamo. Filipino American designer Rhuigi Villasenor led Bally as the brand returns to the runway for the first time in 20 years.
WATERLOO  Hawkeye Community College will host the Womens Leadership and Empowerment Conference from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 27.

It will take place in Tama Hall on Hawkeyes main campus, at 1501 E. Orange Road.

The conference will feature two keynote speakers and several breakout sessions on navigating burnout, work-life integration, changing careers, and balancing career, family and community.

The first keynote, Navigating Burnout and Stress and Restarting the Conversation, will be led by Ramona Wink, with 515 Therapy and Consulting in West Des Moines.

She is a licensed mental health counselor and was recently appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds to serve on the Iowa Board of Behavioral Sciences.

Brittany Todd will deliver the second keynote. She is an entrepreneur and founder of the R.E.S.E.T. Business Conference. A five-time entrepreneur, mother of three and wife of 12 years developed a life-work integration method.

Registration is $99 and includes lunch and a light breakfast. For more information or to register, call (319) 296-290 or visit hawkeyecollege.edu/leadership-conference.
CEDAR FALLS  The University of Northern Iowa has announced funding opportunities for the adoption, customization or creation of open educational resources.

Such teaching, learning and research resources that are free of cost and access barriers and licensed for open use by anyone. The program is open to UNI instructors proposing projects as individuals or teams of up to three.

The UNI Textbook Equity Mini-Grant Program was created after funding was received from the Provosts Office, as well as support from the Rod Library Deans Office.

There are four types of awards available:

Course redesign/adoption project: Participants will redesign one or more courses to transition from a commercial textbook to existing open educational resources. Awards of up to $750 will be given per participant.

Ancillary project: Participants will develop original presentation slides, test banks or other ancillary material to accompany an existing open textbook to enable its adoption in a course for the first time. Awards of up to $750 will be given per participant.

Remix/adaptation project: Participants will adapt an openly-licensed text by combining and editing portions from one or more existing openly-licensed texts. Awards of up to $1,000 will be given per participant.

Original textbook project: Participants will create a new open textbook, lab book or handbook that will serve as the core text for a course. A significant majority of the content must be original. Awards of up to $2,000 will be given per participant.

In addition to financial awards to compensate for time and labor, funded applicants will receive training on OER basics and authorship. All materials created in the program will be published with support from the Rod Library and will be shared and licensed for reuse.

More details can be found online at guides.lib.uni.edu/oer/UNIMiniGrant. For more information, contact Anne Marie Gruber at (319) 273-3711 or anne.gruber@uni.edu.
Russian police have moved quickly to disperse peaceful protests against President Vladimir Putins military mobilization order. An independent website that monitors political arrests in Russia said police detained nearly 750 people on Saturday, including over 370 in Moscow and some 150 in St. Petersburg. OVD-Info said some of the arrested individuals were children. The demonstrations followed protests that erupted within hours Wednesday after Putin, in a move to beef up his volunteer forces fighting in Ukraine, announced a call-up of experienced and skilled army reservists. In Moscow, a heavy contingent of police roamed a downtown area where a protest was planned and checked the IDs of passersby. Officers rounded up those they deemed suspicious.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Cultural historians have often dismissed ex-votos as folk art or relegated them to curiosities sold as souvenirs.

These small paintings are a type of retablo or small devotional work depicting miracles on tin.

A group of artists and curators have designed a New Mexico State University exhibition to persuade critics that these personalized objects deserve to be categorized as fine art.

Opening on Sept. 30, Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium sheds light on this understudied iconographic art form.

Im always looking at the discriminatory history of the inclusion of more elite members of society in Mexican history, said curator Emmanuel Ortega, an assistant professor of art of the Spanish Americas at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

During the colonial period, Indigenous people were excluded from making religious art, Ortega said. Only high-caste, society people received commissions from the church or wealthy patrons.

So that left their imprint on Mexican art history almost invisible, he explained. Ex-votos were paintings created by a (local) artist. They were a way to say thank you for a miracle performed by a specific saint.

Ordinary people appropriated the tin used in roofing as their canvas. They displayed the results in their own homes.

These Ex-votos go against all the established rules of art-making, Ortega said.

The NMSU Art Museum houses the largest collection of Mexican retablos in the U.S. The exhibition explores the importance these artworks hold in the history of the Americas.

Study for Untitled, Xochi Solis, 2022, artist residency at New Mexico State University. (Courtesy of Xochi Solis) I am sending love to my eight-year-old self retablo, Guadalupe Maravilla and the Vilchis family, 2021. (Courtesy of Guadalupe Maravilla) Borderlands No. 2: They almost got me (Pajarita Wilderness), Sandy Rodriguez, 2019. (Courtesy of Beth Rudin DeWoody) A tourist in a dream 11 by Xochi Solis. (Courtesy of Xochi Solis) Prev 1 of 4 Next

Ortega commissioned 15 emerging Latinx artists to research the collection and conjure their own visions of devotional art. The show pairs these with the historic works in the collection.

I told them, All you have to think about is devotion, as well as resilience,  Ortega said.

Chicago-based artist Yvette Mayorga created an installation of a Pink Chapel using her signature sculptural ceramic piping method paired with frosted found objects resembling French Rococo votive offerings. During a week-long NMSU residency, Mayorga completed a personal pilgrimage, begun 20 years ago at the Santuario del Santo Nino de Atocha de Plateros in Zacatecas, Mexico and ending at New Mexicos Santuario de Chimayo.

Xochi Solis, a NMSU artist in residency, enlarged images of the original retablos on her computer, printed them and then reassembled them using abstracted elements of color, forms and materials in vinyl, paper and cutouts.

Solis, who works primarily in collage and paint, knew about ex-votos from her art history classes, but had never really studied them until she came to Las Cruces.

Her 12-by-14-foot installation consists a suite of about 25 collages of found images and ephemera.

I was really inspired by the ex-votos Id seen, she said in a telephone interview from her home in Austin, Texas. I was coming at the images as a person not indoctrinated by Catholicism. I was drawn to the gestures, to the colors.

It wasnt until I was able to put my hands on them (with gloves, of course) when I could see how the paint bubbles and their relationship to each other.

Solis titled her installation A Tourist in a Dream.

I began to think of them as a narrative of shared collective trauma and our shared experiences of the pandemic, Solis said. They connect and engage our shared grief and bring us in community with each other.

Albuquerques Sandy Rodriguez chose imagery dealing with state violence, specifically people jailed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Guadalupe Maravilla commissioned the Vilchis family in Mexico, known for their ex-votos, to paint an image of himself sleeping in a car with his dog. He titled the oil on tin I am sending love to my eight-year-old self retablo.

During the 1980s, Maravilla migrated to the U.S. from El Salvador as a child when his country was consumed by a bloody civil war.

He learned to draw before he could speak. Much of his art draws on the trauma of displacement.

Maravilla is known for his looming sculptures and haunting sound art  exhibitions of which have been shown at the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

Ortega organized an undergraduate seminar at UIC where conversations about critical responses to ex-votos ranged from new ways to consider translation to a reconsideration of outdated art-historical language categorizing them as folk art.

By the 19th century, new printmaking techniques evolved, making religious imagery available to all.

You didnt have to go to a church, Ortega said. You could see it in a stamp or a calendar.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Journal Staff Writer

Earlier this month, lawmakers were told that despite more than $1 billion of investments responding to the findings in the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit, its unclear if students named in the lawsuit are any better off.

Much of the responsibility to right the ship falls squarely on school districts, according to a Legislative Finance Committee report, and they have had problems implementing remedies to a judges findings that New Mexico wasnt providing a sufficient education system for at-risk students.

The state Public Education Department, in turn, has also had issues making sure districts are doing what they need to do.

Implementation and oversight challenges remain hurdles to improving student outcomes in our state, evaluator Rachel Mercer Garcia said. Given the learning loss associated with the pandemic, New Mexico faces a heightened need to really ensure resources are directed toward evidence-based programs to help support students and catch them up.

Oversight is something the PED is addressing in its coming iteration of the Yazzie-Martinez action plan, Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus said. The department has said that will be finalized by the end of this month.

Is it the PEDs (responsibility) to provide oversight and increase our oversight? Yes. And we are working on that, he told lawmakers.

Districts havent taken advantage of money set aside for programs the court found would help improve education for at-risk students, especially when it comes to extended learning time and K-5 Plus programs. LFC analysts earlier this year reported that schools have collectively forgone $400 million in funds for both.

At the same time, theyve also held over more and more in their cash balances over the years, and have seen a more dramatic jump since 2017, according to the report. At the end of last fiscal year, districts and charter schools were collectively carrying over $525.5 million.

But that money is sometimes held over because districts cant count on being reimbursed by the PED in a timely way, Rep. Gail Armstrong, R-Magdalena said.

Growth in spending on central services  human resources, district planning and other costs  has also outpaced the growth of spending on instruction and student support services, according to the report. That said, Mercer Garcia noted that most of districts operational spending does go to instruction.

Districts should spend more of their at-risk funding and state appropriations on hiring instructional support providers like social workers and counselors, evaluators said.

On the PED side, turnover in the departments leadership  New Mexico has had four education secretaries since the July 2018 ruling  has contributed to a murky response to the lawsuit.

The state needs to be able to stay the course if that happens, said Sen. Roberto Bobby Gonzales, D-Ranchos de Taos.

What Id like to see is some safeguards to what happens if theres a change in administration, he said. We put (in) a lot of funding, we put (in) a lot of hard work, and we dont want to see things like this go out the window in four years, or whenever (there)s a change of administration.

The PED has hired over 80 people in the 14 months Steinhaus has been on board, he said.

We have a good team of people, theyre performing at a very high level, and I feel confident that we can move forward, he said. Are we anywhere close to where we need to be? No, but we are on a path.

LFC staff have also called for the PED to more closely monitor bilingual programs, which have seen declining participation over the last 10 years as English learners increased.

Mercer Garcia said the department also needs to look closer at spending of at-risk funding, adding that theres currently a lack in mechanisms to make sure those dollars are being used in a targeted way.

Steinhaus said the PED has largely implemented accounting codes allowing districts to report that spending, and that the department is currently collecting that information.

There have been areas that have seen progress, Mercer Garcia said.

That includes the average-$10,000 minimum salary increases for teachers approved by lawmakers earlier this year, which she pointed out have made New Mexico more regionally competitive in compensating its educators.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Drugs, theft and hanging around with the wrong crowd allowed Reed Pike to get intimately familiar with the states juvenile justice system and the Children, Youth and Families Department.

From age 13 to 17 he spent time in various secure and community-based treatment, detention and reintegration centers, including the Youth Diagnostic and Detention Center.

Once I was on probation, I just had a very hard time getting off, he said. Id start with a six-month probation and then go on the run and it would get turned into a one year probation and then two years. I went to drug court and kept messing up, so they just kept restarting my probation. I got to the point where I felt like it was never going to end and I just felt trapped.

Pike, 24, eventually escaped the trap and was able to hold down a series of retail and other jobs. He is now studying emergency medical services and is enrolled in the EMS Corps. The program was started by CYFD in June 2021 and targets underserved and underrepresented young people in New Mexico, including those from rural and tribal areas, as well as those who age-out of CYFDs foster system or who exit the juvenile detention system.

One of the jobs Pike previously held was at a facility for autistic children and kids with behavioral problems.

Some of them had such maladaptive behaviors that if they werent corrected, then by the time they got older theyd be unbearable for anyone to take care of besides a facility, Pike said. In the sense that they were in a place they really didnt want to be because of their behaviors, they were kind of like how I had been.

What Pike got out of that work experience was a desire to help increase the value of other peoples lives.

Learning to be an emergency medical technician, or EMT, helps fulfill that goal, he said.

The EMS Corps is taught through the EMS Academy at the University of New Mexico. Now working with its third cohort, classes consist of 12 to 19 students between the ages of 18 and 26. About half of all the students had previously been involved with CYFD, said Lindsay Eakes, director of the EMS Academy. Many others had no CYFD involvement but come from an environment where they had little opportunity or guidance.

Thus far, about 90% of the students who completed the course have passed their EMT Basic national registry test, received a license from the state and have obtained employment in clinics, ambulances and related services.

But even those who later decide not to become EMTs benefit from the program. They have a CPR card, they know how to put a tourniquet on somebody whos been in an accident  theyve developed a lot of life skills, Eakes said. Its truly transformational. There are not very many programs where you see somebodys life completely changed and their outlook and their perspective completely shifted.

According to Terrance McCarty, EMS Corps interim program director, students in the program receive 380 hours of training over five months. They also receive a wide range of mental health services, including one-on-one and group therapy, are assigned a mentor and earn a $1,000 monthly stipend to help with living expenses. The program, which costs about $800,000 a year, is funded by CYFD and a Kellogg Foundation grant, McCarty said.

We understand some of the challenges for young people going into this field, so we try to provide mental health services to help prepare them, he said.

McCarty noted that 33% of the students in the program are Native Americans, most of whom were raised on tribal lands. Many of them, he said, expressed a desire to go back and do service in the communities where they came from, and where there is a shortage of EMTs.

A number of the students who complete the program are likely to go on to earn higher EMT or paramedic certifications, or branch off into careers as nurses or firefighters, he added.

Pike, who learned about the EMT program from McCarty, whom he met years ago when he was involved with CYFD, said he plans to use his EMT Basic certification as a stepping stone to a career as a firefighter.

Dante Cheama, 21, is already on his way. He completed the program, is now working as an EMT on the Zuni Pueblo, where he was raised, and plans to parlay that job into a career as a paramedic and firefighter. He learned about the EMT program from a pueblo social media posting.

I didnt have any other career choices or opportunities, he said. I had been working as a dishwasher in Gallup and I had some other jobs, but then this just presented itself. Im actually blessed and lucky it did.

For Pike, its not just about a career. The EMT program gave me a purpose, it gave me something to do thats in line with my ultimate values of helping people, he said. It sets me up to have a better life, and it gives me stability and a reason to do good.
New Mexico regulators are concerned about the ability of the states largest electric providers to meet demands during peak seasons in 2023 and 2024.

The Public Regulation Commission convened a special meeting Thursday with utility executives to discuss supply chain issues that have delayed projects that were meant to fill the void as Public Service Company of New Mexico shutters a major coal-fired power plant in northwestern New Mexico and as demand increases.

PNM executives said the utility will have quite a hole to fill next summer since solar and battery storage systems that were initially expected to be online to replace the San Juan Generating Station  which is closing next week  wont be operating as planned.

El Paso Electric, a utility that serves customers in southern New Mexico, also is expecting a capacity gap next summer. Like PNM, El Paso Electric will have to buy power from other producers to ensure adequate capacity when customers crank up their air conditioners during the hottest days.

Utility executives told the regulators about skyrocketing prices for materials, escalating delivery costs and the inability of manufacturers to fill orders for items such as solar panels, transformers and other components needed to build new generating stations.

For those manufacturers who are still accepting orders, lead times can be as long as 72 months. Even the pieces needed to splice cables together before burying them are in short supply.

Still, the plan is to keep the lights on, said Mark Fenton, executive director of regulatory policy and case management for PNM.

Commissioner Stephen Fischmann told the executives to keep their priorities straight as they face what other commissioners acknowledged were unprecedented challenges.

The lights going out is the worst case, he said. Im pretty sure were going to avoid a crisis here but if we dont, we need to keep all options open.

Commissioner Joseph Maestas said New Mexicos low-income customers need to be considered as costs increase and utilities seek regulatory approval for replacement power.

In New Mexicos oil patch, officials with Southwestern Public Service Co. expect over 55 megawatts of demand from oil and gas coming online next year and nearly double that the following year. The utility said it can meet that demand in the coming years but noted there are planned retirements of natural gas power plants toward the end of the decade.

PNM officials said they have revamped their plans for alerting customers when it looks like demand will outpace capacity and rolling outages might ensue. The media blitz will include automated calls, television and radio commercials along with social media posts that urge customers to cut back on their use. A special website would go live for tracking outages.

The first thing is to not put customers in that situation, said PNM spokesman Raymond Sandoval. But we realize that we have to be prudent and have to plan for all sorts of contingencies.
GALLUP  The federal government has awarded a $73 million contract to construct pumping plants as part of an ongoing project to bring drinking water to parts of the Navajo Nation and to residents in northwestern New Mexico.

The Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday that an Arizona company earned the contract to build two pumping plants on the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. The plants will be situated near the Navajo community of Sanostee in San Juan County.

They will be part of a network of pipelines and pumping stations that will deliver treated water from the San Juan River.

Biden administration officials touted the contract as a significant milestone that is a result of the $1 trillion infrastructure deal passed by Congress last year.

The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project will use about 280 miles of pipeline, pumping stations, storage tanks and two treatment plants to deliver water to chapters on the Navajo Nation and the city of Gallup. Its expected to be completed by the Bureau of Reclamation in 2027.

The project is a major component of the nations water rights settlement agreement on the San Juan River Basin in New Mexico, where officials said over a third of households still haul drinking water to their homes.

Construction was authorized in a federal measure passed by Congress and signed into law by then-President Barack Obama in 2009.
SANTA FE  New Mexico has granted funds to pay for possible prosecutions connected to last years fatal film-set shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported Thursday.

The state Board of Finance greenlighted more than $317,000 to cover the cost of investigating potential charges in the shooting on the set of Rust outside Santa Fe.

First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies made an emergency request for the funds to go toward a special prosecutor, special investigator, several experts and other personnel.

As many as four people could face charges, according to a copy of the request obtained by the newspaper, though Carmack-Altwies did not say anyone definitely would.

One of the possible defendants is well known movie actor Alec Baldwin, she stated.

When reached for comment by the newspaper, she declined to say which crew members or cast could face charges. The possible charges her office is looking at range from homicide to violations of state gun statutes.

Carmack-Altwies said she is expecting to receive the final investigation report from the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office soon.

Baldwin was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when it went off on Oct. 21, killing her and wounding the director, Joel Souza. They had been inside a small church during setup for filming a scene.

Baldwin has said the gun went off accidentally and that he did not pull the trigger. But a recent FBI forensic report found the weapon could not have fired unless someone pulled the trigger.

The films armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has been named in several lawsuits, including a wrongful death claim filed by Hutchins family.
UNITED NATIONS  In speech after speech, world leaders dwelled on the topic consuming this years U.N. General Assembly meeting: Russias war in Ukraine.

A few, like Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, prodded the world not to forget everything else.

He, too, was quick to bring up the biggest military confrontation in Europe since World War II. But he wasnt there to discuss the conflict itself, nor its disruption of food, fuel and fertilizer markets.

The ongoing war in Ukraine is making it more difficult, Buhari lamented, to tackle the perennial issues that feature each year in the deliberations of this assembly.

He went on to name a few: inequality, nuclear disarmament, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the more than 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who have been living in limbo for years in Bangladesh.

In an environment where words are parsed, confrontations are calibrated and worry is acute that the war and its wider effects could worsen, no one dismissed the importance of the conflict. But comments such as Buharis quietly spoke to a certain unease, sometimes bordering on frustration, about the international communitys absorption in Ukraine.

Those murmurs are audible enough that the United States U.N. ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, made a point of previewing Washingtons plans to address climate change, food insecurity, health and other issues during the diplomatic communitys premier annual gathering.

Other countries have expressed a concern that as we focus on Ukraine, we are not paying attention to what is happening in other crises around the world, she said, vowing that it wasnt so. Still, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken complained at a Security Council meeting days later that Russias invasion is distracting the U.N. from working on other important matters.

In many years at the assembly, theres a hot spot or news development that takes up a lot of diplomatic oxygen. As former U.N. official Jan Egeland puts it, the world manages to focus on one crisis at a time.

But I cannot, in these many years as a humanitarian worker or a diplomat, remember any time when the focus was so strongly on one conflict only while the world was falling apart elsewhere, Egeland, now secretary-general of an international aid group called the Norwegian Refugee Council, said in a phone interview.

Certainly, no one was surprised by the attention devoted to a conflict with Cold War echoes, oblique nuclear threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin, shelling that has endangered the continents largest atomic power plant, and far-reaching economic effects. The urgency only intensified during the weeklong meeting as Russia mobilized some of its military reserves.

President Andrzej Duda of Poland  on Ukraines doorstep  stressed in his speech that we mustnt show any war fatigue' regarding the conflict. But he also noted that a recent trip to Africa left him pondering how the West has treated other conflicts.

Were we equally resolute during the tragedies of Syria, Libya, Yemen? he asked himself, and the assembly. And didnt the West return to business as usual after wars in Congo and the Horn of Africa?

While condemning the invasion of Ukraine, Duda added, do we give equal weight to fighting mercenaries who seek to destabilize the Sahel and threaten many other states in Africa?

He isnt the only one asking.

Over seven months of war, there have been pointed observations from some quarters about how quickly and extensively wealthy and powerful nations mobilized money, military aid, and General Assembly votes to support Ukraine and offer refuge to its residents, compared to the global response to some other conflicts.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenbergs assembly speech acknowledged grumblings about European double standards  that we only react so strongly to Russias invasion because of geographic and cultural proximity or because Ukrainians look like us.'

He vigorously rebuffed that notion, arguing that Russias attack ripped up international rules that undergird every countrys security.

Still, South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor raised the specter of unequal treatment.

Calling for more attention to the disputed Western Sahara region in northern Africa, she admonished the global community to treat all conflicts across the globe with equal indignation, no matter what the color or creed of the people affected.

And while other countries may be wrapped up in Ukraine, Pandor offered a her nations own list of the biggest global challenges: poverty, inequality, joblessness and a feeling of being entirely ignored and excluded.

Tuvalus prime minister, Kausea Natano, said in an interview on the assemblys sidelines that the war shouldnt be an excuse for countries to ignore their financial commitments to a top priority for his island nation: fighting climate change. Part of Bolivian President Luis Arces speech compared the untold billions of dollars spent on fighting in Ukraine in a matter of months to the $11 billion committed to the U.N.-sponsored Green Climate Fund over more than a decade.

To be sure, most leaders made time for issues beyond Ukraine in their allotted, if not always enforced, 15 minutes at the mic. And some mentioned the war only in passing, or not at all.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro devoted his time to lambasting capitalism, consumerism and the U.S.-led war on drugs, particularly its focus on coca plant eradication. Krygyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, whose country has close ties to Russia, homed in on his homelands border dispute with Tajikistan. Jordans King Abdullah II briefly mentioned the wars effects on food supplies, then moved on to sustainable economic growth, Syrian refugees and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ukraine is undeniably a dominant concern for the European Union. But foreign policy chief Josep Borrell insisted the bloc hasnt lost sight of other problems.

Its not a question of choosing between Ukraine and the others. We can do all at the same time, he said on the eve of the assembly.

Yet diplomatic attention and time are precious, sought-after resources. So, too, the will and money to help.

U.N. humanitarian office figures show that governments and private organizations have put up about $3.7 billion to aid Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees this year. About $2 billion has been raised for war-torn Yemen, where the U.N. says over 17 million people are struggling with acute hunger.

And those are big campaigns. Just $428 million has been raised for Myanmar and for the Rohingya in Bangladesh.

Egelands organization helps uprooted people around the world, including in Ukraine. But he feels an urgent need to get attention to absolute freefalls elsewhere.

It didnt get better in Congo or in Yemen or in Myanmar or in Venezuela because it got so much worse in Europe, in and around Ukraine, Egeland said. We need to fight for those who are starving in the shadows of this horrific war in Ukraine.

___

Associated Press writers Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal, and Aya Batrawy and Pia Sarkar at the United Nations contributed to this report.

___

For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly.
Britannia Industries has appointed Rajneet Kohli as chief executive officer and executive director, and elevated Varun Berry to the post of executive vice chairman.

Kohli will take over the position from September 26, 2022 and will report to Varun Berry, the company said in a BSE filing.

Kohli has held many senior roles in his 25-year-long career. He has been associated with renowned companies like Asian Paints and Coca-Cola. He joins Britannia from Jubilant FoodWorks.

Rajneet Kohli added: As one of Indias leading food companies with over a 100-year legacy, Britannia has an exceptional track record of innovation and serving consumers with exemplary standards. I feel privileged and am truly excited for what lies ahead of us at Britannia."

Varun Berry said: I am delighted to welcome Rajneet to Britannia. His experience of building high performance businesses and profitable brands is strongly aligned to our vision of becoming a Responsible Global Total Foods Company.
Kohler India celebrated its 10th year of Pecha Kucha event on 23rd September 2022 this year in New Delhi, attended by the top names of A&D Community.

Kohler India started its first Pecha Kucha in the year 2013 as an initiative to provide a platform to some of the top architects to share their thoughts and experiences on various design-related topics like Wanderlust - Creativity inspired by Travel, Eves- Even to Uneven, etc.

Every year the event is celebrated across major cities of India to bring together the architect and designer community while indulging in thought-provoking conversations. The style has been inspired by the Japanese Pecha Kucha format of presenting 20 slides in 20 seconds each.

This year the topic for Pecha Kucha is - Design- Then & Now taking inspiration from how design has evolved from past to present. Design trends are fluid and over the years have changed, evolved and at times circled back from where they had started with many nuances, revamps, and renewals along the way.

The eventful evening started with Parveen Gupta, Head of Marketing at Kohler India, where he showcased that the core of any design is to delight consumers through an emotional connect.

The concept of design has changed over the years, not only in architecture but in every facet of life. Many external factors have impacted design changes and some of the recent ones have really made us rethink design & how it needs to evolve sustainably in the future. Its our fiduciary responsibility to create impactful designs for the Now along with handing over an appreciable Then to the next generation.

This event was followed by some of the most renowned and wonderful architects such as Ashmit Singh Alag (Transform Design), Pooja Bihani (Spaces & Design), Priyanka Khanna (42mm), Anand Sharma (Design forum International), and Mitu Mathur (Gian P Mathur). They expressed diverse interpretations of how design has evolved and how they look at the various aspects of design in Now and Then.

On 29th July 2022, Kohler India celebrated its first round of 10th year of Pecha Kucha event in Mumbai at Opa Kipos, Worli. The event was a huge success, attended by 110 architects based out of Mumbai, Ahmedabad & Pune.

Delhi Venue: QLA  4-a Seven Style Mile, Kalka Das Marg, Next to Qutab Minar, Mehrauli, New Delhi-110030

Date: 23rd September 2022

Time: 7:30 PM onwards
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) today announced winning the seminaming rights for two upcoming metro stations  Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (erstwhile Victoria Terminus) and Bandra Kurla Complex. These rights have been awarded by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) for five years, starting from the commissioning of the line, expected by late 2023.

For Kotak Group, these two stations are significant, because one represents where Kotak was born, and the other is where the nerve centre of the firm is, currently. The Group commenced operations in a small office in the erstwhile Victoria Terminus area and, in time, evolved into an integrated financial services conglomerate presently headquartered in Bandra Kurla Complex. Shanti Ekambaram, Group President and WholeTime Director Designate, said, The past meets the present and that too on the highspeed rails of the citys new preferred lifeline. Winning these branding rights is a celebration of our Groups humble beginnings at the fourstoried Navsari building in Fort, CSMT area, to our current address  our twin office buildings at BKC. A blend of our Janmabhoomi and Karmabhoomi will not only resonate with the brands rich legacy but, more importantly, will enable us to once again partner the governments vision of inclusive growth, ease of access and community empowerment beyond banking.

Karthi Marshan, President and CMO, Kotak Mahindra Bank, said, Kotak Mahindra Banks presence in the two iconic business districts will celebrate the rich heritage of the city as well as our firm belief in its future. Mumbai Metro has become a highly effective mode of transport  providing comfort, better experience and reliable performance to a new generation of Mumbaikars. The upcoming line connecting South Mumbai to BKC will attract huge footfalls and translate into eyeballs for the Bank, offering opportunities to engage, educate and elevate millions of Mumbaikars every day.
Netflix Sept. 23 disclosed, in a regulatory filing, that Ken Barker, the streamers principal accounting officer for the past four months, is resigning, effective Oct. 7.

The streamer said Barkers resignation was a personal decision and not the result of any disagreement with the company on any matter relating to Netflixs financials, operations, policies or practices.
Netflix has withdrawn a lawsuit against the creators of The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical , after the streamer reached a settlement. Three days after The Unofficial Brigerton Musicals sold-out performance in the US capitals Kennedy Center, a copyright infringement lawsuit was filed against Emily Bear, and Abigali Barlow, in Washington, by the streaming service.

Netflix had contended in federal district court that the case has been dismissed with prejudice, which means that it cannot be brought again. Post the debut of Bridgerton on Netflix in December, 2020, Barlow & Bear, the creative duo, started to post about the series on Tiktok, with the composition of songs, which are based on scenes, plot and dialogue points, scenes, and characters, with the subsequent release of the album The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, winning a Grammy award and leading to the stage show. The series is based on Julia Quinns Regency-era romance novels. Netflix in its complaint said: The conduct of Barlow & Bear has started on social media, stretching fan fiction past its breaking point. According to Netflix, it was outright blatant infringement of intellectual property rights. A performance scheduled for September, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, has been cancelled by Barlow & Bear.
The One Club for Creativity, the worlds foremost non-profit organisation to support and celebrate the creative community, has announced the 84 finalists from 23 countries for the prestigious Young Guns 20 competition, celebrating international creative professionals age 30 or younger.

The complete list of Young Guns 20 finalists can be viewed here.

This years winners will be announced online on November 2, 2022, and celebrated at a special in-person event on November 16, 2022 at Sony Hall in New York.

Young Guns is the industrys only global, cross-disciplinary, portfolio-based awards competition that identifies and celebrates todays vanguard of young creatives. This years entries were judged by a diverse jury of 96 top creatives  many of whom are past YG winners from 41 countries.

All Young Guns winners receive a unique version of the iconic Young Guns Cube, designed exclusively for this years incoming class, and have their permanent profile page added to the Young Guns website. Winners also get a complimentary one-year One Club for Creativity membership, permanent membership in the Young Guns network, a chance to be featured in Young Guns events and an assortment of career-boosting opportunities from Young Guns sponsors.

Program branding and design of the Cube award itself is reimagined each year by a past Young Gun winner. This years YG20 branding and award are designed by Zipeng Zhu (YG13), founder and creative director at Dazzle Studio New York. The font for the YG20 branding is created by NaN Berlin.

Levine/Leavitt Artist In Residence Award

For the ninth consecutive year, international artists management agency and Young Guns sponsor Levine/Leavitt will bestow one talented winner with the Artist In Residence Award.

The honour, to be announced at the November 16 event in New York, is presented annually to a newly crowned Young Gun, whose body of work truly stands out, as judged by an advisory board of industry professionals across a range of disciplines. The winner receives a full year of professional development, guidance and mentorship from Levine/Leavitt to help advance their career.

Young Guns 20 and other One Club activities are made possible in part through the support of sponsors, including Levine/Leavitt and Shutterstock.

The One Club for Creativity, producer of The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, Type Directors Club competitions, TDC Ascenders, Young Guns and Creative Week, is the worlds foremost non-profit organization whose mission is to support and celebrate the global creative community. Revenue generated from these awards shows are put back into the industry to fund dozens of DEI, Education, Gender Equality, and Creative Development programs, including the annual Where Are All The Black People diversity conference and career fair; ONE School, the breakthrough free portfolio program for Black creatives, Creative Boot Camps for diverse young creatives around the world, Elevate mentorship and Next Creative Leaders programs for women and non-binary creatives, annual Portfolio Night, and many more. Creative Week takes place in May, and is the preeminent festival celebrating the intersection of advertising and the arts.
China's modernization opens up broader prospects for common development of mankind

18:10, September 23, 2022 By Zhong Yin ( People's Daily

A recent study released by the Inter Region Economic Network, a leading independent African think tank, showed that China's cooperation with Africa was highly recognized by Africans for infrastructure construction, quick decision making, and timely completion of engineering projects.

It once again proved that China, through efficient and effective actions, has brought tangible benefits and opportunities to Africa.

China always adheres to the vision of peaceful development and shares its development dividend with the rest of the world. China's modernization is not only for its own development, but also for the wellbeing of the whole world. It has opened up broader prospects for the common development of mankind.

The Chinese have always believed that You yourself desire rank and standing; then help others to get rank and standing. China's modernization - featuring common prosperity, balanced material and cultural progress, harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and peaceful development - will be shared by a huge population. The Chinese path to modernization is based on China's conditions, and reflects the evolution of human society as a whole.

There is no set form of modernization or one-size-fits-all modernization standards in the world. Today, Chinese stories are hot topics around the world due to China's huge development success. However, behind the stories are not only exponential economic growth of a major country, but also a unique path to modernization and the charm of a new model for human progress.

The world's development is multi-dimensional, and history is never a lenient movement. People of all countries are entitled to choose their own development paths and institutional models, and all efforts of individual countries to independently explore the path to modernization in light of their specific national conditions are worthy of respect.

China's new model for human progress has refuted the myth that modernization can be achieved only by following the capitalist model. The country's success indicates that there doesn't exist a fixed model for the path to modernization, and the one that suits you well will serve you well.

China is pursuing modernization as a "latecomer." Developed countries in the West went through a "serial-type" course of development, from industrialization to urbanization, and to agricultural modernization and informatization. The whole course has so far taken them over 200 years. On the contrary, China's development is a "parallel-type" one, which means the country experiences all the above processes simultaneously.

It cost China only decades to have grown from a "latecomer" to a new growth pole of global modernization, a process that took developed countries several centuries. China's modernization has blazed a trail for other "latecomers," and proves that it's totally possible for countries to pursue a development path suited to their own national conditions.

Different from the old path of Western modernization that seeks primitive accumulation with expansionism and follows the law of the jungle, China's modernization has no relation with colonization, war or conflict. It is advanced with peace, cooperation and win-win results.

Pursuing true multilateralism, China holds that all countries should write international rules and manage global affairs, and that multilateralism is about having international affairs addressed through consultation.

In the new era, China firmly safeguards international equity and justices, follows the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and never hesitates to speak up for other developing countries.

On the vast African continent, two railways enjoy a special status in history. One is the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, a "freedom railway" that was built by over 50,000 Chinese engineering technicians in 1960s and 1970s. More than 60 Chinese experts rest forever on this land far away from home. The other is the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway, which adopts Chinese standards and technologies and was built with Chinese equipment. It is driving the transport and economic development of the entire East Africa.

The two railways, with their special status in history and remarkable contribution nowadays, demonstrate that the Communist Party of China has always been bearing in mind the development of the African continent.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Du Mingming)
By Craig Dempsey

In recent years, thanks to its proximity to North America, a large pool of inexpensive labor, low taxes, and large amounts of foreign investment, Latin America has become a key region for U.S. businesses looking to expand internationally. Not all countries in the region, however, are created equal, and some are easier to navigate than others. In this article, we outline the Latin American cities and countries that are the most conducive to doing business with, according to Statistas Global Business Cities Report for 2022.

Best cities and countries to do business with in Latin America

1. Sao Paulo, Brazil

Brazil has the largest economy in Latin America, as well as one of the largest economies in the world, which makes it one of the top destinations for foreign investment. Currently, a significant number of companies have established themselves in the city of Sao Paulo, taking advantage of the increase in startups and the growth of the consumer market.

Another important reason to consider investing in Brazil is the ease of access to international trade with the rest of the continent.

2. Buenos Aires, Argentina

The business climate in the city of Buenos Aires is quite favorable for foreign investors. It boasts significant investment in aerospace technology and the renewable energy sector. In addition, Argentinas access to human capital makes it an attractive place for investment. The countrys agricultural sector provides avenues of investment in agribusiness, namely in wheat, corn, and soybeans.

3. Santiago, Chile

Chile is one of the highest-income countries in Latin America, making it one of the safest places in the region to invest in. The country has also negotiated 30 trade agreements that cover 70 markets and represent 88% of the worlds GDP.

One of Chiles most important markets is mining, with vast reserves of gemstones and precious metals. In the agricultural sector, Chile stands out in the production of fruits and nuts, as well as timber.

4. Montevideo, Uruguay

Another attractive option for foreign investors is the city of Montevideo, Uruguay, thanks to its political and economic stability, as well as its well-managed health system.

In addition, Uruguay is considered one of the more developed countries in Latin America, due to its well-educated population and large labor pool, with no shortage of tech talent, lawyers, accountants, and business administrators.

An attractive feature for foreign investment is the high growth of high-value industries such as fintech and agritech, and the prevalence of English proficiency among Uruguayan professionals. Other important sectors that are ripe for investment in Uruguay include the pharmaceutical industry, textiles, wood, and cement.

5. Bogota, Colombia

Thanks to its sustained economic development, Colombia has become one of the countries with the highest foreign direct investment. It is currently the fourth largest economy in the region, and it is predicted to continue on a strong growth path over the next five years.

Colombia has 10 free trade agreements, which gives it easy access to millions of consumers in American, European, Latin American, and Asian markets. In addition, thanks to a large pool of skilled workers, there are significant investment opportunities in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, metals, textiles, and construction materials.

6. Mexico City, Mexico

Mexicos capital is home to major financial institutions, which makes it an important destination for foreign direct investment. Mexico Citys strategic location also is a plus for those who want to invest in the country. Large companies, such as Google and Facebook, have moved their operations to this great city, creating hundreds of tech jobs for Mexicans.

Mexico is an attractive option for foreign investors as its one of the easiest Latin American countries to domicile. In addition, Mexico has a highly skilled and competitive labor force.

Besides the capital, Mexico City, another Mexican city that has become a major attraction for foreign investment is Guadalajara, which is home to large technology companies such as Toshiba, Intel, and HP. The main sectors of foreign investment in Mexico are manufacturing, financial services, commerce, and mining.

7. Costa Rica

Costa Rica is not only one of the most attractive countries in Latin America because of its landscape and natural beauty, but also because of the multiple investment options it offers.

In the last two years, Costa Ricas immigration policies have improved to favor foreign investors and skilled workers. The country allows retirees, pensioners, and investors to live there and receive benefits, such as importation of up to two vehicles for family or personal use, without having to pay import, customs, or value-added taxes. Investors also can receive tax-free imports of instruments and materials for professional or scientific use, and tax-free imports of household goods for their homes.

Investors who wish to live in Costa Rica are required to invest no less than $150,000 USD in real estate, stocks, productive projects, or national investment projects; retirees must receive a monthly pension of no less than $1,000 USD in their country of origin.

Latin America is a great place to invest

In summary, Latin America is an increasingly attractive destination for foreign businesses. The cities and countries listed here are expected to sustain the flows of foreign investment and increasingly become destinations for company headquarters or satellite offices.

RELATED: 4 Questions to Ask Before Expanding a Business Internationally in Todays Borderless Work World
For two years, a U.S. presidential administration has perpetrated a racial hoax. Teamed up with Black Lives Matter (BLM), an unscrupulous, failed, corrupt organization that promotes violence, Americans have been duped by the worlds largest racial hoax.

In mid-2019, driven by Trump hatred, congressional hearings on Confronting White Supremacy laid the groundwork. Those hearings introduced a concept that Team Biden and the media would recite endlessly: White supremacists are extremist domestic terrorists and the biggest threat to the nation. Democrat congressman Jamie Raskin said that, in 2018, the FBI identified 39 such murders (less than 0.02% of deaths from drug overdoses). He said that, even though this number was more than those associated with foreign terrorists, it was still an undercount because the FBI was too focused on international terrorism. Also, hate crimes were not categorized as domestic terrorism. Both needed to change--and change they did.

For the Democrats, George Floyds death on May 25, 2020, was a gift from God. They made him the centerpiece of their evolving racial hoax. Rather than being caught having passed counterfeit money while having enough drugs in his system to drop a horse, the narrative said George Floyd was the victim of an oppressive White cop. From there, the narrative quickly evolved to claim that all Blacks are victims and all Whites are oppressors; that is, White supremacists and domestic terrorists lying in wait. At least those who were Republicans.

Image: George Floyd shrine by Lorie Shaull. CC BY 2.0.

Democrat outrage initially related to police brutality. This outrage hit a fever pitch untempered by data aptly refuting the racist cop narrative, for it showed that police based arrests on criminality, not race. (Indeed, Minnesota never charged the four officers involved in Floyds death with racial hatred.) No one on the left acknowledged the uncontested data showing only 0.0014% were involved in fatal shootings. There was no epidemic of police killing Blacks or anyone else.

Following Floyds death, Democrat politicians began developing strategies to take back the White House. They were not going to focus on the flimsy accusation that police are racist. They went bigger than that.

Minneapoliss Democrat mayor labeled the rioters destroying his city as domestic terrorists and white supremacists (many of whom must have been wearing blackface). When the riots spread to New York, Mayor DeBlasio launched the term structural racism into the daily lexicon. Governor Cuomo recalled Jim Crow. Candidate Biden popularized the accusation of systemic racism and brought us back to a history of slavery and a nation born of racism and racists. Biden promised he would select a Black woman as his running mate.

And who was responsible for all this, according to Democrats? Donald Trump. On June 1, Facebook workers working from home staged a virtual walkout when the company would not deplatform Trump.

The only allowed narrative was that America is racist. The pandemic created the perfect environment. The only people allowed to escape during the lockdown were BLM activists because they were civil rights activists. Besides, perpetuating the evolving racial hoax was more important than protecting people from a deadly disease. Then, there were added daily reports that the pandemic was taking a disproportionately greater toll on Blacks. The media repeatedly claimed that it was due to racist medical practitioners and hospitals.

No one mentioned a higher presence of comorbidities, and none noted when the disproportionality disappeared. They also didnt say that Latinos were the group hit the hardest and Asians the least hard because the message was White racists, White privilege. Blacknot alllives matter.

The mainstream and social media played crucial roles. In addition to self-censorship of opposing points of view, they created the illusion of a racist pariah nation. They engaged in a merciless, hate-filled racist tirade against White people. They purveyed daily reports about disproportional outcomes without supporting data, all of which they attributed to structural racism, systemic racism, White supremacists, White racists, and White privilege. At the same time, 24/7, they ran truncated videos and abridged stories about a small number of Black people who were not carrying guns but whom police killed. (Some were wielding things such as knives, cars, and fists.)

The plan was successful. Most Americans believed that racist cops were gunning in the streets unarmed Black men minding their own business. A survey from 2020 found that 44% of people self-categorizing as liberal thought police in 2019 killed more than 1,000 unarmed black men. About 10% thought it was 10,000 or more. The number was fourteen.

The media gave cover to the 547 riots that took place for more than 100 days. The term mostly peaceful protests became a reflexive justification for the riots. Negotiations between BLM and the DNC invariably extended the riots duration. During the negotiations, BLM co-founder Cullors promised that BLM would get Trump out of office. BLM and the DNC organized mostly peaceful protests until election day.

Americans, confused by the lack of actual reports showing racism, soon learned why such reports were missingunconscious bias. The problem was that White people falsely believed they were non-racists. The medias beloved Robin DAngelo, an academic carpetbagger, validated the claim. She pontificated that all Whites are inescapably born racists.

The BLM riots worked. Biden and Harris were headed to the White House.
I have always felt compelled to stand up to bullies, tyrants, pretenders, and those who take advantage of others who cant or wont fight back. Its that way when I look at Putin. Putin has mastered the art of the stare-down. His malevolent glance has been known to make people physically sick. With his love of theater, like the huge table he sits at with his visitors sitting twenty feet away and in a room of such opulence, you must believe that Putin thinks of himself as some kind of demi-god.

An early belief in his own exceptionalism defines Putin. His small stature led him to learn Judo at an early age, and then he buckled down and received top grades in school, where he learned to speak German. While there is little reliable information on Putins past, at least two sources seem to agree that Putin wanted to join the KGB at an early age. After initially being snubbed, he cultivated a relationship with the influential Anatoly Sobchak, who was one of Putins professors in college and was connected to the Soviets political apparatus. By all accounts, Putin may have found the KGB a bit boring. Nevertheless, he spent more than 15 years there, no doubt involved in at least some skullduggery. One unverified story alleged that during his time posted in East Germany, Putin used both honey traps and pornography to try and recruit agents. Ultimately, sources say, Putin honed his persona and moved on to the next phase of his life.

During Russias second invasion of Chechnya, Russia detonated an apartment building causing widespread loss of life. Five days later in retaliation, Dagestan separatists planted a bomb in a Moscow apartment building that killed over 100 Muscovites. By now, Putin was the Prime Minister of Russia, and KGB-trained in the arts of subversion, torture, and manipulation. He was spring-loaded to react with his best weapon, terror.

And attack with terror he did. Putin ordered coordinated attacks by carpet-bombing Chechen cities followed by a massive ground invasion. Everyone thought to be associated with the attack was executed by pouring bleach down their throats. It is rumored that Putin viewed footage of some of the killings, playing the tape back, over and over again. In the absence of any other logical reason for doing so, I am left with the conclusion that Putin felt some kind of diabolical delight at seeing horrific death, on an endless loop. This is who we are dealing with today.

Putin is a self-educated scholar of Russian history and a true believer that Imperial Russias return is not a fantasy but an inevitable certainty. Putin was never a fanatical communist. He understood that life is cheap, having been told heroic stories of self-sacrifice for the Motherland during the siege of Stalingrad. Later, he toured the most impressive remnants of the czars physical accomplishments. He was completely enamored with what he observed.

Even though he has retained his communist party card, it may be nostalgic for when the West trembled at what the Soviet Union might do. It was that lack of reliable logic you could depend on, that created the uncertainty that was crucial to the Soviet Unions standing in the world. Putin learned the art of deception early in life because when it came to military, political, economic, and other matters of State, deception was always favored over truth.

Then, as now, the old Soviet Union, Russia, and even Putin himself created the meme of the ten-foot-tall Russian soldier. Factually, ever since WWII, Russia has seen the majority of its deployments and weapon systems falter, when viewed in after-action reports or technical analysis. I am reminded of the Mig 25 Foxbat that we were sure could shoot down all our bombers, but only after a Foxbat landed in Japan and its pilot defected did we have the ability to analyze a technology that was far behind us, not a generation ahead as originally believed.

That brings us to today. It is instructive to remember that Putin threatened the use of nuclear weapons even before he invaded Ukraine this year. In 2014, Putin threatened nuclear annihilation if the West interfered with his invasion of Crimea. He even previously threatened the President of Georgia in 2006 with tactical nukes for defying him.

In the past, Putin has threatened nuclear devastation, not just when his back is against the wall, but as a tactic to prepare the ground ahead of hostile, unprovoked attacks on his neighbors. He attempts to strike fear in an uncertain world that is ready to believe that he means what he says. Could Russia send nuclear weapons against the world as Putin says? Probably yes. The question then is, would he?

The world has lived under the threat of nuclear war for more than 70 years and has, so far, survived. Here are the reasons not to succumb to the diatribe of a terrorist like Putin:

Using nuclear weapons would likely be Putins last act. Russia has a history of eliminating those who interfere with Russias real priorities. Priority one is to continue to exist and not engage in an uncontained war.

Russia would have little to gain since there is no existential threat to Russia. Russia has lived within its borders for many years without external efforts to dismantle his regime. Only Russia has been the actual aggressor.

Russia is extremely dependent on foreign markets to survive. Warring with the West is suicide to Russias long-term economic health. Energy is both a strength and a weakness for Russia as a principal generator of earnings for their entire economy. Energy has accounted for about 70 percent of Russias export earnings since 2014, and approximately 63 percent in 2015-2018. Russias most lucrative energy exports  oil and gas  provided about 50 percent of their federal budget revenue in recent years. The rise and fall of Russias fortunes are based on the price of a barrel of oil. The country lacks economic diversification.

Over a million of Russias best and brightest have fled since the Ukrainian war began. Remember, Russia only has about 145 million citizens. Putin knows that people voting with their feet is bad for the countrys stability and especially for him.

Everything Putin says is considered for its psychological effect. Putin uses the threat of nuclear war too frequently as in the boy who cried wolf. This creates uncertainty while paradoxically increasing the chances of unintended consequences. You cant threaten something over and over again and get away with it. His threats no longer carry the weight they once did, simply due to, God forgive me, his lack of follow through.

But it is not beyond the pale that Putin tests one of his devices, above ground somewhere, to try and reinvigorate his threat. But, the idea of actually killing a bunch of human beings in a fiery blast would galvanize almost everyone on Earth, including China and the Russian people, that Putin is a madman and a threat to world stability.

God Bless America!

Allan J. Feifer is an author, businessman, and thinker. Read more about Allan, his background, and his ideas to create a better tomorrow at www.1plus1equals2.com.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required.
After Russia announced partial mobilization, which effectively doubled the Russian forces to be engaged in Ukraine, politicians, government officials, and analysts proclaimed that the action was a sign of Russian failure, weakness, and desperation. Be that as it may, the West once again has demonstrated aloofness from history and a refusal to face the reality that regardless of the amounts of weaponry, international sanctions, and billions in financial assistance, the West cannot defeat Russia. Hitler couldnt do it. Embracing unrealistic expectations will inevitably lead to complete distraction and eventual dismemberment of Ukraine.

The war exposed Ukraine to two of her most critical vulnerabilities  questionable legitimacy and extreme nationalism. Legitimacy derives from acceptance and recognition. However, Ukraines neighbors Russia, Poland, and Romania do not accept their current borders with Ukraine.

After the First and Second World Wars, the borders of artificially created countries such as Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Ukraine were delineated to replicate the geopolitical engineering. So, when Ukraine proclaimed her independence, she did not proclaim her independence from Russia, Poland, and Romanias territorial claims.

Indeed, the historical provenance of Ukraine is problematic. In a nutshell, before declaring independence in 1991, Ukraine had never been a unified state. What was to become Ukraine joined Russia in 1654 when Bohdan Khmelnitsky, a Hetman of the Zaporozhian Host, petitioned Russian czar Alexey to accept the Zaporozhian Host into Russia. The army and a small territory under Hetmans control that Russians called u kraine, which means in Russian at the edge; the term originated in the twelfth century to describe lands on the border of Russia that were incorporated into Russia. The Zaporozhian Host administration was recognized as an organ of the Russian state.

After the Bolshevik revolution, Lenin in 1919 created the socialist state of Ukraine on part of the territory of the former Russian Empire. In 1922 Ukraine became Ukrainian People's Republic with the capital Kharkov within a newly created Soviet Union. The new territory included Donetsk, and Lugansk regions becoming Eastern Ukraine. In 1934 Kiev became the capital of the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic.

In 1939, as a result of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Stalin annexed the eastern territories of Poland with the city of Lvov and incorporated them into Ukraine. In June of 1940, he annexed Northern Bukovina from Romania and merged it with Ukraine. In 1945 Hungarian Carpathian Ruthenia, nowadays Zakarpattia, was incorporated into the Soviet Union and added to Ukraine. Now these territories are known as Western Ukraine.

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Ukraine got its borders within which she achieved independence and millions of Russians, Poles, Hungarians and Romanians were trapped in a newly created country. via

Spiridon Ion Cepleanu via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0

The Ukrainian problem is greatly exacerbated by the fact that unlike pluralistic societies such as the USA, Canada, Switzerland, and Russia, which are tolerant of different cultures, religions, and languages, Ukraine is not. Unsurprisingly, devotion to pluralism proved not to be her forte. Even though the Kiev regime had no historical roots in the real estate it inhabited, it imposed Ukrainian rules and the Ukrainian language on non-Ukrainian people after declaring independence. It is worth pointing out that even in the Soviet Union, where Russian was the official language, the Ukrainian language and literature were compulsorily studied by everyone in Ukraine.

As a result, pro-Russian sentiments  ranging from the recognition of the official status of the Russian language to outright secession  have always been prevalent in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. Western Ukraine has always gravitated toward its Polish, Romanian, and Hungarian roots. Emphatically anti-Russian, Poland may not miss this strategic opportunity to re-acquire its land and avenge the humiliation inflicted by the Yalta Conference.

During the conference in Crimea in 1945, the leaders of the free world, Roosevelt and Churchill, legitimized the annexations by affirming Soviet ownership over the Polish and Romanian territories.

It was a cold-blooded betrayal for the Poles, who, unlike the Romanians who fought on the Germans side, suffered horribly under German occupation and heroically fought for independence. Roosevelt and Churchill destined the Poles to the horrors of Stalins mass-murdering tyranny for a half-century.

Hence, every time the Western leaders defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine, they reaffirm the immoral outcome of the Yalta conference. Western Ukraine does not belong to the Kiev regime, just as Eastern Ukraine is not Ukraine.

The Wests insistence on maintaining the status quo of the Ukrainian borders established by Lenin, Stalin and Hitler exposes the disconnect between strategic doctrine and moral principles.

Indeed, Poles make no secret of their ambitions. Polish President Andrzej Duda, recently declared, For decades, and maybe, God forbid, for centuries, there will be no more borders between our countries  Poland and Ukraine. There will be no such border!

On May 22, Vladimir Zelensky announced that he would submit to the Rada a bill on the special legal status of Polish citizens in Ukraine. The bill grants Polish citizens unprecedented civil and political rights in Ukraine. It empowers Polish citizens with the right to be elected in Ukraine and apply for the position of judges, including constitutional judges. The agreement provides for integrating the security forces and law enforcement agencies. The Polish press calls it a "soft annexation" of Western Ukraine.

Romania is not far behind, especially in light of many inhabitants of former Northern Bukovina already carrying Romanian passports.

The territory of Ukraine is a mosaic of other people's lands. If we want to stop this insane war and ensure peace in Europe, instead of calling Russias sponsored referendum in Eastern Ukraine a sham, we should conduct an honest referendum in all the disputed territories under the auspices of the UN and let the people decide what government they want.

Woodrow Wilson, the architect of the principle of self-determination, would enthusiastically endorse the populaces desire, as he wrote: National aspirations must be respected: people may now be dominated and governed only by their own consent.

Alexander G. Markovsky is a senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, a conservative think tank that examines national security, energy, risk analysis, and other public policy issues. He is the author of Anatomy of a Bolshevik and Liberal Bolshevism: America Did Not Defeat Communism, She Adopted It. Mr. Markovsky is the owner and CEO of Litwin Management Services, LLC. He can be reached at alex.g.markovsky@gmail.com
Trust in our CDC, FDA and public health bureaucracy in general is gone. People know they are totally politicized or otherwise conflicted and have ignored the full court press to have their children vaccinated against Covid. Alex Berenson reports on Substack:

Even Elmo couldnt save the mRNAs. The verdict is so obvious even the Washington Post noticed: despite a massive media and public relations campaign, American parents have overwhelmingly rejected Covid shots for their youngest children. Three months after federal regulators okayed mRNA vaccines for kids under 5, more than 98 percent of them have not been fully vaccinated. Put another way, out of any group of 50 children under 5, not even ONE is likely to have been fully vaccinated for Covid. And parents who started the process of vaccinating their children are having second thoughts. About 7 in 10 of of the 1.2 million children under 5 who received a first shot have notcompleted their vaccinations. The rejection stretches across red and blue states. Even in Rhode Island and Hawaii, where over 90 percent of adults have received Covid shots, 97 percent of children are not vaccinated.

This is a well-deserved vote of no confidence, but it is also a situation with grave risks, considering that other challenges, not least of which are biological terror and warfare, lie ahead. The public health bureaucracy, starting with Dr. Fauci, has squandered the trust that the public put in it. Skepticism toward any recommendations they may make, and disobedience for any compulsion that may wish to require, is now baked into the future public responses to a health emergency.

The GOP has made no moves to hold to account in the midterms the various governmental authorities that overreacted to Covid, closing schools thereby damaging a generation of children, and forcing vaccines on employees at the price of losing their jobs if they do not comply. I can only speculate that this is because so many Republican politicians, including Donald Trump, were bamboozled into complying with the recommendations of the Faucis and Birxes of the public health establishment. But this means that there will be no political accountability for the worst public health debacle in our history.

Hat tip: Michael Nadler

Image credit: Donkey Hotey CC BY-2.0 license
As a battered and bruised Special Forces veteran of the drug war in Latin America, and, specifically, in Colombia, the idea that simply legalizing cocaine to end violence makes me cringe. Its a typically leftist way of thinking without considering the downstream effectsand those effects will be disastrous for Colombia.

The potential for societal breakdown hasnt stopped Colombias new president, Gustavo Petro. He believes legalizing cocaine will shift away from what some call the irrational war on drugs.

First, a little backstory. While we were surrounded by Communist FARC guerrillas battling it out with the Colombian army one night, a Colombian National Police Counter-Narcotics Officer I worked with pointed out, if you want to stop the drug war, just stop buying the stuff in America.

Graffiti in Bogota, Colombia in 1990. Photo taken by the author. Its a slight play on words in Spanish: The solution is that the USA not use that which it uses.

That same officer admitted that he would probably do his duty and arrest Pablo Escobar if it came down to it, but he reminded me of what the billions of dollars in drug revenue did for his country.

My daughter goes to a nice Catholic school, in a wealthy modern city (Medellin) as opposed to digging meals out of dumpsters or becoming a teen prostitute, he explained. We have safe drinking water, parks, thriving businesses, and fast-food places just like in the U.S.

Why would he want to give all that up? He was biding his time on a hardship tour in a remote, jungle outpost working counter-narcotics until he could go back to the city and do what every cop in the U.S. doespatrol the neighborhoods, ticket speeders, and respond to everyday events. Unfortunately, we had 50 Colombian police and/or army killed every month while I was there (a couple of whom I knew), so I truly hope he made it home.

The violence Americans fund with their drug dollars in countries like Colombia, Mexico, and others is very real, and I fully blame cocaine users for countless deaths globally. Why is this trade so utterly violent? Because, in a relatively underdeveloped and poor region of the world, cocaine is a source of incredible income for some, and a step up from subsistence farming for most. This standard of living and power is not available in any other way, and these people are very willing to kill to protect it.

Worse yet, as the Wall came down in Eastern Europe at the end of the 1980s, the Soviet Union stopped providing support to the communist guerrillas. The guerrillas, in turn, were forced to establish a modus vivendi with the narcos. In a sense, the guerrillas were now an army needing funding, and the narcos, under intensified pressure from the government, were a source of funds who needed an army. If the rewards are worth it, the suppliers will find a way.

So why wont legalizing cocaine change all this? you ask.

Because the coca trade follows the same principles as any free marketsupply and demand. In this case, though, there are the added elements of extreme risk and supplier violence.

Cocaine is valuable because various governments limit it through their efforts to stop it from being supplied to the market. Limited supply combined with high demand leads to higher prices. Higher prices cover the risks associated with the trade.

If any or all the governments involved legalized cocaine, they would be cutting that source of income from some very violent and relatively desperate people who would not take any limitations sitting down. In fact, a whole new wave of violence would immediately break out as the existing cartels began fighting each other to actually limit the amount of cocaine available and maintain the price levels they need.

It really is no more complicated than that. Legalizing cocaine in Colombia will not end the violence.
A great president, and good leaders under him, would think about the possible consequences of their words and policies before they speak and act. Unfortunately, Biden is nothing like a great president, and the Democrats in Congress are not good leaders, and most should be sent packing in November. Some consequences of their governance might be unintended, but others are definitely intended. Take the destruction of our energy independence, for instance. Biden and Democrats declared war on fossil fuels when he first became president, and they pledged to end the use of fossil fuels in the USA because they were hell-bent on instituting the Green New Deal, which tries to make Americans use only renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar.

The problem is that fossil fuels are the basis of prosperity in the USA and in other countries, and human beings garner the majority of our energy from them. It is nonsensical to believe that we can just do without fossil fuels.

What are the consequences of Biden's actions against fossil fuels, such as shutting down the Keystone Pipeline? Gas and diesel prices have increased, hurting people. Natural gas prices have increased, and people will have to pay much more to heat their homes this winter. Many in the USA and Europe are looking forward to a very difficult winter ahead, and some will even die.

Biden's bad policy on energy is also having terrible consequences in Europe and the U.K. We could have supplied these countries with petroleum and natural gas, but we aren't producing enough anymore.

Also, the Ukraine war is a consequence of Biden's policy. In his recent speech at the United Nations, Biden said the right things on Ukraine, but he did not say the entire truth. Maybe he should have admitted that he tried to appease Putin and, as an unintended consequence, enriched Putin so that he could afford to invade. Ukrainians died in large numbers, and their cities have been destroyed. Tens of thousands of Russians have been killed, too. There has been torture in Ukraine, and now Putin is threatening to use nuclear weapons.

Biden's virtue-signaling at the U.N. was pathetic and disgusting. Again, people are dying because of him.

Anyway, what steps has Biden taken to make things better destroying our energy independence? He takes oil and gas out of our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to drive down the price of gas for a political win. Some of these reserves, which are meant for emergencies, he even sells to China. What will the USA do when an emergency comes along and we have no reserves? Another unforeseen consequence.

On another matter, September 18, 2022 was a bad day for a teen named Cayler Ellingson in North Dakota. A leftist named Shannon Taylor Brandt allegedly ran the 18-year-old over with his truck, killing him, early in the morning. Brandt was indicted and released on $50,000 bond. Brandt told police that Ellingson was part of an extremist Republican group, and that's why he ran him over and then left the scene, leaving Ellingson to die, again allegedly.

Was this tragedy a consequence of Biden's recent divisive rhetoric? On September 1, 2022, Biden went to Philadelphia and ratcheted up his slander and smears against half the country. He shook his fists before Independence Hall and said, "Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."

Maybe he inspired Brandt, or maybe Brandt just said that to justify his actions after the fact because he thought things would go easier for him. No one can say but the killer, and he has used the words "Republican" and "extremist" to describe the young man he murdered.

On still another matter, this week in Colorado, a suspected illegal alien allegedly committed a hit-and-run on a 23-year-old police officer named Alexis Hein-Nutz, who was going to work on her motorcycle. Instead of helping the officer, the illegal alien, named Octavio Gonzalez-Garcia, took off running into a cornfield. Evidence at the scene indicated that he had been drinking. He was captured later, before he could return to Mexico as he was planning to do. He is charged with murder.

Is this tragedy a consequence of Biden's open-border policy or the sanctuary policies under the current Democrat governor in the state? Maybe. There have been a number of crimes that have been committed by illegal aliens who have entered the USA, and there will surely be more with so many coming.

We are stuck with this president for another two years. Let's limit the damage he can do by taking power away from him and Democrats in November.

C.S. Boddie writes for Meadowlark Press, LLC.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Its been several months now since the Supreme Court made its landmark decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, spelling out a clear-cut solution to how the abortion debate is supposed to be resolved in this country. That said, theres still a great deal of opposition against doing away with it, and theres an apparent mixed message coming from the capitol of South Carolina

A Democratic minority has begun to fight back against a near-total abortion ban for the state, bringing an unsettled argument back into light. But now its apparently become loud enough that five Republicans with the states Senate are trying to throw off the controlling partys hopes to follow the Supreme Courts decision overturning protections for abortion. Its about to get even messier as a result.

Because of this opposition, the bill will now have trouble passing without moderating it with exceptions for abortion. So, it is headed back to the House.

This is ridiculous. Apparently, the state effectively abortion banned weeks prior. Now Democrats and their Republican friends want to muddy the bright moral line of protecting all humans equally. As a result, the new bill will have to go back to be tweaked in an effort to get it passed again this time with exceptions.

Tom Davis, the ex-chief of staff to former Governor Mark Sanford, recently spoke up on the matter, explaining why he, along with other Republicans, joined the fight.

The moment we become pregnant, we lose all control over what goes on with our bodies, he said. Im here to tell you Im not going to let it happen.

This just sounds completely selfish. Youre going to do away with precious life because you feel its a lack of control? Now those babies wont be in control of their right to life, merely so that they can be used as bargaining chips in a war over something that our very Supreme Court deemed shouldnt be happening. I have a feeling this is going to cause unrest in South Carolina in the months ahead, as they continue to bicker about whether life is important or not. Again, a waste of time and effort. All life is important, period. It is the governments job to protect all people, not parse out who qualifies for protection.

The debate appears to be continuing apace in other states as well. Apparently, Michigans Supreme Court has also found itself in disarray over whether or not to make abortion illegal. As a result, it will now turn the matter over to voters this November, where they will decide whether or not the constitution will receive tweaks in an effort to protect abortion rights. Modifying a state constitution to make the killing of a certain class of person legal may sound like a victory to pro-abortion advocates out there, but in so doing they would undermine the very laws that protect their lives. And then what happens to those that are simply trying to protect life? They become second-class citizens, criminals violating the civil rights of pregnant women. The battle over personhood impacts us all, even pro-aborts who might feel as though they won if they are successful in changing the constitution.

Its just disappointing that pro-choice advocates dont see the value of life, failing to appreciate how pro-abortion efforts dehumanize even themselves. These are the same people that have no trouble firebombing a pro-life abortion clinic, as happened to our CompassCare location in Buffalo. They just choose to be destructive of those with whom they disagree instead of appreciative of life. And it appears that the trend will continue as Democrats (with spineless Republicans) continue to bicker; and voters believe that enshrining the power to kill into the constitution will somehow protect them.

God though the prophet Isaiah warns, Woe to those who enact evil statutes so as to deprive the needy of justice and rob the poor of My people of their rights that they may plunder the orphans. Now what will you do in the day of punishment and in the devastation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? (Is. 10:1-3). The Supreme Courts Dobbs decision on June 24 wasnt decided on a whim; but as a means to protect precious life, including the lives of pro-aborts. Without that protection, couldnt we just go after anyone that we dont want alive?

Ill stand with the people that want to make a difference in this world with the power of life, thank you.

Rev. James R. Harden, M.Div. is the CEO of CompassCare Pregnancy Services and lives outside of Rochester, NY with his wife and ten children. Jim pioneered the first measurable and repeatable medical model in the pregnancy center movement, helping hundreds of centers nationwide become more effective at reaching more women and saving more babies from abortion. He has written extensively on medical ethics, executive leadership, and pro-life strategy.

Image: South Carolina Republian Party
Critical race theory has been gaining momentum since 1996 when Johnnie Cochran used it to free O.J. Simpson. The corrosive idea that American culture and institutions are systemically racist and oppressive has invaded universities and workplaces and even public schools. There was a brief respite when President Donald Trump stopped companies from holding training on white privilege. States began to ban critical race theory. Parents fought it in their local schools.

The proponents of critical race theory, however, are determined to indoctrinate Americas youth in their ideology. In California, critical race theory has been rechristened ethnic studies and has broadened its line of attack. In addition to white people, ethnic studies have added Jewish people and the Jewish homeland of Israel to the list of racist and oppressive entities. The anti-Israel and anti-Jewish curriculum includes strong support for Palestinians, including classroom decorations such as a Palestinian flag and a drive to honor Palestinian mothers with children in Israeli jails.

Image: Anti-Israel protest in California. YouTube screen grab.

The most rudimentary research on Palestine uncovers the fact that there never was a country of Palestine. It was a designation Romans used for Judea. Then, after World War II, British Christians drew a map based on their perceptions of the Bible and set borders for the state of Palestine. Now, Islamists demand all Jews depart from the land that they consider a trust that Allah gave to the Muslim people.

Seeking a compromise, Israel has proposed two-state solutions to the Palestinians. The Palestinians have always rejected the very idea of sharing the land with the Jews, the people who have been in that land for over 5,000 years and whose Biblethe oldest religious text still in use and the basis for the Koranidentifies as the people to whom God decreed the land of Israel rightfully belongs.

Under Californias mandated ethnic studies, in addition to learning reading, writing, and arithmetic, schools will instruct children to pity Palestinians and hate Jews. The greatest irony of this misbegotten ideology is how it avoids the basic truth that, if Palestinians wanted peace with Israel, there would be peace, and if Israel really didnt want to share the land with the Palestinians, they could have wiped out all the Palestinians long ago.

Pandra Selivanov is the author of The Pardon, a story of forgiveness based on the thief on the cross in the Bible.
The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the case, reported yesterday that prosecutors have recommended against charging Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) in a long-running sex-trafficking investigation

The prosecutors informed the Justice Department that a conviction is unlikely because of credibility questions with the two central witnesses.

These two witnesses are a 17-year-old girl and Joel Greenberg, a former tax collector and one-time associate of Gaetz.

Greenberg pleaded guilty to multiple crimes such as sex trafficking of a child, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and defrauding a government loan program.

While investigating Greenbergs conduct that investigators allegedly discovered evidence potentially implicating Gaetz in sex trafficking.

Greenberg has been providing investigators with information about Gaetz since last year.

The investigation of Gaetzs alleged involvement with a 17-year-old girl several years earlier began in late 2020 with the approval of then-Attorney General Bill Barr.

Investigators were attempting to determine if Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for sex in violation of federal sex-trafficking laws.

They were also exploring whether Greenberg paid women to have sex with Gaetz and whether the two shared sexual partners, including the 17-year-old girl.

Earlier this year, a federal grand jury in Florida heard testimony from associates of Gaetz, including his former girlfriend.

Back in 2021, the FBI charged a Florida resident Stephen M. Alford for attempting to extort $25 million from Gaetzs father Don to secure a presidential pardon for the younger Gaetz amid the ongoing sex-trafficking probe.

Gaetz is up for re-election in November.

Senior Justice Department officials have not made a final decision on whether to charge Gaetz

Gaetz consistently denied any wrongdoing from the very day the allegations surfaced.

Apart from the WaPo, CNN, Politico, The Daily Beast, Rolling Stone, etc. reported this news.

The New York Times broke the news about the investigation but hasnt carried any report that Gaetz is unlikely to be charged.

The fact that Democrat mouthpieces are reporting that Gaetz is unlikely to be charged should be treated as an exoneration. If there was even a smidgen of evidence against Gaetz, you can be sure they would have pushed the narrative to the midterms.

When allegations of such a nature are made, they are likely to rattle any individual. Gaetz is no different.

Hours after the New York Times broke the news about Gaetz being under federal investigation for alleged sex trafficking, he appeared on Tucker Carlsons to tell his side of the story. Gaetz seemed shaken and unprepared and did a poor job of representing himself. Some media outlets claimed that Gaetzs awkward presentation implied his guilt.

When Matt Gaetz voted against an anti-human trafficking bill that gave the federal government more money to fight the illegal trade across the country, the media assassins again implied it was proof of his guilt.

Gaetz said he voted against the bill because he felt the federal government have all the resources required to combat human trafficking and he wanted to limit the powers of the federal government.

Axios reported that Gaetz had privately told confidants hes seriously considering not seeking re-election and possibly leaving Congress early for a job at Newsmax. Once again the implication was that he was guilty and feared repercussions and was running away.

When Gaetz revealed he was raising an immigrant child from Cuba for more than six years, the media used it as a dog whistle to imply sordidness. In most of their reports, the word son was in quotes.

If a Democrat had adopted a child of color, he would have been lauded and elevated to become a national hero. The NYT would have carried op-ed pieces imploring society not to frown at single male parents.

But since it was a MAGA Republican, they resorted to innuendo. It is ironic that those making the allegations claim to be progressive, tolerant, and liberal

The New York Times and the Washington Post reported that Gaetz was seeking a preemptive pardon from President Trump shortly before Trump left office. The media attempted to imply that it was proof of guilt.

In all of the above reports, words such as bizarre and weird were always used to imply sleaze. They prefixed Gaetzs name with controversial and followed his name with the sex trafficking allegation.

The late-night comics and the Saturday night comics did their bit to smear Gaetz.

The same news media and comics never talk about Hunter Biden despite ample evidence of deviant and criminal behavior.

So what happens now?

The lies about Gaetz traveled around the world and back again while the truth was lacing up its boots.

The news that Gaetz is unlikely to be charged isnt being carried with the focused frenzy of the announcement of the investigation.

This is why the late great Rush Limbaugh referred to them as drive-by media. They spread falsehoods, ruin reputations and inflame the situation. By the time real facts emerge, they have moved on to the next story.

They issue corrigendum and retractions on inner pages while unproved allegations are on front pages. They seldom have the decency or the concern to issue corrections or retractions to restore damaged reputations.

Should we be grateful for small mercies, i.e., the fact that at least some news outlets reported the news about Rep. Matt Gaetz unlikely to be charged? There may be light at the end of the dark tunnel, but that light is flickering and very far away.

Knowing the politicization of agencies, do not expect any clearing of Gaetzs name until the midterms are over. Even if there is an exoneration, do not be too surprised if they release an ambiguously worded statement that allows the reader to imagine that some improper conduct did occur but Gaetz was let go because of the lack of solid evidence.

The nature of allegations of sex crimes or sexual misconduct is such that the suspicion of guilt is often permanent. Even people who agree with Gaetz politically could potentially view him through a lens of suspicion.

The human mind is vulnerable when the allegations of such a nature do leave an impression.

One often hears remarks such as: I don't know but he looks creepy to me. The perception is creepiness is often irrational and the result of the constant bombardment of a narrative. Sadly a reputation is sullied forever.

These propagandists think they are at war with MAGA Republicans. Since it is a war, they have convinced themselves that fairness is not required. They think their job is not to inform but to influence and brainwash. Inconvenient facts have no place here.

It isn't just media assassins, but also rogue personnel within government agencies who are guilty.

The public has no choice but to presume falsehood until proven factual.

Image: Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0
Monopolies are seldom efficient or effective. With three monopolies built into our current K-12 public education system, it's not hard to understand why the system is failing the majority of children.

K-12 Government Schools

The first monopoly is the K-12 public-education system itself, run by our government. Parents usually have no choice but to send their children to the assigned local public school unless they can afford private school tuition or can make homeschooling work. Not only are most students stuck at the local government school, but taxpayers are required to support these schools regardless of their effectiveness.

Like most monopolies, government schools can be deemed failing and still receive full funding for their operation. With limited competition and no performance requirements to obtain funding, there is no accountability within the system and no repercussions if they fail to educate children effectively.

Today, our K-12 public schools are failing 77% of our children. That's the percentage of children who are not academically proficient averaged across core subjects after 13 years of schooling based upon NAEP data.

Unions

For most of the country, teachers are represented by unions that control the supply and compensation of teachers. Moreover, union contracts control virtually every aspect of operating a school, including the hours worked, the yearly calendar, and daily working conditions. There is no career ladder -- only a "step and lane" salary schedule based on seniority and educational level. Thus, there is no incentive for strong professional performance. In fact, some of our worst teachers can be some of our highest paid if they've been in the profession for enough years.

Furthermore, union contracts contain no language pertaining to student achievement. Instead, the contracts deal only with adults. As a result, our government schools are adult-focused rather than student-focused. And being the largest employer in the country, our K-12 public education system is more an employment program than an education system. The union monopoly is a major reason why.

Colleges of Education

The third monopoly in our education system is the colleges of education within universities, which were established to ensure that only "qualified" teachers could work in the classroom. The concept might have made sense if it ensured higher quality teachers. But the reality is that "qualified" means only that students spend four years in an education college (or a non-traditional program offered in some states). And, as the certification laws have driven the proliferation of education colleges over time, their performance has declined, as has that of the state's non-traditional programs.

Colleges of education have grown to where we now have nearly 2,000 teacher preparation providers within higher education institutions that grant teaching certificates -- institutions with no accountability for turning out competent teachers. The quality of these colleges varies, but the vast majority of these programs do not effectively screen poor teaching candidates. Consequently, graduates of these programs are officially certified regardless of their ability to teach.

The certification process is fundamentally flawed. In essence, 18-year-olds are given four years of training concerning how to teach content rather than taking content experts and equipping them with skills needed to teach. It's all backwards.

Today, we get excellent teaching by accident, not by design. This cannot continue if we want to improve the academic achievement of our students. The same is true for leadership, as most states require principals and superintendents to be certified, which can usually only occur through a college of education. In short, the monopoly of education colleges has diminished the supply of competent teachers and leaders in our schools.

Concluding Thoughts

Monopolies rarely perform well, and our K-12 public schools are no exception. If we are serious about the effective education of our children, we need to break down these monopolies plaguing our K-12 public education system.

First, parents must be empowered to decide how, when, and where they want their children educated. If we employ free-market principles to give parents the ability to choose the best school for their children, schools will be forced to dramatically improve or lose their market share.

Second, we need to break the teacher union stronghold by electing champions of education freedom with the political will to stand up to unions.

Third, we should expand the pipeline for teachers, principals, and superintendents through accountable, high-quality alternatives to education colleges. Arizona and Tennessee are two states leading the way in this change.

By shifting the power from the state, the union, and the colleges of education to the parents, the winners will be America's children.

Don Nielsen is Chairman of the Center for Transforming Education, a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, former President of the Seattle School Board, and author of Every School.

Image: Public Domain
Russia toughens penalty for voluntary surrender And for refusal to fight

(ANSA-AFP) - MOSCOW, 24 SET - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed amendments toughening penalties for voluntary surrender, desertion and refusal to fight by up to 10 years in prison, just days after ordering a partial mobilisation. The announcement of the mobilisation of 300,000 reservists on Wednesday sparked protests across Russia and a fresh exodus out of the country. A day before, Russia's parliament had approved amendments toughening penalties for military crimes in times of mobilisation. Now that the legislation is signed, servicemen who desert, surrender "without authorisation", refuse to fight or disobey orders can face up to ten years imprisonment. Looting will be punishable by 15 years imprisonment. The changes come as the Kremlin seeks to bolster the ranks of its army fighting a military operation in Ukraine.



A separate law, also signed on Saturday, facilitates access to Russian citizenship for foreigners who enlist in the Russian army. Foreigners who spend at least a year in the Russian army will be eligible to request citizenship, bypassing the normal requirement for five years of residency in the country. This measure seems primarily aimed at Central Asian migrants from former Soviet republics, who are typically hired for strenuous, low-paying jobs. On Tuesday Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced the opening of a recruitment centre in the Sakharovo migration centre, an important passage point for migrants. Even before the law came into effect, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan had warned their citizens not to take part in any armed conflicts.



(ANSA-AFP).





 Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved
Health care in Balkans to be strengthened,meeting in Trieste CEI-WHO initiative on September 28-30

(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 24 SET - Strengthening collaboration among the Western Balkans to rethink traditional models of primary health care with the aim of "better addressing non-communicable diseases" and "reinforcing mental health services," including through the use of advanced digital technologies. To this end, the Central European Initiative (CEI), in collaboration with the WHO-European Regional Office, will organize a second international meeting in Trieste on September 28-30, following the one promoted in 2021.



Senior WHO representatives and about 40 people from countries from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo will attend the meeting.



The goal of the technical meeting, the promoters explained, is to support stakeholders in implementing the initiatives envisioned in the Roadmap for Health in the Western Balkans (2021-2025), developed by the WHO and aimed at closing the health gap between the area and the EU, and accelerating recovery after the Covid 19 crisis.



The meeting aims to set priorities, plan actions, and next steps. Scheduled speakers include those from health institutions in Friuli Venezia Giulia, who will describe examples of Italian best practices.



Participants will also have the opportunity to visit selected healthcare facilities. Opening the three-day in-depth discussion on the morning of September 28 will be, among others, CEI Secretary-General Roberto Antonione and the director of WHO Europe's Country Support and Health Emergencies Division, Gundo Weiler. (ANSA).





 Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved
Liz Truss has vowed to usher in a decade of dynamism as she defended her Governments controversial raft of tax cuts amid criticism it disproportionately benefits the rich.

Labour accused the Prime Minister and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng of gambling with peoples finances in casino economics and said their trickle-down approach will leave the next generation worse off.

But Ms Truss insisted she is unapologetic in focusing relentlessly on economic growth, even as the 45 billion tax-slashing package sent the pound tumbling to fresh 37-year lows and sparked a backlash among some of her own MPs.

Using more than 70 billion of increased borrowing, Mr Kwarteng on Friday unveiled the biggest programme of tax cuts for 50 years, including abolishing the top rate of income tax for the highest earners.

The Resolution Foundation said Mr Kwartengs package will do nothing to stop more than two million people falling below the poverty line.

Analysis of the mini-budget by the think tank said only the very richest households in Britain will see their incomes grow as a result of the tax cuts.

The wealthiest 5% will see their incomes grow by 2% next year (2023/24), while the other 95% of the population will get poorer as the cost-of-living crisis continues.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) said only those with incomes of over 155,000 will be net beneficiaries of tax policies announced by the Conservatives over the current Parliament, with the vast majority of income tax payers paying more tax.

IFS director Paul Johnson told BBC Breakfast on Saturday: If youve got less than about 150,000 a year coming in, if youre part of the 99% with less than 150,000 coming in, then youre still going to be worse off as a result of tax changes coming in over the next two or three years.

Worth repeating. Take all the tax changes coming in over next few years and: If your income is < 155k, you lose If your income is > 155k you win If your income > 1m you gain more than 40,000 https://t.co/TkkGIKvNrl  Paul Johnson (@PJTheEconomist) September 23, 2022

But Ms Truss defended her high-risk strategy designed to revive the UKs stagnant economy.

In an op-ed for The Mail on Sunday, trailed in The Mail +, the Prime Minister wrote: Growth means families have more money in their pockets, more people can work in highly paid jobs and more businesses can invest in their future. It provides more money to fund our public services, like schools, the NHS and the police.

We will be unapologetic in this pursuit everything we do will be tested against whether it helps our economy to grow or holds it back.

Repeating her pledge to do things differently from previous Conservative administrations, she said: We will usher in a decade of dynamism by focusing relentlessly on economic growth.

Ms Truss also brushed off suggestions the measures could be fiscally irresponsible.

In an interview with CNN to be aired on Sunday but previewed in advance, she was asked about the responsibility of her economic plan.

I dont really accept the premise of the question at all, she told the US broadcaster.

The UK has one of the lowest levels of debt in the G7, but we have one of the highest levels of taxes. Currently, we have a 70-year high in our tax rates.

On Sunday, ONLY on @CNNSotu, we sit down inside @10DowningStreet with the brand new UK Prime Minister @trussliz  on the special relationship with the US, her controversial budget proposal, Ukraine, Taiwan, Macron, N. Ireland and much more! Tune in 9 am and noon Eastern pic.twitter.com/FopmarQzX2  Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) September 23, 2022

Mr Kwarteng said he looks forward to proving the naysayers wrong over his mission to encourage investment and drive growth.

I want to reassure you that with our growth plan everyone wins. This is a plan that cuts taxes for all, not just the wealthy, the Chancellor wrote in The Sun.

With this intervention, we will turbocharge the economy, creating more businesses, jobs and raised living standards which will directly benefit every single person.

Earlier, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury said the Government is not concerned about the politics of envy as he insisted slashing taxes for high and low earners will drive growth.

Chris Philp told Times Radio: Were going to do whats right. Were going to get growth delivered. And were not going to sort of worry about the politics of envy, or the optics of it.

He also said Mr Kwartengs tax-slashing programme is not a gamble, its a necessity.

Tory casino economics is gambling the mortgages and finances of every family in the country. Labour will secure growth for working people, that benefits all communities. My Government will deliver a fairer, greener future.  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 24, 2022

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who will seek to capitalise on the unpopularity of the Governments mini-budget at his partys annual conference, tweeted: Tory casino economics is gambling the mortgages and finances of every family in the country.

His deputy Angela Rayner told BBC Breakfast: Weve seen trickle-down economics before. It doesnt work. We dont believe itll stimulate the economy. And, you know, I think it will make the next generation worse off.

The Resolution Foundation said Mr Kwartengs measures will involve an extra 411 billion of borrowing over the next five years, while the IFS said he is betting the house by putting Government debt on an unsustainable rising path.

The IFSs Mr Johnson said: The scale of these tax cuts, along with the slowing of the economy, means that unless something remarkable happens, were going to be on an unsustainable path in terms of borrowing and, at some point, were likely to have to have tax rises to offset some of these cuts, or some cuts in spending.

As part of tax cuts costing up to 45 billion annually, Mr Kwarteng also slashed stamp duty for homebuyers and brought forward a cut to the basic rate of income tax, to 19p in the pound, a year early, to April.

He confirmed plans to axe the cap on bankers bonuses, added restrictions to the welfare system, reversed the rise in national insurance and scrapped a planned rise in corporation tax.

Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng visit Berkeley Modular Housing Factory in Kent after the mini-budget (Dylan Martinez/PA)

Tony Danker, the director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said the measures will not suddenly unlock growth.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: There was nothing about skills. We need a broad-based plan for growth.

If they (ministers) are hoping that simply reversing the six-point corporation tax rise will suddenly unlock growth when actually firms still pay 19%, its not going to do all the work.
A Ukrainian aid worker said he does not fear a nuclear attack because it would cause political destruction for Russia  but said the damage already inflicted by the war is already akin to a nuclear strike.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of nuclear blackmail on Wednesday and warned its not a bluff as he vowed to use weapons of mass destruction to protect his country.

Dimko Zhluktenko, an aid worker based in Lviv, western Ukraine, said he does not believe there will be a nuclear strike as the move would have no strategic advantage for Russian forces.

Dimko Zhluktenko, an aid worker based in Lviv, western Ukraine (PA)

Even if it were to happen, it wouldnt have a massive effect, the 23-year-old told the PA news agency.

If they do a tactical nuke strike, that will be pure terrorism and that will lead to the absolute destruction of Russia.

It wouldnt grant any strategic advantage to Russian forces because they wouldnt be able to advance to capture new territories.

And at the same time, politically they would be destroyed because they would most likely get strikes back and face total isolation from other nations.

Earlier this week, Mr Putin announced a partial military mobilisation, with 300,000 reservists set to be called up as the Kremlin attempts to regain ground in the face of a counter-attack by Ukrainian troops.

Mr Zhluktenko said he believes a nuclear strike on Ukraine would be met with an immediate reprisal from allied countries and Nato forces.

But he said the extent of the damage already inflicted on cities like Mariupol by the Russian military could be compared to that of a nuclear attack.

My guess is that any escalation would be immediately answered by other allies, such as members of Nato, because it is pure barbarism, Mr Zhluktenko said.

Russia has already done a similar level of damage comparable to a tactical nuke when they besieged Mariupol.

The city is ruined. Its all rubble and the amount of civilians killed, according to the latest numbers, is over 100,000 people, which is crazy.

The amount of people killed really is comparable to a nuclear strike, given that Mariupol was such a big city.

Mr Zhluktenko said the ongoing war has ruined efforts to repair and rebuild infrastructure in Mariupol.

He said the level of damage means the only the way to rebuild the city now would be to start from scratch.

Mariupol is destroyed, every building is damaged and in such a way that they are unable to repair it that quickly, Mr Zhluktenko said.

No one is repairing the water supply, the electricity or any of the buildings and they are rotting.

The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing. The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine  23 September 2022. Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/aKbyPPh40i  #StandWithUkraine  pic.twitter.com/Yk3ZfsWgVb  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) September 23, 2022

You cannot restore them, they are unusable, so youve just got to destroy them and start from scratch but this is the case for 95% of the buildings.

Mr Zhluktenko said restrictions imposed on Russia if a nuclear attack were to happen would also have major financial implications on European countries and the US.

The world has given Russia a chance to die slowly and allowed it remain a sovereign state, as its more profitable that way, he said.

It is bad for whole world if Russia collapses and dissolves into many independent states.

Mr Zhluktenko said the potential threat of a nuclear war does not bother him as he has accepted that freedom comes at a cost.

We are protecting our homeland, while on the Russian side there is no clear goal except for the total destruction of Ukraine, he said.

Im fighting for freedom and I have already accepted that freedom always comes at a cost.

That cost could be my life, or the life of my brother in arms, and Im willing to pay that.

If tomorrow there is a nuclear strike, Ill be here and Ill be sure that I did absolutely the right thing.

Ukraines presidential office said on Friday at least 10 civilians were killed and 39 others were wounded by Russian shelling in nine Ukrainian regions over the last 24 hours.
Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Shutterstock

The epitome of elegance, the British royal family lives a life of opulence a commoner can barely fathom. Whether they were born in the spotlight or married into it  like Princess of Wales Kate Middleton or Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle  the well-heeled Brits have captivated the world for as long as anyone can remember.

Related: How Rich Is Meghan Markle?

Cash App Borrow: How To Borrow Money on Cash App

The Mountbatten-Windsor clan resides in palaces, has personal staffers at their beck and call and regularly jets off to exotic locales. But in many ways, they're just like regular people. They have bills, like to decorate for the holidays and like to dine out every so often. Take a look at how they spend their money, and get a glimpse of the elite family's financial state.

Maureen McLean/Shutterstock

Stylish Fits

Catherine, Princess of Wales more commonly known as Kate Middleton  is a global fashion icon. She has an enviable wardrobe that's worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.She's been seen in an Alexander McQueen black and green floral gown a few times. Most notably, she wore the piece to the 2017 BAFTA Awards, and the 2019 Portrait Gala. It's no wonder she's reworn the stunning piece, considering it cost $10,605. In 2017, she was spotted wearing a Chanel tweed dress in Paris, which is said to cost $10,891. Harry and Meghan have some luxurious tastes as well. The Duchess of Sussex wore a $75,000 Ralph & Russo gown to pose in the couple's engagement photos. At the wedding, Prince Harry's custom Dege & Skinner uniform cost around $10,246. However, that hardly compares to Meghan's Givenchy wedding dress, which cost around $265,000.Take Our Poll: Do You Think You Will Be Able To Retire at Age 65?

Ian Press / Flickr.com

Cars

He put it up for auction in 2016, but Prince Philip previously owned a 1954 Aston Martin Lagonda 3-Liter Drophead Coupe, one of the rarest cars in the world and worth as much as an estimated $640,000, according to Forbes. As a way to blend in with traffic, the late Queen Elizabeth's husband also purchased an eco-friendly London taxi in 1999, which he donated to England's Sandringham Museum in 2017.Also a car enthusiast, King Charles III owns a rare 1969 Aston Martin Volante DB6 MKII, according to People magazine. Driven by Prince William on his 2011 wedding day, the Hagerty Insurance valuation tool estimates a similar car in mint condition at $427,000.

Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

Education

A public education won't cut it for members of the British royal family. Prince George, the 9-year-old son of Prince William and Princess Catherine, started attending Thomas's Battersea School in London in September 2017. Tuition and fees total $7,809 in U.S. dollars per term for students aged 4 to 7, and there are three terms per calendar year. The price decreases in price for each subsequent child enrolled concurrently per family, so Princess Charlotte's and Prince Louis' tuition will not cost as much. Prince George previously attended nursery school at Westacre Montessori School in East Walton, in Norfolk, England, near Anmer Hall, the family's country home. When he started school in January 2016, tuition cost $55 per day, according to People magazine.George and his siblings began attending Lambrook, an independent preparatory school in September 2022. Tuition ranges from $5,300-$8,500 per term depending on the student's year in school.

Twocoms / Shutterstock.com

Official Duties and Charitable Activities

Members of the British royal family maintain busy schedules filled with official duties and charitable activities. In 2016, King Charles and his wife, Queen consort of the United Kingdom, Camilla Parker Bowles  joined Prince William and his wife, and Prince Harry to rack up a combined tab of about $14 million, according to the official website of King Charles.Before the death of Queen Elizabeth II, most expenses related to official and charitable duties were paid for by King Charles' private income from The Duchy of Cornwall. Revenues from the private estate, which was founded in 1337,were passed to Charles.

REX/Shutterstock

Gifts for Loved Ones

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly began dating in May 2016, and he enjoys showering her with lavish gifts. Some of these include a Cartier Love Bracelet  valued at roughly $6,650  and a gold Maya Brenner necklace not-so-subtly adorned with the letters 'M' and 'H', which retails for roughly $300.Shortly before news of their relationship went public in October 2016, the prince reportedly spent thousands on a piece of art titled "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," by British artist Van Donna, 'for an important person,' according to People magazine. And in June 2017, the Daily Star reported the royal was planning to buy Markle an approximately $41,000 Mini Cooper for her birthday.

David Hartley/Shutterstock

Childbirth

When it comes to childbirth, Kate Middleton spares no expense. Prince William's wife has given birth to all three of their children  Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis  in the exclusive Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in London's Paddington section.Both Prince William and Prince Harry were also born in the hospital, where suites are said to run $14,0445 a night. After the first stay, mothers reportedly receive a 10 percent discount.

Lukasz Pajor / Shutterstock.com

Housing, Utilities and Housekeeping

Maintaining the royal residences isn't cheap. When the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, Queen Elizabeth had spent nearly $73 million on property maintenance, $3.6 million on utilities, and $1.3 million on housekeeping and hospitality, according to the Sovereign Grant and Sovereign Grant Reserve financial summary published on the British royal family's official website.Established in 2012, the Sovereign Grant is issued to the ruling power annually in exchange for the revenue from the Crown Estate, a real estate portfolio long owned by the reigning monarch. Initially set at 15 percent of the Crown Estate revenue, the grant was increased to 25 percent of profits in 2016 for a 10-year period to cover Buckingham Palace upgrades.

Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock.com

Staff

You can't be queen without a staff. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, Queen Elizabeth's payroll expenses totaled nearly $24 million, on top of other staff costs of $3.8 million, according to the Sovereign Grant and Sovereign Grant Reserve financial summary.Doing one's own grocery shopping, cleaning and laundry is decidedly unroyal, so Prince William and Kate have a little help. It's unknown who's currently assisting the family, but in May 2017, The Sun reported their housekeeper had recently quit her roughly $46,500-per-year job because it was too demanding.

Andrey Bayda / Shutterstock.com

Dining Out

The Princess of Wales has been known to frequent a swanky London pub called Hollywood Arms, which has caviar on its brunch menu. Kate's also been known to dine with friends and family at Bluebird Chelsea in West London, which has a $67 sea bass on the menu. In 2012, both William and Kate treated their staff to a Christmas lunch at Bumpkin, which was an upscale restaurant in London.

mariakraynova / Shutterstock.com

Holiday Decor

Prince Harry isn't content to let staff do all the holiday decorating for his Nottingham Cottage home. In December 2016, the royal was spotted buying an approximately $86 Nordmann Fir Christmas tree from Pines and Needles in South London's Battersea Park with Meghan Markle.The Daily Mail reported the prince paid for the tree with a credit card. Markle reportedly happily accepted a bunch of mistletoe with their purchase, while the prince wasn't as keen on it. Seemingly in the holiday spirit, staffers told the publication the happy, low-key couple was friendly and largely slipped under the radar.

AP/REX/Shutterstock

Jewelry

The British royal family may be low-key on many accounts, but in one department they tend to gravitate to the finer things: jewelry. Prince William chose a familiar stone  proposing to Kate Middleton with the 12-carat sapphire given to his mother by King Charles in 1981. The ring, surrounded by 14 diamonds, has only increased its value with age  appraisers estimate that it was worth approximately $500,000 in 2014  about 10 times more than when King Charles first purchased it 40 years ago.Harry decided to design his own ring for Meghan Markle, blending sentiment and his bride-to-be's sensibilities. The ring features three diamonds  a center stone from Botswana, where the couple visited together, as well as two from his mother's personal collection. Set in a yellow gold band and created by Cleave and Company  the preferred jeweler of the Queen  the ring is estimated to be worth "between $300,000 and $350,000 if the ring used perfect diamonds," according to Amanda Winters from Blue Nile.More From GOBankingRatesThe Safest Places To Retire Outside the US

Check Out Readers' Favorite Small Businesses in Our 2022 Small Business Spotlight

This Credit Score Mistake Could Be Costing Millions Of Americans

13 Ways To Invest That Don't Involve the Stock Market

Sam DiSalvo contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Heres How the British Royal Family Spends Their Money
mikeinlondon / Getty Images

Even though the British royal family holds only symbolic power, King Charles III and his heirs still make millions.

See Our List: 100 Most Influential Money Experts

Related: How Rich Is Meghan Markle?

The new king and sons Prince William and Prince Harry all make money from personal sources of wealth. As working members of the royal family, King Charles and Prince William also benefit from government money as well as from the income from estates that have been passed down through generations. Want to learn more about the British royal family? Click through to learn interesting facts about the royal family's wealth.

Jane Barlow / WPA Pool

The King Receives a Sovereign Grant From Taxpayer Money.

The sitting monarch receives a Sovereign Grant from the HM Treasury to pay for the salaries of household staff, official travel expenses and the upkeep of the palaces.

The grant comes from profits from the Crown Estate. In the 2021-22 budget, the Sovereign Grant was 86.3, equivalent to 1.29 per person, the BBC reported. In U.S. dollars, those figures equal about $98.5 million and $1.50.

Take Our Poll: Do You Think Student Loan Debt Should Be Forgiven?

Laurent VU/SIPA/Shutterstock

The Sovereign Grant Changes From Year to Year.

The Sovereign Grant currently is equal to 25 percent of the Crown Estate's total profits, so when profits rise, so does the size of the grant.

The Crown Estate does not belong personally to the monarch or the royal family. It is managed by an independent group, and remaining 85% of profits go to the treasury to benefit all residents of the United Kingdom. The holdings of the Crown Estate are worth more than 7.3 billion -- $8.3 billion in U.S. money - and includes everything from beef farms to facilities for stone mining.

Bruce Adams/Daily Mail/REX/Shutterstock

The King Gets Additional Income From the Duchy of Lancaster.

The Duchy of Lancaster refers to the portfolio of land, property and assets held in trust for the king or queen of England, and it provides the head of the royal family with an independent source of income outside of the Sovereign Grant.

For the year ending March 2022, the Duchy of Lancaster delivered a net income of 24.0 million ($27.4 million).

LizCoughlan / Shutterstock.com

The King Also Has His Own Personal Wealth and Income.

Other sources of money for King Charles III are the personal investment portfolio and private estates, which include the Balmoral and Sandringham Estates that have been passed to him since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8. Forbes valued the inheritance at $500 million. The royal palaces and Crown Jewels are not part of his personal wealth, as they must be passed on to his successor and are not his to sell.

King Charles III has the highest British royal family net worth at $600 million and is by far the richest member of the royal family.

David Hartley/REX/Shutterstock

Prince William Gets His Money From the Duchy of Cornwall.

While the king gets income from the Duchy of Lancaster, the Prince of Wales, William, gets his income from the Duchy of Cornwall.

The estate, which is one of the oldest and largest in Britain, is spread throughout England and contains agricultural, commercial and residential property. The Duchy also includes a financial investment portfolio.

As the newly titled Duke of Cornwall, Prince William will take over management of the Duchy of Cornwall and receive its annual net surplus of the as his personal income. The Duchy of Cornwall paid then-Prince Charles 21 million -- nearly $24 million -last year as its overseer, The Guardian reported.

Cassidy and Leigh/REX/Shutterstock

Prince William and Prince Harry Each Inherited $13.4M From Princess Diana's Estate.

Princess Diana left 21 million in assets to her sons William and Harry, to be held in a trust until they turned 25, according to Forbes. By each of their 30th birthdays, they were believed to have received about $13.4 million, plus accrued interest from their 25th until 30th birthdays.

They also received a collection of her personal items, including her wedding dress, jewelry, photographs, letters and more. Prince Harry used two of the diamonds he inherited as part of the engagement ring he designed for his now-wife, Meghan Markle. When Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton, he presented to her the stunning ring containing a 12-carat oval sapphire, surrounded by 14 diamonds, that belonged to his mother.

Tracy Stressing/REX/Shutterstock

Prince William Worked as a Helicopter Pilot.

Before officially retiring in July 2017, Prince William worked as a helicopter pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance service. He also previously worked as a military rescue helicopter pilot for seven years.

The average helicopter pilot salary is about $78,000, according to PayScale.

LEFTERIS PITARAKIS/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Prince Harry Had a 10-Year Military Career.

Prince Harry joined the British Army in 2004 and officially retired in 2015 after two tours of Afghanistan. He rose to the rank of captain of the Army Air Corps during his decade-long military career, which gave him an annual salary of $60,000, according to Discovery Finance.

piotr adamski / Shutterstock.com

Princess Kate Used To Work for Her Parents' Event Planning Company.

Kate Middleton's parents own the event planning company Party Pieces, and Middleton herself worked for the company for several years where she designed and produced catalogs, worked on marketing and took photos, CNN reports.

She also spearheaded the launch of First Birthdays, a division of the company that specializes in planning parties for babies.

The average salary of an event planner is $45,000, according to PayScale.

Liv Oeian / Shutterstock.com

Prince William Doesn't Have To Pay Income Taxes.

The Duchy of Cornwall is tax exempt, but his father, then-Prince Charles voluntarily paid income taxes on it anyway. It remains to be seen whether William will will follow suit.

Frederic Legrand - COMEO / Shutterstock.com

But King Charles Will Pay Taxes.

According to the official royal family website, the queen volunteered to pay income tax and capital gains tax in 1992. Beginning in 1993, her personal income was taxable as it would be for any other taxpayer.

The queen also always had to pay the Value Added Tax -- a consumption tax common in most countries outside the U.S.

mikeinlondon / Getty Images

The Royal Family's Biggest Expense Is Property Maintenance.

If you're wondering how the British royal family spends its money, wonder no more -- it's actually all documented.

According to the royal family's official 2021 Sovereign Grant Summary, the largest royal expense for the year was property maintenance, which includes the ongoing, long-term reservicing of Buckingham Palace. Property expenses totaled 49.5 million ($56.5 million) for the year. The next largest expense was staff payroll, which cost 24.1 million ($27.5 million). King Charles already has signaled he intends to cut staffing.

Terry Harris/REX/Shutterstock

The Queen Helped Raise Billions for Charity.

Research released by the Charities Aid Foundation in 2012 showed that Queen Elizabeth II's support of various charities helped them to raise 1.4 billion annually, or $1.66 billion. Those are the most recent figures available.

Members of the royal family are patrons or presidents of hundreds charitable organizations, including the British Red Cross and several military organizations.

Chrislofotos / Shutterstock.com

The Crown Estate Is Worth $34.3 Billion.

The Crown Estate owns real estate and other assets that are legally owned by the sovereign, but it is held in trust and overseen by an independent organization. The monarch cannot sell any of the properties in the $34.3 billion Crown Estate, which includes Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace, CBS News reported.

More From GOBankingRates

Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 14 Surprising Facts About the British Royal Familys Money
Firefighters battle the Mosquito fire in Placer County this month. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)

If everything had gone according to plan, Mary Davison, an 81-year-old long-distance hiker, may have died in the Mosquito fire.

Her goal of tackling hundreds of miles of the coast-to-coast American Discovery Trail this summer led her right into the thick of California's biggest blaze of the year, which has burned more than 76,000 acres.

But Davison's trip was delayed a few days as she tried to miss the worst of California's scorching heat wave at the beginning of the month.

"If I had gone then, I would have been in the fire or trapped by the fire," Davison said Friday from under a juniper tree in eastern Nevada on another part of the American Discovery Trail.

The Mosquito fire, which broke out Sept. 6, has continued to burn through historically dry vegetation in Placer and El Dorado counties. The blaze has destroyed 78 structures and damaged 13 others, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire forced the evacuation of thousands of residents as it burned unchecked for several days west of Lake Tahoe before firefighters began making progress.

Davison estimated she was 40 to 60 miles away from the burn area last week when she began to notice a haze wrapping around the eastern side of Tahoe, just over the Nevada border.

Smoke from the blaze has spread throughout Northern California. In fact, days after it ignited, the fire had wafted a giant pyrocumulus cloud over the Sierra.

Davison, who lives in Washington state and whose story was first reported in SFGate, was able to continue her hike for the day but knew she couldn't go any farther. The fire forced her to cut short that portion of her California trek, slowing her plan to complete the American Discovery Trail, which she began in 2015 in Delaware.

Rain on Sunday afternoon brought welcome moisture to the Mosquito fire burn area. As of Friday, the blaze was 60% contained, according to the California Interagency Incident Management Team.

But the relief came too late for Davison, who was hiking a different part of the trail Friday. She'll continue hiking for a few more weeks, then pack up until spring, when her goal is to return to California to complete the trail she got knocked off.

An experienced hiker, the octogenarian has completed the Appalachian Trail as well as the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail.

At age 76, when she finished the three major U.S. trails, known as the triple crown of hiking, she may have been the oldest person to have accomplished the feat. She said "some dude" has since done it at an older age.

Davison has written two books about her hiking exploits: "Old Lady on the Trail," about completing the triple crown, and "Aren't You Afraid," about hiking the American Discovery Trail.

She said the frustrating delay to her completing the American Discovery Trail is something long-distance hikers have to contend with.

"You always have to consider you might get knocked off or detoured by forest fires. I started the Pacific Crest Trail in 2008, and there were fires that year and I think every year since," she said. "That is the West. It is very dry and things burn."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona can enforce a near-total ban on abortions that has been blocked for nearly 50 years, a judge ruled Friday, meaning clinics statewide will have to stop providing the procedures to avoid the filing of criminal charges against doctors and other medical workers.

The judge lifted a decades-old injunction that has long blocked enforcement of the law on the books since before Arizona became a state that bans nearly all abortions. The only exemption is if the womans life is in jeopardy.

The ruling means people seeking abortions will have to go to another state to obtain one. An appeal of the ruling is likely.

The decision from Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson came more than a month after she heard arguments on Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovichs request to lift the injunction. It had been in place since shortly after the U.S. Supreme Courts 1973 decision in the Roe v. Wade case, which held women had a constitutional right to abortion.

The near-total abortion ban was enacted decades before Arizona was granted statehood in 1912. Prosecutions were halted after the injunction was handed down following the Roe decision. Even so, the Legislature reenacted the law several times, most recently in 1977.

Assistant Attorney General Beau Roysden told Johnson at an Aug. 19 hearing that since Roe has been overturned, the sole reason for the injunction blocking the old law is gone and she should allow it to be enforced. Under that law, anyone who performs a surgical abortion or provides drugs for a medication abortion can face two to five years in prison.

An attorney for Planned Parenthood and its Arizona affiliate argued that allowing the pre-statehood ban to be enforced would render a host of more recent laws regulating abortion meaningless. Instead, she urged the judge to let licensed doctors perform abortions and have the old ban only apply to unlicensed practitioners.

The judge sided with Brnovich, saying that because the injunction was filed in 1973 only because of the Roe decision, it must be lifted it in its entirety.

The Court finds an attempt to reconcile fifty years of legislative activity procedurally improper in the context of the motion and record before it, Johnson wrote. While there may be legal questions the parties seek to resolve regarding Arizona statutes on abortion, those questions are not for this Court to decide here.

In overturning Roe on June 24, the high court said states can regulate abortion as they wish.

We applaud the court for upholding the will of the legislature and providing clarity and uniformity on this important issue," Brnovich said in a statement. "I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans.

A physician who runs a clinic that provides abortions said she was dismayed but not surprised by the decision.

"It kind of goes with what Ive been saying for a while now - it is the intent of the people who run this state that abortion be illegal here, Dr. DeShawn Taylor said. Of course we want to hold onto hope in the back of our minds, but in the front of my mind I have been preparing the entire time for the total ban.

Abortion providers have been on a roller coaster since Roe was overturned, first shutting operations, the re-opening, and now having to again close them.

Johnson, the judge, said Planned Parenthood was free to file a new challenge. But with Arizona's tough abortion laws and all seven Supreme Court justices appointed by Republicans, the chances of success appear slim.

Whats allowed in each state has shifted as legislatures and courts have acted. Before Friday's ruling, bans on abortion at any point in pregnancy are in place in 12 Republican-led states,

In another state, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions amid litigation over whether an 1849 ban is in effect. Georgia bans abortions once fetal cardiac activity and be detected and Florida and Utah have bans that kick in after 15 and 18 weeks gestation, respectively.

The ruling came a day before a new Arizona law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy takes effect. The law passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by GOP Gov. Doug Ducey in March was enacted in hopes that the U.S. Supreme Court would pare back limits on abortion regulations. It mirrored a Mississippi law that the high court was considering at the time that cut about nine weeks off the previous threshold.

Ducey has argued that the new law he signed takes precedence over the pre-statehood law, but he did not send his attorneys to argue that before Johnson.

The old law was first enacted as part of the set of laws known as the Howell Code adopted by 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature in 1864.
Finland on Friday said it would "significantly restrict" the number of Russian "tourists" it will permit to cross its borders as an exodus of Russian men attempt to flee and avoid conscription.

The Finnish government said its decision was made over concerns that issuing swaths of visas to Russian men would cause "serious damage to Finland's international position."

Few details were released on the restrictions that Helsinki will now enforce, though its decision comes after other neighboring nations took steps earlier in the week to block Russian tourists from crossing their borders.

RUSSIA DETAILS WHO WILL EVADE CONSCRIPTION, WAR IN UKRAINE

Finlands latest decision has meant that all land border crossings connecting Russia to Europe have been blocked.

The move comes as thousands of Russian men have reportedly begun fleeing the country following Russian President Vladimir Putins decree this week calling for a "partial mobilization" to funnel more men into the war in Ukraine.

Russian army conscripts put on their uniform at the military registration and enlistment office in St. Petersburg, on April 22, 2014. Tens of thousands of Russian troops are massed on Ukraine's eastern border in what NATO believes is a state of readiness to invade. Photo credit should read OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images

PUTIN'S CALL FOR RUSSIAN CONSCRIPTS WILL REQUIRE ARMS MOSCOW DOESN'T HAVE, NATO CHIEF SAYS

Putin said he would be mobilizing "reservists," which suggested anyone of conscription age could be forced to fight in Ukraine.

Russian men ages 18-27 are required to serve in Russias ranks for one year, though certain conditions like higher education and health could help some male populations skirt the requirement.

Some 300,000 men are expected to be mobilized to fight in Ukraine, where Russian troops have allegedly seen significant losses, though Moscow said Friday that tech, business and state journalists will be exempt.

Kyiv has claimed that while over 9,000 of its troops have perished in the fighting, nearly 55,000 Russian soldiers have been killed.

Death tolls throughout the war have not been independently verified.

But images depicting airports packed with fighting-age men and thousands causing traffic jams at border crossings suggest Russian citizens are unwilling to risk the statistics of fighting in Ukraine.
FILE - Granulated sugar is poured in Philadelphia, Sept. 12, 2016. A federal judge has rejected the Justice Department's bid to block a major U.S. sugar manufacturer from acquiring its rival, clearing the way for the acquisition to proceed. The ruling, handed down Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, by a federal judge in Wilmington, Del., comes months after the Justice Department sued to try to halt the deal between U.S. Sugar and Imperial Sugar Company, one of the largest sugar refiners in the nation. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

WASHINGTON (AP)  A federal judge has rejected the Justice Department's bid to block a major U.S. sugar manufacturer from acquiring its rival, clearing the way for the acquisition to proceed.

The ruling, handed down Friday by a federal judge in Wilmington, Delaware, comes months after the Justice Department sued to try to halt the deal between U.S. Sugar and Imperial Sugar Company, one of the largest sugar refiners in the nation. The government had argued that allowing the acquisition to go through would be harmful to consumers and anticompetitive.

U.S. Sugar has argued that the acquisition will increase production and distribution of refined sugar and provide a more secure supply.

The ruling was a blow for the Justice Department as it pushes forward with aggressive enforcement of federal antitrust laws that officials say aim to ensure a fair and competitive market. The Justice Department could appeal the decision and said it was reviewing the judge's ruling.

We are disappointed in the courts decision not to block this merger, which would combine the worlds largest sugar cane refiner with one of its primary competitors in the Southeastern United States and increase reliance on foreign imports, Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter said. Further consolidation in the market for this important kitchen staple will have real-world consequences for millions of Americans.

U.S. Sugar said in a statement that it was "pleased that todays court ruling will allow our acquisition of Imperial Sugar to proceed as planned, enabling us to increase our sugar production, enhance the local Georgia economy and benefit our employees and customers.

The Justice Department has said U.S. Sugar, which operates a large refinery in Florida, sells all of its sugar through a marketing cooperative known as the United Sugars Corporation. Imperial Sugar operates a refinery in Savannah, Georgia, and a sugar transfer and liquidation facility in Ludlow, Kentucky.

The companies announced the acquisition in March, saying that it would return Imperial Sugar to all-American ownership. Imperial Sugar is a subsidiary of Louis Dreyfus Company, which is headquartered in the Netherlands. The Justice Department says Imperial Sugars revenues were over $700 million in 2020.
Pete Antonacci, whose decades-long career in Florida politics and government led to his appointment this year leading Gov. Ron DeSantis controversial elections security force, died on Friday at age 74.

Antonacci had an unparalleled career in state government and politics, having been appointed to various positions by five different governors from both sides of the aisle since the 1980s.

In July, he was chosen by DeSantis to lead the states new Office of Election Crimes and Security, which last month announced charges against 20 people for voting illegally.

DeSantis said in a statement Friday that he and his wife, Casey, were deeply saddened by his passing.

He was a dedicated, tenacious, and assiduous public servant, lawyer, and respected professional  a friend to all in the State of Florida, DeSantis said. He vigilantly sought to uphold the law throughout his lengthy career as a deputy Attorney General, Statewide Prosecutor, General Counsel, Supervisor of Elections, and most recently as the newly appointed watchdog over Floridas election security.

His fighting passion will be missed, and his legacy will persist in the hearts and minds of many.

The governors office did not identify the cause of Antonaccis death, but the website Florida Politics, which first reported his death, cited a heart attack.

News of Antonaccis death prompted praise and messages of sympathy from across the political aisle.

Sen. Rick Scott, who appointed Antonacci as his general counsel when he was governor, said Antonacci knew how to bring people together and solve problems.

I was honored to call him a friend and proud to work with him. Pete will be terribly missed, but leaves behind a remarkable legacy of honorable service to our great State of Florida.

Peter Antonacci was a dedicated and respected public servant with a long history of working with members from both sides of the aisle to better Florida. May he rest in peace.

Tampa Bay Times editor Tom Tobin and Politics Editor Emily L. Mahoney contributed to this report.
Russia's defense ministry has detailed which of is fortunate citizens will be able to evade Russian President Vladimir Putins latest order to deploy conscripts to fight in his war in Ukraine.

Tech workers, bankers and journalists working for state media will be able to avoid Putins "partial mobilization" the Kremlin chief announced Friday, according to state owned media outlet TASS.

Since Wednesday, images have surfaced on social media depicting airports flooded with men while Russian borders grapple with traffic jams as an exodus of fighting age males flee the country.

Russian army conscripts put on their uniform at the military registration and enlistment office in St. Petersburg, on April 22, 2014. Tens of thousands of Russian troops are massed on Ukraine's eastern border in what NATO believes is a state of readiness to invade. OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images

UKRAINE BRACES FOR RUSSIA'S FURY OVER MILITARY LOSSES IN KHARKIV

All Russia men ages 18 to 27 are required to do a year's military service.

Certain stipulations like higher education and health factors have previously enabled some to forgo joining the ranks, though it remains unclear if these conditions will continue to protect these male populations as Putin looks to push more men into the war in Ukraine.

Some 300,000 men are expected to be instated into active military service and shipped off the front lines following Putins declaration this week.

The defense ministry on Friday said all companies with men who fit the latest exemption status must compile a list and submit it to authorities.

Some have argued that Putins decree calling up conscripts was left ominously vague and could allow him to draft more men to Russias fighting force in Ukraine should he need to.

PUTIN'S CALL FOR RUSSIAN CONSCRIPTS WILL REQUIRE ARMS MOSCOW DOESN'T HAVE, NATO CHIEF SAYS

One clause in the mobilization decree was entirely redacted and Russian officials have refused to detail what the missing seventh paragraph alluded to, citing security reasons.

Russia has allegedly lost a significant number of its troops in the seven-month-long war with Ukraine claiming that while Kyiv has lost over 9,000 men Moscow has lost more than 50,000. These figures have not been independently verified.

The addition of men in its armed forces comes as Ukrainian troops advance across the northeastern regions of Kharkiv and into Donetsk, where occupying regional authorities Friday launched a vote on annexation.

Ukrainian infantrymen train on May 9, 2022, near Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine. John Moore/Getty Images

Three other regions including Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson also saw referendums initiated Friday where Ukrainian citizens allegedly cast their vote in support for or against joining the Russian Federation.

Ukrainian regional officials have claimed Russia is also looking to draft any capable men it can find in occupied areas to fight for Russia against Ukraine.
A U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Friday as a show of force meant to send a warning to North Korea.

USS Ronald Reagan and ships from its accompanying strike group arrived at a naval base in the city of Busan prior to joint drills with the South Korean military.

Strike group commander Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly told reporters on the ship that the visit was intended to establish allied relations and increase interoperability between the navies.

When asked about sending a message to North Korea, Donnelly said, "We are leaving messaging to diplomats." He added that joint drills would ensure the allies could respond to all threats.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT YOON'S PROFANE REACTION TO BIDEN SPEECH CAUGHT ON HOT MIC

"It's an opportunity for us to practice tactics and operations," he said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has wanted more joint exercises and other displays of military force as a deterrence to North Korea. This year, the North has conducted a record number of missile tests and is believed to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.

North Korea has criticized previous U.S. military deployments and joint drills as war rehearsals.

The U.S. said last week that the carrier's visit was a "clear demonstration" of its commitment to deploy and exercise strategic assets to deter North Korea and boost regional security.

KIM JONG UN THREATENS TO USE NUCLEAR WEAPONS AGAINST US, SOUTH KOREA

But the U.S. Navy did not mention North Korea when announcing the visit. The branch said there would be a "regularly scheduled port visit" and emphasized that crew members would visit Busan to volunteer at orphanages and explore the K-pop music scene. Officials said the carrier would be in port for several days.

One crew member said they were looking forward to a break but that the geopolitical tensions were always top of mind.

"You can't ever really forget what we're all here for," the crew member said.

This is the first visit to South Korea by a U.S. aircraft carrier since 2018. Many drills have since been scaled back or canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic or diplomatic efforts with North Korea.

Donnelly said questions about the role of the more than 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea in the event of a conflict in Taiwan are for policymakers above him. But he did say that operating with like-minded allies like South Korea is a vital part of the U.S. Navy's efforts to maintain regional security and stability.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The United Nations is ordering the evacuation of all non-essential international workers from Haiti, citing ongoing violence that has left workers vulnerable to kidnapping and attacks last week on U.N.-backed food warehouses across the country.

The evacuation order comes two months after the U.N. Security Council voted to extend the mandate of its Integrated Office in Haiti by a year and expand staffing, and ahead of a meeting Monday on the situation in Haiti. The United States is floating a resolution that would establish a new framework for sanctioning Haitis gang leaders, as well as those who supply financing and arms to gangs.

In a communique Friday, Gilles Michaud, U.N. undersecretary general for safety and security, cited a revised security risk for Haiti in approving the recommendation allowing the employees to return to their home countries.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, confirmed the order to the Miami Herald but did not say how many employees are affected.

Dujarric said the U.N. system in Haiti has prioritized its support to the government to provide life-saving activities.

To that end, U.N. personnel required on the ground to conduct these activities are remaining in country, while others will be working remotely, he said. The United Nations system is closely monitoring the evolving situation and readying its surge capacity for possible increased humanitarian needs.

Even before this week, Haitis security crisis worried international observers. Brazils permanent representative to the U.N. Security Council, for example, told colleagues in June that he had hoped to organize a visit to the country in July but decided to hold off because of the security conditions in Haiti and the United Nations Integrated Offices insufficient resources to guarantee the safety of the mission.

At the time, the U.N. had confirmed that two of its staffers had been kidnapped.

The United States, which warned U.S. citizens last fall to leave Haiti as the countrys security crisis deepened, has been operating with a reduced embassy staff for several years. In July 2018, the U.S. authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency personnel and their families. Since then, the embassy has been operating with reduced staff, which combined with the gang violence and the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to a backlog in the handling of visa applications of at least a year.

The violence has only worsened since. For weeks Haiti has seen unprecedented levels of violence amid public demonstrations across the country against the government, and rising prices on food and fuel. In many instances, the demonstrations have turned violent as mobs, led by heavily armed individuals, set fire to private properties, ransacked hospitals and banks, and looted charity warehouses, many of them supported or run by the U.N.

In the wake of the violence, Haitians and foreigners have been forced to shelter in place. Embassies announced the temporary closures as protesters erected fiery barricades to block streets and pelted their building with rocks.

As the U.N. General Assembly got underway Friday, Dujarric told reporters that many U.N.-backed organizations have been directly targeted by looters during the recent violent protests, which began after the government announced a hike in the price of gas, propane and diesel in an effort to decrease $400 million in fuel subsidies and crack down on the black market.

At least two U.N. World Food Program warehouses, one in the city of Les Cayes and the other in Gonaives, were looted, and the offices of the facility in Gonaives was set on fire.

As unrest continues in Haiti, the Secretary-General condemns the violence in all forms witnessed in the country in recent weeks and calls on all actors to work together to de-escalate the situation and ensure a return to calm, Dujarric said.
Mayor Adams is planning to fly to Puerto Rico this weekend as part of the citys relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, which was heading north as of Friday afternoon.

The storm, which was downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane, has left at least five people dead on Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the island of Guadeloupe. An estimated one million Puerto Rican residents are still without power after the storm dumped 30 inches of rain in some areas on Sunday.

From left, President Joe Biden, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and New York City mayor Eric Adams attend a meeting at the FEMA Region 2 office in New York, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022.



From left, President Joe Biden, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and New York City mayor Eric Adams attend a meeting at the FEMA Region 2 office in New York, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. (Evan Vucci/)

I will be flying out either Saturday night or Sunday morning to speak with and see on the ground whats taking place and meet my team thats there already, Adams said Friday morning during an interview on Caribbean Power Jam Radio. Our goal is to do an assessment with Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the entire Caribbean diaspora to do an analysis, to give assistance.

The hurricane, which first hit Puerto Rico on Sunday, barreled past Bermuda by Friday morning and is likely to hit the Canadian coast as a cyclone by Saturday morning.

A house lays in the mud after it was washed away by Hurricane Fiona at Villa Esperanza in Salinas, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022.



A house lays in the mud after it was washed away by Hurricane Fiona at Villa Esperanza in Salinas, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. (Alejandro Granadillo/)

On Thursday, Adams met with President Biden and Gov. Hochul to speak with Puerto Rican Gov. Pedro Pierluisi about what resources are needed to help the island. The most recent devastation from Hurricane Fiona comes approximately five years after Hurricane Maria battered the U.S. territory, killing almost 3,000.

N.Y. to send troopers to Puerto Rico, drones to Dominican Republic for Fiona recovery

Its easier for us to give direct assistance to Puerto Rico because it is part of the countrys citizenry, Adams said. When we go into those other Caribbean communities ... we have to operate within the federal guidelines, particularly through FEMA and the federal agencies. Were coordinating with them as well. I dont want to overstep what the federal requirements are.

Mayor Adams marches in the Puerto Rican Day Parade in June.



Mayor Adams marches in the Puerto Rican Day Parade in June. (Gregg Vigliotti /)

Adams urged that New Yorkers who want to help donate to trusted non-profits providing relief.

The storm is not expected to hit New York City directly this weekend, but could cause higher than normal tides in the area.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Dublin to protest against the cost-of-living crisis.

The demonstration, organised by the Cost Of Living Coalition, comes before the Irish Governments budget on Tuesday.

The group, made up of 30 organisations including trade unionists, student and pensioner bodies and opposition political parties, is urging the Government to take radical action on the cost-of-living and housing crises.

The march started at Parnell Square at 2.30pm and featured banners and chants including: The cost of living is too damn high.

Thousands have attended a demonstration against the cost-of-living crisis in Dublin (Damien Storan/PA)

It proceeded to OConnell Street and College Green and finished in Merrion Square, where speeches were heard.

Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald, a member of the coalition group, led a delegation from her party among the crowds.

She accused the Irish Government of not listening to ordinary people.

Shouts from the crowd responded: They dont care.

Ms McDonald said: This cost-of-living crisis shows again the huge inequalities that exist in Ireland.

We need much more than a change of Taoiseach. We need a change of government. We need a government of the people and a government for real change.

Ms McDonald called for rent to be reduced and a ban on rent rises for at least three years, as well as better funding for health care and disability services, and cuts to the cost of childcare by two thirds.

She said: They need to do all of this and this needs to be done now, with a sense of urgency and a sense of purpose.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Seamus Dooley, Union of Students in Ireland president Beth OReilly, the Irish Senior Citizens Parliaments Imelda Brown and Access For Alls Sophia Mulvaney also addressed the gathering.

A similar rally took place in Londonderry earlier.

The demonstration in Guildhall Square on Saturday afternoon was organised by the mayor of Derry City and Strabane, Sandra Duffy, to highlight what she termed the cost-of-living emergency.

Workers, families, business in this town are struggling to pay their bills, she said.

We need action now. We need an Executive up and running so that all parties can work together to put money back in peoples pockets.

Local trade union members as well as the Derry Against Fuel Poverty group were there.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan addressed a congratulatory message on the 135th anniversary of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party, the PMs Office said.

The message runs as follows:

Dear representatives of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party,

I warmly congratulate you on the 135th jubilee of your party.

With its long-term activities the party has served our nation and Homeland, being one of the important organizations inspiring Armenians and solving nationwide problems.

For their patriotic activities such party members, intellectuals as Smbat Byurat, Stepanos Sapyan-Gulyan, Murad the Great, Atrpet, Aramaz are worth mentioning.

This traditional party has always played an important role in the processes of pan-Armenian significance, and has proved its vitality with its history and past path.

Not only the activity and history of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party deserves high appreciation, but also its role in the organization of political and public life in the Diaspora. In particular, the partys contribution to the preservation of Armenian identity, the strengthening of Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora ties is invaluable.

The government of Armenia attaches importance to the partys support and assistance in solving key issues facing Armenians and Armenia, preserving the national identity and language, strengthening the ties with the Motherland, developing Armenia and Artsakh and solving other issues.

Once again congratulating on the 135th jubilee of the partys foundation, I wish a productive party-building activity for the sake of the people of Armenia and all Armenians.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. On September 23, in New York, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan met with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, the foreign ministry said.

Ararat Mirzoyan presented the situation resulting from the large-scale aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan on the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. Minister Mirzoyan considered the numerous violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces as inadmissible, stressing that they should receive adequate assessments.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia highlighted the need for targeted and clear condemnation of the aggressor by the international community, noting that non-targeted responses provide fertile ground for new Azerbaijani aggressions. In this context, the Armenian side emphasized the targeted assessments delivered during the urgent session of the UN Security Council.

Views were exchanged on possible mechanisms for increasing the involvement of the United Nations for establishing stability in the South Caucasus.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Rosemary DiCarlo also discussed issues related to the agenda of Armenia-UN cooperation and democratic reforms in Armenia.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party celebrated the 135th anniversary of its foundation today.

On this occasion, Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan addressed congratulatory messages.

Not only the activity and history of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party deserves high appreciation, but also its role in the organization of political and public life in the Diaspora. In particular, the partys contribution to the preservation of Armenian identity, the strengthening of Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora ties is invaluable.

The government of Armenia attaches importance to the partys support and assistance in solving key issues facing Armenians and Armenia, preserving the national identity and language, strengthening the ties with the Motherland, developing Armenia and Artsakh and solving other issues, the Armenian PM said in his message.

In his message President Vahagn Khachaturyan said that the party has gathered national, state figures who have unconditionally served to the preservation of Armenian identity both with weapons and their educational, cultural, public and political activities.

I congratulate the members and supporters of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party on the 135th anniversary of the party and wish success and achievements for the sake of fulfillment of our common national goals, for the sake of strong and developing Armenia, the President said.

In his remarks Chairman of the Central Board of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party Hambik Sarafian highlighted the unity at these difficult moments for Armenia. We are ready to do everything to contribute to solving the issues facing the country, he said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Rosenergoatom, the Russian nuclear power station operations subsidiary of Atomenergoprom, is running talks for building a data processing center in Armenia, Sergey Migalin, Rosenergoatom deputy general director, said during the Kazan Digital Week international forum.

Now we are discussing actively the possible location and concept what we want to build and operate within Armenias IT infrastructure, he said.

He also said that the company plans to build another data processing center near the city of Mersin in Turkey, where Rosatom is constructing a nuclear power plant. Migalin added that they are also interested in other regions, particularly Uzbekistan.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to hold consultations with the officials of Armenia and Azerbaijan to help them, as the two sides of conflict, to resolve their differences in a peaceful manner, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said during his meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Baryamov in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting, the Iranian Foreign Ministry reports.

Amirabdollahian reiterated the clear stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran in open and decisive opposition to any change to the geopolitical map and borders of the region.

During the meeting, the Azerbaijani foreign minister also reiterated the existing issues in bilateral relations and underlined the significance of mutual consultations and cooperation. He rejected claims on geopolitical change in the region and noted that his country seeks to resolve its territorial and border disputes with Armenia through regional cooperation.
The world must, therefore, urgently push Russia to negotiate and accept the fact that Ukraine is, after all, a sovereign nation

On the 5th of April earlier this year, while leading the debate on the Russia-Ukraine crisis in the Lok Sabha, I had prophesied that the aggression unleashed on February 24, 2022, by Moscow on Kyiv may not end well for the former.

With referendums now being conducted in Russian occupied areas the self-styled Donetsk (DPR) and the Luhansk Peoples Republics (LPR), which Russia recognised as independent just before the aggression and Russian-installed administrations in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions to legitimise an illegal occupation, these seemingly farcical exercises in democratic expression are comical if they would not have been tragic.

The announcement of partial mobilisation through conscription that has created consternation among young people in Russia after Ukraine took back 9,000 square kilometres of its territory in the south and northeastern blitzkrieg in the Kharkiv region the war could truly be at an inflection point.

Russia on the backfoot?

The recent Ukrainian offensives have taken back Kupyansk, an important rail head, and Izium, a major logistics base for the Russians. The Russians had to pull back thousands of troops from the Kharkiv region. The Russian response to these reverses is predictable: We are moving troops from these areas to reinforce our operations in Donbas.

A similar justification was trotted out for withdrawing forces from Kyiv earlier. Ukraine's gains have surprised most. Yet, many had predicted this would happen. Even with an overwhelming superiority in weapons and ammunition, Russian troops do not seem to be sufficiently blooded in combat except for their elite troops and militias of the Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.

Imperial hubris

The mandarins in the Kremlin want to model themselves on Peter the Great  known for his expansionist wars in the 18th century. To buttress this self image rhetoric has been deployed that harks back to reclaiming lost lands and past glory.

The war in Ukraine is thus seen by Kremlin not as a war, but a mere military operation to reclaim what belongs to Russia. In their vision, Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians are but one people, a Slavic nation stretching back to the time of Kievan Rus. However, Ukraine and even Belarus for that matter have a different perspective about both their history and sovereignty. Unfortunately, the Russian vision of the Slavic lands precludes it from acknowledging Ukrainian sovereignty. Ukraine must be kept under Russian influence, come what may.

These ambitions in Ukraine tie up with the overarching goal of making Russia a pre-eminent Eurasian power. A position that it still believes it currently occupies but feels threatened by Natos eastward expansion. In fact, it is no stretch to argue that the casus belli for the current crisis was Russias apprehensions about Ukraine joining Nato, though that process is itself both convoluted and time consuming and Moscow is well aware that between an expression of intent and actual membership there is a considerable time lag.

Undoubtedly Natos three-wave expansion since the collapse of the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1991 has tried to whittle down Russias sphere of influence, especially in its near abroad. It sees Nato as a tool for the United States and its allies to continue dominating Europe. This narrative regarding Nato has been critical in Russias war rhetoric and in its claims that it had no choice but to violate Ukraines territorial sovereignty in order to prevent Nato from coming to its borders. However Moscow miscalculated on how the West would respond?

For, Russia has achieved the exact opposite of what it set out to do. With war fatigue plaguing the US and much of Europe after the two-decade involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and the broader Middle East and North Africa, Western foreign policy was seemingly in disarray. But Russian actions in Ukraine precipitated a robust response that has consolidated Nato like never before.

Initially, there was cynicism that the West was planning to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian. However Ukraines resilience and capacity to resist, consolidate and assault has surprised even a lot of analysts whose sympathies lay with the Ukrainians in the first place. The US has so far given $12.5 billion in military aid while Poland, UK, Canada, Germany. Australia, and Denmark are among the other large donors.

The M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System or Himars sent by the US have been crucial to beating back Russian troops. Similarly, anti-tank weapons, drones, missile systems, and tanks supplied by different Western countries are a testament to how Russias offensive has led to the opposite of what Russia set out to achieve.

In the din of strategic affairs and geopolitical considerations, however, one must not forget the larger humanitarian issues in Ukraine. Hundreds of people have been killed and buried in forest graves in Izium, a town now recaptured by Ukrainian forces. There are calls for an investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Russian troops in that town. These allegations follow earlier horrors in Bucha. The European Union has called for a war crimes tribunal to be set up, a la Yugoslavia. Attacks on critical infrastructure and power plants have rendered Ukrainians vulnerable to a harsh winter. And if Russia ends up controlling Odessa and other Black Sea ports, Ukrainians are only looking at further discomfiture.

Indias role

The world must, therefore, urgently push Russia to negotiate and accept the fact that Ukraine is, after all, a sovereign nation. Ukraines recent territorial gains, even if ephemeral, should mellow the Kremlin a little bit. In this context, India has a critical role to play. While, undoubtedly, Russia has been an all-weather friend to us, we have also grown closer to the West over the past two decades with a multitude of military and economic agreements. It, therefore, is incumbent on India as a multi-aligned power not to tell our Russian friends that they were in the wrong when they transgressed into Ukraine. If reports about what Prime Minister Narendra Modi ostensibly told President Vladimir Putin that this is not the era of war are correct then the candour is indeed refreshing.

The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand was, therefore, another great opportunity for India to help arbitrate in the issue and make clear its position. Indeed, the difference in Mr Putins response to German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz and to Prime Minister Modi could not have been starker. Mr Putin ostensibly told Mr Scholtz that the war in Ukraine was not a mistake. By contrast, he told Mr Modi that he wants the war to come to an end. There is, therefore, much that India can do to help persuade Russia to negotiate a settlement and end this pointless loss of human lives.
Police recently erected barriers to stop access. Tourists began visiting the road in 2017 after it became a social media focus. As post-pandemic tourism takes off, residents who turned their homes into illegal shops and bars want it to reopen. Local authorities say there are too many accidents.

Hanoi (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Merchants and vendors on Hanois Train Street have asked the authorities not to block access to tourists.

On Tuesday, shop and bar owners sent a letter to the Ministry of Transport hoping that it would let them reopen now that tourists are allowed to visit.

Train Street is a very narrow road located in Old Hanoi. Several times a day, a train passes through very close to buildings, which date back to the French colonial era.

In 2017, thanks to social media, especially Instagram, Train Street became a tourist hotspot with residents converting their homes on either side of the track into small shops and illegal bars for visitors waiting to see the train go by.

However, accidents have also increased considerably. Some train drivers say they have had to repeatedly put on emergency brakes to avoid people taking selfies on the tracks.

In 2019 the street was shut down for safety reasons and when COVID-19 struck in 2020, the matter was no longer relevant since tourists were no longer coming.

Now, with borders reopening in mid-March and travellers coming back, bars and souvenir shops have finally reopened as well.

Some residents said they were happy that they no longer had to go and sell fruit and vegetables but could work "from home".

Yet, earlier last week the state-owned railway company asked the authorities to shut down Train Street again.

On 15 September, police set up barriers to keep people off the tracks and ordered bars to close because at least 30 businesses were operating without a license and violating safety regulations.

Following this, rumours spread that a South Korean tourist was hit by a train after climbing over the barriers. Michael Tatarski, a Vietnam-based writer, expressed doubts about the story.

Im not entirely convinced that this happened for several reasons, he says. The timing, coming just a few days after the railway companys request to close the street, is also odd.

At present, it is not clear how long the ban will remain in place. Local businesses hope that the government will find a solution so that safety and trade can go together.
The other news of the day: Japan is set to allow tourists into the country after two years, blast kills at least 12 in Afghanistan, a boat carrying Chinese nationals sinks off the coast of Cambodia, the Philippines starts talks with Russia about buying oil.

NORTH KOREA

North Korea is preparing to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile. South Koreas military detected signs to this effect this week in Sinpo, South Hamgyong province. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is set to meet with US Vice President Kamala Harris, who will travel to Tokyo for the state funeral of Shinzo Abe.

EAST ASIA

Hong Kong and Japan have relaxed anti-COVID-19 border restrictions. Hong Kong ended its compulsory quarantine hotel policy, while Japan announced that, starting 11 October, foreign tourists will be able to enter the country after more than two years of closure.

CAMBODIA  UNITED STATES

Some 300 Cambodians living in the United States staged a protest in front of the United Nations building in New York during Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's address to the General Assembly, demanding the release of political prisoners and the implementation of democratic reforms. Protesters showed pictures of members of the now-banned Cambodian National Rescue Party held in prison.

CHINA  CAMBODIA

A boat carrying 41 Chinese nationals sank off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, a town notorious for human trafficking. As a result, one person is dead, more than 20 are missing, while another 19 people were rescued.

PHILIPPINES  RUSSIA

The Philippines held talks with Russia over the purchase of fuel and other basic goods, including fertilisers and foodstuffs, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said in an interview. The aim is to diversify the countrys supply chain in order to keep prices low. Despite sanctions against Russia, Marcos said that the national interest comes first.

AFGHANISTAN

A blast killed 12 people and wounded 41 in Kabul yesterday. But according to local sources, the death toll could be two or three times higher than reported by the Taliban. The explosion took place near the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in the city centre.

RUSSIA

Various news media are trying to report Russias partial mobilisation, describing it as taking place at a fast pace. Men trying to avoid the draught are stopped in the streets while recruitment centres have been set up in schools with students directly loaded onto AvtoGAZ vans from classrooms.

TAJIKISTAN  KYRGYZSTAN

Ulan Bakasov, a lawmaker in the Kyrgyz parliament (Zogorku Kenes), said residents in border regions with Tajikistan should be given defensive weapons, starting in Batken, after clashes were reported along the border between the two countries. Huge quantities of humanitarian aid are said to be arriving in the area from across the country.
Pope Francis travelled to Assisi to meet young people from all over the world participating in the Economy of Francesco conference. I am counting on you not to leave us undisturbed, he said. The pollution that kills is not only from carbon dioxide; inequality also mortally poisons our planet". And without appreciating the poor, poverty cannot be fought.

Assisi (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis met hundreds of young people from all over the world gathered in Assisi for the Economy of Francesco conference.

The conference comes three years after the pontiff wrote a letter urging them to meet this challenge. For him, a new generation of economists, entrepreneurs and people of good will must get their hands dirty to change a sick economy.

Like past Meetings of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, which allowed hundreds of people to share their experience and network, meeting together participants can try to breathe new life into an economy that truly focuses on people, relationships and care for the common home.

In Assisi Francis listened to the voices of young people and their experiences, like Lilly, a 14-year-old environmental activist in Thailand, who was able to convince 70 important retailers in her country to stop using plastic bags, and Maryam, who was a teacher and women's rights activist in Afghanistan until she was forced to flee her homeland to escape Taliban oppression.

You were already committed to creating a new economy," Pope Francis told them. But the letter "made you feel part of a worldwide community of young people who had the same vocation. When young people see their own calling in other young people, this experience is repeated with hundreds, thousands of other young people, then great things become possible, including hoping to change a big and complex system like the world economy.

This is a most urgent task. The pontiff noted that young people have faced many crises in recent years: climate emergency, pandemic, Ukraine and wars. Like a young Saint Francis in the Assisi of his time, his peers today see well that "there is a common home that is being ruined.

Yet, amid all this, it is not good enough to touch the surface; we must question the development model itself. The situation is such that we cannot just wait for the next international summit; the earth is burning now, and it is now that we must change, at all levels.

Francis urged young people to teach the world to accept the universal ethical principle  which is hard for many  that harm must be repaired. If we grew up abusing the planet and the atmosphere, today we must learn to sacrifice those lifestyles that are still unsustainable. Otherwise, it will be our children and grandchildren who will foot the bill, a bill that will be too heavy and unfair.

We need rapid and decisive change. I am counting on you not to leave us undisturbed and offer us an example. As for the latter, the pope mentioned a 25-year-old young man who refused a job in a weapons factory, one of many heroes of today.

Next, Francis spoke of the challenge to sustainability and how it is inseparable from other great challenges of today. "While we try to save the planet, we cannot neglect the men and the women who suffer. The pollution that kills does not come only from carbon dioxide; inequality also mortally poisons our planet.

The unsustainability of relations between people, the "famine of happiness" that consumerism claims to falsely fulfil with increasingly sophisticated goods are other challenges that must be met. All this leads to scourges like demographic winter, the enslavement of women who are not allowed to work and be a mother, and suicide among young people that are often swept under the carpet.

There is also the spiritual unsustainability of our form of capitalism. The first capital of every society is the spiritual one because it is the one that gives us the reasons to get up every day and go to work, and generates the joy of life that is also necessary for the economy.

Our world is rapidly consuming this essential form of capital accumulated over the centuries by religions, wise traditions, and popular piety. There is an urgent need to reconstitute this essential spiritual heritage.

Technology can do a lot: It teaches us the 'what' to do and the 'how to do it, but it does not tell us why; and so our actions become sterile and do not fulfil life, not even economic life.

In the city of Saint Francis, the pontiff appealed to create an economy that puts the poor at the centre. "Without appreciation, care, and love for every poor person, for every weak and vulnerable person, from those conceived in the womb to the sick and disabled, to the elderly experiencing hardships, there is no Economy of Francesco.

Noting how the first market economy was born in 13th century Europe precisely in daily contacts with Franciscan friars, the pope condemned a form of capitalism that seeks to help the poor but does not appreciate them, does not understand the paradoxical beatitude: blessed are the poor.

For Francis, We must not love poverty; on the contrary, we must fight it, first of all, by creating jobs, worthy jobs. But, as the Gospel says, without appreciating the poor, poverty cannot be fought.

The pope concluded his address by leaving the young people with three recommendation: first, look at the world through the eyes of the poor. You will improve the economy if you too look at things from the perspective of the victims and the discarded."

Secondly, do not forget work. For him, without worthy and well-paid jobs, young people do not really become adults, and inequalities increase. Sometimes once can survive without work, but you don't live well. Hence, as you create goods and services, do not forget to create jobs, good jobs, jobs for all.

Finally, with respect to incarnation, people should not stop at conferences. You will change the world of economics if, along with heart and mind, you also use your hands. Ideas are necessary, they attract us a lot, especially when we are young, but they can turn into traps if they do not become 'flesh', that is, concrete, daily commitments.
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.
Email Newsletters

Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
A new viral video is bound to drive a stake through the heart of every Ferrarista out there, if not every car enthusiast: an early 1994 classic perished in a spontaneous fire on a French highway, and there was nothing left to salvage from it. The potential buyer mentioned above, as well as the current owner, were both inside the car when the blaze started.The way Tarek Salah, the potential buyer, tells the story, hed found this impeccable, well-maintained Ferrari F355 in France and had already advanced talks with the owner to purchase it. The one thing still to be done was take it out for a test drive, so he arranged for that, flying into France from the U.S. Salah says that it had always been a dream of his to drive an F355 down the roads of beautiful Marseilles, and it looked as if the dream was about to come true.Cue the sound of smashed, bad-luck-bringing mirrors. One minute after he told the owner that he smelled fuel, the pair were flagged by another driver: smoke and small flames were coming out of the engine bay, through the back of the car. The owner immediately pulled over, and they were able to get out to safety and recover Salahs luggage. Thats the only silver lining to the story.The video, which is also available in full at the bottom of the page, shows that the V8-powered F355 was long engulfed by flames by the time firefighters arrived at the scene. Once the fire was put out, only the nose of the entry-level supercar was still intact on the surface, as everything else was burned to a crisp . Salah was able to get close to the smoldering pile of now-trash, showing the empty cabin where once the coveted carbon bucket seats were located.According to Salah, fuel line recall was done on this car & it had a great meticulous owner. He believes that the fire might have been caused by the fuel injectors, but the cause is yet to be confirmed. Not that I think it would have helped much, but there was no fire extinguisher on hand, he continues.Ferrari produced over 11,200 units of the F355 over a five-year production run, and it was the most-produced Ferrari at the time. These days, a unit retails for anything between $90,000 and $200,000, or in rare cases as much as $400,000, depending on condition. At one point in the video, Salah, who describes himself as a world traveler, entrepreneur, Porschephile, Ferrarista & Nutella lover, quickly checks himself and stops short of telling a by-stander how much he wanted to pay for this particular F355.
The A-10 came into being in 1975. It was not meant as a fighter jet per se, and not as a bomber either. Its official role is that of close air support for ground forces, and it is properly equipped for the task  were talking here, of course, mainly about the brutal Gatling gun that spits high-velocity projectiles at a rapid rate. And it can do so from as high as 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) into a target area of just 40 feet (12 meters) in diameter.The A-10 is so unique that the U.S. Air Force ( USAF ) plans to keep it in service longer, even as part of the streamlined fleet of aircraft it plans, which only includes the F-35, F-15EX, F-16, and the future Next Generation Air Dominance.The USAF has about 281 Thunderbolts in operation at the moment, and no new ones are being made. One of them can be admired in this recent pic released by the USAF from the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR).The plane belongs to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, and was snapped on camera just as it was moving away from a small mountain range in the area, while behind those peaks storm clouds seemed to rapidly gather and follow the plane in.Combined, these three elements, both natural and human-made, fit so well together they make for too great of an image not to include in our Photo of the Day coverage this weekend, so here you have it.
Skimping on security is not a good idea, but Korean companies have done it nevertheless. Many 2016-2021 Hyundai vehicles and all Kias built between 2011 and 2021 with a key ignition lack the electronic immobilizer that is supposed to prevent the engine from starting without the original key. This has made cars vulnerable to thieves.The news spread like fire, so Kia and Hyundai thefts soared to unprecedented levels. Videos showing how easy it is to steal a Kia or a Hyundai were posted on the internet. Theres even a TikTok challenge, aptly called Kia Challenge. A crime ring called the Kia Boyz started spreading among cities and stealing Kia vehicles. The surge of stolen Kias and Hyundais began in Milwaukee and has since spread to other states, escalating into a nationwide problem.You imagine what this means for Kia and Hyundai owners across the country. Understandably, they now try to stick it to the carmakers, which were responsible in the first place. According to Automotive News, Hyundai and Kia are named in 15 class-action lawsuits filed by vehicle owners in 14 states. The plaintiffs allege that the vehicles are defective because they lack an immobilizer and thus can be hot-wired too easily. Their case is solid, as the car thieves have been targeting Kia and Hyundai owners for months.The list of vulnerable vehicles includes lower trim levels of Accent, Elantra, Elantra GT, Sonata, Veloster, Venue, Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Sport, Santa Fe XL, and Palisade vehicles in the 2016-2021 model years, according to a Hyundai spokesperson. The issue affects models with turn-key ignitions, so the cars with a push-button start are not affected. The list of impacted Kia vehicles is even longer. According to a Kia spokesperson, any car built between 2011 and 2021 that uses a steel key is at risk.More class-action lawsuits are forthcoming, says Kevin Stanley, an attorney with the law firm that filed 13 out of the 15 suits in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, and Texas, in the past fourth months alone. The issue has grown so fast that it deserves national treatment.The rapidity at which this issue has both spread as a phenomenon in terms of the cars being stolen, and the number of cases which have come to our attention, and that we filed in a relatively short order demonstrates the nationwide problem of a large scale that needs a solution, Kenneth McClain, the lead attorney on the class actions, told Automotive News It is unclear how this would affect financially the two carmakers, which operate independently but belong to the same automotive group. The lawsuits would have to consider the decline of the resale value of the affected vehicles, the cost of installing an immobilizer, and the increased cost of insurance for everyone with a Kia or a Hyundai.The suits also seek to initiate a nationwide recall, which could be a disaster for the Korean company that owns the two brands. Rough estimates indicate that the total number of affected vehicles in the U.S. is about 10 million. If an immobilizer costs $500, thats a $5 billion recall.In the meantime, Hyundai tries to mitigate the problem by distributing steering wheel locks at no charge to consumers with affected vehicles. The company also urges owners to buy and install a security kit at an authorized dealer. This is laughable, considering that many affected cars are over a decade old, and the cost of adding such a device is around $700. This is too much for people who stretched their savings to buy a used Kia.
The AirTag has rapidly become a very common gadget used for stalking, with people all over the world discovering the device being hidden in hard-to-spot areas, including behind the license plates of their cars.While Apple has already tweaked the AirTag to make it easier for users to determine when they are tracked, stalking cases continued to make the headlines in the last few months. And unfortunately, a few stalkers ended up being arrested and eventually charged despite the obvious wrongdoings.A recent case from Memphis, Tennessee, however, should help restore faith in humanity.51-year-old Joseph Martin secretly planted an AirTag into a womans car back in February, then used the device to keep track of her every month for several months. At one point, Martin sent the woman photos of herself, at which point she figured out somebody might be stalking her.After thoroughly searching her car, she discovered an AirTag and filed a complaint with the police. Josh Martin was eventually arrested in August, and he is now being charged with electronic tracking of a vehicle, stalking, and harassment.The man could now spend years in prison if found guilty, with the first appearance in court scheduled for next week.Needless to say, this isnt a singular case, and criminals across the world continue to use AirTags to secretly monitor their victims.The easiest way to figure out if youre being tracked or not is to either keep an eye on your iPhone  the device can automatically notify users when an AirTag is moving with them  or, if you use an Android, to install the dedicated app from the Google Play Store and scan for nearby trackers.
But why is collecting weather data so important? There are multiple reasons of course, but lets just focus on all the destructive hurricanes that hit the globe every year. They are quite difficult to predict, as they can suddenly change their path, and they can unpredictably grow in strength or dissipate. But when you have a weather drone collecting data right from the active storm, scientists can make better predictions regarding their evolution and evacuate the population accordingly.The same goes for tornadoes. According to Meteomatics, the average warning time is approximately 16 minutes, before the tornado hits a certain location. But this warning window can be extended to up to 60 minutes when using weather drones.Meteomatics is based in Switzerland, where its weather drones are already in use for quite some time now, totaling thousands of flight hours so far. Over a dozen of them operate BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) in the country.As boasted by the company, the Meteodrones are engineered to collect weather observations from the middle and lower atmosphere. Meteomatics claims that there are currently no technologies that can measure vertical profiles of the mid and lower atmosphere on a regular basis.Meteomatics weather drones can reach an altitude of 6 km (3.7 miles). There are currently two models available: the MM-641/SSE, which is smaller, lighter, and faster, and the MM-670 (ML), more suitable for commercial use and reconnaissance missions. The drones come in an IP67-rated carrying case and also include a ground station, a charger for it, and spare batteries.Packed with sensors and an onboard camera, the Meteodrone can take various measurements of air pressure, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. Its propellers are heated to fight off the icing, and it features an emergency parachute. The collected data is fed into the ground station and its computer then generates accurate forecasts and a high-res model of the conditions in the area.As already mentioned, the Meteodrone is already up and running in Switzerland, but it looks like it will soon arrive in the United States as well. Meteomatics says that it plans to introduce it in the U.S. sometime this year, pending FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) approval.More info on the Meteodrones can be found on the official website , where you can also contact the company for further inquiries.
EV

kWh

NHTSA

The Reddit user WeesnawWeeg shared the images on social media and said the Tesla Service Center to which he towed thefirst said it was involved in an accident to have such severe damage. It must have hurt  WeesnawWeeg bought the car about a year ago from AutoNation and said it was never involved in crashes while he has had the EV.When other users asked him about the previous owner, he wrote that all 4 rims were scratched up and had a lot of curb rash, which could have to do with the ball joint issue in the front right wheel. WeesnawWeeg agreed with another user that it was probably bad for a long time. Curiously, he said it was partially his fault, which his description of the situation shows was not the case.WeesnawWeeg said he would hear popping sometimes while turning, which led him to take the vehicle to the shop. The technicians there couldn't diagnose the issue. He even thought: I hope its not the ball joints. It was. The Model S owner insisted with the Tesla Service Center: he said he had to speak to them again in length for them to create a new appointment. Before that, they said he had to go through insurance.Despite the claims that the previous owner may have caused the issue, there have been a number of other cases reported for years. A discussion started on the TMC forums on April 28, 2016 , reports the same issue WeesnawWeeg had. The user gpcordaro (Pete Cordaro) said it happened to the Model S he had owned since new after buying it in March 2013. He heard a snap and the steering wheel started pulling to the left.Cordaro later discovered that the control arms ball joint corroded and made a video about that. We have embedded it below. The Daily Kanban talked about the situation in June 2016. It mentioned a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that could be related to the problem, but it was not. The SB-13-31-003 TSB was related to the lower fore links. Tesla calls them the lower control arm, which is not correct: the front suspension in the Model S has the upper control arm and the two lower fore links.The Daily Kanban also revealed that Tesla offered to pay 50% of the repair in Cordaros car as goodwill if he signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) about that. Thats a similar situation to that faced by an Austrian customer who was offered 20,000 if he did not mention his 90-battery pack actually presented 84 kWh. The Austrian customer refused.Cordaro accepted Teslas offer: he signed the deal and could no longer talk about the problem. He also mentioned that he reported it to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) , which allegedly investigated the issue. Cordaro hoped this is a one-off incident. It wasnt.The thread he started was closed for further answers in June 2016. Cordaro endured a lot of abuse from Tesla investors even before he said he agreed with Keith Leech, aka Keef Wivaneff. The British engineer coined the expression Whompy Wheels to accuse Tesla of hiding suspension issues in its cars.A quick search on TMC forums points to more cases of front upper control arms issues. The same happens when you look for the problem in search engines.complaints also show more people are affected by it. The safety regulator has not presented the results of the investigation Cordaros case triggered. Perhaps the new ones will do the trick.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
The Mir cards issued by the Russian central banks National Card Payment System (NSPK) became an alternative for Russian travellers in March after Visa and MasterCard shut off their Russian networks over Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against NSPK Chief Executive Vladimir Komlev on September 15. The Financial Times daily reported that Washington is pressuring Turkey as well as the countries of the South Caucasus, Central Asia and the Persian Gulf to block the Russian payment system on their territory.

Two Turkish banks suspended use of Mir a few days later. Uzbekistans national UZCARD system followed suit on Friday.

It emerged that at least several of the two dozen banks operating in Armenia have also halted use of the Russian cards. None of them agreed to comment on their decision.

The development will first and foremost affect Russian tourists visiting Armenia as well as many of the thousands of Russians who have relocated to the country since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24.

One of those migrants, journalist Artur Astafyev, on Friday tried unsuccessfully to retrieve cash from ATM machines operated by two local banks.

I was previously able to take cash from any [Armenian] bank, converting rubles to drams, he told RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

Astafyev was still able to use his Mir card for buying things from one Yerevan store. Its POS terminal is connected to one of at least two other Armenian banks that said they are continuing to accept Mir.

One of those banks, VTB Armenia, is a subsidiary of Russias second largest bank, VTB.

The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) insisted, meanwhile, that it has not issued any orders or guidance to local banks regarding Mir.

Armenias commercial banks manage their risks, including those related to sanctions, on their own, the CBA said in a statement to RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

Central Bank data shows that Mir accounted for 17.4 percent of $4.3 billion worth of card transitions processed in Armenia in the first half of this year.

Russian-Armenian trade soared by 42 percent, to $1.6 billion, during the same period despite the Western economic sanctions against Moscow. Russia thus reinforced its status as Armenias leading trading partner.
An Arizona judge says the state can enforce a near-total ban on abortions that has been blocked for nearly 50 years
Other Kern awardees

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation honored 44 people at its Medal of Valor ceremony, including three other Kern residents, in addition to David Tapia. Three categories of winners are recognized: gold, silver and bronze stars.

Bronze star recipients

Wasco State Prison Correctional Counselor Donald "Ronnie" Gibbens got the award by trying to save a 65-year-old woman and her dog who were hit by an SUV, but ultimately died. Gibbens and his wife were picking up dinner one night in Bakersfield when Gibbens came across a pedestrian and her dog hit by an SUV. As the first one on the scene, Gibbens called 911 and administered CPR to the elderly woman until emergency services arrived. Despite Gibbens' efforts, the woman and the dog died.

CDCR Special Agent Chad Greenwood, a member of the fugitive apprehension team in Bakersfield, was on his way to the gym when he saw a crash and saved the driver's life. A 17-year-old had collided into a parked semi on July 5, 2021. When Greenwood and other residents attempted to help the teenager, the car caught on fire with the driver pinned inside the vehicle. Greenwood and others hauled buckets of water from a nearby house and tamed the flames. Firefighters responded to extinguish the fire and removed the driver. The teenager suffered injuries and burns, but survived.

Wasco State Prison Correctional Officer Aaron Leon hurried to a vehicle rollover accident near his residence on March 27, 2021. Leon called 911, and saw someone trapped inside the car. He broke out a back window and removed the person before emergency medical personnel arrived.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
The GHMC has decided to raise the height of at least 50,000 power transformers by seven to 15 feet (AFP representational photo)

HYDERABAD: Power transformers and dangling electric wires on city streets are not only dangerous to pedestrians, but also an eyesore. If the GHMCs plans come to fruition, thousands of power transformers could soon be given an elegant makeover while also earning the civic body some extra 'moolah' in the form of advertising revenue.

The GHMC has decided to raise the height of at least 50,000 power transformers by seven to 15 feet to make pavements pedestrian friendly.

The GHMC has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the development of the surroundings around the electrical transformers, which will include ad space in strategic locations. The project will be carried out through a public-private partnership (PPP). The shortlisted private agency would erect the structures on the sidewalks.

According to sources, the civic body held several meetings to address the issue of power transformers impeding pedestrian movement. A senior GHMC official who requested anonymity told Deccan Chronicle that approximately 30 per cent of the 68,000 electrical transformers were impeding pedestrian movement and had also become garbage dumping and urinating sites.

However, civic officials had identified 50,000 power transformers on pavements that were impeding pedestrian flow. Officials have already met with the TS Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) to discuss shifting utilities for the proposed project. According to a GHMC official, the shortlisted agency would carry out the job for GHMC, and the firm would earn revenue from the advertisements placed on the transformers. According to the official, the corporation will first raise the height of 6,000 transformers that are erected on stone structures on major roads, and then the height of the remaining transformers will be increased.
PURNEA: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday flayed former ally Nitish Kumar, accusing the Bihar chief minister of backstabbing the BJP and trying to fulfil prime ministerial ambitions while sitting in the laps of Congress and RJD.

At a rally held in this north Bihar town, Shah asserted that the jodi of Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad will be wiped out (soopda saaf') in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and, a year later, the BJP will win a majority on its own in the state assembly elections.

Widely regarded as the BJP's principal strategist, Shah arrived in Bihar on his first trip since the party was robbed of power in the upheaval last month.

He, however, refrained from joining issue with the contention of Kumar's JD(U) that the BJP had tried to break the party.

The number of seats won by Kumar's party in 2020 assembly polls was nearly half of our tally. BJP showed magnanimity (badappan') in backing him as the CM in keeping with its earlier promise. But, with the Lok Sabha polls nearing, his prime ministerial ambitions got the better of him and he backstabbed us, alleged Shah.

The JD(U) has been indirectly blaming the BJP for the fall in its tally in the last assembly polls when the Lok Janshakti Party, then headed by Chirag Paswan, fielded many saffron party rebels against candidates of the chief minister's party.

Shah mocked the seven-party ruling Mahagathbandhan', which also includes three Left parties, for raising apprehensions that the BJP leader's two-day trip of Seemanchal region could lead to communal polarisation in the area, which has a high concentration of Muslims.

The new regime has led to an atmosphere of fear in these border districts. But with (PM) Narendra Modi around, none of you need to be afraid. All of you have been elated over scrapping of Article 370, which wiped off a stigma from the forehead of Mother India. I challenge Lalu and Nitish to utter a word in appreciation of the move, the home minister said.

The BJP leader also raked up Kumar's unsteady relations with colleagues like George Fernandes and Sharad Yadav, blaming it on the CM's lack of ideological commitment and excessive attachment to his chair.

He also sought to drive a wedge between the JD(U) leader and the latter's arch-rival Prasad, saying, Tomorrow, Nitish Kumar might dump the RJD and form a new front with Congress and the Left or he may even seek rapprochement with the BJP.

He (Kumar) cut his political teeth taking part in the anti-Congress stir of 1970s. Now, he is sitting in the laps of Congress and RJD He won the last mandate in the name of Narendra Modi but backstabbed the BJP like he had done eight years ago, Shah alleged.

Kumar had been a BJP ally since the mid 1990s and served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government before becoming the chief minister of Bihar.

He snapped ties with the BJP in 2013, following differences over elevation of Modi, then his Gujarat counterpart, on the national stage. Four years later, he was back in the NDA as the BJP readily came out with offer of support when his alliance with Prasad hit the rocks.

Shah, who reached here in the afternoon, is scheduled to spend the night in adjoining Kishanganj, which is the only district in Bihar with a more than 50 per cent Muslim population.

Besides the rally, he is scheduled to hold meetings with the state BJP core committee, comprising about 20 top leaders, and office-bearers of various district units.

On Saturday, Shah is slated to hold meetings with administrative officials before his departure.
In-person voting for the midterm elections has started in Minnesota, South Dakota, Virginia and Wyoming, in a landscape that has changed since the pandemic drove a shift to mail balloting in the 2020 presidential contest
Community News Editor / Librarian

Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989.
U.S. people of color with long COVID face uphill battle to be heard: article

Xinhua) 11:38, September 24, 2022

A man wearing a face mask walks on a street in Manhattan of New York, the United States, Jan. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Many of these individuals have similar stories of battling a confusing new condition while navigating an ill-equipped bureaucracy as a person of color.

Having long COVID can be nightmarish for anyone, but gender and ethnicity have made it particularly difficult for people of color in the United States to convince doctors their symptoms are real, reported Scientific American on Thursday.

"I was seeing largely white male doctors, and a young Latina presenting to the emergency room made it very easy to psychopathologize my symptoms and dismiss me," Angela Vazquez, a Los Angeles resident with long COVID symptoms, was quoted as saying.

Today Vazquez is president of Body Politic, an organization that advocates for people with long COVID and offers them an online support group.

Many of these individuals, Vazquez said, have similar stories of battling a confusing new condition while navigating an ill-equipped bureaucracy as a person of color.

"To the extent that people are dealing with long COVID, people of color are going to face the same inequities they face in terms of accessing health care generally, in terms of potential treatments for long COVID," said Samantha Artiga, vice president and director of the Racial Equity and Health Policy Program at Kaiser Family Foundation.

(Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Bianji)
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Saturday urged party leaders to refrain from commenting on their colleagues applying for the post of AICC president and said "fair-minded democratic free speech values" that the party has championed must be maintained.

Earlier, Congress General Secretary In-charge, Communications, Jairam Ramesh had asked the party spokespersons and the Communications department office-bearers to refrain from commenting on any colleague contesting the elections.

"Completely agree with Jairam Ramesh. Fellow congressmen should refrain from commenting on their party colleagues applying for the post of Congress President," Singhvi tweeted.

"We must maintain the fair minded democratic free speech values that the party has always championed," he said.

This comes after party leader Gourav Vallabh taunted Shashi Tharoor over his probable bid to the post of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president.

In the first indicator of leaders taking sides in the run-up to the contest, Vallabh had also voiced support for Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who many believe has the backing of the current leadership.

According to sources, Ramesh had sent across a message to the party leaders to "refrain from making any comment of any kind on any colleague... contesting the elections...".

Though Vallabh is also a party spokesperson, he asserted that he made his comments as a Congress worker and not spokesperson.

"Like crores of workers, my first wish is that Rahul Gandhi ji should provide his leadership to the Congress and the country. But if he remains steadfast on his decision (of not taking up the Congress chief post) and one has to choose between the two names that are appearing in public discussion, then there is no comparison between the two," Vallabh had said in a series of tweets in Hindi.

On the one hand, there is Gehlot who has been a Union minister, thrice chief minister, five times MP, five times MLA, has defeated Narendra Modi-Amit Shah in a direct contest, and has had 45 years of "spotless" political life, he said.

"On the other hand, there is Shashi Tharoor sahib who has made only one major contribution to the party in the last eight years -- sent letters to Congress president Sonia Gandhi ji when she was hospitalised, this act caused pain to crores of party workers like me. The choice is very simple and clear," he had said.

Vallabh's remarks were a reference to the letter sent by a group of 23 leaders, including Tharoor, to Sonia Gandhi in 2020 seeking large scale reforms in the party.

After over two decades, the Congress is set to see a contest for the post of party chief. Gehlot, who has announced his candidature, and Tharoor are being seen as the likely contenders.

The Congress' central election authority on Thursday issued a notification for the polls, setting the ball rolling for electing the successor to Sonia Gandhi, the longest-serving party chief.

Tharoor on Monday had met Sonia Gandhi and expressed his intention to contest the upcoming AICC chief polls, while the Congress president conveyed that she would stay "neutral" in the elections, according to sources.

Sonia Gandhi welcomed the idea of more people contesting the polls and dispelled the notion that there would be an "official candidate".
OTIS  The former head of the Farmington River Regional School District accused of fueling a toxic school atmosphere will receive his full annual salary plus a payout for benefits as part of a separation agreement.

Quote Both agreed that it is in their respective best interests to settle any and all disputes between them and terminate their employment relationship. This would avoid expenses, including legal costs, as well as a disruption to the district, according to the contract.

Former Superintendent/Principal Thomas Nadolny will be paid $103,556.52 in bi-weekly gross payments through June 30, 2023  what would be the end of his working contract for the school year, and the date his contract renewed each year.

The payout for unused sick leave came to $15,592.31; for vacation time, it is $29,801.90. The total comes to $148,950.73.

The agreement between the districts School Committee and Nadolny, who resigned effective Sept. 1, also indemnifies Nadolny from any legal action related to his official duties while employed there, including from civil rights claims filed against him.

He cannot sue the district, nor can he or the district disparage each other, according to the agreement, which The Eagle obtained through a public records request.

The district consists of one school, pre-kindergarten through 6th, and serves Otis and Sandisfield students.

Nadolnys departure followed unrest in the school community after the release of a teachers union survey over the summer that accuses Nadolny and other administrators of driving a gossip-filled, hostile workplace.

Most of the unions 26 members completed the survey. They said the school has faced safety issues, student absenteeism, intimidation, and a lack of confidentiality and defined standards.

Sign-up for The Berkshire Eagle's free newsletters Sign up

Teachers also said the School Committee ignored problems and tried to silence people who raised questions.

Nadolny has denied the allegations. He said the survey was flawed and that someone at the school wanted his job.

The district quickly hired longtime educator Robert Putnam as interim principal and superintendent.

The committee held three closed-door meetings in August to discuss the complaints and to negotiate with Nadolny. The district declined to release minutes from those executive sessions to The Eagle until the committee can review them.

When asked how some of the terms were arrived at, and who proposed them, committee Chair Carol Lombardo declined to answer, saying she is out of the country. She referred questions to Putnam, who began working at the district after the agreement had been drafted. Putnam did say that he believes the school is off to a good start.

Students and teachers are settling into productive patterns of teaching and learning, he said. I would say that the school community is focused on the future and working together to make this a great school year.

Nadolny said he is not able to comment.

The only sanctioned and official comment from the committee about Nadolnys departure  as per the agreement  is a press release posted to the districts website. In it, both the committee and Nadolny express appreciation for the other; Nadolny also says he is grateful for the strong working relationship between them.

Both agreed it is in their respective best interests to settle any and all disputes between them and terminate their employment relationship. This would avoid expenses, including legal costs, as well as a disruption to the district, according to the contract.

The agreement says the committee and Nadolny engaged in respectful and intense discussion regarding certain alleged complaints against Nadolny and potential discipline of him.
Mitchell Chapman: The necessity of student newspapers As the new school year settles in, many youths across the country both at the high school and collegiate level are taking up the mantle of stu

One year ago, I wrote a column urging people to support student newspapers and the student journalists that staff them, noting their critical on-campus reporting of the COVID-19 pandemic and how they often provide unique reporting no one else is offering, especially in news desserts (places without a local newspaper).

With a new school year just underway in which students across the country are contemplating joining a student newspaper, Id like to renew that call for support.

Nationwide, school newspapers have weighed in on local conflicts like classroom mask mandates and school-board wars; reported on hot-button issues for students like the redesign of the SAT; and even investigated allegations of sexual misconduct by teachers, Andrea Gabor wrote for Bloomberg earlier this year.

She notes that the nationwide conflict of what can be taught in public schools has made student newspapers particularly prevalent: While principals and teachers find themselves in the crosshairs of the culture wars, and parents battle over what should be taught in the schools, the young people who are most affected by these debates have the best chance of cutting through the acrimony and having their voices heard, she writes, while also acknowledging the fact that high school newspapers are often at a greater risk of being censored thanks to a 1988 Supreme Court decision that gave schools discretion to censor student speech for legitimate pedagogical concerns. Some states passed laws pushing back against this, Massachusetts being one of them.

Student newspapers are also an excellent way for students to learn news literacy in practice by getting an inside look of how the news is reported on, edited and packaged for readers. Its also a great outlet for self-expression and critical thinking.

Student journalists practice formulating arguments and expressing them in written language, Margaret Renki wrote in a recent and excellent guest opinion piece in The New York Times on the censorship of a student newspaper in Northwest High School in Grand Island, Neb. They are obliged to recognize that different people hold different opinions, and they practice listening closely, word for word, to what other people say. They learn how essential it is for every word they write to be true. And they do it all in a real-world context that no ordinary class assignment can approximate.

Changing times

The biggest challenge facing student newspapers, like their professional counterparts, is changing times. In particular, student publications and the curriculum that often supplements them must make tough calls on how much time in the classroom and in the field to dedicate to the traditional print format and multimedia digital formats, though it is important to note that the fundamentals of journalism and good reporting remains unchanged.

Taylor Blatchford, who writes The Lead, Poynters newsletter that gives advice for student journalists, has some keen insights on how student newspapers have moved away from print, citing the fact that the Pew Research Center in 2021 found that only three percent of U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 prefer to get their news from print publications; the majority of people in that age group prefer to get their news from digital outlets.

Your core audience is probably on Instagram and TikTok and Twitter. Theyre probably not on Facebook. And as painful as it might be to admit, theyre probably not picking up many of the print papers you distribute around campus. ... Think about that number again  3 percent. This means that if youre focusing most of your time and energy on your print publication, youre ignoring the preferences of nearly all of your student audience. No matter how often you publish in print, your student publication needs to have a workable website and a presence on the major social media platforms.

Print, however, still has its place in a changing digital world, as is evident by the continued presence of roughly 6,000 American newspapers nationwide.

The country had 6,377 newspapers at the end of May, down from 8,891 in 2005, The Associated Press David Bauder reported in July, citing a study from Northwestern Universitys Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications. While the pandemic didnt quite cause the reckoning that some in the industry feared, 360 newspapers have shut down since the end of 2019, all but 24 of them weeklies serving small communities.

Because of this, student journalists must learn to become adaptable to changing news consumption habits and the shifts in the industry they cause.

This is something my journalism professors at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts stressed. One conversation I had with Professor Joseph Ebiware as an underclassman comes to mind.

This is not sacred, he said, motioning to a print newspaper in his hand.

He was correct. That soundbite has followed me throughout my career, and that notion deeply informed my learning experience at MCLA.

I wasnt sure what opportunities would open up for me or where the journalism field would be in the near future, so I geared my studies toward getting experience in as many parts of the field as possible, which paid off.

If you are a current student, I couldnt recommend more joining your student newspaper for at least one semester. You might find a career, but at the very least you will gain an invaluable insider perspective on how the news is reported. Its the best crash course in news literacy I can imagine.
In trying times, democracy is simultaneously essential and delicate. Democracys discontents know this, and their attacks on the tension points of our electoral system are being felt in clerks offices across Berkshire County.

'You want to scream': Amid a national trend, Berkshires municipal clerks hit with record requests about November 2020 election Around the country and state, election officials are getting requests for information about the 2020 election, fueled by conservative activists who dispute the presidential election results. Clerks in the Berkshires say the requests are taking up resources as they prepare for another election in November.

From North Adams to Great Barrington, town and city clerks face an overwhelming spike in information inquiries and records requests, compromising their already divided attention in a critical election cycle. Its a trend seen elsewhere throughout the state and country, and its linked to a network of high-profile election-deniers who seem to be more interested in overturning the table than accepting that their preferred presidential candidate lost fair and square in 2020.

Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, Massachusetts primary public information and elections officer, has been similarly bombarded. His office said at least some of the activity stems from a recent coordinated effort and a template disseminated by blogger and podcast host Terpsichore Maras-Lindeman, who is linked to Donald Trump allies Mike Lindell and attorney Sidney Powell. All three figures are enthusiastic boosters of Mr. Trumps big lie that he, not President Joe Biden, is the legitimate winner of the 2020  notwithstanding unanimous recounts, decisively dismissed lawsuits and one failed insurrection attempt. (Ms. Powell cited Ms. Maras-Lindeman as a witness in her frivolous request to the Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 presidential election.)

While its unclear just how many of the inordinate and unwieldy records requests jamming up Berkshire clerks inboxes are directly tied to this coordinated effort, all have the same effect: throwing gravel in the gears of our democratic institutions and straining those whose job it is to maintain them.

Thats low wherever it occurs, but its particularly punishing here. Unlike most other states, Massachusetts relies not on regional commissions but local clerks to run elections in their respective municipalities. That makes dealing with a sharp uptick in requests and complaints disproportionately tough, especially in smaller towns and cities where the clerks office is often an army of one.

Some Berkshire clerks told The Eagle theyre overwhelmed not just by the volume but the sometimes puzzling breadth of many recent requests: voters ID numbers, serial numbers of past elections election equipment; records from before the 22-month mandated retention date or information that the offices simply dont have. The result: unnecessary stress on our neighbors who uphold local democracys most basic functions.

Under state public records law, clerks must respond to all requests, even the most inane ones for which they dont actually have the requested information. That law exists for good reason; transparency and integrity within public offices, especially those overseeing the ballot box, are absolutely necessary. Still, it must be noted that there is no credible evidence for the claims of widespread fraud relentlessly pushed by this efforts backers and others feeding the toxic falsehoods of Mr. Trumps big lie. There is certainly no indication whatsoever of any irregularity sizeable enough to overturn the large margin by which President Biden bested Mr. Trump for Massachusetts electoral votes in 2020.

This should compel honest folks of any partisan stripe to dispel the fantasy that this full-court press against the public mechanisms of democracy is striving for clarity or accountability. Its intention is clearly observed in its predictable effect: Backers of a would-be autocrat revel in creating needless misery for local election officials as they strike an anarchistic blow for chaos against democratic institutions.

Even if they dont succeed  and we certainly hope they dont  it still underscores why our democracy, which relies both upon the rule of law and a system of norms, is so structurally vulnerable to polarization. What do we do when public records requests, intended to facilitate the free flow of information, are instead abused with the primary goal of promoting dysfunction? What do we do when a sitting president refuses to commit to a peaceful transfer of power after a free and fair election? What do we do when one faction spurns rules, norms and any contrary evidence as an all-encompassing conspiracy when they dont like the outcome?

Those are questions to which we unfortunately do not have all the answers right now. What alarming trends like this demand, though, is for honest patriots of any ideology to reject short-sighted partisan framing. We understand that some fraction of folks on the right side of the aisle will be unreachable on this issue. Some participating in this bull rush of clerks offices truly believe the fatuous conspiracy of the big lie in spite of mountains of opposing evidence; others know better but push it for political convenience or electoral revenge. The former are pitiful; the latter are shameful. It is all caustic to democracy  just ask your local clerk.

Still, we cant and wont write off all our fellow citizens who identify as conservative, Republican or just right-of-center who might share partisan overlap with these practitioners of scorched-earth realpolitik. If anything, now is the time to reach across the aisle and stand shoulder to shoulder in denouncing such attempts to undermine clerks offices and the important work they do, no matter who does the undermining. Wherever your political compass points  even if you voted for Donald Trump, even if you dislike the Democratic Party  we ought to join together in recognizing the danger of this cynical assault on democracy and acknowledging from where it originates.

The health of our republic depends on us putting the defense of our most basic democratic institutions above the partisan fray and condemning such blatant efforts to hamstring them.

Will we?
Material from the Boston Globe was included in the Climate Update. The Outlook is today's look ahead at the weather this weekend and next week, including its impact on the Berkshires and beyond. Clarence Fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com or on Twitter at @BE_cfanto.
The Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees on Friday approved a landmark change to the Universitys College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering (CTAAE) that will both enhance education opportunities for current and future BGSU students and respond directly to workforce needs in Ohio and beyond.

The board passed a reconfiguration of the college that will create the School of Engineering and the School of Aviation. The reconfigured CTAAE will be composed of the new School of Engineering, School of Aviation and the existing School of the Built Environment.

The creation of a School of Engineering builds upon what BGSU already does well: its engineering technology programs hold accreditation from ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), and the Universitys excellence in math and science allows BGSU to become a major player in addressing a significant workforce need for qualified engineers, particularly in Ohio.

The changes will also allow the nationally recognized BGSU Aviation program to continue its rapid growth. Recently ranked No. 4 in the nation by FLYING Magazine, the BGSU Aviation program will be housed in the new School of Aviation, allowing the program to better serve students and meet industry demand.

"With the creation of the new School of Engineering and the School of Aviation, BGSU is positioned to meet the critical workforce needs of Ohio and beyond," said BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers. "As a public university for the public good, we are steadfast in our commitment to creating and enhancing relevant academic programs that provide opportunities for our students and for the public."

Meeting Workforce Demand

The demand for professionals with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) educational backgrounds will continue to grow in the future. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, most engineering careers are expected to grow at rates that exceed 10% between 2020 and 2030, and STEM job growth is expected to nearly triple non-STEM job growth during the same time frame.

Within the region, there is also a significant need for professionals in logistics, health care, advanced manufacturing and other STEM-related fields to sustain growth.

Enhancing and converting existing technology programs into engineering programs will enhance enrollment, and address workforce needs by supplying well-prepared graduates in areas of significant need.

Earlier this month, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Universitys engineering programs among the best in the nation in its 2022-23 Best College rankings. The reconfiguration of CTAAE will allow the University the opportunity to explore additional engineering programs in the future, pivot quickly in response to industry needs, provide advancement opportunities for curriculum development with subject matter experts, expand opportunities for high-impact research and meet projected growth before it happens.

Three existing technology programs will move into engineering programs that will be housed within the School of Engineering, including mechatronics engineering technology, which will be converted to robotics engineering; mechanical and manufacturing engineering technology, which will be converted to mechanical and manufacturing engineering; and electronics and computer engineering technology, will be converted to electronics and computer engineering.

All three programs will award a Bachelor of Science in Engineering after the conversion, which is currently underway.
Bowling Green State University has been ranked second in the nation - and No. 1 in the Midwest - for veterans and active military students by Military Times in its Best for Vets: Colleges 2022 rankings.

The University is up three spots in the national rankings, according to the largest and most comprehensive ranking of schools for military service members and veterans.

Bowling Green State University is honored to be ranked the No. 2 Best for Vets university in the nation by Military Times, BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers said. As a public university for the public good, we are all in and continue to embrace the special commitment to educate, support and serve our veterans and active members of the U.S. Armed Forces to ensure they are successful in college and beyond.

Rankings are based on the results of a comprehensive school-by-school assessment of veteran and military student services and rates of academic achievement, according to the Military Times.
One of the gateway's more prominent features is a fountain named in honor of William (Bill) F. Schmeltz, a former professor and dean in the Schmidthorst College of Business and longtime BGSU supporter. His wife, Peggy, earned a bachelors degree in business education in 1950 and a masters degree in education in 1970. She also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the BGSU Foundation, Inc. from 1996 to 2003.

Serving as a centerpiece to the gateway plaza, the Schmeltz Family Fountain features nine programmable LED lights that can be lit to match any occasion.

"BGSU is grateful to Peggy and William Schmeltz for their generous support throughout the years," Conlin said. "They have been associated with BGSU since 1944 when Bill enrolled. Since then, the couple has dedicated their lives to supporting education and student outcomes."

Alumnus and current BGSU Board of Trustees Vice Chair Drew Forhan '81 and his wife, Nancy, also made a generous challenge gift to the project, inspiring many alumni and friends of the University to make contributions to support the Alumni Gateway.



Additional opportunities to name features and be recognized in a project plaque are available. Those interested in contributing are invited to do so through Oct. 31 at BGSU.edu/Give.

A project years in the making

While alumni support helped make building the new Alumni Gateway possible, project planning and preparation relied on the dedication of multiple people in the campus community.

In the works since 2010, construction on the gateway began in spring 2022 following the demolition of the Administration Building, which was built in 1961.

"It feels incredibly rewarding to see this project finally come to fruition," said April Smucker, associate vice president of Planning, Construction and Campus Operations at BGSU. "The Alumni Gateway had been talked about and planned for years. Now that it's finally here, it looks and feels like it's always been there."
Were Books Removed from the Bible?

I wish I could tell you that we already had a firm grasp on the 27 books within the first century, but that is simply not true. The oldest extant list that matches our 27 books is that of Athanasius letter in 367 AD. This is where the charge by some that the New Testament canon was adopted in the 4th century comes from. It sounds legit because it has an element of truth to it, but its not the whole story. In truth, all 27 books of the New Testament were likely completely by 100 AD. They were widely read and considered to be Scripture in the next 100 years. Many early church writers referred to New Testament passages as Scripture.

What really happened in the 4th century is that a council recognized what had been practiced in the church since the days of the apostles. A heretic, named Marcion, forced the church to make explicit what had been practiced for centuries. Marcion picked which books he liked and which ones he did not. It caused the question of canon to be asked. This is why in the 4th century the early church had to put something in writing which recognizes which books are authoritative and which ones are not.

There is an important distinction to be made here. The canon is not an authorized collection of writings (in that the church conferred authority or approval upon a list of books). Rather, the canon is a collection of authoritative writings. The church recognized their authority, it did not give them authority.

How did they recognize which books were authoritative? Three rules for canonicity were used. First, was it written by or tied closely to an apostle? Secondly, was it widely recognized by the churches? Third, did it conform to the rule of faithbasic orthodox Christianity that had been orally handed down from the apostles and Jesus himself?

The question of whether or not books were removed from the Bible is somewhat nonsensical given the process. Were some books considered not-authoritative? Yes. Were they removed? No. They were recognized as not being God-breathed.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Prateek Katyal
Moscow  The Moscow City Council will consider adopting the draft City of Moscow Climate Action Plan (CAP) at the Oct. 3 City Council meeting at 7 pm. A CAP provides a science-based strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address ways the climate is already changing. CAPs can consist of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and activities to reduce the severity of impacts. Many states, cities, counties, academic institutions, and businesses are creating CAPs to understand their baseline emissions better and develop a path toward decarbonization.

The draft CAP calls for the City as an organization to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 with an interim goal of reducing emissions by 57% by 2030. The draft CAP proposes that City operations seek to achieve net zero by 2035. To meet this goal, the draft CAP outlines key strategies and actions in areas including power grid decarbonization, facility efficiency and electrification, renewable energy, reduction of vehicle trips, waste reduction, water conservation, and enhancements to the urban tree canopy. The City also hopes its efforts will provide a positive model of how to set and achieve goals designed to address emissions for others.

City staff in the Environmental Services Department developed the draft CAP plan in partnership with a designated Climate Action Working Group and the City's Sustainable Environment. Staff included community input throughout the development of the draft CAP, including a month-long online input process held Feb. 24 through Mar. 26 and an online forum hosted on Mar. 9. Additionally, the City Council heard comments on the draft plan from the public in person at an open workshop on Apr. 25.

Written comments directly to the City Council on the most current draft CAP are also being accepted from the public through Fri. Sep. 30 at 5 pm by email at council@ci.moscow.id.us. The document the City Council will be considering for adoption on Oct. 3 is available for review at https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/1002/Climate-Action-Plan.

In 2019, Community emissions in Moscow were equal to 150,734 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e). Of that, 3,655 metric tons CO2e, or 2.4% of the total Community emissions can be attributed to the Citys municipal operations. The proposed City of Moscow pledges to be net-zero by 2050, with an interim goal to reduce emissions 56.6% by 2035 for the community. In order to lead by example, the City will also pledge through the adoption of this CAP to achieve net-zero for City Municipal Operations by 2035. This CAP sets forth an ambitious set of climate goals/targets for the Community and Moscow Municipal Operations and lays out programs, policies, and projects that will enable the City to meet those goals. The CAP is a path toward sustainability, not just for City government, but also for the community as a whole.

On Apr. 26, 2021, City Staff presented an update to City Council on the results of the 2020 Local Government Operations Inventory, how we met the 20% reduction goal, and potential next steps in tackling remaining emissions. At that time, staff was directed to look at what carbon neutrality, or Net-Zero, would look like for City operations and to look at what a community-wide plan might entail.

On Sep. 27, 2021, City Staff presented research and alternatives to address greenhouse gas emissions and programs focusing on climate concerns at a City Council Workshop that was open to the public. Information presented included an analysis of community-wide emissions, carbon sequestration rates on city operations- and community- scales, as well as an overview of climate action plans from other communities.
Career politicians Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher are refusing to debate their opponents because they cannot defend the extreme positions they have taken, say Wendy Norman and Kaylee Peterson.

Norman is running against Simpson in Idahos 2nd Congressional District; Peterson opposes Fulcher in the 1st Congressional District.

These professional politicians think their party labels and their huge war chests will carry them through, so they feel free to do whatever furthers their careers, Norman said. They are afraid to face the voters and try to defend the things they have done that are against Idahos interests.

Peterson said Fulcher votes with the extreme right-wing in Congress but runs from his record at home. He consistently puts politics over country. Refusing to debate is a slap in the face to voters.

Public discourse is a bedrock principle of our democracy, Norman said. It is insulting to the people of the 2nd District for Simpson to turn his back on them.

Peterson and Norman said voters should send a message in November. We need to hold their feet to the fire, they said. If we let them get away with this, theyll continue to put their own interests ahead of the interests of Idaho. We need to remind them of who they work for.
Campaign launched at the 4th CII Life Sciences Conclave

Ahmedabad-based Cadila Pharmaceuticals and the premier industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), at Delhi, have launched a joint national campaign for a rabies-free India by 2030.

The campaign was launched at the 4th CII Life Sciences Conclave in New Delhi on 23 September. Attended by top leaders from the pharma industry, senior government officials, and policymakers, the Conclave was organised to brainstorm on developing a well-planned inorganic growth strategy for the life sciences sector.

As a part of the campaign to make India rabies-free by 2030, several activities for awareness and prevention of rabies will be undertaken at the national and state level under the aegis of the government of India.

Jawed Zia, CEO of Cadila Pharma, says lack of public awareness and the resultant failure to complete the vaccine regimen are key causes behind rabies deaths.

Rabies claims around 59,000 deaths globally a year, of which around 20,000 or just over one-third of the deaths take place in India alone.

The key issue is not the loss of lives, but the fact that almost all rabies deaths can be prevented through vaccination. The challenge is awareness and failure to complete the lengthy vaccine regimen, which involves multiple visits to the hospital over several weeks. At Cadila Pharmaceuticals, we have been focusing on preventing rabies deaths, and have recently launched ThRabis, the worlds first three-dose rabies vaccine. The Recombinant vaccine has a simpler regime as compared with other vaccines, and is proving to be a game-changer by helping save many lives, Dr Manjul Joshipura, Senior VP, New Product Development & Innovations, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, said.
In Imphal, Fujifilms Full Field Digital Mammography machines are installed in Babina Healthcare and hospitality Industries and Shija Hospital Research Institute

Fujifilm India, a pioneer in diagnostic imaging and information systems for healthcare facilities, hosted an event to raise awareness about the early detection of breast cancer in Imphal, Manipur.

As part of the event, Fujifilm will be addressing key problems and potential solutions in digital mammography breast imaging while also highlighting the clinical relevance of the technology. Fujifilm has installed its cutting-edge Amulet Innovality, a highly advanced breast cancer diagnostic tool at Babina Healthcare and hospitality Industries and Shija Hospital Research Institute which enables women to diagnose breast cancer at an early stage.

One in 22 women get breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. Despite the innovations in treatment, the risks associated with breast cancer continue to rise. The biggest reason for this is lack of awareness amongst patients, and only reaching the doctor during their last stages of the disease. Understanding this problem, Fujifilm strives to educate people and take the early detection technology across India to save lives.

Commenting on the occasion Shunsuke Honda, Japanese Advisor, Medical Division, Fujifilm India said, Breast cancer is a leading cause of concern amongst women health issues. Early diagnosis, effective treatment, and high-quality palliative care can lessen symptoms and prevent the disease from progressing."
Digital Solutions Consultant - Mena

Location: Cape Town Job level: Senior Type: Permanent Company: Incubeta

Job description

Tracking and measurement strategies

Audience segmentation

Campaign management and optimisation,

Media strategy, content and communication advice

Conversion optimisation

Data layers

Advanced research and analysis.

Reports to the client service director

Closely interacts with Mena MD, other solution consultants, client services, project managers and global implementation and delivery teams.

Works closely with Platform Partners ie. Google, Facebook/Smartly/Pinterest/Twitter/LinkedIn etc to stay ahead of tech, gain access to betas and conferences etc.

At least eight years experience in the digital marketing environment.

Up to date GMP Certifications at Basic and Advanced level.

Strong in strategic analysis and profound advisory skills.

Excellent communication skills and the ability to translate customer needs to deliver high levels of satisfaction.

Proven track record on successful business development.

Sound understanding of the online advertising industry, knowledge of the underlying technology, major tech providers, agencies landscape and online media buying and selling processes including the programmatic buying landscape.

Proven knowledge of Incubeta products/services or similar products/services that Incubeta services.

Strong understanding of all digital marketing channels, ad technologies, cross media solutions and passionate about (ad) technology and how technology can shape the online advertising industry and ecosystem in the benefits of our clients.

Highly motivated, enthusiastic, goal-orientated and team player.

Advanced project management skills.

Native or bilingual proficiency of the English language, understanding of Arabic language is advantageous.

A people person - comfortable with collaboration and can build internal relationships with cross-functional teams (Sales/Client Services).

Excellent organisational, and problem solving/decision making skills.

Experience building and optimising feeds for data-driven projects / and or DPL

Experience working with Facebook Marketing Partners, Example: Smartly or Nannigans to increase investment yield

Experience working with Basic to intermediate knowledge of Javascript and HTML

Knowledge of digital transformation

3rd Party tracking solutions

Data Studio and dash-building experience

Data Management with some experience with Google Cloud (BQ & ADH)

SEO & Website optimisation

API integrations

Strong mobile and app experience, including Firebase and AppsFlyer

Ability to understand the customer's key business & marketing challenges and translate this as a proposal on how our tech & consulting services can help achieve these goals

External Consultancy towards clients: Develop and present digital strategies, marketing and technology consultancy services across all digital channels to transform and enhance the success of existing and prospective customers. Propose technical solution and roadmap for client's to improve their business goals and process by combining deep tech, product & strategic knowledge Develop and Execute Client Roadmap Plans Technical and strategic audits, including data-privacy compliance Map organisational goals to marketing initiatives and design a Measurement framework to track the performance of marketing initiatives Advise our existing and prospective customers, consultants and account directors in delivering the most impactful and efficient digital media strategies and help them analyze the data, trends and performance Assist clients to understand and know how to read and interpret their data Attend client meetings remotely. Be responsible for the training and enablement of client's and their stakeholders, formulating a development plan that will support the client's transformation to digital maturity. Drive innovation and spot opportunities to enhance or expand service offerings to clients

Internal Consultancy towards Incubeta (internal teams): Working closely with MENA commercial teams to support business development Mentor and guide junior team members on tech implementations and Paid Social best practices. Quality controls/audits and able to spot where clients accounts have room for improvement and growth



Occasional travel to Dubai may be required based on clients needs.

Exceptional communication skills both written and verbal

Display professional and example behaviour at all times

Specialised knowledge - have worked in a serious, thoughtful and sustained way to master the specialized knowledge needed to succeed in their fields; and that they keep this knowledge up-to-date so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible.

Competency - Professionals get the job done. They're reliable, and they keep their promises. If circumstances arise that prevent them from delivering on their promises, they manage expectations up front, and they do their best to make the situation right. Professionals don't make excuses but focus on finding solutions.

Solutions-oriented with a growth mindset

Displays honesty and integrity at all times

Be accountable for their actions even when making mistakes

Show respect for the people around them, no matter what their role or situation.

They exhibit a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI) by considering the emotions and needs of others, and they don't let a bad day impact how they interact with colleagues or clients.

Project a positive attitude at all times towards clients team members and motivate team members when they are less positive.

Display strong interpersonal skills. Ability to build strong relationships with clients and colleagues; display a strong team spirit.

Maintain the highest standards of delivery, productivity and effectiveness at all times

Organised and detail-oriented

Display focus and dedication at all times

Be approachable and open to constructive criticism

Exceptional time management skills and ability to prioritise a high volume of projects simultaneously in a fast-paced unpredictable environment.

Ability to remain calm and thrive under pressure

Strong problem-solving skills

Display a high level of independence.

Display a hunger for knowledge and a willingness to learn for any situation

Respect, appreciation and contribution towards decision making

Incubeta is a growth partner for our clients, offering solutions across media, technology, creative and data that address their challenges and move the needle on their businesses. Our mantra is "We don't sell products/services, we solve business problems"Deepening relationships with existing clients is a key driver for Incubetas growth so it is vital that we are consistently looking for opportunities to deliver further value to clients (in the form of additional services of course) that will bolster their digital marketing activities, ultimately leading to improved business performance.To support this growth strategy, Incubeta Mena is looking for digital solutions consultants who will work alongside the client service team in this region to craft and deliver solutions that will drive business value for our clients.A digital solutions consultant (DSC) is responsible for delivering cutting-edge client solutions for his/her/their respective client portfolios. The DSC is required to apply their extensive media expertise to implement strategic, creative and innovative strategies, aimed at solving complex client business challenges by offering and executing full-stack Google Marketing Platform (GMP), Social Media and Proprietary Technology. The DSC will work in close cooperation with the lead consultant, client services, media, data and analytics implementation teams, and other stakeholders.The DSC role will form part of the product specialist and consultancy layer within the MENA Market and as a DSC specializing in Paid Performance Media, you will be primarily responsible for determining the technical scope of new and existing business opportunities and providing digital strategies, marketing, and technology consulting services across paid media channels in order to transform and increase the success of our existing and future customers, primarily leveraging Facebook Business Manager, Smartly, Twitter Ads, Linkedin, Snapchat etc strategies and how they integrate into the Google Marketing Stack (GMP).You will assist our Key Regional Clients (predominantly in the Travel Vertical) in improving their business processes by combining your knowledge to create best-in-class solutions. You will collaborate closely with paired Subject-Matter Experts (SME's) and with cross-functional teams, such as Sales, Implementation and Client Services to drive customer communications, feature priority, and technical issue resolution, resulting in the best possible customer experience, while scaling our clients growth and digital maturity.At its core, a digital solutions consultant requires knowledge of:While remaining current on global market trends, data privacy, product updates and innovative media strategies.The solutions consultant will also assist (when required) the sales team with the commercial structures, product consultancy and technical advice. They will be responsible for delivering frameworks and strategies that will enhance client network, workflows and business results.Please be advised that this role is aligned with the Middle East time zone and individuals are required to be open to work the occasional Sunday as and when required.This includes but is not limited to taking decisions independently while staying within the company guidelines; Proactive attitude; staying self-motivated; being self-reliant; continuous self-development without expecting to be taken by the hand.Posted on 08 Aug 09:09, Closing date 7 Oct
Sydney and Melbourne buyers are still snapping up property in Brisbane, but some rental properties are expected to free up soon as interstate renters shift the market.

Southerners are most keen to buy property in the citys inner-west suburbs of Paddington, Red Hill, Ashgrove, Bardon, Indooroopilly, Taringa and St Lucia, industry experts say.

Bulimba, in the inner east, is also popular with interstate buyers.

But those from NSW and Victoria who moved to Brisbane in the last six to 12 months and rented, were expected to shift the market now by looking to buy.
The upcoming 'DefExpo 2022', slated to be held in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, is set to be the first-ever edition exclusively for Indian companies, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday.

Over 1,000 exhibitors have registered and the numbers are anticipated to be the highest-ever recorded during the previous editions of DefExpo, it said.

Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar comprehensively reviewed the preparations for the event, scheduled to be held from October 18-22, during the Apex Committee meeting here on Saturday, the ministry said in a statement.

Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat, Pankaj Kumar and other senior officers of the state government as well as the Ministry of Defence attended the meeting.

"The 12th edition of DefExpo is scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, between October 18-22, 2022 in a first ever four-venue format which promises to engage the public and inspire them to join the aerospace and defence manufacturing sector for 'Aatmanirbharta' in defence," it said.

The DefExpo 2022 was earlier scheduled from March 10-14, and was postponed "due to logistical challenges being faced by participants at that stage". The new dates were announced on August 8, the statement said.

"The forthcoming edition is the first-ever edition, exclusively for . For DefExpo 2022, Indian companies, Indian subsidiaries of foreign OEMs, division of company registered in India, an exhibitor having a joint venture with an Indian company will be considered as Indian participants," it added.

"The theme of DefExpo 2022 is 'Path to Pride' and in semblance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to transform India into a strong and self-reliant nation by supporting, showcasing and forging partnerships for the Indian aerospace and defence manufacturing sectors with Indian as well as global customers.

"The aim is to showcase the might of the domestic defence industry which is now powering 'Make in India, Make for the World' resolve of the government and the nation at large," the ministry said.

Keeping with 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations, DefExpo 2022 promises to better its previous edition as it is being planned in the largest ever total area of over a lakh sqm (previous edition being 76,000 sqm), it said.

"The inaugural ceremony and seminars will be held at Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre (MMCEC), exhibition at Helipad Exhibition Centre (HEC), live demonstrations on all five days at Sabarmati River Front (SRF) and ship visits for public by Indian Coast Guard at Porbandar," the statement said.

Kumar urged the officials to strive towards making DefExpo22 a grand success with focus on business and export promotion of indigenous defence platforms and products.

The biggest drone show by the indigenous IIT Delhi start-up Botlabs (an iDEX winner) has also been organised, which will be another highlight of the mega-event, it added.

"DefExpo 2022 will also mark the celebration of one year of the formation of the seven new defence companies, carved out of the erstwhile Ordnance Factories. All these will be participating for the first time at DefExpo," the statement said.

"The exhibition will also host the second edition of the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD), with invites extended to 53 African countries. A separate Indian Ocean Region plus (IOR+) conclave with participation of approximately 40 countries is also on the anvil," it said.

Many states have assured of participation as a state pavilion. The enhanced number of state pavilions, which is presently eight, would also provide the opportunity for chief ministers, industries ministers, chief secretaries, among others, to solicit investment and promote their respective states thus cultivating more centres for indigenous aerospace and defence manufacturing within the country, the ministry said.

Also, towards greater participation by start-ups and MSMEs, 50 per cent discount on space charges is offered, it said.

The India Pavilion - a marque pavilion of Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence - will showcase the maturity of indigenous defence products, start-ups, latest technology, including artificial intelligence in defence, and will present India's vision for 2047. It has been named 'Path to Pride', the statement 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.)
State-owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) on Saturday said it has signed an agreement with Brazilian national oil company Petrobras for sourcing from the Latin American nation as part of plans to diversify its sourcing needs.

imports a large volume of which is turned into fuel such as petrol and diesel at its three oil refineries at Mumbai, Bina in Madhya Pradesh and Kochi in Kerala.

The firm, which gets majority of its supplies from west Asian nations such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia, is looking to diversify its sources of supply in an attempt to cut down reliance on any particular region.

Company chairman and managing director Arun Kumar Singh and Petrobras CEO Caio Paes de Andrade signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Brazil, said in a statement.

"The signing of the MoU will strengthen future trade relations between the two and explore potential crude import opportunities by BPCL, on a long term basis, especially considering the current geopolitical situations," it said.

Speaking on the development, Singh said the association with Petrobras will help in achieving the goal of energy security for the country.

The recent approval by the Union Cabinet to invest in will help diversify India's crude oil supply.

"Strengthening India's foothold in will further open business avenues in neighbouring Latin American countries," he said.

Bharat PetroResources Limited (BPRL), the upstream oil and gas exploration and production subsidiary of BPCL, plans to invest USD 1.6 billion to develop an oil block in .

BPRL holds a stake in an ultra-deep water hydrocarbon block in Brazil, owned and operated by Petrobras. The field development plan and final investment decision is expected to be declared soon, the statement said without giving details.

On July 27, the Union Cabinet gave approval to the firm to invest an additional USD 1.6 billion in the Brazilian oil block BM-SEAL-11.

The block is to start production from 2026-27.

BPRL has a 40 per cent stake in the block. Brazil's national oil company Petrobras is the operator with 60 per cent interest.

Multiple oil discoveries have been made in the block, which is being developed now.

Originally, had partnered with Videocon for taking the stake in the block in 2008. IBV Brasil SA, a 50-50 joint venture between Videocon and BPRL Ventures NV, a unit of BPRL (the upstream arm of BPCL), held 40 per cent. But after the bankruptcy of Videocon, BPRL now owns the entire 40 per cent stake.

(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.)
Some of the Revlon Inc. creditors who were accidentally sent more than $900 million by Inc. asked a federal appeals court for a rehearing, after it ruled that they had to give the money back.

The lenders -- which include Brigade Capital Management LP, HPS Investment Partners LLC and Symphony Asset Management -- asked the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday to have a larger group of judges review the decision by a three-judge panel this month. That decision reversed a lower-court ruling that they could keep $504 million the bank mistakenly wired them in 2020. Some of the lenders had given the money back.

The panels decision, in a case that became the talk of Wall Street, was a redemptive win for Citigroups main banking unit in its efforts to redress the embarrassing blunder, which forced the bank to explain to regulators how such a failure was possible.

The legal dispute turns on the discharge for value defense, established by a 1991 New York court ruling that creditors can keep money sent to them in error if they didnt realize the payment was a mistake. The lenders said the appellate panels decision unsettled previously established New York law, such that parties in financial transactions can only wonder whether the New York state courts will adopt this courts newly crafted exceptions to the discharge-for-value rule.

The trial court had it right to begin with, said Robert Loigman, a lawyer for the lenders.

New York law is clear that a bona fide creditor who receives payment on an outstanding loan, unaware that the payment was by mistake, is under no obligation to return the funds, Loigman said in an emailed statement. That is what occurred here, and we believe, at a minimum, that the New York State courts should decide for themselves whether the additional requirements announced in this appeal should apply.

said it was the appeals panel that made the right call.

The Second Circuits unanimous and highly detailed decision is supported by strong legal analysis and reaffirms our long-held belief that these mistakenly transferred funds should be returned as a matter of law, as well as ethics, spokeswoman Danielle Romero-Apsilos said in an emailed statement.
Chief Minister on Saturday said his government has been consistently requesting the Centre to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) for allegedly "creating an eco-system for terror activities".

The state police have so far arrested "11 activists" as a part of the nationwide crackdown on the radical Islamic outfit, he said.

"The government is consistently asking the Centre to ban the . we are convinced that the organisation needs to be banned, Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme here.

The state government, however, has given its inputs on the outfit to the Centre, he said.

In a massive crackdown on the PFI, multi-agency teams spearheaded by the NIA arrested 106 leaders and activists of the radical Islamic outfit on Thursday in near-simultaneous raids in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.

Sarma said the police are investigating whether there are links among the outfit and the radicalisation modules in some madrasas busted by the law enforcement agencies since March this year.

We have intelligence inputs that the has created an ecosystem that encourages some people to join the radicalisation modules sponsored by the ISIS and Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Sarma said.

The state police arrested the PFI activists as there were intelligence inputs, and specific cases were registered against them, he said.

After these arrests, some people staged protests and blocked roads at Nagarbera in Kamrup (Rural) district.

"We are trying to find out people who instigated the protests and will take action against them, Sarma said.

PFI's West Bengal state chief Minarul Sheikh was among the 11 arrested people and



he was apprehended in New Delhi.

Of the arrested PFI activists, four are from Nagarbera in Kamrup (Rural) district, two from Guwahati, and one each from Karimganj, Barpeta, Baksa and Nagaon.

The arrested people have been brought to Guwahati and are being interrogated separately at the Special Branch headquarters here.

According to a statement issued by the Police on Thursday, leaders of the organisation were apprehended as there was reliable information that they were making efforts to foment communal strife throughout the state.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, all ministers and senior secretaries of various departments of the state government will attend the three-day Chintan Shivir that is all set to begin today.

During the brainstorming session, the state government will discuss the ongoing activities of the departments. The plans and roadmap of the departments for the next five years are likely to be prepared in the shivir.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living and Sadhguru will take part in the Chintan Shivir, as well as the chief secretaries of different states.

Sadhguru will take part in the Chintan Shivir today and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living will take part on September 25.

The decision to hold the three-day shivir was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister in August this year.

Chief Minister Dr will attend in the inaugural session of Chintan Shivir at around 2 pm.

All ministers, MLAs of BJP and its ally parties would likely to attend the Chintan Shivir.

(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.)
Highlighting the country's growth stride, Union Home Minister on Saturday said that India, which was ranked 11th on the list of the world largest economies in 2014, has today overtaken the to occupy the 5th position.

Addressing a public rally here, Shah said, "This Amrit Kaal is the time to set goals for the people of the country. I want to tell all the youth of the country that you must decide a goal of your life for the country and definitely take a resolution."

"In 2014, our country stood at 11th position in world economy list. Today we have overtaken the to hold the 5th position. We have conveyed it to the world that in 75 years, we have moved ahead of you and made our independence meaningful," added the Home Minister.

Pertinent to mention, India has overtaken Britain to become the world's fifth largest economy and as per International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections, only USA, China, Japan, and Germany are now ahead of India in terms of the volume of the national economy.

The lead was attained during the last three months of 2021 and extended in the first quarter of 2022. India has jumped six positions over the last decade. Only a decade ago, it was in the eleventh position while the occupied the fifth rank. It has also extended its share in the global GDP by nearly one percentage point since 2014 when it was the 10th largest economy in the world. India's share in the global GDP is now 3.5 pc as against 2.6 pc in 2014.

Shah is on a two-day visit to Bihar. Earlier today, he inaugurated five Border Out Posts of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Kishanganj.

Lauding the role of the SSB in the battle against Naxalism, the Union Home Minister said owing to their "tough fight", Naxalism has been finished in Bihar and Jharkhand regions.

"SSB jawans have fought a tough fight against Naxalism rampant in the northeast. As a result, Naxalism is on the brink of ending in Bihar and Jharkhand regions, we can even say it is finished here," Shah said while speaking on the occasion.Acknowledging their duty, the Home Minister said that the SSB has the toughest duty to perform because of the open border with Nepal and Bhutan.

"Sitting in Delhi, one thinks you have the easiest duty as we've friendly relations with both nations (Nepal and Bhutan). But when one comes to the border, we realise that you have the toughest duty as it's an open border," he said.

"The responsibility increases if it's an open border. However friendly may the relations be, even if the neighbouring nations have no ill intentions, there are a few elements in society who use open borders for unauthorised earning - be it smuggling, animal smuggling or infiltration," the Minister added.

Earlier today, Shah offered prayers at Budhi Kali Mata Temple at Subhashpally Chowk of Kishanganj.

Meanwhile, speaking on Nitish Kumar, Shah on Friday addressed the 'Jan Bhavna Mahasabha' rally and said that the people of the state will "wipe out the Lalu-Nitish duo" in the 2024 general elections and the party will come to power in the state in 2025.

Addressing the 'Jana Bhavna Mahasabha' in Bihar's Purnea, Shah said, "In 2014, you (Bihar CM Nitish Kumar) only had 2 LS seats, 'naa ghar ke rahe the, naa ghaat ke'. Let the 2024 LS elections come, the Bihar public will wipe out the Lalu-Nitish duo. We're, with a full majority, going to come to power here in 2025 polls".

Shah further said that Nitish Kumar does not favour any political ideology, and can join hands with any party to stay in power.

"Nitish Kumar is not in favour of any political ideology. Nitish ji can leave socialism and go with Lalu ji also, can do casteist politics. Nitish ji can leave socialism and sit with the Left, Congress. He may also leave RJD and join BJP. Nitish has only one policy - my chair should remain intact," he said. The Home Minister said that danger of "'Jungle-raj' is looming over Bihar".

(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 Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) will launch the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan programme under National Clean Air Programme 2019 (NCAP) to rank cities based on their actions to improve .

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan will rank 131 cities in the country for implementing City Action Plans prepared as part of NCAP for reducing up to 40 per cent by 2025-26, the ministry said during the two-day National Conference of Ministers of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in Gujarat.

The ranking will be based only on the actions taken by the cities to improve the in different domains and not on the measurement of the parameters to rank the cities.

At least 131 cities are categorised into three groups based on population. The first group has 47 cities with a population of over one million, and 44 cities in the second group have people between 300,000 to one million. The third group consists of 40 towns with less than 300,000 population.

According to the NCAP, these 131 cities are non-attainment cities as they did not meet the nations ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for 2011-15 under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP).

Cities are required to do the self-assessment as per the framework provided on PRANA online portal. Cities have to report the implementation of activities and measures taken regarding solid waste management, road dust management, construction and demolition waste management, and control of vehicular emissions and industrial pollution.



Based on the self-assessment and a third-party assessment, the three best-performing cities in each group will be given cash awards in the spirit of competitive federalism.

This promotes constructive competition in the spirit of competitive federalism to take measures to improve air quality, the MoEFCC said.

The move aims to provide a planning implementation tool to improve the air quality and the assessment of the cities regarding how better they have aligned their actions to improve the air quality.

According to the World Air Quality Report of 2021, India ranked fifth among the 117 most polluted countries. The countrys annual average PM2.5 levels reached 58.1 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3) in 2021, returning to pre-quarantine concentrations measured in 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that average annual readings of small and hazardous airborne particles known as PM2.5 should be no more than five micrograms per cubic meter. According to this metric, 63 Indian cities were among the 100 most polluted places in the world in 2021.

The WHO estimated that in 2019, about seven million premature deaths were attributed annually to ambient and household . According to the World Bank, the global health cost of mortality and morbidity attributed to was $8.1 trillion in 2019.

In India, only the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) has a dedicated agency to tackle the menace of air pollution. In 2021, the Centre created the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) as a statutory body to carry out air quality management in the area.
must be rational in thinking and fact-finding in nature, Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit said on Saturday.

Addressing a seminar organised by the Bar Council of India in Patna, Lalit said the objective of advocates should be upholding the rule of law.

" must keep in mind that their objective and motto should be upholding the rule of law. Advocates have a wonderful quality of convincing and catering fundamental inputs to the mind of the public. They must be rational in thinking and fact-finding in nature," he said.

Young should draw inspiration from the inherent qualities of eminent freedom fighters who were lawyers, he said.

"Even many freedom fighters were from the legal profession. Young lawyers have a bigger role to play in society," Lalit added.

Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju, who also addressed the gathering, said the executive, legislature and judiciary are working in the interests of the nation.

"All three pillars should respect each other," he said.

Emphasising the need to reduce pending cases, he said, "...there is a need to promote alternative ways like mediation and arbitration".

Rijiju appealed to chief ministers and chief justices of high courts for the early functioning of 1,800 fast-track courts in the country.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
External Affairs Minister on Saturday met his Russian counterpart here for a "wide-ranging" conversation that included "bilateral cooperation, Ukraine, G-20 and UN reforms.

"A wide-ranging conversation with FM at #UNGA 77. Discussed our bilateral cooperation. Exchanged views on Ukraine, G-20 and UN reforms," Jaishankar tweeted.

The meeting came just hours before Jaishankar's address to the high-level UN General Assembly's general debate. Lavrov is also scheduled to address the General Assembly on Saturday.

(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.)
Commerce and industry minister on Saturday met Singapore's Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation across several areas of mutual interest.

Goel also had an interaction with CEOs & Investors at the Business Roundtable in and invited them to participate in India's growth story and benefit from the multitude of opportunities.

"Met @Tharman_S, Senior Minister & Coordinating Minister for Social Policies. Discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation across several areas of mutual interest," Goel tweeted.

"Held an engaging interaction with CEOs & Investors at the Business Roundtable in . (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi Govt. has brought about a sea change in India's investment ecosystem. Invited them to participate in India's growth story and benefit from the multitude of opportunities.

Goel also met and addressed the Indian community in Singapore. He thanked them for holding India's flag high.

"Even if India was to grow at a normal pace... on its very own, India will grow to be 30 trillion dollar economy by 2047 when we celebrate 100 years of Independence," he told the Indian community.

He also said, "all of this is possible only because you and I want this to happen."



Nearly 120 Indian business leaders and diaspora attended the community event hosted for Goel by the Indian High Commission in Singapore on Saturday.

He is on his way back to India after attending the G20 summit in Bali.

relations are based on shared values and approaches, economic opportunities and convergence of interests on key issues. Political engagement is regular. Defence relations are particularly strong. Economic and technological ties are extensive and growing. Cultural and human links are very vibrant.

(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.)
Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, while addressing the two-day National Conference of Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), said that Gujarat is an example of development in consonance with the environment.

The Union Minister said, "It is a matter of pride that this conference is being held on the pious land of the creator of EK Bharat - Shreshtha Bharat, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. The Minister further stated that Gujarat is an example of development in consonance with the environment."

The conference was held on September 23-24 at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat.

The Union Minister said that the conference had overwhelming participation from 33 States across India.

He said that the State Ministers of Forest, Environment and Climate, the Secretaries and Chairman of Pollution Control Boards, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the Directors of 17 institutions under MoEFCC and other invited dignitaries, researchers, technical experts and officials of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also overwhelmingly participated at the event.

The Union Minister talked about all the discussions and sessions that took place during the two-day conference.

"PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the two-day conference on September 23. The sessions began with a discussion on Mission Life, Circular Economy, Ease of Doing Business and Pro-environment development. This was followed with a discussion on National Plan on Climate Change, where States put their views and suggestions," the Union Minister said.

"Parameswaran Iyer, CEO of NITI Aayog talked about Mission LiFE which is a global mission. The second session was on Plastic Management, in which the state representatives gave their views and collective suggestions on tackling plastic pollution and waste management. The third session was regarding PARIVESH portal wherein four different types of clearances; environment, wildlife, forest and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) were discussed," the Union Minister further said.

The Minister said that on September 24, three parallel sessions took place on Biodiversity, Wildlife Management and Wetland Conservation.

"The issue of Air pollution was also discussed in the parallel session where 17 institutes and their scientific activities, coordination and cooperation were deliberated. The discussion was also held on different projects with Directors of 17 institutes under the Ministry. The role of agro-forestry in employment generation and huge potential for an increase in farmer income was highlighted," the Union Minister said.

During his address, the Union Minister informed that MoEFCC is bringing an upgraded model of the PARIVESH portal and regarding which a presentation was made, and it was discussed by all the dignitaries who gave their constructive views.

The Minister also stated that in the 75th year of independence of India, 75 wetlands of India got the status of RAMSAR sites, this includes Khijadia in Jamnagar district, Gujarat.

The BJP leader said that during the concluding session all the delegates took the pledge on three points.

"First, on Environment-friendly lifestyle Mission given by our Prime Minister, all state government and centre will work together to promote and propagate Mission LiFE. Second, Wildlife and its conservation and green cover related NDC target to be achieved by all the States. Third, in agro-forestry, the States and Centre resolved to promote the production and development of agro-forestry products, and through this increase employment opportunities and income for the local communities and tribal population," the Union Minister said.

The Minister also informed that the sessions were not just technical, but also motivational and inspirational where Sri Sri Ravi Shankar took the meditation sessions.

The Minister concluded by stating that everybody got an opportunity to see the world's tallest statue and Gujarat's cultural and traditional folk dances. He also conveyed heartfelt thanks to the Ministers of Gujarat, the Secretaries, and other Officers who participated in the conference.

(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.)
In a shot in the arm for the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction, the on Friday granted it permission to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai. For the Thackeray faction the development has a symbolic value as Shivaji Park is associated with the Sena since its birth, and his group is locked in a tussle with the rebel group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to establish itself as the 'real' .



The Shinde faction had also sought permission to hold the rally at the same venue on the same day (October 5), and opposed the Thackeray group's petition in the high court.



Welcoming the ruling, Thackeray appealed his supporters to maintain discipline while attending the rally on Dussehra.



Thackeray supporters celebrated the ruling outside the Sena's headquarters in Dadar, close to the Shivaji Park, as well as near Thackeray's residence Matoshree in Bandra and in neighbouring Thane.



Kiran Pawaskar, spokesperson of the Shinde group, said they were contemplating moving the Supreme Court in appeal. A division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and Kamal Khata said in the ruling that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) decision not to grant permission to either Sena faction was a "clear abuse of the process of law."



The Thackeray faction had challenged the BMC order before the court. "The BMC order refusing permission merely on the ground that there was a second application filed to hold the rally at the same place is a clear abuse of the process of law," the order said. The civic body "misused its power on a flimsy ground," the court remarked. The BMC had on September 21 said it was refusing permission for the rally to both Thackeray and Shinde groups, because if permission was granted to one group, it would lead to law and order problems.



The corporation had also cited a report submitted by the local police station expressing this apprehension. MLA Sada Sarvankar, who had sought permission from the BMC for the rally on behalf of the Shinde group, had also moved the HC opposing the Thackeray group's petition. The court should not decide the matter as the dispute as to who represents the real Sena was pending before the Supreme Court, he said.



The court rejected the application noting that Sarvankar had no "locus" (right) to intervene, and the present petition had nothing to do with the issue before the SC. Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy and advocate Joel Carlos, appearing for the Thackeray faction, had argued that it had the right to hold the rally at Shivaji Park as it was a long tradition. They also cited a 2016 government order allowing Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park. BMC's counsel Milind Sathe contended that nobody can claim to have such a right.



Uddhav Thackeray welcomed the court's decision and said his party's faith in the judiciary stood vindicated. "We never stopped holding the congregation on Vijayadashmi at Shivaji Park since the inception of the party, except during the time of coronavirus pandemic. We are taking this tradition forward," he told reporters.



The Sena president appealed to Shiv Sainiks to maintain discipline during the Dussehra rally. His son Aaditya Thackeray thanked the court and said the truth always prevails. Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said the administration will follow the court's orders.



Transport minister Uday Samant, who owes allegiance to the Eknath Shinde camp, said the next course of action will be decided after studying the high court's order. NCP leader Ajit Pawar expressed happiness over the HC order.



The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly noted that late Sena founder Bal Thackeray had started the tradition of holding the Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park. "Balasaheb had said (his son) Uddhav Thackeray will lead the Sena after him and had asked Sainiks to stand by the latter," Pawar said. The Shinde group has already obtained the BMC's permission for Dussehra rally at the MMRDA ground even though it vied to get Shivaji Park for the event.

(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.)
Union Home Minister will be on a three-day visit to from September 30 where he is planned to address two rallies and review developmental activities, a senior party leader said here on Saturday.

J-K BJP general secretary and former minister Sunil Sharma, however, said the visit should not be linked to assembly polls.

"Election is the prerogative of the ECI (Election Commission of India) which is an autonomous institution and scheduling dates are up to them. The BJP is ready. This (Shah's visit) is a routine visit and linking it with polls is not right," Sharma told a press conference here.

He said Shah will arrive at Jammu on September 30, address a rally in Rajouri (Jammu division) on October 1, arrive in Kashmir the same evening and then address a rally in Baramulla town at 11 am on October 2.

"There are many expectations and hopes of people across Kashmir from the BJP and the Central government," he said.

"Every person has faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. To give that belief a shape, to fulfil those expectations, and to assess the developmental activities of the UT's LG administration, the Union Minister will arrive in J-K on September 30," Sharma said.

He said people from across Kashmir, especially north Kashmir, will attend the rally. "People from south Kashmir will also attend it."



Sharma said the Union minister will speak about various developmental activities undertaken by the Centre. "He will also speak about new steps taken by the Centre on the developmental front," Sharma added.

The Union Home minister's visit will be a big step to strengthen the belief of the people in the BJP and the Central Government, the BJP leader said.

"It will be the Union home minister's direct dialogue with the people of Kashmir in the form of the rally," he added.

The BJP leader said there will be many other official engagements but refused to share the details.

"But, as far as the party programmes are concerned, delegations from across party lines, or even business leaders, intellectuals, can meet him. Party activities will be discussed with senior leaders as well," he said.

Asked if Shah will lay the foundation stone for the proposed cancer hospital in Eidgah area of the city here, Sharma said according to the information the party has, there is a session on developmental activities.

"Perhaps, the foundation of the cancer hospital will also be laid and other developmental activities will take place," he 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.)
Live news updates: leader on Saturday resumed the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Perambra near here after a day's rest and he was joined by hundreds of party workers in the march. The march resumed around 6.30 am. The morning leg of the march will conclude at Amballur junction after covering 12 km. On Friday, the day of rest, a medical camp was organised for the participants of the march and the Seva Dal team at Chalakudy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a youth rally in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday and sound the Assembly election bugle for his party. The 'Yuva Vijay Sankalp Rally' is being organised by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) at the Paddal Maidan in Mandi. BJYM national president Tejasvi Surya said over one lakh youth from across Himachal Pradesh will participate in this rally.

In a strong response to Pakistan, India has said in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) that a country that claims to seek peace with its neighbours would never sponsor cross-border terrorism nor would it shelter planners of the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, disclosing their existence only under pressure from the global community. India exercised the Right of Reply in the UN General Assembly on Friday to respond sharply to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had raked up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir during his address to the high-level General Debate earlier in the day.
The Enforcement Directorate, investigating the case involving former Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, on Saturday told the High Court that he is running away from the probe.

The ED had served two notices to Isaac to appear before them with regards to the taken by the Kerala government when he was the Minister (2016-21).

Isaac, however, failed to appear before it and approached the court which asked the ED to go slow on it and file its affidavit.

In the affidavit, the ED said that he is duty bound to appear before them as this forms part of the probe and his response was "immature".

It further stated that the probe is in its preliminary stage and it is to find out if there were any violation in the FEMA guidelines and the ED has every right to ask questions.

The ED said that Isaac is running away from the probe and requested the court not to consider his plea that he will not appear before them.

Isaac's petition was that the ED had send two summons asking him to appear before it with numerous documents, including personal ones.

He had then contested the probe as one where the ED has now become a tool for the BJP to target political rivals.

The former minister pointed out that the apex court has clearly said ED is to tackle cases under Public Money Laundering Act and not under FEMA. It is the RBI which deals with FEMA.

Now, all eyes are on what position the court will take as the ED is insisting on Isaac appearing before it.

--IANS

sg/

(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.)
Police have arrested four wanted Maoists from Aurangabad district, during a joint operation of security forces of and Jharkhand, officials said Friday.

The arrested Naxals include Vinay Yadav, the regional commander' of the CPI (Maoist), who was carrying a reward of Rs 18 lakh on his head, they said.

Police also recovered Rs 20 lakh in cash from their possession.

Acting on a tip-off, security personnel had launched a search operation in some forested areas of the district, said Aurangabad SP Kantesh Kumar Mishra.

These Maoists were involved in many crimes. Arms and ammunition have also been recovered from their possession, he said.

All the wanted Naxals were arrested from Daud Nagar, Madanpur and Mayapur areas of Aurangabad district, Palamu SP Chandan Kumar Sinha said at a joint press conference.

Earlier on September 18, another Maoist leader Deepak Yadav alias Karu Yadav, who was wanted in more than 60 cases in and Bihar, was arrested from Maharashtra.

He was brought to Hazaribag and sent to jail on Friday, SP Manoj Ratan Chothe 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.)
to invest Rs 5K crore in India by 2025: CEO Mark Schneider

Global food and beverages conglomerate SA is planning to invest Rs 5,000 crore in India over the next three and a half years, Chief Executive Officer Mark Schneider said on Friday. The investment will be on capex (capital expenditure), setting up plants, and expanding the product portfolio of the company. Read more





Firms should not pin down staff: MoS IT Chandrasekhar on moonlighting

Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday joined the debate on moonlighting in the software industry, saying that captive work models would fail and companies should not tether their employees to their jobs. Read more





Moonlighting: No blanket ban in India though several laws frown upon it

recently fired 300 employees in India, saying they were moonlighting. The firm's action brings to the fore the question of where we stand in relation to laws governing dual employment. Read more

CAT scan for diversity: Why GEMs no longer shine at campuses

Many top B-schools have changed the mix of the composite score, which is the average of all weightings. They attach more value now to aspects such as academic record, bachelor's degree marks, work experience, performance in the personal interview, as well as gender and academic diversity  resulting in a decline of the weighting to the CAT score. Read more





to absorb 7 group companies, simplify holding structure

In a major move to consolidate its metals and mining businesses and simplify the holding structure, the board has approved the merger of six subsidiaries and an associate company into the steel major. The decision involves listed entities  Long Products, The Tinplate Company of India, Tata Metaliks, and TRF. Read more
Members of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday assembled outside the Embassy in New Delhi to against the attacks against Indians in Leicester, Birmingham and Smethwick.

The organisation also urged the government to immediately look into the matter and take stringent action against those involved. The leaders and members were staging a in an effort to meet the officials working at the Embassy. The condemned the recent attacks on the Hindu community living in the UK.

"A Member of Parliament in the UK wrote to govt no Hindu ceremonies will be held. They didn't listen to us. For world peace, Britain should stop inclining toward Islamic terrorists," said chief Alok Kumar during VHP's in front of the British Embassy over communal clashes in Leicester.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) had stressed on the need to take prompt action against the continued violence against Hindus in Leicester and Birmingham.In a letter to British Prime Minister Liz Truss, VHP had said they are alarmed at the ongoing violence in Leicester in which a large number of Hindus of Leicester have been targeted.

"The Vishva Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) is deeply concerned and alarmed at the ongoing violence in Leicester in which a large number of Hindus of Leicester, their places of worship, and their cultural and religious symbols have been wantonly targeted and damaged by Islamic extremists and hoodlums," the group had said.

"These violent, hateful and extremist acts are entirely unidirectional and unilateral. However, a strong but false narrative is being constructed that it is the Hindus of that area, who triggered this wanton violence, and are responsible for the same," the letter had read.

VHP had said that several Hindus had been assaulted, and numerous Hindu places of worship in Leicester had been vandalised. The group said Hindus are being terrorised to remove symbols of their heritage, traditions, culture, and religion.

"Many houses and properties of Hindus have been damaged. Many Hindus living in the impacted area have not sent their kids to school for several days now," the group had said.

The cycle of violence was triggered on August 28 after India won the Asia Cup T20 match against Pakistan. A clash broke out among groups of young men in Leicestershire, according to the police statement. At least 15 people have been arrested so far in the matter.

Various videos and reports have been circulating on social media about organised gangs seen vandalising and terrorising Hindus in the UK's Leicester City. The incident follows a spate of violence and disorder in the eastern part of the city.

On Monday, Indian High Commission in the UK condemned the violence perpetrated against the Indian community in Leicester and sought immediate action against those involved in the attacks.

The High Commission had issued a statement saying it has taken up the matter with the UK authorities.

"We strongly condemn the violence perpetrated against the Indian Community in Leicester and vandalisation of premises and symbols of Hindu religion. We have strongly taken up this matter with the UK authorities and have sought immediate action against those involved in these attacks. We call on the authorities to provide protection to the affected people," the statement had read.

(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.)
Amid a spurt in cases in the national capital, Chief Minister on Saturday said a plan has been devised to combat the vector-borne disease.

In coming days, several steps will be taken and school students will be involved in a big way in the efforts made to check the spread of dengue, he said.

The chief minister said this after holding a meeting with senior officials of the health department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and other departments.

Delhi has registered a huge spurt in cases in the last couple of weeks, raising the tally of the vector-borne disease to nearly 400 till September 17 this year.

Over 100 people were diagnosed with the infection in the period from September 9-17.

According to a civic body report released on Monday, 152 cases have been reported in this month alone till September 17.

After the meeting, Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi, "The rainy season spell has lasted longer this time. Dengue threat can increase. Today, sitting with officials of the health department, MCD, NDMC and other departments, a plan has been devised. In coming days, several steps will be taken. School students will be involved in a big way."



The city had recorded 295 dengue cases till September 9. Out of the 396 total cases recorded till September 17 this year, 75 were reported in August. No death due to the disease has been reported so far this year.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, sometimes stretching till mid-December.

Civic officials said dengue cases were recorded earlier than usual this year due to weather conditions that are congenial for mosquito breeding.

Rains continued to lash Delhi for the third consecutive day on Saturday, causing traffic snarls at some places in the morning as the minimum temperature settled at 22.6 degrees Celsius.

The city received 15 mm of rainfall from 8.30 am Friday to 8.30 am Saturday, as per data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Dengue is caused by the bite of aedes agypti mosquito and its larvae breed in clear water in left over cups, pots, tyres, flower pots, open utensils carrying water, water coolers, among other items.

(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 cashless treatment facility provided by Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY scheme for poor and underserved families has substantially reduced their out-of-pocket expenditure as well as financial bankruptcy due to severe and prolonged illness, and expensive treatment, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday.

Mandaviya interacted virtually with beneficiaries of the scheme from different parts of the country as the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) completes four years of implementation, a statement by the health ministry said.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin Pawar as well as Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel also attended the programme.

The Union health minister also shared the travails and pain of the beneficiaries and their families who narrated their experience of severe health crisis, and their inability of meeting the healthcare expenditure on their own, the statement said.

They also relived their joy on receiving financial support under AB-PMJAY which enabled them to seek quality tertiary treatment in PMJAY empanelled hospitals.

Mandaviya elaborated on the various features of the scheme and stated that Ayushman Bharat has strengthened the government's mission to ensure Health for All.

He further urged states which are still to onboard the scheme to join in this national mission of providing affordable healthcare aimed towards citizen welfare, the statement said.

With co-branding of the Ayushman Cards, we shall soon provide all eligible beneficiaries with the card," he said.

So far, more than 19 crore AB-PMJAY cards have been created and more than 3.8 crore beneficiaries have availed of free treatment under the scheme.

Highlighting the salient features of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), the minister noted that ABHA Health ID will prove to be a game changer in the health sector.

Few beneficiaries narrated the ease of creating the health ID and benefits of storing their health records on one platform.

The health accounts are highly helpful in identifying, authenticating and easily accessing one's health records without any hassle or charge, they informed, the statement said.

Mandaviya appreciated the beneficiaries who have made their online accounts and stated that the youth are ambassadors of the government's schemes and can help senior citizens in accessing benefits of such digital interventions.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The has imposed restrictions on the Odisha government's ambitious Bali Jatra project, for which the Cuttack district administration had reclaimed an area of around 426 acres of the Mahanadi riverbed, environmentalists said on Saturday.

As part of the Bali Jatra riverfront or the Barfi project, the district administration had reclaimed the floodplain zone of the river near Jobra barrage in Cuttack city by filling sand and garbage, they claimed.

According to them, the move allegedly "reduced the water retaining capacity of the barrage and posed a threat of inundation to at least 38 nearby villages".

A five-member special bench, headed by chairperson Justice A K Goel, said it was difficult to accept the state government's plan for construction on the reclaimed land, which has been clearly established to be part of the floodplain zone.

"There's the clear anticipated danger of flooding. We're guided by precautionary principle under Section 20 of the NGT Act," the eastern zone of the NGT observed while adjudicating on an application by city-based advocate Pradip Pattnaik.

The tribunal, however, has agreed to retain the original Bali Jatra ground of 34 acres, although it falls under the floodplain zone.

This is because the ground has been used for holding the annual historic festival since time immemorial, it said.

The Bali Jatra is one of the largest open fairs in Asia to commemorate the glorious past of voyages to the islands of Indonesia by Odia traders.

"There should be no further expansion and no concretisation or compacting of the said ground," the court said.

It also directed that the remaining 392 acres of land be used for plantation of local species and the area be developed as a biological park where no commercial activity would be allowed.

The NGT said "two-thirds of the reclaimed land be developed as dense forest" and the remaining area may be used for the park and playground without any permanent or temporary constructions or any commercial activity.

"It is made clear that no concretisation of any sort will be allowed in the entire 426 acres of reclaimed land," the tribunal said, adding that due precautions for maintaining sanitation and hygiene should be made at the Bali Jatra ground.

The bench directed the state government to take necessary safeguard measures for protecting 38 riverside villages, which are likely to be affected by flood in the periphery of Cuttack city.

It also ordered that the area where the forest is to be developed may be handed over to the forest department after demarcation.

"Rest of the area may be maintained by the local body/ irrigation department, as may be decided by the state government," the bench said.

Meanwhile, Cuttack collector Bhabani Shankar Chayni said the administration will examine the NGT order.

(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.)
21 September 2022  Over the past 3 days during my visit here in Damascus and to Daraa governorate, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact of war, economic instability and sanctions on innocent Syrians whose health even now continues to deteriorate.

In Daraa, once a hotspot of intense fighting and where parts of the governorate still remain in ruins, I met an elderly lady undergoing dialysis treatment who burst into tears as she spoke to me about her medical condition, and the fate that had befallen her country. Sobbing, she turned to me and asked, What has happened to us?

It was a hard question for me to answer.

Syrians who survived the war continue to be exposed to deadly disease outbreaks, like the current cholera outbreak across 6 governorates that has already claimed 23 lives and infected 253 people. Cases of leishmaniasis are also increasing across the country.

Today, more than 20 000 children under the age of 5 across Syria are malnourished, including 1500 children who are at risk of medical complications. No parent should have to stand by and watch their child suffer, but over the past 3 days, I met exhausted mothers whose babies were being treated for medical complications of malnutrition, including respiratory diseases and bloody diarrhoea as a result of weakened immunity.

In Damascus, doctors told me they were struggling to work with limited medical supplies and equipment as a result of sanctions on the country. Broken medical equipment like CT scanners and MRI machines stood idle as the spare parts needed to fix them could not be imported from international suppliers due to sanctions.

As WHO, we continue to reiterate that health care is a basic human right for all people, everywhere. But in Syria, the harsh reality is that our ability to ensure the health of innocent people is affected by other factors:

Political insecurity affects public health.

Sanctions affect public health.

Economic instability affects public health.

Shortages in fuel, water and electricity affect public health.

Unless the root causes of this health crisis are addressed, we can only achieve so much, leaving millions of people in Syria without the support they need to survive, recover and rebuild their country.

Within WHOs regional vision of Health for All by All we call for solidarity and action from the international community to give the people of Syria a chance to live a life of dignity, well-being and good health.

Statement by WHO Representative on health situation in Syria

Today, the risks facing Syrians are greater than ever before, as just now highlighted by WHOs Regional Director.

WHOs Whole-of-Syria response approach allows us to provide health aid to all Syrians in need across the country using the best modality, regardless of geographical location or political affiliation. As an organization, we also coordinate with all levels of government and ruling parties to facilitate the access we need to ensure that no Syrian is left behind.

As part of our response to the current cholera outbreak, a shipment of medicines and supplies landed in Damascus airport from our logistics hub in Dubai just 2 days ago. These supplies, enough to cover 2000 severe cases and 190 000 mild cases, will be distributed to health facilities in northeast Syria where the outbreak is concentrated. A second shipment is also expected to arrive later today.

Our immediate priority now is to stop the spread of this deadly disease by continuing to support rapid response teams, expand surveillance, testing and contacting tracing, while raising awareness among affected and at-risk communities on how to protect themselves. We are also working with partners to test water quality and distribute chlorine tablets to affected communities.

Overall, our work in Syria takes a 3-pronged approach to: 1) address the immediate needs of more than 12 million people in need of health assistance; 2) restore health system functionality by supporting health facility recovery and rehabilitation efforts and ensuring the availability of enough skilled health professionals; and 3) address the social determinants that affect the health of Syrians with regards to water quality and access to fuel, electricity and other basic resources.

But ensuring the health and well-being of all Syrians goes beyond the responsibility of health authorities and WHO, and requires actions by other sectors and all stakeholders, including the Syrian people themselves who need to be more aware of the actions they need to take to protect themselves and others.

Only 15% of all Syrians are vaccinated against COVID-19, and coverage remains low among priority groups, such as health care workers and the elderly, increasing their risk of severe infection and hospitalization. WHO is working with partners to increase vaccine demand and raise awareness about the benefits of vaccines in interrupting transmission of the virus and preventing severe illness and hospitalization.

The people of Syria have endured more than 12 devastating years of conflict, losing their loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods. We owe it to them to help them preserve their most basic right: the right to health.
The fate of and Ukraine are interconnected, and both countries must fight together to safeguard their very existence because Russia doesn't view them as independent sovereign states, Belarus' opposition leader said Friday.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after Russian ally Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in disputed August 2020 elections that many thought she won, said in an interview with The Associated Press that and Ukraine were once part of the Russia empire and there will be no free without free Ukraine.

As long as Russian President Vladimir Putin is in power, she said on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, there will be constant security threats to Ukraine - and to Belarus' western border.

Tsikhanouskaya said neither country wants to be part of another Russian or Soviet Empire.

So Belarus is part of this problem and this problem, this crisis, has to be solved in this context, said.

Lukashenko had to support Russia after its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, she said, because Putin supported him after the mass protests against the official 2020 election results that gave the Belarus president a sixth term with 80% of the vote.

Since its invasion, Russia has used Belarus as a staging ground to send troops into Ukraine, and Moscow and Minsk have maintained close military ties.

Lukashenko, who has been president since 1994, said last month that Belarus' warplanes have been modified to carry nuclear weapons in line with its agreement with Russia. And he warned the United States and its allies against carrying out a provocation against Belarus, saying targets have been selected for retaliation.

Tsikhanouskaya said the war in Ukraine was extremely unexpected and some Belarusians are especially opposed to the war against Ukrainians, our brothers and sisters.

Tsikhanouskaya said that more than two years since fleeing to Lithuania, the opposition has notched a lot of achievements - first and foremost that people are not giving up despite the Lukashenko regime's terror and repression and its imprisonment of more than a thousand political prisoners, including her own husband.

The opposition managed to build a coalition of democratic countries who are fighting alongside with us, fighting this regime, creating multiple points of pressure, she said.

There are now six packages of sanctions, pushed for by the opposition, against the Lukashenko regime. The sanctions have put stress and pressure on the president, making him focus solely on remaining in power instead of what's best for the country, she said.

Tsikhanouskaya said Lukashenko and his followers are adept at circumventing sanctions, using third parties. One way to prevent this is having the European Union follow the United States and impose secondary sanctions, she said.

She urged the community to both keep up pressure against Lukashenko - suggesting new sanctions on Belarus' exports of wood, potash and steel - and help Belarusian civil society, including human rights defenders, people of culture, politicians who are fighting with this regime so as to have the energy to continue.

Thousands of people have been imprisoned since Feb. 24 for opposing the war in Ukraine, she said, praising saboteurs who disrupted rail traffic heading from Russia to Ukraine through Belarus and who sent information about shipments to the Ukrainian military, an act that risked the death penalty.

People are scared, of course, Tsikhanouskaya said. We live like in a gulag actually in Belarus, but people have this energy to continue.

The opposition has organized something like a government in exile, Tsikhanouskaya said. Thanks to technology, she said she can communicate with people in Belarus, and now they are staying in safe mode, ready for a new wave of revolution when the moment comes.

She predicted that there will be a window of opportunity for the Belarus people, likely connected with victory in Ukraine, but nobody knows how long it will take.

Our task is not to be exhausted when the time comes, to have this energy, to continue to have this mobilization plan, transitional plan, Tsikhanouskaya said, and we hope it will not take too long because time is very important for Ukrainians, time is very important for our political prisoners, and time is important actually for the world, she said.

Tsikhanouskaya stepped in after her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, was arrested two days after he declared his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election. The popular video blogger and activist known for his anti-Lukashenko slogan Stop the cockroach" was sentenced last December to 18 years in prison on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

She said her husband has been in a tiny punishment cell for more than a month, adding that conditions for political prisoners are far worse than for ordinary criminals. She fears for him and for thousands of other political prisoners as winter approaches as the temperature inside their cells is no warmer than the outdoors.

Tsikhanouskaya said she came to the annual meeting of world leaders to give voice to the people who are fighting the dictatorship and to urge that Lukashenko be held accountable for his crimes.

She said she really understands the importance of focusing on Ukraine, but we don't have to forget the role of Belarus in this regional crisis, and we don't have to forget about the people in Belarus who are also fighting and are also suffering because of the war and because of the dictator ruling our country.

(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.)
confirmed 17,325 new Covid-19 cases for the week ending September 17, health authorities have announced.

The Public Health Agency of (PHAC) said on Friday that the number of total Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country reached 4,233,468 and 44,992 respectively, reports Xinhua news agency.

The daily positive rate during the week averaged at 10.1 per cent, and tests per 100,000 people were 62.

The government is expected to lift the Covid-19 border restrictions at the end of this month with the expiry of a cabinet order affecting mandatory vaccinations, testing and quarantine of travellers.

Meanwhile, ArriveCan, an app to input travellers' vaccine status and test results, will become an optional tool for customs and immigration, according to local media reports.

--IANS

ksk/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who paid a three-day visit to Pakistan, have called for timely reforms and legislative changes on issues including enforced disappearances and blasphemy cases.

From September 19 to 21, MEPs from the European Parliament's Subcommittee on (DROI) visited .

"In other meetings, MEPs focused on the situation against the backdrop of the final round of EU monitoring of Pakistan's preferential trade access to the EU market under the GSP+ scheme for 2014-2033 and its preparations for an application to the next GSP system to be determined in 2024," the European Commission said in a statement.

The commission said the EU is Pakistan's most important export market and as a major "GSP+" country, it has committed to ratifying and complying with 27 conventions on human rights, labour rights, sustainable development and good governance. "MEPs discussed a wide range of human rights topics in their meetings with the Speaker and members of Pakistan's National Assembly, as well as with the Chairman and members of the Senate," the statement said.

They also held meetings with the Minister of Human Rights, the Minister of Law and Justice and the Chairwoman of the National Commission on Human Rights. The delegation met with civil society organisations, women human rights activists and the media.

In these discussions, they talked about the criminal justice system, torture and the death penalty, economic and social rights, prevention of domestic violence, and the freedoms of religion and belief and the freedom of expression both online and offline.

"MEPs said it was important for to undertake timely reforms and legislative changes on human rights issues, and translate them into concrete improvements. They called for determined and structured action, including the swift adoption of laws against torture and enforced disappearances, steps to reduce the number of crimes carrying the death penalty and to apply the new procedures for mercy petitions," the European Commission said.

"Laws protecting journalists, eliminating obstacles to the work of civil society organisations and media, and the rights to collective bargaining and unionisation should be implemented," it added.

The delegation also raised the need to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws, by applying safeguards against false accusations.

The members and Pakistani senators committed to sending a joint letter to Pakistan's Supreme Court judges, requesting the court system, particularly at lower levels, speed up its processing of blasphemy cases. MEPs also called for decisive actions to prevent domestic violence, child labour and child marriage.

During their visit, the MEPs were briefed on Pakistan's emergency response, relief activities and vulnerability to climate disasters. They underlined that the community must increase its efforts to reduce global carbon emissions and help the countries suffering the most from 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.)
Speaking at the on Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered an emotional account of living on the front lines of the climate crisis after severe ravaged the country.

 has never seen a more stark and devastating example of the impact of global warming, Sharif said about the disaster. Life in has changed forever. He said that much of the country was still under water, submerged in an ocean of human suffering and this ground zero of climate change. More than 30 million people were affected and now the spread of malaria and other diseases threatens the country.

Standing in front of world leaders gathered in New York, Sharif asked for support in the slow rebuilding that will follow. He said that since countries like Pakistan have emitted less than 1% of the greenhouse gas emissions that have contributed to the planets rapid warming, it was entirely reasonable for his country to expect some approximation of justice for this loss and damage, not to mention building back better with resilience and strength.

Loss and damage is a phrase used in climate diplomacy to refer to impacts that communities can't adapt to.

Speaking to Bloomberg Television Thursday, Sharif called for debt relief in the wake of the . Unless we get substantial relief, how can the world expect from us to stand on our own feet? It is simply impossible, he said in an interview.

Theres no doubt that climate change worsened the countrys flood disaster.

According to one analysis, released this month by the World Weather Attribution research group, the rainfall in two provinces leading to the was upto 75% more intense because of climate change. Thats compared to a similar weather event happening in a world without .

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday: We have all seen the appalling images from Pakistan, and this is just at 1.2 degrees [Celsius] of and we are heading for over 3 degrees.

While many world leaders speaking at the UN this week focused on the Russian war on Ukraine and other geopolitical tensions, Sharif returned to the issue of climate change again and again in his remarks and stressed that the current crisis wasnt limited to the borders of Pakistan. One thing is very clear: What happened in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan.
India and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations have agreed to work together on global issues such as food and energy security and combating climate change, as they held discussions on deepening political engagement and increasing cooperation in the context of post-pandemic economic recovery.

The 4th India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held on Friday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration of Belize co-chaired the meeting.

The meeting was a follow-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic meeting with the leaders of CARICOM countries on the sidelines of the UNGA in September 2019, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

The meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers of Barbados, Dominica, Bahamas, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname.

During the meeting, both sides expressed happiness at the steady progress in cooperation between India and countries of the CARICOM.

They also reviewed the implementation of the announcements made during Prime Minister Modi's meeting with the leaders of CARICOM in 2019.

The two sides held discussions on deepening political engagement, and increasing trade and investment and cooperation in the context of post-pandemic economic recovery.

The two sides expressed satisfaction at the ongoing cooperation in the fora. They agreed to work together on global issues such as food and energy security, combating as well as disaster management and resilience, the release said.

Both sides also deliberated on development partnership and capacity building including through tailor-made and specialised training courses and deputation of experts based on the requirements of the CARICOM countries, it said.

CARICOM leaders acknowledged and thanked India's solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic expressed through supplies of essential medicines and vaccines.

The two sides also discussed potential areas of cooperation such as health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicines, IT and ITES capacity building, culture and sports.

They highlighted the role played and the contributions made by the large and vibrant Indian diaspora who continue to serve as an enduring link of friendship between India and the Caribbean region. They agreed to work towards further strengthening people-to-people contact and cultural links.

The meeting underscored the commitment of the two sides to deepen their relations both in the bilateral and global contexts.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
is looking for peace with all its neighbours, including India but sustainable peace and stability in South Asia remain contingent on a just and lasting solution to the Kashmir dispute, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said here on Friday.

In his address to the high-level UN General Assembly session, Shehbaz claimed that India's illegal and unilateral actions on August 5, 2019 to change the special status of Jammu and Kashmir further undermined the prospects of peace and inflamed regional tensions.

needs a stable external environment. We look for peace with all our neighbours, including India. Sustainable peace and stability in South Asia, however, remains contingent upon a just and lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, he said.

I think it's high time that India understood this message loud and clear that both countries are armed to the teeth. War is not an option. It is not an option. Only peaceful dialogue can resolve these issues so that the world becomes more peaceful in time to come, he said.

India has repeatedly told that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and shall forever remain an integral part of the country. India has said it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence.

The ties between India and Pakistan nosedived after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution.

India's decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.

Shehbaz said that New Delhi has ramped up its military deployments in Jammu and Kashmir, thus making it the "most militarised zone in the world, he said.

He said the Pakistani people have always stood by Kashmiris in complete solidarity and will continue to do so.

He said he will be forthcoming, to sit down and talk to "our Indian counterparts" to pave the way forward for the future so that "our generations do not suffer, so that we spend our resources on mitigating miseries, on building structures to face these floods and outburst of clouds.

I assured the World Forum that we in Pakistan remain consistent in our commitment to peace in South Asia. India must take reasonable steps to create an enabling environment for constructive engagement, he said.

We are neighbours and we are there forever. The choice is ours. Whether we live in peace or keep on fighting with each other. We have had three wars from 1947 onwards. And as a consequence, only misery, poverty and unemployment have increased on both sides.

Shehbaz said both India and Pakistan should not waste their resources in buying more ammunition and trying to promote tension.

It's now up to us to resolve our differences, our problems or issues like peaceful neighbours through peaceful negotiations and discussions and save our scarce resources for promoting education and health and employment to millions of people," he said.

On Afghanistan, he said at this point isolating the Afghan interim government could aggravate the suffering of the Afghan people who are already destitute.

The Pakistani leader began his address by talking about the devastating floods in his country and said in this ground zero of climate change, 33 million people, including women and children, are at high risk from health hazards.

He said 650,000 women have given birth in makeshift tarpaulins, more than 1500 people have died, including over 400 children.

The undeniable truth is that this calamity has not been triggered by anyhting we have doneWhat happened in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan," he said.

Shehbaz said Pakistan's urgent priority was to ensure rapid economic growth and lift millions out of poverty and hunger, asserting that to enable any such policy momentum, Pakistan needs a stable external environment.

On terrorism, Shehbaz said Pakistan shares the key concern of the community regarding the threat posed by major terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan, especially ISIL-K, TTP, as well as al Qaeda, ETIM, and IMU.

They all need to be dealt with effectively and comprehensively with the support and cooperation of the interim Afghan authorities," he said.

While stating that the UN Security Council and the General Assembly must be empowered to play their respective roles under the UN Charter, he said the Security Council must be expanded by adding 11 new non-permanent members to make it more representative, democratic, transparent, effective and accountable.

He said adding new permanent members will paralyse the Council's decision-making, create new centers of privilege in violation of principle of sovereign equality.

(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.)
Led by activist Priya Saha, the group estimated that nearly three million people were killed in a span of nine months at that time.

On March 25, 1971, Army launched 'Operation Searchlight', wherein a planned military operation was carried out by the Pakistani Army and its military deliberately harmed hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi citizens.

According to the rights groups, the horrors of 1971 are considered one of the worst mass atrocities in history.

Protesters were also carrying placards "calling for help" for women from Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities in .

Religious minority women and girls are abducted, forcibly converted, forcibly married and abused, and their families are unsuccessful in their attempts to challenge these crimes using legal avenues.

A 2015 report by the South Asia Partnership- in collaboration with Aurat Foundation found that at least 1,000 girls are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year. In a recent case in September 2022, Bhagwanti, a Hindu teenage flood victim girl from Shahadapur, Sanghar, Sindh, was raped for two days while she went out to get a paltry ration, reported IFFRAS.

While the abductions, forced conversions, forced marriages and abuse are perpetrated by individuals, the fate of religious minority women and girls is often sealed as the existing laws or handling of such cases deem any legal recourse unavailable or ineffective.

Human rights groups have documented the plight of Pakistan's religious minorities for years, but it is only recently that these minorities have become the focus of popular discourse because of revelations on social media regarding their treatment, reported IFFRAS.

(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.)
Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow.

Ukraine's presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19.

Oleksandr Starukh, the Ukrainian governor of Zaporizhzhia, one of the regions where Moscow-installed officials organised referendums on joining Russia, said a Russian missile hit an apartment building in the city of Zaporizhzhia, killing one person and injuring seven .

In the five-day voting in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south that began on Friday, election officials accompanied by police officers carried ballots to homes and set up mobile polling stations, citing safety reasons.

The votes are set to wrap up Tuesday, when balloting will be held at polling stations.

Ukraine and its Western allies dismissed the referendums as a sham with no legal force.

They alleged it was an illegitimate attempt by Moscow to slice away a large part of Ukraine, stretching from the Russian border to the Crimean Peninsula.

A similar referendum took place in Crimea in 2014 before Moscow annexed it, a move that most of the world considered illegal.

Half of the population fled the Donetsk region because of Russian terror and constant shelling, voting against with their feet, and the second half has been cheated and scared, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians in occupied regions to undermine the referendums and to share information about the people conducting this farce.

He also called on people to try to avoid the partial troop mobilisation Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday or to sabotage and desert the Russian military if they ended up in the ranks.

If you get into the Russian army, sabotage any activity of the enemy, hinder any Russian operations, provide us with any important information about the occupiers their bases, headquarters, warehouses with ammunition, Zelenskyy said.

Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said the voting looked more like an opinion survey under the gun barrels, adding that the Moscow-backed local authorities were sending sending armed escorts to accompany election officials and to note the names of individuals who voted against joining .

In the Ukrainian capital, about 100 people from the Russia-occupied city of Mariupol, which is part of the Donetsk region, gathered to protest the referendum, covering themselves in Ukrainian flags and carrying posters "Mariupol is Ukraine.

"They ruined the city, killed thousands of people, and now they are doing some kind of profanation over there, said Vladyslav Kildishov who helped organise the rally.

Elina Sytkova, 21, a demonstrator who has many relatives left in Mariupol even though the city spent months under bombardment, said the vote was "like a joke, because it's the same as it was in Crimea, meaning it's fake and not real.

It's an illusion of choice when there isn't any. she added.

Russia's Defence Ministry said that the partial mobilisation ordered by Putin aimed to add about 300,000 troops, but the presidential decree keeps the door open for a broader call-up.

Across Russa's 11 time zones, men hugged their weeping family members before being rounded up for service amid fears that a wider call-up might follow.

Some media reports claimed that the Russian authorities actually plan to mobilise more than 1 million, the allegations denied by the .

Protests against the mobilization that erupted on Wednesday in Moscow, St. Petersburg and several other Russian cities were quickly dispersed by police, who arrested over 1,300 and immediately handed call-up summons to many of them. Anti-war activists are planning more protests on Saturday.

Many Russian men tried desperately to leave the country, buying up scarce and exorbitantly priced plane tickets. Thousands fled by car, creating lines of traffic hours or even days long at some borders.

The mobilisation marked a sharp shift from Putin's effort to cast the seven-month war as a special military operation that doesn't intefere with the lives of most Russians.

The massive exodus underlined the unpopularity of the war and fuelled public outrage that could erode his grip on power.

Moving to assuage public fears over the call-up, the authorities announced that many of those working in high tech, communications or finance will be exempt.

And in a signal that the was getting worried about the spreading panic and chaos caused by the mobilisation, the head of a top state-controlled TV station harshly criticised military authorities for hastily sweeping up random people to meet mobilisation targets instead of calling up people with military skills who had served recently, as Putin promised.

RT chief Margarita Simonyan lashed out at military conscription offices for driving people mad by rounding up those who weren't supposed to be drafted. It's as if they were tasked by Kyiv to do that, she said.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed regional leader of Chechnya who sent his forces to fight in Ukraine and repeatedly called for tougher action, suggested that Moscow should more broadly engage personnel from law-enforcement agencies in the fighting.

He denounced those fleeing the mobilisation as cowards and argued that police and various paramilitary agencies that number a total of 5 million together with the military would make a much better-trained and motivated fighting force.

If we leave 50 per cent of the personnel to fulfil their duties, 2.5 million will blow any Western army away and we won't need any reservists, Kadyrov said.

Putin's mobilisation order followed a swift Ukrainian counteroffensive that forced Moscow's retreat from broad swaths of the northeastern Kharkiv region, a humiliating defeat that highlighted blunders in Moscow's military planning.

The Defence Ministry on Saturday announced the dismissal of Gen. Dmitry Bulgakov from the post of deputy defence minister in charge of logistics.

It didn't mention the cause for his ouster, but the move was widely seen as a punishment for the flaws in supporting operations in Ukraine.

(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 have announced that it plans to review and revise the curriculum in view of Afghan culture, educational standards, and Islamic law.

Ahmad Taqi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education said 35 academic curricula have already been finalised, and a single academic curriculum will be set up across Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported.

"We have adopted those norms that we support and are working to align Afghanistan's curriculum with those norms so that we can compete with other countries in curriculum," said Taqi.

There are 165 different educational curricula available nationwide, of which 20 bachelor's degree curricula and 15 master's degree curricula have already been finalized, the Afghan news agency reported citing statistics from the Afghan Education Ministry.

Earlier this week, the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada reshuffled several national and provincial positions, including the acting education minister.

This reshuffle comes as the has been under fire for the exclusion of girls from high schools in . The Taliban say they are working on a plan to open secondary schools for girls but have not given a specific timeframe.

Last week, the United Nations reiterated its call for the country's de facto authorities to take urgent measures to reopen high schools for all. "This is a tragic, shameful, and entirely avoidable anniversary," said Markus Potzel, the acting head of UNAMA, the UN Assistance Mission in .

"The ongoing exclusion of girls from high school has no credible justification and has no parallel anywhere in the world. It is profoundly damaging to a generation of girls and to the future of itself," said the UN envoy, who is also the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan.

According to the UN mission in Afghanistan, the Taliban have failed to deliver on various promises that they will enable their return to the classroom. The ban prevents girls attending grades seven to twelve, primarily impacting girls aged between 12 and 18.

"The denial of education violates the most fundamental rights of girls and women. It increases the risk of the marginalization, violence, exploitation and abuse against girls and is part of a broader range of discriminatory policies and practices targeting women and girls since the de facto authorities assumed power in the summer of 2021," the United Nations Assistance Mission (UNAMA) said in a statement last week.

The UN has called upon the Taliban to reverse the slew of measures they have introduced restricting Afghan women and girls' enjoyment of their basic rights and freedoms.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US is outlining its goals for a new trade deal with Australia, Japan, South Korea and nine other nations meant to signal the country's commitment to working with the Indo-Pacific region at a time of growing Chinese clout.

The Office of the US Trade Representative on Friday released its negotiating objectives for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a deal with the 12 nations launched in May.

Among them, the US wants the Indo-Pacific countries to improve their labour and environmental standards and ensure their markets remain open to competition, while also taking steps to ease supply-chain backlogs at border crossings.

After the Trump administration's clashes with US allies, Asian countries have welcomed America's reengagement in the region, which also comes at a time of considerable economic disruption arising from COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But many were disappointed the framework doesn't lower tariffs or provide signatories with more access to the US market.

The Obama administration had negotiated a detailed trade agreement with 11 other Pacific Rim nations, the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

But President Donald Trump, saying the TPP and similar trade deals threaten American jobs, pulled out of the agreement in his first week in office. The other countries moved forward without the United States.

The Biden administration has no plans to rejoin the trade bloc and is instead promoting the Indo-Pacific framework. Critics consider the agreement a vague alternative to TPP.

Still, the administration noted that countries involved in the framework also including Brunei, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam account for 40 per cent of global GDP.

The future of the 21st century economy is going to be largely written in the Indo-Pacific," the trade office said Friday. The framework will help to drive sustainable growth for all our economies."



The Biden administration said its trade team would also seek to promote digital trade, among other things.

USTR is handling the trade aspects of the framework. The Commerce Department is overseeing three other framework initiatives involving improving supply chains and promoting a green economy and fair'' growth that emphasizes the rule of law and labour rights.

(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 introduction of the Mohajer-6 long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the fray of the Ukrainian conflicts is a change in the Russian strategy atypical of its usual methods.

These unmanned drones were used to attack Odessa and Dnepropetrovsk as part of Moscow's offensive. Using drones by the Ukrainians is not as effective as more electronic jammers will sever the remote link with the operator.

Russia Deploys Iranian UAV in Ukraine

Another more sinister drone was recently introduced, the Iranian Shahed 136, a delta wing suicide drone that has caused damage to Ukrainian military personnel and equipment.

According to Taghrib News Agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin deployed another Iranian UAV to the battlefield, the Mohajer-6, to add pain to Kyiv as another weapon to dispatch Ukrainians without endangering men or equipment. It is much bigger than the Shahed 136 for other missions and is used like the US predator UAV.

Non-Russian sources have mentioned that these unmanned aircraft were used to attack targets in Odessa and Dnepropetrovsk. The Ukrainians are limiting info about these weapons systems' use.

These Mohajer-6 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles are capable of aerial attacks with various guided ordnance, including bombs and shorter-range missiles. It has a total capacity of arming up to four weapons mounted on it.

Another function of the drone is intelligence and surveillance reconnaissance (ISR) installed in the same electro-optical system equipped on the delta wing suicide drone. The system searches for targets 12 km away and locks on a chosen target 10 km away.

Read Also: Mark Zuckerberg Net Worth 2022: How Did Facebook Founder Lose $30 Billion in 1 Day?

The systems equipped on the UAV are an electro-optical, laser, and infrared detection system; they can loiter for targets of opportunity for about half a day, and last is a 100-kg payload to attack targets over Ukraine.

Since the middle of September, a transport aircraft flight connecting the Iranian Army and Revolutionary Guard Corps has made delivery flights to Russia. Onboard is a lot of the drones used to attack Kyiv.

One report by the Wall Street Journal cites sources like Ukrainian troops that mention attacks by Iranian UAVs, the Shahed 136. The dive bombing drones had more impact than other Russian arms.

Difference Between the Mohajer-6 and Shahed 136

The Shahed 136 weapon is a one-time-use system, a flying missile meant to attack as a suicide weapon. But the Mohajer-6 is for attacks at stand-off distances to bomb and fire missiles from a safe distance, farther from contact with enemies.

No indicators show the weapon system's total effect in the Ukrainian battle theatre or how many have been used. Another is how involved Iranians are in the UAV operations with Russians.

Drone variety for Iran has yielded high-end drones, and the Shahed 191 and stealth-like wing designs are also survivable. Iranian technology has bypassed sophisticated drone defenses better than Kyiv's, reported Military Watch Magazine.

The Mohajer-6 is a more prominent and cost-effective weapon, adding more damage to Moscow's adversaries. Russia has less developed UAV technology than Iran, which it wants to have by buying drones like the Mohajer-6 long-range unmanned aerial vehicle.

Related Article: Russian Military Uses Iranian Suicide Drones To Terrorize Ukrainian Army in Recaptured Territories

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Biden administration on Friday ramped up its diplomatic efforts to press to end provocative actions against Taiwan and warned it about any active support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken made both cases in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Friday in a meeting on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly in New York, according to US officials. The session was one of the few that Blinken kept on his schedule after the death of his father on Thursday.

The officials wouldn't describe the Chinese response, but said Foreign Minister Wang Yi was receptive to the messages and that the two men discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US- relationship, especially during times of tension.

The talks between Blinken and Wang come amid a period of intense tensions on both issues and ahead of an expected meeting in November between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping. Biden's recent comments about Taiwan and China's tacit support for the war in Ukraine are just two of the latest irritants in relations between Washington and Beijing.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said Blinken had affirmed to Wang the administration's commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait" despite Biden's assertion earlier this week that the US would send troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

regards the self-governed island of Taiwan as its sovereign territory, has not ruled out force to reunify it with the mainland and has in recent months stepped up military activity in the area. That activity is at least partially in response to high-level US congressional visits to Taipei, including by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and stepped-up American arms sales.

Blinken stressed that preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is critical to regional and global security and prosperity, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. It added that the US remains committed to its one-China policy which does not support Taiwanese independence.

On Russia, US officials said Blinken underscored the damage that would be done to the Sino-US relationship should Beijing take a more active role in supporting the war in Ukraine. US officials have said they are cautiously optimistic about recent comments from Chinese leaders about their concerns over the war and its consequences, and Blinken wanted to drive the point home.

Blinken highlighted the implications if the PRC were to provide support to Moscow's invasion of a sovereign state, Price said in the statement. PRC refers to China's formal name, the People's Republic of China.

The US,-China relationship has become increasingly fraught in recent years over multiple issues, including the persecution of Muslims and ethnic minorities in China's western Xinjiang region, clampdowns on dissent in Tibet and Hong Kong, aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea and against Taiwan, and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nonetheless, Price said the US continues to be open to cooperating with the PRC where our interests intersect. One area the US hopes to continue coordination is on 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.)
Anupam Rasayan India announced that with respect to the fire incident at its plant in Sachin GIDC, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has issued directions for closure of the plant.

Further, the company has been directed by GPCB for payment of Rs 1 crore as an interim environmental damage compensation.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Anupam Rasayan India said that the Gujarat Pollution Control Board has directed the company to pay an interim environmental damage compensation of Rs 1 crore.

On September 11, a fire incident had taken place at Anupam's plant in Sachin GIDC. The fire took place in one of the manufacturing block of the factory at unit-6 of the company. Four fatalities were reported and twenty people were injured and were receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Out of the six manufacturing units spread out at different locations in Sachin GIDC of Surat district and Jhagadia GIDC of Bharuch district, the plant at unit-6, which is an independent unit, has the lowest capacity.

"We are trying to assess the damage and will take appropriate actions to operationalise the plant shortly. Also, we are covered for loss of assets and loss of profits under Insurance, Anupam Rasayan had said.

Offering an update on the same, the company said that the fire, according to the monitoring carried by Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), may have led to liberation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have affected the air quality in the nearby area. As a consequence, GPCB has issued directions for closure of the plant.

The company has been directed by GPCB for payment of Rs 1 crore as an interim environmental damage compensation.

"We seek to comply to the directions of GPCB and shall submit the compliance report. The company is taking all measures to restart the plant at the earliest. Based on our initial assessment of internal investigation committee, there will not be major financial impact due to this incident, the company said in a statement.

Anupam Rasayan India is one of the leading companies engaged in the custom synthesis and manufacturing of specialty chemicals in India. Its business verticals are life science related specialty chemicals comprising products related to agrochemicals, personal care and pharmaceuticals, and other specialty chemicals, comprising specialty pigment and dyes, and polymer additives.

On a consolidated basis, net profit of Anupam Rasayan India rose 23.57% to Rs 39.69 crore on 31.19% rise in net sales to Rs 306.56 crore in Q1 June 2022 over Q1 June 2021.

The scrip fell 1.84% to end at Rs 770.05 on the BSE on Friday.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Make in India, the flagship program of the Government of India that aspires to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development, and build best-in-class manufacturing infrastructure, completes 8 years of reforms on 25th September 2022. Launched in 2014 under the dynamic leadership of the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 'Make in India' is transforming the country into a leading global manufacturing and investment destination. The initiative is an open invitation to potential investors and partners across the globe to participate in the growth story of 'New India'. Make In India has substantial accomplishments across 27 sectors. These include strategic sectors of manufacturing and services as well.

To attract foreign investments, Government of India has put in place a liberal and transparent policy wherein most sectors are open to FDI under the automatic route. FDI inflows in India stood at US $ 45.15 billion in 2014-2015 and have since consecutively reached record FDI inflows for eight years. The year 2021-22 recorded the highest ever FDI at $83.6 billion. This FDI has come from 101 countries, and invested across 31 UTs and States and 57 sectors in the country. On the back of economic reforms and Ease of Doing Business in recent years, India is on track to attract US$ 100 Bn FDI in the current FY. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme across 14 key manufacturing sectors, was launched in 2020-21 as a big boost to Make in India initiative. On the back of economic reforms and Ease of Doing Business in recent years, India is on track to attract US$ 100 Bn FDI in the current FY.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
This week T N Ninan gives you a picture of the way oligarchs have influenced politics in Ukraine.

In many industries, productivity increases if you dont have to clock into an office with all its protocols, says Devangshu Datta

TCA Srinivasa Raghavan reinforces the argument about economics having to borrow from sociology and anthropology and describes why older-generation economists are falling behind.
RJD president on Saturday said that will be wiped out from Bihar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

While speaking to media at the Patna airport, Lalu Prasad said: "We will wipe out in 2024.

An ailing Lalu Prasad, who was in the capital for his treatment, had returned to Patna last month. He is scheduled to go to Singapore for a kidney transplant on Monday.

While in Delhi, he is set to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Sunday. He will will be accompanied by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The two leaders will brief the Congress chief about the initiatives being taken to unite the opposition parties against the in 2024.

They are scheduled to meet Sonia Gandhi at her residence at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

--IANS

ajk/shb/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The will not be able to retain the Lok Sabha seats it had won during the 2019 Parliamentary elections in the state as MPs including, Rahul Gandhi, have 'failed' to resist the BJP in the national polity, Chief Minister has said.

The Chief Minister also taunted the party over the inclusion of V D Savarkar's photo among the 20 Indian freedom fighters in a banner erected for welcoming the ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing a massive crowd here as part of the 50th Martyrdom day of Left leader Azheekodan Raghavan, Vijayan said that people of his state have realised that electing Gandhi to Lok Sabha from was a mistake.

"When Rahul Gandhi contested here, our people thought that he was going to become the Prime Minister. But the people now know that it was a mistake. That trick of the will not work here again. The UDF MPs from are not even resisting the BJP at the national level. They failed to raise any issue pertaining to Kerala in the Lok Sabha," Vijayan said.

The veteran Left leader alleged that the communal agenda of the RSS was being encouraged by the Congress and pointed out that even the state chief of the national party had said that he will join BJP if he wants.

"The BJP and the RSS are now trying to include Savarkar as a freedom fighter along with Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad. You all might have seen the poster of Savarkar with Azad in a poster raised by Congress. This shows that the Congress has accepted the campaign of the RSS and that's why Congress in Ernakulam decided to add Savarkar in the freedom fighters list," Vijayan told the gathering on Friday evening.

He also attacked the RSS and the BJP, saying they were never part of the freedom struggle but used to write apology letters to the Britishers and betrayed the freedom fight.

"The RSS advised Hindus that it was not necessary to fight the Britishers. RSS was never part of the freedom struggle and even if they got arrested somehow, we know the example of Savarkar," he said.

Vijayan accused the BJP of trying to spread communalism and dividing the society.

"The RSS talks about 'arsha bharatha samkaram.' But, are they following anything as per that?" he asked.

"A section of people are being projected as our country's enemies. Is that mentioned anywhere in any vedas or puranas? .. they (BJP and RSS) got it from Germany's Hitler. RSS took inspiration from Hitler. Golwalker wrote that Muslims, Christians and Communists are the internal threats to India. RSS took its organisational form from Mussolini," Vijayan claimed.

In his hour-long speech, Vijayan alleged that RSS views the minorities of the country as 'enemies' and are unleashing attacks on them across the country.

Congress was left red-faced on September 21 over Savarkar photo on Bharat Jodo Yatra banner in Kochi.

The national party immediately suspended its Nedumbassery Congress Mandalam secretary, from the primary membership as he was responsible for arranging the banner.

The face of Savarkar in the banner put up near Cochin International Airport was later covered with a photo of Mahatma Gandhi.

The issue grabbed national attention with the BJP central leadership taking a dig at the Congress, describing it as a "good realisation" for Rahul Gandhi.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A court here on Saturday granted bail to senior Congress leader in a over his claim that people associated with the RSS were receiving money from Pakistan.

The district and sessions court granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 after he appeared before it. Speaking to reporters later, Singh claimed that the (RSS) was not a registered organization, hence it could not be defamed.

Speaking at a press conference in Bhind in 2019, Singh had allegedly claimed that some people associated with the RSS were receiving money from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Pakistani spy agency.

Avdhesh Singh Bhadoria, a lawyer, filed the against Singh after coming across the statement. The Congress leader had made the statement while referring to an alleged espionage racket that had been busted in Madhya Pradesh two years earlier.

After a magistrate's court dismissed Bhadoria's defamation complaint against Singh, he moved the sessions court and the latter issued a bailable warrant against the Congress leader. The case could not be heard earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lawyer said.

The next hearing will be held on November 22, 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.)
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary on Saturday demanded that the government at the Centre immediately alter its policies that extended subsidies and tax benefits to big corporates, and also recover the huge loans granted to them.

Addressing a public meeting marking the culmination of the 10-day-long 'Desa Rakshana Bheri' that the CPI(M) organised across the country, the party general secretary said the Modi regime had destroyed both the Constitution and the nation's economy in the last eight years of its rule.

"If you don't do that (change the policies), we will dethrone you and bring in a new people-friendly government," Yechury warned as he called upon secular, democratic parties to join hands to bring down the Modi regime.

"A staggering sum of Rs 11 lakh crore given as loans to mega corporates, who are Modi's friends, have been written off. On top of it, Rs 2 lakh crore was extended as tax benefits to them. This is an atrocious loot of public money," Yechury lashed out.

He pointed out that businessman Gautam Adani was at the 330th position in the world before Modi became Prime Minister but now has risen to become the second richest in the world.

Only five-six business tycoons became multi-billionaires under Modi's rule while 42 per cent of youth in the 20-25 age group remained unemployed, Yechury asserted.

He claimed over 11,000 youth died by suicide across the country as they could not secure jobs, even as lakhs of posts in the government remained vacant.

"All the money that is doled out to the corporates in different forms should be recollected and utilised for people's welfare. It will also ease the unemployment problem, the former Rajya Sabha member said.

Yechury also lamented that secularism was under threat in all BJP-ruled states. Laws were being changed to attack the minorities. Atrocities on women and Dalits were on the rise.

"BJP has not won all states, yet it has grabbed power through covert means. It is buying legislators and, if that is not possible, threatening them using Enforcement Directorate, CBI or other agencies," he alleged.

Voices against Modi's rule were being stifled through false cases and arrests. It was the responsibility of all to protect democracy and secularism of the country at this juncture, he further said.

"It is inevitable to dislodge Modi. It is the CPI(M)'s objective and we will continue the fight across the country. While strengthening the Left unity, others ready to protect secularism and democracy should be taken together for forging a secular alternative (to the BJP)," Yechury said.

CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh unit secretary V Srinivasa Rao and other leaders attended the meeting.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
president J P Nadda will address panchayat level party workers during his two-day visit to scheduled to begin on September 29.

Nadda, who will be visiting the state for the first time after becoming the chief, will also meet office bearers, MLAs, MPs, and district presidents of the unit of the saffron party, state general secretary Golak Mohapatra told reporters here.

After he arrives at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here at 10 am on September 29, he will address party workers at Janata Maidan, Mohapatra said.

in-charge of the BJP Sunil Bansal has already reviewed the preparedness ahead of Nadda's visit to the coastal state.

Party sources said that Nadda is likely to kick off the BJP's campaign for the 2024 general election during this visit.

Around 25,000 party workers are likely to attend the meeting at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar on the first day of Nadda's visit, they said.

The BJP president will spend the night at Puri and visit Shree Jagannath Temple in the pilgrim town on September 30. He will also visit the residence of ex-MLA Bishnu Charan Das, who passed away recently, to meet bereaved family members.

BJP's new Leader of Opposition J N Mishra met both Nadda and Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday and briefed them regarding the political scenario in Odisha.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday also reviewed the preparedness of the party before Nadda's forthcoming visit.

(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.)
Biden's administration general cautions that the US cannot fight a space or cyber war if it goes against China, US military is fearful that they are too behind Russia and China in terms of space warfare weapons.

US Unprepared for Space Fight

US President Joe Biden had received a stark warning from his commanders, who informed him that the nation is poorly prepared to fight China in space when a crisis strikes, reported Express UK.

According to one official, the US is not in the same league as the PLA or Russia regarding advanced electromagnetic spectrum capabilities. Even now, it could happen in conflicts such as Russia-Ukraine, including tests of outer space weapons conducted by Beijing and Moscow.

Moscow tested a satellite killer a year ago to destroy a malfunctioning one. The anti-satellite test, or ASAT, shocked Washington, noted Foreign Policy.

Numerous pieces of space debris have been launched toward the International Space Station, compelling astronauts to seek refuge in their spacecraft for fear of being struck.

China Successfully Launches Hypersonic Glide Vehicle

Another nailbiter for the US Pentagon came in the form of hypersonic weapons; in particular, the Chinese hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) and fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS).

FOBS is a warhead that goes into low earth orbit as its trajectory to reach its target, citing Financial Times.

Several officials spoke at the US Air Force Association's Air, Space, and Cyber Conference on Sunday, and they all agreed that Beijing had taken the lead and would not be able to catch up in a space or cyber war, warned the Biden administration's general, according to Air & Space Forces Association.

Read Also: Joe Biden Children: Who Are the POTUS' Kids? Does He Have a Daughter?

Based on the most recent Air & Space Forces Magazine, Lt. Gen. Leah G. Lauderback, the US Air Force's deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and cyber effects, said they are ill-prepared.

Another official, Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Kennedy Jr., commander of Air Forces Cyber, stressed the significance and immediacy of the threats faced by both Russia and China. He added the US is in indirect competition with the People's Republic of China in space and other theatres in modern combat.

China Advances in Space Technology

The officials were highly concerned about China's recent resurgence. Beijing established the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force in 2015, which was tasked with interacting with space and cyber functions, including information and electromagnetic warfare.

According to Space Force Brig. Gen. Gregory J. Gagnon, the Chinese are moving faster than expected. The United States should keep this in mind when making plans.

He points out that the PLA has 260 satellites, all pointed toward the Pacific Ocean, providing an early warning system to determine the timing of an attack on Chinese adversaries.

As said by DefenseNews, China's FOBS is just an unpredictable functionality that can stay in space for about as long as the user specifies and afterward de-orbit as it's a normal flight path.

The head of US Strategic Command, Adm. Charles Richard, gave a dire warning, saying the FOBS of China is fully tested and it's something uncommon in the world today.

He advised last month at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium that the military should now focus on revamping its missile defenses and creating better variants that can deal with threats taking aim at the United States.

Committing to space and cyber war will be unequal, said the Biden administration's general, stating the US cannot deal with how things are now.

Related Article: NATO Has No Military Conflict With Russia's Armed Forces

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Delhi Chief Minister and his Punjab counterpart will visit Ahmedabad on Sunday and hold interactions with the youth, sanitation workers and temporary employees of the Gujarat government.

Every section of the society in Gujarat is looking to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with hope, Kejriwal said, ahead of his visit to the poll-bound state ruled by the BJP.

" and I will go to Ahmedabad tomorrow. Will interact with youth, safai karmacharis and temporary employees there. Every section of Gujarat considers the Aam Aadmi Party as their hope, AAP national convenor Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi on Saturday.

Of late, the AAP national convenor has started visiting Gujarat every week to lead his party's poll campaigns as well as review and fine-tune his party's poll preparations in the state where assembly elections are expected to be held by the end of this 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.)
Senior leader on Saturday batted for the 'one nation, one voter list', saying that there is a need for paramount and path-breaking reforms in the electoral process of the country.

The former minority affairs minister was addressing a conference at an event organised here to celebrate the birth anniversary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

"Different voter lists for elections to Panchayat, Municipal Corporation, Municipality, Vidhan Sabha, Lok Sabha and other elections not only create confusion but also raise questions on the credibility of the voter lists. 'one nation, one voter list' and 'one nation, one voter card' can help to solve this problem," he said.

Naqvi said many significant took place in the year 2000 during the tenure of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee including the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), ban on contesting from more than two places, limit on election expenditure and putting curb on criminalisation in the .

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also initiated various crucial reforms in the electoral process. The Modi Government has brought 'electoral bonds' to curb the use of black money by political parties, candidates in elections and to ensure financial transparency in the electoral process," he said.

"The other introduced by Modi also include easy and accessible procedures for voters, expansion of voter ID cards, legal restrictions on money and muscle power, formulating guidelines for non-serious candidates and political parties and the appeal for 'one nation, one election'," the leader added.

He called Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay an "institution of political purity and probity", terming his principle and ideology an essential and effective lesson for .

Cautioning the people about money and muscle power in electoral politics, the leader said Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Ji had said "vote for a person, not for his purse; vote for a party, not for a person; vote for ideology, not for a party".

Deendayal Ji had also cautioned against opportunism which has nowadays become a "prevailing political practice", he said.

Naqvi said elections are a festival of democracy, adding that people's faith and enthusiasm towards elections strengthen democratic values in India, the largest democracy of the 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.)
Senior BJP leader on Saturday condemned the during the PFI-sponsored hartal in Kerala and lashed out at the CPI(M) saying the Left government was equally responsible for the attacks.

Javadekar, Kerala in-charge of the BJP, said the raids were conducted against the Popular Front of India (PFI)in 15 states but was witnessed only in the southern state.

had called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Friday against the Investigation Agency-led pan India raids against the outfit, for allegedly supporting terror related activities, in which over 100 of its activists were arrested. The protest turned violent in many parts, with government and private vehicles being targeted by miscreants.

The former union minister also alleged the and the CPI(M) were hands-in-gloves in Kerala due to which the state was witnessing a complete lawlessness.

"Yesterday was a dark day in Kerala because people suffered throughout the state. The was engaged in and attacked the bus travellers. We condemn the barbaric attack by PFI and they also bombed the RSS office in Kannur. This is never seen before," Javadekar said.

He charged the violence n Friday was planned.

"The left front government is answerable. In 15 states raids were carried out against PFI offices. But only in Kerala violence happened. So the LDF government is equally responsible for the violence committed in Kerala yesterday," he said, adding "we are seeing complete lawlessness in Kerala".

The BJP leader also attacked the Congress and said it "made a neutral statement without naming the PFI."



"We are asking Rahul Gandhi why he has not named PFI. What is the understanding? We all know that Sudhakaran (KPCC chief) was supported by the PFI in the election. I have read it in the newspaper," Javadekar said.

He also attacked the Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Congress and said it was one without any message.

"The Congress has now undertaken a walkathon. I have never seen a yatra without a message. They say Bharat Jodo. Bharat is already one but their leaders are quitting Congress. They are into Congress chodo yatra," Javadekar said.

He claimed the BJP and RSS were peace-loving organisations that have never indulged in any violence.

In near simultaneous raids across the country, a multi-agency operation spearheaded by the NIA on September 22 led to the arrest of 106 activists of the Popular Front of India in 11 States for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.

The PFI had held a hartal on Friday protesting against the arrest and raids.

Masked men and miscreants went on a rampage in different parts of Kerala on Friday, damaging state-run buses and ambulance, injuring policemen and commoners and vandalising shops and threatening the public.

At least 70 KSRTC buses were damaged and over 10 of its employees suffered injuries in stone pelting and related incidents.

(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.)
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader on Friday in a lighter vein said twice he became deputy chief minister of and on both occasions, wanted the home portfolio, but "seniors" in his party thought if he gets the key ministry, he would not listen to them.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly made the comments during a meeting of the NCP's Pune unit where a functionary remarked that when the party becomes part of a government in the future, he (Pawar) should become home minister. "Last time, when I was made deputy chief minister, that time 'I told that make me home minister'. But seniors thought if the home minister's position was given to me, I would not listen to them," he said jokingly. Pawar said after Anil Deshmukh resigned as home minister in April last year, he once again asked the party to give him the home ministry, but he did not get the portfolio. Speaking to reporters later, the senior NCP leader clarified he had made the remarks about eyeing home ministry in a lighter note while addressing party workers. "To energise party workers in the hall, who were looking dull and tired, I made those remarks jokingly," Pawar said. Asked about the Investigation Agency (NIA)'s raids on the Popular Front of India and arrest of more then 100 of its members nationwide, Pawar said arrests were made in 12 to 15 states and maximum were in Kerala and . "It seems that after noticing some serious things, a decision was taken (to conduct raids at PFI offices) at the higher level (at the Centre)," he 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.)
Referendums have begun in four Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions, which the international community has denounced as illegitimate and might result in Moscow annexing 15 percent of Ukraine's territory.

The self-declared "independent republics" of Luhansk and Donetsk, which have been ruled by separatists backed by Moscow since 2014, will continue to hold elections through September 27. as reported by Al Jazeera. The four locations will use an unusual voting process, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

Russia's Way to Further Push Its Ukraine Invasion

Due to the short deadlines and a lack of technological capabilities, it was said that traditional paper ballots were utilized in place of computerized voting. Locals will only be able to vote at polls on the last day; for the first four days, ballots will be collected door-to-door by election officials.

The four leaders of the region, who had been nominated quickly by Russia, disclosed their plans on Tuesday, following a quick Ukraine counteroffensive that swiftly recaptured large parts of the area in northeastern Kharkiv that Russia had seized after invading the country on February 24.

Since it is clear that the judgment favors annexation, Ukraine and its allies have made it clear that they would not accept it. The votes are seen as a major escalation of the seven-month conflict in Ukraine because incorporation would allow Moscow to claim that it was safeguarding its territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's gamble in Ukraine is much more brazen than anything the Kremlin has ever done. The Kremlin has previously utilized annexation and referendums to enforce its intentions.

According to a new declaration from UN experts, who also mention evidence of war crimes, a significant number of people have left the regions under Russian control, the procedure has been hastened forward, and tyranny is the setting for the referendums.

On the ballots being distributed, there was only one question: "Are you in favor of Ukraine seceding to establish a new country that would ally with the Russian Federation?"

"We will be able to make our historic decision," said Kirill Stremousov, head of the Russian occupation authority in Kherson, in southern Ukraine.

Read Also: Biden Assures All Out Help For Hurricane-Hit Puerto Rico: 'We're all in this together'

Sham Referendums

However, the referendums have been criticized by the UN, world leaders including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, and international agencies like NATO, the European Union, and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The New York Times reported, at the UN General Assembly this week, Pres. Biden warned that "if nations can pursue their imperial ambitions without consequences," the global security system established to stop the horrors of World War II from happening again will be endangered.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked allies for their consistent support and declared that "the farce" of "sham" referendums will not change Ukraine's fight to oust Russia.

Observers caution that a hurried process is unlikely to be fair in areas where many voters reside close to the front lines, CNN reported. Additionally, given the substantial internal displacement that has taken place since the start of the conflict, voting databases are undoubtedly out-of-date.

A referendum in Crimea was held in 2014, and 97 percent of participants voted in favor. Russian lawmakers gave their approval to the annexation in less than a week.

Related Article: Hungarian PM Encourages Lifting of Russian Sanctions Which Caused EU Problems

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
National political advisors discuss rural vocational education

Xinhua) 13:46, September 24, 2022

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, presides over a biweekly consultation session held by the 13th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

Chinese national political advisors convened a bi-weekly seminar on Friday to discuss how vocational education can better contribute to the country's rural revitalization programs.

Vocational education should take root in the country's reality while pushing forward reform and innovation to develop a Chinese model of vocational education that serves agricultural and rural development, said Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who presided over the meeting.

Vocational education institutions should train more talented young people who are highly skilled and competent in business operations and management to provide strong support for rural revitalization, said Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Eleven political advisors and experts put forward their suggestions at the meeting, while 126 expressed their views on an online platform, said a statement issued after the meeting.

They proposed that local governments allocate more manpower and resources to vocational education programs that serve agricultural and rural development and that more vocational colleges be founded in county seats.

Political advisors also suggested that more students enroll in majors such as agricultural technology, eco-friendly agriculture, intelligent agriculture, e-commerce and logistics, and rural tourism. Efforts should also be made to foster more competent teaching staff and innovate education methods in vocational schools, such as incorporating online and offline schooling and introducing part-time programs.

(Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Bianji)
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, where a spacecraft is deliberately smashed into an asteroid in an attempt to change the latter's course, will strike the cosmic object on Monday.

The mission aims to see if this kind of kinetic impact is able to deflect an asteroid that would potentially pose a threat to our planet, and you can watch it on NASA's website.

NASA's DART Mission

NASA program scientist for the DART mission Tom Statler said, "We are moving an asteroid. We are changing the motion of a natural celestial body in space. Humanity has never done that before."

The DART spacecraft is roughly the same size as a school bus and has been traveling to reach its asteroid target since launching in November 2021. It will arrive at the asteroid system on September 26 and impact is expected to occur at roughly 7:14 p.m. ET.

The craft is heading towards a double-asteroid system, where a tiny "moon" asteroid, named Dimorphos, orbits a larger asteroid, known as Didymos. The latter's name means "twin" in Green and it is roughly 780 meters in diameter. On the other hand, Dimorphos is roughly 160 meters across and its name means "two forms," as per CNN.

At the time of the impact, Didymos and Dimorphos will be relatively close to Earth, somewhere within 11 million kilometers. Neither of the two asteroids is at risk of colliding with our planet, whether before or after the collision with the spacecraft.

The DART spacecraft is on a Kamikaze mission and after setting its sights on Dimorphos, will accelerate to 21,600 kilometers per hour and crash into the moon nearly head-on. The craft is roughly 100 times smaller than its target asteroid, so it would not obliterate the cosmic object.

According to SciTechDaily, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, designed and leads the ambitious mission for NASA. However, it still calls on the expertise of various NASA centers, similar to other missions.

Read Also: Lost Traces of the Sun's Forgotten History Could Be Discovered on the Lunar Body

Colliding With an Asteroid

In the case of the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, that expertise is for navigation, asteroid science, the precise location of the target, and Earth-to-spacecraft communications.

The director of JOL, Laurie Leshin, said that strategic partnerships between the JPL and APL are the lifeblood of cutting-edge space mission development. She added that their history of working with APL goes back all the way to Voyager and extends well into the future, with missions such as Europa Clipper.

The DART spacecraft uses JPL's navigation support to find its way to its target asteroid in the far reaches of the cosmos. JPL's Julie Bellerose, who leads the DART spacecraft navigation team, said that supporting the travel was a "difficult job."

Previously, the DART mission captured a photograph of Jupiter and its four largest moons, in a test of its autonomous navigation system. This will help lead the spacecraft to collide with its target asteroid.

NASA released the image on Sept. 20 but was actually taken over the summer, when DART was roughly 26 million kilometers from Earth. The operators of the mission used Jupiter and its four Galilean moons to validate how objects that are close together appear to the DRACO camera, which is DART's sole instrument, Space reported.

Related Article: MIT Warns Astronomers of Misinterpreting James Webb Space Data Due to Lack of Accurate Technology

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
UN Security Council Archives

Turkish president has long been calling for UN reform; US president, other leaders join call, though no consensus on how to do it yet

ISTANBUL (AA)  The efficacy of the UN Security Council has long been questioned, and the chorus of calls for change is growing louder day by day.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been one of the most vocal advocates for restructuring of the UNs top decision-making body, leading the charge with his mantra that the world is bigger than five.

At the heart of the debate lies the use  or rather misuse  of the veto power held by each of the five permanent Security Council members  the US, UK, France, China, and Russia.

Each of them has, at one point or another, used that decisive vote to block moves they believed threatened their interests, paying no heed to the greater good or larger public benefit.

It has left the Security Council toothless and quite incapable of fulfilling its purported aim of maintaining global peace.

At this weeks 77th UN General Assembly, US President Joe Biden, among other leaders like German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, brought up the issue after Erdogan.

Biden called for expanding the Security Councils membership, saying permanent seats should be granted to nations in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

So is it a case Turkiye and the US seeing eye to eye? Are Erdogan and Biden pushing for the same thing? Not quite, according to some experts.

Richard Gowan, UN director of the International Crisis Group, said Bidens announcement has created a stir among diplomats at the UN.

I think the US was responding to a widespread sense at the UN that Russias war on Ukraine has highlighted deep flaws in the Security Council, he told Anadolu Agency.

The US does not want to look like it is defending a fundamentally flawed body even though it enjoys a privileged position in the Council, he said.

The US was hoping to win some diplomatic goodwill with this gesture, Gowan argued, the but Washington does not have a detailed model of reforms needed.

According to Kadir Ustun, the executive director of the Political, Economic and Social Research Foundation (SETA) in Washington, Biden was frustrated with Russias position at the UN Security Council following the war in Ukraine, which led him to call for reform.

The UN reform, he said, has been an unrealized goal for several decades.

In the past, the P5 (permanent five) countries used the UN Security Council to create summon action against belligerents in the international system such as North Korea, Iran, Iraq among others.

At the same time, there has been no meaningful action on a number of issues if one of the P5 countries wouldnt see it in their national interest such as on Israels occupation of Palestinian lands, he asserted.

- No easy consensus on UN reform

Many countries, including Turkiye and the US, have demanded reforming the Security Council. However, experts see differences in approaches between Ankara and Washington in this regard.

The Turkish president has proposed a rotating membership system thus all countries would get a chance to be a member at some point. His US counterpart, on the other hand, raised the need for increasing the number of permanent and non-permanent representatives of the UNSC.

Gowan said Erdogan has always been a strong critic of the power of the permanent five members of the Council.

The US is willing to talk about reform, but we should recognize that Washington will ultimately defend its power position in the body, whatever structural changes are possible, he said. So there is an opportunity for Erdogan to advance his ideas, but there is no easy consensus.

- Can permanent members give up veto power?

Among the five permanent Security Council members, Russia has been the most frequent user of the veto right, with 120 vetoes so far. It is followed by the US with 82 vetoes, most of which are critical of Israel. China used its veto power many times, siding with Russia on the civil war in Syria. The UK and France have not used their veto power since 1989.

Biden told 77th UN General Assembly that the US should refrain from the use of the veto, except in rare, extraordinary situations.

But will the countries give up their veto power, which has been a serious challenge in reform initiatives?

According to Ustun from SETA, an Ankara-based think tank, great powers are unlikely to give up this power, as they have used it in their favor on a number of issues such as Israel and Syria.

He, however, stressed that a comprehensive reform of the UN system will need to address the veto power and inclusion of all countries.

Gowan believes that the US could make non-binding political commitments about limiting its veto use but is never going to give up its basic veto power, especially on Israel-related issues.

- Security Council expansion quite probably impossible to agree upon

As the US is in favor of increasing the permanent seats for other nations, Gowan opined it would be highly political contentious and quite probably impossible to agree upon.

There are so many complications, such as tensions between China and Japan, and India and Pakistan over their relative power at the UN, he said.

I actually think that it may be easier to work on other issues, like agreeing a code of conduct on the P5s use of the veto, which would not necessarily require Charter reform, he said.

However, Russia may simply refuse to engage in that discussion of the veto. I think China would be marginally more willing to do so, he added.

Although SETAs Ustun voiced support for a comprehensive reform of the UN system, he still thinks the expansion of the members would definitely make a big difference if the UN Security Council structure is broadened and made much more inclusive.

By Rabia Iclal Turan/AA
Authorities reported that at least 77 migrants drowned after a boat that they were riding on and traveled from Lebanon, sank off Syria's coast in what is considered one of the deadliest of such shipwrecks in the eastern Mediterranean.

Since 2019, Lebanon has been mired in a financial crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the world's worst in modern times. It has also become a launchpad for illegal migration, with its own citizens joining Syrian and Palestinian refugees clamoring to leave their homeland.

Sunken Ship

The boat carried roughly 150 people, mostly Lebanese and Syrians, before going down off the Syrian city of Tartus on Friday. Syrian Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabash reported that 77 people died in the incident, adding that 20 survivors were being treated for injuries, with being in critical condition.

Lebanon's caretaker transport minister Ali Hamie revealed that among the rescued, five were Lebanese. Tartus is the southernmost of Syria's main ports and is located roughly 50 kilometers north of the northern Lebanese port city of Tripoli, where the migrants had boarded, as per CBS News.

An official at Syria's transport ministry, Sleiman Khalil, said, "We are dealing with one of largest ever rescue operations."

He added that they are covering a large area that extends along the entire Syrian coast, noting that high waves were hampering their efforts. Syrian authorities also said Russian ships were assisting in the search operations.

Rana Merhi of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said that identified bodies would be later transported to a border crossing to be handed over to the Lebanese Red Cross.

According to BBC, the family of the victims mourn the loss of their loved ones as one fatality, 35-year-old Mustafa Mesto, lost his life alongside his two daughters and son, while his wife and her father are still in critical condition after being transported to a hospital in Syria.

Read Also: Moscow-Controlled Areas in Ukraine Start Referendum on Joining Russia Amid International Criticism

Fleeing Poverty

Mustafa was a Lebanese taxi driver and married to a Syrian Kurd who had fled the country's vicious civil war. They were one family fleeing the devastation of two different nations and had hoped to reach Italy, dreaming of a better life.

But the incident had taken those dreams away, as the victims' families, like those of others who lost their lives on the boat, were in shock. Adla, Mustafa's mother, sat in the middle of a big room filled with grieving relatives. She wailed out loud, blaming the Lebanese government for her son's horrific fate.

She said, "He ran away from poverty and the terrible conditions they left us in. These politicians could not care less about our lives. Nothing will bring him back to me, nothing will bring his little children back to me."

In a similar incident in April, a boat that left the northern city of Tripoli was headed for Europe before it sank off the coast, killing dozens of people. There were claims that the ship was rammed by a vessel carrying Lebanese military personnel, an accusation that added to the anger in Tripoli about the city's marginalization, the Washington Post reported.

Related Article: Hurricane Fiona Path: Storm Strengthens to Category 4, Now Threatening Canada

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In the animation category, Jan Gadermann and Sebastian Gadow from Konrad Wolf Film University of Babelsberg were awarded for their short Laika & Nemo, about a boy who feels left out because nobody but him wears a diving suit. Everything changes when Nemo meets Laika, an astronaut with a unique suit of his own.

The trio of Yanis Belaid, Eliott Benard, and Nicolas Mayeur from Pole 3D Digital & Creative School in France were the third and final Oscar winners in the animation category. Their film, The Seines Tears, unspools in 1961 as Algerian workers take to the streets to protest a mandatory curfew imposed by the police.

Olivia Peace was the lone winner from the alternative/experimental category for her work on Against Reality. Peaces University of Southern California thesis project is an autobiographical short. The work, which was created using AI art-generation tools, also appeared at the Toronto International Film Festival this month.

For the first time since 2019, student winners are invited to an in-person ceremony on Thursday, October 20, in Los Angeles. The medal placements  gold, silver, and bronze  will be announced there.

The ceremony is free and open to the public, but advance tickets are required. Tickets may be obtained here.

2022 Student Oscar Winners

Alternative/Experimental

Olivia Peace, Against Reality, University of Southern California

Animation
After a rude interruption, Kilkenny Animated is thrilled to be back from September 30 through October 2, 2022, with a brimming program of visual storytelling that celebrates the creativity and craft of the visual image in Kilkenny City in the heart of Irelands Ancient East.

The festival is hosted by five-time Oscar-nominated animation studio Cartoon Saloon and award-winning Lighthouse Studios, both of whom call Kilkenny home. In preparation for this years event, Cartoon Brew talked with Paul Young, Cartoon Saloon founder and Kilkenny Animation co-director, to highlight a few key events from this years program:

The Cuphead Show! panel will be great! A look at how it was adapted from a fantastic game to a popular Netflix TV series. I am very much looking forward to Dylan Morans stand-up show, he is one of Irelands most celebrated comics and has a love of Cartoons. He also will be chatting with two cartoonists, Aoife Dooly and Matt Diffee on the pain and pleasure of writing comedy for these two mediums. I am also looking forward to talking with Adrien Merigeau on his very Artful Oscar-nominated short Genius Loci after its screening at the festival.

And, of course, Cartoon Saloon will have plenty to show off, including a sneak peek with Oscar-nominated director Nora Twomey behind of the studios latest animated feature in association with Netflix, My Fathers Dragon.

Celebrated American author and illustrator Cece Bell will talk about her graphic novel El Deafo, which has been adapted into a much-loved animated series of the same name on Apple TV+. Continuing with the theme of adaptation, the creator of Netflixs The Cuphead Show!, Dave Wasson, and the shows art director, Andrea Fernandez, will talk to Lighthouse Studios Gilly Fogg about its adaptation from global game to hit TV series. Cartoon Saloon co-founder Tomm Moore will talk to Irish comic author and artist Declan Shalvey about Moon Knight and his other Marvel Comics and Image Comics titles.

This years festival also features a huge program of workshops and talks for animation professionals, supported by FiS Eireann / Screen Ireland, Animation Skillnet, National Talent Academy  Animation and Animation Ireland. The Graduate Hub at the Set Theatre will provide a space for recent animation graduates to learn more about animation skills, network with colleagues, and view screenings of students work. For non-professional kids and adults alike, there are Wolfwalkers mask making workshops, flipbook workshops, comic book inking, courses, medieval walking and sketching tours as well as guided tours of the Cartoon Saloon studios, all in the company of some of the worlds finest animation creatives who have made Kilkenny City a global hub for animation.

We asked Young what it is that makes Kilkenny, and Ireland at large, such a special place for animation:

I think it was because we could not stay local to get our shows and films made, as Ireland is such as small country. Irish Animators have had to travel to find investment and partners, which I think made us internationally focused from the outset. We are also a kind of bridge between the U.S. and Europe culturally with our own very authentic stories to tell from our islands vantage point. We also do attract amazing talent from all over the world who seem to like living and working in Ireland; it has a lot to offer if you look in the right corners!

This years festival kicks off in the Set Theatre on Friday, September 30 with a Roaring 20s Opening Night Party featuring swinging jazz from Toot Sweet and the Shadow Man and projected cartoons from the 1920s.

People are coming back out of their houses, Young explained enthusiastically. The town is getting back to its fun-filled self. It will be different, but hopefully we will see some old and new faces back in town!

Kilkenny Animated is hosted by Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios. The directors are Paul Young, co-founder of Cartoon Saloon; and Naoise Nunn, of Schweppe Curtis Nunn.

Tickets available now at www.kilkennyanimated.com
The United States will never accept the referendums held by Russia in the seized regions of Ukraine, according to President Joe Biden.

The US will continue to cooperate with allies to "impose extra fast and harsh economic sanctions on Russia," according to the President.

Biden Vows to Impose Harsher Sanctions on Russia

According to the statement, "The United States stands with our allies throughout the world - and with every country that respects the core tenets of the UN charter - in rejecting whatever falsified outcomes Russia may declare."

Russia's separatist leaders said four Russian-occupied regions started holding referendums on joining Russia on Friday, raising the stakes of Moscow's incursion, as per CNN.

The referendums, which are against international law and are denounced as fakes by Western nations and Kyiv, might lead to Russian annexation of the regions, giving Moscow the opportunity to portray the continuing Ukrainian counteroffensive as an attack on Russia.

Additionally, Biden charged that Russia had "shamelessly" broken a fundamental principle of the UN charter that forbade invading another nation with force. As Russia makes measures to modernize its military, Biden said the annual meeting of world leaders that all the UN stands for is at stake if Russia can seize another country by force.

Biden's involvement in successfully managing the Ukrainian situation has contributed to his increased worldwide status, USA Today reported. It is a significant shift from the position he took in last year's debut United Nations speech, which was given just after the tumultuous US pullout from Afghanistan.

Yet despite the praises he has received for assembling a coalition in favor of Ukraine, he still has to deal with a number of international issues, such as maintaining pressure on Russia while its conflict with its neighbor rages on and Europe gears up to withstand a winter without Russian gas.

In a televised speech to his country on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is not present at the meeting, declared a partial military mobilization as Ukraine's counteroffensive pushed his invading soldiers back near the Russian border.

Read Also: Lebanon: 77 Migrants Drown in Syria After Deadly Shipwreck

US Warns China Against Helping Russia

In the meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday during a meeting in New York on the fringes of the UN General Assembly against Beijing lending any help to Russia in connection with its invasion of Ukraine.

Although China continues to have close connections with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it has refrained from publicly applauding the invasion and from taking any acts that would put it in a position where it would be seen as transgressing international sanctions against Russia.

Ned Price, a spokesman for the State Department, said that Blinken "reiterated the United States' disapproval of Russia's conflict against Ukraine and underscored the repercussions if the PRC [People's Republic of China] were to offer support to Moscow's invasion of a sovereign state."

Per The Hill, Price added in the statement that Blinken emphasized the need of the US keeping lines of communication open with Beijing in order to defuse tensions. As a result of President Biden's comments in an interview released on Sunday that the US would support Taiwan if China wanted to attack, tensions between Washington and Beijing have increased since the meeting.

The Chinese, who see the island as a rebel region that would inevitably unite with the mainland, are enraged by the US stance toward Taiwan and Biden's repeated claims that American military will defend the democratic island.

Over a number of security, military, geopolitical, economic, and environmental issues, relations between Washington and Beijing have continued to deteriorate. The two senior diplomats stressed the need of maintaining contact on the most challenging topics at their most recent meeting, which took place on July 9 in Bali, Indonesia, after a gathering of the foreign ministers of the Group of 20.

Related Article: Moscow-Controlled Areas in Ukraine Start Referendum on Joining Russia Amid International Criticism

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Graduate transfer outside hitter Natalie Tyson recorded her 1,000th career kill behind a 23-kill performance to help lead the Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team to a 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-10, 25-23) victory over Furman in the Southern Conference opener on Friday evening inside Maclellan Gymnasium.Following the win, Chattanooga opens the league slate with a 1-0 record for the third time in the last five seasons and improves its overall record to 6-9. Furman falls to 0-2 in the SoCon and 4-8 overall after the loss."I am thrilled to get the first win of the conference season in front of our fans.We were ready and started each set strong," said head coach Julie Torbett.Chattanooga opened the match with a convincing 25-17 win in the first set before seeing the match tied at 1-1 following a 25-22 Furman win in the second. UTC controlled the momentum the rest of the way following a dominating 25-10 win in the third while handling a 25-23 match-clinching decision in the fourth.Tyson, a grad transfer from East Carolina ahead of the season, posted her third 20+ kill performance of the season and seventh of her career after finishing with 23 kills on 53 attacks while committing just four errors to amass a blistering .358 attack percentage. Factoring in 786 kills at ECU, Tyson surpassed 1,000 kills for her career with her 22nd kill of the match."The passing was much better which allowed Elaine [Redman] to set Natalie [Tyson] in system. Kate [Neill] was very effective as well. We will have to commit less errors tomorrow against a very good Wofford team to get the same result."Kate Neill followed Tyson on the Mocs kill leader board with 11 while hitting at an extremely effective .304 percentage on 23 total swings. Halle Olson finished with nine to round out the offensive highlights. Offensively as a team, Chattanooga out-attacked Furman in kills (56-36), hitting percentage (.201-.069) and assists (49-32).On the defensive side, Tyson recorded her ninth-straight, kill-dig double-double of the season after tying Paige Gallentine with a team-high 14 digs. Gallentine's 14 digs marked her 12th-straight match with 14 or more digs this season while notching her 54th career match with 10 or more.Redman directed the offense with a match-high 42 assists, the second most for the hometown kid this season (52 against Southern Indiana on 9/9). She finished with 10 digs defensively to notch her fourth double-digit dig effort of the year.Aleya Kennedy provided a spark off the bench after joining the starting rotation in the third set. Kennedy finished the match with three kills and a team-high 5.0 blocks which included two solos and three assists. Olson, Neill and Chloe Bryan each finished the contest with three block assists.Chattanooga hosts Wofford (8-5, 0-1 SoCon) tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 24, at 4 p.m. ET inside Maclellan Gymnasium. The Terriers opened the SoCon season on Friday at ETSU and dropped a 3-1 decision which snapped a seven-match win streak. The match will be LIVE on ESPN+. Admission is FREE.
The owner of Motel 6 at 2440 Williams St. told police a white male wearing brown pants, a blue shirt and gray hat was not allowed inside through the back door of the business. The man became angry and struck the glass back door with a crow bar causing heavy damage to the door. The man then fled on foot toward Broad Street. Police checked the surrounding area but were unable to locate the suspect.

* * *

Police responded to a suspicious man sleeping in the First Horizon parking lot at 5526 Brainerd Road. Upon arrival, Fire and EMS already had the man awake. He told them that he was sleeping and he was okay. The man told police he was asleep and that he didn't need any police assistance. The officer ran the man for any outstanding warrants, but none were located. The officer told the man to move along, and he said he was heading towards East Ridge. The officer was very familiar with the man and he is a known homeless man who frequents the area.

* * *

An officer made a traffic stop at the Mapco gas station on Highway 153 at Hamill Road for an expired tag violation. The driver and owner of the vehicle had two passengers, a man and a woman. The driver was told of the violation and he said he was aware of the expired tag. The officer informed him that he has to fix the tag and let him off with a warning. This was the only violation and there are no active warrants.

* * *

Police were flagged down by a parking lot attendant to say a black male was sleeping in the parking lot of the Majestic 12 at 311 Broad St. He asked if police would speak with him and ask the man to leave the lot. Police found the man lying on the sidewalk on the south side of the building, asleep. The officer woke him up and took his information. He was polite and cooperative. Police asked him not to come there to sleep again. He got up and left the lot as requested.

* * *

An officer responded to a suspicious vehicle on Mountain Creek Road. Upon arrival, a woman told police she saw a suspicious green Ford pickup sitting across the street from her home for a while. She said the vehicle left minutes before law enforcement's arrival. The woman said she wanted to be on a watch list and wanted to inform the officer of the vehicle.

* * *

A woman told police she received a letter from Capital One regarding a payment of $1,726 that could not be processed due to a lack of funds. She called Capital One and they told her to call Cashnet USA. She called Cashnet and they would not give her any information. She said they are requiring a police report to clear up this matter. She hasnt suffered a financial loss as a result. The woman doesnt know how her information was obtained.

* * *

A woman on Shallowford Road said she received a phone call from a co-worker saying her vehicle had been damaged. She was out of town during this incident. She said next to her vehicle were several large rocks. The damage done to her vehicle appeared as if someone tried to break in using these rocks. There were chips on the drivers side window, dents in the drivers side door and the drivers side side-mirror had been destroyed.

* * *

While on routine patrol an officer observed a gray Toyota Rav4 matching the description of a stolen vehicle at the intersection of N. Chamberlain Avenue and E. 3rd Street. The officer saw the vehicle travel in the area of Derby Street when it realized police presence. The vehicle began to travel at a high rate of speed before emergency lights were initiated. As the vehicle continued to flee, witnesses in the area said they saw it in the area of McCallie Avenue and South Watkins. The vehicle was BOLO'd to Charlie team.

* * *

A woman called police to say she was traveling on McBrien Road toward Brainerd Road when a black Honda, possibly an Accord, pulled out in front of her and they bumped. She said there was no damage to the Honda and the front bumper on her Kai Optima was already cracked. She said they both saw that there was no need of an accident report. The woman said she didnt get any information on the other driver. The woman said she was so frustrated and upset that she missed work as a result. She needs a report to give to her boss telling why she missed work. The woman said she has a drive out tag on her Kia and gave the VIN. The woman is clear that from what she told police, this is a miscellaneous report.

* * *



Police responded to E. 12th Street on a report of a black male trying car door handles while riding a black bike. Once on scene, officers made contact with a man who provided a description of the suspect. While searching the area, police observed a man on E. 12th St. matching the provided description. Before police could speak with the man, he fled on foot leaving an assortment of belongings in the area. While attempting to pursue the suspect, police also recovered a red hat which was worn by the suspect. While recovering the hat, police also observed a HighPoint C9 firearm lying next to the property. The property was recovered and taken back to the incident location. Police checked the firearm in NCIC which returned as not stolen. The only suspect information is of a younger man, possibly mid-twenties. All property was recovered and turned in to the Property division.
EPB Vice President of Strategic Communications and Marketing J. Ed Marston gave the board of directors an overview of the utilitys annual report at the September meeting on Friday. It has been 10 years since EPB launched its gig speed fiberoptic network and it is continuing to stay on the leading edge with a six-year upgrade plan. Recent upgrades have already increased the capacity to handle 10 times more network traffic from when it was started in 2009.

EPB has a mission to enhance the quality of life for people it serves and one way it does this is to put customers first, Mr. Marston said. This has partially driven the increased use of the utilitys fiberoptics side of the business. The Internet service now has 126,086 customers, including residential and commercial. This year EPB tied as the number one ranked electric residential utility in customer satisfaction in the U.S. in the annual consumer survey by J.D. Powers. And it was ranked as the best mid-size utility in the South for the sixth year in a row.



The business provides personalized customer service to help customers save money related to energy use. Assistance is offered, such as giving a customer guidance for their energy needs. Consultations are available about shifting to electric vehicles and business are being encouraged to install charging stations. During the pandemic, when kids were unable to be in classrooms, the Hamilton County Ed Connect program was developed with EPB giving free internet access to K-12 Hamilton County students in need. Today there are 1,600 students enrolled in the program and that allows 28,000 people to use the internet when family members are included.

The Energy Pro Program helps customers to save money while they conserve energy by providing home check-ups that show homeowners ways to cut energy use. This program provided 1,100 consultations in the past year. Another program, Home Uplift, actually makes upgrades to residences that lead to energy savings for customers in need. There were 600 homes that got improvements through Home Uplift in 2022. The Cut the Cord campaign has encouraged customers to switch to more cost-effective ways to watch TV by streaming instead of watching through the cable. The company has support people to help customers make the switch. There are now just 34 percent of fiber optics customers that buy TV services. EPB will also provide information about the use of solar energy.

EPB is supporting local companies and growth for small businesses in the area that are owned by minorities and women. As COVID restrictions were relaxed, EPB partnered with River City Company to hold community events that encouraged people to get out and to return to patronizing local businesses which has helped lead to job creation.



And they are delivering solutions for sustainability by leading the shift from gas powered vehicles to electric vehicles. There are already free charging stations in the EPB parking deck and more fast charging stations will be built on the first floor of the garage. The company is assisting the government in the effort to place fast charging stations every 50 miles along interstates.



To head-off the loss of electricity during times such as bad storms, EPB is building microsites that will be battery storage sites for emergency power outages. And it is working with a partner to develop technology to protect Americas electric grid.



"This has been an extraordinary year coming out of COVID," said Mr. Marston, while highlighting accomplishments by EPB during 2022.
Alice Christine Meyer Mariani died peacefully on September 22, 2022, at Ascension Living Alexian Village, Signal Mountain, Tennessee at the age of 98. She was born on January 18, 1924, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Alice was preceded in death by her husband Joseph P. Mariani of Seattle, Washington, her parents John Henry Meyer Jr. and Clara Claussen Meyer, her siblings Pauline Meyer Mumm, John H. Meyer III, and Edgar A. Meyer.

Alice is survived by her brothers Robert C. Meyer and Walter E. Meyer as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and friends both in the Chattanooga area as well as Seattle, and other parts of the country.

After graduating from the Lutheran School, Alice attended Central High School, where she was an Honor student for three years, graduated from the University of Chattanooga with a Batchelor of Business Administration degree and later a Master of Medical Social Work degree from George Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

Upon graduation from George Washington University, Alice served an internship in Chicagos Cooke County Hospital, Seattle King County Health Department, and worked seven years with Medina Childrens Services. Later she joined Lutheran Family and Child Services.

Alice enjoyed spending time with family and friends most of all. She was a wonderful hostess, interacting with her guests of all ages. She kept close contact sending special gifts, notes, and letters to those far and near, including her relatives in Germany and Italy. Her dedication to church and family is a great legacy. Alice was beautiful, unique, and strong to make a life in Seattle so far from family. She would listen to anyone of any age, was accepting of everyone, loved to sing, and especially loved her brothers and sisters. She was generous, full of faith and life. Her love, her willingness to listen and let you know you were heard, the way she cared for each of us as the person we are, these were her greatest gifts to us.

The funeral service will be held at First Lutheran Church, 2800 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, at 10 a.m. on Sept. 27, with Pastor Donald Welmar officiating. Interment will follow the service at Chattanooga Memorial Park.

Visitation will be held at the church from 9-10 a.m. before the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to First Lutheran Church or Belvoir Christian Academy.

Please share your memories of Alice with the family at www.chattanoogaeastchapel.com

Arrangements are by the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral, Crematory and Florist, 404 S. Moore Road, East Ridge, Tn. 37412.
Director Neil Jordan said George Harrison wanted to make a film that would tear the Catholic church to strips. Georges mother, Louise, was Catholic. She brought him to church sometimes as a child. However, George recognized something was wrong with the church early on. Later on, he found spirituality someplace else and didnt look back.

George Harrison | Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images

George Harrison was raised Catholic as a child but outgrew it

As a child, George occasionally went to church with his mother and siblings. However, George didnt understand why the church asked for money.

He took First Confession and Communion, but he pushed his Confirmation off. Im not going to bother with that, Ill just confirm it myself later on,' George recalled in The Beatles: Anthology.  From then on, I avoided church.

He was suspicious of the culture of priests making the rounds of Liverpools working-class neighborhoods to collect half-crowns in their sweaty little hands, although friends often thought him a soft touch when it later came to doling out funds to his own spiritual causes, Graeme Thomson wrote in George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door.

When George joined The Beatles, he put his religion even more on the back burner. At least until George took LSD. He said taking the hallucinogen opened the door to God-consciousness, but he didnt know what to do next. Around that time, George was bored with fame, and no one impressed him. Thankfully, he met legendary sitarist Ravi Shankar, who taught him that God is sound.

George dove head first into his spiritual journey and couldve left everything behind to learn more. He wrote to his mother about his journey, including The Beatles experience with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. However, George claimed that his journey only strengthened his religiousness.

In Martin Scorseses documentary, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, one letter read: Dear Mum, Thanks for your letter last week and if its any comfort to you, dont worry about me, or dont think anything negative about Maharishi.

Because hes not phony, its only the bulls*** thats written about him thats phony. Hes not taking any of our money, all hes doing is teaching us how to contact God and as God isnt divided into different sex as the religious leaders here make out by their prejudices.

And it doesnt affect my dedication to Sacred Heart in any way. It only strengthens it. But we will help to spread this teaching so that everybody can attain this and new generations will grow up and have this right from the start instead of going through the ignorance that seems to dominate everything and everyone at the moment causing them to feel that its mysticism or something strange or black magic.

Dont think that Ive gone off my rocker because I havent. But I now love you and everybody else much more than ever.

RELATED: George Harrison Thought 1975s Extra Texture Was Grubby, but Its 1 of His Most Interesting Albums

George wanted to make a film that would tear the Catholic church to strips

Throughout the years, Georges spirituality only strengthened. He permanently swapped Christ for Krishna.

Weve all got the same goal whether we realize it or not, George told Alan Walsh at Melody Maker in 1967. Were all striving for something which is called God. For a reunion, complete. Everybody has realized at sometime or other that no matter how happy they are, theres still always the unhappiness that comes with it.

During an appearance on The Frost Programme, George said, Christianity, how I was taught it, they told to believe in Jesus and God and all that; they didnt actually show me any way of experiencing God or Jesus. So, the whole point of to believe in something, without actually seeing it, well, its  its no good. Youve got to actually experience the thing, you know, if theres a God, you must see Him. And thats the point, you know, the whole thing, its no good to believe in something, you know, just 

He added to Melody Maker, When youre young you get taken to church by your parents and you get pushed into religion in school. Theyre trying to put something into your mind. But its wrong you know. Obviously, because nobody goes to church and nobody believes in God. Why? Because religious teachers dont know what theyre teaching. They havent interpreted the Bible as it was intended.

George respected Christ, but he never went back to being a Catholic.

According to writer and director Neil Jordan, who worked with George on his 1986 HandMade film Mona Lisa, Georges sentiments on the denomination worsened. Jordan claimed that George eventually became anti-Catholic.

He hated the Pope, and he said he would pay me any amount of money if I would make a movie that would tear the Catholic church to strips, Jordan said in George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door. Quite recently I made [TV series] The Borgias, and he would have paid for that, Im sure. He would have loved it, actually.

RELATED: George Harrison Said Eric Clapton Never Forgave Him for Not Taking Him to Meet Bob Marley

The closest the former Beatle came was Life of Brian

Jordan thought George hated the Pope, but he was just critical of the religious figure.

During a 1987 interview, George told Anthony DeCurtis (per George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters), I was born, my mother was a Catholic, my father wasnt. I was sort of brought up for about 10 years as a Catholic. I look at that stuff now and I think, What is going on?

But Id like to ask the Pope, What do you think Christ meant when he said, Let thine eye be single and thy body full of light. What the hell does he think that means? You know, it just annoys me. The only God we need is within ourselves. Its handy if we can crawl through the grains of sandor the  mountains of garbageand find some little bit of truth or a guide, somebody who can help us to reach within ourselves and find what is within ourselves.

Still, if George did want to tear the Catholic church to shreds, he came close while producing Monty Pythons Life of Brian. Although, George claimed the comedy wasnt sacrilegious.

During a 1987 interview, Musician Magazines Timothy White pointed out that many people questioned why the man who sang My Sweet Lord would produce a supposedly sacrilegious biblical farce.

George replied, Ah-hah! Actually all it made fun of was the peoples stupidity in the story. Christ came out of it looking good! Myself and all of Monty Python have great respect for Christ. Its only the ignorant peoplewho didnt care to check it outwho thought that it was knocking Christ.

Actually it was upholding Him and knocking all the idiotic stuff that goes on around religion, like the fact that many folks often misread things and will follow anybody. Brians saying, Dont follow me. Youre all individuals.

Its like Christ said, Youll all do greater work than I will. He wasnt trying to say, Im the groove, man, and you should follow me. He was out there trying to, as Lord Buckley would have said, Knock the crows off the squares, trying to hip everybody to the fact that they have the Christ within.

Toward the end of his life, George wanted to leave the material world for the spiritual realm more and more. When it came time for that to finally happen, George didnt depend on what hed learned in the Catholic church. Hed found his own answers and had his own spiritual experiences that proved the next world was better.

RELATED: George Harrisons Living in the Material World and Madonnas Material Girl Have More in Common Than Their Titles
George Harrison couldnt stand receiving awards for his work. He didnt need them to make his career worth anything. George didnt even see what he did as a career. Out of everything in the material world, the former Beatle only needed verification from God, not critics and fans.

George Harrison | Ebet Roberts/Getty Images

George Harrison received many awards in his career

During his career, George received many awards. In 1965, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him and The Beatles MBEs (The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). Although, according to the Liverpool Echo, George was confused by the queens decision. He told the press he didnt think you got that sort of thing, just for playing rock n roll music.

By 1965, The Beatles had done much more than play rock n roll. Even royalty couldnt ignore the effect the band had on society. George said hed hang his MBE on his wall.

However, by 1965, George had already become disenchanted with his career, fame, and everything else. He also grew bored of meeting the worlds dignitaries. Only spirituality impressed him. George was more concerned with pleasing God than making music that pleased fans.

In 1969, George received an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for Something. Of course, George earned many Grammy awards with The Beatles. However, George earned his first solo Grammy for Album of the Year for Concert for Bangladesh in 1973. In 1990, he and his bandmates in The Traveling Wilburys earned a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for their debut album, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1.

George attended The Beatles Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1988. Then, in 1992, George received a Billboard Century Award. Again, Georges appearance was surprising. When Tom Petty welcomed him on stage, the crowd cheered, but after a time, he told them to sit down because he couldnt take it.

In his acceptance speech, George joked that he felt 100 years old, but then he got serious. All this flattery is difficult for me to take without saying that Ive been very fortunate to have such good friends and influences on my career, if you would call it a career, because I havent really dealt with it as some people deal with their careers. Its been quite haphazard in many ways.

Beneath it all, though, George felt awkward with flattery.

RELATED: George Harrison Thought 1975s Extra Texture Was Grubby, but Its 1 of His Most Interesting Albums

George became sick of accepting awards

George kept earning awards and nominations. However, he rejected the best one, an OBE, from the queen.

According to Smooth Radio, journalist Ray Connolly, who knew The Beatles well, claimed George rejected the OBE because he was insulted by not receiving a knighthood as Paul got in 1997.

Connolly told the Mail on Sunday, Whoever it was who decided to offer him the OBE and not the knighthood was extraordinarily insensitive. George would have felt insulted  and with very good reason.

However, its undeniable that George rejected the award because he was sick of all the flattery. George had been sick of it and any other form of adulation once he became spiritual.

It was all fake to him. If he were going to get any appreciation from anyone, it would be from God. He only played music to be closer to his maker. George didnt like when fans treated him like a deity, giving him offerings.

In Martin Scorseses 2011 documentary, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Georges widow, Olivia, explained that George gave awards and honors little thought.

George had maximum amount of diversion in life, she said. Towards the end of his life, Id say, Oh, they want to give you this award thing. He said, I dont want it. Tell them to get another monkey. Id say, Yeah, but you know, its a really nice one. You should have this.

And hed say, Well, if you want it so bad, you go and get it. Im not going. Im not doing that anymore. Because its just a big diversion He really did draw the line, and I really admired him for that.

George didnt live in the material world where awards were important anyway. He wanted most in life to ascend to the next plane of existence.

RELATED: George Harrisons Living in the Material World and Madonnas Material Girl Have More in Common Than Their Titles

Olivia Harrison said her husband wouldve gotten a kick out of her and their sons Grammy win

At the 2022 Grammy Awards, Olivia, the couples son, Dhani, and Darren Evans took home a Grammy for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package for their work on All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary Edition.

Olivia said George would have gotten a kick out of his family receiving the honor.

I think music is all out there in the great Akasha, Olivia said. We can tap into it, and I think his is enduring. He liked the album, you know. He never talked about his music too much, but once in a while, would say I like that song, or I think this was a good album.

I think hed be really chuckling that this is happening. For us, really. Its for us because its an expression of our love and our respect and what we think about his legacy and his music. Really, thats what we poured into it. Its always bittersweet when George is recognized, but its all wonderful. Its always emotional.

George has received many posthumous awards, but his reaction to them wouldve been the same whether he was in the material world or not. He only needed the love of God; everything else was secondary.

RELATED: George Harrison Said Eric Clapton Never Forgave Him for Not Taking Him to Meet Bob Marley
George Harrison Knew How to Give John Lennon a Taste of His Own When He First Joined the Beatles

George Harrison said he knew how to give John Lennon a taste of his own during the early days of their friendship. Initially, John wasnt pleased with Georges age when he joined The Beatles (then The Quarrymen). However, they eventually came to an understanding.

George Harrison | Harry Thompson/Evening Standard/Getty Images

George Harrison impressed John Lennon with his guitar playing

When George was 13, his mother gave him a couple of pounds to buy a beginners guitar from a friend at school. He couldnt put the instrument down after that. Eventually, after many late-night, often frustrating, practice sessions, George became one of the best guitarists in the area.

Paul McCartney, who went to school with George, caught wind of his abilities. Hed recently joined Johns band, The Quarrymen.

I got this friend, Paul told John (per Joshua M. Greenes Here Comes The Sun: The Spiritual And Musical Journey Of George Harrison) Hes a bit young, but he can play Raunchy really well.

John was three years older than George and wasnt too excited about having the younger musician in the band. However, when he heard George play Raunchy on a bus home one night, he was impressed and knew they needed him in the band.

RELATED: George Harrison Said It Was Nerve-Wracking, as Usual Working on Tracks for John Lennons Imagine

George knew how to give John a taste of his own when they first became bandmates

John initially made fun of George, who had big ears and was always fawning over him and his girlfriend, Cynthia.

George recalled that John was a bit embarrassed about that because I was so tiny. I only looked about ten years old. Greene wrote that to even the odds, George started dressing in Johns hand-me-downs.

Another way George evened the odds against his older bandmate was to give him a taste of his own.

The youngest band member admired Johns worldliness, his apparent sexual prowess and aggressive self-assurance, but he never let Johns sarcasm get the better of him, Greene wrote. George would simply talk back and give him a taste of his own, as George said.

George got similar treatment from Paul. In Anthology, Paul said, I tended to talk down to him because he was a year younger. I know now that that was a failing I had all through The Beatles years. If youve known a guy when hes 13 and youre 14, its hard to think of him as a grown up.

In Graeme Thomsons George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door, Bill Harry recalled, George did have a strong personality but he was a bit cowed in the presence of John Lennon, because John had this overbearing presence about him which seemed to intimidate people.

In the end his place in the band came through sheer, stubborn perseverance as much as his repertoire of licks, Thomson wrote.

RELATED: George Harrison Wrote Not Guilty About the Grief He Got From Paul McCartney and John Lennon While Making the White Album

The bandmates became close

John might not have wanted George in the band, but the pair eventually became good friends. George and John would often find comfort in one another when they were at their wits end with Paul.

When George became spiritual, John was amazed and joined him in his journey.

Throughout their relationship, it was evident that George always looked up to John more than anyone else. He understood the older musician.

When George organized the Concert for Bangladesh, he was confident doing it because John had instilled boldness in him.

I think that was one of the things that I developed, just by being in the Beatles, was being bold, George told John Fugelsang at VH1 (per George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters).

And I think John had a lot to do with that, you know, cause John Lennon, you know, if he felt something strongly, he just did it. And you know, I picked up a lot of that by being a friend of Johns. Just that attitude of, Well, well just go for it, just do it.'

George told Timothy White at Musician Magazine that his and Johns relationship mended quickly after The Beatles split. It was nerve-wracking, as usual when he called John to see how he was doing during the recording of Imagine.

Sometimes people dont talk to each other, thinking theyre not going to be the one to phone you up and risk rejection, George said.

With John, I knew Klaus Voorman, the bass player, so I could at least ask what was going on over at his little eight-track studio in his house at Tittenhurst Park, and how Klaus was doing. John said, Oh, you know, you should come over, so I just put me guitar and amplifier in the car. I turned up and he was openly pleased I came.

George and John were never upset with each other for very long. John always offered an olive branch for his negative behavior.

But John, you know, he was a good lad, he wasthere was a part of him that was saintly, that aspired to the truth and great things, George told Mark Rowland in 1989. And there was a part of him that was just, you know a looney! [Lauaghter.]

Just like the rest of us! And he had his mood swings and that, but he was basically very honest. If he was a bastard one day, hed say, Ah well, f*** that, you know, Im sorry, I was wrong. And hed just deflate any feeling you had against him, any negative feeling. Not like some other people I know who sit on walls  and dont come clean.

George once said he wouldve been bandmates with John again in a heartbeat, something he couldnt say about Paul. The pairs friendship started rocky, but they always knew where they stood with each other.

RELATED: George Harrison Said EMI Got Funny When Artists Worked Together, so They Used Pseudonyms
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, the Milwaukee Cannibal and subject of the upcoming Netflix docuseries Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes, murdered 17 people of Black and Hispanic descent from 1978 until his arrest in 1991.

Jeffrey Dahmers 1982 Mugshot | Bureau of Prisons/Getty Images

However, Dahmers arrest for murder wasnt the first time police took him into custody. The serial killer was arrested three times before that. Find out why.

Jeffrey Dahmers first arrest happened in September 1981 after his military discharge

Before joining the military, Dahmer had already experienced his first kill in 1978. He wouldnt murder again until 1987, but Dahmer told authorities the urge was always there while he was overseas. There just wasnt an opportunity to fully express what I wanted to do, his file reads. There was just not the physical opportunity to do it then.

According to the FBIs record on Dahmer, he joined the United States Army in 1979 upon his fathers urging. He was stationed in Germany but was discharged in 1981 due to his excessive drinking.

In 1981, Dahmer was arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. He was fined, received a suspended jail sentence, and then sent to live with his grandmother.

Jeffrey Dahmers arrest for indecent exposure in 1982

Less than a year after his first arrest, Dahmer was arrested in August 1982 for indecent exposure at a Wisconsin State Fair Park. He was convicted and fined $50 for his crime.

Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer shown in a police mug shot from his 1982 arrest at the Wisconsin State Fair for indecent exposure | Ralf-Finn Hestoft/Corbis via Getty Images

The serial killers third arrest happened in 1986

Dahmer was arrested for a third time in August 1986. He was charged with disorderly conduct for masturbating in front of two boys. Dahmer was sentenced to one year of probation and had to attend counseling.

Jeffrey Dahmers sexual assault charges

In September 1988, Dahmer was arrested once again for sexual assault. After moving out of his grandmothers and into his own apartment, Dahmer was charged with second-degree sexual assault and enticing a child when he lured 13-year-old Keison Sinthasomphone, the brother of Dahmers later victim Konerak.

He drugged and molested the boy, but he escaped. Dahmer spent a week in jail before he was released on bail.

How was Jeffrey Dahmer finally caught for murder?

Tracy Edwards, the man who escaped Dahmer, played a big part in his final arrest on July 22, 1991. After breaking free from Dahmers apartment, Edwards ran into two Milwaukee police offers. He told them a freak placed him in handcuffs.

Then, Edwards led police back to Dahmers apartment, where the serial killer invited them in. Police found polaroid photos of Dahmers previous victims in various states of dismemberment. They also found human remains in Dahmers refrigerator and freezer, as well as decomposed body parts in an oil drum in his bedroom.

Dahmer attempted to escape but was ultimately arrested. After admitting to 17 murders at his 1992 trial, the judge sentenced Dahmer to multiple life sentences. However, Dahmer was killed in prison by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver in 1994.

Learn more about Dahmers story and his victims in Ryan Murphys DAHMER  Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

RELATED: Jeffrey Dahmers Brother, David, Is Still Alive But Changed His Name
Why Kourtney Kardashian Said She Was Terrified to Have a Wedding Before She Married Travis Barker

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker got married several times, but the reality star once revealed that she was terrified of having a wedding. Heres what Kardashian said about marriage and why her relationship with the Blink-182 drummer is different.

Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker had 3 weddings

On May 22, Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian got married in Italy in a lavish ceremony. The famous couple exchanged vows at LOlivetta, a villa in Portofino owned by Dolce & Gabbana. Their closest friends and family watched as the reality star and the musician tied the knot on a red-carpeted altar surrounded by white candles and red roses.

Kardashian wore a custom Dolce & Gabbana corset lace mini dress paired with matching lace heels and tulle gloves. She also had a long veil embroidered with the Virgin Mary and the words family loyalty respect, a reference to Barkers head tattoo. The Blink-182 drummer matched his bride in a black suit designed by Dolce & Gabbana.

Barker and Kardashian actually got married three times. On May 15, the couple had a legally binding courthouse ceremony in Santa Barbara a few days before the Italian wedding. And they had a practice wedding in Las Vegas after the 2022 Grammy Awards on April 3.

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Barker! ??



After a "fake" Las Vegas wedding and an intimate ceremony, Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker got married for the third time in a lavish Italian Ceremony on May 22, Sunday. ?



Read more: https://t.co/t5iWl4tON8#CelebrityWeddings pic.twitter.com/rYIwhZsihE  PhilSTAR L!fe (@philstarlife) May 23, 2022

Kourtney Kardashian once said she was terrified of having a wedding before she married Travis Barker

Years before she married Travis Barker, Kourtney Kardashian said she was afraid to have a wedding.

In 2016, when Cosmopolitan asked if she would ever have a big wedding like her sisters, Kim and Khloe, the reality star responded, A wedding terrifies me.

She explained the basis of her fears. I like tradition, I dont have anything against that. I think its more fear of walking down the aisle in front of all those people, Kardashian said. I dont like being the center of attention.

The Poosh founder also said that she and Scott Disick, the father of her three children and her on-and-off partner for several years, frequently discussed marriage and weddings. I mean, Scott and I have talked about it many times over the years, Kardashian shared. The situation was never right. But I dont think we wouldve done a big wedding  we wouldve done something really small, just us and our kids.

The reality star said married life is easy, but things havent been so easy in the past

On Sept. 12, Kourtney Kardashian explained what makes her relationship with Barker so different on TODAY.

When Hoda Kotb asked Kardashian what married life was like and how she knew Barker was the one, the reality star said, I think when its kind of easy, and like  Its so weird, I think of, like, times when things werent so easy, and its just like, when its right, its right.

The mother of three also told Kotb why she decided to take Travis Barkers last name. It was a given. Yeah, it was just a given, Kardashian said. It wasnt a thought.

But the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star isnt eschewing her famous family name entirely. So now my middle name is Kardashian, she explained.

RELATED: 2 of Kourtney Kardashians Kids Share the Same Birthday but Are Total Opposites
House Republicans have unveiled their 'Commitment to America' agenda that highlights the country's economy and education in an effort to shore up support for the midterm elections.

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy spoke to a packed crowd inside a manufacturing plant in southwestern Pennsylvania alongside Minority Whip Steve Scalise and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik.

Republicans' Commitment to America

They officially unveiled an agenda that focused on ramping up fossil-fuel production, curbing illegal immigration, and combating crime. For many Republicans, the platform feels like a turning point for their conference after four years of being stuck in the House minority, echoing their most salient campaign trail points against the Democratic Party.

Rep. Bryan Steil said Americans are getting crushed under one-party Democratic control, adding that they now have an opportunity to return to an economy that is strong. Steil helped draft the GOP's economic recommendations.

However, it is unlikely that many of the GOP's priorities, which include a parent's "bill of rights," hiring 200,000 police officers, and overhauling Social Security, could ever become law with President Joe Biden in office for at least two more years, as per Politico.

On the other hand, Republican leaders also stressed a focus that would be firmly within their control in a House majority, which is investigative powers. McCarthy, alongside Scalise and Rep. Jim Jordan, vowed deeper oversight into China's role in the COVID-19 pandemic, the influx of Southern border crossings, and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Scalise, referring to the Homeland Security secretary, said that they would give Alejandro Mayorkas a reserved parking spot as he will be testifying much about it. The official's remarks were met by loud cheers from a crowd of roughly 150 supporters.

According to CNN, McCarthy's proposal also includes a plan to ensure that only women compete in women's sports. The "go small" approach is all over the Commitment to America and it is reflective of a few factors within the current GOP.

Read Also: Migrant Crisis: Heartbreaking Photo Shows Innocent Victims of Current Situation on Southern Border

Taking Back Majority

The agenda includes a slate of general policy recommendations in four broad categories; "An Economy That's Strong;" A Nation That's Safe;" A Future That's Built on Freedom;" and "A Government That's Accountable."

McCarthy told a crowd of supporters that the GOP wants an economy that is strong enough to allow citizens to fill up their tanks, buy their groceries, have enough money left to go to Disneyland, and save up for a future. He added that they aim to make paychecks grow instead of shrink.

The minority leader continued to say that the Republican Party has a plan for a nation that's safe, which means communities are protected, law enforcement will be respected, and criminals will be prosecuted.

The Republican lawmakers said that the agenda was formed with input from GOP members across the country with the explicit purpose of avoiding "top-down" party politics. The proposal follows the "Contract with America" agenda that helped former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with a GOP majority in the 1990s.

Officials said that the agenda is the culmination of more than a year of work, starting with the GOP-only "China Task Force." McCarthy compared that model and stood up several other task forces earlier this year, including on the economy, tech, health, energy, and more, Fox News reported.

Related Article: Donald Trump's Real Wealth: Book Reveals Former President Once Paid by Leaseholder in Gold Bars, Wheeled Into Trump Tower Apartment

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Power Book III: Raising Kanan is the coming-of-age story of Kanan Stark (Mekai Curtis) and his cousin, Jukebox (Hailey Kilgrove). Jukeboxs mother, Kenya (LeToya Luckett), abandoned her as a baby. Jukebox has also had many issues with her father, Marvin (London Brown).

Now, Jukebox has reconnected with Kenya, but fans are convinced its only temporary.

Hailey Kilgore as Jukebox and LeToya Luckett as Kenya in Power Book III: Raising Kanan | Starz

Jukeboxs mother, Kenya has reentered her life in Power Book III: Raising Kanan

After abandoning Jukebox as a baby, her mother, Kenya, has returned to her life. From what we know, Kenya left New York 16 years ago in an attempt to make it big in Hollywood. She was married twice with no future kids and has been back in Harlem for a couple of years. We also know that she is now a big part of the church.

She and Jukebox have created a tentative bond, but Kenya doesnt know everything about her daughter or her experiences.

Fans are convinced that Kenya will leave Jukebox again

Jukebox has suffered so much. While Kanan has mostly been coddled by Raq until now, Jukeboxs mother abandoned her, her father beat her because of her sexuality, and she lost her first love to an overdose. Jukebox has now reconnected with her mother, but shes not being her authentic self. Kenya is dressing Jukebox up in dresses and having her wear her hair down. This is not the Jukebox that fans know/ Since Kenya is very much a church member, we dont think shell accept her daughters sexuality.

In fact, fans are convinced that she will exit Jukeboxs life again. Marvin visits Kenya in episode 206, Its A Business, Man he warns her to stay away from their daughter. Well see how it all pans out.

Love this quality mother-daughter time, but are we losing the real Juke? #RaisingKanan pic.twitter.com/iKlRmalUbo  Raising Kanan (@RaisingKanan) September 19, 2022

RELATED: Power Book III: Raising Kanan: 50 Cent Teases Ghost, Tommy and Breeze Appearances in Season 2

Jukebox will start breaking away from family in Power Book III: Raising Kanan

Fans are trying to reconcile the Jukebox in Raising Kanan with the murderous cop portrayed by Anika Noni Rose in Power. We can see already how she is beginning to drift away from her family. There is some tension between her in Kanan following Nicoles death in season 1. Lou Lou betrayed her by giving away her song to his artist. Marvins relationship with her father appears to be a lost cause. Finally, Raq may have had something to do with Jukeboxs mother abandoning her when the baby was.

Being betrayed by family is the ultimate hurt. We think if Kenya leaves again, Jukebox will begin her shift toward the dark side.

I think that Jukebox is starting to see the world for what it really is, and she is maturing at a rate that is a lot faster than Kanan, and well see how they start to differentiate in thought and opinion and fact, Kilgore told Hollywood Life. Im excited to see how that relationship starts to unfold.

RELATED: Power Book III: Raising Kanan: These Hip-Hop Artists Are Making Music for the Shows Soundtrack
Before Queen Elizabeth died at 96, she had a birthday pen pal with whom shed been exchanging correspondence for 70 years. Read on to learn more about their relationship and who else the late monarch regularly wrote letters to in her youth.

Queen Elizabeth II | Kirsty OConnor/POOL/AFP/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth had a birthday pen pal for 70 years

Adele Hankey of Park River, North Dakota reported to KFYR that she and Queen Elizabeth had been exchanging birthday cards and letters for 70 years.

Hankey explained she was born on the queens birthday, April 21, 1926, so she sent her a letter upon her coronation. But she was surprised when she received one back. I could have jumped out of my shoes, she shared.

After that, it became a birthday tradition for the two to exchange correspondence. I asked her for a hat. I was hoping she would send me one, Hankey said. But she sent a lovely picture on her birthday.

Though the pen pals never got the chance to meet, they had more than their birthdays in common. Hankey offered, The recipes the queen liked were with marmalade. And so do I. How about that?

When asked if she would miss communicating with the queen, Hankey responded, Oh absolutely. You miss your pen pals.

Queen Elizabeth II died on Sept. 8 at age 96. The monarch was on the cover of TIME many times during and before her 70-year reign.



Here's a look back: https://t.co/a0WCPSzvBL pic.twitter.com/nHuBi0cYDa  TIME (@TIME) September 19, 2022

Queen Elizabeth was once pen pals with her husband, Prince Philip

Queen Elizabeth met the future Prince Philip when she was a 13-year-old princess. He was 18 and a naval cadet, and she supposedly became smitten right away. But, at their ages, the two didnt begin a courtship immediately, instead becoming pen pals.

Their relationship blossomed when Elizabeth was around 20, though it was met with some initial resistance from the royal family. But the young princess insisted she wanted to marry Philip. The announcement came in July 1947, and he renounced claims to the Greek and Danish thrones to be with her (per Vogue).

Forever his Lilibet.  Take a look inside Queen Elizabeth II's decades-long romance with Prince Philip. https://t.co/Y2aKte08Lx pic.twitter.com/0PKB5azBBp  E! News (@enews) September 19, 2022

Prince Philips alleged pen pal

The late queen might not have been the only royal family member with a longstanding pen pal. Her husband, Philip, allegedly had an acquaintance he met in the 70s and corresponded with up until he died in 2021.

Liona Boyd revealed to the Mirror that Philip was the most wonderful, kind and humorous man. She claimed they hit it off at a private event and exchanged hundreds of letters through the years.

According to Boyd, the late Duke of Edinburgh personally flew her from Manchester to Norfolk in 1995. I was so shocked when he took the controls himself, she shared, adding, It was a bit bumpy.

Boyd wrote a book, In My Own Key, and said she chatted with the crew, sat in the Queens chair, tested out her loo and nibbled on crustless cucumber sandwiches.

After they landed from the flight, Philip gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and vanished into the morning rain, she claimed.

He always wrote back right away, Boyd told the Mirror of their pen pal exchanges. He was very prompt. I sent him poetry  he said my lyrics were brilliant. I was thrilled and never took it for granted.

RELATED: Queen Elizabeths Funeral: Princess Charlotte Wore a Special Gift From Her Late Great-Grandmother
Christine Ko joined the cast of The Handmaids Tale for season 5. Ko is an actor viewers might recognize, especially since she has recently landed roles in some big-name streaming shows. Her The Handmaids Tale character Lily is a former Martha and Mayday operative who first appears in episode 3. Heres what you should know about Ko and her character.

[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers ahead for The Handmaids Tale Season 5 Episode 3.]

Christine Ko as Lily in The Handmaids Tale Season 5 | Sophie Giraud/Hulu

Heres where youve seen Christine Ko before

Christine Ko is one of the newest faces to join the cast of The Handmaids Tale. The 34-year-old actor has more than a decade of acting experience. Ko has appeared on television shows such as Hawaii Five-0 and the comedy series Dave, as well as the Netflix original film Tigertail, according to IMDb.

However, Ko recently landed rules in two major Hulu series. First, Ko was added to the Emmy-nominated comedy Only Murders in the Building. In season 2, Ko portrays Nina Lin, an ambitious pregnant board member at the Arconia.

#OnlyMurdersInTheBuilding Premiere ?? thank you @Dan_Fogelman @JohnnyHoffman & Jess Rosenthal for letting me a part of Season 2s magic truly a career highlight to work with such kind talented ppl ?!! Meet Nina Lin  @OnlyMurdersHulu pic.twitter.com/W9uJFFGdC2  Christine Ko (@Christine_Ko) June 28, 2022

Shortly after landing this role, The Handmaids Tale cast Ko. It took a while to get my bearings, the actor told Bustle of landing roles in OMITB and The Handmaids Tale. Its absolutely a luxury to be able to be on multiple shows because there was a time when that one line on a show was everything. If you booked that in a year, man, you were so elated.

Christine Ko plays Lily in The Handmaids Tale

In The Handmaids Tale Season 5, Christine Kos character Lily is a former Martha who was recently rescued from Gilead. In fact, she is one of the women that was traded in exchange for Fred Waterford. Lily is also a Mayday leader, and shes experienced a lot of horrifying trauma and struggle.

The character description when you first meet Lily is that shes completely depleted emotionally and physically, Ko said while speaking with Meta Critic. She was just traded [and] these were women that were supposed to go to the Colonies, so it was like her only path was death. And theres a scar that she has that recently happened.

The Resistance is here ? Meet Lily #TheHandmaidsTale pic.twitter.com/fUa2jBJIQc  Christine Ko (@Christine_Ko) September 21, 2022

Ko added, She feels this immense debt to June. She doesnt want to continue to live her life in Toronto as a free woman. She wants to help Mayday and pretty much start a revolution. And so, shes like, Im going to do anything possible, even if this means risking my life again, because this woman saved my life.

Heres how Christine Ko was cast in The Handmaids Tale

When Christine Ko auditioned for the role of Lily in The Handmaids Tale, she was exhausted from filming an episode of Only Murders in the Building. The way they described Lily was that she was really physically and emotionally depleted, Ko told Bustle. And I was like, I can do that.'

The outlet writes that Ko donned her boyfriends baggy sweater and had a friend help her shoot a no-makeup audition tape. I just imagined what life would be like if I had to start fresh, be in this new world, and everyone that I knew was suffering, she told the outlet. Obviously, she landed the role.

Dont miss new episodes of The Handmaids Tale Season 5 Wednesdays on Hulu.

RELATED: McKenna Grace Reveals How The Handmaids Tale Created the Bloody Red Center Scene
Doctors refute Stacey Abrams' claim there is 'no such thing' as fetal heartbeat at 6 weeks

Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is being accused of spreading "misinformation" after she stated this week that the unborn do not have a heartbeat at six weeks gestation, despite evidence from medical journals.

During an event at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Abrams asserted that "there is no such thing as a heartbeat at six weeks," adding that she believed the sound of a fetal heartbeat at that stage is "manufactured" to convince people that men have a right to "control" women's bodies.

Abrams' comments were in response to Georgia's heartbeat bill, also known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act. She claimed the legislation shouldn't be called a "Fetal Heartbeat Bill" because "that's medically false, biologically a lie."

The bill bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat becomes detectable but includes exceptions for rape, incest, or if the mother's life is in danger or the fetus is unviable.

The law was passed in 2019, but a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional.

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, returning authority over abortion laws to the states, a federal appeals court overturned the lower court ruling on July 20, allowing the law to go into effect.

Dr. Donna Harrison, CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, an organization that boasts over 7,000 pro-life doctors, disagreed with Abrams.

In a Friday statement to The Christian Post, Harrison stated that Abrams' claims are an example of "misinformation" that ignores evidence from "basic embryology."

"In fact, at six weeks' gestation, the embryonic heart rhythmically contracts to pump blood through its arteries, which flows to the placenta to exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen," she wrote.

"To call this anything other than a beating heart is dishonest, and serves only to dehumanize preborn people. ... Playing semantics with the definition of a heart does nothing to serve science or the public, but rather only advances a pro-abortion agenda."

Tara Sander Lee, the director of Life Sciences at the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute who studied heart development at Harvard Medical School, said in a statement that the human heart starts beating 22 days after fertilization.

"A baby's heart is actively beating at six weeks gestation and will have already beat nearly 16 million times by 15 weeks," said Lee. "In fact, at six weeks, when Stacey Abrams says a heartbeat doesn't exist, that baby's heart is actually beating at about 110 beats per minute (bpm)."

Lee cited peer-reviewed research published by the Charlotte Lozier Institute and a 2019 study published in the National Library of Medicine titled "The Transitional Heart: From Early Embryonic and Fetal Development to Neonatal Life."

Another study, published in October 2019 by the Department of Radiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, also affirmed that cardiac activity begins as early as six weeks gestation. In addition, the absence of a detectable heartbeat is a sign of pregnancy failure, according to the study.

"Most American parents have seen their baby's beating heart during prenatal ultrasound and discussed it with their obstetrician," she continued.

"The mainstream media can perform Olympic-level semantics gymnastics all they want, but most Americans instinctively understand that a developing human organ which beats rhythmically and pumps blood throughout the body is, in fact, a heart."

As The National Review reported in February, up until recently, Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, stated on its webpage that a "very basic beating heart and circulatory system develop" during the fifth to sixth week of pregnancy. Now, the website states that at five to six weeks, "[a] part of the embryo starts to show cardiac activity."

"It sounds like a heartbeat on an ultrasound, but it's not a fully-formed heart  it's the earliest stage of the heart developing," the website states.

According to a Monmouth University Poll conducted Sept. 15-19, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp holds a slight lead over Abrams, with 49% of respondents saying they will "definitely" or "probably" vote for him, versus 45% saying they will "definitely" or "probably" vote for her.

The same poll found that 46% of respondents will "definitely not" vote for Abrams, versus 37% who said they will "definitely not" vote for Kemp.
Evangelical charities partner with churches to aid Puerto Ricans impacted by Hurricane Fiona

As Hurricane Fiona has left at least eight people dead and hundreds of thousands without water or electricity in Puerto Rico, Evangelical humanitarian groups have partnered with local churches on the island to bring relief to those suffering.

The North Carolina-based Samaritan's Purse, led by evangelist Franklin Graham, airlifted over 16 tons of emergency relief supplies after Fiona tore through the southern and western portions of the Caribbean island.

The storm hit the Caribbean Island as a Category 1 hurricane and brought torrential rains, as high as 30 inches or more in some places. The massive rainfall triggered catastrophic flash flooding and landslides, causing power and water outages impacting up to as many as 3 million people.

The relief supplies airlifted by Samaritan's Purse include 2,200 shelter tarps, two community water filtration units and 1,000 portable family water containers, Samaritan's Purse said in a statement.

"At least 1,000 people had to be rescued from raging currents," the statement reads.

"We are partnering with local churches that we worked with after Hurricane Maria in 2017 to meet families' physical needs while reminding them of the hope found only in Jesus Christ," said Samaritan's Purse President Graham, the son of the late evangelist Billy Graham.

Operation Blessing, a nonprofit affiliated with the Christian Broadcasting Network, has delivered over 10,000 aqua tabs to clean water to be used for drinking and cooking. The charity has also provided cleaning buckets, tarps and other essential items.

"That is exactly what we need now in this time where there are so many people with fear and anxiety," Pastor Giovanni Sasde of Gosen Family Church in the southern coastal city of Ponce said in a statement shared by the charity.

International Christian aid charity World Vision is also raising funds and preparing to send supplies, including cleaning supplies, clothes, blankets, tents and fans.

World Vision says that its relief workers connect with partners, including churches, to help areas impacted by natural disasters.

"I couldn't imagine being in such a place and not getting the assistance and the help that I need and you know people can't reach me," Roberta Taylor, the warehouse manager for World Vision in Fife, Scotland, told KIRO7.

"You see the water or whatever's going on still in place and then you see all these people displaced by this disaster, nowhere to go."

Hurricane Fiona had strengthened to as high as Category 4 before weakening into what is now a post-tropical cyclone. The storm barrelled into Canada's Atlantic coast Saturday, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.

Parts of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick are experiencing torrential rains and hurricane-force gusts. According to the Canadian Hurricane Center, Fiona is the lowest-pressure land-falling storm in Canadian history.

"It's going to a bad one," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday. "We of course hope there won't be much needed, but we feel there probably will be. And we will be there for that. In the meantime we encourage everyone to stay safe and to listen to the instructions of local authorities and hang in there for the next 24 hours."

Fiona comes five years after Hurricane Maria killed over 3,000 people across the Caribbean. Striking Puerto Rico as a Category 4, Maria was the costliest storm in the island's history.

Central Puerto Rico Resident Carlos Correa told The Weather Channel that his family had to flee Fiona just like they did after Hurricane Maria.

"The PTSD is really strong around here, but, you know, we have to stand still and keep going," Correa said.

A Harvard University study estimated at the time that 4,645 deaths could be linked to Hurricane Maria, a number that far exceeded official data.

In the aftermath of Maria, Samaritan's Purse conducted 41 airlifts to deliver shelter materials, food, generators and water filtration systems. The charity worked with over 300 churches and provided basic medical care for survivors of the hurricane. The group tallies that it provided relief to over 350,000 families in the year following the hurricane.

Samaritan's Purse also launched a multi-year recovery plan to rebuild hundreds of homes and dozens of churches severely damaged by Maria in central and southern Puerto Rico.
Are the 'woke' the new Pharisees?

I remember a 10-year-old girl in school who came home one day proudly wearing a big button that declared, Im for sharing. But when she starting munching on a candy bar, her dad asked her if he could have a bite. She said, No. Its mine! And he said, Well, then stop wearing a button that says Im for sharing when you really arent.

The lefts reaction to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sending 50 illegal immigrants to Marthas Vineyard and Gov. Greg Abbott sending many more to Vice President Kamala Harris residence in Washington, D.C. has exposed the hypocrisy of those who advocate for open border policies.

U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz. R-Fla., says the left is having a collective political meltdown. A reaction they did not have when illegal immigrants were being sent to various other states, often without prior notice.

As Ron DeSantis declared: In Florida, we take what is happening at the southern border seriously. We are not a sanctuary state, and we will gladly facilitate the transport of illegal immigrants to sanctuary jurisdictions.

There is a sign at Marthas Vineyard, which declares in part: We stand with IMMIGRANTS, with REFUGEES, with INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.All Are Welcome Here, hate has no business here. [emphasis in the original]

Is it not hypocrisy to claim to be a sanctuary when you really dont mean it? Many compassionate liberals on the island freaked out about the 50 illegals coming there.

The UK Daily Mail observed:

DeSantis accused critics of his move to fly migrants to Martha's Vineyard of 'virtue signaling', saying their concern for the welfare of the migrants was a 'fraud'. He said: 'The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door, they go berserk, and they're so upset that this is happening.'

The illegal immigrants were deported within a day of arriving at Marthas Vineyard. I heard one conservative on the radio mock, They couldnt have those peasants come into the Vineyard.

The Oxford Languages online dictionary defines virtue signaling this way: The action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character or the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue.

Those who are familiar with the Gospels know that Jesus Christ often had clashes with the religious leaders of His day, including the Pharisees. He often chewed them out because what they did was not sincere. It was just for show.

For example, Jesus said: Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

He applied this to giving, fasting, and praying. For instance, heres what He said about giving: Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Jesus said this is how we should donate instead: But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

The Pharisees were the virtue signalers of their day. The woke crowd are in effect the Pharisees of our day. They like to be regarded as the compassionate ones, without any of the inconvenience actual compassion requires.

Dr. D. James Kennedy once noted that a hypocrite is someone who is not himself on Sunday.

But, of course, hypocrisy is not reserved for church members.

The founders of America were concerned about hypocrisy.

Alexander Hamilton declared, Til the millennium [when Jesus reigns on earth] comes, in spite of all our boasted light and purification, hypocrisy and treachery will continue to be the most successful commodities in the political market.

In our day, we are seeing no end of hypocrisy. As one critic noted: Over 4.9 million illegals entered the United States during Joe Bidens first 18 months in office via the open southern US border. But send 50 illegal immigrants to an exclusive liberal enclave? That is a humanitarian crisis!

At the very least, the ritzy hotspot for the Left should tear down that Im for sharing-type sign, welcoming all. Its just their Pharisaical way of saying they care, when they apparently dont.

If Biden closed the border, this would not be happening. As DeSantis noted,

At the end of the day, this is a massive policy failure by the president. A massive and intentional policy that is causing a huge amount of damage all across the country, and it is all rooted in a failure to take care that the laws are faithfully executed and to fulfill his oath of office.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Woke.
Polyamory, Africa and Methodism

Recently a United Methodist minister anonymously posted an article in a Pittsburgh newspaper identifying himself and his wife as actively polyamorous but regretting they must operate secretly without church affirmation. He hoped for a day, as a pastor, when he might openly have multiple sexual partners of both sexes.

That day may not be too far off. The 2019 United Methodist General Conference reaffirmed traditional sexual teachings. But 40% of delegates voted for the simple plan to delete all sexual restrictions from the denominational law book. With many traditional congregations now exiting the denomination, its almost certain that some version of the simple plan eventually will prevail. The polyamorous pastor and his wife can then operate openly.

Meanwhile, there was a recent statement from the United Methodist bishops in Africa affirming their plans to remain United Methodist and disavowing any advocacy for following many U.S. traditionalists who are exiting. The statement was widely circulated by USA church liberals as proof that Africa will remain United Methodist even after denominational liberalization. The Africa statement listed names of bishops who were present without specifically asserting they voted for the statement. Several bishops reportedly spoke against the statement. One Nigerian bishop told United Methodist News Service that he was not present and opposed the statement.

The Africa Initiative, a group of African laity and clergy advocating for traditional beliefs, was specifically targeted by the bishops, and responded here. Having successfully worked with USA traditionalists to uphold traditional sexual standards, mostly recently at the 2019 General Conference, the Africa Initiative says it will stay United Methodist through the 2024 General Conference. But it will not remain in a denomination that liberalizes. The U.S.-based Wesleyan Covenant Association, which partners with the Africa Initiative, also responded to the bishops.

United Methodist bishops in Africa must navigate carefully. Few of them are themselves liberal. But their salaries and much of their program funding comes from the U.S. They perceive themselves as reliant on liberal USA bishops and church structures. Before the 2019 General Conference, apparently several of them assured liberal USA bishops that their delegates would support the defeated one church plan at the 2019 General Conference that would have allowed the U.S. church to sexually liberalize. But Africa voted nearly unanimously against that plan, evincing either that bishops could not speak for their people, or that the bishops were disingenuous in their assurances.

United Methodists in Africa are overwhelmingly traditionalist and evangelistic, far more so than even conservatives in the U.S. church. They have close to zero tolerance for sexual or theological liberalization. Whatever the preferences of some of their bishops, its unlikely they would remain in a liberalized United Methodist Church. USA liberals of course hope that under a one church plan the USA church could liberalize while allowing other regions to operate under their own rules. So, the USA church would have same-sex rites and clergy actively sexual outside of traditional marriage, perhaps including polyamory. But Africa, with the churches in the Philippines and Europe, could contrive their own rules.

Why do USA liberals want Africa to remain United Methodist if the Africans profoundly oppose the liberals chief ecclesial agenda of full sexual liberalization? Maybe its mostly for optics. Maybe USA liberals want to boast they are part of an international church, parts of which are growing. But they do not explain why they wish to remain coalesced with churches they find profoundly unjust, discriminatory, and even bigoted. Its not uncommon that USA liberals denounce African delegates at General Conference as hateful in their disapproval of non-traditional sexuality.

USA liberals, accustomed to their dominance in the USA church, maybe have not fully absorbed that Africa is now the majority in United Methodism. According to 2020 statistics, Africa has 7 million members, or 53% of total membership, versus 6.2 million in the U.S., which was losing 200,000 annually, while Africa was gaining twice that number annually. After the impact of the pandemic, and with hundreds of thousands of USA conservatives leaving United Methodism, its likely that United Methodism will soon be 60% or even 70% African.

Presumably, USA liberals assume that Africa, even as the growing and eventually overwhelming majority, will continue to accept subordinate status, leaving USA liberals largely in control. This may assume too much. Its true that delegate allocations for General Conference do not fully recognize Africas strength. So, the 2024 General Conference may only be about 40% African, even though Africa is 53% and climbing. The Philippines and Europe together have 8% of delegates, meaning the U.S. church barely has a majority. Possibly USA liberals will have a bare majority at the 2024 General Conference to sexually liberalize. But the 2028 General Conference may be more difficult and unwieldy.

United Methodists in Africa, bishops, clergy, and laity have long wanted to keep United Methodism together and retain traditional sexual teachings. Unlike in the U.S., official church rules on sexuality are officially upheld in Africa. But many clergy and lay leaders in Africa, many of them General Conference delegates, have reluctantly come to accept that church institutional cohesion is no longer possible as USA church leadership refuses to uphold church law. Bishops in Africa, at least publicly, are not accepting that reality and for now are largely insisting on a United Methodist future.

The future for United Methodism is not easily predictable. But it is fairly certain that very few of the 7 million United Methodists in Africa ultimately will remain in a church with heterodox and sexually liberal teachings, much less Pittsburgh polyamory. And the growing African majority likely will not long endure rule by USA liberals who are now a fast-shrinking minority.

Originally published at Juicy Ecumenism.
Spouses suffering abuse find empowerment to leave destructive marriages in secret online groups Emotionally abused spouses say they struggle to find help in their churches, told God will be angry with them if they consider divorce

A burgeoning cadre of secret online groups are educating and empowering emotionally abused spouses within the Christian community about their options to help them escape destructive relationships.

According to authors Gretchen Baskerville and Cindy Burrell, along with a woman who recently escaped an abusive marriage and spoke with The Christian Post on condition of anonymity, these online communities are providing a vital lifeline to spouses who are suffering in agony. Many have been taught in churches that the only grounds for divorce are adultery or physical abuse.

The women (and a few men) who are in these destructive relationships are often suffering from a variety of chronic health problems, and their lives and physical well-being almost universally improve once they're able to leave. Most unfortunately, however, far too many churches that claim to hold high a view of marriage have failed to grasp the devastating impact of abuse that's neither physical nor sexual.

Emotionally abused spouses, these women say, largely consider pastors and other church leaders to be the least trustworthy people in their lives because they don't understand the abuse dynamics that psychologically entrap victims. They strongly believe that many pastors and leaders have also been blinded by certain theological paradigms that prioritize keeping marriages together at all costs and that abused wives must stay married "as long as he's not hitting you or cheating on you."



Baskerville, the author of The Life-Saving Divorce: Hope for People Leaving Destructive Relationships, says many Christians are confused about what the Bible says about divorce.

To clarify what the Bible says and help those suffering in silence, she started an online group for abused spouses last year and it already has over 2,000 members, all of whom have been screened.

In an interview with The Christian Post, she explained that she and most women who run these online groups are strong believers in the sanctity of marriage, and it was God's intention for it to be loving, undefiled and lifelong. When these women got married they fully intended to honor their vows and very much wanted a God-honoring covenant.

"So what happens when it's the opposite? What happens when it's not just unloving but it's destructive or even dangerous? Abuse does defile; it's not loving or respectful," Baskerville said.

And the failures to understand this are compounded further by certain dynamics present in U.S. politics over hot-button social issues. For socially conservative, small-o orthodox evangelical Christians to admit that there is abuse within Christian marriages is particularly humiliating and a struggle because it wrenches their general outlook on life and theological worldview.

"We're supposed to have great marriages because we have Jesus. And we're supposed to have emotional closeness, godly love, and amazing sex because we did everything right," Baskerville said of this mindset.

But many women never got that, despite their best efforts to live in accordance with Christian teaching on the subject, she maintains. The reductionist formula of husband + wife + God = great marriage does not prove true for everyone. Complicating matters further for abuse victims is the belief that God can and does work miracles and, therefore, He can and will restore struggling marriages. Divorce, then, is viewed as largely unthinkable.

"They'll say, just try harder, or pray more, or fast more, or be more agreeable or sexually enthusiastic. And as to why your husband isn't changing or your wife isn't changing ... many pastors just can't deal with that reality, so they end up blaming the victim," she says of what happens all too often when women dare to approach church leaders and explain how they're being mistreated in their marriages.

"But God doesn't change people against their will and if God can't change them how in the world can we?" Baskerville asks.



Cindy Burrell, the author of Why Is He So Mean to Me?, had no idea there were so many women just like her: Women enduring abuse in their Christian marriages.

Seeking validation that what they were enduring was real while failing to find support in most churches, in 2009 Cindy started a website ministry, HurtByLove.com. Almost immediately, women began contacting her who had discovered her website and read articles she posted, many of whom described her own journey. The experiences of the women who reached out closely mirrored hers.

Burrell told CP that she was married for 20 years to an abusive man, and he never hit her. Though her ex-husband professed to be Christian, looking back, Burrell doesn't believe he was a believer at all. It was only after she was able to escape the marriage and began reviewing her journals that she was able to see with clarity the patterns of abuse she endured for all those years. As more and more women started contacting her she knew that her personal situation was not a random one-off.

"The abuse dynamic is so consistent it's almost shocking," Burrell explained.

She self-published Why Is He So Mean to Me? because she couldn't find a Christian publisher to carry it, and when she started HurtByLove.com she knew of no other websites addressing these issues. But her ministry has grown since then. Earlier this year, Burrell has released a new book, Reformulating the Christian Marriage Counseling Model Where Abuse Is Involved.

The most powerful aspect of the group she proctors on her site is being able to assure other victims that they're not crazy and build them up in the truth of God's Word about who they are in Christ and Gods heart for marriage.

Abuse survivors who are trying to exit a destructive relationship "live in a constant state of fear and confusion, and they're often isolated from any kind of support. So to be able to come alongside them and say, 'Let's bring it down. Give me the specifics; let me validate you. What you're experiencing is not normal. It's not healthy; it's not biblical, and you don't have to live this way,'" are important words to hear.

Yet it's an uphill battle because almost every abused wife has heard that "if he isn't hitting you, you have to stay," or that if they have faith "God can move mountains."

"But we don't have control over another person's will," Burrell said, echoing Baskerville.

Life with an abuser

After fleeing her abusive marriage, a woman we'll refer to as "Katie" in this article to protect her identity, stressed to CP that Christian women are not required by God or His Word to suffer year after year in an abusive marriage. An abusive marriage, she maintains, is distinctively different from a difficult one.

Katie said she first met her now ex-husband "Rick" (also not his real name) at church. It seemed like he had his act together and he appeared to love God, just as she did. She saw no relational red flags but noticed that he was especially meticulous, something that she didn't consider a negative trait at the time. She was married to Rick for 33 years and he never once hit her. But he was very intimidating and controlling. He'd block her in rooms, was verbally abusive, and would sometimes embarrass her and shout at her in public places.

"Life with an abuser," as she calls it, is living at DefCon1 all the time."

"I was willing to let him be him. But what I found out pretty quickly was that he was not willing to let me be me. He was interested in molding me and forcing me to be the version he thought I should be," she explained.

Years of this mistreatment precipitated both mental and physical deterioration.

"I just could not get un-tired," she said, realizing how the ever-present anxiety she was enduring in the relationship was causing her body to break down physically.

She remembers awakening to the fact that the persistent fatigue she felt was more than the demands of her job as a teacher or as a mom to young children should normally yield.

"I know it's abusive; I know it's destroying me, but I don't want God to be mad at me," she said of her thinking when she pondered separating from her husband.

Yet upon reading about how stress affects the body, particularly how it impacts the bones  she discovered she was pre-osteoporosis in her 40s  she knew something had to give. With cortisol flooding her system from the near-constant tension and stress, she wound up not caring what God was going to think of her because her body and mind were disintegrating.

"I felt at the time that I couldn't have God and save myself at the same time. So I let God go. He's just going to have to be mad at me," she said of her frame of mind in 2013, "because I can't do this anymore."

What mentally freed her up to finally take steps to start leaving was realizing that what was happening to her was not just bad behavior but all part of an entitled, abusive mindset. She realized she was powerless to stop it and the only workable option was to distance herself as much as possible.

"It's not like I was done with God, but I put up a wall there. I said: 'I can't afford to try to please you [by staying married] and survive. So I'll survive and I'll worry about that later,'" Katie said.

"I didn't know how to reconcile those two things while everybody in the church was telling me that if you do or consider this, or even talk badly about him, that God is going to be mad at you."



The arbitrarily drawn lines in churches

What, then, is the difference between a difficult marriage where couples have issues  often painful ones that they can work through  and an abusive one? And when does a difficult marriage cross the line into abuse territory where the relationship becomes destructive and irreconcilable?

Burrell believes it all comes down to the issue of the heart.

"And that's between us and God," she said, adding, "if you have a lackadaisical view of your marriage you're going to find an excuse to leave. But I've never dealt with one of those people.

"All the people who have managed to find me are heartbroken and desperate and have done everything they know to do. And they've busted their butts, they've jumped through every hoop, prayed their knees raw, and wept an ocean of tears, and [Christian] people are still saying, 'Well, you know, if he's not hitting you,'" she reiterated.

One woman whom Burrell ministered to had a teenage son who approached her about his dad, her husband, who was abusive. The teenager told his mother: "I don't understand why you don't divorce my dad."

The woman told him that she thought God would be disappointed in her if she divorced him.

Her son replied: "I don't think I want to believe in a God who would make us live this way."

That was her wake-up call and she divorced him, realizing the mistreatment they were enduring had nothing to do with honoring God, that it was a sham and a mockery of His design for marriage, Burrell explained.



Baskerville is of the persuasion that divorce can be scripturally justified for the four A's: adultery, abuse, abandonment, and addiction. Though positions vary and nuances abound, many evangelical Protestant churches and denominations draw theological lines permitting divorce only for adultery and abandonment.

"You can imagine that if people being told that they are going to displease God, that they are sinning if they divorce for physical or emotional abuse, then they're going to, probably, if they need to save their life and their sanity and their children, they're going to have to walk away from the church," Baskerville said.

"A few churches will accept them, and I have some stories about pastors who did a wonderful job in supporting and encouraging people who were victims of emotional abuse, and sadly, many stories of pastoral counselors who didnt."

In her own Christian Facebook group, Baskerville posted a poll asking everyone who it is that they go to for support, and the result was that their pastor was the last person they trusted to help on the matter.

"Our church leaders have made a horrible mistake. They treat all marriage problems as mere normal ups and downs. They assume conflict is due to soft reasons like childcare issues and poor communication and household chores and growing apart, falling out of love, rather than accepting the truth that half the divorces are for hard reasons like domestic violence and repeated sexual immorality, drug and alcohol addiction, and coercive control," she added.

"What makes a pastor think that invested spouse  the one who is willing to buy all the marriage books, find a marriage counselor, the one who is willing to go to all the marriage retreats, the one who is willing to turn themselves inside out to be more agreeable, more submissive, more sexually available  can single-handedly fix the marriage? What makes the pastor think that the invested spouse has any more power than God does? Even Jesus didnt change everyone He met. Judas, the rich young ruler, the religious leaders  they all made their own decisions."

Emotional abuse from narcissists and others with destructive character problems is often so insidious and it grows so gradually over time that it often takes a while for the abused party to realize that what they are enduring is indeed abuse. For many, the light bulb goes off in their heads when they see the Duluth Wheel of Power and Control, a tool often used by social workers that helps explain the different ways an abusive partner can use power and control in order to manipulate a relationship.

Unfortunately, some Christian pre-marriage resources dont warn couples about problems that could in fact ruin the marriage and might be so serious they might want to call off the engagement.

Over 35 years ago, Baskerville and her ex-husband went through the premarital workbook Before you Say I Do by Norm Wright.

"It assumed that two people who identify as Christians will never have any serious issues because they'll always care for each other's best interests. It's incredibly naive," Baskerville said.

The words "adultery," "lying," "cheating," "betrayal," "gambling," "pornography" and "addiction" never appear in the book, she said.

Surely today, given how American culture has changed in recent decades, the book would have been updated to address these issues, Baskerville thought. But no, she found that the most current version of that same workbook still contains no mention of those words, nor are there any references to abuse.

"Any behaviors that would destroy the trust in a marriage and jeopardize its future? They aren't there. There was absolutely no instruction in this entire book to break your engagement or even to get counseling. It was as if these marriage-destroying behaviors didn't even exist in anyone you might meet at church," she said.

"And if these undesirable behaviors did crop up, the readers were actually told they could 'learn to adjust.' That's an actual quote. It's shocking. No wonder emotional abuse victims don't feel seen or heard because even the bestselling Christian authors pretend they don't exist."



In addition to pretending abuse doesn't exist, at least in some premarital resources, many pastors have all too often elevated the institution of marriage over the heart of God for victims and have enabled further harm, according to Neil Schori, who pastors at The Edge Church in Aurora, Illinois, and has worked extensively with domestic abuse survivors.



"Jesus always valued individuals over institutions, but pastors tend to get stuck in the weeds and fail to see the heart that God has for his people. Because of this, pastors will be hesitant to call abusive behaviors, 'abusive,'" Schori said in an email to The Christian Post.



"Until we, as pastors, grasp the heart of Jesus for His sons and daughters, we'll do what the religious leaders of Jesus' own time on Earth did: Place burdens on the wrong people and in the process, further victimize the abused parties in marriages. Why did we ever think that pastors got to determine whether something was or was not abusive?"





Asked why it is that some pastors and counselors are wedded to efforts to preserve a destructive marriage at all costs when it's apparent that one spouse is a hardened narcissist  the offender in the relationship who is unwilling to change  Schori explained that Scripture is often misused, especially Malachi 2:16, to accomplish this end.



"Does He give grace to the hardened narcissistic abuser? He undoubtedly offers it. But for many abusers, it remains an unopened gift. To open the gift of God's grace, the abuser would have to acknowledge wrongdoing and actually change," Schori said.



"The crux of what drives the narcissistic abuser is the belief that they are largely without fault."



Schori now equips pastors and church leaders to make their congregations a safe place for victims and works with DocumentTheAbuse.com, an organization that helps victims tell their stories safely and cathartically.



What emotional abuse does to the body

The line that is drawn between physical abuse and emotional abuse in some churches fails to take into consideration how emotional abuse affects people physically. Many emotional abuse victims have PTSD symptoms, Baskerville says.

Widely considered the preeminent expert on traumatic stress is Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a Dutch psychiatrist now based in Boston, Massachusetts, who grew up in a religious fundamentalist household. Van der Kolk interviewed Vietnam War combat soldiers who had never been injured but were experiencing terrible nightmares.

"After trauma, the world for the victim is experienced with a different nervous system. The survivor's energy now becomes focused on suppressing inner chaos," Baskerville quoted van der Kolk as saying.

For emotional abuse victims, all the attempts to maintain control over unbearable physiological reactions can result in a whole range of physical symptoms including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and autoimmune diseases. We know that the body keeps the score, van der Kolk explains.

Baskerville added: "The landmark book, Trauma and Recovery, reported that World War II military doctors who worked with soldiers with stress-induced combat reactions after the war concluded that 200 to 240 days in combat would suffice to break even the strongest soldier. So how does that apply to emotional abuse victims? A 20-year marriage might be 7,000 days of combat. For many spouses who walk on eggshells that long, their health is destroyed."

She estimates that of the survivors in the private Facebook group she oversees, 8 in 10 divorcees say their health improved after separation or divorce from an abusive spouse.

What the Church needs is a more nuanced view of just versus unjust divorce, she stressed, noting that divorce itself might not be an indication of moral decay. By contrast, tolerating abusive marriages is indeed evidence of such breakdown.

"I'm 100% against frivolous divorce," she emphasized, adding that a huge chasm exists between divorce to escape abuse and "I'm bored divorces" or "I feel unfulfilled divorces" or "I miss the party-life divorce."

"But once one person no longer cares about the well-being of the other, their conscience is seared, as the Bible says. They cheat, deceive, abuse, and care only about themselves. They no longer have the best interests of the other person at heart, only their own interests. If they continue with their marriage-destroying sin it's pretty much game over. This is the hardhearted spouse," she said soberly.

The mother of all misused scriptures: 'God hates divorce' Malachi 2:16

Although the Bible can be and has been used in a variety of ways to entrap victims of spousal abuse in a destructive marriage, without question the most oft-quoted verse is Malachi 2:16.



The book of Malachi was written more than 2,400 years ago, nearly 500 years before Jesus. The entire book condemns deceivers and hypocrites who pretend to be devout but treat God with contempt and provide cover for their cheating, lying friends.

The focus of Malachi is not divorce, its about these treacherous people who break their covenant with God, take advantage of laborers, widows, orphans, and especially their wives. For the first 2,100 years of major Bible translations, Malachi 2:16 was always translated as an anti-abuse verse or anti-treachery verse, not an anti-divorce verse, Baskerville explained.

The verse in the 2011 update of the New International Version was changed to read: "'The man who hates and divorces his wife,' says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'does violence to the one he should protect, says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.'"

Why this change? The 1984 version of the NIV and other versions translate it as God saying "I hate divorce."

The oldest copy of Malachi we have is a Dead Sea scroll fragment that does not say God hates divorce or I hate divorce, Baskerville said.



"Thats why the NIV, ESV, and CSB [translations of the] Bible dont say that. For example, when the NIV updated their translation in 2011, they changed Malachi 2:16 back to the earlier interpretation. In the first 2,100 years, no major Bible translation said, God hates divorce. Not Jerome, not John Wycliffe, not Martin Luther, not John Calvin. Then King James translators in 1611 went rogue and changed the verse and that became the default for 385 years.

From 1611 to 1996, nearly all major Bible translations used God hates divorce. As of 1996, the English Standard Version, the Christian Standard Bible, and the 2011 update of New International Version reverted back to the original interpretation  that it is an anti-abuse, an anti-treachery verse, not an anti-divorce scripture, she added.

Today, those new major versions now all say something along the lines of: "He who hates and divorces his wife covers his clothing with violence."

"John Calvin actually believed that to abuse a wife was worse than armed robbery and murder because it was done under a cloak, in secret, behind the closed doors of her own home. Calvin said, God is not deceived," Baskerville said.

The way Calvin interpreted that verse was: "If you hate her, divorce her."

But abuse survivors do not know this.

The contemporary church has also not sufficiently examined Exodus 21:10-11, the cornerstone of Jewish divorce law, Baskerville maintains, which specifically reveals how God set forth a minimum requirement for even the lowest-ranking wives, including slaves' wives and wives of prisoners of war in ancient Israel. Their husbands were required to meet the basic standards for food, clothing, and marital rights (love). The rabbis determined that if God wanted these low-ranking wives and indentured servants treated well, then how much more so an Israelite wife?

In that Exodus passage, for example, this might happen if a man acquired a slave wife as a debt payment. Later, when the man found a woman that he actually did want to marry, he couldnt be miserly to the first woman. The law of Moses effectively said: "Hey, wait a second, you have to give her [the slave wife] full marital rights, meaning food, clothing, and love. And if you try to reduce her level of care, you must let her go," Baskerville stressed.



The same is true in Deuteronomy 21:10-14 for the wife of a POW. If the husband no longer likes her, he cannot demote her to slave status and treat her any way he likes. He must let her go free to anywhere she wishes.

To the perpetual frustration of abuse victims today, while the Exodus and Deuteronomy passages are dismissed as irrelevant Old Testament verses for New Testament believers, somehow Malachi 2:16, also in the Old Testament, still seems to apply and for all intents and purposes is wielded authoritatively to discourage them from divorcing.

The pain of being misunderstood; unmasking abuse tactics

When Burrell and her husband visited a church for the first time and told the pastor that both of them had been divorced and they have a ministry to women in abusive relationships, his countenance fell immediately.

"He could not extricate himself from my presence fast enough," she recalled.

"That's what we get. We're like the third-class Christians," she said. "The assumption is, 'Well, you must have done something wrong. You really didn't care or work that hard.'"

As brutal as it is for women, and they comprise the vast majority of participants in Burrell's and other online support groups, in some ways men who have been abused by women have it even harder. Those cases do, in fact, exist.

What abused husbands routinely face, Burrell explains, is: "You're being abused? What are you, a weenie?"

"So they have an even more uphill battle when they are legitimately being abused by their wives," she said.

Burrell once worked with a gentleman who joined her website, and she kept a cautious eye on him at first because she has had other "posers" try to invade the group and play games with the women. But after she vetted him and got to know him over time, she knew for sure that he was sincere and that he was not the offender in the marriage.

"His wife was absolutely toxic. She was a liar, a manipulator, and a crazy-maker," Burrell recounted.

When abuse victims first arrive in these online forums they're dazed and confused, often ashamed. But when they start to divulge the specifics of their stories, particularly the verbal messages from the abusive spouse, it opens the door for others to walk them through a process of helping them understand just what it is that has been happening.

"It's a matter of leading them gently to a place where they can see the dynamic. They're so used to taking it all in and taking responsibility, feeling like there must be something they're not doing, or that they're inadequate, or lazy, or selfish," Burrell said.

"It's a slow-burn walking them through 'What is he really saying, why is he saying it, and what does he mean?'"

When women start to realize the mental games abusers have been playing and finally get the courage to say 'No,' what often happens is that the proverbial mask comes off and the abuser explodes in a raging fury. The alternative is that he suddenly becomes Mr. Wonderful, and the victim is tempted to see his behavior as change. But it rarely lasts.

Speaking to Christians who have believed and denominations that have held that the only permissible grounds for divorce are physical abuse or sexual infidelity, Burrell urges them to consider the myriad ways abusers can exhibit cruelty while hiding behind an image of faith.

She recounted her own ex-husband, a professing Christian, once telling her: "Just so you know, I can treat you any way I want, and as long as you don't catch me in the act of adultery there's nothing you can do about it."

Another woman Burrell knows and describes as the "dearest, kind-hearted person you could ever meet," was married to an abusive husband who was also a Christian missionary. He was uncannily skilled at unleashing a wicked torrent of verbal abuse, but his "trump card" was God, as he could manipulatively mix seemingly righteous spirituality with isolating cult-leader-like tactics.

"He would call her up and say, 'I've been praying about this and the Spirit told me to tell you this.' And with the tenderness of her heart and the depth of her faith, she felt she had to listen to his directives," Burrell said.

But what he was actually doing was separating her from her family and other supportive connections.

"God told me you need to stop talking to this person; this person is not your friend," he would tell her. "I'm the authority, I'm the head, you are obligated to trust me."

This woman has been divorced for about a year. She is reportedly free and happy now.

Burrell also recounted the story of a supposedly Christian man who would gather his wife and children in the family room where they were ordered to watch him beat their dog. Although he was never physically violent to his wife and children, he was an animal abuser and intimidated his family.

Leading survivors back to Jesus, setting captives free

For Burrell, the bottom line in her ministry for marital abuse survivors is leading them back to the Lord who loves them.

"Peel away the layers and take everything else out of the picture and let this be between you and God first," she tells them. "Go to Him, pray for wisdom, wait for peace and let Him validate and lead you in this dark time and let His light shine in.

"I believe very powerfully that God intervenes and speaks to people when they come alongside and say: 'You are not alone; its not your fault, and youre not crazy.'"

When asked about where churches might improve in their approach, she reiterated that it's vital that they realize abuse can take so many forms and to limit abuse to sexual immorality and physical assault doesn't take into account the entire witness of Scripture.

"Even just words. Words are crippling. In Matthew 5, Jesus makes it clear that we can murder someone's heart with words. And I don't think people understand that keeping people in toxic, ungodly marriages doesn't make them any less toxic or ungodly," Burrell said.

"When it comes down to it, God is not a legalist. He is a relational-ist. Everything with Him always comes back to relationship  first with Him and then with others. And it has to be based on righteousness and truth," she said, noting that the goal of an abuser is not to solve the problems or disagreements that arise within most healthy relationships. With personality-disordered abusive people, the peccadilloes that normally come about are always a huge ordeal.



As Katie was desperate to find resources to navigate the abuse dynamics in her own marriage, she happened to stumble upon the blog, A Cry for Justice. Then in 2014, in a terribly troubled state of mind, she found Burrell's articles and the online Facebook groups of survivors.

"Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of women, many more all the time, are joining these groups," Katie told CP.

One group called Confusion to Clarity helps women in covert relationships where their husbands operate under the radar insidiously and the women are so psychologically manipulated that they can hardly tell what is happening to them.

Katie said she's a part of five online groups, co-moderates one group with a few other members, and is actively involved on a daily basis in three of them, including the one she helps moderate.

Burrell's six-part abuse primer and her articles on the six words that keep every abusive trapped and what survivors of abuse can do when they let go of hope that their marriages can be saved, were especially helpful in cutting through the fog of her own confusion.

Katie thinks that one of the most damaging lies that is communicated to women in many evangelical churches is that most if not all of their feelings are superficial emotions and are therefore not trustworthy, even when it might be the Holy Spirit who is alerting them in their gut, to the point where they feel it physically, indicating that something is amiss or wrong.

When abuse survivors dare to voice their complaints of spousal abuse to leaders in the church and are told that they cannot make decisions based on emotions, "it's like being stabbed," Katie says.

As she started separating herself from her husband and began relaying her pain to church counselors operating with the biblical "nouthetic" counseling model, she soon learned that they were not trained in how abusers think. Such counselors could not fathom that they did not quite know what to tell her, especially since they believed the advice they were giving was supposedly biblical.

"I've never once heard anybody say something like that because they have set themselves up on a pedestal, and they are set up on that pedestal by others, that if they have that title in any church then they are to be believed and honored and trusted," she said, reiterating that this is reinforced by the belief that if the advice they are giving is rooted in Gods Word and thus it cannot possibly be unwise or wrong.

"God has given His Word authority but when spoken from a mouth of a man who wants a certain outcome to happen [a preserved marriage, even if it's abusive] is control. Then it becomes control, and not of God," Katie added.

"When someone divorces you it's like getting your arm cut off. When you're the one that is forced to divorce another person because there are no more boundaries left, you're cutting off your own arm. It's 100 times worse," she said.

But the beauty of the divorce in order to escape an abuser "is that the arm grows back stronger and more beautiful," she said.

"And you don't have to worry about the gangrene setting in anymore."
Adam Greenway calls criticisms of seminary councils statement on CRT emotional misunderstandings

Adam W. Greenway, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and one of six members of the Southern Baptist Conventions Council of Seminary Presidents, has defended the groups statement on critical race theory and intersectionality, dismissing much of the criticism around it as emotional misunderstandings.

He also noted that the statement was supported by SBC President J.D. Greear as one that reflected a biblical view of justice.

First, some criticisms of the CSP statement are simply based upon misunderstandings. The CSP statement has been treated by some like a Rorschach test, where ultimate meaning is determined by the subjective experience of the recipient, not by the objective exposition of the statement. A common refrain I have heard and read from critics has been, In rejecting CRT/I, the CSP statement feels like a denial of systemic racism. I emphasize feels like because those words are the crux of the criticism, wrote Greenway, who also leads Scarborough College and teaches evangelism and apologetics, in an open letter to his academic community Tuesday.

Feelings and sentiments are undeniably visceral, but not unimpeachably veridical. Specifically, the CSP statement not only did not deny systemic racism, but reaffirmed denominational condemnations of it, he explained, calling out critics who, among other things, asserted that we were reaffirming our commitment to whiteness, assumed that we are propagating fear to maintain control, announced that we are complicit with evil, and ascribed to us the pejorative label of theological architects of American slavery.

I want to make this point as charitably but honestly as I can: misconstruing the CSP statements rejection of CRT/I as being synonymous with or code for the SBC seminary presidents denying systemic racism is bearing false witness, he said. Furthermore, when feelings become all-consuming and paramount in determining courses of action irrespective of the facts contained in plain language, we commit the fallacy of eisegesis, or reading into texts meanings we feel or interpretations we want to impose.

At their recent annual session, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the revised Baptist Faith & Message, Greenway and five other white members of the Council of Seminary Presidents voted to condemn racism in any form while also rejecting CRT as incompatible with their faith.

Critical race theory, as explained by Purdue University, is a theoretical and interpretive mode that examines the appearance of race and racism across dominant cultural modes of expression. Through this framework, scholars seek to understand how victims of systemic racism are affected by cultural perceptions of race and how they are able to represent themselves to counter prejudice. Scholarship on the theory traces racism in America through the legacy of slavery, the civil rights movement and recent events. Intersectionality is the study of how different personal characteristics overlap and inform ones experience.

In light of current conversations in the Southern Baptist Convention, we stand together on historic Southern Baptist condemnations of racism in any form and we also declare that affirmation of Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, and any version of Critical Theory is incompatible with the Baptist Faith & Message, the council declared.

The other seminary presidents, Danny Akin of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Jason K. Allen of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Jamie Dew of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Jeff Iorg of Gateway Theological Seminary, and Albert Mohler of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary are all members of the council. Mohler stressed that advocacy based on views like CRT and intersectionality has no rightful place within an SBC seminary.

Fred Luter, the SBCs first and only black president, along with Greear, have since joined a growing chorus of dissent over the statement from the Council of Seminary Presidents.

Luter endorsed A Statement on Justice, Repentance, and the SBC, which asserts that the actions of some in the SBC appear to be more concerned with political maneuvering than working to present a vibrant, gospel-loving, racially and culturally diverse vision.

We stand with our brothers and sisters of the National African-American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention and their statement of December 11, 2020, affirming their acknowledgement of systemic racism and their admonition to proceed with prayer for better understanding through our mutual love for Jesus Christ and one another, the statement, released Friday, said.

In his response, also published on Friday, Greear called A Statement on Justice, Repentance, and the SBC gracious and important.

I encourage all Great Commission Baptists to carefully and soberly consider these words. The SBC was founded with the unjust and ungodly assumptions about race, and even though we have acknowledged and repudiated these injustices, we recognize sin, being a reproach to any people, leaves a long tail of destruction, he said.



It corrupts our institutions and subtly shapes our perspectives in ways that deserve careful introspection and humble listening. Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. I, for one, remain committed to a posture of humility and leading from it as God enables me. I need my brothers and sisters of color in the body of Christ, and our witness is greatly diminished without each other, Greear added.

Greenway charged, however, that Greear supported the statement when it was presented to him.

As president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS), I enthusiastically signed the CSP statement, and I was grateful to see words of support for it from our SBC President, J.D. Greear, who noted it represented Convention leaders affirming our historic Baptist theological confessions as well as a biblical view of justice, and adding his own voice to declare that ideological frameworks like Critical Race Theory are incompatible with the BFM. The Gospel gives us a better answer, Greenway wrote.

Nevertheless, a number of black pastors have since begun cutting ties with the SBC over the statement, including the Rev. Ralph West, founder and senior pastor of The Church Without Walls in Houston, Texas.

West revealed that he had been pursuing a Ph.D. at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and had been encouraging other ministers to do the same due to President Adam Greenways invitation to return as a statement of good faith, that the seminary wanted to welcome me and many other Black ministers to contribute to its legacy.

The Texas pastor said the statement from Greenway shattered that relationship, forcing him to make a decision to withdraw from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as part of his severing of ties with the denomination.

Greenway highlighted Wests decision about whether he was welcome there, along with concerns raised by another black student at the seminary, as the two reasons he decided to speak publicly on the controversy over the statement. He said he reached out to West about his concerns but they agreed that the needed conversation happened too late.

I only learned about my fellow Southwesterners plans the same time the rest of the world did: when the Baptist Standard published it. But once I read it, I immediately called him, and two brothers in Christ had a wonderful time of conversation sharing hearts and minds with one another in candor and charity, Greenway recalled of his talk with West. As our call concluded, I told him that I hoped he would not follow through with any plans to withdraw from SWBTS or from the SBC. We mutually agreed it would have been better if our conversation would have occurred before rather than after the fact.

Greenway also challenged the view that six white men making a statement concerning racism and other related issues is problematic because without having ethnic representation in the room ... the only outcome can be from their life experience.

With the greatest of respect toward and love for those who have expressed this point of view, such a notion itself could be construed as consonant with the worldview framework of CRT/I, even if not the stated intention or expressed ideology of those making this specific criticism, Greenway said.

Theologically, neither the life experiences of the six seminary presidents nor anyone else in any segment or subset of Southern Baptist life has any direct relationship to or doctrinal bearing on the compatibility or incompatibility of BFM affirmation and CRT/I affirmation. The reason is straightforward enough: human experience neither determines nor falsifies biblical and theological truth, he said.

The Scriptures are the spectacles through which our own experiences must be evaluated, not the other way around. CRT/I is not a value-neutral collection of insights about the individual and collective experiences of African Americans and other ethnic minorities incapable of being correctly understood by Anglos; it is a comprehensive ideology that makes transcendent truth claims about creation, humanity, and the social order that stand in diametric opposition to the BFM, he added. Critiquing CRT/I is not about preserving whiteness, but rather pursuing righteousness and justice as God says . [in -- Isaiah 1:16-18].

Greenway said the statement on CRT and intersectionality was not politically motivated but had emerged organically out of a conversation at the recent annual meeting of the seminary presidents.

The presidents further noted in a statement to The Washington Post Tuesday that they had issued the statement because members had asked about critical race theorys compatibility with the SBCs faith statement.

We regret that our statement inadvertently caused significant hurt among some black brothers and sisters, the statement said, noting that seminary leaders will meet with Black SBC leaders in January. This was never our intention or in our heart, even as we expressed our genuine concern about what we see as dangerous ideologies.
Former domestic abuser, survivor work to eradicate domestic violence

Two individuals who hit rock bottom in their lives by either committing or experiencing domestic abuse have turned their lives around and established programs designed to help prevent others from experiencing the same fate.

Both Michael Clark and the Rev. Linda Thomas credit their respective relationships with God for giving them the strength they needed to overcome their difficult situations. Clark founded The Ananias Foundation, which is designed to help individuals who have committed acts of domestic violence to stop hurting the ones they love, while Thomas established a domestic violence ministry at her church and has teamed up with state and local officials to provide resources for victims of domestic violence.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Clark, who uses a pseudonym to protect the anonymity of his family, detailed how he transformed from a domestic abuser to an author committed to eradicating domestic violence. He also explained how the Ananias Foundation, a web-based ministry targeted at individuals who commit acts of domestic violence, came about.

In 2005, I was married to my second wife and we had a blended family, he recalled. We each had two kids and they were all teenagers. We had been married just a couple of years at that point. In putting our families together and having a busy household and teenagers in the house, there was a lot of stress and a lot of changes and my wife at the time, we were still learning about each other and learning how to negotiate our relationship and we didnt do it well.

I didnt respond to those challenges very well when I was responding violently to things that were happening in our relationship, Clark admitted. There were times when my wife would say something really hurtful, I would respond by slapping her, one time I pushed her into a closet, pulled her hair.

It wasnt necessarily physical violence but things like pounding my fist on the table, slamming doors, shouting at the top of my lungs, these things arent technically considered domestic violence but theyre still damaging to a relationship and intimidating to a partner and therefore, not good for our relationship.

Clark explained that while committing the aforementioned acts of domestic violence absolutely did not make me feel better, he would frequently find himself in tense situations where he would respond in a way that was abusive and very damaging to my wife and to our relationship. He attributed the impulse to inflict physical or emotional harm on his wife as a result of not having good emotional control in those situations.

Eventually, Clarks acts of violence landed him in the criminal justice system. He spent two nights in prison on two separate occasions and was mandated to attend a batterers intervention program. Clarks run-ins with the criminal justice system also had professional repercussions, as he was demoted from his position at work shortly thereafter.

Clark found the batterers intervention program unhelpful because it was built around the ideology that we men are violent because we think were superior and entitled, a message that did not resonate with him. He did, however, find counseling helpful in identifying the underlying emotions that led him to commit acts of domestic violence, specifically a concern that he was not lovable.

Describing himself as a formerly intermittent church attender, Clark detailed how going back to church caused him to adopt a dramatically different worldview: Going to church and hearing this message that God loves me, accepting that and believing that changes me. Im far less concerned about what people think, including my partner.

I dont have to worry about rejection and abandonment because I know God has always been with me, understanding how God sees me and accepting my identity as His beloved child really was a game changer in how I thought and also how I could think about those situations.

Like Clark, Thomas credits her faith with helping her get through the most difficult time in her life, specifically citing the influence of Pastor John Jenkins and First Lady Trina Jenkins of First Baptist Church of Glenarden, located in Prince Georges County, Maryland, outside of Washington, D.C.

I stand before you healed, restored, and free from all abuse, Thomas told CP.

In spite of achieving academic success, Thomas hit rock bottom when she found herself trapped in an abusive relationship: I graduated with honors, earned a scholarship to college, completed thedeans list my first semester, fell in love, married a young man and nine months later delivered my daughter with a black eye.

As Thomas explained, domestic violence is a widespread issue that affects both genders: We know that while women are the majority of survivors, there are also men who are survivors of abuse. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in four women and one in seven men have been victims of severe physical violence will experience some sort of physical violence within their life.

Domestic violence during COVID-19

The issue of domestic violence is a cause of particular concern as the United States grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. The National Domestic Violence put together a report that tracked how COVID-19 impacts victims and survivors of domestic abuse. The report is based on data collected from Mar. 16, around the time that many states began implementing stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the disease, to May 16, 2020.

As the report noted, External factors that add stress, isolation, and financial strain can create circumstances where a survivors safety is further compromisedthis pandemic has elements of all three. Even more concerning, shelter-in-place orders meant that many would be in closer and more frequent proximity to their abusers.

The report highlighted the many challenges faced by victims of domestic abuse during the pandemic. For example, a caller said they could not file paperwork to remove the abuser from their home, because courts are closed due to COVID-19.



In another case, a caller had tested positive for COVID-19, and the abuser was using isolation to keep them from contacting family. The abuser also threatened to deport the victim, who is currently in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen.

Compared to March 2019, the hotlines contact volume decreased by 6% in March 2020. The hotline predicted that a decrease in contact volume would take place during the stay-at-home orders since survivors would feel less safe reaching out for support because of being in such close proximity to the abusive partner.

However, contact volume increased by 15% in April 2020 compared to April 2019. The Hotline attributed this to the relaxing of shelter-in-place requirements. Overall, there was a 9% increase in the total number of contacts received by the hotline during the two-month period compared to the same time in 2019.



According to Thomas, the pandemic has had an impact on the frequency of domestic violence in her community: The county has seen an increase in domestic violence cases since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic as victims are forced to stay at home with their abusers.
Governor Ron DeSantis is being sued by a Democratic state senator from Florida to stop him from organizing any more flights that will send immigrants to other states.

Democratic senator from Florida Jason Pizzo, who resides in Miami, filed a complaint on Thursday night, alleging that the governor violated the law by using the $12 million set aside in the state budget for migrant transportation.

Lawmakers Sue DeSantis

DeSantis claimed responsibility for chartering two planes to bring 48 Venezuelan migrants from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha's Vineyard this week as part of a political stunt to attack President Joe Biden's immigration policies.

The budget specifies that the funds may be used for "the transport of unauthorized aliens from this state consistent with federal law," according to Pizzo, who claims that DeSantis' actions were unlawful. The flights originated in Texas and made a brief stop in the Florida Panhandle before heading to Massachusetts.

The governor said that many people cross the border and remain in Florida. According to Politico, the federal government launched 80 flights transporting migrants into Florida last year. Pizzo was one of several state legislators that voted resoundingly in favor of Florida's budget. A portion of the program's funding came from interest on funds received through Biden's American Rescue Plan and delivered to Florida.

The most recent case, which is 15 pages long, was submitted to state court in Leon County, which is home to Tallahassee, the state's capital. Pizzo, a Florida citizen, brought the action on his own behalf. The complaint demonstrates that the state spent $615,000 through an air charter company called Vertol Systems Company, Inc. on travel and housing in Texas using a screenshot of state budget statistics.

According to NBC News, the business has connections to Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and Florida's safety coordinator Larry Keefe, who both defended Vertol in a civil complaint in 2017. There is a separate transaction in the case for $950,000 to Vertol Systems, although it is unclear exactly where those cash went.

Read Also: New York Crime: Suitcases Full of Dismembered Body Parts Found in Brooklyn Apartment After Tenant in Her 20s Reported Missing

DeSantis Allegedly Mislead Migrants

DeSantis is facing backlash over the flights, especially after migrants who arrived on the remote island in New England described how they believed they were traveling to Boston and repeated other promises. The organization has since filed a lawsuit against DeSantis, and the House Homeland Security Committee has requested an investigation from the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice.

The panel's letter asked the Justice Department "if any Federal laws were violated in the coercion and transport of the migrants," citing worries that the migrants "were pressured to join the flight using misleading information."

The entire immigration scheme has been compared to the 'Reverse Freedom Rides,' an anti-civil rights counterprotest from the early 1960s that aimed to depict Black Southerners as a socioeconomic burden. Twenty-seven House Democrats, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to officially condemn the migrant dumps in a letter on Friday, in part due to how similar they are to the Reverse Freedom Rides.

In the lawsuit against DeSantis, it is alleged that he committed fraud, false detention, and deliberate infliction of emotional distress, The Hill reported. Pressley mentioned that US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an organization that does not control the first stages of the asylum procedure, instructed the asylum-seekers to register their new addresses after they arrived.

And many Democrats do not accept the DeSantis administration's justification that they were only transferring data from Massachusetts The governor's office, according to Barragan, would have the tools at its disposal to comprehend the ramifications of the orders it was giving the migrants.

Republicans, however, have defended DeSantis, downplaying the significance of the migrant dumping and highlighting the administration of Biden's asylum policy, which they criticize as having "open borders."

Related Article: Hunter Biden Probe: Democrats Strike Down Request To Release First Son's Financial Documents

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Pro-life pregnancy center CEO accuses police of 'withholding evidence' of firebombing at NY office Authorities say they are 'still investigating'

The CEO of a pro-life pregnancy center severely damaged in an activist firebombing earlier this year is accusing police in upstate New York of withholding evidence of the crime.

Rev. Jim Harden, CEO of CompassCare, which saw its medical office in Amherst, just outside Buffalo, attacked on June 7, released a statement Tuesday alleging police have failed to return video footage of the attack.

In response, attorneys for CompassCare filed a special proceeding in the Supreme Court of New York in Erie County to compel the Amherst Police Department to return the footage, according to the statement from CompassCare.

Following the attack in June, CompassCare released the footage to police after the organization could not make a copy of the original video "due to catastrophic damage" from the firebombing.

Since then, the organization said police denied several requests to view the footage.

No public reports have been issued, nor have any arrests been made since the bombing.

Saying, "Our patience with the Amherst Police and FBI to make an arrest is at an end," Harden accused police of withholding criminal evidence.

"The Amherst Police are withholding evidence, barring CompassCare and its attorneys from taking appropriate legal action that justice may be done and the violence can stop," he said.

According to CompassCare, police failed to return the footage after an attorney sent a letter requesting the property by Aug. 19.

When an attorney reached out to Amherst Town Attorney Stanley Sliwa earlier this month, CompassCare said Sliwa "relayed the Amherst Police department's obstinance."

Sliwa, who represents the Town of Amherst and the Amherst police, told a local Buffalo-area news outlet the reason they have not returned the footage is that "we're still investigating it.

"We don't want to disseminate the tape to anyone at this time because we don't want it to get out, what we're doing and who we're looking at," Sliwa told ABC affiliate WKBW.

When asked why police hadn't returned the footage, Silwa told The Epoch Times he is concerned the information could provoke more violence. Silwa vowed that the video could be released once the investigation is complete.

"You're aware of all the nut jobs out there with guns and AK-47s, bombing and killing people because they have certain political views," Sliwa was quoted as saying.

The Christian Post's request for comment from Sliwa and APD was not returned as of Friday afternoon.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturnedRoe v. Wade in June, dozens of attacks have targeted pregnancy centers, churches and other pro-life organizations. But Harden points out a single arrest has yet to be made in those attacks.

By contrast, Harden added, a suspect was arrested in just four days in an FBI investigation into an attack on a Planned Parenthood facility in Michigan.

"If four days are enough for federal law enforcement to arrest a perpetrator of attempted arson against a Planned Parenthoodabortion clinic, 105 days ought to have been enough to locate arsonists causing a half-million dollars in damage to CompassCare's pro-life medical office in Buffalo," said Harden.

Describing CompassCare as "a Christ-centered agency dedicated to empowering women to erase the need for abortion by transforming their fear into confidence because everyone is made in the image of God," Harden told CP in August that he credits the swift reopening of the facility to the "generosity of the people of God."

While the firebombing undoubtedly caused CompassCare hardship, Harden said it opened up new opportunities for growth.

"We're able to engage ... additional partners to help us kind of realize our plans that we've been developing since 2018," he said, pointing to the addition of a global telehealth partner called Let's Talk Interactive operating in 79 countries and 50 states.
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Adam Greenway resigns, joins IMB

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has accepted the resignation of Adam Greenway after serving as president of the Fort Worth, Texas-based Southern Baptist academic institution for over three years following the firing of his predecessor, Paige Patterson.

SWBTS' Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees met Thursday and accepted Greenway's resignation, according to a statement released by the seminary on Friday.

Greenway will move on to a position with the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board. Southern Baptist leader O.S. Hawkins will serve as acting president. Hawkins is the president-emeritus of Guidestone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and an SWBTS alumnus.

The board of trustees will appoint a presidential search committee during its next meeting scheduled for Oct. 17-18, according to the announcement.

Executive Committee Chairman Danny Roberts expressed his "deepest appreciation" for Greenway's "more than three and one-half years of service to his alma mater."

"He came to Southwestern Seminary during a difficult time of transition and has worked tirelessly to lead the institution to serve well the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention," Roberts said.

"President Greenway has assembled an impressive faculty of scholar-ministers who are daily impacting the lives of their students. He also provided steady leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, which dramatically altered the delivery of theological education."

In February 2019, the SWBTS trustees elected Greenway as president.

"These days are incredibly challenging in the life of our denomination," Greenway said in a statement. "They are also challenging times for academic institutions, particularly theological seminaries. In February 2019, Carla and I accepted the call to come back 'home' to Southwestern Seminary with an understanding of these challenges, but also with the strong desire to be part of the solution."

"What we failed to appreciate was the enormity of the reputational, legal, and financial realities that would welcome us to the Dome  only to be compounded by a global pandemic unlike anything we have ever experienced before," he added. "We have done our best to serve Southern Baptists by helping position our seminary for the future, but much, much work remains to be done. Nevertheless, in the Providence of God we sense a release from our duties here."

Greenway previously served as dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

Greenway said he is thrilled to now have the opportunity to "prepare Southern Baptist missionaries for their work of addressing the world's greatest problemspiritual lostnesswith God's solution, which is the gospel of Christ."

In his first chapel sermon as seminary president in March 2019, Greenway said, "even in the midst of uncertain, changing, transitional times, some things ought never to change."

"I don't come in with some radical new vision and complete discontinuity from the glorious 111-year history of the crown jewel seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention," stated Greenway at the time.

"If anything, I believe the Lord called me here to help reinvigorate and to retell the great legacy of our seminary for a new generation. That is my passion and my desire as a Southwesterner."

The seminary has the full-time equivalent of 1,105 students, according to the Association of Theological Schools.

Under Greenway's leadership, the seminary cut the decades-old Tandy Institute for Archeology, which served as an "umbrella institute for various centers, museums, and academic programs" that have contributed to archaeology and archaeological research.

Also, in 2020, Greenway joined other Southern Baptist seminary leaders in approving a resolution denouncing Critical Race Theory as "incompatible with the Baptist Faith & Message."

Greenway defended his support for the resolution in an open letter to his seminary, arguing that some of the criticism is "based upon misunderstandings" and that CRT has some merit.

"[CRT] does rightly decry racism and injustice, not unlike Islam's adherence to monotheism, Mormonism's valuing of the family, and inclusivism's emphasis upon Christ's power to save," wrote Greenway at the time.

"I doubt anyone would seriously argue though that Islam, Mormonism, and inclusivism should therefore be embraced in the SBC. Is rejection of these three tantamount to a theological throwing out of the baby with the bathwater? Of course not."
Massachusetts school district promotes book telling students how to use gay sex apps

WARNING: The following article contains sexually explicit content

A book available to students of a public school district in Massachusetts includes instructions on how to use online sex apps, drawing the ire of online critics as debate about the content accessible to students in public schools continues to loom large in American politics.

The Twitter account LibsofTikTok published a tweet Monday reporting that the book titled This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson is "proudly displayed" at a school within the Newburyport Public School District in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

The Christian Post reached out to Newburyport Public Schools for comment. A response was not received by press time.

A photograph posted with the tweet showed This Book is Gay on a bookshelf at an undisclosed location underneath a poster advertising "Banned Books Week." The initiative is backed by the American Library Association in response to an increase in attempts to ban books from schools that critics contend are sexually explicit.

The pornographic book This Book is Gay is proudly displayed in @NBPTDistrict. The book teaches kids how to have sex and use sex apps. pic.twitter.com/CFBJ68lTlo  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 19, 2022

A screenshot of the book accompanying the tweet shows a section titled "How sex apps work."

The book informs readers that after they "upload a tiny pic of [themselves] to the app," the app "works out your location" and "tells you who the nearest homosexuals are." From there, users can "chat to them," with the book stressing that "because they are near, it's easy to meet up with them."

LibsofTikTok's Twitter thread about the book includes a screenshot from Chapter 9, "The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex." The first page of the chapter notes that "this chapter is about sex" and urges those who "aren't ready for the finer details of same-sex pairings" to skip the chapter.

The book laments that schools "taught you all about straight sex when you were TEN YEARS OLD" and maintains "the fact that they didn't also teach you what same-sex couples do is nothing less than institutionalised homophobia."

"Straight sex was presented as the norm to make five per cent of the population feel abnormal," the book states. "This chapter is simply all the stuff teachers SHOULD be saying if they want to be inclusive of people with same-sex" attraction.

An additional page of the book shared by LibsofTikTok showed the author telling readers not to use vaseline and baby oil in conjunction with condoms during gay sex and referring to anal sex as "bum fun." The book contends that some gay men don't like the sexual act because "it's the hole poo comes out of."

The page transitions from talking about sex between men to "girl-on-girl sex," detailing how "two women can pleasure each other in a variety of fun ways" and suggesting that "a hand can do the job of five penises in one."

LibsofTikTok provided a link to the entire text of the book, warning that "it gets much worse."

While the school district didn't respond to CP's request for comment, Newburyport School Superintendent Sean Gallagher confirmed to The Newburyport Daily News that the book is available in a school library. In an earlier interview with The Daily News, Gallagher said that parents have the right to petition for a book to be removed from circulation and need to submit the proper paperwork.

The inclusion of This Book Is Gay has drawn the ire of the Newburyport-based grassroots coalition Citizens for Responsible Education, which warns that the book is also available for download on an ebook app that allows kids access using their school computer logins without parental knowledge or permission.

"Page 156 of 'This Book is Gay' gives your teenager instructions on how to use sex apps," the organization wrote in a Facebook post. "

A story published on the website Mass Resistance last year contains additional snapshots of the book, which includes a claim that homosexual men have bigger genitalia than their heterosexual counterparts.

In addition to including graphic pictures of male and female anatomy illustrating which parts "FEEL NICE" when touched, the book provides instructions on how to engage in anal and oral sex and give "handies."

A summary compiled by Amazon characterizes This Book is Gay as an "instruction manual" for LGBT people to read after they "come out."

It explicitly highlights the presence of a section dedicated to "the ins and outs of gay sex." LibsofTikTok's post about the presence of This Book is Gay in Newburyport Public Schools came on the second day of Banned Books Week, which organizers describe as "an annual event celebrating the freedom to read."

Characterizing itself as a "response to the sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries," Banned Books Week serves as a collaboration of "the entire book community  librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types  in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular."

This Book is Gay is one of the top 10 challenged books of 2021, as identified by Banned Books Week. Two of the other books on the list, Gender Queer and Lawn Boy, have also garnered national attention not only for their graphic depictions of sex but for the promotion of sex between men and boys.

The Banned Books Week website asserted that both books were "banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content" and because they were "considered to have sexually explicit images," not mentioning the concerns about pedophilia.

Last year, Stacy Langton, whose son attends Fairfax High School just outside Washington, D.C., appeared at a Fairfax County School Board meeting to express outrage over the presence of the two books in high school libraries throughout the largest school district in Virginia. She noted, "One book describes a fourth-grade boy performing oral sex on an adult male," while "the other book has detailed illustrations of a man having sex with a boy."

"The illustrations include fellatio, sex toys, masturbation and violent nudity," she added. "Pornography is offensive to all people; it is offensive to common decency."

Concerns about sexually explicit material in school libraries and curricula, as well as some schools embracing elements of critical race theory, have led to the creation of several advocacy groups.

Such organizations include Parents Defending Education, a "national grassroots organization working to reclaim our schools from activists promoting harmful agendas," and the 1776 Project PAC, which supports "school board candidates that vow to overturn any teaching of the 1619 Project or critical race theory in their school districts."
Jewish university, LGBT club reach temporary truce in ongoing legal battle

An LGBT student organization and New York City Orthodox Jewish university have agreed to halt enforcement of a court order requiring the school to recognize the group as an official on-campus club while the school appeals its case.

Becket law, a non-profit interest firm representing Yeshiva University, announced Tuesday that YU Pride Alliance has agreed that a "stay should be entered to allow Yeshiva to appeal a ruling against it without the threat of sanctions."

The LGBT group's decision to approve the request for a stay to restore club activities was sent in a press release to the school's newspaper, The Commentator. The club sued the school, claiming refusal to grant official status violated a city law preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The announcement follows the university's decision last Friday to temporarily halt all club activities in light of the state court's refusal to grant a preliminary injunction while the litigation continues. That announcement came after the U.S. Supreme Court vacated an order that temporarily halted the state court's June ruling.

"We are agreeing to this stay while the case moves through the New York courts because we do not want YU to punish our fellow students by ending all student activities while it circumvents its responsibilities," the statement reads.

Hanan Eisenman, director of communications at Yeshiva University, said in an email newsletter that the school's club activities will resume once the students return to campus after the Jewish holidays.

"Now that Pride Alliance has offered a stay, we have sent their lawyers a signed agreement to stay the trial court order. We look forward to working together to quickly resolve this issue."

Students with the YU Pride Alliance filed the lawsuit last year after the university denied their requests to register as a student club. A New York State Supreme Court ruled in June that Yeshiva University must recognize the group as a formal student organization.

New York Supreme Court First Judicial District Judge Lynn Kotler's ruling permanently restrained Yeshiva University "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 judge argued that the university must award the same privileges to the Pride Alliance group that it does other student clubs under New York City human rights law.

An Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court declined an appeal, and the university sought relief from the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Sonia Sotomayor granted the school a temporary reprieve, which remained in effect until the court ruled last Friday in a 5-4 vote that it was too early to get involved in the case. The court left open the possibility that the school return once the case was heard in lower courts.

Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett dissented, arguing that the school's right to religious freedom justified its response to the student group.

"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," Alito wrote in the dissent.

In a statement to The Christian Post last Friday, Yeshiva University President Rabbi Ari Berman advocated for the right of every university to work with students to establish clubs that align with the school's religious values.
Is it unfaithful for Christians to vote for Democrats?

Some Christians are upset with Albert Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, because last week at the Pray Vote Stand summit by the Family Research Council, he suggested Christians who vote for Democrats or Christians who do not vote are unfaithful to God.

Mohler said:

2022 in the United States means votes matter. And we have a responsibility to make certain that Christians understand the stewardship of the vote, which means the discipleship of the vote, which means the urgency of the vote, the treasure of the vote, and they need to understand that insofar as they do not vote or they vote wrongly  they are unfaithful. Because a vote is a powerful stewardship.

Naturally, this angered many woke and progressive Christians. They said Mohler has embraced Christian nationalism. They said hes speaking as a conservative, not a Christian.

Meaning, progressive Christians believe they are the only professing Christians who should be political. They believe Christians who influence others to vote are divisive people  unless theyre progressive or woke.

Mohlers critics are not angry that he said Christians who vote wrongly are unfaithful to God. Theyre angry because he doesnt believe voting for pro-life Republicans is wrong.

If Mohler said, Christians who do not vote or Christians who vote for Republicans are unfaithful to God, progressive Christians would wholeheartedly agree with him. After all, thats what theyve been saying about Evangelicals for years  especially after Donald Trumps election in 2016.

Progressive Christians consistently suggest Evangelicals are not faithful Christians. In fact, just a few weeks ago  progressive Christians said Evangelicals were unfaithful Christians because we dont support Bidens student loan forgiveness plan.

So progressive Christians are not being apolitical in their reactions to Mohlers words. Actually, they are the most politically-minded group of professing Christians in America. After all, their entire religion is based on progressive politics, not Christianity.

Nevertheless, they do not disagree with Mohler in principle. They disagree on politics.

Its important to understand that. Though some Christians refuse to say so publicly  we all believe there is a right or wrong way to vote  a faithful or unfaithful way to vote. Christians and progressives agree on that. We disagree, however, on what we believe is a righteous or sinful way to vote.

Still, in response to the reactions to his words, Mohler said:

If you are offended that I encourage Christians to vote FOR candidates who defend the unborn and support the integrity of marriage and to vote AGAINST candidates who support abortion and subvert marriage, that has been my message for my entire adult life.

Hes right. I listened to his podcast, "The Briefing," for the first time in 2010. His words on voting in 2022 are not different from his words in 2010. It wasnt controversial for Evangelicals to encourage Christians to vote for pro-life politicians in 2010  and it shouldnt be controversial now.

Many Evangelicals claim theyve stopped encouraging Christians to vote for pro-life Christians because they want to be Christ-centered. Some of these Evangelicals are probably just sincerely wrong about their convictions. Others, however, are dishonest.

Christ isnt the reason why some Evangelicals refuse to encourage Christians to rescue pre-born babies from slaughter. Christ hasnt changed  and what it really means to be Christ-centered hasnt changed. But the culture has changed, so some of these Evangelicals have also changed.

Therefore, its now offensive and controversial for Evangelicals to encourage Christians to vote in a biblical manner. Meaning, some Evangelicals choose to protect themselves from being called offensive instead of protecting babies from murder.

Nevertheless, is it unfaithful for Christians to vote for Democrats? Is it a sin if a Christian supports a pro-abortion politician? Yes.

If you support an unjust politician, youre guilty of injustice and unfaithfulness to God.

Our refusal to acknowledge this reveals our apathy over the injustice of abortion, and the injustice of gender-affirming castrations, mastectomies, and hysterectomies.

Were unfaithful to God when we vote for unjust politicians over just politicians. William Wilberforce suggested the same throughout his campaign to end slavery 200 years ago.

As an abolitionist politician, Wilberforce suggested it was his Christian duty to vote against slavery in parliament  and it was the Churchs Christian duty to vote in elections for anti-slavery politicians.

Wilberforce said, God Almighty has set before me two great objects: the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.

And his colleague James Stephen, said:

I would as soon affiance myself in bonds of friendship with a man who had strangled my infant child, as lend my feeble support to an administration disposed to violate the sacred duty of adhering to and enforcing the abolition of the slave trade.

With strong support from Christians, William Wilberforce and James Stephen eventually authored what became known as the Slave Trade Act 1807, a bill that abolished the slave trade in the British Empire.

Though we celebrate these men 200 years later, we condemn Christians who are emulating them today.

Interestingly, people who are angry that some of us believe its unfaithful for Christians to vote for pro-abortion politicians would also say Christians who voted for pro-slavery politicians in Wilberforces time were unfaithful to God.

Ive already published several articles about why Christians shouldnt vote for Democrats. You can read one of these articles here. In that article I said:

We Christians have freedom not to vote for anyone, but we do not have freedom to vote for anyone. We have the freedom not to vote for pro-life politicians like Donald Trump, but we do not have freedom to vote for pro-abortion politicians like Joe Biden.

That might seem to contradict what Al Mohler said about Christians who do not vote, but I dont think Mohler and I disagree on this. I cant speak for Mohler  but from what I know about him, I dont think he was saying Christians who do not vote are unfaithful to God.

Given his Never-Trump position in 2016 before he changed his mind in 2020, I dont think Mohler believes Christians are unfaithful if they refuse to vote for a lesser evil or a progressive, pro-abortion Republican.

I dont think he was referring to Christians who have legitimate reasons not to vote. In the context of his speech, I think he was addressing Christian apathy over voting in elections. In other words, I think he was referring to Christians who do not care about voting.

If my assumptions are correct, I agree with Mohler. Christians who do not care about voting are unfaithful to God.

Voting is a right and a responsibility. We rightly label our rights as God-given, but we rarely acknowledge that our responsibilities with those rights are also God-given. We have a God-given right to vote, and we have a God-given responsibility to vote.

That God-given responsibility includes means we should love and protect our neighbors by voting. The Bible says, Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gate (Amos 5:15).

Therefore, we should hate abortion, love the right to life, and establish justice for pre-born babies by voting for pro-life politicians.

Originally published at Slow to Write.
Nigeria: Radical Fulani kidnap pastor, dozens of Christians in church raids

ABUJA, Nigeria  Suspected Fulani herdsmen abducted dozens of Christians from a church service in northwest Nigeria, less than a week after kidnapping nearly 60 members of the same denomination in the north-central part of the country, sources said.

In northwest Nigeria, the suspected herdsmen and other terrorists who raided the nighttime service of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Suleja, Niger state, at about 2 a.m. on Saturday kidnapped the pastor and other Christians, area residents said.

The congregation was holding an all-night prayer vigil at the church site in the Japap area of Suleja at the time of the attack by Fulani herdsmen, said Suleja resident Nathaniel Ade. Another town resident, Elisha Musa, also identified the assailants as Fulani herdsmen, who are predominantly Muslim.

The Fulani herdsmen kidnapped the pastor of the church and some of his members, Musa said in a text message to Morning Star News. Soldiers from Zuma Rock Barracks, Suleja, who rushed to the church to rescue worshipers and repel the attackers got there hours after the attackers had left with the kidnapped victims.

The Rev. Raphael Opawoye, secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State Chapter, said that Christians in Niger and other states in northwest Nigeria have suffered unabated attacks by herdsmen and other terrorists, though kidnapped Priest Leo Raphael Ozigi was released after a ransom was paid.

In March, 45 Christians were abducted by the terrorists and herdsmen during two days of uninterrupted attacks on the communities of Sarkin Pawa town and some communities in Munya Local Government Area of Niger state, Opawoye told Morning Star News in a text message. A Catholic priest, the Rev. Fr. Leo Raphael Ozigi, was kidnapped on March 27 while he was on his way back from Gwada town to Sarkin Pawa town, where he had gone to minister in one of his parishes. Family members of the Catholic priest had to pay a huge ransom to the bandits and terrorists in order to secure his release from captivity.

Kidnappings in Kaduna State

In north-central Nigerias Kaduna state, suspected Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists on Sept. 13-14 attacked area homes and an all-night prayer vigil of another Cherubim and Seraphim Church, kidnapping at least 57 Christians, but possibly as many as 14 soon escaped, sources said.

At least 43 Christians remained captive after the raid in Kasuwan Magani town, Kajuru County, according to the Rev. John Joseph Hayab, Kaduna state chairman of the CAN.

Awemi Maisamari, national president of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), said in a press statement that, along with the abducted church members, some Christians were kidnapped from their homes.

There is still no breathing space for Christian communities in southern Kaduna, as terrorists, jihadists, bandits and armed herdsmen have continued to plunder and wreck Christian communities in the southern part of Kaduna state, Maisamari said.

Kasuwan Magani is about 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of the city of Kaduna. On Sept. 12, the assailants abducted six people in a raid on the Ungwan Fada area of Kasuwan Magani, he said.

With no measures put in place to forestall a recurrence, the following day, Sept. 13, the terrorists stormed the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, during a night vigil program at the Bayan Kasuwa quarters area of Kasuwan Magani town, at around midnight, Maisamari said. They succeeded in kidnapping more than 60 Christians from the church and neighboring houses. However, they were not able to take all of them away because some were very little children, too aged or had health challenges.

While taking their captives to their camps, the herdsmen and other terrorists attacked Janwuriya village, another predominantly Christian community near Kasuwan Magani, and abducted two more Christians, he said.

As of Monday, Sept. 19, 45 Christians have so far been confirmed abducted by the terrorists, Maisamari said. However, on Sept. 18, their captors made contact with some families in the town via phone calls and claimed that only 40 were being held by them.

Its possible the kidnappers said they had 40 captives because they have already killed five of them, he said, adding that the terrorists are demanding a ransom of $465,294 (200 million naira).

Another Cherubim and Seraphim Church was attacked this month in southwest Nigeria. In Ogun state, animists who practice tribal religion on Sept. 2 burned down a church building where Christians were worshiping and holding a prayer vigil, area residents said.

The attack on Cherubim and Seraphim Church in the Agbado area left many Christians injured, area residents 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.
When you buy specific products directly from Apple's online store, they will offer you engraving service without charge. In other words, you can currently get an iPad, AirPods, AirTag, or Apple Pencil (2nd generation), and have them engraved with emojis, names, initials, numbers, and dates.

But there's a pleasant surprise for customers who engrave their second-generation AirPods Pro charging case. Apple said that users will be able to see the engraving design while pairing and connecting their second-generation AirPods Pro to their iOS device.

You Can See the Engravings on Your AirPods Pro Charging Case on Your Screen

The second-generation AirPods Pro will soon arrive at the homes of those who pre-ordered them. When pairing this device with your iOS device, you will encounter a pleasant surprise if you decide to have them engraved, according to MacRumors.

As previously mentioned, when you pair your second-generation AirPods Pro with your iOS device, the engraving you made on the charging case will be displayed on the screen.

Although it doesn't add any key features, it is still a pleasant touch to see your custom design on the display.

Read More: Apple's Online Store Is Down as it Prepares Pre-Orders for iPhone 14 Models

What Can You Expect With the Second-Generation AirPods Pro

Of course, the new AirPods Pro offers more than just the engraving functionality. Better Active Noise Cancellation and the new H2 chip that brings improved battery life, and enhanced controls with touch-sensitive stems are some features of this high-end device.

The new AirPods Pro case adds a lanyard hole on the side and a small speaker on the bottom. However, this speaker does not intend to play music. Per XDA, when the case is lost or placed on a charger, the speaker on it makes a sound, which will alert the user.

Pros and Cons of Having Engravings on Your Apple Products

Having engravings on your Apple products may sound cool for some people. However, there are things you should consider if such a feature is for you.

According to Apple Magazine, these are the advantages of having engravings on your Apple products:

You can personalize your devices using these engravings. If you have memorable phrases or dates, having them engraved on your devices can make it feel more personal to you and help you get the most out of your Apple products.

It will be more difficult for thieves to sell your belongings if your Apple products have personalized messages on them. It will also make it easier for you to trace your device.

You can easily distinguish your device from other similar products. This is especially helpful if you live in a house with other people with the same gadgets.

If you want to gift an Apple product to your loved ones, having a personalized message engraved onto them will be extra memorable.

Here are the cons of having engravings on your Apple products:

Unfortunately, even your Apple devices with engravings on them weren't stolen, they would be harder to resell than those without any engravings.

Having them engraved can prolong delivery time.

You can only engrave limited amounts of characters.

Related Article: Apple's New AirPods Pro Gets Improved Noise Cancellation - But Do They Support Lossless Music?
NASA has sent many space probes to study things beyond our exosphere. The nearing flyby of the Juno spacecraft is arguably one of the most significant missions for NASA as it will fly extremely close to Europa, one of Jupiter's 80 moons.

Juno was launched on Aug. 5, 2011, and arrived at Jupiter after almost five years. It is now set to probe the said cosmic body to gather data on the moon's interior, surface composition, and ionosphere. Another task for the Juno spacecraft is to take high-resolution photos for people to have a peek at the famous ice-covered moon.

As mentioned in an article by CNET, NASA claims that "Scientists think a salty ocean lies below a miles-thick ice shell, sparking questions about potential conditions capable of supporting life underneath Europa's surface," which makes the data they will retrieve absolutely important.

NASA will start collecting data an hour before they reach the closest proximity which is 51,820 miles (83,397 kilometers) from Europa.

John Bordi mentioned that the space probe's relative velocity between spacecraft and moon will be 14.7 miles per second (23.6 kilometers per second), which is pretty fast.

Read Also: NASA Asteroid Mission 2022: Full Details of $10000 Quadrillion-Worth Psyche Asteroid, Spacecraft Engine and Solar Thrusters

What Kind of Data Will Juno Obtain?

One of the many things that NASA wants to discover about Europa is its interaction with the gas giant's magnetosphere.

Europa has an equatorial diameter of 1,940 miles (3,100 kilometers), which means that it's just slightly smaller, or more accurately, 90% of the size of our moon. Scientists believe that there is a salty ocean below its remarkably thick ice shell.

With that belief, those scientists speculated that underneath Europa's surface may hold the potential conditions to support life.

The data on Europa's ionosphere will be collected by Juno's Jupiter Energetic-Particle Detector Instrument (JEDI) and its medium-gain (X-band) radio antenna as it measures plasma in the moon's wake with its Waves, Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE), and Magnetometer (MAG).

"We have the right equipment to do the job, but to capture a plume will require a lot of luck," says Bolton according to NASA's official website.

Diving Into Europa

The data that Juno will gather could be beneficial to future missions and to the agency's Europa Clippers. Which is set to launch in 2024.

Scott Bolton the, Juno Principal Investigator of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, said that they would be happy to provide data that would help the Europa Clipper team with mission planning and provide new scientific insights.

Juno's Microwave Radiometer (MWR) will allow NASA to look into Europa's ice crust and obtain data on its composition and temperature. They will compare the images they will acquire to the images taken from previous missions to determine if there have been changes in the last two decades.

The space probe's star camera (called the Stellar Reference Unit) will take a high-resolution black-and-white image of Europa's surface, while they attempt to take infrared images of the icy moon's surface using the probe's Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM).

Related Article: NASA Looks at Launching Mission to Uranus with Detailed Plans Starting Next Year
A Broomfield student won Colorados first high school contest to design the states digital I Voted sticker for the upcoming November election.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced Friday that the winner of the contest is Matthew H., a senior at Holy Family High School. Matthew hopes to pursue graphic design in college after he graduates from high school next year.

I was really excited to find out I won the I Voted Sticker Design contest, I put a lot of effort into this design and Im so glad people like it, Matthew said. Art is meant to be beautiful, and I just hope that when people see the design it makes their day a little bit better.

Matthews sticker design includes a Colorado flag-style sun setting over twin peaks, on top of the words I Voted and alternating red and white stripes. Matthew said the mountains were inspired by those in his hometown and the muted color palate was inspired by the Colorado flag, aiming to create a warm feeling in the design.

The new I Voted sticker will be digitally sent to all mail-in voters this November, as well as featured on the Secretary of State's Office website, media channels, press releases and voter turnout campaigns.

Matthew will receive a copy of his own sticker as the November election is the first in which he is eligible to vote. Matthew said he plans to vote in the election because I want to be an active member of my community and I dont want to be afraid to use my voice for what I believe in.

Congratulations to Matthew for his amazing design, Secretary Griswold said. Colorado voters have always worn their I Voted stickers with pride, and now theyll be able to showcase them digitally after casting their ballot thanks to Matthew. My sincere gratitude to every Colorado high schooler who submitted a design for consideration.
Offer a personal message of sympathy...

By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. If you have an existing account with this site, you may log in with that below. Otherwise, you can create an account by clicking on the Log in button below, and then register to create your account.
North Korea launches what it claimed was a hypersonic missile, Jan. 5, in this photo provided by the North Korean government. AP-Yonhap





The South Korean military has detected activity in North Korea that suggests it may be preparing to fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) off its eastern coast, officials said Saturday.







The move came one day after the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea's eastern port city of Busan to join the allies' combined military drills later this month.







"We are closely monitoring North Korea's SLBM-related facilities and activities, and maintaining a thorough readiness posture," a military official said.







The military reportedly detected possible signs of preparation for an SLBM test in the North's eastern coastal city of Sinpo on Wednesday and Thursday.







President Yoon Suk-yeol was briefed on the situation earlier Friday by Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup on the flight back from Ottawa, after his weeklong visit to Britain, the United States and Canada, the presidential office said.







Yoon instructed the military to respond immediately in the event Pyongyang makes a provocation, the office said.






Courtesy of Jul Lee





By David Tizzard







David A. Tizzard

To define whether or not a country is modern is a rather difficult thing. Some of us instinctually reach for economic factors as a mark of a state's development. The simple equation being: the more cash it has, the more modern it is. Yet such figures can be deceiving. Rather than just mere gross domestic product, people expect a reasonable amount of economic distribution in a modern state and so look at GDP per capita. The two ways of presenting such information put South Korea either 12th or 36th. More dramatically, China drops from 2nd to 79th when seen in such a way.







For others, money cannot buy modernity if certain values are lacking. The Gulf States, for example, are drowning in money  providing fabulous backdrops for Instagram influencers wanting to flex. Yet there are those who would suggest that despite being able to buy gold from vending machines, there are cultural obstacles which prevent these countries from being modern. Whether such requirements are fair or rather a neo-colonial form of cultural imperialism remains a matter of perspective. It also raises the question of whether there are any absolute moral or ethical standards vis-a-vis modernization or whether we are all simply left adrift in a horizon-less ocean of liquid modernity and a post-Nietzschean world.







Certainly there are many who believe a modern state is a secular one and not theocratic. Reason rules, not god. Ernest Renan gave this view its clearest pronouncement when he said, "Mankind used to believe, but now it knows." A wonderful irony being that tolerance allows anyone to believe what they want (from Buddhism, to Scientology, and Jedi) providing such beliefs don't influence their decisions should they be in positions of power. Gender, race, and sexual orientation are far more acceptable as choice-drivers than anything spiritual. How we derive ethics from science remains a very fun and interesting discussion though.







Whether or not modernity has values, absolute or otherwise, it has certainly conquered time and space. We are no longer influenced by the natural rhythms of night and day, summer and winter. A modern state is one in which anything is available, all the time. Our desires no more constrained by the hour of the day or geographic location. We have swimming pools in winter, neon lights at night, and strawberries all year round. Fulfillment is instantaneous. It is achieved by large-scale urbanization: another important feature of modernity. With it, the civilizing process takes place as CCTV and social media become the Foucauldian panopticon observing our every move and threatening punishment should we do anything not 'normal'.







As Freud, Stiglitz, and many others have observed, modernity brings with it discontents: anxiety, depression, and suicide. Atomized living and hyper-individualization is far too much for some to bear. What was once solid has melted. The necessity of becoming oneself, a branded commodity, is suffocating. Sadly, as suggested by Mark Fisher, this becomes seen as an individual problem requiring insurance, counselling, and the right amount of meds. All purchased with money of course. And the problems are attributed to chemical imbalances or generational trauma. Few ever dare suggest that the cause is structural or something inherent in the modern system itself.







Despite this brief and clearly inadequate exploration of what modernity might be, I will end with the suggestion that South Korea is now more modern than its erstwhile sponsor, the United States. This is of course not to suggest that South Korea is perfect, far from it; nevertheless, its trajectory and modern environment is one of ascension and progress rather than regression. Its streets are relatively safe to walk  a single tragic and senseless murder sees outrage and demand for immediate action and change rather than empty platitudes of thoughts and prayers; its shopping malls and churches free from mass shootings; drug and opioid crises on a nationwide scale non-existent. The health care is excellent and available. The transport and infrastructure is modern, clean, and cheap. The university classrooms are places of education and learning with professors still commanding respect and students free from ideological culture wars dividing the population. The culture itself promotes hard work, effort, study, and respect.







It's easy to bash South Korea, and my column will attest to the fact that I'm not blind to these problems. But my word, isn't it worth celebrating the fantastic achievements once in a while? This country has achieved so much. Will it avoid the various pitfalls to which the west has succumbed? Perhaps. It will no doubt have its own problems on the journey. But when has this country ever done things the easy way?







Dr. David A. Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) has a Ph.D. in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He is a social/cultural commentator and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He is also the host of the Korea Deconstructed podcast, which can be found online. The views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times.


Unlike tigers or lions, they are not stealth hunters, sneaking up to within a few feet from their prey. They need vast open plain to spot the prey, hide in the tall grasses and shrubs to get close and then chase over a large patch of land. Therefore, this also means, these plains need tall grasses for them to hide.

A quick comparison of the Google Earth image of the cheetah habitat in Namibia and the proposed habitat in KNP establishes a stark difference. As of now, KNP landscape looks very similar to most forest plains of India -- too many trees that will block the sight of vision.

To convert this forest to sustain a critical population of cheetahs, too many trees must be perhaps felled. Is the exercise desirable? It is odd that for introduction and conservation of a species, we remove natural vegetation.

Apart from preparing the habitat in controversial ways, many experts have already predicted the problems the cheetahs will face from feral dogs and the occasional tigers and leopards straying into the area (South Africa has refused to send their cheetahs as long as leopards are not removed from KNP).

What about human-cheetah interactions and conservation? Most successful conservation models in India are not imported from outside but rely on the local expertise and involvement. Our success stories around has come from our long history of human-wildlife coexistence.

For example, in the Indian part of Sundarbans, the place sees the highest number of tiger attacks and yet sees no retaliation because conservation efforts depend upon the knowledge shared by the locals. Given that none of the current communities in India has ever shared their habitat with cheetahs, how will the conservation effort work?



To take pride in getting back lost glory is as misplaced as settling for Cullinan diamond in place of Kohinoor



However, there is one scenario where, despite the above criticisms, the exercise deserves a lot of support if it means reviving or saving a species that is facing certain extinction.

This is what

This conservation strategy is increasingly being proposed in anticipation of range shifts forced by climate change especially for species that are restricted to a specific location. Climate related shock may simply hasten the process of extinction by wildfire, floods etc. Although this is one of the more

Given that we have reasonable experience with conserving them, the relocation exercise would have been an ideal setup for us to learn the process. It seems rather odd that KNP which was the original proposed site for lion relocation will now host cheetahs!

Further, reports suggest that India could not get the Asiatic cheetahs from Iran partly because we refused to relocate a few Asiatic lions in return. Thus, while MR may seem a plausible reason for undertaking the exercise, there is very little credible signal we have emitted that shows our commitment to the cause.

It appears we will have to expend a lot of resource to maintain a healthy sustainable population of cheetahs in KNP. This is particularly disturbing as almost every week there are fresh road kills involving protected species in India. This is because, citing lack of resources, we blatantly renege on our commitments.

For example, while the Kanha-Pench forest corridor should have 11.81 kms long under passes to let the wildlife have a safe passage, the National Highways Authority of India (NHA) overlooked the rules and constructed only 4.41 km long underpasses compromising their dimensions.

Similarly in NH6, only 2.95 km of mitigation work was done against a schedule 8 kms length. This is

It is important at this stage that instead of inventing new justifications to support the project, we identify one or two objectives. This will help us plan resources better. We must also be prepared to carefully lay out a termination plan -- a plan that suggests when to no longer continue with the project. However, the signals India has sent so far are confusing. It was ideal to start the process with relocation of Asiatic lions from Gir, as they satisfy all conditions that may require MR intervention.Given that we have reasonable experience with conserving them, the relocation exercise would have been an ideal setup for us to learn the process. It seems rather odd that KNP which was the original proposed site for lion relocation will now host cheetahs!Further, reports suggest that India could not get the Asiatic cheetahs from Iran partly because we refused to relocate a few Asiatic lions in return. Thus, while MR may seem a plausible reason for undertaking the exercise, there is very little credible signal we have emitted that shows our commitment to the cause.It appears we will have to expend a lot of resource to maintain a healthy sustainable population of cheetahs in KNP. This is particularly disturbing as almost every week there are fresh road kills involving protected species in India. This is because, citing lack of resources, we blatantly renege on our commitments.For example, while the Kanha-Pench forest corridor should have 11.81 kms long under passes to let the wildlife have a safe passage, the National Highways Authority of India (NHA) overlooked the rules and constructed only 4.41 km long underpasses compromising their dimensions.Similarly in NH6, only 2.95 km of mitigation work was done against a schedule 8 kms length. This is completely violating the Wildlife (Protection) act 1973 while constructing a road patch on NH46 ( Hoshangabad -Betul) through a functional tiger corridor connecting Melghat and Satpura tiger reserves. Surprisingly, most of these violations are in MP, the state for cheetah relocationIt is important at this stage that instead of inventing new justifications to support the project, we identify one or two objectives. This will help us plan resources better. We must also be prepared to carefully lay out a termination plan -- a plan that suggests when to no longer continue with the project. We will be reneging our commitment to conservation if we continue to waste precious resources towards a project, only because we attached national pride to it.

---

*Professor at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon; his research interests are in the area of Data Analytics and Public Policy

One can agree that there may be negligible human-cheetah conflict, but one cannot rule out Cheetah livestock conflicts. Does this mean we will now displace a lot many villages from the nearby areas of KNP than we would if we were to convert KNP for other wildlife conservation? The economic costs of such resettlement are not negligible.However, there is one scenario where, despite the above criticisms, the exercise deserves a lot of support if it means reviving or saving a species that is facing certain extinction.This is what ecologists term as managed relocation (MR), also known as assisted colonization or assisted migration.This conservation strategy is increasingly being proposed in anticipation of range shifts forced by climate change especially for species that are restricted to a specific location. Climate related shock may simply hasten the process of extinction by wildfire, floods etc. Although this is one of the more controversial proposals to emerge in the ecological community in recent years, it is in this context that India can play an extremely role by being the perfect destination for MR.

The Cheetahs from the African continent has finally been introduced to India by the Indian Prime Minister on his 72nd birthday. The process had started with the previous Government in 2009. However, the Supreme Court clearance was pending owing to the objection by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) plea to reintroduce cheetahs.Finally the clearance was obtained in January 2020 and thereafter Kuno National Park (KNP) was chosen for the reintroduction of first set of Southeast African Cheetahs. In the near future, depending upon the success story of the current reintroduction, more cheetahs from South Africa may also be introduced.This exercise has generated a lot of interest among various stakeholders with opinions on both sides galore. It is important to pose some questions that surround the whole exercise. Let us evaluate some of these arguments.The first set of arguments are quite detached from the issues of conservation as they mostly deal with either commercial returns or are seen as a matter of pride for a nation. The second set of arguments explore our competency to pull off such an ecological challenge. There are many more, but let us start with these few.Perhaps the strongest and most popular voice in support of the exercise is its equivalence of bringing back Kohinoor. Although there were a few Asiatic (Indian) Cheetahs who were roaming free during the beginning of 20th century, they were officially declared extinct in 1952.Therefore, it is natural to believe that, for a species that got extinct less than 70 years ago, reintroduction to the wild would certainly be ethical, easier as well as more acceptable from the viewpoint of ecological conservationism.However, are we reintroducing the same sub-species? There is now scientific evidence to suggest that the Asiatic cheetah (acinonyx jubatus venaticus) is distinct from its African counterpart ( acinonyx jubatus jubatus). Therefore, to take pride in getting back lost glory is as misplaced as settling for Cullinan diamond in place of Kohinoor!Another prominent argument put forward in favour of the exercise is its impact on tourism. Undeniably, in India, wildlife tourism has exhibited an impressive (15% growth) over the years with over 70% of them being Indians. Further, 71% of them undertake such tourism if there is a chance of seeing a tiger in the wild.Without doubt there will a lot of tourist attraction for Cheetah safari and it may well exceed the per Cheetah tourist revenue as compared to any other big cats. But perhaps tourism around any big cat will do as well after we net out the costs.The leopard safari at Jhalana earned over Rs 5 million between December 23-29, 2021 in a small 20 sq km reserve forest. Thus the issue is not whether KNP will earn tourist revenue, will it compensate the revenue loss because a sizeable conservation fund will now be diverted away from parks that host tigers, lions and leopards?Indeed it is baffling as to why a country that has such diverse native wildlife and an enormous unmet tourist demand (often there is a more than three months waiting time to book safaris at parks with decent tiger sightings), needs to import non-native wildlife to boost wildlife tourism. Strangely it appears a complete anti thesis to our nationalistic sentiments- diver funds for the natives to the non natives!However, the above concerns fade in comparison to the possible disaster that can happen on the conservation and ecological front if we fail to anticipate some challenges.Without doubt our track record in conservation of native wildlife has been quite successful and something that has lessons for others. Indeed, for long, the only haven and the future for tigers is India. However, does that make us experts to generate a healthy self-sustaining population of cheetahs here? I am afraid the answer is negative.The challenge is not so much as prey base -- one can ensure somewhat steady supply of them (although that itself may come under scrutiny as we are violating various wildlife protection Acts as well as ethical codes of conservationism by introducing alien species to prey on native species); the challenge is grassland. Cheetahs will need vast plains of grasslands with very few trees that block their vision, vegetation. Or undulation that can impeded their speed.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, looks on as Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a joint news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday. AP-Yonhap



President Yoon Suk-yeol and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met in Ottawa on Friday and agreed to strengthen cooperation on minerals and natural resources to help secure stable supply chains.



The two leaders discussed a wide range of topics during their summit, including cooperation on technology, climate change, people-to-people exchanges and North Korea. In a joint statement, they announced the countries are elevating their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.



"Today's talks were very meaningful in that they took place against the backdrop of a combination of challenges faced by the international community, including a pandemic, supply chain disruptions and climate change," Yoon said in a joint press conference following the summit.



"We agreed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries on economic security," he continued, noting that both nations play important roles in global supply chains, with South Korea being a key producer of semiconductors and batteries and Canada being a top producer of minerals.



"We plan to build a cooperation regime in the area of minerals and natural resources between the governments and businesses of the two countries in order to secure stable supply chains after the pandemic," Yoon said.



The two sides will communicate closely through high-level diplomatic and trade channels in order to be able to respond actively to "shocks caused by changes in the international order," he added.






Sci-tech achievements ignite space exploration dream among young Chinese

Xinhua) 15:08, September 24, 2022

Sun Lan has been a space enthusiast ever since she was a child and learned a great deal about it from books, but there were still many questions that remained unresolved for the 16-year-old student.

Fortunately, she found answers to most of her questions at a lecture delivered by Shen Liping, former deputy chief engineer of China's manned space program, last week.

Speaking at the Jiao Cheng No.1 Middle School in Jiaocheng County, north China's Shanxi Province, Shen shed light on the history of the country's manned space program and its future projects and answered questions from the students.

"I was touched by the spirit of scientists and astronauts after learning about aerospace science at the lecture. This is a lecture that will benefit me for life," Sun said.

The lecture was one of the initiatives by the Chinese Society of Space Research for the promotion of science in Shanxi Province. Top scientists and experts from the field of space science will deliver a series of lectures to students from eight schools this month.

This year is the 30th anniversary of China's manned space program. China's aerospace industry has achieved breakthroughs in spacecraft launches and astronaut spacewalks, and is making efforts in large-scale space science experiments.

The achievements have ignited enthusiasm among Chinese youth, encouraging them to pursue their space dreams.

After her graduation, 26-year-old Shi Yurong joined the National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to work on space environment forecasting.

In addition to conducting scientific research on space environment monitoring and forecasting, her team is also responsible for space environment monitoring for many major space missions in China.

"As a child, I was thrilled to watch rocket launches on television, and now I can contribute to space science. I feel fortunate and honored," said Shi, adding that the promotion and popularization of space science encouraged her to pursue a career in the relevant field.

"I think the development of science and technology in a country depends on generations of young people getting to know science, falling in love with it, and devoting themselves to the domain," Shi added.

Space science is now more accessible to Chinese teenagers. Yang Liwei, China's first space traveler, conducted an aerospace-themed science class for teenagers at the China Science and Technology Museum on National Science Popularization Day this month. More than 280,000 teenagers watched the class through live broadcasts.

Zhihu, a Quora-like knowledge-sharing platform in China, recently launched an initiative concerning space science. A number of aerospace experts shared space-related knowledge and the country's aerospace achievements with the netizens.

China will continue to promote science popularization. By 2035, the proportion of citizens with scientific literacy will reach 25 percent, and the high-quality development of popular science services will be significantly improved, according to a guideline on strengthening popularization of science and technology in the new era released by the central authorities.

The country's achievements in science and technology will foster the popularization of science to cultivate scientific spirits and innovative thinking among the public, said Yu Dengyun, deputy chief designer of China's lunar exploration program.

(Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Bianji)
Vice President Kamala Harris waits outside her official residence, Sept. 16, in Washington. AP-Yonhap





North Korea may well conduct a nuclear test during U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris' upcoming trip to Japan and South Korea as Pyongyang has been preparing for such a test, a senior U.S. administration official said Friday.







The official warned the North will face serious consequences should it choose to conduct a new test.







"It is possible and we previously said that the DPRK is preparing to conduct a nuclear test," the official said when asked about the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test during Harris' trip to the Northeast Asian countries next week.







DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.







The official noted Pyongyang has been said to be preparing for a nuclear test for some time.







"We have made clear that such a test would result in additional actions by the United States to demonstrate our ironclad commitment to the security of the Republic of Korea and to our Japanese allies," said the official, referring to South Korea by its official name.







"We have made clear how concerned we have been by North Korean provocations and destabilizing behavior and a nuclear test would certainly be in that category," the official added, also noting the issue of North Korean provocations will "certainly" be discussed when the U.S. vice president meets her South Korean counterparts.







The vice president is scheduled to make a four-day visit to Japan from Monday, leading a presidential delegation to the funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.







She will arrive in South Korea on Thursday for a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, the official said in a telephonic press briefing. It will mark her first trip to both Japan and South Korea since taking office early last year.






Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama speaks during a memorial ceremony on the southwestern island of Jindo on Sept. 24 for Japanese naval soldiers killed in the 1597 Battle of Myeongnyang during Japan's invasion of the Korean Peninsula. Yonhap





Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Saturday apologized for his country's wartime brutalities against Koreans as he attended a memorial event for those killed in a 16th century historic naval battle between the two countries.







The center-left Japanese leader from 2009-2010 delivered a speech at a memorial ceremony on the island of Jindo, 349 kilometers south of Seoul, for Japanese sailors who died in the 1597 Battle of Myeongnyang.







"In the past, Japan caused deep suffering to the (Korean) people," Hatoyama said in the event held on Mount Waedeok in Jindo, South Jeolla Province.







"I am not sure if your anguished heart can be healed from this apology.  We (as Japanese) are obliged to keep apologizing  until the people with wounded hearts feel they no longer need the apology from us," Hatoyama said.







Some 100 people from the two countries attended the event that was co-hosted by the Jindo Cultural Center and a Kyoto-based peace organization.







Adm. Yi Sun-sin of Korea and his 12-ship fleet triumphed against Japan in the battle near the island during Japan's invasion in 1592-1598.







The residents buried the remains of some 100 deceased Japanese soldiers on the sunny side of a nearby mountain. The mountain was named Waedeok, meaning "extending virtue to the Japanese."







"The Japanese should not forget that (the Koreans) warmly treated them as humans whether they were enemies or allies," he said.







"Our future will brighten up when everyone from Korea and Japan cherish the historical facts on Mount Waedeok." (Yonhap)














Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will head for Japan next week to attend a state funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the foreign ministry said Saturday.







Han and Chung Jin-suk, interim leader of the ruling People Power Party who doubles as the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, will lead the South Korean delegation for Abe's funeral next Tuesday, the ministry said.







Han plans to head for Japan on Tuesday for a two-day visit, it said.







Discussion is underway to arrange a meeting between Han and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, the ministry said.







On the sidelines of the funeral, Han will hold a meeting with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who plans to attend the funeral, it said.







During the meeting, Han and Harris plan to discuss the alliance between Seoul and Washington as well as pending issues on the Korean Peninsula, in the region and the world, the ministry said earlier.







Harris plans to visit South Korea next Thursday after attending the funeral. (Yonhap)










Well now, here it comes, the next stage of the revolution. The last echo of the last lament had hardly died away before the Britain-haters were back at work.

There was an exaggerated politeness to the late Queen until her funeral was over.

Clergy who normally enjoy addressing God matily as You and inflicting funky go-ahead prayers and jerky hymns on their remaining flocks had to say Thou and Thee.

A largely Godless establishment had to sit through the beautiful, severe solemnities which the Queen loved and they either loathe or simply dont understand.

A largely Godless establishment had to sit through the beautiful, severe solemnities which the Queen loved and they either loathe or simply dont understand. But then came that astonishing moment when the crown, orb and sceptre were taken from the Queens coffin, and her Coronation vows officially passed from this world, as she had done. I felt a shiver.

But then came that astonishing moment when the crown, orb and sceptre were taken from the Queens coffin, and her Coronation vows officially passed from this world, as she had done. I felt a shiver.

The unspoken charter, under which this country remained at least outwardly the same while she lived, was at an end.

I was reminded of the haunting words from Ecclesiastes: Man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

I have already written here about the rigged Proportional Representation pseudo-Parliament which the Left-wing parties are hoping to impose on this country if the Tories lose the next Election. Preparations are well advanced.

Then on Friday we learned that Gordon Brown, who is still the man who edited the Red Paper for Scotland in 1975, and should not ever be mistaken for a conservative, has produced a major plan for constitutional change, including the abolition of the House of Lords.

Like a man who has had his head severed but doesnt realise it, much of Britain still has not grasped the significance of the huge constitutional changes brought in by Brown and Blair after 1997. The Scottish independence crisis is only part of this.

Some are just beginning to see that we will have to hand over Northern Ireland to Dublin before long  a surrender of national territory in response to the IRAs violence.

But here comes a convulsion in the principles by which we are governed. It is already well under way.

Judges in an English court warned a few years ago in a case about Christian foster parents who couldnt agree to the modern view of homosexuality: Although historically this country is part of the Christian West, and although it has an established church which is Christian, there have been enormous changes in the social and religious life of our country over the last century We sit as secular judges serving a multicultural community of many faiths.

It is quite obvious that, in the 70-year gap between the two [coronation] ceremonies, the entire country has been utterly changed, divorced or unwed rather than married, committed to personal autonomy rather than to self restraint, vaguely republican rather than vaguely monarchist, filled with competing cultures rather than sharing a single one.

This is a striking thing to say in a country whose law and government originate, beyond doubt, in Christian principles.

But it still hasnt hit home. Now it will. Probably next spring, King Charles III will be crowned. This ceremony is unique in the Western world.

No other European monarch has a coronation such as ours, with its rich mixture of law, religion, tradition and patriotism.

But can a multicultural community of many faiths put up with a ceremony which requires the new monarch to assent to the demand made to his mother in 1953: Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law?

If so, the promise will be empty, as King Charles well knows. It is quite obvious that, in the 70-year gap between the two ceremonies, the entire country has been utterly changed, divorced or unwed rather than married, committed to personal autonomy rather than to self restraint, vaguely republican rather than vaguely monarchist, filled with competing cultures rather than sharing a single one.

The country in which the late Queen dwelt will be utterly abolished. It will not just be the beginning of a new reign. It will be the end of an old world.

Expect to have this point made hot and strong at the Coronation, by the choice of those present, by the atmosphere, by the words used and the songs sung and the poetry read and the music played.

The country in which the late Queen dwelt will be utterly abolished. It will not just be the beginning of a new reign. It will be the end of an old world.

And who knows if, how, when or where that will finish?

If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens click here
The latest season of Married At First Sight UK is well under way  and it's already brought plenty of drama as newlywed strangers come to grips with married life.

Viewers have witnessed arguments over the dinner table and tears at the altar, but not everything gets filmed, a former contestant of the popular E4 reality show has revealed.

Marilyse Corrigan, 38, had a tumultuous relationship with former military man Franky Spencer, 48, in last year's show - but the couple parted ways shortly afterwards.

Now, a year later, Marilyse has shared secrets about the reality show, claiming that although contestants would have days off - they were forced to stay indoors.

The mother-of-two told The Sun that the strict rules cast members had to adhere to were like being at 'boarding school'.

Marilyse Corrigan, 38, who wed Franky Spencer on last year's series of Married At First Sight UK, has claimed that contestants would often have days off, and were forced to stay in their apartments

The production team would not let the show contestants socialise outside of official Married At First Sight events, such as the dinner parties, commitment ceremonies and 'girls' and 'boys' days out

She said: 'On an evening, we would go into each other's rooms, and then one of the producers would find out, come back in and be banging and banging and banging.

'She'd come in and be like, "Get to your room!" You felt like you were at boarding school.'

Marilyse said there was a social media ban on set - but other contestants, including Morag Crichton, managed to sneak in electronics.

She also claimed that a lot of activities don't make it into the show - because air time is reserved for the dinner parties and commitment ceremonies, as well as some of the couple's interactions in the apartment they share.

The members of the cast were not allowed to leave their rooms without a chaperon and couldn't go drink in a pub or shop without supervision

However, even when contestants are not filmed, they enjoy very little time by themselves.

Marilyse claimed she she couldn't go out and about in Brighton without asking production first and being assigned a chaperone.

She said she wasn't allowed to go into any of the shops in Brighton, and that her chaperone had to show her dresses from the window display of the local Zara so she could buy one after running out of clothes during filming.

The mother-of-two said many of the strict regulations in place were due to Covid, as the production team were trying to limit the cast's interactions with the outside world.

Marilyse also said the cast were not allowed to hit the pubs while filming.

Marilyse and her husband from the show Frankie, right, stayed together for four months but eventually called it quits

The personal trainer revealed she couldn't even enter a Zara shop to buy a dress, and that a chaperon had to show her different options through the shop's window

The personal trainer added that when she got cold feet about going ahead with the show, producers were good at 'persuading' her to continue.

Marilyse and Franky called it quits after four months together, with her admitting at the time their relationship 'went a bit dry' and they became 'more like friends'.

This comes after Marilyse's co-star Morag made explosive claims about the show last month.

Morag - who was married to Luke Dawson - made a claim about her 2021 season, revealing that producers set up the moment that led to a fight between the couples.

Accusations: In August, Morag Crichton - who was married to Luke Dawson (pictured together) - made a sensational claim about her 2021 season, revealing that producers set up the moment that led to a huge fight between the couples

The veterinary nurse, 32, also admitted that the only reason she survived the show is was because she was 'drunk the whole time', having spent her food allowance on booze.

Fans of the show will remember when Morag confessed during a game of Never Have I Ever that fellow bride Amy Christopher's husband Josh Christie had slid into her DMs prior to the show.

And though Morag revealed the truth to Amy, she's now claimed that she didn't want to reveal that bombshell and had previously told a producer that she befriended in confidence.

She told how she 'jokingly' told a producer about Josh after realising who he was when they joined the show, and didn't believe that her reveal would come back to 'haunt' her later in the programme.

It was only weeks later when she began to 'forget' that she spilled the beans to the producer, that the question 'Never have I ever been DM-ed by one of the other husbands came up on one of the cards during a game, leaving the Essex native furious.
When I was a child I used to get 1 postal orders from my grandma and grandpa at Christmas and birthdays.

These went into a savings account that my dad set up for me and sat there for a few years, not doing much, until I emptied the account in my teens to buy clothes.

If only my grandparents had known about investing in the stock market back then. For while it might seem that only rich parents produce rich kids, there are various ways you can accumulate a generous nest egg for your offspring  and if you do it right, you can even pave the way for them to become a millionaire in later life. Yes, really!

Prudent new parents should consider starting a pension for their baby. A Junior SIPP (self-invested personal pension) is a brilliant way to amass future wealth for your child.

Miss Moneysaver: 'If only my grandparents had known about investing in the stock market back then. For while it might seem that only rich parents produce rich kids, there are various ways you can accumulate a generous nest egg for your offspring' (stock image)

If you start from birth and are able to pay in the maximum amount every year until the child is 18 (2,880 which is made up to 3,600 thanks to tax relief from the Government), the fund could reach the 1,073,100 pension lifetime allowance by the time they reach 65, says Myron Jobson from Interactive Investor, assuming 5 per cent annual returns.

With family budgets tight now, small, regular contributions are worth making as they will mount up over time and the money grows tax-free. It needn't be all down to you either as friends and relatives can contribute to a Junior SIPP once a parent has set it up.

You can start a Junior SIPP with the help of a financial adviser (at a cost of 400 to 600) or by yourself on one of the investment platforms such as AJ Bell, Charles Stanley or Hargreaves Lansdown, which all have off- the-shelf SIPPs that you can choose from.

I would also recommend putting money into a Junior ISA for your child, grandchild, niece or nephew.

These are for children aged 0-17 and are just like the adult ISAs, only the maximum annual amount you can put in is 9,000 as opposed to 20,000.

Miss Moneysaver: 'You can open a cash ISA with your bank or building society. Or be bold and consider a stocks and shares JISA'

You can open a cash ISA with your bank or building society. Or be bold and consider a stocks and shares JISA. As you are investing longer term, your money has longer to weather the ups and downs of the stock market and there are off-the-shelf JISAs where the investments have been chosen for you.

If you can afford the full 9,000 a year (that's 750 a month) and pay this in for the first 18 years of your child's life, your child could be a millionaire by their 37th birthday (assuming annual returns of 6.5 per cent) says Dan Brocklebank from Orbis Investments.

A fund that did particularly well, bringing in an average of 9.5 per cent returns, would see them become a millionaire by their 28th birthday  and if they didn't touch the pot until they retired, they would be sitting on a whopping 33 million.

But smaller amounts add up too. If you qualify for Child Benefit and can manage without the extra cash, Laith Khalaf from AJ Bell says investing the 21.80 a week in a JISA stocks and shares fund that returns an average of 6 per cent would harvest 31,200 by the child's 16th birthday  a sizeable lump sum that could help cover university fees or go towards a house deposit.

Friends and relatives can add to this pot by giving cash for birthdays and Christmas instead of big toys. They could still buy a small gift but the main present would be money invested for the future and this can even be transferred direct into the child's investment. Buying gold is also a good long-term bet as part of your child's investment portfolio (a portfolio is really just two or more different types of investments).

'Gold has increased by 53 per cent against the British pound over the past five years, up 12 per cent in the past year alone,' says Cameron Parry, founder of gold-backed savings account TallyMoney. 'Every parent would like to give their kids a headstart in life, and with gold they'll get a valuable core asset.'

You can buy micro gold bars that weigh 1g from the Royal Mint for 79.99 each or set up a gold-backed savings account like those offered by TallyMoney where the gold is stored for you in a vault.

Even toys can be an investment. Popular Lego sets (if they are not opened or played with) have been going up in value by around 11 per cent a year, which is better than the stock market! So if you have the money, it's worth buying two sets of your child's favourite and keeping one unopened in the loft as an investment.

But for all this foresight to pay off, it's vital to teach children how to budget and save from a young age.

They are much more likely to be wealthy one day if you give them the tools to manage money well says financial adviser David Braithwaite from Citrus Financial.

This can start when they're old enough to walk round the supermarket with you by getting them to pick out the cheapest loaf of bread or the best value box of cereal.

Later, they can start earning pocket money by doing chores or selling off toys they no longer play with. Encourage them to put this money in a savings account; and if you set up a JISA or Junior SIPP, explain how the money will increase over time to help fund their future.

KidZania offer children more than 50 career experiences with parents not allowed to help their children during 30 minutes long activities

My lovely neighbour Sarah took her seven-year-old Lily to an indoor play area at Westfield in West London called KidZania, which teaches children about money management through play.

The place is set up as an indoor city where children can try out more than 100 different professions  from firefighter to doctor, lawyer, banker and TV presenter. They 'earn' money which they can either spend or save in the KidZania bank.

It's not a cheap day out  tickets are 42 for half a day's session for a parent and child  but it's a great way of teaching financial literacy. There are also apps and debit cards that help children learn about managing money. GoHenry is a debit card and app created for children aged six to 18 where parents can monitor spending, though it does cost 3.99 a month after a 30-day free trial.

HyperJar, meanwhile, is a free app that can be used by the whole family. Parents set up a money 'jar' for each child which they can use to save and spend money.

This can be split into smaller 'jars' which helps teach youngsters about budgeting and there is a free HyperJar pocket money card available which can be used for contactless payments.

Time to cash in on the second-hand car boom

Do you have a runaround car you don't use very much? Or perhaps you are thinking of managing without a car at all to cut back on costs? Well, now is a great time to sell to cash in on the extraordinary rise in value of second-hand cars.

According to AutoTrader, in the past two years the average value of a used car is up a whopping 4,000, which means that for some owners, their car could be worth more than they originally paid for it.

The model that has gone up the most in value is the Peugeot 107, which has increased by 43.2 per cent in just the past 12 months. Other popular second-hand models such as the Fiat Punto, Renault Scenic, Toyota Prius and Nissan Note have also rocketed in price, increasing by more than 30 per cent in the year. Check online to see how much your car is worth. You might be pleasantly surprised.

According to AutoTrader, in the past two years the average value of a used car is up a whopping 4,000, which means that for some owners, their car could be worth more than they originally paid for it

When it comes to selling your vehicle, you can advertise it on AutoTrader (costs range from 37 to 75) or on Gumtree.com (fees range from nothing to 25) but probably not Facebook or eBay because you may not get the full value.

According to the specialists at AutoTrader, to get the best price for your car you need to give it a good clean inside and out because, as with houses, buyers like a car that looks and smells fresh. Also, make sure you have both sets of keys.

Take many photos when you post your advert and be honest about faults as that increases the buyer's trust, making them more likely to take it off your hands.

Turn off the lights for Her Majesty

Next time you walk past an empty room and notice the light's been left on, think of our late Queen and switch it off.

I have often cited Elizabeth II as an example of how to live frugally, particularly when speaking at American events (they love to hear about how our royals behave!). She was the embodiment of the principle of living simply but well, always choosing quality over flashiness and never worrying about what others think.

She was also a stickler for not wasting electricity.

'You have to remember that she grew up during the Depression and the war when there was rationing and every penny counted,' says her former press secretary Dickie Arbiter. 'She was the sort of person that if she passed a room and there was nobody in it and the light was on, she switched it off.'

Miss Moneysaver: I have often cited Elizabeth II as an example of how to live frugally, particularly when speaking at American events. She was the embodiment of the principle of living simply but well, always choosing quality over flashiness and never worrying about what others think

She once even had signs put up reminding staff to turn the lights off, and she banned light bulbs with more than 40 watts.

Thank goodness she did, too. Buckingham Palace has around 40,000 light bulbs, and in 2011 the royal palaces' electricity bill was 2.2 million. Can you imagine what the bill will be this year? The Queen didn't like central heating, either, and would often make do with sitting by a small electric fire.

There's an official photograph of her greeting Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, at Buckingham Palace where you can see a one-bar electric fire in the background.

Get free help with pet bills if you are on a low income

How upsetting it is to hear from the RSPCA that there has been a 17 per cent increase in pets being dumped (often in lay-bys and bins) from 2020 to 2021 and a 24 per cent increase in 2022.

This is yet another repercussion of the cost-of-living hike as owners find they can't afford to keep pets.

One of the biggest costs can be vet bills, so it's important to get good-value pet insurance. Use a comparison site such as GoCompare.com, Comparethemarket.com or Confused.com to pick the right policy. According to Confused.com, pet insurance starts at 4.79 a month.

Older pets with pre-existing medical problems can be expensive to insure, so it's worth knowing that there are charities that can help those on low incomes.

Speak to your vet to find out those local to you.

Use a comparison site such as GoCompare.com, Comparethemarket.com or Confused.com to pick the right policy. According to Confused.com, pet insurance starts at 4.79 a month

If you are receiving benefits such as council tax support or housing benefits, you could qualify for free veterinary help from the charity PDSA.

The RSPCA also has clinics across England that offer reduced-cost vet help to those who meet its criteria.

The Blue Cross offers means-tested help, the Dogs Trust offers free and subsidised treatments to those in housing crisis and Cats Protection can help those who want to neuter or spay their cats.

For those on a very low income, there are pet food banks in some towns  find out if there is one near you via the PDSA or RSPCA.
As King Charles settles into his role as the monarch and head of state following his accession to the throne, he has shown how he is holding his mother, Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II dear.

In a photo published last night of King Charles at work in the Eighteenth Century Room at Buckingham Palace, there were a few subtle nods to his late mother and father, the late Duke of Edinburgh, which showed how the monarch will remember their influence when carrying out his royal duties.

Most striking was the black-and-white photo of the Queen and Prince Philip which sat on the side table behind the King's desk while he worked on reviewing documents from his red box.

King Charles III was hard at work as he reviewed official documents from his red box during his first days as the monarch following the death of his mother (Pictured in the Eighteenth Century Room at Buckingham Palace)

Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (pictured with the red box at Sandringham in February 2022) began every single day reviewing documents from the red box, apart from Christmas Day

According to the Royal Family's Instagram account, which published the photo of the King hard at work, the photo of the monarch's late parents, was a gift from them to King George VI in 1951 at Christmas.

The photo of the Queen and Prince Philip is not the first tribute of its kind from the King, 73, after he addressed the nation for the first time on Friday 9 September from the Blue Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace, where some of Her late Majesty's Christmas speeches had been filmed, with a photo of Her late Majesty on the desk next to him.

During the address, he also told the nation how he will draw upon his mother's example during his own reign.

The King said: 'Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen  my beloved Mother  was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.

Just behind the King on a side table is a photo of his late parents, the Queen and Prince Philip, which they gave to King George VI as a Christmas gift in 1951

The blue and lilac flowers on display just behind the red box appear to contain delphiniums, which symbolise commemoration of the lives of lost loved ones

The Queen was pictured reviewing documents from the red box several times over the years (pictured in 1972)

'Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.'

Royal fans may also have noticed a tribute to King Charles's mother in the bouquet of flowers sitting behind the red box in the new photo.

The display of blue and lilac petals appears to include sprigs of delphinium, a flower that holds several meanings. Primarily, delphinium is recognised as a sign of encouragement, joy and hope.

However, it also holds a more poignant symbolism for people who are grieving - in that it is often used to commemorate the lives of loved ones who have recently passed away.

Many royal fans may argue the photo itself is a tribute to the King's late mother, who was often pictured reviewing documents from the red box.

The Royal Family's official Instagram account wrote: 'The Red Box contains papers from government ministers in the UK and the Realms and from representatives from the Commonwealth and beyond.

King Charles referenced lyrics from Song for Athene, which was performed at the funeral of Princess Diana as her cortege departed from Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997

'The documents are sent from the Private Secretarys Office to The King, wherever he may be in residence, in a locked red despatch box.

'Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth received Red Boxes, which were made upon her Coronation in 1952, almost every day of her reign, including weekends and holidays, but excluding Christmas Day.'

In almost every photo of Her late Majesty reviewing the documents, she is pictured candidly as she carefully reads through the briefing.

However 2022, which marked Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee year, saw a change in the late monarch's red box photo. Taken at the Sandringham Estate in February, the Queen is pictured smiling into the camera next to the Red Box, and wearing a light green outfit.

The King's first Red Box photo, which was taken last week, reflects the Queen's previous, more candid photos with the important documents.

King Charles's clothes are also of significance, while he and the Royal Family continue to observe a period of mourning. Although the photo was taken before the Queen was laid to rest in a state funeral at Westminster Abbey and Committal Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, the royals will continue to observe a period of mourning, during which they will wear black, for several days.
Broadcaster and host of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour Emma Barnett has revealed she is expecting a baby, after suffering a miscarriage at the beginning of the year.

The presenter and mother-of-one, 37, who has previously opened up about having endometriosis and how it affects her fertility, said she and her husband are expecting a baby early next year.

However, following her loss at the beginning of 2022 Emma admitted she lives with 'fear' that this pregnancy may not work out, and added much of the conception process is 'pure luck'.

BBC presenter Emma Barnett (pictured with her son) has revealed she is expecting a baby early next year

In early 2022 Emma, who presents BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, opened up abbout suffering a miscarriage after her fifth round of IVF

Emma also shared that this pregnancy is the product of a sixth round of IVF, following the miscarriage from the fifth round.

After the first five rounds, the journalist said she and her husband had decided their sixth attempt would be their last - describing it as 'eerily ironic' that this attempt has been successful.

She also said that, following the end of covid restrictions, her husband was allowed in the room with her when the embryos had been inserted, following several lone trips to the fertility clinic during the pandemic.

Writing on her substack blog, Emma, who shares a son with her husband, argued women are 'shamed' into silence about infertility issues, adding she found herself 'pretending this was a normal way to live' as she continued to have IVF.

However, after suffering the miscarriage at the beginning of this year, she said the loss was 'a slap in the face I couldn't ignore', which influenced her decision to write about her experience.

Describing the process of IVF, Emma said it was 'isolating', even though she had a supportive partner to rely on.

Emma said her previous experiences with infertility have left her with a fear that something will go wrong with this pregnancy

It is only the woman who can take the pills, receive the injections, insert the pessaries, give the blood, eggs and then receive the embryo. And then have the baby removed if the process works, and then doesnt,' she said.

The broadcaster added she tried to keep 'IVF-me in a box', but added that version of herself 'spread' as her friends and loved ones managed to have more children, while she and her husband were struggling to conceive.

Addressing the pressure she felt while going through the IVF process, she wrote about 'the cycle of injecting, endless early morning blood tests, egg retrieval, embryo transfers and then the negative pregnancy test result hitting you in the face  all while keeping down a job and trying to manage the toll it takes on your relationships.'

Now she is expecting her second child, Emma also addressed the difficult balance women have to strike when sharing such news with their friends - many of whom may be struggling to conceive.

She advised people not to 'spring pregnancy news on those people in person' as this could bring up upsetting feelings and memories for them. Instead, she suggested sending a text, which gives that person time to process how they feel before sending their congratulations.

After losing one pregnancy following her fifth round of IVF, Emma opened up about the 'fear' that stays with her throughout this pregnancy, and how it affects her response when people offer their congratulations.

At a wedding this summer, where people could see she was pregnant and offered their good wishes, the broadcaster revealed she was muted in her reply and said things like: 'Hopefully it will happen'.

She added her Jewish background exacerbated this attitude, as typically in the Jewish culture events are not celebrated until they actually happen.

Looking back to her first pregnancy with her son, Emma revealed she was too frightened to unbox any baby equipment until he was born, with the nursery also unprepared, in case something happened to him.

Acknowledging the people she knows who have never been able to conceive, Emma admitted she thought twice about writing a blog and sharing the news of her pregnancy publicly.

However she added: 'No one has IVF for it not to work. No one.'
British doctors are pioneering a ground-breaking treatment that uses patients' own blood to reduce the risk of organ transplants failing.

The cutting-edge technique results in transplant failure rates being slashed, and also reduces the number of anti-rejection drugs patients need to stop the immune system destroying the new organ. Taken daily, these medicines significantly increase the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

But the new treatment, being offered to kidney transplant patients at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, could potentially safeguard donor organs with a much lower dose of the toxic pills  or even none at all.

Some 3,000 people a year in the UK undergo a lifesaving kidney transplant and then need powerful immune-system dampening tablets for the rest of their lives.

Chris Holmes , a former Army paramedic who served in Afghanistan, is one of more than 150 patients worldwide taking part in the trial

The new treatment is being offered to kidney transplant patients at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Pictured: The West Wing at The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford

The downside is a three-fold increase in the risk of some cancers  such as lymphoma, which affects the lymph glands  as well as increased risk of heart disease. In some cases, the drugs even end up damaging the very organ they are supposed to be protecting.

The new approach instead harnesses the power of the immune system itself.

Six weeks before transplant surgery, doctors take a blood sample from the patient and extract immune-system cells called regulatory T-cells. These cells have the job of reining in the immune system's response to attack, so that it doesn't end up harming healthy cells. The trouble is, regulatory T-cells naturally occur in very low numbers in the blood. So doctors extract what they can and then, in the laboratory, grow up to ten times as many of these cells before freezing them.

Four days after the transplant, they defrost the sample and slowly inject it back into the bloodstream.

The cells are attracted to the new kidney by the inflammation resulting from the surgery. Once there, they dampen the response by other immune system cells that are trying to attack it.

Dr Paul Harden, a kidney specialist involved in the trial, says: 'It's not just about the number of cells. Research shows that regulatory T-cells, once in the bloodstream, also "recruit" other immune system cells to behave like they do. Currently, the treatment involves just a single infusion.'

The success of the trial depends on the extent to which organ rejection rates are reduced. About one in ten currently fails, usually within the first four to five weeks.

Last October, Chris' father David, 56, also a former Serviceman, was found to be a match. File photo of a doctor performing a kidney transplant

Regulatory T-cells have been generating considerable excitement in transplant medicine in recent years. A group of European doctors who recently trialled them on liver transplant patients found some were able to stop taking anti-rejection medication completely.

Chris Holmes, a former Army paramedic who served in Afghanistan, is one of more than 150 patients worldwide taking part in the trial. While in the Army, Chris, 31, fell ill with a condition called Henoch-Schonlein Purpura, which affects the skin and causes a spotty rash  and can damage the kidneys. Initially, he took medication that controlled the problem and carried on with his military career, leaving in 2020 to become a fitness trainer.

'One day last year I looked in the mirror and noticed I was fairly bloated, whereas I'm normally pretty lean,' says Chris. 'Doctors dropped a bombshell  they told me my kidneys were failing and I needed a transplant.'

Chris faced a gruelling schedule of dialysis three times a week  a treatment that takes over the function of the kidneys, filtering waste from the blood. His transplant hopes were dashed when his brother turned out not to be a good donor match. But last October, there was breakthrough  his father David, 56, also a former Serviceman, was found to be a match.

In December, the transplant went ahead and just days later Chris received a 30-minute infusion of his own regulatory T-cells, which had been extracted several weeks earlier and grown in the lab.

As a result, he has been able to drop to one anti-rejection pill a day instead of three and has returned to work. In August, he was even well enough to take part in the European Transplant Games in Oxford.

'I couldn't bear the thought of losing the kidney Dad gave me  touch wood it will last for many years,' says Chris.

'There's a special bond we have now that is almost greater than the normal father-son relationship.'
Vaccine chiefs are considering offering all babies jabs to protect them against chickenpox  after discussions to introduce the plan were abandoned at the beginning of the Covid pandemic.

Normally a harmless illness, the virus can in rare cases lead to serious complications, including sepsis, pneumonia and brain damage.

Every year, more than 20 people die due to chickenpox in the UK and hundreds of babies are hospitalised due to severe symptoms.

But plans to institute a vaccination campaign, which would have seen thousands of babies across the UK inoculated every year, were put on hold after Government vaccine advisers were instructed to prioritise the rollout of Covid jabs.

Similar discussions took place in 2010, but were shot down by experts who worried such a campaign would not be cost-effective.

The US and several other European nations already offer jabs to all newborns against the disease.

File photo of a two-year-old girl at home sick with chickenpox

The Joint Committee on Vaccination And Immunisation (JCVI), has returned to the issue and is currently evaluating the merits of a chickenpox vaccination campaign. Pictured left to right: Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair JCVI, Chief Medical Officer for England Chris Whitty, and Dr June Raine, Chief Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), during a Covid media briefing in Downing Street in September last year

Now, The Mail on Sunday understands that the Government's vaccine advisory group, the Joint Committee on Vaccination And Immunisation (JCVI), has returned to the issue and is currently evaluating the merits of a chickenpox vaccination campaign.

Paediatricians have been asked to advise on how they believe parents will respond and have also been asked to advise on the practicalities of fitting the vaccination into the current childhood vaccination schedule.

Research shared exclusively with this newspaper shows that three-quarters of parents support the move. Just seven per cent would be unlikely to vaccinate their child against chickenpox. Last night, Professor Adam Finn, a child vaccine expert and member of JCVI, backed the plan, arguing that children should be protected from the serious health consequences of the virus.

'Chickenpox is an entirely preventable illness in children and paediatricians like myself want to see an end to it.

'Every year, thousands of children suffer horrible, painful symptoms as a result of this virus. This is needless suffering and misery, when there is an effective, safe vaccine available.'

Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella-zoster, and it is normally a mild and relatively harmless illness that clears up on its own within days.

Symptoms include a high temperature, aches and pains, and a rash of red, itchy spots that blister and eventually crust over to form scabs.

In the majority of cases, soothing creams and oat baths ease the itching, and paracetamol can relieve the pain. Some parents even deliberately expose young children to the virus at 'chickenpox parties', as it is well understood that the illness can be much more serious if caught at an older age.

But doctors say many are unaware of the uncommon but severe symptoms the illness can sometimes cause, which include painful bacterial skin infections and lung infections, which leave children struggling to breathe.

A vaccine to protect against chickenpox has been available since 1984. But, until now, at a cost of 27 a time to the NHS, the jab has been deemed too expensive to offer all children

'I see far more children in hospital with chickenpox complications than other serious childhood diseases like meningitis,' says Prof Finn.

'And even if they're not ending up in hospital, there are thousands of children who are left in agony because of the painful rashes chickenpox can cause. Many are left with scars for the rest of their life.'

A vaccine to protect against chickenpox has been available since 1984. But, until now, at a cost of 27 a time to the NHS, the jab has been deemed too expensive to offer all children. It is available privately in chemists such as Boots and Superdrug for about 65 per dose  two are needed  and at private clinics.

Many experts believe the UK should follow other developed nations and make it available to all infants. In Germany, the vaccine was introduced in 2004 and led to a 65 per cent decrease in cases in the first six years.

The US implemented a vaccination campaign in 1996 and has since seen a 90 per cent drop in children catching the disease.

Scientists say the best time to offer the jabs would be alongside the mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is given at 12 to 15 months of age with the second dose at four to six years old. But some experts believe the decision is not without risks.

A key worry is that poor take-up of the vaccine could increase the number of severe cases of chickenpox in the UK.

'If only some people came forward for the vaccines, the number of chickenpox cases would go down, but this would mean the unvaccinated would be less likely to catch the virus while they're young,' says Professor Helen Bedford, a child health expert at University College London.

'If you get to adulthood and only get chickenpox then, it can be very dangerous, so that's a situation we want to avoid.'

However, a recent study carried out by University College London and Keele University suggests that most parents would take up the offer.

The research, which has yet to be published, polled 600 UK parents and found that 75 per cent would be either 'extremely likely' or 'likely' to get their children vaccinated against chickenpox.

'The committee should come to a decision by next year,' says Prof Finn. 'And I'm optimistic that this time, we'll get this plan over the line.'
Brains 'clogged with cotton wool'. Forgetting colleagues' names. Fearing you've developed dementia. Just three of the distressing experiences described by some Mail on Sunday readers, revealed in scores of their letters to us.

All were responses to comments by our resident GP Dr Ellie Cannon in her column last weekend.

Admitting she had become a sufferer herself, Dr Cannon also noted a rise in patients and friends experiencing memory problems and asked readers if they were familiar with the issue.

We have been inundated with responses. And in nearly all cases, the problem didn't exist before the pandemic.

One 67-year-old woman says her memory lapses mean she regularly accidentally 'incinerates' food by leaving it on the hob.

Another 44-year-old woman is 'struggling to string sentences together'. Others have suffered full-on memory blackouts.

Many fear losing their job, or ruining their relationships. Experts speaking to The Mail on Sunday say readers are far from alone.

One 67-year-old woman says her memory lapses mean she regularly accidentally 'incinerates' food by leaving it on the hob (file photo)

Have you been hit by mystery memory loss? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement

Dr Soumit Singhai, a consultant geriatrician at the privately run One Hatfield Memory Clinic, says he's seen an increasing number of patients complaining of 'brain fog'. In many cases, the individuals are under 60. 'It means they are far less likely to have a degenerative disorder like dementia that is affecting the brain,' he says. 'Something else is going on.'

So why are so many people feeling this way? So-called brain fog is most commonly associated with fatigue-related conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Some women also experience it as a symptom of the menopause, due to hormonal changes.

NHS leaflets describe brain fog as finding it hard to take in information and remember it, feeling overwhelmed by decisions and struggling to find words you want.

It is also a recognised symptom of long Covid  when Covid symptoms continue for more than a few months, thought to affect about two million Britons.

A Cambridge University study of 181 long Covid patients found that nearly 80 per cent reported difficulties concentrating. Two-thirds suffered forgetfulness and struggled to find the right word when talking.

Other studies looking at hospitalised patients with severe Covid have found that, even six months after illness, patients scored ten points lower on an IQ score than pre-Covid.

Researchers at Cambridge and Imperial College London concluded that the brain damage from severe Covid is similar to the affects of 20 years of ageing. Scientists believe this is probably explained by the immune system's extreme reaction to the virus.

Brains 'clogged with cotton wool'. Forgetting colleagues' names. Fearing you've developed dementia. Just three of the distressing experiences described by some Mail on Sunday readers, revealed in scores of their letters to us

In some cases, fighter cells released by the immune system attack healthy blood vessels, causing clots and blockages, which could restrict the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.

Many of those who wrote to The Mail on Sunday link their symptoms to a previous Covid infection.

Ceri Williams, 66, of Pontypridd, South Wales, says her memory has been terrible since she contracted the virus in March. She writes: 'People's names, events from the past and plots from books or films have disappeared into the ether.'

Reader Juliet Pirie shared an extreme example of her memory lapses, following her infection in December 2021. 'Four months after I came down with it, I had a three-day stint when I couldn't remember anything,' she says. 'At the end I blacked out without warning.'

Now, she often starts a conversation with a friend, only to forget the topic two minutes in. 'I'm still not firing on all cylinders,' she says.

Sue Ferguson had Covid in June. 'Now I forget workmates' names, characters in TV soaps and my brain feels messed up. I'm starting to think I have dementia.'

Before 64-year-old Janet Owens came down with Covid in May, she was 'very efficient'. 'Now I forget passwords when I try to log in to computers and I don't remember recent conversations I've had.'

But there are others who are suffering identical symptoms, despite never having contracted the virus.

Like a number of readers, Rita, 76, from East Sussex, suspects Covid jabs have affected her memory. 'It's got bad and I have total brain fog and disorientation, very unnerving and upsetting.'

But Dr Singhai does not agree that Covid vaccines are to blame, saying: 'There's no solid, good quality evidence that they affect memory or increase the risk of dementia.'

But he does think the brain fog could be a lingering effect of the disruption to daily life most people suffered in the pandemic.

'Isolation and lockdown have impacted on cognitive function. Social stimulation is important to keep brain cells active, as well as for boosting mood, which helps us to focus.'

Researchers at Cambridge University, working with Fudan University in Shanghai, discovered that brain volume in areas associated with learning and memory shrank in people most affected by isolation during lockdowns.

A Cambridge University study of 181 long Covid patients found that nearly 80 per cent reported difficulties concentrating (file photo)

Dr Singhai says now people have returned to work, perhaps dealing with a backlog of tasks, their symptoms are coming to the fore. 'Processing lots of information can further affect someone's ability to concentrate on one thing.'

Plus, he adds, depression and stress  both of which have soared over the past two years  can affect concentration and memory.

One 73-year-old woman puts her sudden inability to spell previously familiar words down to 'the way life has become, post-Covid'. Another said: 'When I see someone I know I have to cycle through the alphabet in my head so I remember their name. Might it be the isolation and worry of the pandemic?'

Others recognise the role of their mood: 'In the last six months I've had alarming mind blanks,' wrote one 76-year-old woman. 'I wonder if it is all the depressing news?'

So how do readers know if it's pandemic-related, or something more serious?

Dr Singhai  and the Alzheimer's Society  say it is a worsening of memory and confusion over time that signals a degenerative condition like dementia. 'Patients generally find that their memory loss begins affecting their ability to function properly.' Other telltale signs are confusion over language and changes in behaviour.

For general brain fog, Dr Singhai says there is an effective remedy: taking up a new hobby or mastering a new skill.

'We know from studies that challenging the brain by learning something speeds up the time it takes to process information. This, in turn, makes people feel more clear-headed, improving memory.'

One reader, 75-year-old Jim Hollingsworth from County Durham, has already heeded this advice.

Since he began constantly misplacing his keys, he decided to take up two new languages  German and French  to sharpen his mind. His memory has since improved. 'I've been trying to memorise long poems and I'm finding I can recite them word-perfectly,' he says.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the 77th United Nations General Assembly in Manhattan, New York City, Sept. 23. Reuters-Yonhap





U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Friday for calm over Taiwan as he met his Chinese counterpart, as soaring tensions showed signs of easing a notch.







Blinken met for 90 minutes with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, in talks a US official described as "extremely candid" and focused largely on Taiwan.







Blinken "stressed that preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is critical to regional and global security and prosperity," a State Department statement said.







He "discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship, especially during times of tension," it added, using the acronym for the People's Republic of China.







A State Department official described the exchange on Taiwan as "direct and honest."







The official said Blinken also renewed U.S. warnings not to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine, amid guarded U.S. hopes that Beijing is taking a distance from Moscow, nominally its ally.







Wang met in New York with Ukraine's foreign minister for the first time since the war and, in a Security Council session Thursday, emphasized the need for a ceasefire rather than support for Russia.







Blinken, who went ahead with the talks despite the death of his father the previous day, met Wang for the first time since a sit-down in July in Bali, where both sides appeared optimistic for more stability.







One month later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, infuriating Beijing, which staged exercises seen as a trial run for an invasion of the self-governing democracy, which it claims as its territory.







And in an interview aired Sunday, President Joe Biden said he was ready to intervene militarily if China uses force in Taiwan, once again deviating from decades of US ambiguity.







The U.S. official said Blinken insisted to Wang that "there has been no change" to the U.S. policy of only recognizing Beijing and voiced opposition to "unilateral changes to the status quo" by either side.











In a sign that tensions have eased, Wang also met in New York with US climate envoy John Kerry, despite China's announcement after Pelosi's visit that it was curbing cooperation on the issue, a key priority for Biden.







But in a speech before his talks with Blinken, Wang called Taiwan "the biggest risk in China-US relations" and accused the United States of stoking pro-independence forces.







"Taiwan independence is like a highly disruptive great rhinoceros charging toward us. It must be stopped resolutely," he said at the Asia Society think tank.







"Just as the US will not allow Hawaii to be stripped away, China has the right to uphold the unification of the country," he said.







He denounced the U.S. decision to "allow" the Taiwan visit by Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency after the vice president. The Biden administration, while privately concerned about her trip, noted that Congress is a separate branch of government.







But Wang was conciliatory toward Biden. The New York talks are expected to lay the groundwork for a first meeting between Biden and President Xi Jinping since they became their two countries' leaders, likely in Bali in November on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of 20 economic powers.







Wang said that both Biden and Xi seek to "make the China-U.S. relationship work" and to "steer clear of conflict and confrontation."







The U.S. Congress is a stronghold of support for Taiwan, a vibrant democracy and major technological power.







Last week, a Senate committee took a first step to providing billions of dollars in weapons directly to Taiwan to deter China, a ramp-up from decades of only selling weapons requested by Taipei.







Tensions have also risen over human rights, with the United States accusing the communist state of carrying out genocide against the mostly Muslim Uyghur people. (AFP)






Running investment trust JP Morgan Global Growth and Income does not come cheap.

The asset manager spends around $150million (136million) a year to find the best firms from around the world to put in its portfolio.

It has almost 90 research analysts worldwide, each with an average of 19 years' experience.

Each one trawls through countless companies to put forward new ideas for the portfolio. They seek high and low: last week the banking team was in Brazil to learn about how new financial players are disrupting the market.

Analysts specialise in a sector and a region and learn it inside out. For example, one analyst is responsible for researching European semi-conductor firms and will know everything about them.

The trust also buys huge data sets to look for new trends and opportunities. For example, the team looks through credit card data to spot structural changes in the way we spend.

JP Morgan Global Growth and Income invests in between 50 and 90 companies  it currently holds 60. Its three managers, Timothy Woodhouse, Helge Skibeli and Rajesh Tanna, are free to invest in any sector and anywhere in the world. The strategy seems to be working.

A 1,000 investment three years ago would be worth 1,373 today, which is considerably higher than for other, similar trusts.

It also aims to pay out a reliable dividend, worth at least four per cent of the value of its assets, from a combination of the dividends paid out by the companies it invests in and the growth in their value.

Woodhouse believes this strategy has many benefits for investors. 'The trust pays a reliable dividend, so investors know every quarter what they will receive,' he says. 'The trust experiences comparatively low volatility because we invest in a diversified group of companies.'

Its gross assets currently total 1.6billion, putting it among the 350 biggest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Its size grew dramatically at the beginning of the month when it merged with Scottish Investment Trust. Both funds were founded in 1887, but while JP Morgan Global Growth and Income strengthened in recent years, Scottish Investment Trust had a period of low performance and was looking for better options.

The combined fund's largest holding is currently online retailer Amazon, which Woodhouse believes is a 'slam dunk' of an investment.

'Amazon has not been posting the profits that it could because it is continually reinvesting,' he says.

'It is investing to improve delivery times, which will increase customer numbers and how much customers spend. Its huge investment also means it will be hard for rivals to compete.'

Woodhouse believe Woodhouse believes that within three years, Amazon will have the ability to generate a massive $100billion in free cashflow every year.

The fund managers prefer to make their investment decisions based on the companies they believe are well placed to grow over the long term, rather than betting on short-term trends and effects.

At the start of summer, they bought into agricultural equipment maker John Deere  recently renamed Deere & Co. 'Who knows what will happen to food crop prices and farmers' balance sheets in the next 12 months,' says Woodhouse.

'But Deere is investing in technology that will change farming over the long term.' That technology could show, for example, where to plant seeds in a field to maximise yield, or where water is most needed.

The trust's stock market ID code is BYMKY69 and its ticker JGGI. Annual charges total 0.53 per cent. Shares in the trust currently trade at a discount to net asset value of 4.3 per cent.
Investors are essential to Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's mission to grow the economy.

As a result, there were a number of announcements in his mini-Budget on Friday that will affect pensions, savings and investment portfolios.

Dividend duty drop helps entrepreneurs

Investors who receive a high level of income from investments will receive a tax cut from April next year, the Chancellor said.

Fresh start: Bloom and Wild benefited from start-up schemes that have now been extended

The tax rate on dividend payments for basic rate taxpayers will fall from 8.75 per cent to 7.5 per cent and for higher-rate taxpayers from 33.75 per cent to 32.5 per cent. Additional rate taxpayers will have their current rate of 39.35 per cent abolished altogether.

In reality, only investors with big portfolios pay tax on dividends as investments sheltered in pensions and Individual Savings Accounts (Isas) do not attract it. And everyone has an annual 2,000 tax-free dividend allowance.

Laura Suter, head of personal finance at investing platform AJ Bell, calculates that an investor would need to have a portfolio of more than 50,000 yielding 4 per cent to benefit. However, she points out that company directors who pay themselves in dividends are likely to make huge savings.

'Someone receiving 50,000 of dividends a year will save 3,288 next year in comparison to this year, while those taking 10,000 of dividends a year will be better off to the tune of 548,' she says.

Start-up schemes receive a big boost

Three schemes that afford investors major tax breaks for supporting start-up businesses received a major boost in the Budget.

Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), Enterprise Investment Schemes (EISs) and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (SEISs) are vehicles that allow investors to put their money into companies that are still privately-owned or that are too small to list on the main London Stock Exchange.

Companies that have successfully used the schemes to grow include flower delivery firm Bloom & Wild, recipe box firm Gousto and burger restaurant Five Guys. Some of the firms in which you can invest have great growth potential, but they can also be more volatile and the risk of losing most or all of your money is far greater than in more traditional portfolios.

Because of the risks, the incentives for investing are high. For example, VCTs and EIS schemes offer income tax relief of up to 30 per cent, while SEIS schemes offer up to 50 per cent. There is also inheritance tax relief available on EIS and SEIS schemes.

Because they are riskier, they tend to be considered only by wealthy, experienced investors who have used up all of their other allowances for Isas and pensions.

The Budget confirmed that VCT and EIS schemes would continue  until now there was a so-called sunset clause, which could have seen the industry shut down in 2025. The SEIS scheme was also extended.

Individual investors' annual allowance for SEIS schemes will double to 200,000, while the maximum a company can raise under the scheme has also risen from 150,000 to 250,000.

Top earners to pay less tax on savings interest

Taxpayers currently in the additional rate band will be able to earn up to 500 interest on their savings without paying any tax from April.

Under the current system, only basic rate and higher rate taxpayers get a personal savings allowance  of 1,000 and 500 a year respectively. Additional rate taxpayers have none at all.

But from April, the additional tax rate, which taxes earnings above 150,000 a year at 45 per cent, will be abolished.

Additional rate taxpayers will become higher rate tax payers and will therefore get a personal savings allowance.

Pensions can invest in infrastructure

The current cap on fees for workplace pensions is to be relaxed, Kwarteng said.

At the moment, savers cannot be charged more than 0.75 per cent a year for the management of investments in their pensions.

This is to protect savers from having their investment returns eroded by unjustifiably high fees.

However, the Chancellor wants pension funds to be able to invest in major infrastructure projects, which would help to boost growth in the economy. The Government has committed itself to ambitious targets on nuclear, solar and wind energy, for example.

Until now, pension funds have argued that this type of investment is too expensive to deliver under the current 0.75 per cent fees cap and so have shied away.

Becky O'Connor is head of pensions and savings at investing platform Interactive Investor. She says: 'For some time, the pension charge cap has been labelled as a blocker to private investment by pension funds in big infrastructure projects, because investment managers haven't been able to deliver them and also keep charges for workplace savers under the 0.75 per cent cap.

'These big investments, are costly but also have the potential to deliver growth for the economy and also for investors.'

But watch out as pensions stung

Savers are set to get slightly less tax relief on pensions from April.

Basic rate taxpayers receive tax relief at 20 per cent, which is their current income tax rate. However, from April the basic rate will fall to 19 per cent.

The income tax cut is, of course, largely good news as workers will keep more of what they earn. But the fallout is that pension tax relief will also drop to 19 per cent. Helen Morrissey, senior pensions analyst at investing platform Hargreaves Lansdown, says: 'Instead of getting an extra 20 for every 80 you contribute, you will now only get 19 for every 81.'

While the one percentage point cut to tax relief to 19 per cent may sound small, it can add up over years of pension saving.

Consultancy Barnett Waddingham has calculated that a 40-year-old basic-rate taxpayer earning 37,500 and contributing 12 per cent of their pay into a pension is likely to find their pot is worth 5,700 less when they come to retire as a result of the change. This amounts to a reduction in income at retirement of about 360 a year.

People who are currently additional rate taxpayers will find that their pensions tax relief also falls in line with their income tax level, from 45 per cent to 40 per cent. This will mean that instead of getting an extra 45 for every 55 they contribute, they will now get 40 for every 60.

The changes only tax place from the new tax year in April. Therefore, savers who can afford to do so could benefit from putting more money into their pensions before then to take advantage of the more generous rates.
Star player: How Jacob Rees-Mogg might look in a Chairman Mao cap

The investment company set up by Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has multimillion pound shareholdings in Russian and Chinese companies, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The stakes held by Somerset Capital Management (SCM) will raise eyebrows at a time of fraught relations between the UK Government and the Kremlin following Russian president Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

There are also rising tensions with the communist regime in Beijing.

In his new role as Business Secretary, Rees-Mogg is in charge of sensitive rulings involving Chinese and Russian interests, including whether to allow takeovers of UK companies by Beijing-backed predators.

Among the controversial holdings is a stake in Moscow-based internet giant Yandex, which is often referred to as Russia's Google and is the country's largest search engine.

According to its most recent documents filed this summer, SCM held two million shares in Yandex, which has been criticised for allegedly promoting the Kremlin line on its online news platform.

Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny has described the company as 'the main propagandist' for the murderous war against Ukraine.

Western firms have faced immense pressure to exit investments in Russia since the invasion was launched on February 24.

Former Yandex chief executive Arkady Volozh stepped down in June after being sanctioned by the European Union.

SCM previously held stakes in four firms operating in Russia, but this has now fallen to two, documents show. The other is a recruitment business called Head-Hunter. Rees-Mogg is a co-founder of SCM, which manages about $5billion (4.5billion) on behalf of clients, and he lists himself as a partner in the firm in parliamentary declarations.

He was promoted to Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy by new Prime Minister Liz Truss earlier this month.

SCM has just been put up for sale with a price tag of tens of millions of pounds, which would net Rees-Mogg a multi-million pound windfall.

The firm claims that he has no say in its stock-picking decisions as he stepped back from direct involvement in running the funds when he became an MP in 2010.

However, he acted as a part-time adviser until 2019, receiving fees of about 180,000 a year from the business for about 30 hours of work a month.

He is understood to have a stake of between 10 per cent and 15 per cent in SCM.

The investment firm owned shares in Yandex as far back as 2018. In March, following Putin's invasion, it said it would exit its shareholding 'in an orderly manner in due course'.

Slice of the action: Rees-Mogg's firm invests in Yum China, which has the Pizza Hut franchise in China

But the most recent company documents seen by the MoS suggest it still holds the shares, which are likely to be difficult to sell because of the sanctions imposed after Putin's invasion.

Financial data firm Bloomberg pegs the notional value of the shares at almost 50million.

However, in common with other Russian investments, they may in reality be worth little or nothing, due to the financial fallout from the war. SCM says it has 'written down' its two million shares in Yandex to zero, implying it does not expect to make money from the investment.

Other controversial shareholdings include Yum China, the country's largest restaurant group, which is one of SCM's biggest investments. It operates 12,000 restaurants in the country, including many under licence, such as KFC and Pizza Hut.

Filings show Somerset Capital holds a 160million stake in the business, which is chaired by a senior policy adviser to the Chinese Communist Party, Fred Hu.

Key roles: Fred Hu chairs Yum China

It also holds a 6million stake in a Taiwanese semiconductor plant.

The semiconductor sector is a sensitive one worldwide and has prompted a row over Newport Wafer Fab, Britain's largest microchip maker.

Rees-Mogg now holds sway over the future of the Welsh-based firm, which was sold to a Chinese-backed buyer last year. He is shortly expected to reveal his decision on whether the deal should be unwound on national security grounds.

SCM's shareholdings are listed in its most recent stock market documents, and include dozens in China, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, India and South America. Other major investments include a 90million stake in Indian information technology firm Infosys  the company founded by former Chancellor Rishi Sunak's father-in-law.

Rees-Mogg co-founded SCM in 2007 with Dominic Johnson and Edward Robertson. The firm is named after the county where Rees-Mogg grew up and is the location of his constituency.

Oliver Crawley, a partner at the firm, said: 'As a global emerging markets equity specialist, Somerset Capital Management had some limited exposure to listed Russian equities before Russia invaded Ukraine.

'Since the invasion, these equities have been suspended on their exchanges and Somerset's policy has been that it will not purchase any Russian securities.'

The company describes its investment targets as 'emerging markets'  nations that offer the promise of high rewards but with more risk than Western countries.

Rees-Mogg declined to comment.
'Decisive intervention': Andy Street

Leading Tory mayors said the roll-out of investment zones across the UK could attract billions of investment and create thousands of jobs.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday unveiled the plans which will grant huge tax cuts for business and relax planning restrictions.

Former John Lewis boss and Tory West Midlands mayor Andy Street said the new scheme is a 'decisive intervention that will be absolutely right for levelling up'. He said the zones will turbocharge investment in his Red Wall region.

'They are putting this on steroids. I think it will bring further investment into the region more quickly,' he said.

Ben Houchen, Conservative mayor for Tees Valley, was also enthusiastic. Development of a freeport has already attracted 3.5billion of committed investment to the region.

But Houchen said this would 'not even touch the sides' of the 'eye-watering amounts' of funding that will pour in over ten years with the addition of the investment zones.

He said: 'The investment zones that are used to unlock growth are like supercharged freeports. The simplification and tax cuts are hugely appealing both to local businesses and across the world.

'It takes the best of the freeport plan and extends it beyond large brownfield industrial sites.'
A married father of two may be the world's biggest KFC fan after the fast food giant granted him a year's worth of free chicken having visited stores in more than 50 different countries.

Kamlesh Mistry, 37, from Watford, first fell in love with the fast-food chain when he was 12 years old.

Ever since then he has travelled to the remotest corners of the world to find out which KFC is the best.

Is this the worlds most dedicated KFC fan? Kamlesh dressed as Colonel Sanders on his stag do

Kamlesh commissioned special KFC T-shirts for his friends attending his stag do

Chilly chicken: Kamlesh at a KFC in Reykjavik, Iceland, which he says is the strangest place he has ever found the fast-food chain

Kamlesh has enjoyed a KFC treat in more than 50 countries across the globe

List of locations Kamlesh has enjoyed a KFC treat while crossing the globe City/Country City/Country London/England Amsterdam/Netherlands Edinburgh/Scotland Prague/Czech Republic Cardiff/Wales Dublin/Ireland Paris/France Vienna/Austria Hamburg/Germany Sydney/Australia Munich/Germany Singapore/Singapore New York/USA Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia Miami/USA Hong Kong/Hong Kong Boston/USA Macau/Macau Las Vegas/USA Tokyo/Japan Hawaii/USA Dubai/UAE Toronto/Canada Abu Dhabi/UAE Cancun/Mexico Istanbul/Turkey Rio de Janeiro/Brazil Tallin/Estonia Buenos Aires/Argentina Tunis/Tunisia Iguacu/Paraguay Bromma/Sweden Rome/Italy Aarhus/Denmark Zurich/Switzerland Riga/Latvia Valencia/Spain Zagreb/Croatia Madrid/Spain Vilnius/Lithuania Barcelona/Spain Minsk/Belarus Albufeira/Portugal Mumbai/India Reykjavik/Iceland Brussels/Belgium Budapest/Hungary

The technical director's pursuit has seen him try the world-famous chicken in more than 50 different countries, including places such as Reykjavik in Iceland, Tallinn in Estonia and Minsk in Belarus.

He wore a Colonel Sanders outfit for his stag do in Valencia and asked for a KFC bargain bucket cake for his 25th birthday.

All of his efforts resulted in him being named the worlds first KFC Super Fan in 2020 and given a years supply of free chicken.

KFC's strangest ever dishes Salted Egg Chicken: Sold in Indonesia in 2018, this dish features crispy fried chicken drizzled in a savoury salty egg sauce Paneer Zinger: Launched in 2014 in India, this paneer cheese burger filled with spicy sauce in the middle was part of a meatless advertising campaign Pachito Pasta: This spaghetti dish topped with tomato sauce, fried chicken and cheese is still available now in Vietnam Cheese Top Burger: Debuting in 2012, this bizarre chicken burger  with the cheese on top of the bun instead of inside  was a hit in 2012 in the Philippines Popcorn Chicken Poutine: Canadas national poutine dish of French fries topped with cheese and gravy was converted on to the KFC menu for a limited time only featuring popcorn chicken Deep Fried Chicken Cartilage: A common snack throughout Asia, this featured for a short period of time in Hong Kong in 2021 Zinger Porridge: Perhaps the strangest dish on this list  KFC introduced this savoury oatmeal option with fried chicken, shallots and sesame oil to their menus in Malaysia Double Down Dog: Theres no need for a bun in this fried chicken hot dog that first appeared in the Philippines in 2015 Chizza: Last but not least, this odd twist on a traditional pizza, replacing the normal dough base with crispy fried chicken, was introduced in the Philippines in 2015 and featured across KFCs in Thailand, South Korea, Japan and the UK Advertisement

Kamlesh said: Travel is a real passion of mine and it started when I was younger and my parents would always take us away to experience new cultures that were different to my British Indian culture.

From that, and combined with my love of KFC, whenever we started travelling to other places with my friends and family I would always like to find a KFC to compare the differences with the UK menu.

Thats how I ended up eating it in over 50 different countries which helped me to win the competition for KFC Super Fan of the year.

I am definitely happy with the Super Fan title because it is a great ice breaker when meeting new people at work.

Asked which country had the best KFC, Kamlesh said: Kuala Lumpur definitely had the most interesting menu. I love my spicy food and they had a lot of spicy alternatives.

Reykjavik was by far the strangest KFC I have ever been to  I was just so surprised when I saw one there.

After winning the Super Fan competition Mistry received a years supply of chicken in the form of electronic vouchers worth 400 fan plus KFC dressing gowns, face masks and t-shirts.

KFC was always on the menu, Kamlesh said, whenever his friends and family came round after he won the free food.

His favourite prize however was a one of one custom ceramic bargain bucket with his face on.

Kamleshs wife of nine years Jaina, who he met through an online dating site, spoke about her husbands dedication to KFC.

She said: Our love of food and worldwide cuisine was a big talking point for us and one of the first things we found in common. Although this did not focus on KFC!

I discovered his obsession with it when I saw his 25th birthday cake that was modelled on the KFC bargain bucket.

I do like KFC, but nowhere near as much as he does. As long as we dont have it all the time it doesnt bother me.

Sometimes I think he likes it too much but not more than my cooking, otherwise there would be trouble!

The moment his wife realised he was obsessed with KFC: Kamlesh on his 25th birthday

Better than free chicken: This is the custom one of one ceramic bargain bucket with Kamleshs face on that he treasures the most after being named a KFC Super Fan

Celebrating Christmas the KFC way: One of the many gifts Kamlesh received after being named the first ever KFC Super Fan

A global taste of fried chicken: Here is Mistry in a Californian KFC

Kamlesh added that whenever he is on holiday he is still always on the lookout for a KFC.

His go to meal is a Zinger Tower meal with a couple of hot wings on the side.

KFC, formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, has more than 24,000 restaurants in more than 145 different countries.

Today the fast food franchise, which began in a gas station in North Corbin, Kentucky, is celebrating its 70th anniversary.

Kamlesh in Munich, Germany, where you can get chili cheese fries and a creamy toffee milkshake on the menu

When he visited Dubai he had to sample the KFC menu and see how it compared

The Arsenal fan has crossed the globe in search of different KFC stores

He has eaten the chicken-based meals in more than 50 countries since his first taste as a child

One of his proudest possessions is a personalised porcelain bargain bucket given to him when he was announced Super Fan of the year 2020
Two American veterans captured by the Russians while fighting in Ukraine were returned to the United States on Friday, to be united with their overjoyed families.

Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, and Alexander Drueke, 39, were both freed on Wednesday as part of a Saudi-brokered prisoner swap.

The pair landed back at New York's JFK airport around noon on Friday, and were taken to the TWA Hotel by the terminal.

'I've been informed that Andy and Alex are back on American soil,' tweeted Robert Aderholt, an Alabama congressman.

'These are definitely answered prayers!'

Alexander Drueke, 39, right, and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, are seen on Friday arriving at the hotel by JFK airport. The pair flew in from Saudi Arabia, after the Saudis brokered a deal to release them from Russian captivity

The pair, military veterans who did not know each other until they went to Ukraine, were both captured in June

Drueke and Huynh are seen leaving the airport on Friday. They were the first Americans fighting for Ukraine known to have been captured since the war began on February 24

Huynh and Drueke's relatives were traveling to New York to meet them, and they were expected to return to Alabama on Saturday.

The pair went missing in early June in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine, which is near the Russian border.

They were the first Americans fighting for Ukraine known to have been captured since the war began on February 24.

Huynh's fiancee, Joy Black, 21, told USA Today earlier this week that she was at work when her phone showed an incoming call from Saudi Arabia, which she did not answer.

She then received a voicemail from the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia, saying the men had been freed.

She said she was 'happy for the first time in like four months.'

Drueke's aunt Dianna Shaw said they had not been told the swap was being prepared.

'I asked Alex yesterday if he knew he was being freed and he told me that they did not understand what was going on for several hours,' she said on Friday.

Drueke is pictured shortly after his capture. He served as a chemical operations specialist in the Army Reserve from 2002 to 2014 and deployed to Kuwait in 2004 and to Iraq in 2008

Huynh, pictured in June, said that he traveled to Ukraine in April to fight alongside the Ukrainians

Early in the war, Ukraine created the International Legion for foreign citizens who wanted to help defend against the Russian invasion.

Drueke served as a chemical operations specialist in the Army Reserve from 2002 to 2014 and deployed to Kuwait in 2004 and to Iraq in 2008.

Huynh spoke to his local newspaper, the Decatur Daily, shortly before flying to Eastern Europe in April.

He was born and raised in Orange County, California, to Vietnamese immigrants and moved to northern Alabama two years ago to be closer to his fiancee.

He explained that he was studying robotics at Calhoun Community College but could not stop thinking about Russia's invasion. He had enlisted in the Marines when he was 19 and served for four years, though he did not see active combat.

'I know it wasn't my problem, but there was that gut feeling that I felt I had to do something,' Huynh told the Decatur Daily.

'Two weeks after the war began, it kept eating me up inside and it just felt wrong. I was losing sleep.

'All I could think about was the situation in Ukraine.'

He said he decided to fly out once he learned that young Ukrainians were being drafted into service.

'Right when they turned 18, they were forced to enlist in the military to defend their homeland,' Huynh said.

'Honestly, that broke my heart. I would say that is probably the moment where I decided that I have to do something.'
Former President Trump said he hopes is 'wrong' about the possibility of World War III because the U.S. is being run by 'stupid people' at a rally in Wilmington, N.C. on Friday.

'I was right about Ukraine. I was right about what, Taiwan and I'm hoping I'm not going to be right about World War Three, because we have stupid people dealing,' the former president said, as he predicted the U.S. would lose a conflict to Russia.

'You could end up in World War III and this will be a war like we've never had before - won't even be close, because we're being run by stupid people.'

'Putin mentioned the N word,' Trump told the crowd. 'You know what the N word is? It's-- no, no, no, it's the nuclear word. You mentioned the N word yesterday. The nuclear were not supposed to be mentioned,' Trump continued, as he claimed the Russian invasion 'never would've happened' under his presidency.

In a rare speech to the Russian nation on Wednesday morning, Putin insisted he would use 'all means' necessary to defend swathes of territory seized or set to be annexed by Kremlin forces in the Ukraine.

Trump said that President Biden's Justice Department should investigate Letitia James for 'appalling and malicious abuse of power' after the New York attorney general launched a civil lawsuit against him this week

In a rare speech to the Russian nation on Wednesday morning, Putin insisted he would use 'all means' necessary

'If there is a threat to the territorial integrity of our country, and in protecting our people we will certainly use all means to us - and I'm not bluffing,' he said during his televised address.

Earlier in his address Trump told the crowd that President Biden's Justice Department should investigate Letitia James for 'appalling and malicious abuse of power' after the New York attorney general launched a civil lawsuit against him this week.

At the Save America rally in Wilmington, Trump said: 'The Biden Justice Department be investigating the Letitia James for her appalling and malicious abuse of power - We won't even mention Hunter. We're not going to mention that because that would be disrespectful.'

'Thankfully the latest polls show that 'Peekaboo' James is losing to her Republican challenger this fall,' Trump told a raucous crowd of supporters.

James is running against Republican Michael Henry for reelection in November. This week she launched a lawsuit against Trump and his three adult children, who she claimed as senior executives at the Trump Organization overvalued the company's assets to obtain favorable loans and undervalued them for tax purposes.

'Letitia "Peekaboo" James - this raging maniac - campaigned off ranting and raving about her goal, her only goal, is "We gotta get Donald Trump. We gotta get him." They know nothing about me! I never heard of her,' Trump said.

At a Save America rally in Wilmington, North Carolina on Friday, Trump said: 'The Biden Justice Department be investigating the Letitia James for her appalling and malicious abuse of power - We won't even mention Hunter. We're not going to mention that because that would be disrespectful'

Trump then claimed that Rep. Liz Cheney, a key member of the select committee investigating Jan. 6, suffered the 'largest defeat in the history of politics as a congressperson'

'She went around boasting her plan to weaponize her office against me, probably working with the federal government of course, declaring I look forward to going into Office of Attorney General New York State every single day and suing him I'm gonna sue him. And then I'm gonna go home and I'm going to be so happy because I sued him,' he continued. 'She further screamed that "His days are numbered.'"

'She doesn't just deserve to lose, She deserves to be removed from office immediately disbarred and banished from the legal profession forever.'

Trump then claimed that Rep. Liz Cheney, a key member of the select committee investigating Jan. 6, suffered the 'largest defeat in the history of politics as a congressperson.'

Cheney lost her primary for Wyoming's at-large seat to Trump-backed Harriet Hageman.

'I thought, actually, because Liz Cheney was so badly defeated, I thought that January 6 would go away and I think it is going away actually, because that really was the sentiment of a great group of people.'

Trump then turned to the economy, noting that the prices of energy, milk, eggs, health insurance and mortgage rates were all up since he left office, and that 'over 5 million illegal aliens have flooded across our borders, and the number I think is a lot higher than that.'

Later, he said he believed the number of migrants who have crossed the border since he left office to be closer to 10 million. 'There's never been a country ever abused like this. it's an invasion.'

Trump claimed the U.S. has the 'worst border' anywhere in the world. 'No third world country would allow to happen to their border, they'd get out there with sticks and stones if they have to.'

'The murder rate is highest in 25 years, and probably the answer is 49 years,' Trump continued.

The rally was in large part to support Rep. Ted Budd, who is running to replace retiring GOP Sen. Richard Burr.

When Budd took the stage he immediately tore into President Biden for pricing Americans out of 'everyday necessities' like gas and groceries and thanked Trump for his job as president.

'You know, he made America great, and who knows, folks, he might just do it again,' Budd said to boisterous cheers from the crowd.

In a race that has received far less media attention than other contentious Senate matchups around the country, Budd will face off against Democrat Cheri Beasley come November.

The rally was in large part to support Rep. Ted Budd, who is running to replace retiring GOP Sen. Richard Burr

Supporters look on as Budd speaks

A Civiqs poll released Thursday found Beasley ahead of Budd by one point 49-48.

The race will be key to determining who will hold control in a razor-thin Senate. The non-partisan Cook Political Report has rated the race as 'leans Republican.' Trump won the state by one point in 2020.

While Budd has tacked to the right sticking close to Trump in the race to represent the Southern swing state, Beasley, a former state Supreme Court chief justice, has offered a moderate message in her Democratic race.

And as some Republicans in other swing states have distanced themselves from federalized abortion laws, Budd resoundingly endorsed Sen. Lindsey Graham's 15-week ban proposal without exceptions for rape or incest.

Speakers at the event include N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07), Republican candidate for the House of Representatives Bo Hines and N.C. Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley, among others.

Whatley underscored the importance of North Carolina's Senate race in determining control in the upper chamber. He said that Pennsylvania and Wisconsin were going to be 'tough' for Republicans to win, while hinting they had a better shot in Georgia, Nevada and Arizona.

Robinson during remarks blasted the military's vaccine mandate, telling the crowd the Pentagon was more focused on 'pronouns' than defending the country.

Robinson, whose name has been floated as a candidate for governor in 2024, gave a strong hint he's considering a race: 'We need somebody to fill the governor's mansion,' he said. 'I don't know who it's going to be.'

Trump asked Robinson to stand during his own address and the crowd went wild. 'I'm very impressed. Oftentimes, I do that and people just don't care. They care about you too.'

Sandy Smith, a Republican candidate for North Carolina's first district, took the stage to blast 'teachers' unions' which she told the crowd are focused on 'sexualizing our children.
Rhode Island mom Nicole Solas, 39, was forced to pay $1,200 to pay for five officers to provide security for her library event

A conservative mom from Rhode Island was forced to spend $1,200 of her own money in order to hire five police officers to protect her and those attending a talk at a public library to address the 'transgender indoctrination' of children.

Nicole Solas, 39, who is part of the right-wing Independent Women's Network, was told police protection was necessary for the event to go ahead after Cranston Police Department received threats of violence against her.

She had hired one cop herself, at a cost of $240, but was forced to shell out another $960 on four other officers, after being told only that number could guarantee her safety.

Solas had already decided to have one police officer accompany her in advance of the event but was told more officers would be required.

'I organized this event but I became the target of this onslaught on social media,' Solas told DailyMail.com. 'Rhode Island legislators and college professors began defaming me and bullying me. They made calls for people to harass me and the library.

'The Cranston Police Department then received intel that violent protesters were going to be attending - people with a history of violence and prior arrests. The police said I could not host the event unless I had five police details because it was a threat to public safety,' she explained.

'Everyone who attended had to be checked for weapons and explosives. My car was also hidden when I attended the library. It ended up being this very intense experience when it was supposed to be community outreach and a civil and open dialogue.'

Solas held a talk earlier this week at Cranston Public Library to address the 'transgender indoctrination' of children

'We're a pro-child group that was having a necessary conversation about the health and safety of children, yet we were smeared as anti-transgender. We're not extreme, we just wanted to talk about how schools were hiding information from parents,' Solas told DailyMail.com

The event saw Chris Elston, an anti-puberty blocker activist who goes by the nickname 'Billboard Chris,' as guest speaker to talk about the 'medicalization' of children.

Solas, meanwhile, spoke about education in schools.

In the the past, the anti-trans activists have called for banning of books from schools such as 'Gender Queer: A Memoir,' of which the Cranston library system has several copies.

The 240-page book is described by School Journal Review as 'a great resource for those who identify as nonbinary or asexual as well as for those who know someone who identifies that way and wish to better understand.'

School Journal Review recommends reading lists to libraries as well as books to purchase.

The event saw Chris Elston, an anti-puberty blocker activist who goes by the nickname 'Billboard Chris,' as guest speaker to talk about the 'medicalization' of children

Elston was interviewed by local New England media at the event held earlier this week

Word of the meeting spread on social media and protesters were encouraged to show up

But in pages seen by DailyMail.com, the book is also revealed to be extremely graphic and explicit in its drawings of transgender sex, with a suggested reading age aimed at those aged 18 and older, not school-age teens.

Fewer than 30 people attended the closed discussion inside entitled 'What Kids Learn About Gender in School.' Outside, more than 200 people demonstrated on the library's lawn.

The activists had earlier asked the William Hall Library to cancel the event calling it 'hate speech.'

Solas said such a description couldn't be further from the truth.

'We are a pro-child group that was having a necessary conversation about the health and safety of children, yet we were smeared as anti-transgender. We're not extreme We just wanted to talk about how schools were hiding information from parents. It's not an extremely position. Parents deserve to know. We also wanted to talk about the medicalization of children that we believe is a child abuse scandal,' Solas told DailyMail.com

Elston has argued that in addition to encouraging gender nonconformity, children are taught in schools to embrace new gender identities, even to the point of physically mutilating their bodies.

Anti-trans activist Chris Elston, joined by his supporters, demonstrates against gender affirmation treatments and surgeries on minors outside of Boston Children's Hospital last weekend

Police stand between anti-trans activist Chris Elston, left, and counterprotesters, right, as they confront each other outside of Boston Children's Hospital in , Massachusetts

Supporters of anti-trans activist Chris Elston demonstrate against gender affirmation treatments and surgeries on minors

Protesters for and against the hospital's programs that deal with gender affirmation surgeries and hormonal treatments were gathered outside the hospital last weekend

But Elston's very presence also drew protesters to the event, having accused Boston Children's Hospital online of performing sex-change operations on minors.

The accusations led to a harassment campaign against the hospital and its doctors, reports Boston.com.

Solas has pushed back against the 'anti-transgender' characterization.

'It's not hate speech to be exposing medical abuse of children. This is what we believe, Chris and I, that this is greatest child abuse scandal in history,' Solas said.

Solas made national news last summer after she filing 200 public-record requests with the South Kingstown School Committee as she attempted to find out if critical race theory was being taught in state classrooms.
Republicans say it calls the bluff of the rich liberal elite who claim to be pro-immigration without living through the true scale of the crisis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas' Greg Abbott sent them duly north - to the outrage of Adams and others

The vast majority of the migrants say they want to come to New York, a sanctuary city where their chances of being turned in to ICE are slimmer

A local pastor said: 'The Bronx has very little space. We have Van Cortland Park but there is no place like Orchard Beach... This is unfair to the people that utilize the beach'

Advertisement

Outraged residents of a smart Bronx area have lashed NYC Mayor Eric Adams' plan to house 1,000 illegal immigrants in tents in the parking lot of a treasured local beauty spot.

Over the next few weeks, the migrants will begin to be housed in tents in a parking lot in the Orchard Beach section of the borough, next to waspy Westchester County.

According to the mayor, this is part of the city's response to the humanitarian crisis created by thousands of migrants flooding into New York.

Residents of the Orchard Beach area are far from happy with the developments. Sheila Para, 55, a retired teacher who lives 10 minutes from the neighborhood, told DailyMail.com: 'Oh no! This is my backyard. Its going to be a hot mess... Just a hot mess. I am not happy.'

Para, who was enjoying the fall sunshine when she spoke to DailyMail.com Friday, went on: 'I cant even imagine that happening. I come here at least a few times a week. Its my serenity. I like the quietness. It is clean. Now if they are going to be putting up these makeshift tents here it is not going to be the same. It is going to be horrible. I didnt know that. I am not for it at all.'

The former teacher also expressed concern for the prospect of the criminal element coming to the area saying she was 'concerned' for her family's safety.

'I dont want any criminals coming over here. They are going to need to do background checks,' she said.

Taking aim at Adams, Para said he was a 'hypocrite' and called out the Brooklyn-based politician for not housing migrants in his own neighborhood.

'Of course Mayor Adams doesnt put the migrants in his neighborhood or his familys neighborhood . . . anywhere else but his area,' she said.

Speaking about the border crisis, Para said: 'I feel so hard people are suffering at the border and I pray for them but I dont want them coming here. Oh no!'

Sheila Para, 55, a retired teacher who lives 10 minutes from the neighborhood told DailyMail.com: 'Oh no! This is my backyard'

Veteran Bill Healy, 73, and his wife, Diane, a retired school district employee echoed Para's comments. Bill said: 'First of all they are not migrants that is what they are calling them  they are illegal aliens'

Pastor Robert Cole, 62, said of the migrants being housed in the area: 'Part of me is concerned about the unknown. What is your plan of action? Is it just putting thousands of people in a parking lot'

Veteran Bill Healy, 73, and his wife, Diane, a retired school district employee, echoed Para's comments. \

'First of all they are not migrant, that is what they are calling them  they are illegal aliens,' Bill said. 'A hundred years ago people are talking about the legal way they came here through Ellis Island run by the Army Medical Core so you came through America here you had to have all your papers together, you had to have sponsors, you couldnt just walk in here.

'They are trying to turn America into a third-world country and that is what we are afraid of. How many more people can we absorb in here. We are just letting anyone come in here, he said.

Diane chimed in: They are not picking up our culture. Its like we are dumbing down to them that is just how I feel . . . sorry.'

Bill also aimed criticism at Adams, saying he's a 'hypocrite.'

'He is doing what he is being told by Washington. It is all being dictated and we dont even know who is running the White House. Susan Rice?'

The couple said that due to the high level of taxation in New York, they're planning to move to Florida.

Bill added: 'The real problem is the crime. We cannot go anywhere on the main street anymore at night. There is muggings, rapes, hijackings in broad daylight on Tremont Avenue  Tremont runs all the way through The Bronx and they run their cars at 80 mph all night long and the police dont do anything.'

When asked about the border crisis, Bill said: 'There is the human element. I understand but we lost jobs to COVID people couldnt go to church, funerals, couldnt go anywhere yet there are these migrants are getting bussed in with no masks, people dont know who they are.'

Orchard Beach, shown here, is the only public beach in The Bronx, it is part of Pelham Bay Park and located at the western end of the Long Island Sound

This is the parking lot where the migrants will be housed in tents. The tents are climate controlled

An aerial view of an example site. Adams, claiming it as a moral victory, said the issue needed to be treated like a humanitarian crisis

The mayor revealed the plans on Thursday along with photos of the planned relief sites, which resembled the type of tented landscapes often seen in war zones

A pastor and social worker who regularly rides his electric bike in Orchard Beach, Robert Cole, 62, said of the migrants being housed in the area: 'Part of me is concerned about the unknown. What is your plan of action? Is it just putting thousands of people in a parking lot?'

He added: 'Let the people know. I think they have a right to know. My biggest concern is I havent heard a plan. Are the migrants going to just roam up and down the beach here. They just cant stay in their makeshift tents all day. I am sure some property owners are concerned. Will they go onto their property?'

Cole went on: 'How is this going to impact the environment? Thousands of people with nowhere to live. I wish the government on a whole would come together and develop a plan so people can know what is happening and not fly on the seat of their plans that seems to be happening with Mayor Adams right now.'

The pastor continued: 'The Bronx has very little space. We have Van Cortland Park but there is no place like Orchard Beach. It is a place we come to relax and with these thousands of migrants coming here it is unfair to the people who utilize the park and live here and it is not fair for them not to know what is going on.'

An employee of the Pelham Country Club, where membership costs more than $20,000, which is close to Orchard Beach, was not aware of the plan to relocate migrants to the area. She said: 'I can't imagine the people here would be comfortable with that. You don't know how it will change the neighborhood.'

A member of the club, Jim, who was about to play a round when he was approached by our reporter, described the idea as 'horrible.'

'This is a much bigger problem than Mayor Adams that needs to be addressed. The way it is being handled at the federal level is disgraceful,' he said.

He agreed with the notion that Adams is a hypocrite saying, 'We are supposed to be a sanctuary city obviously The Bronx is part of New York City.

'It doesn't seem like a good problem and I am wondering where the outcry was when the Biden Administration was doing midnight flights to Westchester Airport when planes should not be flying after 11pm, so the outrage and the hypocrisy is among all of those individuals because only now because Gov. Abbott and DeSantis are making it a problem here - that is where the outrage is but when it was a secret and the Biden administration was doing that there was no outrage,' Jim opined.

Jim concluded by discussing the southern border saying: 'It's horrible for the people, of course. I think every American's heart goes out for what they are suffering in their own countries, but there is a way to come into this country, there is a process, and nothing is being done.'

He added: 'When this all started the administration's policy was let's get to the root cause- well there is no recording, there is nothing being done to solve the root cause of the problem and it seems the current administration's solution is to let everyone in and that is not a solution.'

An employee of the Pelham Country Club, where membership costs more than $20,000, which is close to Orchard Beach, was not aware of the plan to relocate migrants to the area

An employee of the country club told DailyMail.com: 'I can't imagine the people here would be comfortable with that. You don't know how it will change the neighborhood'

Thousands of migrants continue to be sent every week from Texas and Florida, where Republican leaders say it's high-time Democrats like Adams understand the true scale of the crisis.

In addition to the two migrant sites, Adams has awarded a $34 million contract to Bronx Family Network to set up beds for both migrants and the homeless in the same area. That's on top of the 6,000 hotel rooms he has already contracted out for migrants in Manhattan.

Adams, claiming the new relief sites will help absolve the problem in New York, said in a press release on Thursday: 'More than 100 years ago, Ellis Island opened its doors to welcome in those yearning to breathe free.

An example of the type of site NYC Eric Adams plans to open to house the thousands of migrants arriving every day. One will go in the Bronx and a second location is yet to be confirmed. Adams claimed it as a moral victory. The tents include rows of beds with thin-looking sheets in an outdoor tent, just as winter approaches

One of Adams' proposed sites is near Orchard Beach, on the peripheries of the city

'Now, more than ever, its clear that we are again dealing with a humanitarian crisis created by human hands.

Adams says it's unfair for leaders in Texas and Florida to send the migrants to him - despite NYC being the top of all of their lists for refuge

'While other leaders have abdicated their moral duty to support arriving asylum seekers, New York City refuses to do so,' he said.

In photos of an example site, cot beds are shown lined up in rows in the outdoor tent.

Adams said they'd only stay there for up to '96' hours, then be moved on to their desired 'settlement' sites.

'This is not an everyday homelessness crisis, but a humanitarian crisis that requires a different approach.

'Thats why the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers will be the first touchpoint for asylum seekers that will provide them with a range of services and support as families determine their next steps.

'This emergency response represents what we know must be done during this humanitarian crisis, as we continue to seek assistance from our federal and state partners to continue this work.

'Like the generations that came to our city before, New York will provide the thousands now coming to our city with the foundation to build a better life,' Adams said.

The town bearing the brunt of the crisis is El Paso, a border community in Texas with just 600,000 full-time residents where thousands of Venezuelans and other migrants are arriving now every week.

Yesterday, locals operating housing shelters and food banks pleaded for help from the Biden administration in an open letter.

They also added that contrary to Adams' claim that it's inhumane to bus the migrants from Texas to New York, it's where almost all of them want to go.

'About 20% of them want to go to New York,' Barrow wrote in an open letter on Wednesday. 'The city has been chartering busses to New York to assist those desiring that destination.

'I am not aware of anyone being placed on a bus to New York who did not want to go there,' Blake Barrow, the CEO of the Rescue Mission of El Paso, said in an open letter.

Pictured: A bus carrying migrants arrived in New York City on Sunday, Sep, 4

Migrants arriving in New York City earlier this month. Republican mayors are warning Democratic counterparts they'll keep sending bus loads of people until they denounce Biden's border policy

He added that despite having the most hands-on experience with the people crossing the border, no Washington officials have been in touch with them to offer them help or seek their expertise.

'The immigration processing center became so over-crowded that the government began loading migrants on busses and dropping them off in front of shelters. The Rescue Mission has received about 500 migrants.

'All of them are from Venezuela. They need showers, good clothes, and food.'

He added that the city desperately needs government help, but is being ignored.

'The number of migrants we have coming into El Paso is so large that it is overwhelming the housing and support services that the city is able to offer.

'Obviously, we need a well-coordinated, federal solution to this problem, but, so far, no one from Washington has asked our opinions.'
The Canadian government warned residents should have enough supplies at home for 72 hours.

Canadians rushed to prepare ahead of expected power outages, clearing out food shelves and placing sandbags at building entrances

Advertisement

Hurricane Fiona is bringing hurricane conditions and winds over 100 mph to Canada's eastern coast on Friday evening and has already left over 137,000 homes without power, though the historic storm has been downgraded to a Category 2.

The homes affected so far were mostly found in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island as well as Newfoundland.

'Avoid shorelines, waves are extremely dangerous. Residents in those regions should be prepared to move out if needed,' read an alert from Prince Edward Island officials.

'Its going to a bad one,' Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. 'We encourage everyone to stay safe and to listen to the instructions of local authorities and hang in there for the next 24 hours.'

The Canadian Hurricane Center has estimated the storm surges could be as deep as 6-8 feet and coastal waves as high as 40 feet in some areas, as Canadians brace for a storm stronger than any they've seen in 50 years.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Fiona should reach the area as a 'large and powerful post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds.'

Canada's government warns rain could exceed seven inches in areas of Fiona's track and warned that 'road washouts are possible'. They say residents should have enough supplies at home for 72 hours.

Roads being flooded from runoff and culverts cannot keep up any longer in Mulgrave, NS. #nsstorm #Fiona pic.twitter.com/xVd9JCd9pG  Connor Mockett (@ConnorMockettWX) September 24, 2022

Fionas getting real. I heard a strange sound  a hum  and went out on our front verandah. Startled by this transformer explosion nearby. Happened about 3 minutes ago.  #HurricaneFiona pic.twitter.com/hm4046NYUs  Fiona Kirkpatrick Parsons (@FKParsons) September 24, 2022

Empty shelves are seen in a grocery store as shoppers stock up on food in advance of Hurricane Fiona in Halifax, Canada

A worker places sandbags around the doors of the Nova Scotia Power building before the arrival of the hurricane, which is expected to cause coastal waves as high as 40 feet

Restaurant tables are turned upside down in Halifax as Canadians brace for a storm stronger than any they've seen in 50 years

A Canadian double checks the lines of his sailboat moored in Nova Scotia as officials warn there may be storm surges as deep as eight feet, threatening to cause widespread power outages

A map of Hurricane Fiona at 3:30 p.m. on Friday shows the historic storm closing in on Canadian mainland

Canadians stocked up on food and barricade their homes in preparation for the relentless rain and flooding.

'All the ingredients are really there for some high water levels, flooding and potential damage,' said meteorologist Rob Carroll, who added the storm surges will likely be the most damaging part of the storm.

Chris Fogarty, manager of the Canadian Hurricane Center, told CNN Fiona has the potential to be 'a landmark event for Canada in terms of intensity of a tropical cyclone.'

Extensive power outages may occur in Nova Scotia from the storm as they already have in Puerto Rico, and John Lohr of the Emergency Management Office of Nova Scotia said.

'Impacts are projected to be felt across the province. Every Nova Scotian should be preparing today,' he added.

Utility company Nova Scotia Power created an Emergency Operations Center, which will act as a base of operations for the company to work on restoring power as quickly as possible.

Canadians have been sharing ways to prepare for the effects of the storm including keeping ice in the house to keep food cold in case of a power outage and having extra batteries on hand.

'Every Nova Scotian should be preparing today,' John Lohr of the Emergency Management Office of Nova Scotia said

Pedestrians in Halifax are already feeling the rain on Friday as the eastern coast of Canada is expected to see upwards of 7 inches of rain

A sign in the window of a storefront on the Halifax waterfront is seen ahead of Hurricane Fiona as the storm closes in to make landfall on Saturday

'All that momentum is trapped within the storm, so it's very difficult for something like that to actually wind down,' Canadian Hurricane Centre meteorologist Bob Robichaud said.

'It's a major hurricane, and it's only 900 kilometers away from us, and it's getting bigger,' he added.

'We have been through these types of events before, but my fear is, not to this extent,' Amanda McDougall, mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality said.

Hurricanes in Canada are somewhat rare, in part because once the storms reach colder waters, they lose their main source of energy.

The storm has so far killed five people - two in Puerto Rico, two in the Dominican Republic and one in the French island of Guadeloupe.

Fiona then made its way to Bermuda where residents were seen boarding up windows and taking shelter before the hurricane's arrival.

Fiona hit the island on Thursday as a Category 4 storm, but despite being downgraded, the hurricane continues to threaten the Caribbean islands as it heads to Canada.

A satellite image shows how badly homes were flooded on Salinas Beach in Puerto Rico following the storm

A man collects donated water bottles for drinking after Hurricane Fiona damaged water supplies in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

Before reaching Bermuda, Fiona caused severe flooding and devastation in Puerto Rico, leading President Joe Biden to say Thursday that the full force of the federal government is ready to help the United States territory recover.

Speaking at a briefing with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in New York, Biden said, 'We're all in this together.'

The president noted that hundreds of FEMA and other federal officials are already on the ground in Puerto Rico, where Fiona caused an island-wide blackout.

As of Thursday, more than one million homes and businesses were still without power, and more than 450,000 people remained without water service.

Fortunately, the pace to restore power to homes is faster than efforts performed after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017 when all 1.5 million homes were without power for a week.

Residents are seen here working to recover belongings from flooding caused by Hurricane Fiona in the Los Sotos neighborhood of Higuey, Dominican Republic on Tuesday

Members of the Puerto Rico National Guard distribute water in an affected community in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Meteorologists expect a tropical wave, which began to form Wednesday, 'is the most significant threat for the US mainland we've had this hurricane season.' A member of the Puerto Rico National Guard is seen wading through the flooded streets

The now-bankrupt Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority took 11 months to restore power to all customers. LUMA Energy, which now presides over the island's power, said 'full restoration could take several days.'

In the Dominican Republic, meanwhile, more than a million people are without running water while just under 350,000 homes and businesses were without power as of Wednesday.

Maj. Gen. Juan Mendez Garcia, director of the DR's emergency operations center, told CNN that more than 600 homes had been destroyed while some communities are without access to aid.

President Biden announced Wednesday the approval of a major disaster declaration for the territory which will allow Puerto Ricans access to grants for temporary housing and home repairs in addition to low-interest loans to cover property losses.

'This ensures that our people will have access to additional help from FEMA to recover from the damage caused by this event,' Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi tweeted.

Complementing the president's efforts, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has deployed staff from city agencies to help Puerto Rican officials survey the damage.
Building onshore wind farms will become easier under a massive programme of deregulation.

Planning laws that have led to a virtual moratorium since 2015 will be relaxed  bringing the projects in line with other major developments.

Developers had been forced to address all local concerns about a potential wind farm, meaning just one individual could hold up an entire scheme.

The onus had also been put on councils to map out suitable areas  a task few had the resources for.

Building onshore wind farms will become easier under a massive programme of deregulation

The renewables industry tentatively welcomed the Governments reforms yesterday.

Jess Ralston, of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: Around eight in ten people support onshore wind, so the ban has been a major anomaly in British energy policy given its both cheap and popular with the public.

So a decision to lift the ban suggests that the new Government has listened to the experts and understands building more British renewables reduces our reliance on costly gas and so brings down bills.

But energy insiders warned that more detail would be needed and rules would have to be changed before they knew how significant the move could be.

A Growth Plan unveiled by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng yesterday also contained reforms to accelerate the delivery of other infrastructure, including roads and telecom networks.

He told MPs: Over the coming weeks, my Cabinet colleagues will update the House on every aspect of our ambitious agenda.

Those updates will cover: the planning system, business regulations, childcare, immigration, agricultural productivity and digital infrastructure.

A Growth Plan unveiled by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng yesterday also contained reforms to accelerate the delivery of other infrastructure, including roads and telecom networks

The time it takes to get consent for nationally significant projects is getting slower, not quicker, while our international competitors forge ahead. We have to end this.

We can announce that in the coming months, we will bring forward a new Bill to unpick the complex patchwork of planning restrictions and EU-derived laws that constrain our growth.

We will streamline a whole host of assessments, appraisals, consultations, endless duplications, and regulations.

We will also review the Governments business case process to speed up decision making.

To support working families the Government also said it would improve access to affordable, flexible childcare.

The Government said agricultural productivity had been weak for many years and this needed to change to support the rural economy (stock image)

And ministers will rapidly review frameworks for regulation, innovation, and investment that impact farmers and land managers in England, according to the Treasury documents.

The Government said agricultural productivity had been weak for many years and this needed to change to support the rural economy.

Details are expected later this autumn. There will also be a plan to ensure the immigration system supports growth whilst maintaining control.
Florida is preparing for the possibility of a major hurricane as Tropical Storm Ian edges closer to the state, causing Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency for 24 counties.

Tropical Storm Ian developed early on Friday. Official forecasts expect it to turn into a Category 3 hurricane by next Wednesday, which could mean Floridians will be slammed by winds up to 130 mph.

The track of the Tropical Storm is very similar to that of Hurricane Charley, which ravaged Florida in 2004, killing 15 people and causing more than $16 billion in damage.

The Florida Keys and southern parts of the state are most likely to be in the crosshairs, though it is too early to tell where and when the storm will make landfall.

Tropical Storm Ian, bottom right, is currently gaining intensity over the Caribbean and threatens to make landfall in Florida next week

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issues an emergency declaration for the storm and said 'we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations'

'This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations,' DeSantis said in his emergency declaration announcement.

He also said it 'will make available important resources and support, as well as free up funding sources for emergency protective measure,' along with activating the Florida National Guard.

'We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm,' the governor added.

The statement also warned Floridians 'to begin preparing and ensuring their family emergency supply kit is ready and stocked with food, water, and medicine.'

It also said the possible hurricane has 'the potential for dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall, strong winds, flash flooding, and the potential for isolated tornadic activity.'

Floridians panic buy water at Costco ahead of a possible major hurricane, which is expected to affect Florida early next week

This map shows one possible timeline for the storm and where and when it will affect certain areas of Florida

The counties where DeSantis has declared an emergency Brevard Broward Charlotte Collier DeSoto Glades Hardee Hendry Highlands Hillsborough Indian River Lee Manatee Martin Miami-Dade Monroe Okeechobee Osceola Palm Beach Pasco Pinellas Polk Sarasota St. Lucie Advertisement

The storm is currently hovering over parts of the western Caribbean and several factors there including warm waters and moisture levels mean the storm could rapidly intensify from Sunday to Monday.

Tropical storm and hurricane watches have also been issued for parts of the Caribbean.

A hurricane watch has also been issued for the Cayman Islands while Jamaica has issues a tropical storm watch.

Flooding rains are possible in the area by Monday or Tuesday, the Weather Channel reported, which may cause mudslides in some areas of Jamaica or Cuba.

Storm surge floods of up to 3 feet above normal tides may occur in the Cayman Islands, and the Islands may see up to 14 inches of rain along with Jamaica.

Florida has fared better than usual in terms of hurricanes over the past few years, as nearby Louisiana has been battered repeatedly.

The storm threatens to be Florida's biggest issue since Hurricane Dorian three years ago.

The storm also threatens to derail a NASA launch for a new moon rocket that has already experienced weeks of delays due to fuel leaks.

Managers on Friday declared that the rocket is now ready to blast off on its first test flight.

But teams will keep monitoring the forecast and decide by Saturday whether to delay the test flight and haul the rocket off the pad and back to the hangar.

The preference is to remain at the launch pad and try for a Tuesday liftoff, 'but there are still some uncertainties in the forecast,' said NASAs Tom Whitmeyer, deputy associate administrator for exploration systems.

Panic buying for food begins in Nova Scotia and locals pile sand bags high before 135 mph Hurricane Fiona makes landfall early Saturday as one of strongest storms EVER to hit Canada

Hurricane Fiona is expected to batter Canada's eastern coast early Saturday, and has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm as Canadians stock up on food and barricade their homes in preparation.

The hurricane is expected to touch down in Canada's Nova Scotia, and also effect Prince Edward Island as well as Newfoundland.

It will bring wind speeds of up to 130 mph, relentless rain and a strong likelihood of flooding.

The Canadian Hurricane Center has estimated the storm surges could be as deep as 6-8 feet and coastal waves as high as 40 feet in some areas, as Canadians brace for a storm stronger than any they've seen in 50 years.

Canada's government warns rain could exceed seven inches in areas of Fiona's track and warned that 'road washouts are possible'. They say residents should have enough supplies at home for 72 hours.

Empty shelves are seen in a grocery store as shoppers stock up on food in advance of Hurricane Fiona in Halifax, Canada

A worker places sandbags around the doors of the Nova Scotia Power building before the arrival of the hurricane, which is expected to cause coastal waves as high as 40 feet

Restaurant tables are turned upside down in Halifax as Canadians brace for a storm stronger than any they've seen in 50 years

A Canadian double checks the lines of his sailboat moored in Nova Scotia as officials warn there may be storm surges as deep as eight feet, threatening to cause widespread power outages

A map of Hurricane Fiona at 3:30 p.m. on Friday shows the historic storm closing in on Canadian mainland

'All the ingredients are really there for some high water levels, flooding and potential damage,' said meteorologist Rob Carroll, who added the storm surges will likely be the most damaging part of the storm.

According to the most recent update from the Canadian Hurricane Center at 1 p.m. EST, the storm's center was about 475 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia's most populous city, and was moving northeast.

Chris Fogarty, manager of the Canadian Hurricane Center, told CNN Fiona has the potential to be 'a landmark event for Canada in terms of intensity of a tropical cyclone.'

Extensive power outages may occur in Nova Scotia from the storm as they already have in Puerto Rico, and John Lohr of the Emergency Management Office of Nova Scotia said.

'Impacts are projected to be felt across the province. Every Nova Scotian should be preparing today,' he added.

Utility company Nova Scotia Power created an Emergency Operations Center, which will act as a base of operations for the company to work on restoring power as quickly as possible.

Canadians have been sharing ways to prepare for the effects of the storm including keeping ice in the house to keep food cold in case of a power outage and having extra batteries on hand.

'Every Nova Scotian should be preparing today,' John Lohr of the Emergency Management Office of Nova Scotia said

Pedestrians in Halifax are already feeling the rain on Friday as the eastern coast of Canada is expected to see upwards of 7 inches of rain

A sign in the window of a storefront on the Halifax waterfront is seen ahead of Hurricane Fiona as the storm closes in to make landfall on Saturday

Immediate efforts should be taken to protect belongings. Avoid shorelines, waves are extremely dangerous. Residents in those regions should be prepared to move out if needed,' read an emergency alert sent by officials in Prince Edward Island.

While Fiona is expected to weaken slightly before hitting mainland Canada, meteorologists warn it won't be a significant slow and to keep treating the storm seriously.

'All that momentum is trapped within the storm, so it's very difficult for something like that to actually wind down,' Canadian Hurricane Centre meteorologist Bob Robichaud said.

'It's a major hurricane, and it's only 900 kilometers away from us, and it's getting bigger,' he added.

'We have been through these types of events before, but my fear is, not to this extent,' Amanda McDougall, mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality said.

Hurricanes in Canada are somewhat rare, in part because once the storms reach colder waters, they lose their main source of energy.

The storm has so far killed five people - two in Puerto Rico, two in the Dominican Republic and one in the French island of Guadeloupe.

Fiona then made its way to Bermuda where residents were seen boarding up windows and taking shelter before the hurricane's arrival.

Fiona hit the island on Thursday as a Category 4 storm, but despite being downgraded, the hurricane continues to threaten the Caribbean islands as it heads to Canada.

A satellite image shows how badly homes were flooded on Salinas Beach in Puerto Rico following the storm

A man collects donated water bottles for drinking after Hurricane Fiona damaged water supplies in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

Before reaching Bermuda, Fiona caused severe flooding and devastation in Puerto Rico, leading President Joe Biden to say Thursday that the full force of the federal government is ready to help the United States territory recover.

Speaking at a briefing with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in New York, Biden said, 'We're all in this together.'

The president noted that hundreds of FEMA and other federal officials are already on the ground in Puerto Rico, where Fiona caused an island-wide blackout.

As of Thursday, more than one million homes and businesses were still without power, and more than 450,000 people remained without water service.

Fortunately, the pace to restore power to homes is faster than efforts performed after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017 when all 1.5 million homes were without power for a week.

Residents are seen here working to recover belongings from flooding caused by Hurricane Fiona in the Los Sotos neighborhood of Higuey, Dominican Republic on Tuesday

Members of the Puerto Rico National Guard distribute water in an affected community in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Meteorologists expect a tropical wave, which began to form Wednesday, 'is the most significant threat for the US mainland we've had this hurricane season.' A member of the Puerto Rico National Guard is seen wading through the flooded streets

The now-bankrupt Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority took 11 months to restore power to all customers. LUMA Energy, which now presides over the island's power, said 'full restoration could take several days.'

In the Dominican Republic, meanwhile, more than a million people are without running water while just under 350,000 homes and businesses were without power as of Wednesday.

Maj. Gen. Juan Mendez Garcia, director of the DR's emergency operations center, told CNN that more than 600 homes had been destroyed while some communities are without access to aid.

President Biden announced Wednesday the approval of a major disaster declaration for the territory which will allow Puerto Ricans access to grants for temporary housing and home repairs in addition to low-interest loans to cover property losses.

'This ensures that our people will have access to additional help from FEMA to recover from the damage caused by this event,' Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi tweeted.

Complementing the president's efforts, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has deployed staff from city agencies to help Puerto Rican officials survey the damage.
A Texas family has been awarded $95 million after a blundering dentist left their four year-old daughter blind and unable to walk or talk after starving the youngster of oxygen during botched treatment on her decayed teeth.

Nevaeh Hall was a healthy four year old little girl when her parents took her to Diamond Dentistry in Houston, Texas to have a few teeth filled and pulled due to decay.

While they waited in the waiting room for hours, their little girl started having seizures.

But her dentist, Dr Bethaniel Jefferson, didn't raise the alarm and decided to treat her herself instead of calling 911.

Little Nevaeh ended up leaving the routine appointment in an ambulance, and was hospitalized for severe brain damage after the vital organ was starved of oxygen.

According the family's attorneys, Hall was deprived of oxygen as she suffered a seizure due to the five different types of sedatives that she was administered by the dentist.

The 269th State District Court in Houston found Jefferson liable due to her negligence on Thursday. The family's attorney said that the jury found that Nevaeh, who is now 10, was improperly restrained and sedated during the visit.

The family also said that Jefferson kept Hall away from her parents as she was suffering seizures. But the Nevaeh's family are unlikely to ever receive any of the cash, as Jefferson has already paid out the maximum amount she was able to.

That sum hasn't been disclosed, but it has been described as a 'pittance' by Nevaeh's lawyers. Jefferson was banned from dentistry in the wake of the horror treatment, and will face trial over Nevaeh's injuries in October.

Nevaeh Hall, 10, was left paralyzed and unable to talk following the 2016 visit to the dentist to have a tooth pulled

Dr. Bethaniel Jefferson was found negligent by a jury in Houston. Jefferson was accused of sedating and depriving the little girl of oxygen

Hall's mother said still has aspirations for her daughter saying: 'I definitely can see her walk and talk again'

One of the family's lawyers, Jim Moriarty, told ABC Houston: 'The problem is the dentist has long since paid the pittance that she could pay. Now, we're sitting here and we're screwed'

During the trial, Hall's parents, Courissa Clark and Derrick Hall, testified that she requires 24 hour medical care.

One of the family's lawyers, Jim Moriarty, told ABC Houston: 'The problem is the dentist has long since paid the pittance that she could pay. Now, we're sitting here and we're screwed.'

Jefferson does not have enough insurance or assets to cover the damages.

He went on: 'This jury has heard more evidence of corruption in the Medicaid dental system than any jury in this country. After they heard that evidence, they came back with a verdict that said, 'Your damages are huge.''

Moriarty continued: 'That's more than a moral victory. That is a message to every crooked dentist in this country that if you abuse our vulnerable children, if you take advantage of them, if you steal from the taxpayer, we will hold you accountable.'

Hall's mother was quoted by the station as saying: 'It was definitely worth it to get justice for Nevaeh.' She added that she still has aspirations for her daughter saying: 'I definitely can see her walk and talk again.'

Another of the family's lawyers, Ryan Skiver, said: 'The evidence in trial was heartbreaking. A 30-pound girl, little more than a toddler, was physically and chemically suffocated by an out-of-control, financially motivated dentist,' reports Click 2 Houston.

A third lawyer, Katherine McCredy, said: 'Nevaehs parents, Courissa and Derrick, courageously fought for justice. From the beginning of this nightmare to now, they have urged regulators, law enforcement and elected officials to help clean up the dental industry.'

Speaking to Click 2 Houston, Moriarty referred to Bethaniel Johnson as a 'rotten dentist.'

A criminal trial for Jefferson will begin in October. In 2016, the Texas State Board of Dentistry has suspended Dr Jefferson's medical license and it appears the practice has shut down.

Hall pictured with her mother, Courissa Clark. An attorney for the family revealed that Dr Jefferson administered five sedatives to the 30-pound child during the seven-hour procedure

Back in 2016, Clark warned other parents against a restraint device the dentist used to keep her daughter from flailing about during the procedure in a press conference.

The device, called a papoose, covers small children like a cocoon so they can not move during a dental procedure.

An attorney for the family revealed that Dr Jefferson administered five sedatives to the 30-pound child during the seven-hour procedure. Four hours of that procedure were spent in the papoose.

About two hours into the procedure, Clark says she heard her daughter crying so she went into the room to see how she was doing. At that point she wasn't in the papoose yet, but she could see her flailing about in the dental chair.

'When I went back there and saw her, my first question was: "OK, do we need to call the ambulance or are you all going to call the ambulance?"

'And they said: "We're just going to try to get her to calm down. We're going to monitor her. We're going to watch her. You guys have nothing to worry about, but we do need you all to wait in the waiting room and let her rest so she can walk back out of here,"' Clark recalled.

'The whole time they just assured us that everything was OK. The next time we were allowed to come in is when the paramedics were actually coming back.'

In the same press conference, Moriarity held up a chart showing little Nevaeh's vitals during the procedure. At one point the child's oxygen levels got down to 49 per cent and her heartbeat went up to a racing 196 beats per minute.

Prior to the 2016 incident, Jefferson had been reprimanded by the Texas Dental Board in 2012 and 2005. In November 2016 the Texas Dental Board revoked Jefferson's license

Hall's father, Derrick, said in 2016: 'It's heartbreaking. It really is like...I never in a million years would have thought something like this would happen'

'In essence what happened is this child was chemically and physically suffocated,' Jim Moriarty said. 'This child suffered massive brain damage during that time period and that didn't have to happen.'

At the conference, Nevaeh's father Derrick Hall broke down in tears as be spoke about his brain-damaged daughter.

'It's heartbreaking. It really is like...I never in a million years would have thought something like this would happen,' Hall told KTRK.

In 2017, Jefferson was indicted by a Harris County grand jury on Monday on charges of intentionally and knowingly by omission causing serious bodily injury to a child by failing to seek and provide adequate medical attention.

The first degree felony carries a prison sentence of between five to 99 years.

Prior to the 2016 incident, Jefferson had been reprimanded by the Texas Dental Board in 2012 and 2005. In November 2016 the Texas Dental Board revoked Jefferson's license.

'This indictment should send a message to the medical community that they will be held accountable for abandoning their patients in times of crisis,' the Assistant Attorney General said.

'While accidents in the health care industry occur more than everyone would prefer, practitioners must react appropriately and contact higher level medical care providers when they realize their patient is distressed beyond their capabilities.

'Intentionally allowing a patient to wither away for hours after suffering from a seizure and severely depressed oxygen levels is a criminal dereliction of duty owed to the patient.'
A jealous boyfriend who stabbed a man to death after accusing him of sleeping with his girlfriend has been jailed for at least 29 years.

Oliver Muldowney, 36, accused Tim Hipperson, 39, of sleeping with his partner, Bobbie Tomkins, moments before repeatedly stabbing him with a large knife in an alleyway in Richmond, south-west London.

As he walked away, Muldowney told an eyewitness 'You saw nothing', the Old Bailey heard.

The attack happened shortly before 4pm on May 17, 2021, when many parents were picking up children from a nearby school.

As they rushed to help, Mr Hipperson was caught on a police body-worn camera naming his killer as 'Olly'.

Mr Hipperson was taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Muldowney, a prominent street drug dealer in Richmond, fled the area but was arrested within days.

Oliver Muldowney, 36, accused Tim Hipperson (pictured), 39, of sleeping with his partner, Bobbie Tomkins, moments before repeatedly stabbing him with a large knife in an alleyway in Richmond, south-west London

On the day of his murder, Mr Hipperson, a recovering addict, had gone with a friend to buy drugs from Muldowneys runner.

Afterwards, Muldowney unsuccessfully attempted to bribe the friend to get out of town with offers of drugs and money.

Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Muldowney was found guilty of murder and perverting the course of justice, having admitted dealing in crack cocaine and heroin.

On Friday, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years.

Judge Shani Barnes said: 'It is clear this was a sad and tragic case. Tim Hipperson was a loved son, brother, friend, and no doubt partner, through his life.

'He was a man afflicted with class A drug addiction from which he had repeatedly attempted to free himself.'

She rejected the defendants claim to the jury that he had no problem with Mr Hipperson, saying Muldowney had an 'unstable and erratic personality'.

She told him: 'I do not accept you were a kindly drug dealer not prone to make threats.

As he walked away, Muldowney (above) told an eyewitness 'You saw nothing', the Old Bailey heard

'It is clear you are a man who is unpredictable and was to be feared.

'What was extraordinary was that you believed you were so powerful that no-one would speak out against you.'

Referring to the aftermath of the stabbing, the judge added: 'The number of people who rushed to Mr Hippersons aid were largely parents picking up their children from school.

'This was an area - in public - where there were a lot of people in the middle of the day and there were children all around, so that is in my view an aggravating factor.'

Muldowneys drug runner Jonathan Nash, 36, of Feltham, west London, was jailed for three and a half years after being was found guilty of two counts supplying heroin and crack cocaine.

Earlier, Mr Hippersons mother Sheila had read out a victim impact statement in court, saying: 'Tim had emerged from years of addiction and was taking huge steps to beat his illness.'

Mr Hipperson collapsed and was airlifted from Kings Road in Richmond (pictured) on May 17 last year after the attack. He died three days later in hospital from his injuries

The 'mindless' manner of his death was made 'all the more cruel' because it happened in a period of his recovery.

She said: 'The pain he would have felt when he was repeatedly stabbed is a pain I feel every day.'

His brother George also spoke lovingly of his 'cheeky' sibling and how he became 'controlled' by drugs while studying graphic design.

In a letter read to the court, Muldowney expressed his remorse, saying: 'I feel terrible about what happened. I have made many mistakes in my life but I never at any stage wished for this to happen.

'Im truly sorry that things ended up as they did and I wanted to say sorry to his family and friends for the loss they suffered.'

Detective Inspector Maria Green, of Scotland Yard, said: 'Muldowney was motivated by jealousy and Tim Hipperson paid the price for that jealousy with his life.

'Muldowney was convinced his partner was seeing other men, with Tim being one of them.

'Determined to avenge his bruised ego, Muldowney killed Tim in an alleyway. He then attempted to bribe Tims friend, who was a witness to the attack, with drugs and money but it didnt work. He did the right thing and spoke up for his friend.'
Republican prosecutor for Maricopa County, the state's most populous, said that she would use discretion when tasked with prosecuting victims of rape

The law has exceptions where the mother's life is in danger

Judge Kellie Johnson made the decision following a request from the state's Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich

An Arizona Superior Court Judge ruled on Friday that a 1864 ban on abortions is now the law in the state regarding the procedure

All abortions in Arizona are effectively banned after a judge ruled that an 1864 pre-statehood law banning the practice is now the law in the state.

Friday's ban is triggered thanks to the Supreme Court's vote to overturn Roe v Wade in June.

It will go into effect as of September 24, and will only offer exemptions to pregnant women whose health would be put at risk if they were to continue with their pregnancy.

Arizona's 1864 law was automatically triggered after Roe v Wade was axed by the Supreme Court, but an injunction was successfully sought by pro-abortion campaigners.

The decision from Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson came more than a month after she heard arguments on Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovichs request to lift the injunction.

Johnson said in the ruling: 'The court finds that because the legal basis for the judgment entered in 1973 has now been overruled, it must vacate the judgment in its entirety,' according to KGUN.

Following the decision, Brnovich tweeted: 'A Pima County judge lifted an injunction that was placed on AZs abortion statute. We applaud the court for upholding the will of the legislature and providing clarity and uniformity on this important issue. I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans.'

The law was originally passed in 1864. In 1901, the language of the law was changed, according to AZ Central.

The Arizona Comstock Law, named for Christian activist Anthony Comstock, was codified in 1901, nearly 20 years before women were afforded the right to vote in the United States.

Arizona was not granted statehood until 1912.

According to AZ Central's reporting, multiple people, including doctors, were imprisoned for violations of the law prior to Roe v Wade.

Arizona Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson began hearing arguments on triggering the 1864 law in August

Following the judge's decision, the state's AG Mark Brnovich said: 'I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans'

All abortions in Arizona are effectively banned after a judge ruled that a 1864 pre-statehood law banning the practice is now the law in the state

Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said that she would use discretion in prosecuting victims of rape and incest with regard to the new law.

Mitchell said: 'I don't want to revictimize victim,' according to KPNX's Brahm Resnik.

An injunction has long blocked enforcement of a law, on the books since before Arizona became a state, that bans nearly all abortions. The only exemption is if the womans life is in jeopardy.

Despite Roe v Wade, the Arizona state legislature reenacted the law on different occasions. The most recent occurrence was in 1977.

The ruling also means people seeking abortions will have to go to another state to obtain one.

An appeal of the ruling is likely. The ruling may also effect the state's tightly contested senate and governor's races with the mid-term elections looming.

It had been in place since shortly after the U.S. Supreme Courts 1973 decision in the Roe v. Wade case, which held that women had a constitutional right to abortion.

The high court overturned Roe on June 24 and said states can regulate abortion as they wish.

On June 30, Brnovich tweeted: 'Our office has concluded the Legislature has made its intentions clear with regards to abortion laws.'

He added: 'ARS 13-3603 (the pre-statehood law) is back in effect and will not be repealed.'

Whats allowed in each state has shifted as legislatures and courts have acted. Bans on abortion at any point in pregnancy are in place in 12 Republican-led states.

In another state, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions amid litigation over whether an 1849 ban is in effect. Georgia bans abortions once fetal cardiac activity and be detected and Florida and Utah have bans that kick in after 15 and 18 weeks gestation, respectively.
The worrying trends mean young children are exposed to the content regularly

Videos from inside Australian jails have thousands of views on youth platforms

Australian inmates are gaining notoriety with online profiles, raps and dances

Prevalence of phones in prisons allows inmates to share videos with the outside

Australian prisoners are becoming social media celebrities by using smuggled phones to gain internet notoriety from behind bars.

The discovery prisoners are using social media within Australia's prisons to share slices of their lives in jail with a young online audience online has sparked an investigation by Corrective Services NSW.

Inmates aren't allowed to have nor use mobile phones in corrective centres across Australia, but that hasn't stopped cons from posting to social media platforms such as TikTok.

Videos glorifying violence, crime and the prison life have been finding their way onto media feeds, alongside other seemingly innocuous rap and dance videos.

Prisoners can face extensions to their sentences up to two years if caught trying to take or smuggle phones into prison.

Scroll down for video.

Drill rapper 'Snoee Badman' used a smuggled prison phone and social media to grow an audience for his rapping while behind bars

Former wakeboarder Kyle Richardson had been using a contraband mobile phone to share TikTok dances with the outside world after he was imprisoned following a car accident that seriously injured his then 18-year-old girlfriend in 2020

Inmate Kyle Richardson, who has dubbed himself the 'prince of Parklea', amassed thousands of followers on TikTok by posting videos of himself dancing in his prison greens, reported the Daily Telegraph.

Kyle Richardson didn't try to hide his identity nor surroundings in his viral videos, with his cell, uniform, tattoos and face all clearly visible.

The inmate racked up some 11,000 followers in a short space of time with his videos shown across hundreds of thousands of phone screens.

He has also been active on other social media accounts while in prison.

His account has now been deleted after Corrective Services NSW confirmed the videos were known to them.

One of his videos was captioned: 'When you see your mates out partying pulling 10s but you've gone away for abit (sic)'.

The 21-year-old 'went away' for a high-speed, MDMA-fuelled crash on Sydney's M1 which seriously injured his then 18-year-old girlfriend in 2020.

Sharing TikTok dances in his prison greens and cell earned Kyle Richardson thousands of followers on social media, but his accounts have now disappeared

In his cell (pictured), Snoee Badman used voice recording applications and TikTok to produce and share his raps

Former prisoner and rapper Snoee Badman used a smuggled mobile phone to film himself rapping inside his prison cell.

One of the drill rapper's videos, showing him performing in a Long Bay cell, clocked up more than 62,000 views on TikTok.

Another titled 'Bars Behind Bars' has 42,000 views.

Speaking to a podcast, the rapper said he had a few phones during his 'brick'  a 10-year prison stint  and used a voice recording app to record an entire drill rap album.

Dogs and search teams are trained to sniff out mobile phones before an inmate enters jail, but many still make their way into the hands of prisoners.

Often smaller contraband phones are smuggled into prisons in the rectum, said a prison source.

The presence of mobile phones in jails across Australia endanger law enforcement officers, allow criminals to communicate and run illegal operations from behind bars and influence the nation's youth online.

Corrective Services NSW have been trialling mobile phone signal jammers at Lithgow and Goulburn Correctional Centres, and continue to investigate how to best prevent phones from entering prison.

'Corrective Services NSW takes a zero-tolerance approach to contraband and is at the forefront of developing and implementing technologies to combat the extraordinary lengths inmates go to smuggle contraband mobile phones,' a Corrective Services spokeswoman said.

NSW Shadow Correctives Minister Tara Moriarty said more prisons needed to introduce mobile-jamming technology.

'It's ridiculous it hasn't already been expanded,' she told the Saturday Telegraph.

'It's one thing to be creating social media videos but what else are they doing with these phones.'
A church has swapped a stained glass window of slave owner Edward Colston for Jesus in a migrant boat.

St Mary Redcliffe church in Bristol made the decision following the bronze memorial to the 17th century merchant being pulled down in Bristol on June 7, 2020 and later dumped in the harbour by BLM at the height of their protests.

The window was temporarily replaced with plain panels, and the church invited the public to submit new designs in a competition.

And used to show on the bottom of the North Transept window the story of the Good Samaritan, which slave trader Colston had been inspired by.

Plain panels were installed and the church made a call for local artists to design the section and have now selected Ealish Swift's work.

The junior doctor said in her artist statement her work 'portrays the current refugee crisis, and Jesus as a child refugee fleeing to Egypt'.

Another panel will also show the anti-racism Bristol Bus Boycott in the city which tried to combat Bristol Omnibus' decision not to employ BAME crews in 1963.

The artist said her work 'portrays the current refugee crisis, and Jesus as a child refugee fleeing to Egypt' following it replacing the Colston panel

The bronze memorial to the 17th century merchant Edward Colston was pulled down on June 7 last year during a Black Lives Matter protest, and was later dumped in the harbour (pictured)

Ms Swift from Bristol said the boycott 'paved the way for the Race Relations Act of 1965, with Jesus as a fellow protester and radical'.

She added that her work depicts 'a crucial aspect of our shared Bristolian history as neighbours, and reference a relevant aspect of the character of Christ'.

'Jesus is depicted as multiple ethnicities to counter the Anglo-centric narrative of 'white Jesus', and running water flows between the panels to centre the designs in the seaport city of Bristol.'

Ms Swift, who was performing surgery during the unveiling, could not attend but said she was 'deeply honoured' to win.

A spokesman from the church said the competition was launched as 'part of an ongoing process of reflection and action to ensure that today's church building echoes St Mary Redcliffe's stated values and is welcoming to all'.

The theme of the entries - 'And who is my neighbour?', was to explore a contemporary understanding of what it means to be a good Samaritan today.

Dan Tyndall, the parish priest, told South West News Service: 'The winning design is powerful and imaginative, managing to resonate with contemporary issues and yet will also stand the test of time.

'Ealish's concept was very popular with visitors to the church and will sit well within the current Victorian window'.

The grade I-listed church is deeply rooted in British history, having been described by Queen Elizabeth I upon her visit in 1574 as 'the fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England.'
Mr Lucas, now a widowed father of two, suing for breach of duty and negligence

A grieving father of two is suing for more than $2.7million over the death of his wife, who died holding his hand from catastrophic complications following routine back surgery.

Darryl Lucas filed separate claims in Mackay and Rockhampton courts after Tammie Lucas, 43, died from organ failure caused by septic shock three days after an outpatient procedure in Townsville on August 20, 2019.

Mrs Lucas had a spinal radiofrequency neurotomy and caudal epidural steroid injection to target back pain but suffered fatal complications over the next three days.

Tammie Lucas, 43, died from sepsis three days after an outpatient procedure in Townsville on August 20, 2019

Grieving father of two Darryl Lucas is suing for more than $2.7million over the death of his wife who died holding his hand after a routine back surgery

Court documents stated Mrs Lucas woke in severe pain the morning after the surgery and went to Townsville University Hospital before being directed to Mater Private Hospital,' the Courier Mail reported.

Mrs Lucas, a heavy plant operator at Saraji coal mine, was given painkillers, then antibiotics before an infection, 'necrotising fasciitis', was confirmed forcing her into emergency surgery.

Despite two surgeries in the next day to remove necrotic tissue, her condition dramatically worsened.

She died, from organ failure as a result of septic shock from the infection, while Mr Lucas was holding her hand.

Supreme Court documents said 'Mrs Lucass surgical wounds were infected with the bacteria clostridium perfringens'.

In one claim Mr Lucas is suing Dr Jason Scott, Mater Misericordiae Ltd and Townsville Hospital and Health Service for $840,680, plus interest and costs, for breach of duty and/or negligence.

Dr Scott performed the procedure at the Mater Private Hospital in Townsville.

Mr Lucas, 47, alleges his wife's death caused him a psychiatric injury including post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression.

In the other action, Mr Lucas and his sons, Tyson, 22, and Dane, 18, filed a dependency claim against the same three parties in the Rockhampton Supreme Court for $1,885,592, plus interest and costs.

Allegations include that Dr Scott did not ensure the theatre and Mrs Lucas's wound area were kept sterile and that he failed to appreciate the seriousness of her condition.

Mr Lucas, 47, alleges his wife's death caused him to a psychiatric injury including post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression

Court documents stated Mrs Lucas woke in severe pain the morning after back surgery and went to Townsville University Hospital before being directed to Mater Private Hospital (Pictured, Townsville University Hospital)

It was also alleged that the Mater caused or permitted her to be infected and failed to diagnose and treat her sepsis promptly.

Court documents also show Mr Lucas alleges that Townsville Hospital breached Australian Triage Guidelines, failed to treat or diagnose for an infection promptly and failed to properly assess, treat or act on her symptoms on her presentation at the hospital.

The court documents said when Mrs Lucas arrived at the Mater the morning after her procedure, the doctor who saw her phone Dr Scott for advice and was told her pain was not uncommon after such a procedure.

She was told that her nerves would be sensitive for two to three days.
It comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed commitment to AUKUS

Australia's first batch of nuclear-powered submarines could arrive earlier via the United States, as Anthony Albanese reaffirms the country's commitment to the AUKUS treaty.

The prime minister marked the one year anniversary of the treaty between Australia, the US and the United Kingdom, saying it has made significant progress towards acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

'We are steadfast in our commitment to Australia acquiring this capability at the earliest possible date,' he said in a statement on Saturday.

The US government is considering expediting Australia's submarines to respond to China's growing influence in the Pacific, the Wall Street Journal reported (pictured, a Royal Australian Navy submarine during an exercise with the Indian Navy last year)

'We stand together to support an international order that respects human rights, the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes free from coercion,' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) said

It comes as the Wall Street Journal reports Australia's first batch of nuclear submarines could arrive sooner.

The US government is considering expediting Australia's submarines to respond to China's growing influence in the Pacific, the newspaper reported.

An initial fleet could arrive in the mid-2030s while Australia builds its own capability to produce the subs.

Mr Albanese said the need for the treaty is 'as clear today as it was a year ago'.

'We stand together to support an international order that respects human rights, the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes free from coercion,' he said.

If the submarines do arrive earlier than originally thought they will still be carrying conventional weapons, with Mr Albanese reaffirming Australia does not seek and will not acquire nuclear weapons.

The AUKUS treaty has also improved Australia's progress on hypersonic and counter-hypersonic missile technology, electronic and cyber warfare capabilities, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, Mr Albanese said.

He said AUKUS will seek opportunities to engage with allies and close partners as the work progresses.

The security pact was signed in the lead-up to scrapping Australia's $90 billion French submarine deal.

Those submarines were also slated to enter service in the mid-2030s.
A man arrested on Friday on charges of killing a sheriff's deputy in a hit-and-run was in the country illegally, it has emerged.

Deputy Michael Hartwick, 51, was killed instantly when a front-end loader plowed into him on Thursday evening.

Hartwick was standing on the hard shoulder of the I-275 when the vehicle driven by Juan Ariel Molina-Salles, 32, drove into him at 10:40pm in St Petersburg.

Molina-Salles, a Honduran construction worker, rang his friend Elieser Aureilio Gomez-Zelaya in tears and said what had happened.

Gomez-Zelaya then helped him, hiding his construction vest and helmet in the woods, and allowing Molina-Salles to run away.

Molina-Salles had previously been intercepted entering the US illegally across its southern border in October 2021, and sent back to Mexico.

But he had since been able to re-enter the United States unhindered at an unknown date, as President Biden faces mounting pressure over the historic numbers of people crossing the border illegally.

Deputy Michael Hartwick, 51, was killed in a hit-and-run on Thursday evening after a front-end loader driven by Juan Ariel Molina-Salles, 32, plowed into him

Construction workers walk from the scene in the westbound lanes of I-275 in St Petersburg, the morning after Hartwick was killed

Sheriffs are pictured on the scene on Thursday night

Hartwick was killed instantly at around 10:40pm on Thursday night

The front-end loader is seen abandoned on Friday morning, after Molina-Salles ran from the scene

A massive manhunt was launched, and Molina-Salles was eventually found nine hours later by bloodhounds employed by Pinellas County sheriffs.

Elieser Aureilio Gomez-Zelaya, also from Honduras and in the country illegally, has been charged with assisting with a crime

He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Friday and faces a charge of leaving the scene of a crash involving death, a first-degree felony that carries a maximum prison sentence of 30 years and a mandatory minimum of four years.

Gomez-Zelaya is facing a charge of being an accessory after the fact, a felony.

Bob Gualtieri, sheriff of Pinellas County, said that both men, born in Honduras, were in the United States illegally and working under assumed identities.

Molina-Salles crossed into Eagle Pass, Texas in October and was expelled to Mexico but then crossed again and found work in Florida.

Gualtieri said other workers at the scene also provided false names.

'They were hindering the investigation, not giving us answers to the questions that we needed,' said Gualtieri.

Hartwick's colleagues salute as the procession passes by on Friday

Sheriffs lined the route as Hartwick's funeral procession passed

Mourners lined the route of his final journey on Friday

Hartwick's colleagues are seen carrying his flag-draped coffin

A memorial for Hartwick is pictured outside of Pinellas County Sheriffs Department

He said that Hartwick was a 19-year veteran of the sheriff's department, the father of two adult sons, and praised him for his work ethic.

'Mike was a good guy, a good cop,' said Gualtieri.

'He did his job.'

Hartwick's colleagues paid tribute to him on Friday with a procession through the streets. A memorial has sprung up to the well-liked sheriff.
A female road rage suspect is lucky to be alive after a police patrol car she was in was struck by a train after the arresting officer left the vehicle parked on railroad tracks.

Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, 20, from Greeley, Colo., had been pulled over by Platteville Police in connection to a road-rage incident last week involving a gun.

Upon seeing her white pickup truck, officers pulled her over at a railroad crossing.

Rios-Gonzalez was ordered out of her vehicle at gunpoint and made to kneel while officers placed her in handcuffs.

She was then sat in the back of a police car while officers carried out various checks, seemingly oblivious to their precarious position.

A female suspect, believed to have been involved in a road rage incident, was pulled over by police in Colorado

Officers stopped their car on railroad tracks and ordered the female suspect to walk back

Officers handcuffed 20-year-old Yareni Rios-Gonzalez and placed her in the back of the car

20-year-old Yareni Rios-Gonzalez is lucky to be alive after being hit by a train while sitting in the back of a police patrol car

More than five minutes later, the police, seemingly unaware of the extremely dangerous position in which they were parked, the officers could be seen chatting with female suspect.

From out of nowhere, the horn of a railroad train can be heard together with its lights.

Seconds later an officer can be heard shouting at his co-worker, 'move your car, stay back!'

But there was no time to react before the train smashed into the police SUV, sending it hurtling down the tracks with Rios-Gonzalez seated inside.

The officers cuffed the 20-year-old woman who was suspected of road rage

Officers could be seen speaking with the suspect in the moments before the train hit

The lights of the train could be seen barreling toward the car

A train smashed in the police SUV sending it hurtling down the tracks with Rios-Gonzalez still seated inside

The train sashed into the patrol car at tremendous speed

Incredibly, the mother-of-one survived despite suffering nine broken ribs, a broken arm, a fractured sternum and losing several teeth in the accident.

She remains in hospital and faces a lengthy recovery. Further details on her arrest have not been shared, and it is unclear if the road rage allegations made against her are still being pursued.

Investigators explained how officers stopped Rios-Gonzalez in connection to a road rage incident in which a firearm was used.

The police officer whose patrol car was hit by a train has been placed on leave pending an investigation.

'The biggest question is why would you park on train tracks. it's just negligence, gross negligence and recklessness,' Wilkinson said to Fox 31.
Optus is investigating claims millions of customers' details are being ransomed for a whopping $US1million - AUD$1.53million - in cryptocurrency to hackers.

Online forums revealed unverified claims the stolen data would be sold for $US300,000 if the telco did not comply with demands in a week.

It comes after Optus announced it would finally contact account holders whose personal details may have been compromised in this week's major data hack.

The company came under fire this week after it revealed it had a huge data breach, where personal details of 9.8 million customers, as far back as 2017, were stolen (pictured, an Optus store in Sydney)

Customers from as far back as 2017 could be affected by the hack, since Optus keeps customer verification details for six years.

Optus came under fire this week after it revealed it had a huge data breach, where personal details of 9.8million customers were exposed to hackers.

The telco asserted that no passwords or financial details were compromised but other personal details could have been stolen.

Data exposed to the cyber attack included names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, drivers' licences and passport details.

In an alarming twist the Australian Federal Police is looking into reports that stolen customer data and identification numbers could be for sale through a number of forums, including the dark web.

'The AFP is using specialist capability to monitor the dark web and other technologies, and will not hesitate to take action against those who are breaking the law,' a spokesperson said.

Anyone who buys stolen credentials faces up to 10 years in prison.

Optus said it would not be able to comment on some aspects of the case, since the AFP are investigating.

But the company said it will be reaching out to those who have had their details compromised, in a statement on Saturday.

Optus customers whose passport or driver's licence numbers were stolen in the massive data breach are being contacted first (pictured, a stock photo)

'Optus will be contacting customers to notify them of the cyber attack's impact, if any, on their personal details,' it said.

'We will begin with the customers whose ID document number may have been compromised - all of whom will be notified on [Saturday].'

Optus customers whose passport or driver's licence numbers were stolen in the massive data breach are being contacted first.

'We will notify customers who have had no impact, last,' the statement read.

The security hack brought about questions over how long telcos should keep data and the compensation customers ought to get when these breaches happen.

It was revealed that Optus objected to potential law changes in 2020 which would have given customers the right to destroy their own data.

The company said there were 'significant hurdles and costs' to getting a system up and running.

The Morrison government launched a review into the country's Privacy Act, where the attorney-general's department did a survey on whether Australians should be given the choice to erase their personal data.

Another change put on the table was giving users rights to take direct legal action when breaches of their information occurred.

'As the cyber attack is now under investigation by the Australian Federal Police, Optus cannot comment on certain aspects of the incident,' a company statement said

Optus rejected both changes.

Meanwhile, Optus warned the cyber attack on Thursday could trigger a rush of scams by criminals, including phishing calls, emails and text messages.

It said its text messages or emails to customers won't carry internet links, so if anyone was sent a link it could be a scam.

'Please do not click on any links,' Optus said in a statement on Saturday.

'As the cyber attack is now under investigation by the Australian Federal Police, Optus cannot comment on certain aspects of the incident,' it said.

'Given the investigation, Optus will not comment on the legitimacy of customer data claimed to be held by third parties and urges all customers to exercise caution in their online transactions and dealings.'

Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (pictured) admitted she felt 'terrible' the breach had happened under her watch

Meanwhile, Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin issued an emotional apology over the overseas hack, saying she was disappointed the telco had not prevented it.

The company's boss admitted she felt 'terrible' the breach had happened under her watch.

'I think it's a mix of a lot of different emotions,' she said looking downcast.

'Obviously I am angry that there are people out there that want to do this to our customers.

'I'm disappointed we couldn't have prevented it.'

Ms Bayer Rosmarin also revealed that the IP addresses linked to the hackers had moved around various European countries, and that it was a 'sophisticated' breach.

She added it was too soon to tell if it was a criminal organisation or another state was responsible for the attack.

The data that was potentially stolen has been dated back to 2017.

Ms Bayer Rosmarin said the reported figure of 9.8million people having their data breached was the 'worst case scenario' and Optus expected the number to be much fewer.

Optus vice president Andrew Sheridan said human error was not to blame for the breach.

Optus, which began contacting millions of customers on Friday, has apologised for the breach.

The telco said getting information out through news channels was the 'quickest and most effective way' to alert customers and communicate the severity of the situation.

Optus was contacted for comment by Daily Mail Australia.
Criminally connected Western Australians won't be able to obtain licenses

A new prohibition on firearms will see tougher penalties on gun crimes in WA

Over 300 outlaw bikies and associates legally hold firearm licenses in WA

Some 300 bikies and associates have firearm licences and can legally source deadly shotguns, handguns, and rifles.

The revelation in Western Australia includes 312 patched members, former members and associates of motorcycle gangs in the state who could buy and legally hold a gun.

WA Police Minister Paul Papalia said the alarming statistic, obtained by the West Australian, demonstrated the need for stringent firearm prohibition orders about to come into effect in the state.

'Right now we can't do a thing to stop them,' he admitted.

The Firearm Prohibition Scheme will outlaw the manufacture of 3D-printed guns, increase the penalties for gun-related crimes and, importantly for WA police, ban anyone suspected of posing a threat to the community from holding a licence.

It will also ban those deemed dangerous to the public from living where firearms are stored.

Some 300 bikies and bikie affiliates legally hold licenses to firearms and deadly weapons in Western Australia as police look to crackdown on gang-related gun violence with new laws

Nick Martin (left, leaving court with Rebels affiliates in Perth) was killed in a public shooting at a drag strip in 2020, sparking fears of a rise in gang tensions and gun crime

Penalties for drive-by shootings, or shooting a gun at a house or building, will also be increased under the scheme.

Gel blasters will also be banned as a 'prohibited weapon'.

Mr Papalia said too many firearms in the state were unsecured and easy to steal.

'Worse still, under our outdated firearm laws, criminals in WA don't even have to steal a firearm to get their hands on a gun,' he said.

'They are getting them legally. That's why we are changing the laws.'

Police have routinely uncovered large numbers of unsecured guns in Western Australia (above, seized weapons from a Federal police raid)

Western Australia's Firearm Prohibition Scheme will stop those deemed dangerous to the community from being granted firearm licenses following an intense period of escalating gang war tensions (above, police at the scene of an alleged bikie shooting)

Openly available police data shows gun violence in Western Australia has been high in recent years.

Over the past three years the state has seen an average of 531 crimes involving a firearm each year.

The brazen 2020 assassination of Rebels bikie boss Nick Martin at a speedway event at the Perth Motorplex spurred the state's war on guns amid fears of escalating gang tensions.

A bullet that travelled 335m tore through Martin's chest in front of hundreds of families and children.

A former soldier who must remain anonymous for legal reasons was subsequently arrested for the sniper attack, after admitting he accepted $100,000 for taking out Martin.

Previous Federal and WA Police raids in recent years have turned up large amounts of unsecured guns, including a mass of them found buried under a property.

Gun theft has also been a common trend in home burglaries.

Between 2019 and 2021, the state saw an average of 211 incidents of gun theft from home burglaries.
Nobody knows anything.

Newly retired liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer told CNN's Chris Wallace in an interview that, as far as he knows, the identity of the mysterious leaker of Justice Samuel Alito's opinion draft on the overturning of Roe v. Wade, is still unknown.

According to a transcript provided by the network, Wallace asked about the leak, which happened in May: 'Within 24 hours the chief justice ordered an investigation of the leaker. Have they found him or her?'

'Not to my knowledge, but . . . Im not privy to it,' Breyer responded. Wallace pressed: 'So in those months since, the chief justice never said, "Hey, we got our man or woman?" '

'To my knowledge, no,' said Breyer, who, despite being retired, maintains an office at the Supreme Court.

His admission comes as a huge investigation continues into the leak, the most shocking in the history of the Supreme Court.

It remains unclear if the leaked draft was shared by a liberal infuriated by plans to end Roe v. Wade - which came to pass in June - or by a conservative hoping to galvanize support for the planned measure.

The interview is to air Sunday on 'Whos Talking to Chris Wallace?'

Newly retired liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said he is not privy to the investigation since leaving the court, but as far as he knows, the leaker has not been caught

The infamous leaked draft opinion was written by Justice Samuel Alito

Justice Stephen Breyer was nominated by then-President Bill Clinton. He is pictured with his fellow justices in April 2021, before his retirement and replacement by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

The responsibility of identifying the leaker has fallen to the Marshal of the Supreme Court, Gail Curley, although it appears efforts to identify them are no further forward

Other justices have also suggested recently that the identity of the leaker remains unknown to the court.

At a conference in Colorado this month Justice Neil Gorsuch said it is 'terribly important' to identify the leaker and he is expecting a report on the progress of the investigation, 'I hope soon.'

Justice Elena Kagan also said recently she does not know if the investigation Roberts ordered has determined the source of the leak.

In May, a Washington Post report speculated that the leaker may be a someone who works as a clerk for one of the justices.

The Post article notes that, increasingly, the lawyers who are chosen to become clerks, are selected for their political ideology as much as for their legal prowess.

An ABC News report speculated that the leaker was someone from the conservative wing of the court who did so in the hope that the publicity the leak would bring, would lock in the five vote majority.

The responsibility of identifying the leaker has fallen to the Marshal of the Supreme Court, Gail Curley, a former Army colonel and military lawyer.

She hasn't commented on how her probe is going.

'I'm confident that if the truth can be found out here, she'll find it out and present it in an unbiased manner,' said retired Army Brig. Gen. Patrick Huston, her direct supervisor at the Pentagon in her last military job before the Supreme Court.

Huston said he was incredibly impressed by Curley and that she had a tremendous reputation as a leader, but even as her boss of two years he didn't know if she had a spouse or children.

In May, a Washington Post report speculated that the leaker may be a someone who works as a clerk for one of the justices

The network's Supreme Court contributor, Kate Shaw, said: 'The publicity will deter them from doing so because they will be worried about sending a message that they were somehow cowed into changing their votes by the public blowback and or the public encouragement.'

It's also possible the leak came from someone who was so upset by the prospect of overturning Roe that informing the public at the earliest possible moment was of paramount importance.

In 1973, Chief Justice Warren Burger was infuriated by the leak of the outcome of the Roe case a few hours ahead of its announcement.

Burger threatened to subject employees to lie-detector tests, but the leaker quickly came forward and explained it had been an accident.

Earlier in the interview, Breyer said he was 'very, very, very sorry' to be on the losing side of the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade.

'And you say did I like this Dobbs decision? Of course I didn't. Of course I didn't,' he said in an interview with CNN's Chris Wallace for an interview to air Sunday night. 'Was I happy about it? Not for an instant. Did I do everything I could to persuade people? Of course, of course. But there we are and now we go on. We try to work together.'

He warned his Supreme Court colleagues that overly rigid decisions 'will come around and bite you in the back.'

'Because you will find something you see just doesn't work at all. And the Supreme Court, somewhat to the difference of others, has that kind of problem in spades,' Breyer said.

Dobbs overturned nearly 50 years of precedent, with the conservative justices writing that the implicit 'right to privacy' in the Constitution didn't exist, throwing decisions about abortion laws back to the states.

Justice Stephen Breyer (right) who retired earlier this year, sat down with CNN's Chris Wallace for an interview to be broadcast Sunday

Prior to the decision being handed down in June, a draft of it was released to the press - an unprecedented leak from a source within the high court.

Wallace asked, 'Was there an earthquake inside the court?' when the draft of the Dobbs decision was published in Politico.

'An earthquake?' Breyer asked. 'It was very damaging because that kind of thing just doesn't happen. It just doesn't happen. And there we are.'

Breyer retired earlier this year and was replaced by the first black female justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson.

A liberal, he made his decision to step down while the Democrats had control of both the White House and Senate.

'There have been delays, you know, when the party is split between control of the Senate and control of the presidency,' Breyer said. 'And sometimes, long times pass and I would prefer that my own retirement, my own membership on the court, not get involved in what I call those purely political issues.'

He also refused to criticize Ginni Thomas, the wife of conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, who's been called to testify before the House January 6 select committee over her role in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

'I don't go through that in that I strongly believe that women who are wives, including wives of Supreme Court justices, have to make the decisions about how to lead their lives, careers, what kind of career, etc., for themselves,' Breyer said.

'I'm not going to criticize Ginni Thomas, whom I like. I'm not going to criticize Clarence, whom I like. And there we are,' the liberal justice added.

Breyer said that while 'sometimes' there are two separate camps on the bench, the acrimony is 'less than you think.'

'Less than you think ... but I can't say never,' Breyer said. 'Maybe a little less jolly, but not I mean - I have not heard people in that conference room scream at each other in anger.'
Last weekend DeSantis flew a plane filled of immigrants from Florida to Martha's Vineyard, saying Florida is not a 'sanctuary state'

A Democratic Florida commissioner has publicly backed Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in his bid for re-election.

Dave Kerner, 39, who has himself been reelected four times in heavily Democratic Palm Beach County in the south of the state, delivered an enthusiastic endorsement on Fox News where he defended suggestions that he had turned on his party.

He said DeSantis's soft-touch handling of COVID, and continued vocal support for the police were key reasons for his across-the-aisle support.

'I've been a registered Democrat since I registered to vote at the age of 18. I don't really see it as going against my party. I'm a Floridian, an American first. But there's a confluence of reasons,' Kerner began, before reeling off a list of reasons why DeSantis had secured his vote.

'The trajectory of our state, which I spoke about in my endorsement, his support for law enforcement, his management of the COVID-19 pandemic. There's a host of reasons why I endorsed him,' Kerner explained.

Democratic Palm Beach County Commissioner Dave Kerner, 39, has endorsed Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' re-election bid

'There has been a lot of that, what I call sort of shadow support for sure. Obviously, Gov. DeSantis is doing an incredible job in Florida. He's America's governor, but there is a lot of support out there.

'You know, it's an act of courage, what you did and you should be proud. And it's not about what I did. It's about the governor's record of service in the state of Florida. But ultimately, it should not be an act of courage and should not be seen as an act of courage,' Kerner said as he tried to play down his switch of allegiance.

Earlier in the week, Kerner had sung the governor's praises as he piled on the compliments at a rally held at the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association.

Kerner, himself, was a city of Alachua police officer from 2004-2007.

Kerner threw his weight behind the Gov. DeSantis during a rally, on Twitter and on Fox News

In return for his endorsement, DeSantis also shared words for Kerner while bashing the left's anti-police movement

Now a lawyer, he has served two terms in the Florida House of Representatives before his 2016 election to the County Commission. Kerner was then re-elected to the commission in 2020, however term limits prevent him from running again in 2024.

'We are a state on the rise, and I give a lot of credit to our governor for the trajectory of our state,' Kerner said.

'This was not a difficult choice for me. This was not the proverbial lesser of two evils. Gov. DeSantis has demonstrated himself beyond worthy . . . and he has done so with the level of dignity, purpose and respect that is lost in the public sphere today.'

Kerner, who was working in the rotating job of Palm Beach County mayor during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic also praised DeSantis' performance during the health crisis.

'I worked with him not to just protect our physical health but our mental health, our economic health. I stood with him as we made sure our schools were open and our businesses were open,' he said.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Dave Kerner is seen endorsing Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this week at a rally held at the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association

While other states, including California, were issuing shelter-in-place orders, DeSantis lifted all restrictions and lockdown rules by September 2020 and was doing his best to keep the state open for business.

In return for his endorsement, DeSantis' also shared words for Kerner while bashing the left's anti-police movement.

'We are focused on protecting victims and not coddling criminals, and no one knows that better than Dave, who served Florida's communities,' DeSantis' statement read.

'Commissioner Kerner knows first-hand the threat of the Defund the Police movement and understands the important role that our local law enforcement officers play in keeping Florida safe.'

Chairwoman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party, Terrie Rizzo, said Kerner's endorsement will carry no weight among fellow Democrats 'because Democrats know who Ron DeSantis is. Democrats know what kind of governor he is and what he's done. And Democrats will vote for Charlie Crist. The reaction I'm hearing from rank-and-file Democrats is this is outrageous.'

Chairwoman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party, Terrie Rizzo, said Kerner's endorsement will carry no weight among fellow Democrats 'because Democrats know who Ron DeSantis is'

DeSantis has been making a name for himself in the news as he weighs a 2024 White House run as a possible Trump successor

'I am totally and completely shocked by Dave Kerner, and incredibly disappointed  it's not a strong enough word  that Dave Kerner could support Gov. Ron DeSantis,' Rizzo added.

DeSantis has been making a name for himself in the news as he weighs a 2024 White House run as a possible Trump successor.

He is seen by many Republicans as pushing the same policies that made Trump so popular, but in a more youthful and less-divisive package.

DeSantis, a pugnacious governor, has used the power of his office to rise to national prominence by shunning COVID-19 lockdowns, mocking Biden's age and abilities, penalizing Disney World for opposing a new state law limiting discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools, and recently flying Venezuelan immigrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard.

DeSantis regularly appears on Fox News, continually provoking the Democratic party.

Palm Beach County had also been a target of DeSantis after the school board required students to come to school wearing masks during the pandemic, despite DeSantis' executive order that removed such requirements.

Last week, DeSantis sent two planes of 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard and is now threatening to send more to Delaware

Next week, President Joe Biden will for the first time as president hold a political rally in a state where he lost in 2020.

Biden has held political events in Democratic strongholds like Maryland and New York in recent weeks, but next Tuesday's grassroots rally in Orlando is expected to show how he may build the case for his reelection.

While former President Donald Trump has long been considered the Republican frontrunner in 2024, recent polls show DeSantis higher in Florida.

Biden will use his rally to call extremist Republicans such as DeSantis a threat to Democracy while seeking to leverage anger over the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark Roe vs Wade decision that guaranteed woman access to abortions, according to Democratic officials.

Biden's poll numbers remain underwater in Florida, and Republicans say they welcome his trip.

The last time a Democrat won a presidential or senate election in Florida was 2012.

In Florida, Republicans hold a voter registration advantage, 5.2 million versus 4.9 million Democrats. But the number of unaffiliated voters stands at 3.9 million, an increasingly important part of the electorate, meaning the state is widely-considered to be a purple one.
Anthony Albanese has opened up about his devastation when his wife ended their marriage, revealing he almost quit politics to win her back.

Carmel Tebbutt, his wife of 19 years, dropped her bombshell on New Year's Day in 2019, prompting Mr Albanese to plead that he would trade his political career to save their marriage.

Ms Tebbutt and Mr Albanese met at a Young Labor event in the late 1980s and had been together for over 30 years, tying the knot in 2000.

Anthony Albanese has opened up about how devastated he was when his wife ended their marriage

Carmel Tebbutt, his wife of 19 years, dropped her bombshell on New Year's Day in 2019, prompting Mr Albanese to plead that he would trade politics to save their marriage

She had been his closest confidant and political sounding board, but that all changed 'instantly'.

'I thought we would spend our life together,' Mr Albanese told The Australian, recalling the huge shock that hit him.

But Ms Tebbutt, herself a former deputy NSW premier, refused the offer.

Her stand left the then-Grayndler MP shell-shocked and unsure of his future at 56, The Australian reported.

Within a year of becoming Labor leader Mr Albanese had begun a new relationship with Jodie Haydon, whom he'd met at a dinner a year after separating from Ms Tebbutt

Anthony Albanese has claimed election victory and will join an exclusive club of unmarried Prime Ministers with his partner Jodie Haydon (pictured together at his victory speech on Saturday night)

When his offer to sacrifice his political future to try and rekindle their love was rejected, Mr Albanese admits he 'was not in a great personal state'.

'I found that very personally traumatic and I was wondering what I was going to do with my life because it was heading in one direction and then it wasnt.'

He wasn't even certain if he wanted to contest his seat at the upcoming 2019 election.

Ms Albanese soon learned the only way forward from the dark place he found himself in was to accept her decision - and not even try to understand it.

Advised by friends not to overhaul his life, he stayed with his son Nathan in the family home.

He then worked up the energy to take an overseas break by himself before the 2019 election, going to Britain and then Portugal, where he met the foreign minister.

Mr Albanese said he then had to ask himself 'am I up to this?' and decided to push on.

When then-Labor leader Bill Shorten was routed in the May 2019 election and resigned, Mr Albanese stepped forward and was confirmed on May 30, 2019 when when the only other candidate Chris Bowen withdrew.

Mr Albanese is pictured in 2013 (left) and 2022 (right) after he lost 18kg in less than a year

Anthony Albanese 's ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt has continued to support her former husband during his election campaign by handing out flyers at a polling booth

Within a year Mr Albanese had begun a new relationship with Jodie Haydon, whom he'd met at a dinner a year after separating from Ms Tebbutt.

After a car crash in January 2021, Mr Albanese took his next bold steps forward, embarking on a weight loss program and then a makeover ahead of the 2022 election.

He lost a whopping 18kg in less than a year by cutting out carbs, upping his exercise, and giving up alcohol for three months.

During a bumpy but ultimately successful 2022 election campaign, Ms Tebbutt continued to support her ex-husband.

She handed out flyers for Linda Burney in the seat of Barton at a polling booth and even minded her former husband's beloved cavoodle Toto, three years after she suddenly walked out on their marriage.

In May 2022 Ms Haydon, 43, and Mr Albanese became only the second unmarried pair to be handed the keys to the Prime Minister's residences after Julia Gillard and her partner Tim Mathieson in 2013.
Phillip still appears further down the Facebook page and on the website

A petition has called for the presented to be sacked from ITV's This Morning

He has come under fire for 'skipping' Queen queue with Holly Willoughby

Phillip Schofield, 60, has been brand ambassador for We Buy Any Car since 2019

We Buy Any Car has now dropped Phillip Schofield from their Facebook page amid accusations he skipped the queue to see the Queen lying-in-state with This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby.

Phillip Schofield, 60, has been the brand ambassador for We Buy Any Car since 2019, regularly appearing in adverts and challenges.

But We Buy Any Car's Facebook page, which has over 30,000 likes, has now dropped the previously much-loved presenter from its cover photo.

Instead the car-buying service has used a stock image of a happy family alongside the company's logo.

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have come under fire over allegations that they skipped queues to see the Queen lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.

We Buy Any Car has now dropped Phillip Schofield from their Facebook page. He previously featured on their cover photo (pictured)

Instead the car-buying service has used a stock image of a happy family alongside the company's logo

They were pictured inside Westminster walking alongside an area that was not the media box.

Previously Phillip Schofield featured in the Facebook cover photo for We Buy Any Car until it was updated on September 22.

The image can still be seen further down the page and on the website.

One page of the car company's website reads: 'At Webuyanycar, we live by one simple rule: be more like Phillip Schofield.'

As brand ambassador, the TV presenter has taken part in 30-second challenges, gone on a bouncy castle, and driven around in small cars - even appearing in an air bag for one advert.

The enormous queue from 14 to 19 September peaked at a 25-hour wait over five miles and saw around 250,000 people pay their respects to the monarch.

Phillip and Holly appeared to skip the queue on Friday, September 16.

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have come under fire over allegations that they skipped queues to see the Queen lying-in-state at Westminster Hall. They were pictured inside Westminster walking alongside an area that was not the media box

Since the allegations more than 66,000 people have called on the duo to be sacked from their presenting gig.

The allegations have hit especially hard after other celebrities - such as David Beckham - were pictured queuing for up to 13 hours.

Phil and Holly are reportedly paid as much as 600,000 for presenting the daytime show from Mondays to Thursdays

A clearer view: A photo of Westminster Abbey - highlighting where the media box is, where the public queue is and where Holly and Phil appeared to be walking

On Wednesday fans expressed concern for Holly, as she appeared on the show looking like she had been 'crying all night'.

On Thursday Holly returned to social media for the first time since the scandal to congratulate her friend and This Morning fashion presenter Lisa Snowdon for winning celebrity MasterChef.

Last week ITV bosses issued a statement denying that Phil and Holly had jumped the queue.

Emotional: Fans expressed concern for Holly on Wednesday's episode of This Morning because she looked like she had been 'up all night crying.'

This Morning bosses denied show hosts Holly and Phillip had 'VIP access' and filed 'past the Queen lying in state'

The post said: 'Hello everyone, we would like to clarify something.

'We asked Phillip and Holly to be part of a film for this Tuesday's programme.

'They did not jump the queue, have VIP access or file past the Queen lying in state - but instead were there in a professional capacity as part of the world's media to report on the event.'

Facebook users were quick to comment on the cover photo, saying: 'Did he push in front of this poor woman too? Outrageous!'

Another said: 'We jump any queue.'

MailOnline has contacted We Buy Any Car for comment.
Prince Harry paid 30,000 for a private jet to reach Balmoral on the day the Queen died before finding out about her death from a news app on his phone just minutes before he landed, it has been reported.

Harry and Meghan were in the UK by coincidence when news about the Queen's failing health started to emerge.

King Charles and Princess Anne were with the Queen at Balmoral, while Prince Andrew, Prince William and Prince Edward were rushed to Aberdeen airport on a royal plane.

Harry, no longer a working royal since moving to California with Meghan, spoke to King Charles who reportedly made it 'very clear' that Meghan Markle was not welcome, reports say.

Britain's new King phoned his youngest son and told him it was 'not appropriate' for the former Suits actress to be there, according to reports, much to Harry's frustration.

It is also claimed that in the ensuing row, during which Harry fought to persuade his father to allow Meghan to come with him, he missed a flight carrying William and their uncles Andrew and Edward to Scotland - and with it the chance to bid farewell.

Pictured: The Duke of Sussex looks sombre while travelling from Aberdeen to Balmoral on the day of the Queen's death

Harry was reportedly so furious after the row that he ate dinner with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward afterwards, instead of his brother and father. Pictured: The Prince of Wales, Duke of York, and Earl and Countess of Wessex, arrive at Balmoral after the Queen's death

A private plane was then charted to get Harry to Balmoral as quickly as possible to join the rest of the Royal Family.

Although initial reports suggested Harry found out about the Queen's death through a phone call from his father, The Telegraph has reported the call never made it through.

King Charles tried repeatedly to reach Harry, who knew he was trying to get in touch with him, but was not able to speak to his son before the Queen died.

Instead, Harry heard of Her Majesty's passing on a breaking news notification on his phone.

However, palace sources have insisted the official announcement 'was not made until all family members had been informed'.

A source said: 'The official announcement was delayed until after everybody had been told,' a source said.

Prince Harry at Aberdeen International airport following the Queen's death at Balmoral

Harry returned to wife Meghan after joining the Royal Family late at Balmoral

Prince Harry allegedly snubbed his father and brother when having dinner at Balmoral after the new King banned his wife from attending. Pictured: King Charles III and the Duke of Sussex walk alongside Princess Anne as they arrive at the committal service for the Queen at Windsor on September 19

'Part of the issue was getting hold of the Duke of Sussex.'

Photos of Harry arriving at Balmoral by car showed the prince looking somber and downcast.

Once there, he reportedly snubbed dinner with the King in fury over Meghan not being allowed to join him at Balmoral.

He reportedly ate with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, instead.

Others have denied these claims, with one source saying that 'No invitation to dinner was made.'

Another added: 'This is all less co-ordinated and more chaotic than people might think.

'It was a hard and upsetting day for everyone.'
Advertisement

Powerful storm Fiona slammed into eastern Canada on Saturday with hurricane-force winds - nearly a week after devastating parts of the Caribbean - as houses have been washed away and hundreds of thousands are without power in one of the strongest storms ever to hit the country.

The National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm, now called Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona after being downgraded from a hurricane, was crossing eastern Nova Scotia, bringing high winds - some the level of a Category 1 hurricane - and heavy rains.

The storm had weakened somewhat as it travelled north. As of 5 a.m., the storm was about 160 miles northeast of Halifax, carrying maximum winds of 90 miles per hour and barreling north at around 26 mph, the NHC said.

Hurricane-force winds extended up to 175 miles out from Fiona's center while tropical-storm-force winds reached up to 405 miles out as of 8 a.m. ET, according to the NHC.

The Canadian Hurricane Center called the storm 'the lowest pressured land falling storm on record in Canada.' Lower pressure systems cause more intense storms, providing lift and moisture in the atmosphere to fuel showers and thunderstorms.

The 931.6 mb measurement would be not only a Canadian record but the lowest pressure ever observed in either Canada or the US for any storm north of the Gulf Coast, according to Yale Climate Connections.

The pressure is similar to what is usually expected with a Category 4 hurricane but it's only a tropical storm because of the wide differential in pressure across the storm.

Hurricanes in Canada are somewhat rare, in part because once the storms reach colder waters, they lose their main source of energy. But post-tropical cyclones still can have hurricane-strength winds, although they have a cold core and no visible eye. They also often lose their symmetric form and more resemble a comma.

Michael King, special advisor to Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey, and his family, posted a photo that shows damaged caused by post-tropical storm Fiona on the Burnt Islands

Some sort of structure appears to have floated away due to the effects of the post-tropical storm

Fallen trees lean against a house in Sydney as post tropical storm Fiona continues to batter the Maritimes on Saturday

Powerful storm Fiona slammed into eastern Canada on Saturday with hurricane-force winds, nearly a week after devastating parts of the Caribbean as hundreds of thousands are without power, including some in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island

Wind and rain from Post-Tropical Storm Fiona hit the shoreline of Bras d'Or Lake in Irish Cove, Nova Scotia on Cape Breton Island

Experts predicted high winds, storm surges and heavy rainfall from Fiona. Although a gradual weakening was forecast during the next couple of days, Fiona was expected to maintain hurricane-force winds until Saturday afternoon, the NHC said. Trees were down on this part of Atlantic Canada

A house sees part of its ceiling cave in as part of what the Canadian Hurricane Center called the storm 'the lowest pressured land falling storm on record in Canada'

According to Nova Scotia Power, over 420,000 people in the province of about 970,000 were without power as of 8 a.m. eastern time. Power lines were down in Charlottetown on nearby PEI

People look at fallen trees behind houses in Charlottetown as post-tropical storm Fiona, one of the strongest storms to ever strike Eastern Canada

Youth hostel Paradis Bleu is surrounded by high water caused by post-tropical storm Fiona is shown on the Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec

Ocean waves pounded the town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Mayor Brian Button said Saturday over social media that people were being evacuated to high ground as winds knocked down power lines.

'Weve already had houses ... that are washed away,' he said.

Button said anybody who has been told to leave their home needs to leave.

'Im seeing homes in the ocean. I'm seeing rubble floating all over the place. It's complete and utter destruction. There's an apartment that is gone, that is literally just rubble,' said Rene J. Roy, a resident of Channel-Port Aux Basques and chief editor at Wreckhouse Press, said in a phone interview.

Roy estimated between eight to 12 houses and buildings have washed into the sea. 'It's quite terrifying,' he said.

Pedestrians survey the damage in Sydney, N.S. as post tropical storm Fiona continues to batter the Maritimes

A resident takes photographs of flooding following the passing of Hurricane Fiona, later downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, in Shediac, New Brunswick

Downed power lines from winds from Post-Tropical Storm Fiona rest against a home on September 24, 2022 in Sydney, Nova Scotia

A fallen power pole blocks a street and take down power lines in Sydney, Nova Scotia

A sailboat lies washed up on shore following the passing of Hurricane Fiona, later downgraded to a post-tropical storm, in Shearwater, Nova Scotia

A car drives through water along the Canso Causeway as wind and rain from Post-Tropical Storm Fiona hit the region on September 24, 2022 in Port Hastings

Jolene Garland, a spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland and Labrador, said a woman was safe after being 'tossed into the water as her home collapsed' in the Channel-Port Aux Basques area. She said authorities received a report of another individual being swept out to sea but conditions were too dangerous to immediately confirm or respond.

Garland described extreme weather conditions along the southwest coast of Newfoundland that included 'high winds, high waves, flooding and electrical fires.' Multiple structures have been destroyed by high seas, she said

The Royal Canadian Police said the town of 4,000 is in a state of emergency as authorities deal with multiple electrical fires and residential flooding.

In Sydney, Nova Scotia, the largest city in Cape Breton, about 20 people have taken refuge at the Centre 200 sports and entertainment facility, said Christina Lamey, a spokeswoman for the region. Lemay said there are hundreds of people displaced in the province.

Arlene and Robert Grafilo fled to Centre 200 with their children, aged three and 10, after a massive tree fell on their duplex apartment.

'We were trapped and we couldn't open the doors and the windows, so that's when we decided to call 911,' said Arlene Grafilo, adding firefighters eventually rescued them.

Federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair noted police are investigating the report of an individual missing in Channel-Port Aux Basques but there is no confirmation of any dead or injured.

'The damage is very extensive. We've seen homes, community centers, apartment buildings, roadways, bridges have all been impacted,' Blair said. He also said there is very extensive damage at the airport in Sydney, Nova Scotia and at other airports including Halifax but it is more minor damage at Nova's Scotia's largest airport.

Workers clear fallen trees and downed wires from damage caused by post tropical storm Fiona in the Nova Scotia capital of Halifax

A fallen tree blocks a car as post tropical storm Fiona causes widespread damage in Halifax on Saturday

Workers clear fallen trees and downed wires from damage caused by post tropical storm Fiona in Halifax on Saturday. Canadian forecasters warned it could be one of the most severe storms in the country's history

A worker clears fallen trees and downed wires from damage caused by post tropical storm Fiona, which has downed tons of trees and even washed out houses

Vehicles pass under a fallen tree in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on Saturday as residents reeled from the post-Hurricane conditions brought on by Fiona

Fallen trees behind houses are shown in Charlottetown as post-tropical storm Fiona, one of the strongest storms to ever strike Eastern Canada

Blair told The Associated Press he expects the Canadian Armed Forces to help in the recovery including possibly moving people around, assisting with shelters and providing help with the removal of debris in addition to rescue operations should it be needed.

'They are moving now,' Blair said.

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said the roof of an apartment building collapsed and they moved 100 people to a evacuation center. He said no one was seriously hurt or killed. Officials said there are other apartment buildings that are also significantly damaged. Halifax has about 160 people displaced from two apartments, officials said.

Some 79 percent of customers and over 40 percent of the population, or 414,000, were without power in Nova Scotia, and 95 percent, or 82,000, had lost power on Prince Edward Island, utility companies said. The region was also seeing spotty mobile phone service. Police across the region reported multiple road closures.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delayed Saturday's departure for Japan, where he was to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to receive briefings and support the government's emergency response, Press Secretary Cecely Roy said on Twitter.

The National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm, now called Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona, was crossing eastern Nova Scotia, bringing high winds and heavy rains

The storm had weakened somewhat as it travelled north. As of 5 a.m., the storm was about 160 miles northeast of Halifax, carrying maximum winds of 90 miles per hour and barreling north at around 26 mph, the NHC said

Daylight is beginning to break as Ferocious Fiona continues to rip away at Nova Scotia. Hydro poles and lines coming down across the roadways in Sydney. #Fiona #Canada #NSwx @MyRadarWX pic.twitter.com/Se52UwtLEa  Aaron Jayjack (@aaronjayjack) September 24, 2022

In the provincial capital of Halifax, a tree fell on a fire truck that had a crew inside with live wires, according to CBC. A local fire chief said it was 'not safe to be on the roads.'

Environment and Climate Change Canada, a government weather source, said the highest wind gusts hit 179 kilometers per hour, or about 111 mph.

Formerly designated a hurricane, the storm battered Caribbean islands earlier in the week, killing at least eight people and knocking out power for virtually all of Puerto Rico's 3.3 million people during a sweltering heat wave. Nearly a million people remained without power five days later.

A hurricane warning was in effect for much of central Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, home to more than 150,000 people, and parts of Newfoundland, the Miami-based NHC said.

Canadian Hurricane Centre meteorologist Ian Hubbard said on Friday the effects of Fiona would be felt over a wide area.

In the provincial capital of Halifax, a tree fell on a fire truck that had a crew inside with live wires

Environment and Climate Change Canada, a government weather source, said the highest wind gusts hit 179 kilometers per hour, or about 111 mph

Formerly designated a hurricane, the storm battered Caribbean islands earlier in the week, killing at least eight people and knocking out power for virtually all of Puerto Rico's 3.3 million people during a sweltering heat wave. Vehicles pass under a fallen tree in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

A hurricane warning was in effect for much of central Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, home to more than 150,000 people, and parts of Newfoundland, the Miami-based NHC said as waves pound the shores of Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia

A Canadian flag waves in the high winds in Dartmouth, N.S. on Saturday. Strong rains and winds lashed the Atlantic Canada region as Fiona closed in early Saturday

Hurricane force wind gusts have been occurring the last few hours in New Glasgow Nova Scotia from the now historic post tropical cyclone Fiona! pic.twitter.com/aHbJ7PUUIb  Jax (@NewBstormchaser) September 24, 2022

'The center of it is one thing, but the weather that's associated with it in terms of the rain and where all the strong winds are, it's going to be over a much larger area,' he said.

'Many, many places away from the center of the storm are still going to be seriously impacted from this,' Hubbard told Reuters.

There will be rough and pounding surf, with waves as high as 33 feet expected to hit the eastern shore of Nova Scotia Friday night.

Canadian authorities sent emergency alerts in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, warning of severe flooding along shorelines and extremely dangerous waves. People in coastal areas were advised to evacuate.

'We've had a few before, but they say this is going to be the biggest of them all,' said Chris MacPhee, 53, of Sydney, Nova Scotia, who stocked up on groceries, batteries and candles. He said he was feeling 'a little nervous, I guess.'

Ian Livingstone surveys the damage to his house from a fallen tree early in the morning in Halifax on Saturday

Canadian authorities sent emergency alerts in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, warning of severe flooding along shorelines and extremely dangerous waves. People in coastal areas were advised to evacuate

While we wait for the NHC's official call, it looks like #Fiona has recently made landfall between Canso and Guysborough. With an unofficial recorded pressure at Hart Island of 931.6 mb, this makes Fiona the lowest pressured land falling storm on record in Canada. pic.twitter.com/TYo9G05sUz  ECCC Canadian Hurricane Centre (@ECCC_CHC) September 24, 2022

The storm could prove more ferocious than the benchmarks of Hurricane Juan in 2003 and Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Canadian Hurricane Centre meteorologist Bob Robichaud told a briefing.

The country's two largest carriers, Air Canada and WestJet Airlines, suspended regional service starting Friday evening.

Canadians stocked up on food and barricaded their homes in preparation for the relentless rain and flooding.

'All the ingredients are really there for some high water levels, flooding and potential damage,' said meteorologist Rob Carroll, who added the storm surges will likely be the most damaging part of the storm.

Chris Fogarty, manager of the Canadian Hurricane Center, told CNN Fiona has the potential to be 'a landmark event for Canada in terms of intensity of a tropical cyclone.'

The storm could prove more ferocious than the benchmarks of Hurricane Juan in 2003 and Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Canadian Hurricane Centre meteorologist Bob Robichaud told a briefing

The country's two largest carriers, Air Canada and WestJet Airlines, suspended regional service starting Friday evening

Pedestrians survey the damage in Halifax as post tropical storm Fiona continues to batter the area on Saturday

Georgina Scott surveys the damage on her street in Halifax as post tropical storm Fiona continues to batter the area on Saturday

Strong rains and winds lashed the Atlantic Canada region as Fiona closed in early Saturday as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone

Extensive power outages may occur in Nova Scotia from the storm as they already have in Puerto Rico, and John Lohr of the Emergency Management Office of Nova Scotia said.

'Impacts are projected to be felt across the province. Every Nova Scotian should be preparing today,' he added.

Utility company Nova Scotia Power created an Emergency Operations Center, which will act as a base of operations for the company to work on restoring power as quickly as possible.

Canadians have been sharing ways to prepare for the effects of the storm including keeping ice in the house to keep food cold in case of a power outage and having extra batteries on hand.

'Every Nova Scotian should be preparing today,' John Lohr of the Emergency Management Office of Nova Scotia said

Pedestrians in Halifax are already feeling the rain on Friday as the eastern coast of Canada is expected to see upwards of 7 inches of rain

A sign in the window of a storefront on the Halifax waterfront is seen ahead of Hurricane Fiona as the storm closes in to make landfall on Saturday

'All that momentum is trapped within the storm, so it's very difficult for something like that to actually wind down,' Canadian Hurricane Centre meteorologist Bob Robichaud said.

'It's a major hurricane, and it's only 900 kilometers away from us, and it's getting bigger,' he added.

'We have been through these types of events before, but my fear is, not to this extent,' Amanda McDougall, mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality said.

Hurricanes in Canada are somewhat rare, in part because once the storms reach colder waters, they lose their main source of energy.

The storm has so far killed five people - two in Puerto Rico, two in the Dominican Republic and one in the French island of Guadeloupe.

Fiona then made its way to Bermuda where residents were seen boarding up windows and taking shelter before the hurricane's arrival.

Fiona hit the island on Thursday as a Category 4 storm, but despite being downgraded, the hurricane continues to threaten the Caribbean islands as it heads to Canada.

A satellite image shows how badly homes were flooded on Salinas Beach in Puerto Rico following the storm

A man collects donated water bottles for drinking after Hurricane Fiona damaged water supplies in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

Before reaching Bermuda, Fiona caused severe flooding and devastation in Puerto Rico, leading President Joe Biden to say Thursday that the full force of the federal government is ready to help the United States territory recover.

Speaking at a briefing with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in New York, Biden said, 'We're all in this together.'

The president noted that hundreds of FEMA and other federal officials are already on the ground in Puerto Rico, where Fiona caused an island-wide blackout.

As of Thursday, more than one million homes and businesses were still without power, and more than 450,000 people remained without water service.

Fortunately, the pace to restore power to homes is faster than efforts performed after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017 when all 1.5 million homes were without power for a week.

Residents are seen here working to recover belongings from flooding caused by Hurricane Fiona in the Los Sotos neighborhood of Higuey, Dominican Republic on Tuesday

Members of the Puerto Rico National Guard distribute water in an affected community in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Meteorologists expect a tropical wave, which began to form Wednesday, 'is the most significant threat for the US mainland we've had this hurricane season.' A member of the Puerto Rico National Guard is seen wading through the flooded streets

The now-bankrupt Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority took 11 months to restore power to all customers. LUMA Energy, which now presides over the island's power, said 'full restoration could take several days.'

In the Dominican Republic, meanwhile, more than a million people are without running water while just under 350,000 homes and businesses were without power as of Wednesday.

Maj. Gen. Juan Mendez Garcia, director of the DR's emergency operations center, told CNN that more than 600 homes had been destroyed while some communities are without access to aid.

President Biden announced Wednesday the approval of a major disaster declaration for the territory which will allow Puerto Ricans access to grants for temporary housing and home repairs in addition to low-interest loans to cover property losses.

'This ensures that our people will have access to additional help from FEMA to recover from the damage caused by this event,' Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi tweeted.

Complementing the president's efforts, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has deployed staff from city agencies to help Puerto Rican officials survey the damage.

Trailing Fiona in the Caribbean is Tropical storm Ian, which is expected to become a hurricane on Sunday night. The NHC said that a hurricane watch is in effect for Cayman Islands.

The storms Ian's projected path takes it just south of Jamaica, over western Cuba and into Florida early next week, the hurricane centre said.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on Friday, freeing up funding and emergency services in advance of the storm.
Ukrainian president Zelensky has urged wavering Russian conscripts to sabotage the army from within - or abandon their posts and flee to 'free territory' within Ukraine.

In a televised address, the Kyiv leader told those set to be sent to the front by Putin: 'Hide from the Russian mobilisation by any means. Avoid conscription letters. Try to get to the free territory of Ukraine.

'But if you get into the Russian army, sabotage any activity of the enemy, hinder any Russian operations, provide us with any important information about the occupiers  their bases, headquarters, warehouses with ammunition.

President Zelensky is today meeting the families of slain Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. He has handed posthumous Golden Star medals to the wives and children of fallen servicemen

Zelensky confers with a heartbroken war widow at Kyiv's presidential palace earlier today

A young girl poses with the Golden Star award given by the president to her late father

'And at the first opportunity, switch to our positions. Do everything to save your life and help liberate Ukraine.'

It came hours before EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that the Kremlin boss is not bluffing about his willingness to use nuclear weapons in the flailing invasion.

Putin boasted last week that Russia had 'various weapons of destruction' and was willing to use 'all the means available to us', adding: 'I'm not bluffing.'

Borrell told the BBC this morning: 'Certainly it's a dangerous moment because the Russian army has been pushed into a corner, and Putin's reaction - threatening using nuclear arms - it's very bad.

The mother of a fallen soldier, dressed in black, waits to receive the award on her son's behalf

Golden Star medals of the Ukrainian Army are handed to the bravest defenders of the nation

Soldiers and their families await being handed the prestigious Hero of Ukraine honours today

'When people say it is not a bluff, you have to take them seriously.'

Russia's disastrous invasion of its neighbour has again been exposed as a shambles with dead men sought for enrolment by desperate commanding officers.

Videos also show reluctant conscripts at recruitment offices and staging points hitting the bottle and drinking themselves senseless as military commanders try to coral them into order before boarding buses and planes.

Meanwhile, flights out of Russia have sold out and border crossings into nearby Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan are gridlocked by up to 30 hours as enterprising Russians turn to scooters to beat the queues out of Putin's totalitarian nightmare.

Walking to the border point is not allowed, but scooters have been so far permitted, and local entrepreneurs are selling them to Russians seeking to flee Putin's call-up.
A widow is planning to sue Airbnb for 1.2m after her husband died from an infection she believes was caught while using a hot tub at their rented holiday home.

Sandra Bermingham has set up a crowdfunding page to help pay legal fees and continue her six-year fight for compensation against the US owned company.

Her husband Paul died days after returning from a Christmas holiday at a farmhouse they had rented in Gozo, Malta, in 2016 from the popular site.

The 45-year-old father of two contracted Legionnaires disease from contaminated water said to come from the property's hot tub.

Sandra has been battling since 2016 - but the 4bn company have repeatedly refused to accept any liability for her husband's death.

Paul Bermingham, pictured left, with his wife Sandra, centre, and their two children, Kate, 12, and Darragh, died after contracting Legionnaires disease while on holiday in Malta during a two-week break over Christmas in 2015

Sandra said: 'They have not shown any after care or any concern for people who rent homes through their site.

'All they are interested in is getting money from bookings. It has left me speechless how ruthless they are and uncaring.'

Construction worker Paul, Sandra and their two children Darragh, 10, and Kate, 12, had booked a two week stay over the Christmas period in 2015.

A room at the property on the island had a hot tub which was mostly used by the children.

Sandra said Paul only used the hot tub once for a matter of seconds as he found the water too cold.

The children suffered no ill effects but days after returning to their home in Islington, North London, Paul fell ill.

The family booked the two-bed apartment in Gozo which featured a hot tub (not pictured)

Sandra, left, pictured with Kate and Darragh is suing Airbnb is suing the US-based property firm for more than 1million

Sandra, pictured right, suffered a breakdown following the death of her late husband

He was rushed to Whittington Hospital and placed into an induced coma. He died 14 days after returning from Malta.

A coroner at an inquest ruled his cause of death as Legionella Pneumonia.

Legionella are a species of deadly bacteria that are airborne and are mostly found in contaminated water.

WHAT IS LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE? Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia that causes lung inflammation. It is caused by a bacterium, known as Legionella. Around 500 people in the UK and 6,100 in the US suffer every year. The condition can cause life-threatening complications, including respiratory failure, kidney failure and septic shock, which occurs when blood flow to the vital organs is blocked. Most sufferers become ill by inhaling tiny water droplets from infected sources, such as shower heads, hot tubs, swimming pools or ventilation systems in buildings. Anyone can become infected, however, at-risk people include the elderly, smokers and those with suppressed immune systems, such as chemotherapy patients. Symptoms usually develop between two and 10 days after exposure to the bacteria. Early signs include: Headache

Muscle pain

Fever and chills People may then experience: Cough, which may bring up blood

Breathlessness

Chest pain

Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea

Confusion Treatment is antibiotics, usually in hospital, as soon as possible. Prevention involves meticulous cleaning and disinfection of water systems. People can reduce their risk by not smoking as this damages the lungs and makes individuals more susceptible. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement

Sandra said: 'Paul only went in the hot tub once on New Year's Eve and he was in the water for a matter of seconds. The bacteria is airborne and I believe he was infected soon after he checked in to the farmhouse.

'He was not one to complain, but after a few days at home he asked for an ambulance to take him to hospital.

'He was so ill and they had to put him in an induced coma, and he never recovered. The hospital did all they could but could not save him. We were utterly distraught that he could be taken from us.

'The holiday was supposed to be a break we could all enjoy, but it ruined our family life.'

Sandra was left so distraught at her husband's death that she suffered a breakdown.

She was unable to continue working as a make-up artist and with no savings forced to return to live with her brother in Auckland, New Zealand.

She claims Airbnb and their insurers refused to accept any liability  although the Gozo property was removed from their listings once they were informed about Mr Bermingham's death.

The San Francisco based company which started in 2008 has seven million listings for rent on their site and has logged over 150 million rentals.

Since 2016 Mrs Bermingham, 54, has been battling Airbnb for compensation for her husband's death.

She is seeking 1.2m for loss of earnings which have been calculated on how much she and her husband would have earned until retirement.

But despite law firms acting on her behalf she says she has been repeatedly stalled by the US home rental firm and their insurers.

'At every turn they have tried to frustrate me and do not want to accept any liability for my husband's death and the turmoil that has been caused in my family's life' she said.

'On one occasion when I tried to speak with their lawyers I was told they were all on holiday. This is a major multi-billion-dollar company and they claim there was no one available to speak.'

Mrs Bermingham has not been helped in her claim by the Maltese authorities who have refused to hand over the results of tests carried out on the contaminated water in the hot tub.

The Maltese based insurance company have cited privacy laws in not releasing the results, but the cause of death has not been disputed.

Sandra said: 'When we arrived at the farmhouse there was an overpouring smell of chlorine from the jacuzzi. It was so strong that we felt ill. It was also very cold inside, and so cold the owners had to bring in some heaters.

Since 2016 Mrs Bermingham, 54, has been battling Airbnb for compensation for her husband's death. She is seeking 1.2m for loss of earnings which have been calculated on how much she and her husband would have earned until retirement

Mrs Bermingham has not been helped in her claim by the Maltese authorities who have refused to hand over the results of tests carried out on the contaminated water in the hot tub

'I do not believe the jacuzzi had been properly maintained and it had not been used for some time before our arrival.'

Peter Fenench, a Malta based lawyer representing Mrs Bermingham, said she needs to raise funds to continue to the legal fight against Airbnb and bring them to court.

Sandra said: 'Airbnb did not investigate this case and never offered any kind of support to my family. No compensation has been forthcoming and I am I on my own to obtain justice for what happened.

'Since I will not give up, I need funding for court proceedings to fight Airbnb on Malta for compensation.

'I want the world to know how Airbnb works, making tons of money off our backs and waiving any responsibility when things go terribly wrong in the houses they earn their billions with.'

A spokesman for Airbnb said: 'We were heartbroken to learn of this tragic incident at the time and our thoughts remain with the Bermingham family following such an unimaginable loss. We remain in touch with the family's representatives on this matter.

'The safety of our community is a priority and with more than one billion guest arrivals in Airbnb listings to date, isolated incidents are exceptionally rare.'

Sandra has a GoFundMe page to help pay her family's legal costs.
His handler with Humberside Police described the pooch as 'my soulmate'

On one occasion he was shot in the head three times but miraculously survived

Cop dog Logan retired in 2020 aged eight and a half after never missing a day

A police dog has been given an award for a lifetime of bravery and saving lives

A police dog that survived being shot in the head three times has been awarded a lifetime achievement award.

The dedicated pooch, described by his handler as 'my soulmate', bears the distinction of having 'never missed a day's work' during his seven-and-a-half years of service with Humberside Police.

Faithful cop dog Logan, who retired in 2020 aged eight and a half, received the commendation at the Thin Blue Paw Awards on Thursday and earned the praise of his proud owner and former handler, PC Ian Sweeney.

Logan was once shot in the mouth and head three times as he tried to protect his handler, but he miraculously survived his injuries.

Sweeney, said: 'Logan is my soulmate and I'm so proud of him for everything he's achieved.

'Logan has assisted in hundreds of tracks and arrests, he's saved countless lives, he's helped to keep the peace at events and has kept the public safe.

'This award is particularly special as it encompasses everything he's done and I don't think you ever really believe you'll achieve something like that!

Faithful cop dog Logan, who retired in 2020 aged eight and a half, pictured with his owner and former handler PC Ian Sweeney

Logan received a lifetime achievement award at the Thin Blue Paw Awards on Thursday

'It makes all the hard work so worthwhile. I still feel incredibly shocked, overwhelmed and overjoyed by it!'

Logan joined Humberside Police in January 2015 at 10-months-old from the South Yorkshire Police breeding programme but he'd had no training at all when he was partnered with PC Sweeney. In 2017, he qualified as a firearms support dog too.

PC Sweeney, 52, from North East Lincolnshire has worked as a police officer for 28 years, with 13 years in the dog unit.

He said: 'It usually takes around 13 weeks to train a general purpose police dog but Logan took only eight weeks before he was trained and licensed, and we hit the streets in May 2015!

'He was a natural with his scent detection and tracking, I've never known a dog like him. He had a faultless career; he was very diverse, and he always passed all of his assessments and never put a paw wrong. He was the dream dog.'

Logan was once shot in the mouth and head three times as he tried to protect his handler, but he miraculously survived his injuries

Charity trustee Kieran Stanbridge said: 'Logan spent more than seven years fighting crime, sniffing out the bad guys, helping to find vulnerable people, and keeping his community safe, his list of achievements is staggering.

Logan - who retired in May (2022) - has a long list of achievements making it easy for the Thin Blue Paw Awards judges to name him as the worthy winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

After being shot in the head three times, the wounds were found to miraculously the wounds were superficial, meaning they didn't penetrate the skull, so a vet cleaned the cuts and left them to heal naturally.

Logan was then awarded the Heart of the Community Award along with the North East Region 2 National Bravery Award for his devoted service in the line of duty.

The German Shepherd was honoured at the ceremony which is supported by Animal Friends Insurance.
Advertisement

Iran's president has called for a 'decisive' crackdown on the mass protests that have sent the Islamic theocracy reeling over the past week after the death in custody of a woman detained by the Islamic Republic's morality police.

The call for harsh measures come as the country's ayatollahs scramble to get to grips with violent countrywide demonstrations that have seen at least 50 killed in more than 80 cities and hundreds arrested, according to a report by an Iranian human rights group.

The protests broke out in north-western Iran a week ago at the funeral of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died after falling into a coma following her detention by morality police enforcing hijab rules on women's dress.

State media quoted President Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday as saying Iran must 'deal decisively with those who oppose the country's security and tranquillity'.

Raisi was speaking by telephone to the family of a member of the Basij volunteer force killed while taking part in the crackdown on unrest in the north-eastern city of Mashhad.

The president 'stressed the necessity to distinguish between protest and disturbing public order and security, and called the events ... a riot,' state media reported.

Iranian state television put the number dead at 35 during the weeklong demonstrations, with protest spreading to most of the country's 31 provinces.

On Friday, state-organised rallies took place in several Iranian cities to counter the anti-government protests, with marchers calling for the execution of rioters and bearing posters with the phrase 'We are obedient to the leader.'

Protestors march through Sadeqieh Square in West Tehran on the eighth night of demonstrations that have rocked the Islamic regime

Trouble has flared all over Iran, being recorded in every single province. The capital of Tehran, home to nearly 9 million people, has seen some of the most intense riots

A recent report has put the number killed during the week-long uprising at at least 50 as social media videos appear to show regime security forces opening fire on protesters

Iran's president has called for a 'decisive' crackdown on the mass protests that have sent the Islamic theocracy reeling over the past week after the death in custody of a woman detained by the Islamic Republic's morality police (picture from Wednesday September 21)

People have been clashing with police as they gather in the streets to voice their anger over the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, who died after allegedly being beaten by state morality police

The most recent report indicates that at least 50 people have been killed during the uprising, with many videos on social media appearing to show security forces firing at protesters

A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini as the violence has spread to every province of Iran

Some women demonstrators have defiantly taken off their hijabs and burned them in bonfires or symbolically cut their hair

Iran's army warned on Friday that it would 'confront the enemies' to ensure security

The police say she died of a heart attack and was not mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account

A defiant pensioner removed her headscarf and chanted 'death to Khamenei' and protesters ripped down posters of him while chanting 'death to the dictator' as violent protests continued to rage across Iran

The army warned on Friday that it would 'confront the enemies' to ensure security and peace in the country said 'these desperate actions are part of the evil strategy of the enemy to weaken the Islamic regime'.

Cities within Iran have been likened to a 'warzone' since the protests kicked off, with tires burning, petrol bombs being launched and cars being destroyed. There have even been claims that some cities, such as Oshnavieh, Sanandaj and Rudsar have been partially or totally occupied by protesters.

Babol, Amol and Rezvan Shahr which are all situated in the north of Iran, have the most reported killings by security forces, according to Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO).

The group report, via an informed source, that 'at least six people were killed as a result of direct bullet fired by security forces on Thursday night,' including a father of two.

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said Thursday: 'The Iranian people have come to the streets for their fundamental rights and human dignity, taken away by Islamic Republic leaders for more than four decades. Their peaceful protests are met with bullets from the authorities.'

Huge crowds marched through Tehran last night chanting and beeping horns, the eighth night of protests. A resident of the capital told MailOnline: 'It was like a war zone in several parts of the city last night. People were throwing stones at the police and police was firing rubber bullets and tear gas directly at people, I heard gunshots too but I guess they just fired into air.

'Last night the crowd started to gather at around 7pm and the clashes continued after mid night,' he added.

'It was more chaotic last night than previous nights and I heard more gunshots. People burned a tyre in the middle of the road.

The internet is filled with videos of riots and protests across the city, despite a government shut down of local internet services.

In one video from Tehran, amid a cacophony of gunfire, a voice can be heard saying: 'They are shooting at people! Oh my God they're killing people!'

Another resident of the capital told MailOnline that he had seen armed men with no uniforms on roofs of people's houses in a neighbourhood in Tehran.

'I noticed them last night. I have not seen them shooting but they were just checking who goes where. Probably to come and arrest them later,' he said.

'Local people are closing their shops early these days,' he added.

The Iranian government organised counter protests on Friday, where hijab-wearing women carried signs reading: 'We are obedient to the leader'

An Iranian pro-government woman holds the Iranian flag during a rally against the recent protest gatherings in Iran, after the Friday prayer ceremony in Tehran, Iran September 23

Thousands of people marched through Iran's capital during a pro-hijab rally Friday, paying tribute to security forces who have moved to quell a week of protests by what media called 'conspirators'

Iranian women march in their hijabs and abayas during a pro-hijab rally in the capital Tehran on September 23, 2022

On Friday, state-organised rallies took place in several Iranian cities to counter the anti-government protests, with marchers calling for the execution of rioters, and the army threatened violence against the protestors

The government managed to bring out large numbers of counter protesters to the streets in a demonstration of their own support

Even in Qom in central Iran, known as the country's religious powerhouse, protestors have stormed the streets armed with Molotov cocktails.

Meanwhile, the authorities shut off access to popular social media services such as Instagram and Whatsapp and even LinkedIn, according to internet traffic monitor Netblocks.

There have also been reports that Elon Musk's satellite internet service Starlink has been removed from the app store Google Play.

The death of Mahsa Amini has reignited anger over issues including restrictions on personal freedoms in Iran, the strict dress codes for women, the oppressive nature of the Islamic theocracy and an economy reeling from sanctions.

Police claims that Amini had a heart attack have been dismissed as yet more lies from the authorities after an eyewitness claimed to have seen Amini beaten in a custody van before falling into a coma. Her distraught family are fighting for the truth as they say she had no underlying health issues and saw bruises on her body.

Furious women in the country have been seen burning their hijabs and headscarves in the street, as well as filming themselves cutting their hair.

Women have played a prominent role in the protests, waving and burning their veils. Some have publicly cut their hair as furious crowds called for the fall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The protests are the largest to sweep the country since demonstrations over fuel prices in 2019, when Reuters reported 1,500 people were killed in a crackdown on protesters. It was the bloodiest confrontation in the Islamic Republic's history.

Iranian news agencies reported on Saturday that 739 protesters had been arrested in the northern province of Gilan, on the Caspian Sea.

The activist Twitter account 1500tasvir, which has 125,000 followers, said communication channels with the northwestern town of Oshnavieh had been cut off, and landlines were down.

Oshnavieh was one of several towns in northwest Iran, where most of the country's 10 million Kurds live, that held a strike on Friday. Kurdish rights group Hengaw posted a video it said showed protesters in control of parts of the town on Friday.
Russian couples have been forced to say their goodbyes as hundreds of thousands of army reservists and prisoners are sent to Ukraine, new images show.

Train stations and army checkpoints have become the scene for the separations, often involving young couples - and men who don't want to fight.

Putin's failing invasion of the neighbouring country has prompted a new partial mobilisation of 300,000 men - including prisoners and even attempts to recruit the dead.

A young Russian recruit and his partner kiss outside a recruitment centre in Volgograd today

One young woman looks despondent as her boyfriend prepares to enlist in Putin's army

Families were seen saying goodbye to each other as Russia's partial mobilisation continues

Protests in major cities broke out following the Kremlin leader's announcement of the troop surge, while queues at the nation's borders have appeared as young men attempt to flee.

While the initial protests were quickly stamped out by Putin's well-trained domestic security troops, new protests have broken out this afternoon in Moscow.

Images show menacing, helmeted riot police manhandling brave men and women who ventured out into the rain to protest Putin's mobilisation.

Soldiers have also been spotted drinking and brawling on their way to basic training.

European Council president Charles Michel advised EU members yesterday to offer asylum to conscientious objectors leaving Russia to avoid the draft.

Unauthorised protests have broken out in Moscow this afternoon at Putin's decision to call up so many men of the Russian population

Russian goombahs in riot gear were quick to drag away brave protesters on a grey and rainy Moscow day

A wheelchair-bound participant courageously holds a placard during a rally after opposition activists called for street protests against the mobilisation - 'Do you want to be like me?' it reads

The protesters will likely face severe repercussions for their brave disobedience under new legislation the Kremlin rushed through in the lead up to the mobilisation announcement on Wednesday September 21

A woman is violently manhandled by two Russian riot police in downtown Moscow as authorities quickly move to stamp out any overt signs of civil disobedience

A mother of one young soldier wipes tears away as he is bussed to a training camp to prepare

A tearful dad holds his child as he readies to say goodbye and fight on the front lines in Ukraine

The EU should be open 'to those who dont want to be instrumentalised by the Kremlin', he said.

'If in Russia people are in danger because of their political opinions, because they do not follow this crazy Kremlin decision to launch this war in Ukraine, we must take this into consideration', he told Politico.

Estonian foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu earlier said: 'A refusal to fulfil one's civic duty in Russia or a desire to do so does not constitute sufficient grounds for being granted asylum in another country.'

The man embraces his mother as police and fellow recruits watched on in Volgograd today

It came as Ukrainians in Russian-held parts of the country were visited by soldiers and ordered to vote in 'referendums' that have been widely condemned by international observers.

One poll branded 'ridiculous' saw a supposed 97 per cent in Donetsk and Luhansk in favour of joining Russia.

Ballot boxes have also been opened across Russia itself, ostensibly to allow displaced Ukrainians to vote.

Escaped Russians get off a bus from St Petersburg to Helsinki Airport earlier today

Road travel remains a good option for Russians hoping to avoid Putin's latest mobilisation

But in reality they offer more opportunities for vote-rigging.

Melinda Simmons, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, said that the outcome of the elections had 'already been decided' and described the 'sham' referendums as a 'media exercise designed to pursue further an illegal invasion by Russia'.

The votes nevertheless mark a significant development in the war as the sham results will allow Putin to spin a narrative that any Ukrainian attempts to reclaim those territories is an assault on Russia itself.

That expands the suite of options he can use in response to 'defend' his territory - including, perhaps, nuclear weapons.

It would also allow Putin to upgrade his 'special military operation' to a full-blown war, expanding his powers to conscript men and punish those who try to quit.
Fish and chip shops warned prices could increase to 20 after the mini-budget

Around 400 customers have queued outside to get their hands on the bargain

The chain first launched in Bradford in 1972 and is returning to those prices

Hundreds of customers have queued for a one-off opportunity to get a portion of fish and chips for just 45p - amid a cost-of-living crisis that could see chippies raising prices to as much as 20.

Mother Hubbard's in Sheffield, south Yorkshire, opened at 11am this morning and saw around 400 people waiting in line on London Road - one of Sheffield's busiest roads - to claim the much-sought after bargain.

The chip shop chain first launched in Bradford in 1972 so the owners of the new shop decided to take a trip back in time to reflect those prices - and offer a classic fish and chips supper for only 45p.

With decorations from the 1970s, the shop is seeking to go back to its roots and offer its first 1,000 customers the 1972 experience.

Mother Hubbard's in Sheffield opened at 11am this morning and saw around 400 people waiting in line to claim a portion of fish and chips for just45p

The 45p price is the same as it was in 1972 when Mother Hubbard's opened its first branch in Bradford - amid fears portions could rise to as much as 20 in the cost-of-living crisis

Head chef Chris Farnell told the Sheffield Star: 'There will be fish and chips for everyone.

'Because of lockdown and everything else people are having to face financially at the moment its great to be able to offer something like this to people.'

The new restaurant also offers a takeaway option and can seat 60 customers at a time.

It has prepared for big queues on opening day by getting 40 sacks of potatoes ready, each weighing 25kg, to keep up with demand.

Mother Hubbard's has prepared 40 sacks of potatoes to keep up with the demand for the bargain portions

Head chef Chris Farnell (pictured outside the shop) said: 'Because of lockdown and everything else people are having to face financially at the moment its great to be able to offer something like this to people'

The shop will also serve pies, pastries, chicken dishes, sausages and meal deals.

The website says a standard portion of fish and chips usually costs 8.75.

The queue began at 10.30am, half an hour before the shop opened its doors to hungry customers for the first time.

Tom Watson, 25, from Sheffield was first in line. He said it was 'amazing, especially with the cost of living at the moment'.

It comes after chippies warned a portion of fish and chips could soon soar above 20 after the mini-budget announcement yesterday - as prices could rise 50 per cent.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng put forward a series of tax-slashing new measures, including a decision to fix corporation tax at 19 per cent, while restricting the basic rate of income tax to the same low figure.

Steven Dhillon, owner of Fisherman's Bay fish and chips in Whitley Bay, said a standard fish and chips which cost 8 a year ago has now increased to 10.20.

By January he fears prices could increase to as much as 16 per portion.

Many places in the capital are already charging 15 for a standard fish and chips - so a 50 per cent increase could see Londoners having to pay more than 20 in a matter of months.

How much did things cost in 1972? Item 20 cigarettes Gallon of petrol Fiat 500 Kenwood mixer Pint of milk Can of coke Average house Price in 1972 26.5p 35p 650 31.25 5p 6.5p 7,000 Source: AgeUK Advertisement

The combination of a surge in bills and an increase in prices of raw ingredients such as fish, potatoes and oil, has led to an unprecedented rise in the cost of the much-loved British classic.

Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, slammed the government today for helping 'bankers, not bakers and financiers, not fish friers'.

Reflecting on today's announcements - which included a commitment to remove caps on city bonuses - he said the budget had 'missed the mark completely'.

Mr Cook said: 'This was the opportunity to take the pressure off small business, because it's not just a job for us, it's a way of life.

'But they've missed the mark completely with this budget.'

In addition, curries could soon cost 30 and steaks 100 as fewer people will look to eat out as costs rise - in a move that will detrimentally harm the hospitality sector.

Pubs and restaurants across the UK are being forced to close among rising energy bills and costs.

Energy prices have at least doubled for most following Russia's invasion of Ukraine as businesses face 'crippling' losses with winter approaching.
He was hospitalized along with her mom and five-year-old sister, who suffered unspecified injuries and is in stable condition

Also injured was the pair's 10-year-old son, who was found tied up in a closet with head trauma, critically injured, cops said

Shortly thereafter, police were called to the residence, and found 57-year-old Matthews dead and his 35-year-old girlfriend injured, stabbed multiple times

A Detroit news anchor was killed and his girlfriend and their two kids injured in what police are calling a murder and attempted suicide - carried out by a 54-year-old 'frequent visitor' to the radio host's Michigan home.

The attack happened around midday Friday, police said, after Jim Matthews, an overnight anchor at WWJ950, invited the currently hospitalized suspect into his home in Chesterfield Township, a quiet suburb outside of Detroit.

Shortly thereafter, police were called to the residence, and found 57-year-old Matthews dead and his 35-year-old girlfriend, Nichole Guertin, seriously injured, having been stabbed multiple times.

Also injured was the pair's 10-year-old son, Hunter, who was found tied up in a closet with head trauma, critically injured, cops said. He was promptly hospitalized, with his condition currently unknown.

Guertin, Matthew's live-in girlfriend, was also critically injured in the attack, cops said, after escaping the horrific scene with her and Matthews's daughter, five-year-old Rosie, who suffered less serious, unspecified injuries.

Stabbed multiple times and leaving her older child behind, the woman was able to escape the house with the young girl and flag down a driver to call police, despite reportedly being bound and gagged.

Both have since been hospitalized - the girl in stable condition with unspecified injuries, and Matthews' partner more seriously injured with multiple stab wounds.

Upon arriving at the residence, authorities also found the 54-year-old male suspect, overdosing on heroin and suffering from self-inflicted wounds in the home's basement.

Jim Matthews, a 57-year-old overnight anchor at WWJ 950, was killed and his girlfriend and their two kids injured in what police are calling a murder and attempted suicide

Matthews' 35-year-old girlfriend, Nichole Guertin, was also injured in the attack, stabbed multiple times and bound by the 54-year-old suspect. Also injured were the pair's two kids, Rosie, 5, and 10-year-old Hunter, who was found in critical condition trapped in a closet

The suspect was then resuscitated by officials with the prescription medicine Narcan, and was taken into police custody. He remains hospitalized and is in stable condition, but faces a litany of charges for the assault - for which cops have yet to glean a motive.

Cops noted that the unidentified attacker had been an acquaintance of the family as well as frequent visitor of the residence, and had been invited inside the home before carrying out the attack, police said.

The sudden tragedy has since left locals and the Detroit news scene reeling as they mourn the late anchor, who spent nearly seven years as the radio station's overnight news anchor.

The late broadcaster was remembered by his longtime employer as a devoted and dependable family man who was passionate about reporting the news throughout his time with the network.

Guertin and the kids survived the assaults, after escaping the horrific scene with the pair's other daughter, five-year-old Rosie, who suffered less serious, unspecified injuries, cops said.

'He would often talk to co-workers about his children and his love for them and their adventures at school,' the radio station wrote.

'He was a consummate professional and was dedicated to WWJ and the broadcasting industry. He loved delivering the latest news to his listeners.'

The station added that 'there have been many tears shed in our newsroom' in the wake of Matthews' sudden death, and that 'our thoughts and prayers go out to Jim's family and friends.'

Troublingly, many of Matthews' colleague's learned of his passing live on air, forced to anchor Jackie Paige report the then breaking incident to thousands of daytime listeners.

Stabbed multiple times and leaving her older child behind, the woman was able to escape the house with the young girl and flag down a driver to call police

'We are updating our top story this afternoon,' Paige said while announcing the grisly murder Friday. 'It's very difficult to report. Our overnight news anchor Jim Matthews was killed this afternoon in Chesterfield Township.'

Staffer added that Matthews would often talk about his children and tout his love for them to his coworkers at WWJ, excitingly telling them about their adventures at elementary school.

'Something like this I never would have expected it in a million years,' said broadcaster Charlie Langton, who reports for the station during the day, of his late colleague.

'When he was off at 5 am I was just coming in at 5 am, so I would see him,' Langton recalled. 'He always had a nice word, always had something good to say. He was just a great guy.'

The attack happened around midday Friday at Matthews' and Guertin's home on Bayview Drive off Hooker Road in the Chesterfield Township, a quiet suburb outside of Detroit

The sudden tragedy has since left locals and the Detroit news scene reeling as they mourn the late anchor, who spent nearly seven years as the radio station's overnight news anchor

Neighbors in the close-knit suburb were similarly shocked by the tragedy, which is currently being probed by local police.

'I think it's crazy. I can't make sense of it,' said Thomas Teague, who said. 'I just got a ton of phone calls of them telling me what happened and she was laying outside bound and gagged.'

His colleagues fought through their emotions as they remembered Matthews on air.

'He would often talk to co-workers about his children and their adventures at school,' Paige said during an on-air tribute. 'He was a consummate professional and was dedicated to WWJ and the broadcasting industry. He loved delivering the latest news to his listeners every night.

'There have been many tears shed in our newsroom this afternoon. Our thoughts and our prayers go out Jim's family.'

Police said they found 10-year-old Hunter (at right, locked in a closet with a severe head injury. Sources said the youngster was beaten by the alleged perpetrator over the head multiple times with a hammer - as he tried to fight off the suspect. He is currently in critical condition, while his younger sister Rosie, who suffered less serious injuries, was in stable condition

The 54-year-old suspect, who police said was a friend of the family and had been invited inside prior to the assault, remains hospitalized and is in stable condition, police said

Police said they were notified of the incident after a bound and gagged Guertin managed to escape the home with Rosie in tow before flagging down an unidentified driver.

The driver then called 911, and police would descend on the scene minutes later.

'A 35-year-old white female had escaped with her five-year-old daughter,' said Chesterfield Police Chief Brian Bassett.

The top cops added that Guertin 'was suffering from stab wounds at that time,' to which 'our police officers and firefighters began rendering aid.'

At that point, Bassett added, 'additional officers made entry into the home,' where they came across Matthews, who was already deceased.

Police said they then found 10-year-old Hunter, locked in a closet with a severe head injury.

Sources told Local 4 that the youngster was beaten by the alleged perpetrator over the head multiple times with a hammer - as he tried to fight off the suspect who was killing his father, who instead left him for dead tied up in the closet.

Chesterfield Police Chief said Friday that Matthew's 10-year-old son was beaten by the alleged perpetrator over the head multiple times with a hammer - as he tried to fight off the suspect who was killing his father, but was instead left for dead tied up in the closet

'We also found a 10-year-old white male bound and suffering from blunt force trauma,' Bassett said. The boy, like his mother, was also hospitalized and said to be in critical condition.

Police added that Rosie also 'injured' but did not detail the severity of those injuries, saying that she was in stable condition.

All three remained hospitalized as of Saturday morning, with Guertin, according to Basset, in critical but stable condition; her daughter in stable condition; and the boy in critical condition. The suspect, meanwhile, Basset said, was in stable condition.

The chief did not disclose the location of or specific type of injuries the suspect - as well as the victims suffered.

'Our investigation has determined this is an isolated tragedy that does not present a danger to our community at this time,' Bassett said during the news conference,

Police have yet to reveal the identity of the attacker, and have only hinted at a supposed connection to the family. Their investigation is currently ongoing, with the suspect likely facing first-degree and attempted murder charges.
Advertisement

Prince Andrew has been spotted riding along the banks of the River Thames in Windsor today as the Royal Family remain in mourning following the death of the Queen.

The prince, 62, was seen in riding gear and a blue jumper and tie as he rode near where the Queen was laid to rest following her state funeral on Monday.

The Queen's second son returned to public life after the death of Elizabeth II earlier this month, after previously stepping back from royal duties after details of his ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein emerged.

He was briefly allowed to wear his military uniform as he and his siblings stood vigil next to their mother's coffin as she lay in state in Westminster Hall.

Prince Andrew also greeted mourners at Balmoral shortly after the death of Her Majesty as they gathered outside the castle where the Queen passed away to lay flowers and pay tribute.

Although the period of national mourning for the Queen has ended, the Royal family will remain in mourning until Monday - seven days after the monarch's funeral.

Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will remain at their lavish Windsor mansion in the near future, but fear they could be 'kicked out' amid a shake-up within the Royal Family.

King Charles is widely reported to be planning a slimmed-down monarchy during his reign, which could include a review into the Crown's vast property portfolio covering 500,000-plus acres of land.

The prince was seen in riding gear and a a blue jumper and tie as he rode near where the Queen was laid to rest following her state funeral on Monday

Prince Andrew was seen in public for the first time since the Queen's funeral on Monday, watched by over 4 billion people

Buckingham Palace announced in January that the Prince would be stripped of all his military titles and patronages

Prince Andrew was permitted by his eldest brother King Charles III to wear his military uniform as he stood guard over his mother's coffin

That review could lead to Andrew being kicked out of the mansion he shares with his ex-wife and the corgis which used to belong to his late mother.

Royal author Phil Dampier told MailOnline: 'Prince Andrew will be devastated by the Queen's death because he was always her favourite child. Although he was in disgrace because of his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, he still saw more of her in private than his siblings.

'Living at Royal Lodge just a short distance from Windsor Castle, he would see her on an almost daily basis. He supported her when she was more frail, and was always there for her in person or on the phone whenever she needed him.

'There was an unbreakable bond between them and she must have been devastated when his name was dragged through the mud. He only had himself to blame of course and it's difficult to feel sympathy for him, but as a mother she always supported him.'

Buckingham Palace announced in January that the Prince would be stripped of all his military titles and patronages.

It is understood King Charles was instrumental in influencing the decision.

Despite his role in the Queen's mourning and state funeral, Andrew will not return to royal duties.

The King allowed his brother to wear his ceremonial military uniform at the Queen's vigil as 'an act of kindness', according to a palace source.

Sex abuse victims of Jeffrey Epstein were reported to be 'frustrated' by Andrew's return to public life, with some accusing him of trying to 'rehabilitate' his public image.

There was surprise in March when Andrew was given a frontline role at the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey

Virginia Giuffre (centre) opened a civil sex assault case against Andrew in New York. Pictured right is Ghislaine Maxwell, who procured girls for sex predator Jeffrey Epstein

Pictured: Prince Andrew and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in New York following Epstein's prison term in 2011

Following the revelations of Prince Andrew's connections to Epstein and his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, he faced a US lawsuit by Virgina Roberts - who now goes by her married name of Giuffre.

As pressure and bad publicity continued to pile on Duke of York over the New York civil sex assault case, it was announced in January 2021 that the Prince would lose his royal patronages so he could fight the allegations as a 'private citizen'.

Despite vowing to fight Ms Roberts' allegations directed against him in the civil case filed in New York - and repeatedly protesting his innocence - Andrew agreed to pay 12million to settle the case before it reached a jury.

Andrew said he would make a 'substantial donation' to her charity supporting victims' rights and also praised her 'bravery', saying he had 'never intended' to malign her character.

He last appeared in March during a memorial service to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh who died last year.

The prince arrived with the Queen from Windsor and supported her as she used a walking stick to get to her seat.

He then helped her back out of the church and into the Royal limousine at the end of the service.

It was later reported that Prince William and King Charles had raised concerns 'on more than once occasion' about the optics of allowing the duke to escort the 96-year-old monarch down to her seat at such a well-publicised event.

The father and son were 'absolutely united' that it was 'unnecessary' for him to have the high profile role, according to The Mirror.

But their protests were overruled by The Queen, who made it her 'wish and final decision' in choosing for Andrew to have a special role on the occasion.

Yet Andrew was then banned from the Buckingham Palace balcony for Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, an act which royal experts said proved there was 'no way back' for the disgraced duke.

While he is safe following the death the Queen, sources have said that he might be told to leave in the future, according to The Sun.

Mr Dampier, who has travelled to more than 50 countries following members of the House of Windsor and is a former royal correspondent, said he felt the Queen 'was a bit like Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who had a blind spot about her son Mark. He could do no wrong in her eyes and the Queen was rather similar with Andrew'.

The commentator added of Andrew: 'When he was a baby he wasn't seen in public for months and rumours even circulated that there was something wrong with him. But it was just her protecting him and enjoying time with him, which she didn't have with Charles and Anne who were a decade older.

'Andrew was known as the 'love child' because his birth marked a new era for the Queen having two children after a gap. There had also been rumours in the mid 1950s that all was not well with her marriage to Prince Philip and so a new child scotched those.

'He was probably a bit spoilt as a child and allowed a free rein, which might explain his arrogance as an adult. Maybe she indulged him too much and certainly she should have asked more questions about his lifestyle long before he was served with legal notices.'

In 2011, it emerged that Andrew was friends with American financier Epstein, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Photos surfaced of him with his arm around Mrs Giuffre, previously known as Virginia Roberts, who claimed that Epstein employed her as a masseuse but exploited her while a teenage minor.

The Duke was also pictured walking in New York's Central Park with Epstein in December 2010, a year after Epstein's release from prison, and this led him to quit his role as a trade envoy.

In 2013, Andrew was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, but Britain's pre-eminent scientific institution faced unprecedented dissent from members over the move, with one professor describing the Duke as an 'unsavoury character'.

Prince Andrew thanked mourners for their good wishes outside Balmoral Castle, where the Queen passed away earlier this month

Prince Andrew fears he and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson could be kicked out of their Windsor mansion, according to reports
Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich hurled an insult at a Capitol Hill reporter after the journalist pressed him on the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

'What do you think about the January 6 committee?' NBC senior congressional reporter Scott Wong asked Gingrich during a press scrum at the Capitol on Thursday.

'I don't,' he replied, before shaking his head.

The 79-year-old Gingrich was there to help House Republicans with the upcoming elections.

Wong continued: 'You have no thoughts about the committee itself?' he asked, holding his cell phone towards Gingrich as other reporters surrounded the former House Speaker.

Gingrich appeared to ignore the reporter before turning towards him and said, 'I think you have a learning disability.'

Wong, who appeared stunned by the humiliating remark, replied, 'Excuse me?'

Gingrich then gestured with his hands and pointed to his head: 'The fact is, I said three or four times I don't talk about it. Try the phrase - I don't talk about it.'

Wong then went to his Twitter to post the humiliating remark that garnered more than 28K views.

Fmr. Speaker Gingrich tells me, I think you have a learning disability, and points to his brain after I asked him what he thought of the Jan. 6 committee earlier today pic.twitter.com/NmCyayhqMJ  Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) September 22, 2022

Dressed in a dark suit and red tie Gingrich appeared to ignore the reporter before turning towards him and saying: 'I think you have a learning disability.' Wong appearing stunned replied: 'Excuse me?'

Scott Wong, a senior congressional reporter with NBC went to his Twitter posting the humiliating remark that garnered more than 28K views

The former House Speaker was at the Capitol on Thursday to help House Republicans and speak about the upcoming elections

Gingrich was asked by the US House of Representatives committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol to provide details on his efforts to promote false claims about the 2020 election.

Representative Bennie Thompson, the Democratic-led Select Committee's chairman, said information the panel obtained had included email messages Gingrich exchanged with senior advisers to former President Donald Trump in which he provided 'detailed input' into television advertisements.

When DailyMail.com requested comment from Gingrich via his Virginia-based company's website there was no immediate response.

Thompson said in the letter: 'These advertising efforts were not designed to encourage voting for a particular candidate.

'Instead, these efforts attempted to cast doubt on the outcome of the election after voting had already taken place.'

It said Gingrich pushed messages designed to incite anger among voters.

Thompson wrote that Gingrich also appeared to be involved in Trumps scheme to appoint fake electors and emailed his chief of staff, Mark Meadows, about those efforts on the evening of January 6, after Trump supporters had attacked the Capitol.

'Information obtained by the Select Committee suggests that you provided detailed directives about the television advertisements that perpetuated false claims about fraud in the 2020 election, that you sought ways to expand the reach of this messaging, and that you were likely in direct conversations with President Trump about these efforts,' Thompson wrote to Gingrich.

Thompson also said the committee had obtained information suggesting Gingrich was involved in a scheme to replace state electors with handpicked candidates who would act to keep Trump in power despite his election defeat.

The committee asked that Gingrich appears for a voluntary, transcribed interview with Gingrich during the week of September 19.

It also asked him to preserve all records of any communications he might have had with the White House, Trump, Trump's legal team or anyone involved in the events of January 6.

The request for Gingrich to cooperate voluntarily comes as the committee has been quietly continuing its investigation and preparing for a new set of hearings next month.

Lawmakers and staff have been interviewing witnesses and compiling a final report in recent weeks after a series of hearings in June and July shed new light on Trump's actions before and after the deadly rioting -- and his lack of a response as the violence was underway at the Capitol.

The House panel investigating the January 6 insurrection is seeking information from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (pictured in July)

Committee chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, wrote in a letter sent how the panel had obtained emails Gingrich exchanged with Trump's associates

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R) introduces Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally at the Sharonville Convention Center July 6, 2016, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Trump is campaigning in Ohio ahead of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next week.

The panel is expected to resume the hearings in September, ahead of the midterm elections

If Gingrich cooperates, he would be one of more than 1,000 witnesses interviewed by the committee, including dozens of Trump allies

If he cooperates, Gingrich would be one of more than 1,000 witnesses interviewed by the committee, including dozens of Trump allies.

In the letter to Gingrich, Thompson said the former Georgia lawmaker exchanged emails with top Trump aides that encouraged members of the public to contact state officials and pressure them to overturn Trump's loss to Joe Biden.

'To that end, these advertisements were intentionally aired in the days leading up to December 14, 2020, the day electors from each state met to cast their votes for president and vice president,' Thompson wrote.

That came as Georgia election officials were facing intimidation and threats of violence.

In a December 8, 2020, email to the White House aides, according to the committee, Gingrich wrote: 'The goal is to arouse the country's anger through new verifiable information the American people have never seen before. ... If we inform the American people in a way they find convincing and it arouses their anger, they will then bring pressure on legislators and governors.'

The panel also cited a November 12, 2020, email from Gingrich, just days after the election, to Meadows and then-White House counsel Pat Cipollone: 'Is someone in charge of coordinating all the electors? ... the contested electors must meet on (D)ecember 14 and send in ballots to force contests which the house would have to settle.'

On the evening of January 6, Gingrich wrote Meadows at 10:42pm, after the Capitol had been cleared and after Congress had resumed certifying Biden's win. He asked about letters from state legislators concerning 'decertifying electors,' the committee says.

'Surprisingly, the attack on Congress and the activities prescribed by the Constitution did not even pause your relentless pursuit,' Thompson wrote.

The committee's eight hearings this summer featured not only live witness testimony but also clips of video interviews with some of the former president's closest aides, Cabinet secretaries and even family members.

The panel is expected to resume the hearings in September, ahead of the midterm elections.

On January 6, 2021, thousands of supporters of Trump, a Republican, stormed the Capitol building, encouraged by the then-president in a speech outside the White House to protest formal congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the November 2020 election.

Trump has refused to concede that he lost the election, instead repeating unfounded allegations that Biden's victory was the result of electoral fraud.

The committee is trying to establish what Trump did while thousands of his supporters attacked police, vandalized the Capitol and sent members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence running for their lives.

The Jan. 6 committee will hold its next hearing on Wednesday.
'For a school to put pornographic material, or even link to a pornographic material is highly problematic,' Oklahoma Senator David Bullard said

Many of the books that are on banned lists are claimed to have sexually explicit, racist, or sexist materials

It comes as states like Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida have enacted widespread bans on books, largely focused on LBGT+ and marginalized authors

'Literature is such a powerful thing and its something which allows you to get to know yourself better, your world,' BPL CEO Linda Johnson said

BPL said its mission is to disseminate information have helped more than 5,000

The Brooklyn Public Library is offering access to banned books to teens across the country as more states restrict material deemed sexually explicit or racist.

As more states moved to ban certain books in public schools, the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) started a program called Books Unbanned, which offers those aged 13 to 21 access to a free e-card for a 'limited time.'

'[The BPL e-card is] providing access to our full eBook collection as well as our learning databases,' the library's website said. It provides access to 25,000 books to both residents and non-residents, according to Politico.

At the end of the day, the BPL says that disseminating information is part of its mission and it felt compelled to help as more states moved toward bans and has helped more than 5,000 people.

'Were saying this is what libraries do, we provide access to these materials,' BPL CEO Linda Johnson told Politico.

'Literature is such a powerful thing and its something which allows you to get to know yourself better, your world, it allows you to see new things and we dont think anyone should be shut out of that regardless of where they live.'

Other New York City libraries, such as the New York Public Library and the Queens Public Library - have also offered similar programs by giving free access to banned books to New Yorkers during certain months.

The Brooklyn Public Library is offering access to banned books to teens across the country as more states restrict material deemed sexually explicit or racist

Brooklyn library CEO Linda Johnson said: 'Literature is such a powerful thing and its something which allows you to get to know yourself better, your world'

Through a digital library card, people aged 13 to 21 can freely access banned books through the Brooklyn library

However, the BPL program is reaching students across the nation and has even encouraged a group of Oklahoma moms to create yard signs with a QR code the library's program.

'We're basically a bunch of mad moms,' Katie Cruz-Long, of Norman, Oklahoma, told KFOR earlier this month. 'I want the best education my son can get. I dont know why that cant be in a public school, because thats what theyre designed for.'

Long had contacted the BPL to ask permission to use the QR code on her lawn signs, who told her: 'Go for it.'

'So we did. I placed order for 250, and were just basically doing it at cost because were not trying to make a profit,' Long told KFOR.

Long's idea for the lawn signs came after former Norman High School English teacher Summer Boismier resigned after she shared the QR code with her students, causing one parent to complain.

Norman High School English teacher Summer Boismier (pictured) resigned from her job after a parent complained she distributed the QR code to the Brooklyn library. Long was inspired to make the signs after the teacher was fired

She originally said she thought she was on administrative leave, but the district insisted she resigned.

However, the school denied she was let go for providing access to the QR code, but for making 'derogatory and divisive remarks' about state politicians, according to Politico. They accused her of using her classroom 'to make a political display expressing her own opinions.'

Now her teaching license is in jeopardy.

'The QR code has become  for lack of a better phrasing  its become a symbol of resistance locally in my state,' she said in an interview, according to Politico.

However, those who support the ban on books are claiming it is protecting children from sexually explicit content, racism, gender identity, or political discourse, particularly topics supported by the left.

'We want to make sure that kids are not being taught to be racist or shamed because of their race or their sex,' State Senator David Bullard told KFOR. 'Youre saying that the moms want the pornographic material? They think its okay to do it through a QR code?

Oklahoma mom Katie Cruz-Long has organized yard signs that feature the Brooklyn Public Library's QR codes to help kids in Norman have access to the books. 'I want the best education my son can get. I dont know why that cant be in a public school, because thats what theyre designed for,' she said

Long order 250 signs and sells them at cost for Norman residents to put in their yard

'A book in a public library or a parent buying a book for their child is their business, but for a school to put pornographic material, or even link to a pornographic material is highly problematic.'

Oklahoma Education Secretary Ryan Walters even wants Boismier's license revoked and is reportedly irritated by the BPL program, according to Politico.

'Rather than being more concerned about the kids and their development and is this appropriate for kids at that grade level, theyve decided to take an ideological bent here  not an academic exercise  but an ideological one in pushing this into our schools,' he said, according to Politico.

In addition, No Left Turn in Education - a group that supports some book bans - also said it opposes the 'orthodoxy of the left' and material that had sexually explicit imagery.

'The school is not a playground for politicians,' found Elana Fishbein told Politico. 'The school is to educate kids to give them the tools that they need to eventually succeed in life. It should be neutral territory.'

Nearly 3,000 schools across 26 states have implemented some sort of ban, according to PEN America.

Detractors of the ban are arguing that these restrictions is pausing discussions and understanding of institutionalized racism and deprives the LGBT+ communities by limiting access to materials that helps them understand themselves.

Norman parent Heather Hall - who owns a bookstore and whose middle schooler goes by they/them pronouns - thought it was 'extraordinary' that the BPL was offering students access to these books.

State Senator David Bullard called many of the books banned in the state 'pornographic' and said books related to porn, racism, and sex are 'problematic'

'I have my kid who is going through some stuff in middle school and has access to these very kind people all the way across the country,' Hall said.

Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Associations Office for Intellectual Freedom, said that Oklahoma has become a nexus of legislative activity that is used to 'tightly control' children's education.

Stone also said that many states are largely censoring LBGT+, black, indigenous and people of color authors.

Texas has the biggest book ban, with more text censored this year than any other state.

Republican Representative Matt Kraus compiled a list of 850 books that contained topics surrounding race and sexuality and distributed it to schools, asking if they had them. Some school began removing the books, according to Politico.

Texas parents can also remove their kids temporarily from classrooms when material that goes against religious beliefs is being discussed.

Texas has the worst book ban in the country and has added the most titles this year than any other state

Those who support book bans say its because titles contain racist, sexists, or sexually explicit context.

The Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has pledged to give parents more power over their children's education.

In Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers is warning citizens that if he loses reelection, book bans are very likely to happen.

In the meantime, people are praising the BPL for its quest to help everyone access banned materials.

'What Brooklyn is doing is fabulous,' New York Public Librarys President Tony Marx told Politico.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Pioneer Library System - Norman's local system - for comment.
In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used.

This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. Please read it carefully to understand how we use your personal data. We may update this Policy from time to time without notice to you, so please check it regularly.

The provision of your personal data to us is voluntary. However, without providing us with your personal data, you will be unable to (as appropriate): contact us; subscribe to our mailing list; subscribe to any of our publications; or receive information about In Defence of Marxism.

We collect information about you:

(1) When you give it to us DIRECTLY

You may give us your personal data in order to subscribe to a newsletter or publication, when you contact us by phone, email or post, when you sign a petition / statement, and/or when you donate money to us.

(2) When you give it to us INDIRECTLY

Your information will also be provided to us when you follow us or otherwise interact with on or via Twitter, when you like and/or join our page on Facebook or interact with us in other ways on or via Facebook.

(3) When you give permission to OTHER ORGANISATIONS to share it or it is AVAILABLE PUBLICLY

We may combine information you provide to us with information available from external publicly available sources. Depending on your privacy settings for social media services, we may also access information from those accounts or services. We use this information to gain a better understanding of you and to improve our communications and fundraising activities.

(4) When you visit our WEBSITE

We use cookies to identify you when you visit our website. Please refer to our Cookies Policy for details on the way our use of cookies affects your personal data.

What information do we collect?

We may collect, store and use the following kinds of personal data:

(1) We will typically hold your name and contact details, including telephone number, location, and e-mail address. However, we may request other information where it is appropriate and relevant, for example:

Your bank details or debit/credit card details (if making a donation).

(2) any communication preferences you give;

(3) information about your computer and about your visits to and use of this website including your IP address, geographical location, browser type, referral source, length of visit and number of page views; and/or

(4) any other information shared with us as per clause 1.

Do we process sensitive personal information?

Applicable law recognises certain categories of personal information as sensitive and therefore requiring more protection, including political opinions and trade union membership. In limited cases, we may collect sensitive personal data about you. We would only collect sensitive personal data if there is a clear reason for doing so; and will only do so with your explicit consent.

How and why will we use your personal data?

Personal data, however provided to us, will be used for the purposes specified in this Policy or in relevant parts of the website.

We may use your personal information to:

(1) Enable you to subscribe to our hard copy publications;

(2) Send you information about our work, campaigns, organisations and any other information, products or services that we provide (this will not be done without your consent);

(3) Provide you with the services, products or information you have requested;

(4) If you request, put you in touch with other supporters in your area (who have also provided such consent);

(5) Handle the administration of any donation or other payment you make via credit/debit card, cheque, standing order or BACS transfer;

(6) Collect payments from you and send statements and/or receipts to you;

(7) Conduct research into the impact of our activity / campaigns;

(8) Deal with enquiries and complaints made by you relating to the website or us in general;

(9) Make petition submissions to third parties, where you have signed a petition and the third party is a target of the campaign to which the petition relates; and/or

(10) Audit and/or administer our accounts.

Supporter Analysis

Google Analytics

We may use some of your personal information to analyse our digital performance, for example to see how our website can be improved to help us achieve the purposes set out in section 9 below, to record how you are using our website or to assess the popularity of different articles / campaigns.

For more information on how we use your personal information in relation to Google Analytics, please view our cookie policy by clicking this link cookies policy



You can opt-out of the collection of information for such purposes here: http://www.aboutads.info/choices

Communications, updates, fundraising

Where you have provided appropriate consent, we will contact you by telephone and e-mail, with targeted communications to let you know about our events and/or activities that we consider may be of particular interest; about the work of In Defence of Marxism; and to ask for donations or other support.

Donations and other payments

All financial transactions carried out on our website are handled through either:

PayPal (Europe) S.a r.l. (PayPal), a third party payment services provider. We recommend that you read PayPals privacy policy (available at https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full?locale.x=en_GB ) prior to effecting any transactions with us through PayPal; or

GoCardless Ltd (GoCardless), a third party payment services provider. We recommend that you read GoCardlesss privacy policy (available at https://www.gocardless.com/legal/privacy) prior to effecting any transactions with us through GoCardless.

We will provide your personal data to PayPal / GoCardless only to the extent necessary for the purposes of processing payments for transactions you enter into with us. We do not store your financial details.

Childrens data

We do not knowingly process data of any person under the age of 16. If we come to discover, or have reason to believe, that you are 15 and under and we are holding your personal information, we will delete that information within a reasonable period and withhold our services accordingly.

Security of and access to your personal data

We endeavour to ensure that there are appropriate and proportionate technical and organisational measures to prevent the loss, destruction, misuse, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or of access to your personal information.

Your information is only accessible by appropriately trained staff and volunteers.

We may also use agencies and/or suppliers to process data on our behalf. We may also merge or partner with other organisations and in so doing transfer and/or acquire personal data.

Please note that some countries outside of the EEA have a lower standard of protection for personal data, including lower security requirements and fewer rights for individuals. We may transfer and/or store personal data collected from you to and/or at a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Such personal data may be processed by agencies and/or suppliers operating outside the EEA. If we transfer and/or store your personal data outside the EEA we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient implements appropriate measures to protect your personal data.

Otherwise than as set out in this Privacy Policy, we will only ever share your data with your informed consent.

Your rights

Where we rely on your consent to use your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This includes the right to ask us to stop using your personal information for direct marketing purposes or to be unsubscribed from our email list at any time. You also have the following rights:

(1) Right to be informed  you have the right to be told how your personal information will be used. This Policy and any other policies and statements used on our website and in our communications are intended to provide you with a clear and transparent description of how your personal information may be used.

(2) Right of access  you can write to us to ask for confirmation of what information we hold on you and to request a copy of that information. Provided we are satisfied that you are entitled to see the information requested and we have successfully confirmed your identity, we have 30 days to comply.

(3) Right of erasure  as from 25 May 2018, you can ask us for your personal information to be deleted from our records.

(4) Right of rectification  if you believe our records of your personal information are inaccurate, you have the right to ask for those records to be updated.

(5) Right to restrict processing  you have the right to ask for processing of your personal data to be restricted if there is disagreement about its accuracy or legitimate usage.

(6) Right to data portability  to the extent required by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) where we are processing your personal information (i) under your consent, (ii) because such processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contact or (iii) by automated means, you may ask us to provide it to you  or another service provider  in a machine-readable format.

To exercise these rights, please send a description of the personal information in question using the contact details in section 15 below. You can also unsubscribe from our email list by sending a blank email to news-unsubscribe@marxist.com

Where we consider that the information with which you have provided us does not enable us to identify the personal information in question, we reserve the right to ask for (i) personal identification and/or (ii) further information.

Lawful processing

We are required to have one or more lawful grounds to process your personal information. Only 4 of these are relevant to us:

Personal information is processed on the basis of a persons consent Personal information is processed on the basis of a contractual relationship Personal information is processed on the basis of legal obligations Personal information is processed on the basis of legitimate interests

(1) Consent

We will ask for your consent to use your information to send you electronic communications such as newsletters and and fundraising emails, and if you ever share sensitive personal information with us.

(2) Contractual relationships

Most of our interactions with supporters are voluntary and not contractual. However, sometimes it will be necessary to process personal information so that we can enter contractual relationships with people. For example, if you subscribe to one of our publications, or purchase merchandise online.

(3) Legal obligations

Sometimes we will be obliged to process your personal information due to legal obligations which are binding on us. We will only ever do so when strictly necessary.

(4) Legitimate interests

Applicable law allows personal information to be collected and used if it is reasonably necessary for our legitimate activities (as long as its use is fair, balanced and does not unduly impact individuals rights).

We will rely on this ground to process your personal data when it is not practical or appropriate to ask for consent.

Achieving our purposes

These include (but are not limited to) promoting socialist policies

Governance

Internal and external audit for financial or regulatory compliance purposes

Statutory reporting

Publicity and income generation

Conventional direct marketing and other forms of marketing, publicity or advertisement

Unsolicited messages, including campaigns, newsletters, and fundraising appeals

Analysis, targeting and segmentation to develop and promote or strategy and improve communication efficiency

Personalisation used to tailor and enhance your experience of our communications

Operational Management

Maintenance of suppression files

Processing for historical, scientific or statistical purpose

Purely administrative purposes

Responding to enquiries

Delivery of requested products or information

Communications designed to administer existing services including subscriptions, administration of petitions and financial transactions

Thank you communications and receipts

Maintaining a supporter database and suppression lists

Financial Management and control

Processing financial transactions and maintaining financial controls

Prevention of fraud, misuse of services, or money laundering

Enforcement of legal claims

Reporting criminal acts and compliance with law enforcement agencies

When we use your personal information, we will consider if it is fair and balanced to do so and if it is within your reasonable expectations. We will balance your rights and our legitimate interests to ensure that we use your personal information in ways that are not unduly intrusive or unfair in other ways.

Data retention

The length of time each category of data will be retained will vary depending on how long we need to process it for, the reason it was collected, and in line with any statutory requirements. After this point the data will either be deleted, or we may retain a secure anonymised record for research and analytical purposes.

In the event that you ask us to stop sending you direct marketing/fundraising/other electronic communications, we will keep your name on our internal suppression list to ensure that you are not contacted again.

Policy amendments

We keep this Privacy Policy under regular review and reserve the right to update from time-to-time by posting an updated version on our website, not least because of changes in applicable law. We recommend that you check this Privacy Policy occasionally to ensure you remain happy with it. We may also notify you of changes to our privacy policy by email.

Third party websites

We link our website directly to other sites. This Privacy Policy does not cover external websites and we are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external websites you visit via links on our website.

Updating information

You can check the personal data we hold about you, and ask us to update it where necessary, by emailing us at webmaster@marxist.com

Contact

We are not required by law to have a Data Protection Officer  however we have a Data Protection Manager.

Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com
The lawyer moved into a 1million London home with husband only a year ago

Sources said they were 'very much an item' but Depp not looking to settle down

Rich represented him in his 2020 UK case and were pictured smiling together

Depp was dating his former attorney Joelle Rich in his US trial this summer

Johnny Depp and his London lawyer girlfriend Joelle Rich 'were dating' during his US court battle against Amber Heard in this summer - but 'aren't exclusive', sources connected to the pair claimed.

They added that Schillings lawyer Rich had no role in his legal defence and was not there for business reasons - but that Depp is not looking for a serious relationship at this point in time.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 59, won a defamation battle against Amber Heard in June over her 2018 article for The Washington Post, in which she claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse.

Heard, 36, was ordered to pay Depp more than $8million in damages.

Sources have now told TMZ that Depp was dating his former attorney Joelle Rich throughout the court case this summer, saying they were 'very much' an item.

Johnny Depp and his London lawyer girlfriend Joelle Rich 'were dating' during his US court battle against Amber Heard in this summer, sources have claimed. The pair are pictured outside Fairfax County Circuit Court on April 26 this year

But the TMZ source said: 'He's f*****g Johnny Depp', meaning he has no plans to settle down with just one partner yet.

The latest news appears to confirm earlier speculation that the two were together throughout the trial in the summer.

They said Joelle, a 37-year-old mother of two, left her children and her estranged husband in the UK while she supported Depp in his trial in Virginia.

The Mail was previously told by a source that: 'She was not there in a professional capacity as she wasn't on the U.S. team who were dealing with the case.

'There was a big U.S. legal team and she was not a part of it. Let's say that it was obvious that something was in the air between them.

'Everyone kind of intuited it during the court case because of the behaviour on both sides.'

Sources have now told TMZ that Depp was dating his former attorney Joelle Rich throughout the court case this summer, saying the pair were 'very much' an item

Friends of Joelle said she 'dropped off the radar' in June when she wasn't in London. The lawyer was not part of Depp's legal team and was reportedly not present at this year's trial for business reasons

Friends of Joelle said she 'dropped off the radar' in June when she suddenly wasn't in London anymore.

The move confused many as Rich only moved into her 1million house in north London about a year ago with financier husband Jonathan Rich - as friends said everything in their world seemed solid and they had even embarked on home improvements together.

Ms Rich and her husband Jonathan are now reportedly in the process of a divorce.

The lawyer who is reported to be in a serious relationship with Johnny Depp was pictured alongside him during his libel battle at Londons High Court more than two-years-ago

Images taken at the time showed them smiling, chatting and looking relaxed in each others company during the actors ill-fated court battle in July 2020

Ms Rich was part of Depp's legal team in the High Court in her role as a partner for leading London privacy lawyers Schillings whose clients include Prince Harry and wife Meghan.

Images of them arriving at court together in High Court libel battle more than two years ago shows them smiling and chatting together.

The pictures, which were taken on the fifth day of the trial on July 13, 2020, showed Ms Rich seemingly gazing towards Depp as they left the court together.

Joelle Rich attended North London Collegiate School, an independent girls' day school with fees of 22,308 a year.

She studied law at Birmingham University in 2003 - where she is believed to have met her husband - and worked at DLA Piper before joining Schillings in 2011.
Jeremy Corbyn has condemned Labour leader Keir Starmer's plans for the party to sing the national anthem at its annual conference.

Mr Corbyn said the plan for party members to sing God Save The King at the conference in Liverpool was 'very, very odd'.

The former Labour Party leader suggested singing the anthem was 'excessively nationalist'.

Keir Starmer and party bosses took the decision for the national anthem to be sung at the Labour conference for the first time in its history following the death of the Queen earlier this month, and the accession of King Charles III.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn argued: 'We don't as a country routinely go around singing the national anthem at every single event we go to'

Labour leader Keir Starmer arrives at the Labour Party conference earlier today

Keir Starmer attended the Queen's state funeral on Monday and paid tribute to Britain's longest-serving monarch

However, Jeremy Corbyn argued the move was unnecessary. He said on Nick Robinson's Political Thinking podcast: 'They've never done it before, there's never been any demand to do it.

'We don't as a country routinely go around singing the national anthem at every single event we go to.

'We don't sing in schools, we don't have the raising of the flag as they do in the USA and other places.

'We are not that sort of, what I would call, excessively nationalist.'

But last night, Starmer loyalists rounded on the former party leader, with one Shadow Minister saying: 'Only Corbyn would try to wreck Sir Keir's tribute to the late Queen. It's because Corbyn was seen as unpatriotic that we've got to build bridges with so many former traditional Labour voters who deserted us while Left-wing 'Jezza' was wrecking our party.'

Other MPs recalled how Mr Corbyn was criticised for failing to sing the National Anthem at a Battle of Britain service at St Paul's Cathedral in 2015 although he claimed he had been lost in reflection.

However, there were fears last night that Mr Corbyn's intervention  in an interview on Nick Robinson's Political Thinking podcast  will 'give licence' to Left-wing party republicans to jeer when the anthem is played later today.

Mr Corbyn's comments come after The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that the National Anthem would be played at conference as part of tributes to the Queen but amid fears some republican delegates could heckle. That led one of Sir Keir's key advisers to recommend that he start the four-day conference by appealing to members not to boo  advice dismissed as 'ridiculous' by a Shadow Minister.

Keir Starmer, pictured with his wife Victoria, has taken Labour in a different direction from his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn

Labour's four-day annual conference begins today in Liverpool as party members gather together

Labour sources said last night that they disagreed with Mr Corbyn's National Anthem remarks, adding: 'Keir's party is proudly patriotic.'

But in a further embarrassment last night, one of the first fringe meetings for the conference was set to be a Labour For A Republic meeting, entitled: 'Beyond the Jubilee: What Future for the Monarchy?'

Last night, there were claims the event had originally been billed as 'Beyond the Jubilee: Time to Close down the Monarchy' but that this had had to be toned down at the last minute. In June after the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Labour For A Republic said: 'The Queen's reign will soon be over and there is little chance of stopping the Crown passing to Charles, a less worthy successor.'

The campaign group added that now Jubilee 'hysteria has subsided, there is more chance of having a reasoned debate on what should come next'.

Labour stressed last night it 'is not responsible for the content of fringe meetings' at party conference. The party conference opens with some Labour MPs daring to predict the party is on course to win the next Election in the wake of the Tories' controversial programme of tax cuts.

As he arrived in Liverpool, Sir Keir said the Tories had shown their 'true colours', adding their 'driving ideology' was to 'make the rich richer and do nothing for working people'.
A further 656 people made the perilous journey across the English Channel on small boats yesterday, the Government has confirmed.

Fifteen boats were processed by the Border Force on Friday alone, taking the annual total up to 32,321, according to the Ministry of Defence.

It was the 12th day this year that more than 600 people have crossed the Channel, days after the annual total exceeded 30,000.

Border Force officials survey makeshift detention centres for Channel migrants on Thursday

A UK Border Force vessel brings in a group of migrants who had taken a small boat for the trip

In 2021, 28,561 crossings were recorded.

Special tents have been erected at Dover to keep the migrants covered while they are processed - with new arrivals appearing to be overflowing from existing facilities.

On Friday, French authorities launched a rescue operation after a boat off the coast of Gravelines, northern France got into difficulty.

A spokesperson from the French Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said the maritime military rescued 65 shipwrecked people from the boat.

Officials have set up tents to house migrant arrivals in Dover, with facilities now 'overflowing'

It's now estimated well over 30,000 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK in 2022

In a statement, the agency said: 'After being taken care of, the castaways were disembarked at the port of Boulogne-Sur-Mer where they were taken care of by the border police and the departmental fire and rescue service.

'The Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea warns anyone who plans to cross the Channel about the risks involved.

'This maritime sector is one of the busiest areas in the world, with more than 400 merchant ships passing through it per day and the weather conditions are often difficult.

'It is therefore a particularly dangerous sector, especially at a time when the water temperature will decrease.'

It is more than five months since then-home secretary Priti Patel announced plans to send migrants to Rwanda to try to deter people from crossing the Channel.

Volunteer lifeguards escort dozens of Channel migrants off a safety boat in Dungeness, Kent

A group of migrants board a bus in Dungeness after being rescued in the Channel last week

Since Priti Patel's Rwanda migrants plan was launched, there have been some 27,000 arrivals

Since then, 27,053 people have arrived in the UK after making the journey.

On Wednesday more than 60 people were brought ashore by the Dungeness Lifeboat onto the beach near Lydd in Kent where they were met by immigration officials and taken on board buses to a processing centre.

Men, women and children were brought down on ladders from lifeboats onto the pebble shoreline while others were brought into the harbour at Dover.

A further 45 had to be rescued by French authorities after getting into difficulties off the Calais coast overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke said: 'With these shocking record numbers of illegal crossings, getting the small boats crisis under control should be a key priority.

A large group of small boat passengers board a bus to be taken for processing at Dover

A heavily pregnant migrant woman is escorted off the beach by police in Kent last week

'With the approach of Winter, the seas will get rougher and the weather colder- inevitably the risk of further loss of life will increase. That's why urgent action is needed to stop these dangerous crossings.'

On April 14, Ms Patel signed what she described as a 'world-first' agreement with Rwanda, under which the East African country would receive migrants deemed by the UK to have arrived 'illegally' and 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 court cases with the Home Office as they challenge the policy.
The daughter of murdered Georgia mother Debbie Collier's MMA fighter boyfriend allegedly wrote a disturbing note threatening the entire family with violence just last year after he'd been accused of beating up Collier's daughter.

Collier, 59, was found dead, naked and her body burned, tied to a tree on September 11 in Athens, Georgia.

No one has been arrested for her brutal killing and there is no indication that either Bearden or her boyfriend, Andrew Giegerich, are being considered suspects.

However, a handwritten message contained in police evidence files shows what is believed to be Giegerich writing 'If you or your family ever come near me again I will hurt them' in a note to Bearden in 2021, according to the New York Post.

Giegerich - who was jailed on September 16 for violating probation and has a history of domestic violence incidents - reiterates: 'Have a nice life you lying ass b***h. Dont ever contact me again!!!'

He has been ordered to show proof of treatment for substance abuse within 20 days of his arrest, but was released and seen about Friday.

This comes after it was revealed the Habersham County Sheriffs Office served a search warrant for Bearden's home, Fox News reported, among several that have been requested amid the investigation.

Police have not responded to requests for comment on what, if anything, was found upon search of Bearden's residence.

Andrew Giegerich, the MMA fighter boyfriend of murdered Georgia mother Debbie Collier's daughter, allegedly wrote a disturbing note threatening the entire family with violence just last year after he'd been accused of beating up Collier's daughter

Amanda Bearden's boyfriend Andrew Giegerich was seen leaving the home they share in Athens, Georgia

Debbie's daughter Amanda Bearden was on site 'in a hysterical state,' when her mother's body was discovered, according to a police report obtained by DailyMail.com

Debbie with her daughter in an old Facebook photo. Amanda claims that her mother sent her $2,385 on Venmo with a note suggesting she had been kidnapped on the day of her death. Police have ruled out kidnapping

The note was taken In May last year, when police intervened in the couple's relationship after Amanda phoned 911, claiming Andrew had 'broken in' to the house to beat her.

She showed them photos of bruises on her arms and shoulders to prove it.

The pair are living together again in Athens, Georgia, despite their previous domestic disputes and restraining orders.

DailyMail.com spotted them leaving their home this week as the investigation into Debbie's brutal killing gathers pace.

Police have now ruled out kidnapping and suicide as possible causes of the woman's death, and are now focused on arresting her killer.

Andrew was arrested on battery charges and the pair were ordered to stay apart.

Giegerich has complained that the pair were recently 'interrogated' by police over Debbie's death.

'The [police have] interrogated all of us. The people who are closest to [Collier] are kind of looked at as suspects right now,' he told the Post.

Debbie lived with her husband Steve at their home in Athens.

On Friday, he fought tears as he told DailyMail.com that Debbie was the 'love of his life.

The couple had been married four nine years and both had children from previous marriages.

'It has been a long two weeks and Im very tired. My wife was a wonderful person.

A close friend of the couple, who did not want to be identified, confided to DailyMail.com: Steve loved Debbie with all his heart. I know that for a fact.

I cannot imagine what hes going through right now, with the terrible loss of his wife and having to be part of the murder investigation and all that entails.

I have known them both for many years and they were a devoted couple.'

In a direct move of support, he added: I know suspicion can fall on the family of murder victims, but I would bet my life Steve had nothing whatsoever to do with Debbies disappearance.

On September 10, Steve reported Debbie as missing, claiming that he hadn't seen her since 9pm the previous night at their home.

Neighbors heard fighting and screaming coming from the house the night before she vanished.

In December 2020, Debbie posted these horrific photos of a black eye on Facebook. She told friends she'd fallen on the sidewalk

Debbie's husband Steve reported her missing on September 10. He told police he last saw her at 9pm the previous night, but that they slept in separate rooms because of his snoring

Amanda is pictured leaving her home on Friday. In a previous interview, she said 'someone' killed her mother

She was a beautiful woman and I loved her,' distraught Steve Collier said about his wife 11 days after her charred, naked body was found in a ravine 60 miles from their Georgia home

Police then tracked the car Debbie had been driving - a rented SUV hired because her own vehicle was undergoing repairs - to a wooded ravine 60 miles from her home. Her naked body was found there, charred and tied to a tree.

The exact cause of her death remains unconfirmed.

When questioned, Bearden told police that she last saw her mother the night before she vanished, and that everything was normal. She received the Venmo message the day her mother was reported missing.

In an interview with CBS after her mother's body was found, Amanda appeared shaken and struggling to speak.

'My mom was my everything. Somebody took my whole world from me. She was a beautiful, kind, giving woman. She didn't deserve this,' she said, her head and hands shaking.

Police have not yet ruled out anyone as suspects.

Debbie had turned her car in for servicing and was driving a rented SUV when she died.

That car was equipped with a GPS tracking system that led police to her body after her husband reported her missing on September 10.

It was found 60 miles from the couple's modest home, where they lived quietly.

Police survey the crime scene where Debbie Collier's body was found in a ditch on September 11
In July he underwent colon surgery to remove 33cm of his intestines

Pope Francis, 85, was seen being pushed in a wheelchair on Saturday as took a trip to Assisi to tell young people it was their duty to protect the planet and change the course of the Earth.

Francis was visiting the birthplace of his namesake saint who was close to nature when he called for 'courage' in abandoning fossil fuels and lamented that older generations didn't know how to protect the planet and secure peace.

He told young people he was pinning his hopes on their efforts in working to save the planet and to make the world's economy more attentive to the poor.

The health of the aging Pope has been under the spotlight for a while as concerned onlookers wonder whether he still has the vitality to maintain his pontiff's duties.

He is thought to be making use of a wheelchair due to a serious knee problem that limits his mobility, although he was also reported to have had colon surgery in July to remove 33cm (13 inches) of intestine.

The Vatican described it as a 'planned procedure' because the Pope's bowels had 'narrowed.'

The Pope was seen being pushed in a wheelchair once more on a trip to Assisi in central Italy

Francis, 85, is thought to be making use of a wheelchair due to a serious knee problem that limits his mobility, although he was also reported to have had colon surgery in July to remove 33cm of intestine

Francis was visiting the birthplace of his namesake saint who was close to nature when he called for 'courage' in abandoning fossil fuels and lamented that older generations didn't know how to protect the planet and secure peac

And in August, Francis created the post of Personal Health Assistant to the Holy Father to complement the personal doctor he already has. Italian Massimiliano Strappetti was appointed to the position, the Holy See announced that same month.

During his July trip to Canada - where the pontiff apologised for the Catholic Church's role in the removal of indigenous children from their families to be placed with Canadian ones - he was accompanied by a nurse at all times.

During his brief visit Saturday to the hill town in central Italy, Francis spoke to a gathering of some 1,000 young people, some of them young economists. Others are involved in efforts including start-ups, focused on helping the environment.

The participants came from all over the world. Among them was a woman who recounted to the pope how she and her husband were helped to flee Afghanistan after the takeover of the Taliban last year by an organization called The Economy of Francis, which is inspired by the life of St. Francis, with his attention to the poor and others in need.

The pope said a world economy is needed that expresses 'a new vision of the environment and the Earth.'

'There are many people, businesses and institutions that are making an ecological conversion. We need to go forward on this road and do more,' Francis said.

The pontiff cited an urgent need to discuss models of development.

Pope Francis attends the Economy of Francesco (EoF) event in Assisi, central Italy, where he He told young people he was pinning his hopes on their efforts in working to save the planet and to make the world's economy more attentive to the poor

Francis smiles for a selfie with a participant during the Economy of Francesco (EoF)

'Now is the time for new courage in abandoning fossil fuels to accelerate the development of zero- or positive-impact sources of energy,' Francis said.

He told the young people: 'Our generation has left you with a rich heritage, but we have not known how to protect the planet and are not securing peace.'

He lamented a lack of 'creativity, optimism, enthusiasm,' and told young people that 'we are grateful to God that you are here. Not only will you be there tomorrow, but you are here today.'

The Pope's faith in young people might be supported by the horrors that he admitted are being perpetrated in Ukraine, revealing his charity chief who is delivering aid in Ukraine had to run and take cover after coming under gunfire last week.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who is Polish, was forced to dodge bullets while on his fourth humanitarian and pastoral mission to Ukraine, sending supplies with a Catholic bishop, a Protestant bishop, and a Ukrainian soldier.

The pope said he spoke with Krajewski yesterday, who had visited mass Ukrainian graves outside Izium, in northeast Ukraine.

Francis said today: 'He (Krajewski) told me of the pain of these people, the savage acts, the monstrosity, the tortured bodies they find.

'Let us unite with these people, so noble, and martyred.'
Former First Lady Hillary Clinton compared Trump supporters to Nazis as hundreds of supporters held their index fingers in the air 'saluting' the former President at a recent frenzied campaign rally in Ohio.

Clinton was attending the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Friday and criticized the disturbing hand gesture made by many Trump supporters at a September 17 event Trump attended for GOP senate candidate J.D. Vance.

The one-time Democratic presidential nominee spoke about her years as a young student trying to figure out how people were drawn in by Hitler.

'I remember as a young student, you know, trying to figure out how did people get basically drawn in by Hitler. How did that happen?' Clinton said.

'I'd watch newsreels and I'd see this guy standing up there ranting and raving, and people shouting and raising their arms. I thought, 'What's happened to these people?' she continued.

'You saw the rally in Ohio the other night, Trump is there ranting and raving for more than an hour, and you have these rows of young men with their arms raised,' she said. 'I thought, 'What is going on?''

Taylor Budowich, a spokesman for Trump, told Fox News that Clinton's comparison was 'pathetic' and 'divisive.'

Rally organizers were reportedly concerned about the one-finger salute, which has also been linked to the QAnon conspiracy movement.

A Trump supporter in the crowd who pointed his stiff-arm in the air in the one-finger salute said the gesture is a saying used in the QAnon movement that means: 'Where We Go One We Go All,' Yahoo News reported.

Budowich called the Qanon speculation a 'dopey conspiracy.'

'As usual, the media is working hand in hand with the Democrats weeks before an election,' said spokesman Taylor Budowich.

Trump spoke at his Sept. 17 rally as dramatic music played.

'My fellow citizens, this incredible journey we're on together has only just begun, and it is time to start talking about greatness for our country again. We are one movement, one people, one family, and one glorious American nation.'

Clinton likened the crowd of Trump supporters and the frenzied event to Hitler's rallies in Nazi Germany.

Trump speaking at the Save America rally in Youngstown, Ohio September 17, 2022,

Rally organizers were reportedly concerned about the controversial one-figure salute that has also been linked to the QAnon conspiracy movement. One Trump supporter in the crowd pointed his stiff-arm in the air in the one-finger salute said the gesture is a saying used in the QAnon movement that means: 'Where We Go One We Go All,' Yahoo News

Prince August Wilhelm, a son of the ex-Kaiser and one of the leaders of the German National-Socialist party, gives the Nazi salute in 1932

Former First Lady Hillary Clinton compares Trump supporters to Nazi's as hundreds of supporters held their index finger in the air 'saluting' the former President at a recent frenzied campaign rally in Ohio

Clinton has frequently derided the billionaire and his supporters, most famously calling them a 'basket of deplorables' during the 2016 campaign.

She made those remarks at an LGBT fundraiser in Manhattan on Sept. 9, 2016, and urged supporters to 'stage an intervention' if they have friends who might vote Trump.

'To just be grossly generalistic, you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables,' Clinton said. 'Right? Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic  you name it,' she said.

'And unfortunately, there are people like that and he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people, now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets offensive, hateful, mean-spirited rhetoric.'

She apologized the following day after the comments had backfired.

'Last night I was 'grossly generalistic,' and that's never a good idea. I regret saying 'half' -- that was wrong,' Clinton said in a statement.

'I think this is the biggest mistake of the political season,' Trump said on 'Fox and Friends' on Sept. 12, 2016.

A few weeks before the 'deplorables' comment, Clinton gave a speech criticizing Trump's campaign for using 'racist lie' after 'racist lie' and allowing the alt-right to gain prominence.

In June 2016, Clinton blasted Trump as 'temperamentally unfit' to be president.

Trump went on to be elected president, defeating Clinton in the general election.
The Metropolitan Police have arrested one man and are seeking to keep apart rival demonstrations of far-right protesters and anti-fascists in Westminster.

Pro-Putin and Tommy Robinson-aligned group 'Patriots for Britain' held an anti-immigration march at Parliament Square from midday.

Anti-fascists (known as 'Antifa'), meanwhile, gathered at nearby Marsham Street to protest at the Home Office just yards away.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'We are aware of a planned protest today in central London.

'A policing plan is in place with officers in attendance. Officers are taking measures to ensure the two groups are kept separate.'

Scores of far-right protesters gathered in Westminster today, wielding anti-immigrant slogans

Met Police officers worked to stop the group reaching an anti-fascist crowd at the Home Office

Police confirmed one man was arrested for vehicle interference after climbing onto a bus at Parliament Square.

He was removed from the scene and eventually released without charge.

Footage posted by 'National Housing Party' (NHP) press officer Pat McGinnis showed the man filming from on top a London tour bus as bewildered passengers looked on.

Another image showed a Patriots for Britain sign perched against Winston Churchill's statue at Parliament Square - with a beer can and an empty plastic bag left next to it.

Cops confirmed one man had been arrested for vehicle interference, but was released

A protester at the far-right demonstration in Westminster wields a 'Stop the Dinghies' placard

Campaigners are seeking to quit the UN Refugee Convention protecting the right to asylum

The far-right NHP has aligned with Tommy Robinson and in favour of Putin's war in Ukraine.

McGinnis tweeted last week: 'The Globalist banks are dragging us into a war with Russia.'

His group, which also has links to Britain First, supports withdrawing from the 1951 Refugee Convention.

A can of Strongbow and an empty plastic bag sit below the Winston Churchill statue

The UN agreement secures the right of people to seek asylum from persecution abroad.

NHP supports imprisoning illegal immigrants for three years and removing migrants from social housing waiting lists.

Both proposals are violations of the Refugee Convention, the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights, which was written in part by Churchill himself.
Police took three days to find the missing body of an 85-year-old man in his car that had automatically called 999 when he crashed.

John Winton McNab was discovered on the A887 road near Invermoriston, Inverness-shire in Scotland.

Police were sent to the area and eventually found him dead in his Mercedes more than 48 hours after he was reported missing from Perth on Friday 16 September.

The pensioner's death is being investigated by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC), which will report its findings to the Crown Office.

His car sent an SOS call two days after the alarm was raised over his disappearance.

A source said: 'When the car crashed, it automatically dialled 999 as per the technology that has been installed since 2017 in all new cars.

John Winton McNab was discovered on the A887 road near Invermoriston, Inverness-shire in Scotland

'Despite officers searching, it took three days for the car to be located, by which point the gentleman had passed away.'

Mr McNab's family said: 'We would like to thank everyone involved in the search to trace Winton, these efforts are greatly appreciated by the family.'

His death has been compared to Lamara Bell and John Yuill in 2015 after their bodies lay undiscovered for three days despite police being alerted.

Their car had gone down an embankment on the M9 and crashed.

Ms Bell's son James McMillan said: 'This sounds like a terrible tragedy for another family which of course brings back dreadful memories for us. I'm staggered by the similarities.

The 86-year-old was discovered on the remote A887 road (pictured) near Invermoriston, Inverness-shire

'Obviously, however, we do not know the circumstances surrounding this incident and I hope a full and frank investigation is being carried out while the family are being supported.'

Sergeant David Miller from the Highland and Islands Road Policing Unit said: 'Our inquiries into the circumstances of what happened are under way and our thoughts are with John's family and friends.

'I would appeal to anyone who may have seen John's grey Mercedes B class between Friday, September 16, and Sunday, September 18, to contact police.'

A spokeswoman for PIRC said: 'We are investigating the circumstances around the death of a 86-year-old man near Inverness under the instruction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.'

A spokesman for Police Scotland added: 'The matter has been referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further.'
A NYC Macy's employee was found dismembered in two suitcases inside her apartment building after her abusive boyfriend refused to let security in. Her family is now blaming the building's staff for not doing more to save her.

Dasia Johnson, 22, of Brooklyn, was found cut up in suitcases in her Cypress Hills apartment in Brooklyn after security guards reportedly let her on-and-off-again abusive boyfriend inside.

The aspiring teacher's body was found on Wednesday after her aunt called security for a wellness check because she hadn't heard from her since Sunday. Building residents had also started complaining about the smell.

When guards arrived to the unit, the boyfriend - who has not been identified and reportedly lived in the unit at times - and another man refused to let them in.

When the guards left to call 911, the two men left the building. They have yet to be found and the boyfriend is currently listed as a suspect.

'The next thing I hear, a detective calls me and tells me its a crime scene now,' her aunt, who asked to remain anonymous, said.

Dasia Johnson, 22, was found cut up in suitcases in her Cypress Hills apartment in Brooklyn after security guards reportedly let her on-and-off-again abusive boyfriend inside

The aspiring teacher's body was found on Wednesday after her aunt called security for a wellness check because she hadn't heard for her since Sunday. Building residents had also started complaining about a smell (pictured: police carry evidence bags)

When guards arrived to the unit, the boyfriend - who has not been identified and reportedly lived in the unit at times - and another man refused to let them in. When the guards left to call 911, the two men left the building. They have yet to be found and the boyfriend is currently listed as a suspect

On Thursday, when resident Stephanie Harris went over to the apartment to ask the detective 'what was going on,' she was horrified to find 'blood everywhere.'

'It was nasty. You can imagine what happened to her, you know she fought for her life. There was blood splattered,' Harris told the New York Post.

'He opened the door and it was like something in a movie, not something you see in real life.'

Harris recalled constantly hearing the boyfriend abuse Johnson - who had a restraining order against him - and would often scream at her and break things in the apartment.

The alleged murder took place at the Linwood Park apartment building in Cypress Hills

'She used to say that he used to slam her head in the house, like: Why you got people in our business, he used to break stuff in the house, she would say: Its not your money, [and he would say] I dont give a f*ck, youre mine, so everything that belongs to you is mine,' Harris recalled to the Post.

He also allegedly screamed at Johnson often: 'The only way you out is when your mother [is] gonna bury you, b**ch.'

'He always said it in the hallway, we always heard it,' Harris told the Post. 'And you felt it.'

A different neighbor, who did not want to be named, recalled seeing trails of blood from her apartment to the front door one day while the couple argued in the lobby.

Harris, a domestic violence survivor herself, said Johnson had told her she was 'so scared.'

Now, her family is blaming the building's staff - which is privately owned by C&C Apartment Management and provides 24-hour security - for letting the boyfriend inside.

'They know their tenants. They opened the door for him,' Johnson's aunt, who did not want to be named, told the Post. 'She didnt have no other boyfriend. They didnt do enough. They could have prevented him from coming in thereTheyre security, theyre trained to put somebody down. There is ways to stop him from coming in.

'They dropped the ball here,' she said.

Johnson's boyfriend had previously been arrested in March for coming to the apartment. Johnson is also a client of HousingPlus, according to the Post. The organization provides stable housing to domestic violence survivors.

At an August 16 family dinner, Johnson had reportedly told her family that she was 'done with him' and was 'happy.'

'Its just so sad. She was so skinny. This boy overpowered herHe was leeching off of her. He was using her kindness. Her mother is terminally ill and she needed a friend, and she thought that he was that friend,' her aunt told the Post.

'If she would have told us [the full extent of the abuse], we were able to help her, if we knew more.'

The aunt claimed she was trying to help her niece and that she warned the girl that 'this is not love. Its not going to get any better. It will only get worse.'

The family is now requesting the police release the boyfriend's photo, so people can help find him and avoid him.

'The public needs to be made aware of who he is. Thats why hes so hard to pinpoint, nobody has his picture,' she told the Post.
Advertisement

The first picture of the new ledger stone installed at the Queen's final resting place in Windsor has been released by Buckingham Palace showing that she has now been reunited with her beloved husband, loving parents, and dearest sister.

Her Majesty's name is now shown simply inscribed on the Belgian black stone slab, in gold lettering, alongside the Queen mother, the former King and the Duke of Edinburgh, who died age 99 more than a year ago, as she lies underneath the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel.

The new slab replaces the old stone that bore the names and dates of birth and death of George VI and his wife, Elizabeth. It now contains, in list form, 'George VI 1895-1952' and 'Elizabeth 1900-2002', and then 'Elizabeth II 1926-2022' and 'Philip 1921-2021'.

Between the two couples is a single metal Garter Star, the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the countrys oldest and most noble order of chivalry. All four were members of the order and St Georges Chapel, where the memorial chapel is situated, is its spiritual home.

Also in the chapel is the Queen's sister Princess Margaret, who died one month before the Queen mother at the age of 71 back in 2002 - as the Windsor royal family is now reunited together forever.

The public can pay their respects at St George's Chapel from Thursday, September 29, by buying a castle tour ticket, which costs 28.50 on Saturdays and 26.50 on other days, just over a week after the late monarch's funeral was watched by over 30million Brits.

A picture released from Buckingham Palace reveals that the fresh stone now contains, in list form, 'George VI 1895-1952' and 'Elizabeth 1900-2002' followed by a metal Garter Star, and then 'Elizabeth II 1926-2022' and 'Philip 1921-2021'

When Philip (pictured with his wife, Elizabeth, the Queen, together at Broadlands in 2007) died 17 months ago, his coffin was interred in the Royal Vault of St George's, ready to be moved to the memorial chapel - a pale stone annexe added on to the north side of the building behind the North Quire Aisle in 1969 - when the Queen died

The Queen's (on left with Philip Mountbatten, marking their engagement in a July 1947 portrait when she was Princess Elizabeth) name has been inscribed alongside her mother's, father's (The Queen mother middle with husband King George VI) and husband's on the stone in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, where the monarch was buried alongside the ashes of her sister, Margaret (far right)

The Queen was laid to rest together with the Duke of Edinburgh on Monday evening in a private service attended by the King and the royal family, which followed her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and committal service in Windsor.

When Philip died 17 months ago, his coffin was interred in the Royal Vault of St George's, ready to be moved to the memorial chapel - a pale stone annexe added on to the north side of the building behind the North Quire Aisle in 1969 - when the Queen died.

Their remains were then interred in the tiny family memorial annex on Monday built on the north side of St Georges Chapel. Their coffins were gently lowered 18ft to lie one on top of the other, supported by a metal frame, inside the 10ft by 14ft chamber.

Her mother passed away aged 101 in March 2002. The Queen lost her sister, Princess Margaret, the previous month at the age of 71. She was cremated and her ashes were initially placed in the Royal Vault, before being moved to the George VI memorial chapel with her parents' coffins when the Queen Mother died weeks later.

The Royal Family released a never-before-seen image showing Queen Elizabeth II hiking in the heather at Balmoral in Scotland as her funeral was held

In a touching tribute the wreath (pictured, on top of the coffin on Monday) made up by King Charles lies next to the black stone in the side chapel at St George's which is set to reopen fully to the public next week

Her name was inscribed alongside that of her father George VI, Elizabeth the Queen Mother and that of her beloved late husband Philip who died last year

George VI died in February 1952 at the age of just 56  a moment the Queen always marked privately at her Sandringham estate.

King Georges coffin had been originally placed in the Royal Vault. But as it was his wish to rest in his own chapel with his beloved wife, a memorial chapel that bears his name was built by his eldest daughter in 1969.

The King George VI Memorial Chapel, which sits within the walls of St George's Chapel, was then commissioned by the Queen in 1962 as his burial place - designed by George Pace and finished in 1969.

Him and his wife's resting place was marked by a black ledger with the inscriptions King George VI 1895-1952 and Elizabeth 1900-2002 in gold lettering.

The chapel will reopen to visitors next week on all days the castle is open to the public, excluding Sundays when it is only open for worshippers.

Her Majesty was interred alongside her husband, Prince Philip, and her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Pictured: A stone in the George VI Memorial Chapel at St George's Chapel in Windsor, where the Queen Mother was laid to rest in 2002

A private service, which was due to start at 7.30pm, took place away from the public's gaze where King Charles buried his mother the Queen. This rarely seen picture from 1947 was released this week

A sea of people, holding flags and bunting, lined the route into Windsor as Her Majesty made her final journey on Monday afternoon

More than 4,000 military personnel were involved in the Queen's state funeral, which ended at St George's Chapel, in Windsor, pictured above

Entry to the castle is 28.50 for adults on Saturdays and 26.50 on other days, according to the website.

The castle is only open five days a week from Thursday through to Monday  but St Georges Chapel is closed to the public on Sundays as it is a living place of worship.

Castle tours are run by the Royal Collection Trust (RCT), a registered charity and a department of the Royal Household. No profits are kept by the Royal Family.

Income generated from admissions and other commercial activities is used for the upkeep of the Royal Collection, one of the largest and most important art collections in the world and one of the last great European royal collections to remain intact.

Containing thousands of artworks and antiques, the collection is not owned by The King as a private individual but is held in trust by the sovereign for his successors and the nation.

King Charles III places the Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on Her Majesty's coffin at Monday's committal service

The new monarch was tearful as he bade farewell to his mother at Monday afternoon's committal service at St George's Chapel in Windsor

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II being carried by the right pallbearers leaving the State Funeral held at Westminster Abbey

The pallbearing team of eight Grenadier Guards inched their way up the steps of St George's Chapel in Windsor and were followed by members of the Royal family

Members of the public threw flowers and bouquets which covered the royal hearse as the Queen arrived in Windsor on Monday afternoon

Its treasures are spread among some 15 royal residences and former residences across the UK, most of which are regularly open to the public.

There may be some surprise, however, that those wishing to see the Queens resting place and pay their respects will have to pay in order to do it.

Sources stressed, however, that the RCT is a charity and suffered a 30million deficit as a result of the pandemic.

There is also likely to be concern that St Georges Chapel could be overrun with mourners, particularly as the family memorial is so small and visitors can only peer into it through a small metal gate.

Given that 250,000 wellwishers queued for up to 14 hours to view the Queen lying in state, Windsor staff could face long waiting lines and bottlenecks.

An RCT spokesman stressed, however, that only a limited number of castle tickets are sold each day in timed, 15-minute slots. An RCT spokesman also said visitors would not be able to bring flowers inside the castle.
Le gouvernement a donne son accord pour la signature dun Exchange of Notes avec le gouvernement japonais pour un montant de 550 millions de yens soit Rs 174 millions pour lachat dequipements pour les cinq hopitaux regionaux et le Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care-Cardiac Centre de Pamplemousses.

Cabinet has agreed to the Government of Mauritius signing an Exchange of Notes with the Government of Japan for a Grant Aid of JPY550 million (approx. Rs174 million). The Government of Japan has agreed to extend the grant for the procurement of the medical equipment for the five regional hospitals of Mauritius and the Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care-Cardiac Centre at Pamplemousses under its Economic and Social Development Programme.

Partager et informez vous aussi......

0 shares Share

Tweet

LinkedIn

Articles similaires
Advertisement

Volodymyr Zelensky made an appeal to Russians on Saturday evening, saying panicking dictator Putin is 'knowingly' sending citizens to their death to save face for his failing Ukraine invasion.

Speaking in Russian during his daily video address, Ukraine's wartime president called on Moscow's forces to surrender, saying: 'You will be treated in a civilised manner... no one will know the circumstances of your surrender'.

It came just hours after Russia passed a law toughening punishments for voluntary surrender and desertion, and as Putin's riot police arrested more than 700 anti-mobilisation protesters in cities across Russia, including around 300 in Moscow.

Zelensky said: 'It is better to refuse a conscription letter than to die as a war criminal in a foreign land. It is better to run away from a criminal mobilisation, than to be crippled and then held responsible in court for participating in a war of aggression.

'It is better to surrender to the Ukrainian army than to be killed in the strikes of our weapons, fair strikes from Ukraine defending itself in this war.'

During a protest in Moscow, one brave one-legged woman in a wheelchair faced down shamed troopers with an anti-war placard. A powerful image of anti-mobilisation showed the woman, reportedly attending the peaceful protest in the Chistyye Prudy area, holding a placard up to Putin's soldiers which translated as: 'Do you want to be like me?'.

In Russian, Zelensky called on Moscow's forces to surrender, saying: 'You will be treated in a civilised manner... no one will know the circumstances of your surrender'

The one-legged woman could be seen holding a placard up shaming troopers. It read: 'Do you want to be like me?'

The brave woman, who was attending an apparent peaceful protest in Moscow, was quickly surrounded by riot police for holding a placard up

The woman had the placard removed from her by Russian riot police. It is illegal to hold unsanctioned rallies in Russia

A wheelchair-bound participant courageously holds a placard during a rally after opposition activists called for street protests against the mobilisation

Unauthorised protests have broken out in Moscow this afternoon at Putin's decision to call up so many men of the Russian population

A woman is violently manhandled by two Russian riot police in downtown Moscow as authorities quickly move to stamp out any overt signs of civil disobedience on a day where they arrested more than 730 people

The protesters will likely face severe repercussions for their brave disobedience under new legislation the Kremlin rushed through in the lead up to the mobilisation announcement on Wednesday September 21

The courageous woman with bright pink hair had unzipped her bag before pulling the placard out as photographers descended on her before the riot police arrived.

One Russian officer could later be seen holding the placard which appeared to have been removed from the woman after photographers had gathered around her.

A rights group claimed that around 730 people were detained across Russia at protests against the mobilisation order today, just three days after Putin ordered Russia's first military draft since World War Two for the conflict in Ukraine.

The independent OVD-info protest monitoring group said it was aware of detentions across 32 difference cities, from St Petersburg to Siberia.

Protests broke out across central Moscow despite unsanctioned rallies being illegal under Russian law, which also forbids any activity considered to defame the armed forces.

It comes after Russian couples were pictured being forced to say their goodbyes as hundreds of thousands of army reservists and prisoners are sent to Ukraine.

Train stations and army checkpoints have become the scene for the separations, often involving young couples - and men who don't want to fight.

Putin's failing invasion of the neighbouring country has prompted a new partial mobilisation of 300,000 men - including prisoners and even attempts to recruit the dead.

Police officers detain a protester during an unsanctioned rally hosted by the Vesna (Spring) Movement in protest against the military invasion on Ukraine and partial mobilization

More than 700 people were detained at the anti-war rallies in Russian cities on Saturday

Russia's partial mobilisation announced on Wednesday will likely be one of his first big logistical challenges, with the hundreds of thousands of reservists being called up needing equipment and training before deployment

Military-age men have sought to leave, with flights full and neighbouring countries receiving an influx of Russians, including Georgia where 2,300 private vehicles were waiting to enter at one crossing, regional Russian authorities said

'We were talking to our friends and many are thinking about leaving,' said Daria, 22, after fleeing Russia to Istanbul along with many of her compatriots

'Not everyone wanted to leave in February. The (mobilisation) decision of September 21 forced many to think about it again'

More than 700 people were detained in protests on Saturday against the partial mobilisation, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info

Now that President Vladimir Putin has signed the legislation, servicemen who desert, surrender 'without authorisation', refuse to fight or disobey orders can face up to 10 years imprisonment

A young Russian recruit and his partner kiss outside a recruitment centre in Volgograd today as couples were forced to say goodbye

One young woman looks despondent as her boyfriend prepares to enlist in Putin's army following the Russian President's orders on Wednesday

Families and loved onewere seen saying goodbye to each other as Russia's partial mobilisation continues under Putin's watch

Protests in major cities broke out following the Kremlin leader's announcement of the troop surge, while queues at the nation's borders have appeared as young men attempt to flee.

While the initial protests were quickly stamped out by Putin's well-trained domestic security troops, new protests have broken out this afternoon in Moscow.

Images show menacing, helmeted riot police manhandling brave men and women who ventured out into the rain to protest Putin's mobilisation.

Soldiers have also been spotted drinking and brawling on their way to basic training.

European Council president Charles Michel advised EU members yesterday to offer asylum to conscientious objectors leaving Russia to avoid the draft.

Russian goombahs in riot gear were quick to drag away brave protesters on a grey and rainy Moscow day as they arrested more than 730 people

A mother of one young soldier wipes tears away as he is bussed to a training camp to prepare

A tearful dad holds his child as he readies to say goodbye and fight on the front lines in Ukraine

The EU should be open 'to those who don't want to be instrumentalised by the Kremlin', he said.

'If in Russia people are in danger because of their political opinions, because they do not follow this crazy Kremlin decision to launch this war in Ukraine, we must take this into consideration', he told Politico.

Estonian foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu earlier said: 'A refusal to fulfil one's civic duty in Russia or a desire to do so does not constitute sufficient grounds for being granted asylum in another country.'

The man embraces his mother as police and fellow recruits watched on in Volgograd today

It came as Ukrainians in Russian-held parts of the country were visited by soldiers and ordered to vote in 'referendums' that have been widely condemned by international observers.

One poll branded 'ridiculous' saw a supposed 97 per cent in Donetsk and Luhansk in favour of joining Russia.

Ballot boxes have also been opened across Russia itself, ostensibly to allow displaced Ukrainians to vote.

But in reality they offer more opportunities for vote-rigging.

Melinda Simmons, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, said that the outcome of the elections had 'already been decided' and described the 'sham' referendums as a 'media exercise designed to pursue further an illegal invasion by Russia'.

The votes nevertheless mark a significant development in the war as the sham results will allow Putin to spin a narrative that any Ukrainian attempts to reclaim those territories is an assault on Russia itself.

That expands the suite of options he can use in response to 'defend' his territory - including, perhaps, nuclear weapons.

It would also allow Putin to upgrade his 'special military operation' to a full-blown war, expanding his powers to conscript men and punish those who try to quit.

Escaped Russians get off a bus from St Petersburg to Helsinki Airport earlier today

Road travel remains a good option for Russians hoping to avoid Putin's latest mobilisation

Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov lashed out at the US and the West in a rant at the UN about 'Russophobia', accusing America of seeking global domination and doubling-down on Moscow's sham referendums in occupied territories of Ukraine - as Putin's puppet parliament prepares to rubber-stamp a series of laws formally annexing the breakaway regions.

During a thunderous speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, Lavrov insisted that Russia was 'right' to launch its brutal invasion on February 24.

He used the rostrum to hit back at Washington and its allies after days of Western leaders denouncing Moscow's aggression against its neighbour, a former Soviet republic which only broke away from decades of Russian rule 30 years ago.

Lavrov raged: 'The official Russophobia in the West is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque. They are not shying away from declaring the intent to inflict not only military defeat on our country but also to destroy and fracture Russia.'

He claimed the US was expanding the Monroe Doctrine - its 19th-century declaration of Latin America as its exclusive sphere of influence - and 'trying to turn the entire world into its own backyard'.

Lavrov added: 'Declaring themselves victorious in the Cold War, Washington erected themselves almost into an envoy of God on Earth, without any obligations but the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and wherever they want.'

He also defended Putin's warped view that people living in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine were in fact really Russian, describing them as people claiming land 'where their ancestors have been living for hundreds of years.'

'The West is now throwing a fit' on the referendums, Lavrov said.

US President Joe Biden and other Western leaders have vowed never to accept results from the 'sham' referendums, seeing them as part of an effort to change borders by force.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov bitterly criticised Western nations on Saturday over the Ukraine war, telling the United Nations that the United States and its allies sought to 'destroy' his country
Jared Kushner has condemned Florida governor Ron DeSantis' recent move to fly migrants to Martha's Vineyard - calling it 'very troubling' for people to be 'used as political pawns.'

The former White House senior advisor appeared on Fox where he was shown clips of DeSantis discussing his bold move of flying dozens of migrant to Martha's Vineyard on September 15.

Two planes carrying about 50 migrants were flown into Martha's Vineyard. The flights that were paid for by DeSantis left San Antonio to the exclusive New England area.

Kushner said: 'We have to remember these are human beings.'

'They're people. So seeing them being used as political pawns one way or the other is very troubling to me,' he said.

'Many of them are exploited, put in human trafficking and modern slavery in a lot of ways,' he added.

He then took the opportunity to criticize President Joe Biden's handling of the crisis at the border, and applauded former President Donald Trump - his father-in-law's - immigration policy.

He felt certain that the focus should be on 'coyotes' - those people who smuggle migrants across the border for 'a lot of money.'

DeSantis mocked the liberal outrage on the clip played on the Fox talk show on Tuesday.

'You got have 50 die in Texas in a trailer because they were being neglected,' DeSantis said in the clip, referring to a tragic incident in June, Yahoo News reported

'Was there a freak-out about that? No there wasn't,' he claimed.

Jared Kushner (pictured)criticized DeSantis on Fox

On September 15, approximately two plane loads of migrants were flown into Martha's Vineyard and paid for by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (pictured).

The flights departed from San Antonio, Texas and paid for by DeSantis

During his rebuttal, DeSantis failed to mention that many politicians including Biden were devastated when 51 migrants died in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio on June 27 from inhumane conditions - no water or air-conditioning - considered one of the deadliest smuggling incident of its kind in U.S. history.

Biden had pledged to prevent anything like that happening again.

'It's only when 50 get put into Martha's Vineyard,' that outrage follows, DeSantis said in the clip, which host Emily Compagno agreed with.

Kushner branded the crisis at the border a 'humanitarian catastrophe,' and chastised the Biden administration after it reversed Trump's former immigration policies that had been in place.

Many of the residents that live on Martha's Vineyard that is located near Cape Cod and is only able to be reached either by boat or by plane attempted to accommodate the asylum seekers temporarily before they were moved to a military base, Yahoo News reported.

'Speaking from a couch as the four Fox hosts listened, Kushner said: 'We have to remember these are human beings.' 'They're people. So seeing them being used as political pawns one way or the other is very troubling to many'

Many of the residents that live on Martha's Vineyard that is located near Cape Cod and is only able to be reached either by boat or by plane attempted to accommodate the asylum seekers temporarily before they were moved to a military base, Yahoo News reported.

A federal lawsuit against DeSantis was later filed by the group of migrants saying they were misled with promises of accommodation and jobs and calling the move, 'premeditated, fraudulent, and illegal scheme'

The unannounced flight drew anger from Massachusetts officials.

'We have the governor of Florida ... hatching a secret plot to send immigrant families like cattle on an airplane,' said state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, who represents Martha's Vineyard, NPR reported.

'Ship them women and children to a place they weren't told where they were going and never alerted local officials and people on the ground here that they were coming. It is an incredibly inhumane and depraved thing to do.'

A federal lawsuit against DeSantis was later filed by the group of migrants saying they were misled with promises of accommodation and jobs and calling the move, 'premeditated, fraudulent, and illegal scheme.'
But had previously said he would defend Taiwan if China attacked island

US President also told UN that he supported the One China policy during speech

And anyone who tries to stop them will be 'crushed by the wheels of history'

He added Beijing will take 'forceful steps' to 'oppose external interference'

China has said anyone who tries to stop its 'reunification' will be 'crushed' - sparking new fears that it will invade Taiwan.

Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, today made fresh fiery comments pushing Beijing's long held claim to Taiwan, which separated from the mainland after a 1949 civil war.

Mr Yi told the United Nations on Saturday: 'Only when China is fully reunified can there be true peace across the Taiwan Strait.'

He added that Beijing would 'take the most forceful steps to oppose external interference' on the self-governing island, referencing China's regular pressure worldwide on any entity - country, corporation, mapmaker - that even implies Taiwan might be a separate country.

Its muscle has isolated the island's government, who is not part of the UN, though a few members - continue to have diplomatic relations with Taipei rather than Beijing.

Mr Yi also claimed that anyone who tries to stop China will be 'crushed by the wheels of history'.

It comes just days after Joe Biden was recently seen to kowtow to Beijing after he reiterated his support for the One China policy during a speech Wednesday - also at the UN.

This also follows the US President saying he would defend Taiwan militarily - which it sells arms to - if China attacked, riling up Beijing.

Wang Yi (pictured), China's foreign minister, today made fresh fiery comments pushing Beijing's long held claim to Taiwan, which separated from the mainland after a 1949 civil war

Mr Yi told the United Nations on Saturday (the session, pictured): 'Only when China is fully reunified can there be true peace across the Taiwan Strait'

A Taiwan Coast Guard ship travels past the coast of China, in the waters off Nangan island of Matsu archipelago in Taiwan in August

The language, while forceful and not out of the realm of the normal for China, reflected its usual vehemence about the island; a claim that rarely goes unmentioned in major international speeches.

Taiwan is a core issue of China policy, and Mr Wang's appearance - instead of his boss, Chinese leader Xi Jinping - was a signal that the speech was not necessarily a major one.

'The PRC government is the sole government representing all of China,' Mr Wang said, referring to China's formal name, the People's Republic of China. 'The one-China principle has become a basic norm in international relations.'

On Saturday, at the UN meeting, just a few speakers before Mr Wang, the prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, spoke forcefully about allowing Taiwan to raise its profile in international organisations, including the World Health Organisation.

'How can we stand askance, in relative silence and contented inaction, in disregard of Taiwan's legitimate right to exist in accord with the wishes and will of the Taiwanese people?' Mr Gonsalves asked.

Mr Wang's appearance at the 2022 in-person edition of the UN General Assembly comes after two years of remote, pandemic-era speeches by China's top leader. Mr Xi did not attend this year's general assembly, which Russian president, Vladimir Putin, also skipped.

President Joe Biden reiterated his support for the One China policy during his speech Wednesday before the United Nations - days after saying he would defend Taiwan militarily if China attacked

US President Joe Biden spoke on Wednesday saying in New York: 'We remain committed to our One China policy, which has helped prevent conflict for four decades. And we continue to oppose unilateral changes in the status quo by either side.'

The One China policy refers to a 1972 joint communique with the People's Republic of China and, the United States which 'acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China' and 'does not challenge that position'. It also calls for a peaceful resolution to the disputed area.

Biden had riled up Beijing again for comments he made to 60 Minutes for an episode that aired Sunday.

Biden had answered 'yes' when asked whether 'U.S. forces, U.S. men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.'

'Yes, if in fact there was an unprecedented attack,' Biden said, adding that unlike Ukraine, he would commit American troops to the effort.

China considers Taiwan part of China, while Taiwan has its own democratic government - a split that came after the 1949 civil war that ended with the Communists taking over the mainland.

The U.S. doesn't officially recognize Taiwan's government, but sells Taipei arms.

During his U.N. address, Biden said he specifically wanted to talk about the 'competition between the United States and China.'

'As we manage shifting geopolitical trends, the United States will conduct itself as a reasonable leader,' the president said. 'We do not seek conflict. We do not seek a Cold War. We do not ask any nation to choose between the United States or any other partner.'

At the same time, Biden said, the U.S. will be 'unabashed in promoting our vision of a free, open, secure, and prosperous world.'

'When individuals have the chance to live in dignity and develop their talents, everyone benefits,' Biden said.

Biden pledged that the U.S would not waver 'in in our unrelenting determination to counter and thwart the continuing terrorist threats to our world.'

And would lead with diplomacy.

'We seek to uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits,' the president added.

Beijing reacted to Biden's 60 Minutes comments by saying the 'U.S. remarks' violated the longstanding policy of the U.S. not supporting Taiwan's independence.

'China strongly deplores and rejects it and has made solemn complaints with the U.S. side,' spokeswoman Mao Ning said, according to The Associated Press.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that President Joe Biden was answering a 'hypothetical question' when the president told 60 Minutes he would come to the defense of Taiwan if China attacked

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that Biden was answering a 'hypothetical question' when the president told 60 Minutes he would come to the defense of Taiwan if China attacked.

'He was asked a question, a hypothetical question in this interview,' Sullivan said at the White House press briefing. 'He gave a similar answer in Tokyo in May that he gave in the 60 Minutes interview,' Sullivan pointed out.

Sullivan reminded reporters that after Biden had been asked about Taiwan in Tokyo 'someone said specifically to him, 'Have you just announced a major policy change?' and he said, 'No, I have not, I have answered a hypothetical question. I have not announced a policy change.''

'When the president of the United States wants to announce a policy change he will do so. He has not done so,' Sullivan said.

Sullivan said that U.S. support for the so-called One China policy remains steadfast.

'Well as the president has said in his interview with 60 Minutes, we continue to stand behind the One China policy, we continue to stand against unilateral changes to the status quo and we continue to stand for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,' Sullivan said.

'The president has reiterated those basic commitments on every occasion that he's talked about Taiwan, including in this interview,' Sullivan said, pointing to the 60 Minutes sit-down. 'Where he specifically and emphatically and unequivocally reinforced and reiterated the One China policy.'

At the briefing, Sullivan was asked in a follow-up if Biden's comments should be considered strategic deterrence - if by answering a hypothetical he was 'delivering an explicit message' to Beijing.

'Well, all I will say is the president is a direct and straightforward person,' Sullivan answered. 'He answered a hypothetical. He's answered it before in a similar way. And he has also been clear that he does not, has not, changed U.S. policy towards Taiwan.'

'He stands behind the historic U.S. policy towards Taiwan that has existed through Democratic and Republican administrations and has helped keep peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for decades,' the national security adviser added.

During his visit to Tokyo in May, Biden answered 'yes,' adding 'that's a commitment we made,' when asked by a reporter if he's be willing to get involved militarily if China invaded Taiwan.

President Joe Biden said during a 60 Minutes interviefw that aired Sunday that 'yes,' U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of an 'unprecedented attack'

'But the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not appropriate,' Biden said. 'It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.'

'My expectation is it will not happen, it will not be attempted,' the president added.

The White House was asked almost immediately to clarify Biden's comments and an unnamed official responded by saying 'our policy has not changed.'

'He reiterated our One China Policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself,' the official said.

More recently though, China ramped up military exercises near Taiwan around House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision to visit the self-ruled island in August.

She was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit since House Speaker Newt Gingrich made the trip in 1997.

Since Pelosi's trip, a number of U.S. lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, have visited Taiwan in a show of support.
Shamed MP Chris Pincher, whose sex scandal triggered the downfall of Boris Johnson, is not going to be investigated by the parliamentary watchdog.

The disgraced Conservative Party deputy chief whip, who is now an independent MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire after his suspension from the party, was reported to parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) in June following allegations that he drunkenly groped two men in London's Carlton Club.

Mr Pincher, 52, resigned as Deputy Chief Whip in June after being accused of groping a man more than 20 years his junior at London's exclusive Carlton Club.

In his resignation letter to then Prime Minister Mr Johnson, Tamworth MP Mr Pincher said he 'drank far too much' and 'embarrassed myself and other people'.

Downing Street initially said he would face no further action from the party, which meant he could remain a Conservative MP. But a day later, Mr Pincher was suspended from the party amid a furore about how he had been made Deputy Chief Whip in the first place.

Mr Johnson's handling of the affair  including his admission that he had known of a previous complaint against Mr Pincher  prompted the Cabinet resignations that led to the Premier's downfall.

Chris Pincher, whose sex scandal triggered the downfall of Boris Johnson (pictured together), is not going to be investigated by parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme

The disgraced Conservative Party deputy chief whip, who is now an independent MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire after his suspension from the party, was reported to parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) in June following allegations that he drunkenly groped two men in London's Carlton Club

But now it has emerged that the ICGS has dismissed the complaint against Mr Pincher, made by a man in his mid-twenties who alleges that the MP fondled his left buttock before moving his hand around to his groin at the club on June 29.

A second man also alleged that he was groped by him on the same night, before Mr Pincher was thrown out of the club by another MP who witnessed him staggering around the room.

The Mail on Sunday was told that at least one formal investigation into the allegations against Mr Pincher at the Carlton Club, spiritual home of the Tory Party, had now been ruled out.

Mr Pincher's resignation letter to Boris Johnson in June

Sources said that was because the alleged incidents took place away from the parliamentary estate.

A Commons spokesperson said last night: 'We cannot confirm or deny any investigations. The ICGS operates on the basis of confidentiality for the benefit of all parties.

'Therefore, we cannot provide any information on complaints or investigations, including whether a complaint has been received or an investigation is ongoing.'

Mr Pincher, who has denied a series of claims of inappropriate behaviour, was approached for comment.
Doctors were left speechless after discovering an acupuncture needle during an X-ray of a boys penis.

The medics made the painful discovery after they examined the 11-year-old patient who had been struggling to urinate.

Unable to explain the boys pain he was sent to Jiangxi Childrens Hospital in Jiangxi Province, central China for an X-ray.

Following the scan, doctors were shocked to find an 8cm needle had been inserted in his penis and pushed up his bladder tube, the Mirror said.

An X-ray photo shows the needle that was inserted from the urethra by a boy in Nanchang, China, undated. The needle was removed at Jiangxi Children's Hospital

Following the scan, doctors were shocked to find an 8cm needle had been inserted in his penis and pushed up his bladder tube

After questioning the boy, he admitted inserting the needle into his urethra himself because he was bored and wanted to discover if it was possible.

Chief medic, Rao Pinde, said the boy had inserted the needle 12 hours before he was seen making him unable to urinate.

When his penis became sore, he asked for help but did not admit what he had done - he was then rushed to surgery where the needle was removed through a non-invasive surgery using an endoscope which located the needle.

The boy was later allowed to go home after his surgery.

A X-Ray revealed that the 87mm sewing needle was positioned in the 10-year-old Iranian boy's urethra in such a way that trying to pull it out could have caused further damage.

Last year a 10-year-old boy had a sewing needle the same length as a Twix removed through his penis after it got stuck in his urethra.

The unnamed child, from Iran, was taken to hospital after he shoved the 9cm-long object inside and struggled to get it out for more than three hours.

Doctors who treated the boy said he had pushed the needle into his urethra, which carries urine and semen, with the blunt end first.

It's unclear why he did so but the medics noted a number of possible reasons including curiosity, pleasure or a brief psychological episode.

But they said he had no history of mental health issues.

The details of the circumstances around the incident, revealed in the journal Urology Case Reports, are scarce.
Advertisement

Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov lashed out at the US and the West in a rant at the UN about 'Russophobia', accusing America of seeking global domination and doubling-down on Moscow's sham referendums in occupied territories of Ukraine - as Putin's puppet parliament prepares to rubber-stamp a series of laws formally annexing the breakaway regions.

During a thunderous speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, Lavrov insisted that Russia was 'right' to launch its brutal invasion on February 24.

He used the rostrum to hit back at Washington and its allies after days of Western leaders denouncing Moscow's aggression against its neighbour, a former Soviet republic which only broke away from decades of Russian rule 30 years ago.

Lavrov raged: 'The official Russophobia in the West is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque. They are not shying away from declaring the intent to inflict not only military defeat on our country but also to destroy and fracture Russia.'

He claimed the US was expanding the Monroe Doctrine - its 19th-century declaration of Latin America as its exclusive sphere of influence - and 'trying to turn the entire world into its own backyard'.

Lavrov added: 'Declaring themselves victorious in the Cold War, Washington erected themselves almost into an envoy of God on Earth, without any obligations but the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and wherever they want.'

He also defended Putin's warped view that people living in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine were in fact really Russian, describing them as people claiming land 'where their ancestors have been living for hundreds of years.'

'The West is now throwing a fit' on the referendums, Lavrov said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov bitterly criticised Western nations on Saturday over the Ukraine war, telling the United Nations that the United States and its allies sought to 'destroy' his country

During a thunderous speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, Lavrov insisted that Russia was 'right' to launch its brutal invasion on February 24

He used the rostrum to hit back at Washington and its allies after days of Western leaders denouncing Moscow's aggression against its neighbour, a former Soviet republic which only broke away from decades of Russian rule 30 years ago

People cast their votes in controversial referendums at a hospital in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on September 24. Voting will run from Friday to Tuesday in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, with people asked to decide if they want these regions to become part of Russia

US President Joe Biden and other Western leaders have vowed never to accept results from the 'sham' referendums, seeing them as part of an effort to change borders by force.

It came as Vladimir Putin's puppet parliament is set to rubber-stamp laws formally annexing occupied regions of Ukraine next week, the state-run TASS news agency reported.

The Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, may debate bills incorporating Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia on September 29.

Moscow launched referendums on joining Russia in the four occupied regions of Ukraine on Friday, drawing condemnation from Kyiv and Western nations, who dismissed the votes as a sham and pledged not to recognise their results.

Pro-Moscow authorities have made clear they consider the votes to be a foregone conclusion.

TASS cited Denis Pushilin, head of the Russia-backed separatist Donetsk area of Ukraine, as saying his priorities would not change once the region was part of Russia.

TASS quoted an unnamed Duma source as saying the chamber could debate a bill on the incorporation of Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine as soon as Thursday, two days after the end of so-called referendums in the four provinces.

The Interfax agency quoted a source saying the upper house could consider the bill the same day, and RIA Novosti, also citing an unnamed source, said President Putin could be preparing to make a formal address to an extraordinary joint session of both houses on Friday.

An official in Luhansk region announced the turnout after two days of voting was 45.9 per cent while in Zaporizhzhia it was 35.5 per cent, Russian agencies said. Voting is due to end on Tuesday.

The Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, may debate bills incorporating Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia on September 29, the state-run TASS news agency said on Saturday, citing an unnamed source

People living in the city of Rostov cast their votes. Voting will run from Friday to Tuesday in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, with people asked to decide if they want these regions to become part of Russia

Refugees from Ukraine cast their ballots at a polling station during voting in a referendum on the joining of Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine to Russia, in Shakhty, Rostov region

A woman casts her ballot during a referendum in Luhansk, Luhansk People's Republic controlled by Russia-backed separatists, eastern Ukraine

A woman from Donetsk region, the territory controlled by a pro-Russia separatist governments who lives in Russia, votes at temporary accommodation facility in Krasnodar, Russia

From 23 to 27 September, residents of the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics as well as the Russian-controlled areas of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine vote in a referendum to join the Russian Federation

People cast their votes in controversial referendums at a hospital in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine

It was previously reported that armed police are going door-to-door while gun-toting mercenaries are guarding polling stations as Russia stages sham referendums in occupied Ukraine.

'Voting' is now underway in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions on whether or not to become provinces of Russia - with the results fixed by Moscow.

But, just to make extra sure, Kremlin officials, military police and hired guns are keeping a careful eye over the process - with Ukrainian politicians reporting that they are kicking front doors in to force people to cast their ballots.

Serhiy Haidai, governor of occupied Luhansk, said some towns under Russian occupation have been entirely sealed off to ensure people vote - with any crosses in the 'no' column recorded in a 'notebook'.

Meanwhile state media has reported an unfeasibly high 97 per cent of people in two of those regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - are in favour of joining Russia.

Ballot boxes have also been opened across Russia itself, ostensibly to allow displaced Ukrainians to vote, but in reality offer more opportunities for vote rigging.

Russian military police, armed with rifles, accompany election officials into an apartment block in occupied Ukraine as referendum 'voting' gets underway

Election officials carrying a clear ballot box (left) are let into an apartment block in occupied Ukraine accompanied by armed Russian cops (right)

A Russian mercenary wearing the symbol of the notorious Wagner military group stands guard outside a polling station in occupied Ukraine

Russian state media has issued implausible polling which suggests 97 per cent of people in Donetsk and Luhansk are in favour of joining Russia

Melinda Simmons, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, said that the outcome of the elections had 'already been decided' and described the 'sham' referenda as a 'media exercise designed to pursue further an illegal invasion by Russia'

Western leaders have declared the referenda to be a sham, saying they have no legitimacy while urging other governments not to recognise the results.

Melinda Simmons, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, said that the outcome of the votes had 'already been decided' and described the 'sham' referenda as a 'media exercise designed to pursue further an illegal invasion by Russia'.

However, the votes do still mark a significant moment in the war because it will allow Putin to spin the narrative to his own people that any Ukrainian attack to try and reclaim those territories is an assault on Russia itself.

That expands the suite of options he can use in response.

Perhaps most worryingly, it opens the path to using nuclear weapons since Russia's doctrine allows their use if the existence of the state is threatened.

A copy of the ballot papers being handed to people, asking whether or not they agree to become part of Russia

It would also allow Putin to upgrade his 'special military operation' to a full-blown war, expanding his powers to conscript men and punish those who try to quit.

This week, he has declared a 'partial mobilisation' of Russia's population and appears intent on forcing hundreds of thousands of men into the military.

New laws have extended soldiers' contracts indefinitely, meaning they cannot simply quit if they don't want to keep fighting.

As the votes was getting underway in the occupied regions, Russian social media sites were full of dramatic scenes of tearful families bidding farewell to men departing from military mobilization centers.

In cities across the vast country, men hugged their weeping family members before departing as part of the draft.

Russian anti-war activists, in the meantime, planned more protests against the mobilization.

Denis Pushilin, separatist leader of Moscow-backed authorities in the Donetsk region, called the referendum on Friday 'a historical milestone.'

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, addressed the occupied regions Friday in an online statement, saying: 'If you decide to become part of the Russian Federation - we will support you.'

Valentina Matviyenko, chair of Russia's upper parliament house, said that residents of the occupied regions were voting for 'life or death' at the referendums.

Volodymyr Zelensky today called on Russians to 'protest' the partial mobilisation announced by Vladimir Putin, and told Kremlin troops in Ukraine to 'fight back, run away or surrender'.

Votes are being held in four areas currently under Russian control - Donetsk and Luhansk, which together make up the Donbas, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia

This week, Putin has declared a 'partial mobilisation' of Russia's population and appears intent on forcing hundreds of thousands of men into the military. Pictured: Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference in Moscow on Friday

Putin has begun staging sham referendums in occupied areas of Ukraine that will almost certainly end with the regions being annexed to Russia

Makeshift voting stations have been set up in residential areas but police and occupation officials will also go door-to-door to ensure the outcome

Locals attend a temporary polling station amidst sham referendums in Luhansk

Locals attend a referendum at a mobile polling station in Luhansk, Ukraine

In his daily address, Zelensky said: '55,000 Russian soldiers died in these six months of war. Do you want more? No? Then protest. Fight back, run away, or surrender' to our army.'

Zelensky also told the Russian people today that are 'complicit' in Putin's brutal invasion which has seen alleged torture and the murder of civilians as he then said conscripts had a choice to 'live, die or become a cripple' if they cannot stop being shoved off to the front lines.

All flights out of Russia to neighbouring areas that allow visa-free entry were nearly entirely booked today while prices also skyrocketed as the partial mobilisation, which so far applies to 300,000 military reservists, begins.

The Russian President's call for thousands more troops yesterday was also accompanied by fresh threats of nuclear war towards Ukraine and its Western allies.

The voting takes place against the backdrop of incessant fighting in Ukraine, with Russian and Ukrainian forces exchanging fire as both sides refuse to concede ground.

On Friday morning, pro-Russia officials in the Zaporizhzhia region reported a loud blast in the center of Melitopol, a city that Moscow captured early on in the war.

Official Vladimir Rogov didn't offer any details as to what caused the explosion and whether there was damage and casualties.

Moscow-backed authorities in the Donetsk region also accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the city of Donetsk, the region's capital, and the nearby city of Yasynuvata.

Ukrainian officials, in turn, reported new rounds of Russian shelling in various parts of the country.

Vladimir Putin is expected to use the sham votes to claim that Ukraine is attacking Russian soil, potentially opening the door to a nuclear escalation

Locals cast ballots in sham votes in occupied Donetsk, amid reports that Russian soldiers are taking note of those voting 'no'

Voters cast their ballots under the watchful eye of the Russian military (left)

Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine that borders the Kherson region, said explosions rang out in the city of Mykolaiv in the early hours of Friday.

Valentyn Reznichenko, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, said the Russians unleashed a barrage of shelling on Nikopol, a city across from the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, on Friday morning.

Russia is now almost seven months into what Putin anticipated would be a days-long war to depose the Ukrainian government and install a puppet regime.

But instead he has found himself locked into a grinding war of attrition against a determined enemy backed by Western weapons and money.

China and India - both of whom had good relations with Putin before the war  have distanced themselves from his regime, while even North Korea has said it won't supply arms to Russia because it will 'tarnish' its image.

More protests have been organised by anti-war groups, as opposition to the invasion grows.

There were also reports of a mass exodus following the announcement. On Thursday the Kremlin dismissed as 'fake' reports that Russians eligible for mobilisation were rushing for the exit.

Speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, Armed Forces minister James Heappey described how 'rattled' Mr Putin's action was an acknowledgement of Russia's 'failure'.

Mr Heappey, who noted how 25,000 Russians have already died during the Ukraine conflict, told MPs that Moscow was now condemning hundreds of thousands more troops to a miserable winter.

'Russian conscripts are going to suffer horribly for the Kremlin's hubris,' the minister added.

Ex-prime minister Boris Johnson, speaking in the same Commons debate, branded 'weak' Mr Putin as a 'problem gambler' taking greater risks because he is 'terrified of losing.

The former premier highlighted how the price of one-way plane tickets from Moscow to South Africa rocketed yesterday because potential Russian conscripts 'have no desire to be sacrificed on the altar of his (Mr Putin's) ego'.

Soldiers from the so-called Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine queue up to vote in the referendum on becoming part of Russia

A bust of Bolshevik revolutionary Vladimir Lenin watches over soldiers in the so-called Luhansk People's Republic as they vote on becoming part of Russia

Soldiers of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic, a Russian-backed pseudo-state, vote in the referendum which will take place until next week

Russia on Saturday toughened penalties for voluntary surrender and refusal to fight with up to 10 years imprisonment and replaced its top logistics general after a series of setbacks to its seven-month war in Ukraine.

The tough new amendments and personnel change come days after Russia instigated partial mobilisation with Kyiv taking back more and more territory in a counter-offensive.

It also comes as Kremlin-held regions of eastern and southern Ukraine voted for a second day on becoming part of Russia, dramatically raising the stakes.

Integrating the four regions into Russia would mean that Moscow would consider any military move there as an attack on its own territory.

Russia's invasion, launched on February 24, and Ukraine's recent gains have laid bare flaws, with some analysts seeing logistics as the weak link in Moscow's army.

'Army General Dmitry Bulgakov has been relieved of the post of deputy minister of defence' and will be replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, aged 60, the defence ministry said.

Russia's partial mobilisation announced on Wednesday will likely be one of his first big logistical challenges, with the hundreds of thousands of reservists being called up needing equipment and training before deployment.

Military-age men have sought to leave, with flights full and neighbouring countries receiving an influx of Russians, including Georgia where 2,300 private vehicles were waiting to enter at one crossing, regional Russian authorities said.

'We were talking to our friends and many are thinking about leaving,' said Daria, 22, after fleeing Russia to Istanbul along with many of her compatriots.

'Not everyone wanted to leave in February. The (mobilisation) decision of September 21 forced many to think about it again.'

More than 700 people were detained in protests on Saturday against the partial mobilisation, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info.

Now that President Vladimir Putin has signed the legislation, servicemen who desert, surrender 'without authorisation', refuse to fight or disobey orders can face up to 10 years imprisonment.

Russia on Saturday toughened penalties for voluntary surrender and refusal to fight with up to 10 years imprisonment and replaced its top logistics general after a series of setbacks to its seven-month war in Ukraine

The tough new amendments and personnel change come days after Russia instigated partial mobilisation with Kyiv taking back more and more territory in a counter-offensive

It also comes as Kremlin-held regions of eastern and southern Ukraine voted for a second day on becoming part of Russia, dramatically raising the stakes

A separate law, also signed on Saturday, facilitates Russian citizenship for foreigners who enlist in the Russian army as the Kremlin seeks to bolster the ranks.

On Friday, US President Joe Biden dismissed as a 'sham' the voting on whether Russia should annex four regions of Ukraine, which ends next Tuesday.

Even Beijing, Moscow's closest ally since the war began, called on Russia and Ukraine not to let the effects of the war 'spill over'.

The voting is being held in Russian-controlled areas of Donetsk and Lugansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south.

For four days, authorities are going door-to-door to collect votes. Polling stations then open Tuesday for residents to cast ballots on the final day. Results are expected as early as late Tuesday or Wednesday.

'Ultimately, things are moving towards the restoration of the Soviet Union. The referendum is one step towards this,' Leonid, a 59-year-old military official, said.

The snap referendums were announced just this week after the Ukrainian counter-offensive seized most of the northeast Kharkiv region - bringing hundreds of settlements back under Kyiv's control after months of Russian occupation.

Bad weather and stiff Russian resistance caused Ukraine's counter-offensive to slow to a brutal slog in Kupiansk in the eastern Kharkiv region on Saturday.

'For now, the rain is making it difficult to use heavy weapons everywhere. We can only use paved roads,' Ukrainian army sergeant Roman Malyna said.

Irpin, close to the capital, was recaptured after weeks of fighting and residents have rallied to start rebuilding before winter sets in.

Over 100 apartment blocks in Irpin - dubbed a 'hero city' by President Volodymyr Zelensky for holding back Russian invaders - were badly damaged by shelling.

Integrating the four regions into Russia would mean that Moscow would consider any military move there as an attack on its own territory

Russia's invasion, launched on February 24, and Ukraine's recent gains have laid bare flaws, with some analysts seeing logistics as the weak link in Moscow's army

Head of his building's residents' association Mykhailo Kyrylenko looked proudly at the new roof taking shape.

'People don't have much money, but they agreed' to donate funds to gradually restore the shattered homes, he said.

Putin this week warned that Moscow would use 'all means' to protect its territory - which former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev said on social media could include the use of 'strategic nuclear weapons'.

Zelensky has denounced the polls, on Friday calling them 'crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine'.

UN investigators on Friday accused Russia of committing war crimes on a 'massive scale' in Ukraine - listing bombings, executions, torture and horrific sexual violence.

In the eastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian officials said they had exhumed 447 bodies from a site near the city of Izyum, which was recaptured from Russian forces.

The Kremlin has accused Kyiv of fabricating evidence of the alleged war crimes.
Devastated by the suicide of his 29-year-old son Jack, author Cosmo Landesman has written a searingly honest book about their tortured relationship.

In the first part of our serialisation in yesterdays Daily Mail, he told how he found out his son had died.

Here, he agonises over the effect their family break-up had on his then ten-year-old boy.

I don't really want to go into the details of the end of my marriage to the journalist Julie Burchill.

Just let me say that after ten years together, Julie had grown bored with me and fallen in love with someone else. It happens. Our break-up wasnt easy on our ten-year-old son Jack  but divorce is rarely easy.

We did the classic we-both-love-you and nothing-is-going-to-change speech that divorcing parents always make.

In the days that followed the end of my marriage, I told myself I had to man up for Jacks sake. There was no time for sorrow and self-pity. My main task was helping Jack adjust to this big scary change by creating a sense of continuity. The toughest challenge I faced in those early days was trying to hide my sadness from Jack. The toughest challenge Jack faced was hiding his sadness from me.

No doubt this makes them feel better, but I suspect it provides little comfort for children. In the days that followed, I told myself I had to man up for Jacks sake. There was no time for sorrow and self-pity.

My main task was helping Jack adjust to this big scary change by creating a sense of continuity. I did all the things his mum used to do for him: cooking, cleaning, his packed lunch for school.

The toughest challenge I faced in those early days was trying to hide my sadness from Jack.

The toughest challenge Jack faced was hiding his sadness from me.

A new noise came into our life. It was the silence of her absence. Her fussing over him. Her sending me off to the shops for her supplies.

Her on the phone to one of her girlfriends talking about nothing in particular for hours in that squeaky Minnie Mouse voice of hers.

Or her just making that little soft puff of a lip smack shed make, blotting her freshly painted lips against a tissue. It was a heavy silence that neither of us mentioned.

Jack was always very careful not to show any favouritism towards either Julie or me. The strain of that became visible when he developed a series of nervous facial tics and head twitches.

Watching him twitch away, Id put my hand on his shoulder and say: Are you OK, Jack? Yeah, yeah. Its all good, hed insist.

What makes Jacks death extra sad was that though his life had been short  he was 29 when he died  it had not been a sweet one. But nor was it a life devoid of any happiness, as Jack claimed. Pictured: Cosmo Landesman with his late son, Jack

But his little twitchy face told a very different story. Jack was seeing his mum one or two nights a week and staying with her at weekends.

When I arrived to pick him up, he looked flushed with fun and talked excitedly about some new toy hed been given or something he and Julie had watched on TV.

I always felt I was dragging him away from a great kids party back to the drab Dickensian workhouse that was our home.

It was great that they were having fun  at least, thats what I told myself when an attack of jealousy struck.

Besides, I reasoned, he was having fun when he was with me, too. What makes Jacks death extra sad was that though his life had been short  he was 29 when he died  it had not been a sweet one.

But nor was it a life devoid of any happiness, as Jack claimed.

He once wrote: I wasnt able to take pleasure in the things that most people do. My mind has constantly found ways to undermine every source of happiness in my life.

This is the story Jack told himself to make sense of his life. But like most of the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of our lives, this one was not rooted in reason and supported by facts.

His life was not unmitigated s***; it just looked that way to Jack. This was a work of fiction created by a depressed and distressed mind that Jack took for fact.

Life Lesson Number Four: Dont Believe The Stories You Tell Yourself. The most unreliable narrator of them all is that voice inside your head. Its a liar. A con artist. A cheat. And sometimes a killer.

(My first three Life Lessons, which I set out in yesterdays Daily Mail are: Be Kind. Hug Your Children. Keep An Open Mind.)

2005: I GET a message from Julie. Jack had a breakdown! Ive put him in the Priory. Bloody Nora, that place costs a bloody packet! Cheers!

Jack was 18. Hed been living with his mum in Brighton when it happened. His breakdown was a shock to me. Of course I knew that Jack had problems.

Hed entered adolescence suffering from anxiety and the occasional bout of depression. Hed also had a period of bad acne and being overweight. But I wasnt that worried about him.

Our divorce was eight years behind him and Julie and I were getting on well. And Jack had done well enough in his A-levels that he got a place at Queen Mary University of London to read English Literature.

I told myself that he didnt have serious mental health issues; he just had serious teenager issues. It would pass.

But Jack was living a secret life; hiding his secret self from his mum and me.

I had no idea that, at 14, he was taking magic mushrooms, and that by the time he was 18 he was smoking skunk regularly.

And I had no idea that Jack was self-harming; cutting his arms with razor blades.

Then one day I saw his arms and the hieroglyphics of self-hate  all those cuts, scars, slash marks  and I was shocked.

Life Lesson Number Five: Dont Assume You Know Your Kids. Unlike earlier generations of distant dads, we modern dads like to think we have an emotional literacy that allows us to read the signs of unhappiness.

But certain kids are very good at hiding their problems and their pain, and you dont know that anything is seriously wrong until its too late. You read about these kids in the newspapers.

Unlike earlier generations of distant dads, we modern dads like to think we have an emotional literacy that allows us to read the signs of unhappiness. But certain kids are very good at hiding their problems and their pain, and you dont know that anything is seriously wrong until its too late. Pictured: Jack as a young boy

Theres the happy teenage boy with the bright future and the popular bubbly girl who was so much fun and loved by everyone.

They have loving parents, and to the world they have no worries: and then one day theyre found dead in their bedroom.

After a few weeks, Jack left the Priory. He became an outpatient who returned weekly for therapy, and I went with him.

Both Julie and I were relieved that he was under proper medical supervision. And Jack told me he found his therapist very helpful and his medication made him feel a lot better.

Jack was feeling good about his life. And then I went and f****d it up. On leaving the Priory, Jack asked if he could come and stay with me for a bit.

Of course you can, I said. And then I asked: What do you mean by a bit? I dont know. Six months or so?

Six months!? Jack look that might be a problem.

What? I cant live in my own home any more?

He sounded confused. Hurt. No! I said, Of course you can stay lets just see how things go.

I wanted to do everything a Good Dad could do to help his troubled son. I wanted to be a part of his life.

I wanted to be there for him. I wanted to give him the love and security he needed. I just didnt want to have him living with me, which was the one thing he wanted and needed.

But by then, I had a new wife and baby son, and a new life. I had been granted what every middle-aged man dreams of: a fresh start. And up pops an old problem called Jack.

He wanted a place in my new life. He wanted to move back into the home he had grown up in.

He wanted his old room back; the one with the Aladdin wallpaper and the Sonic the Hedgehog duvet. But a new boy was sleeping in his room. I knew Jack was no danger to the baby or anyone else  except me.

He was a clear and present danger to my newfound happiness. I feared that the whole atmosphere in the flat would go from calm to crazy within days. And it did.

We started having terrible rows about things like his reluctance to help around the flat. We rowed about his messiness.

We rowed about his moodiness. We rowed about what he was doing with his life. We rowed about what he wasnt doing with his life. To my utter shame, I once threw a small dustbin he had not emptied at him.

And yet at the time, I felt that I was the one who was suffering an injustice. My reasoning went like this: I give you so much support and I ask so little of you in return just once a week take out the rubbish. And you never do because of some lame excuse.

It will take you less than five minutes  and you cant even do that! What a sh**ty son you are! Of course, this wasnt about taking out the rubbish; it was about taking responsibility. I was doing my Dad thing.

I wanted Jack to be the kind of person who could take care of things that had to be done for himself or for other people.

But he didnt want to take out the rubbish because he couldnt be arsed. It could be done, thought Jack, at some other time that suited him and not the designated night for rubbish collection the following morning.

Im fully aware of the irony of the situation. I wanted Jack to grow up and be responsible, and when he failed to do that, I retaliated with a childlike temper tantrum.

Eventually, the rowing got too much and I suggested Jack move out and stay with my parents in their big house in Islington. It seemed the perfect solution.

My parents  Jay and Fran  were old bohemians who lived in a rundown house nearby and regarded any kind of domestic cleaning as a bourgeois neurosis. Stepping into their house was going back to the late 1960s; it was funky and filthy and Jack would fit in perfectly.

I said: If you were with your grandparents, you wouldnt have me moaning at you all the time. It would ease things between us. Jack was silent. Look, I said. Why not try it? If youre unhappy you can move back in here.

With reluctance, Jack agreed to give it a go. But I knew  and he knew  that once he was out he would never come back.

It was only after his death that I learned from his friends Poria and Jake that Jack had been devastated when, as Poria put it to me, you kicked him out of his home.

Jake said the same thing. He was devastated.

2022: Life Lesson Number Six: Dont Compare Your Kids With Other Kids. I tried not to compare Jack with other kids. But of course I did. We all do.

When Jack was in his mid-teens, I would tell myself that he had his own Jack thing and that was good enough.

But then I would hear a friend talk about what their son or daughter had just accomplished and Id immediately think: why cant Jack do that? I told myself it was more important to be a good person than to acquire glittering prizes  fully aware thats exactly what we parents of under-achieving children always tell ourselves.

One day my friend had some good news he wanted to share with me: his son had got into Oxford. He glowed with parental pride.

I was just about to go into my usual Well done-thats-great-news! routine when I felt something snap inside.

The years of congratulating him  and other parents  on the triumphs of their children took its toll. I knew what was coming and I said to myself: Please dont do it! Dont go there. Stay silent. Just smile. Congratulate him on his son getting into Oxford.

And out it popped: Oxford? Big f*****g deal! Jack has got into rehab! The Priory, no less! My friend laughed. Nervously. And so did I. Why did I say that?

The truth was: I wanted to boast about my son, too. I wanted for once  just once!  to be proud of him.

It didnt have to be a place at Oxford or him landing some prestigious, high-paid job in a law firm or the City.

Just to be able to say: Guess what? Jacks band got signed to a record company! Or, Jack has written this amazing novel!

Did Jack ever want to make his parents proud? I think so. I remember the saddest thing he ever said to me. It was in 2015, the year of his death, when hed embarked on a short-lived career as a drug-dealer.

He told me he was going to make a sh*tload of money and pay us, his parents, back. And then he said: Im going to make you and Julie so proud of me. Hed never said anything like that before.

Of course I thought about saying: But we are proud of you, Jack.

But we both knew that would be a lie, so I said nothing. I should have lied.

Boys like Jack sometimes need to hear lies; lies can ease the pain of living and give them a little hope.

But what did Jack imagine would happen once his career as a drug dealer took off?

That his mother and I, beaming with parental pride, would boast to friends: Yes, our Jack is doing rather well in the drug trade. Hes been promoted from handling small bags of weed in Camden Town to being in charge of the distribution of crack in the entire North London area!

Before Jacks death, Id never questioned my liberal belief that recreational drugs were a valid and safe form of pleasure.

People like me, who as teenagers growing up in the late 1960s and early 1970s, saw drug usage as a harmless rite of passage.

Back then, any talk of the damage that drugs could do was dismissed by us as tabloid hysteria. Had we not been there and smoked/sniffed/ and snorted that?

And look at what nice, sensible bourgeois adults we turned out to be.

So when it was the turn of our children to experience drugs, there was no need to worry. Theyd be fine.

We thought we were so smart and cool about drugs, but we were just naive, arrogant and ignorant. I dont believe I could have stopped Jack from experimenting with drugs.

But I could have warned him about the dangerous side effects that drug usage can have on certain people like him.

Theres now plenty of medical evidence that shows that the regular use of drugs like ecstasy and weed  in particular skunk  can leave the user feeling exactly the kind of emotional and social detachment that Jack experienced.

I think he always felt disappointed that I refused to take drugs with him. He knew that Id taken acid and smoked pot in my teens and done plenty of coke in my 30s.

He also knew that I had got stoned with my boho parents back in the late Sixties. So why not now? Why not with him?

Jack was always very careful not to show any favouritism towards either Julie or me. The strain of that became visible when he developed a series of nervous facial tics and head twitches. Pictured: Landesmans former wife Julie Burchill

A typical Jack invite went like this: Jack: Come on, man. Lets do some weed and watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

Me: Jack, tempting as that is, I think Im gonna pass on that one.

Jack: Cmon, Dad. You never want to hang out and get high.

He was right. But there were times when I was tempted. Times when I thought: Oh, f*** it, lets just get high and have some fun together!

Id tell myself youre always acting like Jacks therapist/ confessor/parole officer  youre always doing the concerned dad thing. Why not be a buddy for once?

But I never did because I wanted to be a responsible parent.

My Just Say No To Jack position had no practical application; it just made me feel better about myself.

Every suicide is a murder mystery waiting to be solved. But unlike the classic murder mystery of crime fiction or fact, with a suicide you find the corpse and the killer at the same time.

When you dig into the mystery of why, you rarely discover a conclusive answer that brings you the peace you crave. Instead, you find a new trail of whys to wonder and worry about. I have dozens of answers to a thousand and one whys. Here is a small selection Ive contemplated over the years:

1: I was a bad dad who turned his back on his disturbed son.

2: He was a bad son who turned his back on his disturbed dad.

3: He was let down by doctors, the NHS and the marginalisation of mental health issues in our society.

4: He was a victim of mens inability to talk about their feelings.

5: He was killed by depression.

6: He was killed by loneliness.

7: He was killed by Jack.

8: He was killed by me.

9: He was killed by you  you as a member of society.

10: He was killed by all of the above.

Of course, I wonder if the seeds of Jacks unhappiness were planted in the break-up of his parents marriage.

The standard psychoanalytical/therapeutic view would be that with it, Jack experienced a traumatic sense of loss and abandonment.

But life experience tells us that plenty of children of divorced parents manage to build healthy, happy and fulfilled lives  just as the children of happy marriages can end up like Jack.

Of course, I wonder if the seeds of Jacks unhappiness were planted in the break-up of his parents marriage. The standard psychoanalytical/therapeutic view would be that with it, Jack experienced a traumatic sense of loss and abandonment. But life experience tells us that plenty of children of divorced parents manage to build healthy, happy and fulfilled lives  just as the children of happy marriages can end up like Jack. Pictured: Cosmo with his ex-wife, Julie

I dont blame myself for my sons death, but I do have deep regrets. I should have brought Jack home to live with me so I could keep an eye on him.

He badly needed a calm and safe space; a shelter from the storms raging inside his head. I could have provided that, but I didnt want the headache of having Jack back living with me  and for that Im ashamed. I was loving, patient and kind with Jack; but maybe not enough, and not consistently.

I cant say for certain that with more love and kindness I could have saved him. But there are very few certainties in life  and even fewer in death when its by suicide.

If I had to point to one dominant factor to explain Jacks disturbed state of mind, I would say it was his use of drugs more than anything.

The divorce might have been the kindling wood of future trouble  but drugs were what lit the flames.

Jack And Me: How Not To Live After Loss, by Cosmo Landesman, will be published by Eyewear Publishing on October 5 at 20. To order a copy for 18, go to mailshop.co.uk/ books or call 020 3176 2937 before October 8. UK P&P free on orders over 20.
The family of Jeffrey Dahmer's 11th murder victim say they have been 'retraumatized' by Netflix's reenactment of an emotional courtroom breakdown.

The cousin of Errol Lindsey, who was 19 when he disappeared from a Milwaukee mall, took to Twitter to slam the new series decision to include the harrowing moment.

Lindsey was reportedly lured to Dahmer's apartment to pose for nude photos, only to be butchered by the infamous serial killer.

Eric Thulhu, 33, of Chicago, took aim at a scene in which his cousin Rita Isbell - the victim's sister - is portrayed exploding in anger in court in Netflix's new series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

'Im not telling anyone what to watch, I know true crime media is huge [right now], but if youre actually curious about the victims, my family (the Isbells) are pissed about this show,' Thulhu wrote on Twitter.

'Its retraumatizing over and over again, and for what? How many movies/shows/documentaries do we need?'

Im not telling anyone what to watch, I know true crime media is huge rn, but if youre actually curious about the victims, my family (the Isbells) are pissed about this show. Its retraumatizing over and over again, and for what? How many movies/shows/documentaries do we need? https://t.co/CRQjXWAvjx  eric. (@ericthulhu) September 22, 2022

In the new Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Rita Isbell's 'emotional breakdown' was reenacted and the family isn't happy about it

Eric Thulhu, 33, of Chicago - cousin of Errol Lindsey, Dahmer's 11th known victim - said the family was 'retraumatized' by the new series

Netflix's newest release debuted on Wednesday and the streaming giant - known for its true crime documentaries - is also releasing Conversations With a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes on October 7.

Lindsey was approached by Dahmer at a Wisconsin mall in 1994, and offered cash by the killer in return for letting Dahmer take nude photos of him.

Dahmer then drugged Lindsey and began to drill a hole in his skull, before pouring acid into the opening.

Lindsey woke up during the gruesome torture, prompting Dahmer to strangle him.

Just a few years prior, the gruesome story was re-popularized when My Friend Dahmer - starring former Disney actor Ross Lynch - was released in 2017.

A quick Google search also displays a wide variety of other documentaries that have been released since the sensational case hit courtrooms.

Thulhu went on to say Netflix didn't even 'notify' the family of the creation of the new hit series, because it's 'all public record, so they dont have to notify (or pay!) anyone.'

The cousin of Errol Lindsey, who was 19 when he disappeared from a Milwaukee mall, took to Twitter to slam the new series decision to include the harrowing moment

Thulhu (pictured) took to Twitter to denounce Netflix's new series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, claiming his family is 'pissed' about it

Thulhu said the family was not contacted by Netflix prior to the release of the show and they were not pay for their likeliness

The actress who played Isbell (center) said she 'didnt know the victims stories [before the show], and could only imagine the impact of his actions on the family and community'

'So when they say theyre doing this with respect to the victims or honoring the dignity of the families, no one contacts them. My cousins wake up every few months at this point with a bunch of calls and messages and they know theres another Dahmer show. Its cruel,' he wrote on Twitter.

'Like recreating my cousin [Rita Isbell] having an emotional breakdown in court in the face of the man who tortured and murdered her brother is WILD. WIIIIIILD.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to Thulhu for comment and was unable to contact Isbell.

Dashawn 'Dash' Barnes, who plays Isbell in the series, even promoted the show on Wednesday, writing: 'I didnt know the victims stories [before the show], and could only imagine the impact of his actions on the family and community. I feel it really important to tell these parts of the story and I hope everyone watching it has empathy for the victims and everyone affected.'

In the side-by-side comparison, posted to Twitter, viewers can see just how closely the reenactment resembles the original.

Rita opened her statement by revealing she was the 'oldest sister' of Lindsey's and referred to Dahmer, who sat further up in the courtroom, as 'Satan.'

'I'm mad. This is how you out act when you're out of control,' she began, referring to herself raising her voice, rather than killing and eating people. 'I don't want to ever have to see my mother go through this again. Never, Jeffrey.'

She began to scream at the top of her lungs in rage as she flung her body around while at the stand in 1992: 'Jeffrey, motherf**er, I hate you. This is out of control.'

Isbell eventually approached Dahmer and his lawyer's table, screaming that she'd 'kill' him.

'I could kill you, I could f**king kill you,' she screamed as guards grabbed her.

Many of Dahmer's victims were members of the LGBT+ and racial minority communities

Dahmer (pictured in 1992) was convicted of 16 murders he'd been charged with and sentenced to 16 life sentences in prison. He was beaten to death by another inmate in November of 1994 at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin

Dahmer remained passive the entire exchange.

The Netflix reenactment followed every word of Isbell's original testimony.

Isbell has largely remained under the radar since the courtroom breakdown in 1992.

Since its release, Netflix has also faced criticism for tagging the series as LGBT. Dahmer's victims largely came from the LGBT+ and racial minority communities, with the killer having sex with many of his victims.

Many called out the streaming platform - who have now removed the tag - saying they were 'gobsmacked' and 'disgusted' at the choice.

Evan Peters plays Dahmer in the new Netflix series

Dahmer in 1992 was convicted of 16 murders he'd been charged with, and sentenced to 16 life sentences in prison.

He was bludgeoned to death with a metal bar in November of 1994 by Christopher Scarver, another inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.

The Netflix series retells the story of Dahmer from the perspective of his victims and explores major mistakes Wisconsin police made in handling the probe of the notorious mass murderer, who made national headlines for acts of cannibalism and necrophilia involving his victims.

Actor Evan Peters plays Jeffrey Dahmer in the limited series.

The show also features actors Niecy Nash, Penelope Ann Miller, Shaun J. Brown, Colin Ford, and Richard Jenkins, with directors Paris Barclay, Carl Franklin, and Janet Mock.
At 2pm today, Padre Hugh Bearn will preside over a service to commemorate a courageous baby-faced soldier who died more than a century ago. The event in Bury, Lancashire, will also bring to a close his long campaign to right a wrong.

Through the relentless endeavours of Padre Bearn and others, a park in nearby Tottington is being renamed in honour of Private George Peachment, who, aged just 18, was one the youngest servicemen ever to be awarded the Victoria Cross (VC).

Furthermore, a giant mural depicting Pte Peachment with his mother, Mary, the VC and a large number of local landmarks will also be officially unveiled today in the park. And, finally, an information board bearing Peachments regimental colours will be put up in order to tell the story of the young soldiers incredible bravery during the First World War  an action that cost him his life.

As the author of seven books on bravery and as a gallantry medal collector, including being the proud custodian of the Peachment medals, I salute the efforts of Padre Bearn, who has campaigned for more than 25 years to have this young heros bravery publicly recognised.

Today, too, I am able to tell the full story of the short life and astonishing courage of Peachment, along with detailing the contents of an emotional letter sent to his mother by the soldiers company commander, whose life the teenager had saved.

Peachment, the son of a barber, was born at Fishpool, Bury, on May 5, 1897. After being educated locally at three schools, he became an apprentice fitter at Ashworth and Parker and, later, at a second Bury firm, J. H. Riley. He is believed to have left school at just 12.

Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Peachment tried to enlist, but was turned away as too young after giving his real date of birth.

On April 19, 1915, he enlisted into the 5th Kings Royal Rifle Corps, falsely giving his age as 19 years one month when he was actually 17 years 11 months. To aid the deception, he wore his fathers bowler hat to make himself look older  a soldier had to be at least 19 to serve overseas.

Peachments deceit should be put into context. It was a time when many teenagers lied about their age in order to enlist, fearing they would miss out on serving King and country in a short global war.

Most had little, or no, imagination of the horrors they would encounter in the trenches or the difficulties they would face being away from their families for long periods.

Through the relentless endeavours of Padre Bearn and others, a park in Tottington, Bury is being renamed in honour of Private George Peachment (pictured), who, aged just 18, was one the youngest servicemen ever to be awarded the Victoria Cross (VC)

In the event, Peachments military career got off to an inauspicious start when, as official records show, he went absent from 7.30pm on July 2, 1915, until 8.10am on July 5, for which he was fined seven days pay.

He then transferred into the 2nd Battalion of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps and was posted to France on July 27, 1915.

On September 19, 1915  by then aged 18 years four months  he was confined to barracks for three days for having a dirty bayonet while on parade. Six days later, he found himself in the thick of the action on the opening day of the Battle of Loos, the largest British offensive on the Western Front during 1915.

The battle had begun in earnest at 6.30am on September 25 after a four-day artillery barrage to soften up the German front line.

However, when the British decided to employ poison gas, things did not go to plan. Men of the 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifles and 1st Battalion Loyal North Lancs found themselves forced to go over the top because they were choking on their own gas, which had drifted back over the British lines.

Two enemy machine guns that had escaped damage in the artillery bombardment took a terrible toll on the advancing British soldiers. A few managed to reach the enemys barbed-wire defences but were soon cut down by heavy fire. Unsurprisingly, the attack faltered and the Tommies were forced to take cover in shell holes and natural hollows.

At 7.30am, those few who had survived began to straggle back to their trenches. Peachment was not among them. As would soon become clear, the young soldier had gone to the aid of his commanding officer, Captain G. R. Dubs, who lay wounded in no-mans-land. And in the course of this courageous action, Peachment had been killed.

Dubs survived his serious injuries and the story of the bravery he witnessed is perhaps told best in his own words. In an affectionate and moving letter to Peachments mother, Mary, Dubs spelt out how courageous her son had been, both in battle and in death.

I cannot tell you how sorry I am that your brave son was killed, but I hope it may be some little consolation to you to know how bravely he behaved and how he met his end, he wrote.

When we reached the [barbed] wire, we found it absolutely untouched by our artillery fire, and an almost impassable obstacle as a result. However, we had to push on, and I gave the order to try to get through and over it. Your son followed me over the wire and advanced with me about 20 yards through it till we were only about 15 yards from the German trench.

None of the other men of the line were able to get as far, and he was the only man with me. As a matter of fact, I had not noticed your son was with me, but at this point a bomb hit me in the eye, blowing it and part of my face away. I fell to the ground, but, on sitting up, found your son kneeling beside me. The German fire was at this time very intense, but your son was perfectly cool.

He asked me for my field dressing and started bandaging my head, quite oblivious to the fire. His first thought was to help me, and though there was a shell hole nearby where he might have got cover, he never thought of doing so. Of course, the Germans were bound to see us sitting up, and one of them threw a bomb which hit your son in the chest while, at the same time, I received a bullet also in the chest.

It was later revealed that Pte Peachment was killed in the process of corageously going to the aid of his commanding officer, Captain G. R. Dubs (pictured), who lay wounded in no-mans-land

Your son was beyond feeling any pain, though still alive. I tried to drag him into the shell hole and at the same time keep him from moving, but at that moment a bullet hit him in the head and killed him. After his first wound, he was bound to die  in fact, he was already unconscious to any pain. I lay beside him there all day, and eventually [I was] picked up in the late afternoon when the trench was taken by a flank attack.

I cant tell you how much I admired your sons bravery and pluck. He lost his life in trying to help me, and no man could have been braver than he was.

I have recommended him for the VC, and have heard that the Commanding Officer has seen the recommendation. If he gets it, it is sad to think he is not in this world to receive all the congratulations he would get, but perhaps it may be a comfort to you.

Your son died the finest death that man can die, he showed the greatest gallantry a man can show; and I hope these facts may help you in your sad loss, together with the fact that he was spared all pain and suffering.

The recommendation by Dubs for Peachments VC was approved and The London Gazette detailed the riflemans courage when publishing his citation on November 18, 1915: For most conspicuous bravery near Hulluch on September 25, 1915.

During very heavy fighting, when our front line was compelled to retire in order to reorganise, Private Peachment, seeing his Company Commander, Captain Dubs, lying wounded, crawled to assist him. The enemys fire was intense, but, though there was a shell hole quite close, in which a few men had taken cover, Private Peachment never thought of saving himself.

He knelt in the open by his officer and tried to help him, but while doing this he was first wounded by a bomb and a minute later mortally wounded by a rifle bullet. He was one of the youngest men in his battalion, and gave this splendid example of courage and self-sacrifice.

Peachments posthumous VC was presented to his mother by King George V at Buckingham Palace on November 29, 1916. His body was never recovered, but he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial at Dud Corner Cemetery in France, which lists the names of more than 20,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who died in the battle.

Peachments posthumous VC was presented to his mother by King George V at Buckingham Palace on November 29, 1916. Pictured: British soldiers in the trenches during World War I

I purchased Peachments gallantry and service medals at auction in 1996, ten years after buying my first VC. The remarkable letter from his company commander to his mother accompanied the medals.

I have little doubt that Peachment looked upon his company commander as a father figure. In fact, many young soldiers built close relationships with their officers, particularly company commanders, and this often inspired great loyalty on both sides.

Peachment was not the youngest man ever to be awarded a VC. That honour belongs to two 15-year-olds who received the award for separate acts of bravery in the 19th Century. Nevertheless, he remains one of the youngest recipients of Britain and the Commonwealths most prestigious gallantry award, and his devotion to his company commander was truly remarkable. It is believed there were eight recipients of the VC from the Great War who were aged just 18 and, in theory, too young to serve overseas.

Padre Bearn became vicar of Tottington 27 years ago and met Peachments nephew, Stan Peachment, who was then dying of cancer but who told him about his uncles courage. At the time, Peachments VC was being kept under Stans mattress. Padre Bearn told me: I thought it was wrong that there was no public recognition locally for the only man of Bury to be awarded a VC during the First World War.

Eventually, he got a local housing project, Peachment Place, named after the soldier and there is a small plaque bearing his name at St Annes Church in Bury. However, it took a quarter of a century to persuade local authorities, veterans associations, dignitaries and the public that much more needed to be done.

Padre Bearn told me: I got the bit between my teeth and wouldnt let this go. People were won over by the goodness of the story and I am delighted that, after the service on Sunday, I will be able to take a step back and feel I have achieved what I set out to do all those years ago to champion the bravery of this forgotten man.

He added: I am delighted to say that a 27-year quest to get greater recognition for this courageous young man has finally reached fruition. I come from a military family and I am passionate about our Armed Forces, looking after our servicemen and women, and ensuring great acts of bravery are publicly recognised. I want to shine a torch on their achievements so that they are never forgotten.

Today, Town Meadow Park will officially be renamed Peachment VC Town Meadow Park, so its centuries-old name is not lost for ever. Pictured: A Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration award

Today, Town Meadow Park will officially be renamed Peachment VC Town Meadow Park, so its centuries-old name is not lost for ever.

A new information board, located in the renamed park, now contains images of Peachment and his VC citation from the Battle of Loos.

Sadly, I am unable to attend todays dedication service to which I was kindly invited. However, I have accepted an invitation to send a short address that will be read out. It ends: Private George Peachment VC undoubtedly belongs to that rare category of men which I like to describe as the bravest of the brave. His sad death, at the age of just 18, epitomises the virtues of courage and self-sacrifice.

To quote from the Gospel according to St John, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 
A former Chinese deputy policing minister has been jailed for life in a huge crackdown on dissent by Chinese despot Xi Jinping.

Sun Lijun was handed life imprisonment, with no possibility of parole, but did have his death sentence commuted ahead of a Communist Party conference next month.

State press agency Xinhua reported that Sun, 53, was convicted of collecting 646 million yuan ($91 million) in bribes, leading a crime gang of government officials, and manipulating the stock market.

He also denounced for 'seriously damaging the unity of the party' by state media CCTV.

In the run up to the once-every-five-years congress, the party likes to take the opportunity to arrest and sentence high ranking officials to remind them of their place.

Xi is also hoping to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term at the congress which no leader has done since Chairman Mao.

The Telegraph reported that a 'military coup' which was claimed to have put Xi under house arrest on Saturday was not true amid fears that he will not get his wish to stay Chinese president.

Despot Xi Jinping's state broadcasters denounced Sun Lijun (pictured on China's CCTV in court) for 'seriously damaging the unity of the party' ahead of a meeting where the Chinese president is hoping to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term as leader

Chinese President Xi Jinping (pictured this September at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting) is hoping to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term as leader

Xi vowed to keep targeting both the 'tigers' and 'flies', a reference to elite officials and low-level bureaucrats, in his battle against corruption at last congress in 2017

In January, China's Public Security Ministry, where Sun was a deputy minister until 2020, held a meeting to denounce him and vowed to eradicate the 'venomous' influence of his 'political clique'.

This week, other officials whom state broadcaster CCTV had said were members of Sun's 'political clique' also received long jail sentences.

They include former Justice Minister Fu Zhenghua and three former police chiefs of Shanghai, Chongqing and Shanxi provinces.

Xi vowed to keep targeting both the 'tigers' and 'flies', a reference to elite officials and low-level bureaucrats, in his battle against corruption at last congress in 2017.

Falling from grace each year are also hundreds of thousands of officials who violate the Communist Party's 'discipline and laws', including in recent times failure to contain COVID-19 outbreaks. The latest congress starts on October 16.

Sun was convicted by the court in the northeastern city of Changchun of collecting 646 million yuan ($91 million) in bribes, China Central TV reported on its website.

Sun was charged with using his official position in 2018 to manipulate stock trading to help a trader avoid losses. He also was accused of selling official jobs and abandoning his post during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Fu also pleaded guilty to taking bribes to help hide criminal activity. Earlier news reports accused him of joining 'Sun Lijun's political gang.'

Sun (pictured in April 2020 when he was then a vice minister of public security), 53, was handed a suspended death sentence on Friday that will be commuted to life imprisonment after two years, with no possibility of parole, according to a state news agency Xinhua

The party official, Wang, was charged with taking 440 million yuan ($62 million) in bribes to help with business deals or in securing loans and jobs. He was accused of offering 97 million yuan ($14 million) in bribes to Sun and other officials.

The ruling party's anti-corruption agency accused Sun last year of having 'extremely inflated political ambition.' It said he engaged in unspecified 'superstitious activities.'

Earlier, Sun was named in a lawsuit by the U.S. Justice Department against Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn to compel Wynn to register as a foreign agent because of lobbying work it says he performed for the Chinese government.

The lawsuit says senior officials including Sun wanted Wynn's help in trying to have a Chinese citizen's visa application denied, according to the complaint. Beijing wanted the man, who was charged with corruption and asked for political asylum, returned to China.

There have been rumours swirling on social media, similar to when Xi became party leader, that he will be replaced.

'There's no evidence of a coup in China and no reason to even slightly think there has been one,' said Nathan Ruser, a researcher, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute who focuses on China.

'Xi's decade of intense political consolidation behind him can't be overturned by a missed meeting or a few cancelled flights.'

But Drew Thompson, a visiting senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore who studies China and US relations, said: 'The spread of the rumour indicates belief in its plausibility.'
Le ministre des Services Financiers et de la Bonne Gouvernance, Mahen Seeruttun, a presente le 23 septembre 2022 les retombees de son voyage en Zambie ou a eu lieu le 22nd Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) Council of Ministers Meeting et 5th Sub-Saharan Africa Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Public/Private Sector Dialogue.

Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance in the 22nd Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) Council of Ministers Meeting and the 5th Sub-Saharan Africa Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Public/Private Sector Dialogue held recently in Zambia as well as his official mission to South Africa.

A delegation from Mauritius attended the 44th ESAAMLG Task Force of Senior Officials Meeting, whereby the Enhanced Follow-up Report of Mauritius which included a request for technical compliance re-rating of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendation 15 on New Technologies was considered. It was the only outstanding recommendation where Mauritius had a rating of Partially Compliant. On the basis of the progress made by Mauritius in addressing the deficiencies relating thereto, the ESAAMLG Task Force approved the upgrading of that Recommendation to Largely Compliant. With this technical compliance upgrade, Mauritius is, now, Compliant or Largely Compliant to all of the 40 FATF Recommendations.

The Council of Ministers approved the appointment of Mrs Fikile Zitha from South Africa, as the new Executive Secretary of ESAAMLG. The 5th Sub-Saharan Africa AML/CFT Public/Private Sector Dialogue was launched immediately after the Council of Ministers Meeting with the theme Virtual Assets and the Implementation of the AML/CFT Programmes in the ESAAMLG Region.
Drones hover silently across the LA skyline. A small army of search parties fans out, painstakingly hunting every square inch of the landscape. Other searchers go door-to-door across the city's exclusive Mulholland Estates, looking for clues.

What, you might wonder, is this vast  and expensive  team looking for? Not lost jewels, money or even a child  but Paris Hilton's beloved teacup chihuahua Diamond Baby.

This week, the heartbroken socialite and hotel chain heiress launched the biggest dog hunt in Hollywood history, enlisting an army of canine psychics, dog whisperers and pet detectives in a desperate attempt to track down her lost six-year-old 'daughter'.

Such is the sophistication of the hunt that one expert told The Mail on Sunday the hunt is likely to be costing Paris 'upwards of 10,000 a day.'

On top of that, the 41-year-old has offered a reward of $10,000 (9,200) for the return of her pet, who went missing last Wednesday, with 'no questions asked'.

She posted online: 'We are in contact with six credible pet psychic/communicators who have all told me she is alive, which gives me some hope.'

That may be stretching the definition of 'credible' to its limits  but then nothing about this endeavour is quite normal.

This week, the heartbroken socialite and hotel chain heiress Paris Hilton launched the biggest dog hunt in Hollywood history, enlisting an army of canine psychics, dog whisperers and pet detectives in a desperate attempt to track down her lost six-year-old 'daughter' (pictured together in 2019)

The 41-year-old has offered a reward of $10,000 (9,200) for the return of her pet, who went missing last Wednesday, with 'no questions asked'.

Her tiny 6lb pooch lives in her own 280,000 'doggie mansion', wears a 35,000 diamond-encrusted collar and has a wardrobe stuffed with Chanel dog sweaters and mini Hermes handbags. As part of the hunt, Paris, worth a reported 260 million, is understood to have been told to hang her worn underwear in trees in the hope her scent will lure her dog back.

One neighbour in the gated Mulholland Estate, nestled in the Santa Monica mountains with sweeping views of LA, told The Mail on Sunday: 'We are used to lost dog posters but this is on another level. There have been drones, people going door-to-door asking if we've seen anything or have security footage which might help. People are out late at night with flashlights.'

Diamond Baby has united a deeply divided nation, with #FindDiamondBaby trending on social media. A source at Fox News said: 'It's the one thing everyone is talking about. Everyone wants to see Diamond Baby get home safely.'

Jason Denson, owner of Drone Tech Aerial, told how his team are using 2,800 aircraft with zoom lenses to scour the area.

The 6lb pooch lives in her own 280,000 'doggie mansion', wears a 35,000 diamond-encrusted collar and has a wardrobe stuffed with Chanel dog sweaters and mini Hermes handbags

Denson, who usually works on big budget Hollywood movies and commercials for brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, said: 'This isn't our normal work but I want to help. We can see something as small as a squirrel in dense foliage from 200ft up.'

But so far his drones have picked up no activity.

Diamond Baby disappeared while Paris was away at a photoshoot and removal men were at her 8 million Beverly Hills home. 'One of the movers must have left a door open,' she wrote. 'My heart is broken. I have been in tears, so sad and depressed. It feels like part of me is missing. I'm doing everything in my power to get her back. Diamond Baby is my everything, truly like a daughter to me. We were inseparable, she was my best friend and always by my side.'

Some have suggested Diamond Baby may have been targeted by thieves, as 'dog-napping' is on the rise in LA: Lady Gaga's dog walker was shot last year during an attempt to seize two of her French bulldogs. A source close to Paris said: 'She hasn't ruled out someone taking the dog. If she has been dognapped she will give anything to get her back.'

However, the source admits that any potential criminal has yet to get in contact, 'which is weird'. This absence of concrete leads has led Paris to enlist psychics. LA-based pet 'communicator' Martha Malone charges 275 an hour to 'talk' to missing pets, and says: 'Paris will have handed over things like toys, dog blankets, collars, anything connected physically and spiritually to Diamond Baby. As a psychic you connect with the animal's energy and once you have that connection you can talk to the missing dog.'

Diamond Baby disappeared while Paris was away at a photoshoot and removal men were at her 8 million Beverly Hills home

The reality star put out a lost dog notice, saying that the dog was last seen five days ago in the Beverly Hills area near Mulholland Drive and Clarendon Road

Meanwhile Babs Fry, America's top 'pet detective', had more practical tips. She declined to comment on specific cases, but said: 'It's about thinking like a dog. In most cases, it's the human who needs help. Dogs are programmed to survive. You have to do things to draw the dog home. Drench a tree in chicken broth. Leave the door open. Hang dirty underwear in trees so when the breeze blows the dog will smell your scent. Put smelly socks near an open front door. Dogs will come home if they can.'

Over the years, Paris has had more than a dozen pooches  including Tinkerbell, her beloved first chihuahua, who died in 2015. Diamond Baby is 'top dog' in her current pack, which includes four miniature Pomeranians (Princess Paris, Ether Reum, Crypto and Cutesie) and a miniature Siberian husky, Slivington.

So adored is Diamond Baby that she lives in a two-story replica of Paris's seven-bedroom Spanish-style mansion, complete with mini chandeliers, spiral staircase and air conditioning. And, of course, she has her own social media account.

A family source said: 'Diamond Baby goes everywhere with Paris. She flies in the private jet, Paris is besotted by her.' And forget Pedigree Chum. The source revealed: 'She doesn't eat regular dog food. It's all human food, delivered to the house.'

Diamond Baby is 'top dog' in Paris's current pack, which includes four miniature Pomeranians (Princess Paris, Ether Reum, Crypto and Cutesie) and a miniature Siberian husky, Slivington

Each haute couture season, Diamond Baby acquires a fresh wardrobe of sweaters and dog coats by luxury fashion brands such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Her toys are Gucci, her dog bowl is Hermes. Diamonds adorn her collar, and a 'BFF' (Best Friends Forever) logo dangles from it. The dog even has designer handbags  mini Hermes Birkin bags costing up to 9,000 each. When the chihuahua recently starred in an advert for the family hotel firm, she was decked in a pink dress and crystal-embossed bow tie. The advert showed Paris strolling through the lobby of the Hilton-owned Waldorf Astoria in New York with Diamond Baby under her arm.

SOME experts fear this gilded life may have come to a grizzly end, thanks to the increasingly-aggressive packs of wild coyotes that have been coming into residential areas following a record heatwave. Pet detective Landa Coldiron added: 'Sadly the drought means coyotes are desperate to find food and water. '

She solved a recent case when a Maltipoo disappeared from a residential driveway. Her trained Jack Russell discovered the poor creature's skull and collar on a nearby wildlife trail, the victim of a coyote who snatched it while the owner was just feet away with his back turned.

Ms Coldiron said while teacup dogs such as Diamond Baby usually cling to their owners, 'in this case Paris was away and there were workmen around which may have stressed the dog out, causing her to run.'

Lady Gaga's dog walker was shot last year during an attempt to seize two of her French bulldogs Koji and Gustav (pictured)

While eyebrows have been raised at the vast cost of the operation to find Diamond Baby, the heiress's love for her animals is unquestionable. Dogs have been her one constant over a chequered history with sex, drugs and failed relationships with stars including Leonardo DiCaprio.

In a recent interview, Paris said her 'Barbie airhead' persona was a facade, calling it a 'defence mechanism' which helped her hide childhood trauma, including abuse. Her dogs, she said emotionally, were her salvation. 'They are like family.'

Last week, she added: 'Anyone who has ever loved a pet and lost a pet will understand this pain that I'm feeling.'

She has also posted an Instagram video with clips of Diamond Baby set to sombre music. 'My name is Diamond Baby and I'm lost. I've been missing since last week,' says the voiceover. 'I miss my family. Have you seen me? Please help me to get back home.' But despite the fortune and manpower dedicated the hunt, the team have so far drawn a blank. Last night a source said: 'There have been few calls, few leads. It is looking bad. Everyone desperately wants this to have a happy Hollywood ending.'
A full Parliamentary investigation into the origins of Covid will be held if former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith is elected to run a powerful Commons committee.

Sir Iain, who is the frontrunner to succeed Tom Tugendhat as head of the Foreign Affairs Committee next month, has privately vowed to hold an inquiry into growing evidence that Covid leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, where the pandemic was first detected.

The Tory grandee told friends of his intention to act after The Lancet medical journal conceded for the first time that the pandemic could have been sparked by a leak.

Sir Ian (pictured) told friends of his intention to act after The Lancet medical journal conceded for the first time that the pandemic could have been sparked by a leak

The Lancet, which printed an article in 2020 condemning suggestions of a lab leak as conspiracy theories, now says the world should take the hypothesis seriously.

It also suggested the virus could be linked to US laboratories.

Scientists in Wuhan were involved in collaborative projects funded by Washington, running experiments that can potentially boost the infectiousness of viruses.

The funding was axed after The Mail on Sunday revealed in April 2020 that the US-funded research in Wuhan focused on bats caught 1,000 miles away in Yunnan.

Some Covid experts suspect China might pivot away from its denial that the virus leaked from its Wuhan lab, but will limit its culpability by partly blaming America.

In an article for The MoS last year, Sir Iain wrote: Governments across the globe  many in the media, too, with the notable exception of this newspaper  seem to have given up on trying to get to the truth about Covid and understand how our world was turned upside down.

There has been a major cover-up in China over this.

The committee chairman will be elected on October 12. Other candidaes include Tory MPs Liam Fox, Alicia Kearns, John Baron and Richard Graham.
Advertisement

Crowds gathered to watch a flotilla of 150 boats sail down the Thames in tribute to the Queen this evening.

The luminescent tribute to Her Majesty was part of an installation called Reflections and was originally planned to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee.

The glimmering boats were attempting to recreate a beautiful nighttime Canaletto scene  the Italian painter whos best known for his canvases of Venetian canals.

The flotilla started by Albert Bridge and from there it floated downriver through central London, passing beneath Chelsea Bridge at 7pm, Westminster Bridge at 7.30pm, and arriving at Tower Bridge at 8.15pm.

Among the procession, which began at Albert Bridge, was the Royal Barge Gloriana.

The flagship was the Queens rowing barge Gloriana pictured during Reflections, Totally Thames festival, at dusk with the flotilla of boats on the River Thames

Crowds gathered to watch a flotilla of 150 boats sail down the Thames in tribute to the Queen this evening

The luminescent tribute to Her Majesty was part of an installation called Reflections and was originally planned to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee

Chris Livett, the Kings Bargemaster, was at the helm, and Gloriana was rowed by Ben Fogle and past winners of the historic race for Doggetts Coat and Badge.

The Reflections flotilla passed under the seven Illuminated River bridges and these were beautifully lit up in a special display by the lighting artist Leo Villareal.

Reflections culminated in the raising of Tower Bridge which was bathed in purple light.

Footage showed the crew using illuminated oars to row through the water.

The flotilla hopes to raise 20,000 for the RNLI, with the money going towards a new lifeboat station at Waterloo Bridge.

Londons River Thames has played an important role in many Royal and State occasions over the centuries, and the memorable event continued this age-old tradition.

Reflections is thought to be the first illuminated flotilla to be seen on the Thames for over three hundred years.

Promoted as part of Totally Thames 2022, Reflections was organised by Thames Alive together with a group of people who played a central role in the delivery of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012.

The glimmering boats were attempting to recreate a beautiful nighttime Canaletto scene  the Italian painter whos best known for his canvases of Venetian canals

Among the procession, which began at Albert Bridge, was the Royal Barge Gloriana

Footage showed the crew using illuminated oars to row through the water

The flotilla hopes to raise 20,000 for the RNLI, with the money going towards a new lifeboat station at Waterloo Bridge

Originally planned as part of the Platinum Jubilee, the flotilla will mark Her Majesty's passing and the accession of King Charles III

Approximately 150 boats, including the Queen's Rowbarge Gloriana, lit with fairy lights and other lights go from Chelsea to Tower Bridge, which will be lit purple

Promoted as part of Totally Thames 2022, Reflections is organised by Thames Alive together with a group of people who played a central role in the delivery of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012

Her final resting place: Buckingham Palace releases official picture of Queen Elizabeth II's ledge stone in Windsor chapel which will reopen for public to pay their respects on Thursday

ByCharlotte Mclaughlin For Mailonline

The first picture of the new ledger stone installed at the Queen's final resting place in Windsor has been released by Buckingham Palace showing that she has now been reunited with her beloved husband, loving parents, and dearest sister.

Her Majesty's name is now shown simply inscribed on the Belgian black stone slab, in gold lettering, alongside the Queen mother, the former King and the Duke of Edinburgh, who died age 99 more than a year ago, as she lies underneath the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel.

The new slab replaces the old stone that bore the names and dates of birth and death of George VI and his wife, Elizabeth. It now contains, in list form, 'George VI 1895-1952' and 'Elizabeth 1900-2002', and then 'Elizabeth II 1926-2022' and 'Philip 1921-2021'.

Between the two couples is a single metal Garter Star, the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the countrys oldest and most noble order of chivalry. All four were members of the order and St Georges Chapel, where the memorial chapel is situated, is its spiritual home.

Also in the chapel is the Queen's sister Princess Margaret, who died one month before the Queen mother at the age of 71 back in 2002 - as the Windsor royal family is now reunited together forever.

The public can pay their respects at St George's Chapel from Thursday, September 29, by buying a castle tour ticket, which costs 28.50 on Saturdays and 26.50 on other days, just over a week after the late monarch's funeral was watched by over 30million Brits.

A picture released from Buckingham Palace reveals that the fresh stone now contains, in list form, 'George VI 1895-1952' and 'Elizabeth 1900-2002' followed by a metal Garter Star, and then 'Elizabeth II 1926-2022' and 'Philip 1921-2021'

When Philip (pictured with his wife, Elizabeth, the Queen, together at Broadlands in 2007) died 17 months ago, his coffin was interred in the Royal Vault of St George's, ready to be moved to the memorial chapel - a pale stone annexe added on to the north side of the building behind the North Quire Aisle in 1969 - when the Queen died

The Queen's (on left with Philip Mountbatten, marking their engagement in a July 1947 portrait when she was Princess Elizabeth) name has been inscribed alongside her mother's, father's (The Queen mother middle with husband King George VI) and husband's on the stone in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, where the monarch was buried alongside the ashes of her sister, Margaret (far right)

The Queen was laid to rest together with the Duke of Edinburgh on Monday evening in a private service attended by the King and the royal family, which followed her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and committal service in Windsor.

When Philip died 17 months ago, his coffin was interred in the Royal Vault of St George's, ready to be moved to the memorial chapel - a pale stone annexe added on to the north side of the building behind the North Quire Aisle in 1969 - when the Queen died.

Their remains were then interred in the tiny family memorial annex on Monday built on the north side of St Georges Chapel. Their coffins were gently lowered 18ft to lie one on top of the other, supported by a metal frame, inside the 10ft by 14ft chamber.

Her mother passed away aged 101 in March 2002. The Queen lost her sister, Princess Margaret, the previous month at the age of 71. She was cremated and her ashes were initially placed in the Royal Vault, before being moved to the George VI memorial chapel with her parents' coffins when the Queen Mother died weeks later.

The Royal Family released a never-before-seen image showing Queen Elizabeth II hiking in the heather at Balmoral in Scotland as her funeral was held

In a touching tribute the wreath (pictured, on top of the coffin on Monday) made up by King Charles lies next to the black stone in the side chapel at St George's which is set to reopen fully to the public next week

Her name was inscribed alongside that of her father George VI, Elizabeth the Queen Mother and that of her beloved late husband Philip who died last year

George VI died in February 1952 at the age of just 56  a moment the Queen always marked privately at her Sandringham estate.

King Georges coffin had been originally placed in the Royal Vault. But as it was his wish to rest in his own chapel with his beloved wife, a memorial chapel that bears his name was built by his eldest daughter in 1969.

The King George VI Memorial Chapel, which sits within the walls of St George's Chapel, was then commissioned by the Queen in 1962 as his burial place - designed by George Pace and finished in 1969.

Him and his wife's resting place was marked by a black ledger with the inscriptions King George VI 1895-1952 and Elizabeth 1900-2002 in gold lettering.

The chapel will reopen to visitors next week on all days the castle is open to the public, excluding Sundays when it is only open for worshippers.

Her Majesty was interred alongside her husband, Prince Philip, and her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Pictured: A stone in the George VI Memorial Chapel at St George's Chapel in Windsor, where the Queen Mother was laid to rest in 2002

A private service, which was due to start at 7.30pm, took place away from the public's gaze where King Charles buried his mother the Queen. This rarely seen picture from 1947 was released this week

A sea of people, holding flags and bunting, lined the route into Windsor as Her Majesty made her final journey on Monday afternoon

More than 4,000 military personnel were involved in the Queen's state funeral, which ended at St George's Chapel, in Windsor, pictured above

Entry to the castle is 28.50 for adults on Saturdays and 26.50 on other days, according to the website.

The castle is only open five days a week from Thursday through to Monday  but St Georges Chapel is closed to the public on Sundays as it is a living place of worship.

Castle tours are run by the Royal Collection Trust (RCT), a registered charity and a department of the Royal Household. No profits are kept by the Royal Family.

Income generated from admissions and other commercial activities is used for the upkeep of the Royal Collection, one of the largest and most important art collections in the world and one of the last great European royal collections to remain intact.

Containing thousands of artworks and antiques, the collection is not owned by The King as a private individual but is held in trust by the sovereign for his successors and the nation.

King Charles III places the Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on Her Majesty's coffin at Monday's committal service

The new monarch was tearful as he bade farewell to his mother at Monday afternoon's committal service at St George's Chapel in Windsor

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II being carried by the right pallbearers leaving the State Funeral held at Westminster Abbey

The pallbearing team of eight Grenadier Guards inched their way up the steps of St George's Chapel in Windsor and were followed by members of the Royal family

Members of the public threw flowers and bouquets which covered the royal hearse as the Queen arrived in Windsor on Monday afternoon

Its treasures are spread among some 15 royal residences and former residences across the UK, most of which are regularly open to the public.

There may be some surprise, however, that those wishing to see the Queens resting place and pay their respects will have to pay in order to do it.

Sources stressed, however, that the RCT is a charity and suffered a 30million deficit as a result of the pandemic.

There is also likely to be concern that St Georges Chapel could be overrun with mourners, particularly as the family memorial is so small and visitors can only peer into it through a small metal gate.

Given that 250,000 wellwishers queued for up to 14 hours to view the Queen lying in state, Windsor staff could face long waiting lines and bottlenecks.

An RCT spokesman stressed, however, that only a limited number of castle tickets are sold each day in timed, 15-minute slots. An RCT spokesman also said visitors would not be able to bring flowers inside the castle.
A maths teacher has been sacked after refusing to affirm a pupils gender change because he wanted to first obtain the permission of the students parents.

Kevin Lister is taking legal action against his employers for unfair dismissal, claiming he is a victim of a witch-hunt for challenging dangerous transgender ideology.

He has been backed by campaigners as well as Tory MP Danny Kruger, who said he was very concerned because recent government guidance says the teacher had been within his rights to apply caution.

A maths teacher has been sacked after refusing to affirm a teenage pupils gender change because he wanted to first obtain the permission of the students parents (stock photo)

Mr Lister, a teacher at a school in Swindon, had enjoyed an unblemished 18-year teaching career before he was dismissed for gross misconduct this month.

He had refused to refer to a biologically female student, aged 17, by their preferred male name and he/him pronouns in A-level lessons.

The 59-year-old teacher told The Mail on Sunday he was concerned that the out-of-the-blue request amounted to social transition, which could put the teen on a pathway to irreversible medical treatments.

I wanted at least to make sure that my student had parental support and was making an informed decision, he said. As a parent myself, I would have been furious if my child had taken this step and I hadnt been told anything.

Mr Lister said he was gobsmacked when he approached the safeguarding officers and was told the parents would not be informed about the students wish to identify as male in the classroom. The schools guide to supporting transitioning students states that staff should maintain confidentiality and only tell others about the persons trans status with their permission.

He has been backed by campaigners as well as Tory MP Danny Kruger, who said he was very concerned because recent government guidance says the teacher had been within his rights to apply caution

Mr Lister said he then found himself in an impossible position: I ended up pointing to her as politely as I could to avoid either dead-naming her or supporting transition without parental consent. A few weeks later the student wanted to enter a female maths Olympiad.

Mr Lister said: I put the names of the students on the board who wanted to take part and I put her name up on the board as being a females name to enter a female maths competition.

Earlier this year, Mr Lister discovered some students had made accusations of transphobia against him and he was suspended in February, pending an inquiry, and escorted off the school grounds.

A disciplinary hearing last month upheld three complaints, namely that he had subjected a gender-transitioning student to transphobic discrimination and harassment and refused to use their preferred name and he/him pronouns.

Last month the then Attorney General, Suella Braverman, said the law was clear that under-18s could not legally change their gender, meaning schools were under no legal obligation to address children by a new pronoun

He was also told in a letter earlier this month by the schools vice-principal that he had degraded the student by pointing in class and he was insensitive by writing the female name on the board relating to the Olympiad.

The letter, which announced his dismissal, added: We acknowledge that you are entitled to your beliefs, however, it is my view that your treatment of [the student] violated his dignity.

Mr Lister has refuted the allegations against him, saying he was simply trying to protect his students welfare.

Last month the then Attorney General, Suella Braverman, said the law was clear that under-18s could not legally change their gender, meaning schools were under no legal obligation to address children by a new pronoun.

Mr Kruger, MP for Devizes, Wiltshire, said: I am very concerned that a school agreed to affirm a childs transgender identity without parental consent.

A spokesman for the school said: We are unable to comment.
Arizona Senator (D) Krysten Sinema ripped a judge's decision to lift injunction on all abortions - except to save the life of a mother - saying it: 'removes basic rights Arizona women have relied upon for over a century.'

The decision was made by Judge Kellie Johnson of Pima county's superior court. Johnson released a ruling on Friday that allowed the enforcement of the law that dates back to the mid-19th century.

On Saturday, Sinema went to Twitter to express her frustration and criticized the decision claiming, 'a woman's health care decisions should be between her, her family and her doctor.'

Women in the state won't be able to get an abortion - it would be considered illegal - except when a pregnant person's life is at risk, The Washington Post reported.

Sinema said the decision will endanger a women's health, safety and well-being.

Arizona Senator (D) Krysten Sinema responds to judge's decision to lift an injunction on all abortions except to save the life of a mother, saying it: 'removes basic rights Arizona women have relied upon for over a century'

Republican Arizona Attorney-General Mark Brnovich applauded the Friday ruling, an apparent win since Brnovich wanted tougher restrictions in his state

On Saturday, Sinema went to Twitter to express her frustration and criticized the injunction

Women in the state of Arizona won't be able to get an abortion - it would be considered illegal - except when a pregnant person's life is at risk, The Washington Post reported

Sinema said she will continue to work to advance 'commonsense proposals' to ensure women in Arizona and across the country can access the health care they need and make their own decisions about their futures'

The injunction was lifted a day before a new law that would ban most procedures after 15 weeks was scheduled to take effect, the news outlet reported.

Republican Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich applauded the Friday ruling, an apparent win since Brnovich wanted tougher restrictions in his state.

Prior to that, Governor Doug Ducey (R) had enacted a 15-week ban that he believed was the law of the land.

Many women were rattled by the conflicting abortion restrictions.

In June, the US Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and wiped out the constitutional right to abortion.

In her tweet Sinema wrote: 'Arizona women should not be forced to travel outside the state to receive health care services and doctors should not face criminal penalties for taking care of women in need.'

'A woman's health care decisions should be between her, her family, and her doctor,' she wrote. 'Today's decision removes basic rights Arizona women have relied upon for over a century and endangers their health, safety, and well-being.'

Sinema's comments comes a day after Judge Johnson's ruled that the state can enforce a ban that has been blocked for nearly 50 years, since the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade protected abortion access nationwide, The Hill reported.

The ban was passed in the 1800s before Arizona became a state, but its enforcement was stopped after the Roe ruling in 1973.

The Arizona judge ruled that the injunction that prevented enforcement of the law was only issued because of Roe v. Wade, so it must be lifted completely, the news outlet said.

In June after the Supreme Court overturned Roe more than a dozen states had trigger bans go into effect or they passed legislation banning it since then. Many bans do not include exceptions for rape or incest.

Sinema said she will continue to work to advance 'commonsense proposals' to ensure women in Arizona and across the country can access the health care they need and make their own decisions about their futures.'
Campaign to start on Saturday as thousands try to block bridges across Thames

Climate-change zealots are plotting to paralyse Parliament during a six-week campaign of chaos, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Activists from Just Stop Oil will block key roads and bridges around Westminster next month in a direct challenge to Liz Trusss Conservative Government.

Organisers are preparing for 3,000 of their volunteers to be arrested during days of protest and disruption designed to stretch the police to breaking point and clog the capitals courts.

Details of the plot can be revealed today after our undercover reporter posed as an eco-activist and infiltrated a series of Just Stop Oil meetings.

At one meeting in Birmingham last week, Roger Hallam, the firebrand founder of Just Stop Oil, disclosed that the campaign will kick off next Saturday with thousands of protesters blocking bridges over the Thames in London all day. This is like resistance, British-style, he boasted.

Hallam claimed that the Metropolitan Police would be too scared to initially arrest activists  but that it would be forced to do so as the protests escalate. And then every day from then on people will be in London sitting in the road, and they will be arrested.

He said the group was aiming to identify and recruit 1,500 people prepared to get arrested twice in London during the campaign.

Another activist, a former businessman in his late 40s, told a meeting in Norwich earlier this month: Weve talked to people in the judicial system and they reckon the system couldnt really cope with about 3,000 arrests.

Just Stop Oil want their volunteers to get arrested. Pictured: A Just Stop Oil activist being arrested after they blockaded a filling station at Cobham services in Surrey

Our investigation is the second time in less than a year that we have exposed plans by Just Stop Oil to cause mayhem. In February, an undercover Mail on Sunday reporter revealed how the group was plotting to block oil refineries, motorways and petrol stations across Britain.

Two months later, more than 200 people were arrested amid a string of protests at key oil terminals. Activists later shut the M25 and targeted petrol forecourts in London during a spring and summer of chaos.

Now, as part of its autumn campaign, Just Stop Oils leaders have switched their focus from targeting the oil and gas industries to taking their fight to the heart of Westminster.

The group has spent months recruiting people prepared to go to prison for their cause through a series of meetings and workshops, both in person and online.

Central Londons bridges will initially be targeted during a protest march on Saturday. A series of rolling road blockades will then hit the area near Parliament Square. MPs return from recess on October 11. Specific details about locations will only be shared with volunteers on the day.

Activists have recorded videos to be released on to social media in the event of them being arrested.

Last night, a spokesperson for the Met said: The Met is aware of planned activity by Just Stop Oil. A robust policing plan will be in place to tackle any criminal behaviour, anti-social behaviour or disorder.

As the nation mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth earlier this month, rebellion was brewing in a 19th Century meeting hall in Norfolk.

With the country transfixed on the first day of the late Monarchs lying-in-state in Westminster Hall, 50 environmental activists filed into the Norwich Quaker Meeting House to plot the final details of a six-week campaign to cause chaos in Central London.

The Mail On Sunday uncovered Just Stop Oil's plans to cause chaos in London starting next week. Pictured: The group blocked the entrance to the Kingsbury Oil Terminal in Warwickshire in breach of a High Court injunction

Agitators from the militant eco-group Just Stop Oil discussed how to take their fight into the heart of Westminster by blocking key roads and bridges around Parliament Square  the scene of last weeks magnificent State Funeral procession.

What they did not know, however, was that their plot had been infiltrated by an undercover reporter from The Mail on Sunday.

Indeed this was just one of a series of meetings and workshops, both in person and online, attended by the MoS during recent weeks at which plans for an October uprising were discussed.

The campaign, masterminded by veteran activist Roger Hallam, will be a direct challenge to Liz Trusss Tory Government and the first major test faced by new Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.

Our undercover investigation can reveal:

More than 1,500 people are being recruited to carry out hugely disruptive daily protests in London;

They each aim to get arrested at least twice over six weeks to try to overwhelm the courts system;

The campaign will start on Saturday with thousands of protesters planning to block bridges across the River Thames;

Protesters will later block roads near Parliament Square to grab the attention of MPs and Government Ministers;

A Los Angeles-based organisation, backed by Hollywood millionaires, is raising funds to bankroll the protests.

Around 50 people were arrested after Just Stop Oil activists protested outside an oil terminal on September 14

Launched in April, Just Stop Oil held a series of hugely disruptive protests at oil refineries, petrol stations and motorways earlier this year. But in a change of tactics the group will now focus on paralysing the road network around the Houses of Parliament and Downing Street.

Oil heiress among American millionaires funding protests Just Stop Oils hugely disruptive protests are being bankrolled by Hollywood millionaires who want to provoke an October uprising in the UK and ten other countries. Climate Emergency Fund, a Los Angeles-based organisation, is already understood to have handed Just Stop Oil nearly $1 million. Now the organisation, whose office is in plush Beverly Hills, has launched a fresh fundraising drive to help Just Stop Oil and other activist groups launch a wave of sustained, disruptive protest next month. Ironically one of CEFs co-founders is Aileen Getty, heiress of the Getty oil fortune. Another is Oscar-nominated director and producer Rory Kennedy, daughter of assassinated US senator Robert F Kennedy. Oscar-winning film-maker Adam McKay, who directed the climate-change satire Dont Look Up, last month donated 3.6 million to CEF. It has pledged to bankroll what it calls the A22 network  a group of 11 eco-activist groups, including Just Stop Oil, in 11 different Western countries. CEFs website hails Just Stop Oil as a model for other activist groups to emulate, and highlights how in April its protesters sustained three weeks of disruptive nonviolent resistance, shutting down ten fossil fuel infrastructure sites at a time, restricting fuel supply in the UK. Advertisement

Protesters have been told to converge at 11am next Saturday and Sunday at Euston, Paddington and Waterloo stations for an initial wave of action that will target Londons bridges. From October 3, protesters have been ordered to converge on Downing Street each day.

An experienced activist, a former businessman in his late 40s, outlined the plans to the activists gathered in Norwich on September 14  the day the Queens coffin was moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

He told the meeting: Theres the march on the first of October and then after that weekend, were going to move into this more serious, focused road-blocking. And the idea is were going to cause disruption to Parliament, by blocking the roads around Westminster. And the idea of that is to cause disruption to provoke a kind of conversation about this issue.

He added: The other part of the strategy is causing attrition to the police. The idea is every day theyre having to arrest people and remove people from the road, and that obviously consumes police resources.

It takes a lot of police officers to arrest one person and process them through a cell. And weve talked to people in the judicial system, and they reckon the system couldnt really cope with about 3,000 arrests. That would stress it to the point where the police would go to the Home Secretary and say: Look, we cant arrest our way out of this civil disobedience. 

Environmental scientist Dr Larch Maxey spoke passionately at the meeting for 45 minutes with the enthusiasm of an out-of-work actor relishing their first day back on set. Larch was arrested last month for occupying a tunnel under a road to disrupt oil supplies from a terminal in Essex.

Wearing a grubby polo shirt and shorts emblazoned with the motif Rebel for Life, Dr Maxey outlined how the group aimed to replicate the tactics of the Freedom Riders  civil-rights activists in the US who rode buses in the 1960s to challenge laws on racial segregation  by staging their action in a series of waves. The Freedom Riders were not popular at the point of them causing disruption, he said.

Launched in April, Just Stop Oil held a series of hugely disruptive protests at oil refineries, petrol stations and motorways earlier this year. Pictured: Officers arrest a woman during a protest at a BP petrol station on August 26

Just Stop Oil blocked the entrancement and exit to the BP petrol station as they fight for the Government to halt new fossil fuel licensing

You never are. But they were doing what was necessary. The meeting was punctuated with doomsday warnings about the gravity of the climate crisis. If we dont sort this out, we are going to have societal collapse, Dr Maxey said. This is terrifying.

Later, a young activist made an unfortunate comparison between standing up for the Just Stop Oil cause and Germans resisting the Nazis. Another activist asked those present whether they held values that they would rather die for than see violated.

Such dramatic rhetoric  and the groups militant methods  seemingly unsettled some at the meeting. Two older people shook their heads as they left during an interval. Were going, I dont agree with it, one said. It [climate change] is not good, but I cant see a way out of it.

There were also misgivings voiced during an online meeting attended by an undercover reporter. During the session, designed to build trust and courage among would-be protesters, participants were asked to state their preferred pronouns before taking part in some meditation.

When asked how everyone was feeling about the looming campaign, one woman, in her 60s, responded: I think some of us feel unprepared. I need to get my finances sorted out.

Her expression of doubt appeared to open the sluice gates for others to voice concerns.

Im not at all prepared, added another woman.

Three Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested on September 4 after occupying a tunnel under a road by an oil terminal in Essex for 13 days

Action by members of the climate activist group Just Stop Oil at a BP filling station on the A40 in Perivale, west London

A third woman, in her 50s, chipped in: I feel I would like to have had lots of role play regarding court. We are all going to be on our own, have we had enough preparation around what the group are doing?

But the groups leadership remained undeterred.

Addressing around 30 would-be protesters during a meeting in a room above a Birmingham pub last week, Hallam stressed the vital importance of their civil disobedience mission. What Im going to do in this next 20 or 30 minutes is give you the most terrifying information you are going to hear in your life, he declared. So take a deep breath.

On the first of October, thousands of people are going to go on to bridges in London and stay on the bridges all day.

And then every day from then on people will be in London sitting in the road, and they will be arrested.

Set up by Hallam barely a year ago, Just Stop Oil has shot to prominence due to a series of stunts, including interrupting major sporting events and blocking roads with protesters gluing themselves to the ground.

Its radical tactics have been drawn up by experienced activists from more established protest groups, such as Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Insulate Britain, both of which were co-founded by Hallam.

The bulk of Just Stop Oils funding is believed to come from rich backers in California.

The group has also, however, launched a fundraising drive in this country with would-be activists attending its meetings asked to donate an hours salary each month.

As of this week, 124 donors are registered to donate just over 1,200 per month between them.

Hallam asks donors to bankroll his activism via the fundraising website Patreon.

The Met has previously revealed that it was forced to spend 50 million policing Extinction Rebellion protests in 2019 and 2020, with former Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick admitting that the force was stretched.

Last night, a Met spokesman said: A robust policing plan will be in place to tackle any criminal behaviour, anti-social behaviour or disorder.

A spokesman for the Parliamentary Estate said: We work closely with a number of partners to ensure that the business of Parliament can continue.

Now meet the hardcore mob ready to bring chaos to the streets Miranda Whelehan Had a bruising encounter with Richard Madeley on ITVs Good Morning Britain in April. Madeley accused the 21-year-old, above, who grew up in a 1 million, five-bedroom house in Weybridge, Surrey, of being a hypocrite and branded Just Stop Oil as a childish and playground-ish response to a complex problem. She replied: I would say that the answers are actually very simple. We need to stop new oil licensing and thats what were asking. The exchange was likened to a scene in the Netflix satire Dont Look Up, when a scientist, played by Jennifer Lawrence, fails to get two TV news anchors to take warnings about the end of the world seriously. Miranda Whelehan (pictured) had a bruising encounter with Richard Madeley on ITVs Good Morning Britain in April Louis McKechnie Has been arrested about 20 times, including when he tied himself to a goalpost during an Everton vs Newcastle Premier League match. McKechnie, 21, from Dorset, has complained it is really stressful being arrested and dealing with an angry public. The student has been jailed for blocking the M25 as part of an Insulate Britain protest, but said his experience of prison had not deterred him and that he would be willing to spend the rest of his life behind bars for the cause. He is awaiting trial for allegedly damaging a Vincent Van Gogh painting in London, having pleaded not guilty. Just Stop Oil protester Louis McKechnie has been arrested about 20 times inlcluding when he tied himself to a goalpost during a Premier League match (pictured) Dr Larch Maxey Real name Ian, he spent four weeks underground last year with veteran eco-warrior Swampy after protesters tunnelled under the HS2 rail site near Euston in London. He is currently in another tunnel near a fuel depot in Essex. He told an Insulate Britain meeting last year attended by an undercover Mail on Sunday reporter that the group was recruiting working-class spokespeople in a bid to shake off its middle-class image. In one interview, he said he had no income and described himself as a relaxed freegan  scavaging leftover food that would otherwise go to waste. Dr Larch Maxey (pictured), whose real name is Ian spent four weeks underground last year. He is currently in another tunnel near a fuel depot in Essex Roger Hallam As a co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, the 56-year-old has masterminded a wave of hugely disruptive protests. He claimed that the Met police would be too scared to arrest activists initially, but that officers would be forced to do so as protests escalate, tying up their resources. Co-founder of Extinction Rebellion Roger Hallam, pictured on a hunger strike in 2018, has masterminded several protests Describing himself as a farmer mobiliser revolutionary, Hallam grandly says he is following in the tradition of Martin Luther King and Gandhi. He was an organic farmer in Carmarthen for 20 years but blamed the collapse of his business on a series of extreme weather events. Later he researched the history of civil disobedience for a PhD at Kings College London while sleeping in his car. He was unreservedly denounced by Extinction Rebellion in 2019 for describing the Holocaust as just another f***ery in human history. Advertisement

Just Stop Oil's firebrand founder boasts of 'British-style resistance' that will see 3,000 volunteers arrested for blocking roads and bridges during eco-warriors' London campaign that's due to start NEXT WEEK

Climate-change zealots are plotting to paralyse Parliament during a six-week campaign of chaos, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Activists from Just Stop Oil will block key roads and bridges around Westminster next month in a direct challenge to Liz Trusss Conservative Government.

Organisers are preparing for 3,000 of their volunteers to be arrested during days of protest and disruption designed to stretch the police to breaking point and clog the capitals courts.

Details of the plot can be revealed today after our undercover reporter posed as an eco-activist and infiltrated a series of Just Stop Oil meetings.

Climate-change zealots are plotting to paralyse Parliament during a six-week campaign of chaos, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Just Stop Oil protesters are pictured here in July in Parliament Square

At one meeting in Birmingham last week, Roger Hallam, the firebrand founder of Just Stop Oil, disclosed that the campaign will kick off next Saturday with thousands of protesters blocking bridges over the Thames in London all day. This is like resistance, British-style, he boasted.

Hallam claimed that the Metropolitan Police would be too scared to initially arrest activists  but that it would be forced to do so as the protests escalate. And then every day from then on people will be in London sitting in the road, and they will be arrested.

He said the group was aiming to identify and recruit 1,500 people prepared to get arrested twice in London during the campaign.

Another activist, a former businessman in his late 40s, told a meeting in Norwich earlier this month: Weve talked to people in the judicial system and they reckon the system couldnt really cope with about 3,000 arrests.

Our investigation is the second time in less than a year that we have exposed plans by Just Stop Oil to cause mayhem. In February, an undercover Mail on Sunday reporter revealed how the group was plotting to block oil refineries, motorways and petrol stations across Britain.

Two months later, more than 200 people were arrested amid a string of protests at key oil terminals. Activists later shut the M25 and targeted petrol forecourts in London during a spring and summer of chaos.

Now, as part of its autumn campaign, Just Stop Oils leaders have switched their focus from targeting the oil and gas industries to taking their fight to the heart of Westminster.

Activists blocked the entrances and exits to multiple fuel stations in the capital in August.

The group has spent months recruiting people prepared to go to prison for their cause through a series of meetings and workshops, both in person and online.

Central Londons bridges will initially be targeted during a protest march on Saturday. A series of rolling road blockades will then hit the area near Parliament Square. MPs return from recess on October 11. Specific details about locations will only be shared with volunteers on the day.

Activists have recorded videos to be released on to social media in the event of them being arrested.

Last night, a spokesperson for the Met said: The Met is aware of planned activity by Just Stop Oil. A robust policing plan will be in place to tackle any criminal behaviour, anti-social behaviour or disorder.
Advertisement

Palace aides believed that the Duchess of Sussex was deliberately laying a trail of evidence as she carefully plotted her departure from the Royal Family, a new book claims.

It alleges that her aides  who named themselves the Sussex Survivors Club after Meghan and Harry quit their roles  called the Duchess a narcissistic sociopath.

Extracts of Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind The Crown by Valentine Low were published by The Sunday Times last night.

The book describes the Sussexes deteriorating relationship with their staff  a succession of... decent people who had believed in Meghan and would have done anything to help the couple succeed.

But it alleges that aides came to believe that Meghans departure was premeditated and that one of [her] concerns was whether she was going to be able to make money for herself.

One ex staff member told the author: She wanted to be rejected, because she was obsessed with that narrative from day one.

And sources said that her team reportedly said of her on repeated occasions: We were played.

Extracts from the new book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind The Crown have revealed that Palace aides believed that the Duchess of Sussex was deliberately laying a trail of evidence as she carefully plotted her departure from the Royal Family

The book alleges that her aides  nicknamed the Sussex Survivors Club after Meghan and Harry quit their roles  called the Duchess a narcissistic sociopath. Pictured: Meghan Markle with Sussexes' former secretary Samantha Cohen, a core member of the Sussex Survivors Club

Extracts from the book claim that Ms Cohen would tell Edward Young (left), the Queens private secretary, and Clive Alderton (right), Charless private secretary that if it all went wrong, the Palace needed evidence of the duty of care it had shown to Harry and Meghan

The book quotes a source saying that Ms Cohen (pictured) was bullied and that nothing she did was ever good enough for the couple

The book claims that staff became convinced the Duchess wanted to show how the institution failed her  and even felt there was a cynical motive behind her decision to complain to HR bosses, who listened sympathetically but offered no help.

This was inevitable: HR is there to deal with employee issues, not members of the Royal Family, the book says. Meghan would presumably have known that, so what was she doing there? Laying a trail of evidence, would be the cynical answer.

A former staff member told Low: Everyone knew that the institution would be judged by her happiness. The mistake they made was thinking that she wanted to be happy.

In her interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Meghan emphasised the difference between the Queen and those who surrounded her  the ones she felt refused to help when she was in her hour of greatest need and perpetuated falsehoods about her.

The Duchesss lawyers denied last year that Miss Cohen had been bullied, saying that the couple were always grateful for her support and dedication

According to the book some of Meghans staff suspected that in the end she wanted to make money. And the only way she could do that was by leaving her Royal life behind and going back to America

The book describes the Sussexes deteriorating relationship with their staff  a  succession of... decent people who had believed in Meghan and would have done anything to help the couple succeed.

In her interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Meghan emphasised the difference between the Queen and those who surrounded her

But the aides grew so disillusioned they began to suspect even her most desperate pleas were part of a deliberate strategy designed to facilitate her departure.

The books alleges: They believe she wanted to be able to say Look how they failed to support me.

Core members of the Survivors Club included Samantha Cohen  whom the Queen had personally asked to step in as the couples private secretary and who worked for the Sussexes from after their wedding in May 2018 until the end of their South Africa tour in September 2019  and Sara Latham, who was in charge of communications. Others included assistant press secretary Marnie Gaffney.

According to the book some of Meghans staff suspected that in the end she wanted to make money. And the only way she could do that was by leaving her Royal life behind and going back to America.

Part of the problem, according to one source, was that everyone in the Palace was too genteel and civil: When someone decides not to be civil, they have no idea what to do. They were run over by her, and then run over by Harry.

The new book set to reveal some bombshells quotes a source saying that Ms Cohen (pictured behind the Queen and Ms Markle) was a 'broken record' about showing that a duty of care had been given to the Sussexes

The Queen had personally asked Samantha Cohen to step in as the couple's private secretary which she did from May 2018 to the end of the Sussexes' South Africa tour in 2019

According to the book some of Meghans staff suspected that in the end she wanted to make money. And the only way she could do that was by leaving her Royal life behind and going back to America

The Duchesss lawyers denied last year that Miss Cohen had been bullied, saying that the couple were always grateful for her support and dedication

Duke of Sussex 'requests 11th-hour rewrite to soften his 40m autobiography Prince Harry has launched a last-minute bid to tone down his bombshell autobiography amid fears his final draft 'might not go down too well' in the wake of the Queen's death. The memoirs had been signed off ready for an expected autumn release, but the Duke has asked to make some significant alterations. 'Harry has thrown a spanner in the works,' a source said. 'He is keen for refinements in the light of the Queen's death, her funeral and his father Charles taking the throne. 'There may be things in the book which might not look so good if they come out so soon after these events. He wants sections changed now. But it might be too late.' Publishing sources suggested that the Duke might have limited 'wriggle room' given he was handed a seven-figure advance. Publishers Penguin Random House had already demanded a rewrite after the first draft was deemed 'too touchy-feely' and placed too much focus on mental health issues, The Mail on Sunday understands. No date has officially been announced for its release but American sources have suggested that publishers will want it in shops in time for Thanksgiving on November 24. Advertisement

Extracts claim that Ms Cohen, who had 17 years experience of working at the Palace, would frequently say to Edward Young, the Queens private secretary, and Clive Alderton, Charless private secretary, that if it all went wrong, the Palace needed evidence of the duty of care it had shown to Harry and Meghan.

The duty of care was crucial. [Sam] was a broken record with them on that, said a source.

The book quotes a source saying that Ms Cohen was bullied and that nothing she did was ever good enough for the couple. It is claimed a source once said: Sam [Cohen] always made clear it was like working for a couple of teenagers. They were impossible and pushed her to the limit. She was miserable.

The Duchesss lawyers denied last year that Miss Cohen had been bullied, saying that the couple were always grateful for her support and dedication.

They have also long described such allegations as massively inaccurate and that the Duchess has absolutely denied bullying anyone.

While an inquiry launched by Buckingham Palace concluded that it would review how it handled bullying complaints, it did not say Meghan had actually bullied anyone.

According to the book, tensions were compounded by Harry and Meghans deteriorating relationship with Alderton and Young.

Royal biographer Robert Lacey, said: Meghan came to perceive Young as the inflexible, bureaucratic figure who summed up what was [wrong] with the BP [Buckingham Palace] mentality, and the feeling was mutual. Young really came to dislike Meghans style.

Harry was just as dismissive of the two senior courtiers as Meghan. An insider said: He used to send them horrible emails. So rude.

Their escape plans were laid amid the utmost secrecy.

The book says: When Harry and Meghan went to Canada for their six-week break in November 2019... Meghan would not even tell their nanny, Lorren, where they were going.

Meghan confided in a member of her staff the couple were not coming back, according to the book, but others did not find out until January 2020.

They found it hard to accept they were being dumped... says the book. Some of them were in tears.

Palace aides take revenge on the 'Difficult Duchess': Insiders claim Meghan 'moaned she wasn't getting PAID for royal tours, agreed to Oprah interview SIX months before Megxit and reduced staff to tears with bullying and tantrums' - in bombshell new book

By Alastair Lockhart and Jonathan Rose For Mailonline

Palace aides have claimed Meghan moaned she wasn't getting paid for royal tours, agreed to the Oprah interview six months before Megxit and reduced staff to tears with bullying and tantrums in a bombshell new book.

The explosive extracts of the forthcoming book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low, were published by The Times today.

The new book claims that during the royal tour of Australia in October 2018, Meghan did not understand why she had to shake people's hands or do walkabouts.

Staff reportedly heard her say: 'I can't believe I'm not getting paid for this.'

Valentine Low also describes the Duchess of Sussex's attitude towards her staff, describing a meeting where Meghan allegedly lambasted a young female member in front of colleagues over a plan she had presented.

After the woman told her that it would be difficult to execute a new plan, Meghan said: 'Don't worry. If there was literally anyone else I could ask to do this, I would be asking them instead of you.'

Meghan is said to have berated staff repeatedly, including one occasion when an employee fell foul of the duchess over a mixup involving press at an engagement.

They said when they tried to call Meghan: 'She's not picking up. I feel terrified.

'This is so ridiculous. I can't stop shaking.'

An insider said: 'There were a lot of broken people. Young women were broken by their behaviour.'

The new book claims that during the royal tour of Australia in October 2018, Meghan did not understand why she had to shake people's hands or do walkabouts

Many insiders have alleged they were bullied while working for the Sussexes. One said: 'There were a lot of broken people. Young women were broken by their behaviour'

Palace staff have claimed Meghan agreed to the couple's bombshell Oprah interview months before they left royal duties and moved to the US

Harry and Meghan embarked on a 15-day tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand in October 2018. Pictured: Meghan meets the Prime Minister of Tonga

Meghan was reported to have disliked the amount of walkabouts and meeting strangers required by royal duties

While touring Australia, Meghan Markle's staff reportedly heard her say: 'I can't believe I'm not getting paid for this'

The book also describes the Duchess of Sussex's attitude towards her staff, describing a meeting where Meghan lambasted a young female member in front of colleagues over a plan she had presented

They added that one staff member was 'completely destroyed' by their experience.

In another reported incident, Meghan rang an employee repeatedly when she was out for dinner on a Friday to yell at her about what she felt she had been let down on.

The staffer said: 'Every 10 minutes I had to go outside to be screamed at by her and Harry. It was "I can't believe you've done this. You've let me down. What were you thinking?" It went on for a couple of hours.'

They added the calls began again the next morning and went on 'for days'. The staff member said: 'You could not escape them.'

Private secretary Samantha Cohen was allegedly 'screamed at' before and during the couple's flight to Australia.

A source said: 'Sam always made clear that it was like working for a couple of teenagers. They were impossible and pushed her to the limit. She was miserable.'

'She was constantly having to battle on Harry and Meghan's behalf,' said a friend, 'while taking all this abuse from them.'

Similarly, she allegedly told one of Harrys advisers more than six months before they were engaged: 'I think we both know I'm going to be one of your bosses soon.'

Advisor David Manning, one of many of the couple's royal aides to quit, would tell colleagues 'You are dealing with a very difficult lady.'

In another extract, palace press chief Jason Knauf wrote an email in 2018 to Prince Williams private secretary Simon Case about 'very serious problems' with Meghans behaviour.

It read: 'I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year The duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights.'

One extract explained how after Meghans assistant private secretary, Amy Pickerill, handed in her notice, she refused to travel with her to an engagement that morning.

When senior aide reportedly suggested to Harry and Meghan that staff should be treated with more respect , Meghan allegedly replied: 'It's not my job to coddle people.'

The book claims Harry and Meghan tried to bend the rules to get hold of a diamond tiara for a rehearsal ahead of their wedding when Meghan's hairdresser was in London, but were refused by palace staff who said there was a strict protocol to be followed.

In response, Harry allegedly used explicit language about the the Queen's dresser Angela Kelly - either about her or to her face - earning him a dressing down by Elizabeth II when the monarch summoned him to a private meeting.

A source said: 'He was put firmly in his place. He had been downright rude.'

One insider also claimed Harry feared being eclipsed by nephew Prince George when the second in line to the throne turns 18.

The source said 'He had this thing that he had a shelf life. He was fixated [on] this. He would compare himself to his uncle [Prince Andrew].

'He would say "I have this time to make this impact. Because I can" until George turned 18, was the way he was thinking about it." Then I will be the also-ran."

A palace source also revealed to Valentine Low that Meghan told Harry she would break up with him if he didn't announce publicly they were dating.

According to an extract from the book, a source said she was saying: 'If you don't put out a statement confirming I'm your girlfriend, I'm going to break up with you.'

Another insider said: 'He was freaking out, saying "She's going to dump me."'

Security was also said to be an issue as soon as Meghan arrived in London, with no straightforward way of providing Meghan with full-time police protection - stoking tension between the palace and the new couple.

Elsewhere, it claimed that in August 2019, before their Africa tour, the couple's US team were working on several deals including with Netflix, Harrys mental heath series for Apple+, Meghans Disney voiceover and an interview with Oprah Winfrey slated for the autumn.

Samantha Cohen, the Queens former assistant private secretary, advised them to also do an interview with the British media, suggesting Tom Bradby of ITV.

Meghan was reportedly reluctant, however the Duke of Sussex agreed on the condition that they did not do the interview together or appear in the same shot as this would be contrary to their Oprah deal.

Palace sources also claimed the couple were constantly being sent gifts from fashion, perfume and jewelry companies when they lived at Kensington Palace.

Their PA refused the luxury items, sticking to the protocol that members of the royal family do not accept commercial gifts, leading to clashes with Meghan.

In one extract, palace press chief Jason Knauf (pictured) wrote an email in 2018 to Prince Williams private secretary Simon Case about 'very serious problems' with Meghans behaviour

Samantha Cohen (pictured), the Queens former assistant private secretary, advised them to also do an interview with the British media, suggesting Tom Bradby of ITV. Meghan was reportedly reluctant, however the Duke of Sussex agreed on the condition that they did not do the interview together or appear in the same shot as this would be contrary to their Oprah deal

One extract explained how after Meghans assistant private secretary, Amy Pickerill (above), handed in her notice, she refused to travel with her to an engagement that morning

The book is due to be published on October 6 by Headline Books.

It was previously reported that Buckingham Palace buried a report on claims the Duchess of Sussex bullied royal staff before Megxit.

Meghan was accused of bullying her staff before she moved to California with Prince Harry as the pair quit as working royals.

Even though the Queen paid for an independent inquiry by a private law firm, the report will never see the light of day, The Sunday Times reported.

Courtiers said it was an attempt to stop stoking tensions between the Sussexes and the rest of the royals.

Only 'four or five' former members of the Sussexes' team in total have been spoken to as part of the Royal Household's official investigation into the claims.

The couple would have had up to 25 working for them at times  many of whom could be considered potential witnesses.

But nothing has been heard since last summer by any of those involved in the allegations.

Furious Prince Harry 'SNUBBED dinner with King Charles and William at Balmoral after bust-up when monarch banned Meghan from joining grieving royal family at Scottish estate the day The Queen died - causing the duke to miss his flight'

By Matthew Lodge For Mailonline

Furious Prince Harry snubbed dinner with King Charles III and his brother the Prince of Wales at Balmoral after a row with his father when the new monarch banned Meghan Markle from joining the grieving Royal Family on the day the Queen died, sources have claimed.

The Duke of Sussex reportedly wanted his wife to join him as royals raced to the Scottish estate to say their final goodbyes to their beloved mother and grandmother on September 8.

However, Britain's new King phoned his youngest son and told him it was 'not appropriate' for the former Suits actress to be there, according to reports.

It is claimed that in the ensuing row, during which Harry fought to persuade his father to allow Meghan to come with him, he missed a flight carrying William and their uncles Andrew and Edward to Scotland - and with it the chance to bid farewell.

The prince - who plunged the monarchy into crisis after he and the duchess sensationally quit royal duties and left the UK for California two years ago, before making a series of stunning allegations against The Firm - was so angry that his wife had been banned, and that he had missed his first flight, that he refused to have dinner that evening with Charles, William and Queen Consort Camilla.

Instead, he ate with the Duke of York and the Earl and Countess of Wessex before leaving early the next morning, The Sun reports.

Prince Harry had insisted on having his wife, Meghan, with him on the day the Queen died, but she was banned from attending by King Charles III, it is alleged. Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stand behind King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on September 19

It is claimed that in the ensuing row Prince Harry missed his flight to Aberdeen, meaning he took a later one that only landed after Her Majesty's death had been announced to the world. Pictured: The Duke of Sussex looks sombre while travelling from Aberdeen to Balmoral on the day of the Queen's death

Instead of having dinner with his father, brother and stepmother, Harry decided to eat with his uncles at Balmoral Castle on the night of the Queen's death. Pictured: Balmoral Castle in Scotland

Prince Harry allegedly snubbed his father and brother when having dinner at Balmoral after the new King banned his wife from attending. Pictured: King Charles III and the Duke of Sussex walk alongside Princess Anne as they arrive at the committal service for the Queen at Windsor on September 19

After the row the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex put on a united front by walking out to meet members of the public. Pictured: The Princess of Wales, the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk outside Windsor Castle on September 10

Harry was so furious after the row that he ate dinner with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward afterwards, instead of his brother and father. Pictured: The Prince of Wales, Duke of York, and Earl and Countess of Wessex, arrive at Balmoral after the Queen's death

The death of Queen Elizabeth: A timeline of how today's sad news was announced 12.35pm: A statement is released by Buckingham Palace, announcing that the Queen is under medical supervision at Balmoral after doctors became 'concerned for her health'. A Palace spokesperson said: 'Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.' 12.47pm: A statement is released by Clarence House, confirming that Prince Charles and his wife Camilla would travel to Balmoral. It said: 'The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have travelled to Balmoral'. 12.48pm: A minute later, Kensington Palace announces that Price William will be travelling to Balmoral. The statement read: 'The Duke of Cambridge is also travelling to Balmoral.' 1.37pm: It is reported that Prince Andrew has travelled to Balmoral Castle in Scotland following news that doctors were concerned for The Queen's health. 1.38pm: Sources confirm to the Press Association (PA) that The Princess Royal is at Balmoral, and the Duke of York and the Earl and Countess of Wessex are on their way to the Queen's Scottish home. 1.55pm: A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirms that the couple will be 'travelling to Scotland'. While the initial statement mentioned 'Scotland', it did not make directly make mention of Balmoral. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were due to attend the WellChild Awards ceremony in London on Thursday evening, but changed their plans to travel to see the Queen. 4.14pm: A news alert by the Press Association (PA) said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were believed to be travelling to Balmoral 'separately' from other royals. 4.39pm: Less than 30 minutes later, PA issue another news alert, quoting an unnamed source, saying that that the Duchess of Sussex would not travel to Balmoral with the Duke of Sussex. The source said that Prince Harry would be making the trip by himself. A source said the Duchess could potentially join Harry in Scotland at a later date, following what PA described as a 'change of plan'. 4.44pm: Minutes later, Omid Scobie, a journalist considered to be 'friendly' towards the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and who often quotes unnamed sources close to the couple, writes a post on social media network, Twitter about the situation. He wrote: A source has shared an update stating that only Prince Harry has made the trip up to Balmoral. Like the Duchess of Cambridge (who is in Windsor with their three children), the Duchess of Sussex is staying back in England (but still not attending tonight's WellChild Awards).' The post mentions Kate, who earlier in the day it was revealed would not travel to Balmoral. 6.30pm: The Royal Family announces via social media site Twitter that Queen has died 'peacefully' at Balmoral at the age of 96. 8pm: Prince Harry arrives at Balmoral following the public announcement Advertisement

The Sun quotes a source as saying: 'Harry was so busy trying to get Meghan to Balmoral and rowing with his family that he missed the flight.

'Charles has an open invitation for Harry to dine with him whenever he is in the country.

'But Harry was so furious that he refused to eat with his father and brother.

'It was a massive snub. And he got out of Balmoral at the earliest opportunity to catch the first commercial flight back to London.'

The next morning he was the first member of the Royal Family to leave, boarding an early British Airways flight from Aberdeen where he was pictured comforting an airport worker after she passed along her condolences for his grandmother's death.

Harry headed back to Meghan at 8.28am, where he was sat alone in the rear of a Range Rover as he was driven out of the Royal Family's Scottish home, where he had arrived at 7.52pm the night before.

He was swept into Aberdeen airport at 9.20am, led by five police outriders, and boarded a flight to London leaving at 10am.

Harry wore a black suit and carried a shoulder bag as he walked towards the steps of the plane. An airport worker offered her sympathies as the Prince was about to walk up the steps of a British Airways aircraft.

The woman, who was dressed in a high- visibility yellow jacket, addressed Prince Harry. The royal smiled and patted her gently in the shoulder before boarding the aircraft for Londons Heathrow Airport.

Less than 12 hours earlier grief had been written on the Duke's face after landed in Scotland following the announcement of Queen Elizabeth II's death.

He had his head bowed and partially covered his face as he was driven out of Aberdeen airport, arriving at Balmoral after dark.

The Queen's death had forced an unexpected reunion between Harry and the rest of the Royal Family.

The Sussexes, whose comments since Megxit has caused a rift with the royals, especially William, were not expected to see any royals during their tour of the UK and Europe - despite staying yards from the Cambridges during their pseudo-royal tour of Europe - until Her Majesty's passing.

Since then the pair have taken part in more than a week of national mourning with other members of the Royal Family.

Harry was prominent in a number of processions and services, walking behind his grandmother's coffin as it was transported from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, and again as it was subsequently moved to Westminster Abbey for her funeral.

Meanwhile, Meghan joined her husband for the Queen's funeral and committal service on Monday, September 19, as well as for the coffin procession to Westminster Hall on September 14.

The pair also appeared to put on a united front with the Prince and Princess of Wales, heading out together to greet mourners and well-wishers at Windsor Castle.

It was claimed earlier this week that Meghan requested a 'one-to-one' meeting with King Charles in a bid to heal rifts before she left for California with Harry after the Queen's funeral.

Neil Sean, an entertainment correspondent who has appeared on NBC News, MSNBC and Access Hollywood, said that he had heard from a 'very good source' that the American actress had sent a letter requesting a private conversation with the King.

Mr Sean claims that Meghan wanted to 'clear the air' amid reports the couple would fly back to the US as soon as they can to see their children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, one.

'She'd now like before they return back to California to have a one-to-one audience with King Charles III,' Sean said in a video posted to YouTube, that has recorded nearly 300k views.

'That's rightMeghan one-to-one with King Charles. You heard correct.

'It's a very brave move from Meghan herself,' Sean said.

Detailing the content of the letter, he said: 'It would be an opportunity to clear the air, pull the rights from wrongs and explain some of the rationale behind what they've been doing over the last two years.

'Now, you know, you have to admire Meghan's self-belief, whatever you think.'

However, in a twist, royal sources claimed it was 'very unlikely' that the Duchess of Sussex had written such a letter.

Charles is known to want to heal his relationship with his son and his wife, even saying how much he loved them in his first address as King, making it very unlikely he would ignore such a request if it happened, one source said.

Buckingham Palace and the Sussexes have not commented on the claims, however royal sources told MailOnline that Meghan would be 'very unlikely' to trouble the King as he mourns his mother after yesterdays funeral and as he grapples with his first days as King.

Another insider said it would be 'odd' for the Duchess to write formally to the King directly for a meeting, given Harry would have a direct path to his father.

While William and Harry have put aside their disagreements for royal events in recent days, fears over the content of Harry's upcoming memoir continue to cast a cloud over their relationship - especially following the bombshell interview he and Meghan gave to Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 when they accused an unnamed royal of racism.

Rumours of a rift between the brothers first emerged in 2019 when they divided their households following various disagreements about Harry's role, but their feud deepened amid the fallout from the Megxit saga in 2020.

But the death of the Queen has seen the rivals shelve their differences, with William and Kate joined by Harry and Meghan for the first occasions in more than two years since Commonwealth Day in March 2020.

A royal source told the Telegraph's Camilla Tominey that Prince William and Kate, felt 'the focus should solely be on this period of deep mourning and nothing else. The focus should only be on his late grandmother'.

Meghan Markle, the Dutchess of Sussex, requested a 'one-to-one' meeting with Charles in a formal letter sent to the new King, according to a Royals insider

The Royals insider claims the 41-year-old penned a formal note to King Charles hoping to meet privately following his mother's funeral

Prince William directs Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to their seats at St George's Chapel for the committal service

Prince William and Prince Harry join the procession following the state hearse carrying the coffin at Windsor

Prince Andrew and Prince Harry were both again banned from saluting during the procession to Westminster Abbey on Monday  while other royals including King Charles III, Prince William and Princess Anne all performed the gesture.

Members of the Royal Family saluted when the Queen's coffin was taken into the Abbey. But Andrew and Harry simply stood still because they were not allowed to wear military uniform, as neither are now working royals.

It comes after Harry and Andrew were also prohibited from saluting at the funeral procession to Westminster Hall. Andrew did also not salute at the vigil in Edinburgh for the same reason.

The decision to ban Harry and Andrew from wearing military uniforms in most events following the Queen's death at Balmoral is a reminder of how both now have limited involvement in the Royal Family.

Prince Harry spent ten years in the Army, but he was stripped of his honorary military titles in 2020 after he and his wife announced they were stepping down as senior working royals and moving abroad.

His uncle the Duke of York, who was forced to stand down from public life in 2019 over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, is the only other royal banned from wearing military uniform at the ceremonial events and funeral.

Meghan was 'unresponsive' to Queen Consort Camilla's attempts to give her advice and support when she first joined the Royal Family, book claims

By Jessica Taylor for MailOnline

The Duchess of Sussex was 'unresponsive' to Queen Consort Camilla's advice to her when she first joined The Firm, a royal book has claimed.

A new biography of the Queen Consort, written by Angela Levin, claims the then-Duchess of Cornwall organised lunches with Meghan and did her best to welcome her into the family - but her advice fell flat with an 'unresponsive' Meghan.

An extract of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall: A Royal Survivor, which was published in the Telegraph, Levin claims Camilla was keen to help Meghan at the beginning of her relationship with Harry after herself struggling to be accepted by the Royal Family, and 'warmly' welcomed her when she first arrived in London.

A biography of the Queen Consort Camilla, written by Angela Levin, claims the then-Duchess of Cornwall was keen to welcome Meghan into the family (Meghan and Queen Consort Camilla at the Queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday)

Levin claimed Meghan was 'unresponsive' to Camilla's efforts to advise her on the increased scrutiny she would receive as a senior member of the Royal Family (pictured: King Charles, Queen Consort, Harry and Meghan at Charles's 70th birthday)

Levin added King Charles, who was then Prince of Wales, enjoyed Meghan's company and often spoke to her about theatre and the arts.

In an attempt to help the Duchess of Sussex 'find her feet', the Queen Consort advised her on how to handle the pressure of being in the public eye and the scrutiny she would face as a senior member of the Royal Family.

Levin quoted an unnamed source who told her at the time: 'She doesnt want to see anyone struggling and she is fond of Meghan.'

Despite Camilla's efforts, Levin claimed the Duchess 'seemed bored' and 'preferred to go her own way' in carving out a role for herself within The Firm.

The author also acknowledged the Duchess of Sussex's reputation within the family for being an incredibly hard worker, noting the cookbook she made contributions to which had been put together by survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

A royal book has claimed Harry suggested bringing in a mediator to heal the rift within the royal family, to which Queen Consort Camilla 'spat out her tea'. Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla at the Queen's funeral on Monday

Paying tribute to Meghan's work with the Grenfell community, Levin noted how the Queen Consort invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, plus Camilla's friend Lucia Santa Cruz, to lunch at Highgrove, and made sure the menu had been cultivated specifically from recipes in the Grenfell Tower cookbook - which Lucia described as 'a really nice gesture'.

The account detailed by Levin comes as another royal book claims the Queen Consort 'spluttered over her tea' when Prince Harry suggested bringing in a third-party mediator to heal the rift between himself and Meghan and the rest of the family.

In The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown, by Katie Nicholl, which has been serialised in Vanity Fair, Nicholl wrote how relations between the Duke and Duchess and the rest of the family were most strained after Harry and Meghan did not come to the UK in March 2021 to attend the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service.

At the time, reports claimed Harry had concerns over his family's security arrangements while in the UK.

Nicholl wrote that King Charles, who was then Prince of Wales, invited Harry and Meghan to tea just weeks after the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service, as the couple stopped off in the UK before heading to The Hague to attend an Invictus Games event.

However, an unnamed family friend told Nicholl the meeting was 'awkward' and only lasted for around 15 minutes after the Duke and Duchess were late to meet then-Prince Charles and then-Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla.

They claimed: '[Harry] actually suggested that they use a mediator to try and sort things out, which had Charles somewhat bemused and Camilla spluttering into her tea.'They added the Queen Consort told the Duke his suggestion was 'ridiculous' and that they would resolve their differences within the family.
She drafted in a behaviour expert, Dr Roger Mugford, to help manage the pack

Late Queen always adored her corgis and she owned 30 during her 70-year reign

She had received Muick- named after Loch Muick - as a gift from Prince Andrew

Her beloved corgis were at the Queen's deathbed, according to Palace sources

Two of the late Queen's corgis were by the side of Her Majesty in her final hours, The Mail on Sunday understands.

The beloved pets, Muick and Sandy, were 'with her in the room' at her deathbed on September 8, according to Palace sources.

Muick and Sandy touched people's hearts with their poignant appearance at Windsor Castle during the Queen's last journey on Monday.

Prince Andrew had given Muick, named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral estate, and pronounced 'Mick', to the Queen as a pup, along with another named Fergus. When Fergus died three months later, another corgi, Sandy, was found to replace him with the help of the Queen's granddaughter Princess Beatrice.

Although the Queen adored her corgis, her pets did not always reciprocate her unwavering loyalty. In the 1980s, she was nipped on the hand by a corgi and needed stitches.

Muick and Sandy touched people's hearts with their poignant appearance at Windsor Castle during the Queen's last journey on Monday (pictured)

The late Queen always adored her corgis, owning 30 during her 70-year reign. Pictured: one of the final photographs released of the Queen, which saw her celebrating her Jubilee in February

After that, she drafted in a behaviour expert, Dr Roger Mugford, to help manage the pack, which had at the time swelled to nine. One was so unruly he was sent to live with the Queen's daughter, Princess Anne.

When Dr Mugford advised the Queen to have fewer dogs, she responded: 'Dr Mugford, Prince Philip has already told me that I have too many dogs. If I wanted advice of that sort, I could have saved your fee.'

Undeterred, the monarch continued to expand her collection of corgis and other dogs, owning 30 in total during her 70-year reign.

The first Pembroke Welsh corgi she owned was Susan, a present on her 18th birthday in 1944. Susan died in 1959 and is buried at the pet cemetery at Sandringham.

In 1971, the Queen was credited with inventing the dorgi, after her corgi Tiny crossed with her sister Princess Margaret's dachshund Pipkin.

Prince Andrew (pictured visiting the dogs on Monday) had given Muick, named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral estate, and pronounced 'Mick', to the Queen as a pup, along with another named Fergus

The first Pembroke Welsh corgi Elizabeth owned was Susan (pictured), a present on her 18th birthday in 1944

Last week, Dr Mugford said that the animals were 'psychologically so important' for the Queen's happiness, adding that he believed they would be happy living in the familiar surroundings of Prince Andrew's home, Royal Lodge, on Windsor Great Park.

The Queen's other dog, Lissy, whose pedigree name is Wolferton Drama, is the current Kennel Club cocker spaniel gundog champion.

While the Queen bred corgis until 2015, she resisted taking on dogs in recent years as she did not want to leave any behind. She accepted Muick and Sandy on the basis that Prince Andrew or Princess Beatrice would have them back.

Just as her family had planned, they were with her until the end.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gathers strength over the Caribbean and forecasters say it could slam into the Sunshine State early next week.

DeSantis originally issued the order for 24 counties on Friday, but on Saturday widened the declaration to encompass all 67 counties in Florida.

He encouraged residents and local governments to make preparations as the storm moves toward the state. The Florida National Guard has also been activated.

DeSantis has further requested a federal pre-landfall emergency declaration.

'This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations,' DeSantis said.

'We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm.'

President Joe Biden also declared an emergency for the state, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance to protect lives and property.

Under the order, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.

The emergency protective measures, include direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program which will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

The president also postponed a scheduled September 27 trip to Florida due to the storm.

Tropical Storm Ian is in the southern Caribbean but is expected to bring heavy rain and intense hurricane winds to the state next week

The storm could begin hitting southern Florida late on Monday or Tuesday morning, with this graphic showing one potential path

DeSantis initially issued the emergency order for two dozen counties on Friday but has now expanded the warning to the entire states 67 counties

There are still various models suggesting which way the storm will track

The storm is expected to strengthen into a category 4 hurricane before striking the Florida coast

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Florida as Tropical Storm Ian gathers strength over the Caribbean

The National Hurricane Centre said Ian is forecast to rapidly strengthen in the coming days before moving over western Cuba and approach Florida next week with major hurricane force.

John Cangialosi, a senior hurricane specialist with National Hurricane Centre in Miami, said it is currently unclear where Ian will hit hardest in Florida and said residents should begin preparing for the storm, including gathering supplies for potential power outages.

'It's too soon to say if it's going to be a south-east Florida problem or a central Florida problem or just the entire state,' he said to WESH. 'So, at this point, really the right message for those living in Florida is that you have to watch forecasts and get ready and prepare yourself for potential impact from this tropical system.'

The National Hurricane Center has been tracking Tropical Storm Ian, forecast to strengthen into a hurricane within the next few days

Counties across Central Florida have been preparing for possible impact from the storm

Officials in the Caribbean and Florida are warning residents to prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Ian, an intensifying storm that's expected to grow into a hurricane

The weather system is currently churning southeast of Jamaica and was declared a tropical storm Friday night. It is projected to hit populated areas with heavy rains and high winds starting Sunday

The storm is first expected to hit Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands

Bradley Sierra and his family load plywood to board up their home at Home Depot in St. Cloud, Fla., as they spent Friday stocking up. 'We got a lot of water, food, gasoline, a generator in case the power goes out,' he said

Residents in Osceola County, south of Orlando, are already stocking up on plywood boards

Floridians panic bug water at Costco ahead of a possible hurricane which is expected to affect Florida early next week

The storm could begin hitting southern Florida late on Monday or Tuesday morning. It is first expected to hit Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

An official from Monroe County, whose county seat is Key West - the southern most island of the Florida Keys - told the Miami Herald they had not yet made the decision to order evacuations but could re-evaluate.

Sarasota Mayor Erik Arroyo said the city had been in touch with Florida Power & Light and urged residents to prepare for the storm.

'Be proactive, contact your doctor, make sure you stock up on your medications,' he said. 'Have some water, some basic necessities.'

Two previous launch attempts of the Artemis 1 mission Space Launch System (SLS) were scrapped when the rocket experienced technical glitches including a fuel leak

The storm has prompted NASA to call off its scheduled Tuesday launch of its historic unmanned mission to the Moon due to the storm that.

After two previously canceled launch attempts, NASA is weighing returning the Artemis 1 mission rocket to its assembly site under the threat of extreme weather.

'NASA is forgoing a launch opportunity... and preparing for rollback (from the launchpad), while continuing to watch the weather forecast associated with Tropical Storm Ian,' it said on Saturday.

On the launchpad, the giant orange and white Space Launch System (SLS) rocket can withstand wind gusts of up to 85 miles per hour. But if it has to be sheltered, the current launch window, which runs until October 4, will be missed.

If the rocket remains at the pad, Nasa could try for an October 2 launch attempt, the last opportunity before a two-week blackout period.

A rollback late on Sunday or early Monday likely would mean a lengthy delay for the test flight, possibly pushing it into November.

A decision on whether to roll back the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building is due to be taken by the Artemis 1 team on Sunday, 'to allow for additional data gathering and analysis,' with the operation, if necessary, starting late Sunday or Monday morning, NASA said.

Jim Free, associate administrator for the agency's exploration systems development directorate, said on Twitter that a 'step-wise approach' to the decision to roll back preserves 'a launch opportunity if conditions improve,' indicating a launch date before October 5 was still on the table.

If not, the next launch window will run from October 17 to 31, with one possibility of take-off per day, except from October 24-26 and 28.

The Artemis 1 space mission hopes to test the SLS as well as the unmanned Orion capsule that sits atop it, in preparation for future Moon-bound journeys with humans aboard.

It's the third delay in the past month for Artemis I, the lunar-orbiting test flight featuring mannequins but no astronauts.

The Artemis I rocket may be returned to its hangar because of the threat of tropical storm Ian

Hydrogen fuel leaks and other technical issues caused the previous cancellations.

The Space Launch System rocket is the most powerful ever built by Nasa. Assuming its first test flight goes well, astronauts would climb aboard for the next mission in 2024, leading to a two-person moon landing in 2025.

Artemis is named after the twin sister of the Greek god Apollo, after whom the first Moon missions were named.

Meanwhile, strong rain and winds have been lashing the Atlantic Canada region as a powerful post-tropical cyclone made landfall there, with forecasters earlier warning it could be one of the most severe storms in the county's history.

Fiona made landfall in Nova Scotia before dawn on Saturday.

More than 500,000 customers in Atlantic Canada have been affected by outages.

Ocean waves pounded the town of Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea.

A fallen tree lies in front of a Newfoundland power truck parked after the arrival of Hurricane Fiona in Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada on Saturday

A fallen tree lies on a crushed pickup truck following the passing of Hurricane Fiona, later downgraded to a post-tropical storm, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on Saturday

A fallen tree lies in front of a house's driveway after the arrival of Hurricane Fiona in Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada on Saturday
Chinese FM meets Indonesian counterpart on sidelines of UNGA session

Xinhua) 15:10, September 24, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi on Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the ever-enriching connotation of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership, and pledged to follow through on the important consensuses reached between the two heads of state, and to continuously deepen practical cooperation between the two countries in various areas towards building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future.

The two sides exchanged views on the 2022 Group of 20 (G20) Bali Summit.

Noting the negative spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis and the grave risk of a global economic recession, Wang called on major developed countries and emerging economies to take the summit as an opportunity to strengthen policy coordination and cooperation, so as to bring hope to a global recovery.

Wang said China expects Indonesia to exercise leadership during its G20 presidency, to encourage all parties to center on the original aspiration of the G20, maintain solidarity, and put development front and center, and to prompt participants of the summit to reach consensuses on such pressing issues as food, climate, energy and supply chains.

China fully supports Indonesia in successfully hosting the summit, and stands ready to coordinate closely with Indonesia to push for positive outcomes of the summit, he added.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Myanmar issue.

Wang said that China supports Indonesia in taking over the rotating presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and supports sticking to the "ASEAN way," maintaining ASEAN solidarity, and encouraging different parties in Myanmar to carry out consultation and dialogue so as to reach a political consensus within the framework of Myanmar's own constitution and laws.

(Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Bianji)
Le ministere des Arts et du Patrimoine Culturel va organiser du 14 au 16 octobre 2022, trois fetes en collaboration du Ministere du Tourisme et la MTPA avec la participation des artistes internationaux et locaux dans le pays.

Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage organising three Divali Shows at national level from 14 to 16 October 2022, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, and with the participation of local and international artists.

These three live performances would equally form part of the 12 Fetes Nationales being organised throughout the island in the context of the 55th Anniversary of the Independence of Mauritius which would be celebrated next year.
Projectile is believed to have already fallen, according to Japan's coast guards

It comes days before a planned visit by the US Vice President Kamala Harris

North Korea believed to have fired a ballistic missile towards Sea of Japan

North Korea has fired a suspected ballistic missile towards the Sea of Japan just days before US military drills and a visit by Vice President Kamala Harris to the region amid regional tensions, South Korea and Japan's leadership have said.

South Korea's military have claimed North Korea fired a single, short-range ballistic missile fired from near the Taechon area of North Pyongyan Province just before 7am.

Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has dialed up its testing activities to a record pace - testing more than 30 ballistic weapons, including its first intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017 - as it continues to expand its military capabilities amid a prolonged stalemate in nuclear diplomacy.

The launch came as the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group arrived in South Korea for the two countries' joint military exercise to meant to show their strength against growing North Korean threats.

It comes just days before a planned visit by the U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.

People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast of file footage of a North Korean missile at a railway station in Seoul

South Korea's military said North Korea fired a single, short-range ballistic missile fired from near the Taechon area of North Pyongyan Province just before 7am

The threat from North Korea is expected to be a key agenda when Ms Harris visits South Korea next week after attending the state funeral in Tokyo of slain former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said this morning: 'North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile into the East Sea.'

Japan's coast guard also confirmed a likely ballistic missile launch, citing information from Tokyo's defence ministry.

The coast guard said: 'Vessels please be vigilant for new information and if you spot any foreign objects please don't get closer to them but inform the coast guard.'

Japan's Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Japan estimated it reached maximum altitude at 50 km and may have flown on an irregular trajectory.

US Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to visit South Korea next week where the threat of North Korea will be a key topic of discussion

Mr Hamada said it fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone and there were no reports of problems with shipping or air traffic.

Japan's public broadcaster NHK said the object appeared to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Many of the short-range missiles tested by North Korea in recent years have been designed to evade missile defences by maneuvering during flight and flying on a lower, 'depressed' trajectory, experts have said.

Mr Hamada added: 'If you include launches of cruise missiles this is the nineteenth launch, which is an unprecedented pace.

'North Korea's action represent a threat to the peace and security of our country, the region and the international community and to do this as the Ukraine invasion unfolds is unforgivable.'

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday did not immediately say what type of missile it was or how far it flew.

It is the first time the North has carried out such a launch after it fired eight short-range ballistic missiles in one day earlier this year in June.

This led to the United States to call for more UN sanctions to be placed on the country for violating UN Security Council resolutions.

North Korea rejects UN resolutions as an infringement of its sovereign right to self defence and space exploration.

Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has dialed up its testing activities to a record pace - testing more than 30 ballistic weapons, including its first intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017

The launch today comes days after South Korean officials said they detected signs that North Korea was preparing to test a missile designed to be fired from submarines, reported Yonhap news agency, based in South Korea.

The office of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier said that he was briefed on possible North Korean preparations for a submarine-launched ballistic test before his flight back home from a visit to Canada.

South Korea's military detected preparations this week in Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, Yonhap reported, citing an unnamed military source.

This is in line with a U.S.-based think tank's report this week, which cited commercial satellite imagery.

On Saturday in a statement from the Presidential Office, South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol said he was aware of the movements regarding potential North Korean provocations, including the possibility of submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

President Suk-yeol is aware of signs and movements suggesting North Korean provocations, including SLBMs, the presidential office said in a statement on Saturday.

The President, who took office in May, has vowed to beef up joint military exercises with the United States after years of failed diplomacy with North Korea under his predecessor.

U.S. Vice President Harris is set to visit the region next week and meet with leaders of Japan and South Korea.

It follows visit by President Joe Biden in May, and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month.

The launch came as the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group arrived in South Korea for the two countries' joint military exercise to meant to show their strength against growing North Korean threats

On Friday, a senior administration official for the US government said that a nuclear test or another provocation was possible during the Vice President's trip.

The spokesperson added that they had no predictions or announcements to make.

The USS Reagan will take part in joint drills off South Korea's east coast this month.

Washington is Seoul's key security ally and stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect it from the North.

The two countries have long carried out joint exercises, which they insist are purely defensive but North Korea sees them as rehearsals for an invasion.

The drills have also been criticised by Russia and China, which have called on all sides not to take steps that raise tensions in the region, and have called for an easing of sanctions.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said: 'Pyongyang could be making a show of strength while a US aircraft carrier is visiting South Korea for defense exercises.

'But North Korea's major tests are, most of all, part of a long-term campaign for advancing offensive military capabilities.'

South Korean and US officials have been warning for months that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to conduct another nuclear test.

The isolated regime has tested nuclear weapons six times since 2006.

Its last and most powerful one in 2017 - which Pyongyang claimed was a hydrogen bomb - had an estimated yield of 250 kilotons.

On Wednesday, 38North, a North Korea-focused website, said its analysis of commercial satellite imagery shows multiple barges and other vessels gathered at the eastern port of Sinpo, where North Korea has a major shipyard building submarines.

The report said the North was possibly preparing to launch a new submarine capable of firing ballistic missiles.

North Korea has been pushing hard to acquire an ability to fire nuclear-armed missiles from submarines, which it sees as a key piece in building a nuclear arsenal.

This would pose a viable threat to its neighbors and event the United States.

Such weapons in theory would bolster North Korea's deterrent by ensuring retaliation after absorbing a nuclear attack on land.

Ballistic missile submarines would also add a new maritime threat to the North's growing collection of solid-fuel weapons fired from land vehicles, which are being developed with an apparent aim to overwhelm missile defense systems in South Korea and Japan.

Experts, however, have said that the heavily sanctioned nation would need considerably more time, resources and major technological improvements to build at least several submarines that could travel quietly in seas and reliably execute strikes.

South Korea's military in March detected the North flight-testing a ballistic missile from a submarine in March that flew 600 kilometers before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

The March launch was North Korea's first testing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile system since October of last year, when it fired a new short-range missile from the 8.24 Yongung - its only known submarine capable of launching a missile. The October underwater launch was the North's first in two years.
A GP who offers to pray for patients has been ordered by NHS bosses to attend an education course designed for doctors facing allegations of having sex with patients.

Dr Richard Scott, 62, who is not accused of sexual misconduct or inappropriate physical contact with patients, refused to undergo the three-day maintaining professional boundaries course, accusing health chiefs of an outrageous attempt to humiliate him.

He faces losing his job amid the row over his practice of offering spiritual care to patients suffering from depression, anxiety or addiction.

In 2019 the National Secular Society complained that a highly vulnerable patient felt discomfort at the use of prayer by Dr Scott, of Bethesda Medical Centre in Margate, Kent.

GMC guidance advises doctors: You may talk about your own personal beliefs only if a patient asks you directly about them.

Despite being cleared after a General Medical Council (GMC) probe, NHS England continued a separate inquiry and ordered him to go on the 1,800 course at his own expense.

Dr Richard Scott, 62, who offers prays for his patients was 'outraged' after he was ordered by NHS bosses to attend an education course designed for'sexual miscreants' - in his words

In 2019 the National Secular Society complained that a highly vulnerable patient felt discomfort at the use of prayer by Dr Scott, of Bethesda Medical Centre (pictured) in Margate, Kent

A description of the course outlines how it is for situations where there are allegations in relation to inappropriate emotional or sexualised relationships with colleagues, sexualised relationships with patients, inappropriate use of touch, sexual harassment, sexualised or inappropriate language.

Dr Scott said: It was essentially aimed at sexual miscreants. There was nothing that I could see was relevant to me. I was outraged.

NHS England says the course is applicable as it covers a wide range of professional boundaries.

A tribunal will hear Dr Scotts appeal tomorrow. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Dr Scott, said: What business is it of NHS England to subject this hard-working doctor to intimidating investigations all to try and put an end to him offering prayer to his patients?

Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, said: Consultations should be patient-centred, rather than driven by a doctors religious agenda.

NHS England declined to comment.
Todd Boehly's brutal cull of Chelsea staff has continued with the departure of medical chief Paco Biosca.

The long-serving Spaniard had spent 11 years in the role and was present for both of the club's Champions League titles in 2012 and 2021.

Biosca leaves at the end of a tumultuous week which saw commercial director Damian Willoughby sacked due to 'inappropriate messages' he sent before joining the club, as well as the exit of director of communications Steve Atkins.

Todd Boehly's brutal cull of Chelsea staff continues with the exit of medical chief Paco Biosca

Manager Thomas Tuchel was sacked by the Blues owners two week ago after a 100-day review

Biosca arrived in 2011 but now leaves a little more than a fortnight after manager Thomas Tuchel was sacked - a decision that is reported by the Telegraph as coming as a 'shock' to players who have worked with the 69-year-old for several years.

It was a surprise that Boehly and the new Blues owners sent 80million summer signing Wesley Fofana to the US for his medical, rather than letting the club carry it out in-house.

First-team doctor Dimitrios Kalogiannidis will take over temporarily until a permanent replacement is found. Boehly's ownership has recently finished an exhaustive 100-day review of the west London side, culminating in Tuchel and Biosca's exits.

Former chairman Bruce Buck (right), director and transfers chief Marina Granovskaia (left), and technical and performance director Petr Cech have all left Stamford Bridge recently too

Former chairman Bruce Buck, director and transfers chief Marina Granovskaia, technical and performance director Petr Cech and international head of scouting Scott McLachlan have all left as well.

Biosca, a specialist in orthopaedic surgery, was previously head of Shakhtar Donetsk's medical department for six years.

Chelsea's players will return to Cobham training ground on Monday to prepare for new manager Graham Potter's first Premier League game at the helm, against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Bachelor's Clayton Echard and Susie Evans announced their breakup on Friday.

Echard, 29, and Evans, 29, got together over the course of The Bachelor's 26th season, but the pair released a joint statement announcing their relationship had run its course.

'With incredibly heavy hearts, we wanted to share that we have decided to go our separate ways,' the pair wrote. 'For anyone who has ever loved, knows this was a painful decision to make and not one taken lightly.'

Ending: The Bachelor's Clayton Echard and Susie Evans announced their break up on Friday

Echard and Evans then said they knew there would be a number of questions about the breakup and alluded to outside factors interfering in their romance.

'But we will share this  although this last year together has brought us so much joy and so many laughs, there has also been a significant amount of pain,' they wrote. 'We know no healthy relationship comes without its struggles, but weve realized that we were not prepared for the external forces that hindered our ability to not only heal as individuals but also as a couple. We both are focused on continuing to work on ourselves, so we can be the best version of ourselves.'

They continued, 'This is not an easy time for either of us but we stand in support of each other and hope to see the other go on to find happiness and healing. Although Claysie is no more, we hope that our communities can support us individually as we move forward with love and respect for each other.

'Thank you to all of you that supported our relationship. It means so much more than you will ever know. '

Joint statement: Echard, 29, and Evans, 29, got together over the course of The Bachelor's 26th season, but the pair released a joint statement announcing their relationship had run its course

Outside problems: Echard and Evans then said they knew there would be a number of questions about the breakup, but they did allude to outside factors interfering in their romance (pictured March 2022)

The news came about a month after the two announced they were moving to separate states. Echard moved to Arizona while Evans headed to Los Angeles.

The couple had a tumultuous relationship before the show ended. Echard sent Evans home after she said she didn't want him to have sex with any of the other contestants during the fantasy suite week.

Echard then revealed he'd already been intimate with Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia.

'You just dropped a bombshell on me, and I dont agree with it at all how you went about it,' he said to her at the time, according to People. 'I think its BS  Im sorry that I even raised my voice. Its because I cared so much, I really did love you.  Anything you say to me at this point doesnt matter to me anymore, so Im going to walk you out.'

Sent home: The couple had a tumultuous relationship before the show ended. Echard sent Evans home after she said she didn't want him to have sex with any of the other contestants during the fantasy suite week (pictured 2021)

Too late: Echard then revealed he'd already been intimate with Gabby Windey (right) and Rachel Recchia (left)

Susie came back during part two of the finale after Echard broke up with both Gabby and Rachel.

Ultimately though, she didn't accept the final rose from him, choosing to leave the show solo instead.

The pair revealed in March that they got together after the show ended.

Season 27 of The Bachelor is currently in the works and will star Zach Shallcross as the titular man looking for love.
The relationship between Home and Away's golden couple James Stewart and Sarah Roberts is rumoured to be on the rocks.

Rumours sparked after Stewart, who married Roberts in 2019, was notably absent from the premiere of his wife's latest film, Wog Boys Forever, on Thursday night in Melbourne.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Stewart was 'nowhere to be seen on the red carpet' and Stewart is no longer following her on Instagram.

Home and Away stars James Stewart and Sarah Roberts' relationship is rumoured to be on the rocks. The couple, who married in 2019, have reportedly separated

However, Roberts' agent shut down claims of a split and the actress was still wearing her wedding ring at the event.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Roberts' management for comment.

Rumours of the pair's breakup had been swirling for many months and they had reportedly been undergoing couple's counselling in a bid to restore their relationship, claims the Daily Telegraph.

Stewart, 46, and Roberts, 37, got engaged in November 2018. He proposed at the restaurant where they'd had their first date the previous year.

Rumours of the pair's breakup had been swirling for many months and they had reportedly been undergoing couple's counselling in a bid to restore their relationship

Stewart was notably absent from the premiere of his wife's latest film on Thursday night in Melbourne. Pictured: Sarah at the red carpet premiere of Wog Boys Forever

The pair tied the knot at Luttrellstown Castle, on the outskirts of Dublin, in July 2019.

The actor, who plays Justin Morgan on Home and Away, shares daughter Scout, 10, with his ex-fiancee Jessica Marais.

In 2020, Sarah told Stellar magazine she had suffered two miscarriages since getting married.

The Home and Away stars got engaged in November 2018. Pictured: James Stewart (centre), Sarah Roberts (left) and Stewart's daughter Scout (right)

Stewart shares his daughter with ex Jessica Marais, whom he met on the set of Packed to the Rafters in 2009. Pictured (l-r): James Stewart, his daughter Scout and wife Sarah Roberts

Stewart shares his daughter with ex Jessica Marais, whom he met on the set of Packed to the Rafters in 2009.

The had announced their engagement in October 2010, and welcomed Scout in May 2012.

In 2015, the pair called it quits, with James later saying: 'Our relationship didn't work out because I think hearts go in different directions eventually.'
Advertisement

Bella Hadid wore one of her raciest looks yet on Friday, as she stepped out at the Versace afterparty during Milan Fashion Week.

After strutting their stuff down the catwalk for the iconic fashion house, Bella, 25, and older sister Gigi, 27, went braless in plunging dresses to celebrate further alongside some of the biggest names in the industry.

Iconic supermodel Kate Moss, 48, also made her presence known as she showed up in a black dress and leopard print coat.

Racy! Braless Bella Hadid took the plunge in a slinky cowl neck dress as she joined stars including Jourdan Dunn (right) for the Versace afterparty in Milan on Friday

Bella's frock featured long sleeves, a long skirt and a chunky, spiked, black belt at the waist.

She teamed the look with black vintage-looking sunglasses, black heeled boots and a black leather handbag.

Bella looked incredible with her long, dark locks out and over her shoulders neatly straightened.

Sleek: The model looked incredible with her long, dark locks out and over her shoulders neatly straightened

Daring: Bella's dress featured a deep cowl neck which left little the imagination, and she teamed the look with black sunglasses and heeled boots and a black leather handbag

Flawless: She wore makeup including dewy foundation and a glossy pink lip

She wore makeup including dewy foundation and a glossy pink lip. Earlier on in the evening, Bella strutted her stuff down the catwalk alongside sister Gigi and looked stunning wearing a bright purple dress and matching veil.

The older Hadid looked equally striking in a bright red dress that boasted a fringed zip-up skirt, revealing her long legs.

Gigi's look featured a draped hood that connected to the deep neckline of her ensemble, which put her cleavage on display.

Her blonde hair was slicked back with a center part and she donned a gold chain necklace, but skipped earrings.

Don't move an inch! Bella narrowly avoided a wardrobe malfunction and held her hand close to her chest as she moved inside

Storming the runway! Earlier on in the evening, Bella strutted her stuff down the catwalk alongside sister Gigi and looked stunning wearing a bright purple dress and matching veil

A stylish arrival: Bella was driven to the event in a private car from the fashion show

Confident: She oozed confidence as she walked inside, showing off a soft golden glow on the evening

Big sister: The older Hadid looked equally striking in a bright red dress that boasted a fringed zip-up skirt, revealing her long legs

Chic style: Her blonde hair was slicked back with a center part and she donned a gold chain necklace, but skipped earrings

Glamour: The mom-of-one, who shares daughter Khai with ex Zayn Malik, wore a light face of glowy makeup

Stunner: Iconic supermodel Kate Moss, 48, also made her presence known as she showed up in a black dress and leopard print coat

Subtle: Moss looked effortlessly stylish as she casually draped the printed outerwear over one shoulder at the event

Kate Moss put on an equally eye-catching display in a halter-neck mini frock with sheer detailing near her shoulders.

She flung a statement leopard print coat over on shoulder and boosted her height with a pair of perspex heels with heart shaped toes.

Kate accessorised with a low slung leather belt and carried a large black tote bag with fur detail.

Meanwhile, Jourdan Dunn looked effortlessly chic as she made her way inside, wearing a mint green minidress that was covered in jewels and had a delicate chain belt.

All eyes on her! Also seen heading into the afterparty was model Emily Ratajkowski, 31, who wore a black and plunging cowl neck minidress

Risky: Emily put her best assets on display in her frock, going braless

Her dress featured an eye-catching jewel embellishment and she teamed the look with a jeweled handbag and 900 Mach and Mach heels.

Also seen heading into the afterparty was model Emily Ratajkowski, 31, who wore a black and plunging cowl neck minidress.

Emily also graced the runway for the brand at the fashion show.

Irina Shayk, 36, looked chic in an off-the shoulder minidress and towering heels.

Oozing glamour: Irina Shayk, 36, looked chic in an off-the shoulder minidress and towering heels

Bombshell: The brunette beauty looked hot to trot with a winged eye and her long, dark locks out and over her shoulders

Style maven: Selling Sunset star Christine Quinn, 33, was also in attendance, wearing a dazzling gold shift and black platform shoes

Star power: Christine flashed a smile and a wave as she was escorted inside the venue in Italy

The brunette beauty looked hot to trot with a winged eye and her long, dark locks out and over her shoulders.

Standing out in brighter ensembles were Vanessa Hudgens and Lily James.

Selling Sunset star Christine Quinn, 33, was also in attendance, wearing a dazzling gold shift and black platform shoes.

The blonde bombshell flashed a smile and a wave as she was escorted inside the Italian venue with a fully made up face featuring bold eye makeup and a glossed pout.

A pop of colour: Standing out in brighter ensembles were Vanessa Hudgens and Lily James. Vanessa opted for a bright pink satin coat while Lily stunned in a figure-hugging pink dress

Elegant: Lily elegantly climbed out of a car and quickly flicked her hair as she made her way inside

Busting out: Her frock featured a bustier-like design and was figure-hugging

Vanessa opted for a bright pink satin coat over a shimmering crop top and miniskirt while Lily stunned in a figure-hugging pink dress.

She looked sensational as she showed off her toned figure and washboard abs.

Vanessa pulled her long locks back and off her face into a high ponytail and wore makeup including a nude lip.

Chic: Vanessa pulled her long locks back and off her face into a high ponytail

Looking good: She looked sensational as she showed off her toned figure and washboard abs

Influencer Chiara Ferragni looked stunning in a fluro yellow dress and heels and walked hand-in-hand with husband Fedez.

Fedez looked dapper in a black suit and showed off his numerous tattoos.

Milan Fashion Week runs from September 20 until September 26.
NRL star Braith Anasta and his fiancee Rachael Lee are still working through things despite speculation that they've split.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the couple 'have been trying to sort through things for quite a few months and have been living apart' but haven't officially broken up yet.

It comes after Braith confirmed that he and Rachael are going through a 'tough period'.

NRL star Braith Anasta (left) and his fiancee Rachael Lee (right) are working through things following speculation the couple have split

The former Roosters player, 40, posted a statement on his Instagram page on Wednesday, writing: 'Like many couples we are going through a tough period.'

He insisted the couple were not separated but 'trying to work through this for us and more importantly for our beautiful family and our amazing children'.

'We have always been private and we ask for privacy during this time,' he added.

The statement comes as Rachael was spotted without her engagement ring on again while running errands in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

NRL star Braith Anasta has confirmed he and his fiancee Rachael Lee are going through a 'tough period' following rumours the couple have split

She was dressed in a black hoodie and sunglasses as she was seen getting out of her car.

Rachael, who shares four-year-old daughter Gigi with the NRL star, had dropped several hints the pair have parted ways.

The personal trainer unfollowed her beau on Instagram and removed any mention of his name in her account bio.

She has also been spotted several times without her engagement ring, and been spending most of her downtime partying with her friends and sister Bridgette.

Braith and Rachael have also failed to share any photos of each other on Instagram for some time.

While footy star Braith still follows Rachael's account, he hasn't shared a photo of the couple together since December last year.

She has unfollowed her beau on Instagram and removed any mention of his name in her account bio

Recent Instagram posts of the personal trainer also show she hasn't been wearing her engagement ring. (Rachael is pictured without her ring while posing with a gal pal on Tuesday)

Rachael's Instagram feed suggests she's been spending most of her downtime partying with her friends and sister. (Rachael is pictured partying with her sister Bridgette on September 11)

In August, Rachael was pictured with Braith wearing her ring at a charity event for the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation.

The couple did not pose side-by-side for a photo however, with Rachael instead opting to share photos of herself posing arm-in-arm with other guests.

Rachael has been heavily involved in the charity after she was diagnosed with melanoma in 2020.

In August, Rachael was pictured with Braith wearing her ring at a charity event for the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation. (The couple are pictured posing with friends at the event)

The couple did not pose side-by-side for a photo however, with Rachael instead opting to share photos of herself posing arm-in-arm with other guests

While footy star Braith still follows Rachael's account, he hasn't shared a photo of the couple together since December last year

Daily Mail Australia reached out to both Rachael and Braith for comment at the time.

The genetically blessed couple began dating in 2016 and welcomed their first child together, daughter Gigi, in January 2018.

Braith also has an eight-year-old daughter Aleeia with ex-wife Jodi Gordon, while Rachael has a son, Addison, 11, from a previous relationship.

Rachael and Braith share daughter Gigi, four. Braith has a daughter Aleeia, eight, with ex-wife Jodi Gordon. Rachael Lee has a son, Addison, 11, from a previous relationship. All pictured

Rachael and Braith became engaged in 2019 but had to put their wedding plans on hold due to the pandemic.

Back in January 2020, Rachael documented her trip to a bridal dress store on Instagram.

At the time, she shared snaps of herself while trying on a glamorous gown by Sydney-based designer J.Andreatta.

The bride-to-be also revealed that she and Braith are considering hosting their wedding on a 'Greek Island.'
Ben Affleck looked relaxed while running to pick up his son Samuel from school in Brentwood on Friday.

The 50-year-old actor donned a blue, plaid flannel and a pair of dark jeans.

He walked in light brown boots as he held his 10-year-old son's hand.

Casual ensemble: Ben Affleck looked relaxed while running to pick up his son Samuel from school in Brentwood on Friday

The Argo star added a pair of reflective sunglasses on the sunny afternoon out.

His youngest child, who he shares with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, rocked a dark green polo shirt, dark blue pants and black and white sneakers.

Affleck held Samuel's hand as they carefully crossed the street towards his parked vehicle.

On his way: The 50-year-old actor donned a blue, plaid flannel and a pair of dark jeans

Holding hands: He walked in light brown boots as he held his 10-year-old son's hand

In a hurry? He seemed to be running late to pick up his son, running hard part of the way to get there

He carried a satchel slung over his right arm and held a dark blue sweater in his other hand.

Ben's appearance out came after his longtime friend and collaborator Kevin Smith shared details about Affleck's lengthy vows.

'He wrote a big speech that he read to [Jennifer Lopez] at the wedding, which was breathtaking,' he shared during an appearance on The View.

Sweet ceremony: Ben's appearance out came after his longtime friend and collaborator Kevin Smith shared details about Affleck's lengthy vows

Loving: 'He wrote a big speech that he read to [Jennifer Lopez] at the wedding, which was breathtaking,' he shared during an appearance on The View

'He's one of my favorite writers on the planet. He wrote his vows  they [both] wrote their vows, but he wrote a big speech that he read to her at the wedding, which was breathtaking,' Smith said.

'And it was long. That's one of my favorite things about Ben; he's his own biggest fan, so he wrote like a 12-page speech. I was like, "Keep talking, keep talking."'

In her On the JLo newsletter about the Georgia wedding, Lopez, 53, shared more details about what Affleck said on the special day.

'"This is heaven. Right Here. We're in it now." That is one of my favorite lines that Ben wrote from a movie he directed called Live By Night,' she wrote. 'He also said it the night of our wedding reception in his speech, and I thought ... how perfect.'
Married At First Sight bride Joanne Todd is officially a married woman after eloping with her partner of two years.

The former reality star, 41, and her boyfriend Joe Donaghy tied the knot in a beautiful private beachside ceremony at Cable Beach, Western Australia.

Jo announced the exciting news in photos shared to her Instagram, revealing that only five people were in attendance at the sunset ceremony.

Married At First Sight bride Joanne Todd, 41, is officially a married woman after eloping with her partner of two years, Joe Donaghy

'So Joe and I did a thing! We secretly eloped at our favourite destination with the most beautiful weather, funniest and caring celebrant, an amazing make up artist and talented photographer and 2 complete strangers as our witnesses,' she captioned her post.

'The day was the best day we have had so far. I am so happy and lucky to marry my best friend.'

In the stunning photos, the pair looked radiant as they posed together on the shore of the beach while the sun went down behind them.

The former reality star, 41, and her boyfriend Joe Donaghy tied the knot in a beautiful private beachside ceremony at Cable Beach, Western Australia

Jo announced the exciting news in photos shared to her Instagram, revealing that only five people were in attendance at the sunset ceremony

Jo wore a figure-hugging wedding gown and her hairstyle simple with her blonde locks out with a natural wave.

Speaking with Daily Mail Australia, Jo explained that the impromptu wedding was fuss-free.

'We wanted to elope because we don't like the fuss and we are so spontaneous,' she said.

Jo wore a figure-hugging wedding gown and her hairstyle simple with her blonde locks out with a natural wave

In the stunning snaps, the pair looked radiant as they posed together on the shore of the beach while the sun went down behind them

'We literally organised it all in two days!' she laughed. 'Everything just fell into place.'

The couple have been an item since November 2020, but only debuted their relationship in May 2021 at Jo's 40th birthday party.

They met at a hair salon while she was cutting his hair over three years ago. The pair reconnected a year later and have been inseparable ever since.

Speaking with Daily Mail Australia, Jo explained that the impromptu wedding was fuss-free. 'We wanted to elope because we don't like the fuss and we are so spontaneous,' she said

The couple have been an item since November 2020, but only debuted their relationship in May 2021 at Jo's 40th birthday party

Jo was paired with businessman James Susler in the eighth season of Married At First Sight. Their split was aired while they were sitting on the experts' couch.

In the episode, James claimed he went all out to make their relationship work.

But Joanne said he was 'full of s**t', screaming: 'Please stop your s**t!'

'You are talking rubbish. You are making yourself look so much better than what you are. You didn't try. You weren't trying. You blatantly lied to my life,' she snapped.
Paris Hilton is offering a $10,000 reward for the 'safe return' of her dog Diamond Baby after she went missing near the socialite's Los Angeles home over a week ago.

Taking to Instagram on Friday, the 41-year-old published a flyer that featured an image of the tiny Chihuahua and advertised the reward amount.

'$10,000 for the safe return or information leading to the safe return of Diamond!' penned Hilton, who stressed that it would be handed over with 'no questions asked.'

Reward: Paris Hilton is offering a $10,000 reward for the 'safe return' of her dog Diamond Baby after she went missing near the socialite's Los Angeles home over a week ago

The New York native added a heartfelt caption sharing her frustrations and fears with her more than 20 million followers.

'It's been over a week and Diamond Baby is still missing. [crying emoji] This has been on of the most painful experiences of my life. My heart is broken [broken heart emoji] I miss her so much and feel like part of me is gone without her next to me.[tear on cheek emoji].

'We are in contact with 6 credible pet psychic/communicators who have all told me that she is alive, which gives me some hope.[big eyes emoji] All I want is for her to be safe and back at home where she belongs.

The latest: Taking to Instagram on Friday, the 41-year-old published a flyer that featured an image of the tiny Chihuahua and advertised the reward amount. '$10,000 for the safe return or information leading to the safe return of Diamond!' penned Hilton, who stressed that there would be 'no questions asked'

'If you have ANY information about her whereabouts Please reach out to FindDiamondBaby@gmail.com.

'There will be a $10,000 Award for the safe return or information leading to the safe return of Diamond Baby & NO questions asked! I just want my baby baby. Please email if you know ANYTHING.

'And please help spread the word by reposting this and telling your friends. I want to raise as much awareness as possible to get her back. [dog emoji, big eyes emoji, prayer hands emoji] #LostDog #FindDiamondBaby.'

The reality star first put out a lost dog notice on Monday, saying that the dog was last seen five days ago in the Beverly Hills area near Mulholland Drive and Clarendon Road

Hilton first took to Instagram on Monday with a series of posts detailing her despair after the disappearance of Diamond Baby, a brown-black small female canine.

Among the posts, the reality star put out a lost dog notice, saying that the dog was last seen five days ago in the Beverly Hills area near Mulholland Drive and Clarendon Road.

'If you have any tips about Diamond Baby's whereabouts or feel like you have seen her  Please reach out to the email address finddiamondbaby@gmail.com.'

The hotel heiress added: 'Please, please, please email if you know ANYTHING and please keep an eye out for my baby.'

She said that the dog 'is a little shy and will go belly up if you try to carry her.'

Hilton said that 'there will be a big reward for her return and NO questions asked' amid her efforts to recover the Chihuahua

Hilton said that the news was 'incredibly hard for' her to post, explaining the circumstances behind the dog's disappearance

Hilton said that the news was 'incredibly hard for' her to post, explaining the circumstances behind the dog's disappearance.

'I was at a photoshoot and we're moving houses and one of the movers must have left a door open,' she said. 'My family and friends have been helping me search high and low throughout my entire neighborhood and have gone door to door but we still haven't found her.'

Noting how she is 'doing everything in [her] power to get her back,' Hilton said she has put a pet detective on the payroll and is looking into using drones, as well.

Hilton opened up about her despair, saying, 'Anyone who has ever loved a pet and lost a pet will understand this pain that I'm feeling - My heart is broken.'

She added: 'I have been in tears, so sad and depressed. I feel like part of me is missing and nothing is the same without her here. Diamond Baby is my everything, truly like a daughter to me. We were inseparable, she was my best friend and always by my side.'

Hilton opened up about her despair, saying, 'Anyone who has ever loved a pet and lost a pet will understand this pain that I'm feeling - My heart is broken'

Hilton initially acquired the pet in autumn 2016, taking to Instagram for tips on what she should name the pooch

Hilton had been reticent to announce the search for the dog to the public out of concerns for the dog's safety and 'because people can be cruel.

'I'm desperate and the more time that passes, the farther away I feel from the chances are of me getting her back,' she said.

Hilton initially acquired the pet in autumn 2016, taking to Instagram for tips on what she should name the pooch.

She said at the time: 'Meet the newest member to the @HiltonPets family. What should I name this lil cutie?'
They split in acrimonious circumstances in August 2019.

But things seem to have improved for one-time AFL glamour couple Nadia and Jimmy Bartel in the three years since their separation.

Nadia, 37, showed her support for her ex-husband on Grand Final day on Saturday as she settled in to watch the Geelong vs Sydney game with their sons.

Nadia Bartel (right) showed her support for ex-husband Jimmy on Saturday as their sons Aston and Henley got behind his old club Geelong before their AFL Grand Final clash against Sydney

She posted photos to Instagram of their boys Aston and Henley getting 'pumped up' for the showdown at the MCG between the Swans and the Cats.

Jimmy played 305 games for Geelong from 2002 to 2016, and was part of Channel Seven's commentary team for Saturday's match.

Their eldest son Aston looked like his father's mini-me in a Geelong hoodie, while his little brother Henley wore an official Cats beanie.

Their eldest son Aston looked like his father's mini-me in a Geelong hoodie, while his little brother Henley wore an official Cats beanie

While she didn't mention Jimmy in her posts, her vocal support for her ex-husband's old club suggests the Bartels' once-frosty relationship may be starting to improve.

Jimmy and Nadia tied the knot in 2014, after meeting at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2008 and getting engaged in 2012.

The couple announced their separation in August 2019.

Nadia, 37, posted photos and Instagram of their boys getting 'pumped up' for the showdown at the MCG between the Swans and Geelong

At the time, Nadia was said to have been 'blindsided' by the split.

Jimmy soon moved on with Melbourne socialite Lauren Mand, but their relationship didn't last. He is now dating a woman named Amelia Shepperd.

The Bartels share custody of their sons Aston and Henley.
The fifth season of the Emmy Award-winning series The Handmaid's Tale premiered on Hulu September 14.

As part of the promotional push, leading lady Elisabeth Moss attended a special In Conversation With Josh Horowitz event at 92NY in New York City on Friday.

The actress, who also directs episodes and executive produces the series, shared behind-the-scenes tidbits and insight on playing the role of June Osborne.

Promo mode: Elisabeth Moss, 40, attended - In Conversation With Josh Horowitz - at 92NY in New York City on Friday as part of the promotional push for season five of The Handmaid's Tale

Ahead of her sit down, Moss hit the red carpet decked out in a black leather shirt and skirt combination, that included a white tank top.

The edgy number, which glistened under the lights, was matched with a pair of black heeled boots.

Rounding out her overall look, the Los Angeles native had her blonde tresses styled about shoulder-length with a part on the slight right.

Edgy: Ahead of her sit down, Moss hit the red carpet decked out in a black leather shirt and skirt combination, that included a white tank top

Working it; Josh Horowitz, 46, joined Moss for a round of photos ahead of their conversation about the new season of The Handmaid's Tale

At one point Moss was joined for a round of photos by the host of the event, Josh Horowitz.

The MTV News journalist was all smiles standing next to the actress in dark blue jeans with a white, black and yellow sweater and white sneakers.

After working the camera ahead of the event the two appeared together on stage for their conversation about the new season of The Handmaid's Tale, as well as what's next as the show winds down to its conclusion.

Earlier this month, Hulu gave renewed the dystopian television series for on a sixth and final season

Open book: The Los Angeles native sat down to discuss some behind-the-scenes stories, insights into her remarkable interpretation of the June Osborne character, and what fans can expect from season five and beyond

Acclaimed: The first season consisting of 10 episodes went on to win wight Primetime Emmy Awards from 13 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series for Moss

The show, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, first began production in 2016.

The plot features a dystopia following a Second American Civil War wherein a theonomic, totalitarian society subjects fertile women, called 'Handmaids' to child-bearing slavery.

The first season consisting of 10 episodes went on to win wight Primetime Emmy Awards from 13 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.

Moss was also awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series and the Golden Globe for Best Actress In A Television Drama Series.

Along with Moss, the series also stars Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel, Bradley Whitford and Sam Jaeger.

Watch Seasons 1-4 of The Handmaid's Tale only on Stan in Australia.

Its back! The new season five began premiering on Hulu on September 14
Kate Moss put on a leggy display as she stepped out at the Versace afterparty during Milan Fashion Week on Friday.

The model, 48, showed off her figure in a thigh-skimming mini dress with a halterneck and sheer mesh panels.

She flung a statement leopard print coat over on shoulder and boosted her height with a pair of perspex heels with heart shaped toes.

Turning heads: Kate Moss, 48, put on a leggy display as she stepped out at the Versace afterparty during Milan Fashion Week on Friday

Kate accessorised with a low slung leather belt and carried a large black tote bag with fur detail.

She wore her blonde locks in loose beachy waves and opted for minimal make-up to show off her flawless complexion.

The supermodel completed her look with an incredible pair of chandelier earrings as she departed the event.

Stylish: She flung a statement leopard print coat over on shoulder and boosted her height with a pair of perspex heels with heart shaped toes

Kates outing comes as she celebrated the launch of Cosmoss, a move that marks her out as the latest celebrity to join the already convoluted health and wellness market.

But at 412 for the lot, fans will have to dig deep for her products  not least the 105 Golden Nectar serum, which contains the 'mythical' tears of Chios, a plant resin produced on the Greek island.

The products, made from 'potent, natural substances', are split into three rituals which are said to balance the 'body and soul with the natural environment and the circadian cycles.'

Glowing: Kate wore her blonde locks in loose beachy waves and opted for minimal makeup to show off her flawless complexion

The website describes these rituals as enabling us to 'adjust to the rhythm of nature, help us find inner peace and self-fulfilment, and open a door to balance, restoration and love'.

The first step in the supermodel's daily routine is the 287 dawn ritual, which fills the body with 'positive energy'.

This includes a 21 antioxidant 'dawn tea 'to bring us gently out of the dream world' followed by a 52 cleanser and 95 anti-ageing face cream.

Refreshing: Kates outing comes as she celebrated the launch of Cosmoss, a move that marks her out as the latest celebrity to join the already convoluted health and wellness market

It is then finished with the 120 Sacred Mist eau de parfum which 'envelopes you with its hypnotic yet grounding fragrance' to 'provide a sense of inner peace'.

The morning skincare regimen comes in at a slightly higher cost than 'lifestyle guru' Gwyneth Paltrow's similar morning routine kit. The five-step Goop kit costs 265.

During the daytime, Kate advises using her 'moodboosting' fragrance again, followed by the Golden Nectar serum  a CBD infused 'ultimate antioxidant oil'.

With an eye-watering price-tag for only 30ml, it is described as 'an everyday indulgence which takes care of your skin, body, mind and soul'.
Diane Kruger cut a trendy figure as she joined Liam Neeson for a presentation of the film Marlowe at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain on Thursday.

The pair star together in the new thriler film, which sees Liam take on the role of Detective Phillip Marlowe.

Diane, 46, looked sensational for the event as she donned a black pinstripe blazer along with matching trousers.

Event: Diane Kruger cut a trendy figure as she joined Liam Neeson for a presentation of the film Marlowe at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain on Thursday

Adding height to her frame with a pair of cream heels, the German actress styled her blonde locks into an up-do.

Posing for snaps alongside her co-star, Diane completed her look with a light palette of makeup.

Liam, 70, looked dapper for the presentation in a dark grey blazer and trousers which he wore with a light blue shirt.

In Marlowe, the detective becomes embroiled in an investigation with a rich Californian family residing in Bay City after Diane's character Clare hires him to find her former lover.

Style: Diane, 46, looked sensational for the event as she donned a black pinstripe blazer along with matching trousers

Gorgeous: Adding height to her frame with a pair of cream heels, the German actress styled her blonde locks into an up-do

Diane stars alongside Jessica Lange, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Alan Cumming, Danny Huston, Daniela Melchior, and Colm Meaney, with the film set to be released on 2 December.

The outing comes after Diane marked her six-year anniversary with her partner Norman Reedus during the summer.

The actress shared a black and white photo of the two and wrote: '|||||\.'

The tally marks were accompanied by a red heart emoji and she tagged her husband-to-be, 53.

Co-stars: The pair star together in the new thriler film which sees Liam take on the role of Detective Phillip Marlowe

Smart: Liam, 70, looked dapper for the presentation in a dark grey blazer and trousers which he wore with a light blue shirt

The snapshot of the couple was taken at their most recent Cannes appearance this past May.

Diane and Norman met when they co-starred in the 2015 movie Sky and began dating in 2016.

They welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Nova Tennessee, in 2018 and announced their engagement in 2021.

The Boondock Saints star also shares son Mingus Lucien, 22, with ex-girlfriend Helena Christenson, 53.
Tom Cruise has told how he loves spending time in Britain because 'everyone is pleasant' and no one tries to 'crowd' him.

The actor, 60, has been in the UK in recent months while filming scenes for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.

The film star said he enjoys relaxing here and has found everyone he has met to be 'well-mannered'.

Anglophile: Tom Cruise has told how he loves spending time in Britain because 'everyone is pleasant' and no one tries to 'crowd' him (pictured in May 2022)

Speaking to Derbyshire Live, he said: 'Everyone is pleasant and will give you a nod or say hello without crowding you. I was brought up to be well-mannered and you really get that in Britain.

'I also like the fact that I am walking the same streets as Shakespeare, Dickens, and even The Beatles. That is really cool.'

Tom added: 'I guess I am an Anglophile. I spend a lot of time in Britain and that's not just for work reasons. I just love being here.'

The actor spent a lot of time in the UK over the summer and was spotted attending the Queen's jubilee, a ladies' final in Wimbledon and concerts by The Rolling Stones and Adele in Hyde Park.

Filming: The actor has been in the UK in recent months while filming scenes for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (pictured at the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain in July 2022)

Tom also celebrated his 60th birthday in the Cotswolds and was reportedly joined by stars including David Beckham, James Corden and Gordon Ramsay.

He was also in London for the British premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in May where he mingled with Prince William and Kate Middleton.

In recent weeks, Tom has been seen shooting daredevil stunts in the Lake District, including showing off his skills as a parachutist as he swooped to the ground while performing sky acrobatics in scenes filmed earlier this month.

The actor has been taking flying lessons at Teeside Airport in preparation for the exhilarating scenes in the new film.

On location: The film star said he enjoys relaxing here and has found everyone he has met to be 'well-mannered' (pictured filming in the Lake District)

Tom is known for being friendly on set and the actor said that he tries not to 'set himself apart' from other people.

Earlier this month, a group of local walkers in the Lake District got a surprise when they stumbled upon Tom filming Mission: Impossible.

Adam Wheeler and Lucy Hinch from County Durham were going for a walk with their Siberian Husky Blitz when they spotted the Hollywood star filming his latest blockbuster.

The actor, who was being helicoptered to High Cragg before soaring down to Buttermere below, happily posed for a photograph with the pair, before thanking them and leaping off again.

He said: 'Everyone is pleasant and will give you a nod or say hello without crowding you. I was brought up to be well-mannered and you really get that in Britain'

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Adam said several people wanted photos with Tom who happily obliged.

He said: 'He was nice and polite and really humble. Tom Cruise apologised for the noise of the helicopters and asked if we were alright.

'He was making sure everybody who wanted to, got their photos with him. We were the last ones to get his picture and then he just paraglided off the mountain back to his camp next to Buttermere.

'It was a real pleasure meeting one of the most famous Hollywood celebrity actors out there  one of the richest as well. It was not what we expected while out walking on the fells.'

The couple added they watched some of the filming taking place, with Tom performing all his own stunts as he paraglided down the fell several times.

The film will star Tom alongside Hayley Atwell, Hot Fuzz star Simon Pegg, Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson and The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes.
James Earl Jones has signed over the rights to his iconic Darth Vader voice in Star Wars to new AI technology, sparking speculation that he has retired from the role.

The actor, 91, who has voiced the villain since the original Star Wars film in 1977, most recently starring as the character for the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Matthew Wood - from Star Wars creators Lucasfilm - detailed James' wishes to 'keep Vader alive' after 'stepping back from the role'.

'Stepping down': James Earl Jones, 91, has signed over the rights to his iconic Darth Vader voice in Star Wars to new AI technology, sparking speculation that he has retired from the role

Lucasfilm has been working with Ukrainian Respeecher, a new technology by a company of the same name, that takes archival recordings to create new dialogue.

Speaking to the publication, Matthew explained: '[James] had mentioned he was looking into winding down this particular character. So how do we move forward?'

He revealed that Respeecher has allowed for James' voice to be used in all future films, even 'those produced after his own passing,' after the actor gave his blessing.

On screen: The actor, who has voiced the villain since the original Star Wars film in 1977, most recently starring as the character for the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+ (pictured)

Matthew added that James 'signed over the rights to his voice to keep Vader alive' after 'stepped back from the role,' although did not confirm his retirement.

It comes after the identity of the Darth Vader voice in the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+ was finally disclosed.

Darth Vader can be heard in episode three of the show, which takes place between the events of the Star Wars prequel trilogy and the original trilogy.

Legend: In an Interview with Vanity Fair , Matthew Wood from the films creators Lucasfilm, detailed James' wishes to 'keep Vader alive' after 'stepping back from the role' (pictured 2019)

A report from TV Line confirmed that the voice is that of James Earl Jones, who continued lending his talents to the part of Darth Vader throughout the original trilogy, which ended in 1983.

He briefly returned to the role for the final instalment of the prequel trilogy, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, released in 2005.

James then voiced Darth Vader in the last movie in the new sequel trilogy, the 2019 film Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker.

Secured: Matthew Wood from Lucas Film said technology has allowed for James' voice to be used in all future films, even 'those produced after his own passing' (James pictured in 2015)

Between trilogies, he could be heard in the role in the critically acclaimed 2016 spin-off film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Although James did the voice acting for the role, the actor inside the Darth Vader costume doing the physical movements was always someone else.

David Prowse was inside the iconic black uniform in the original trilogy, while Hayden Christensen - who played Anakin for the second two films in the prequel trilogy - put on the Darth Vader costume in Episode III.

Because of James Earl Jones' age and the relatively few acting jobs he takes nowadays, it was not an absolute certainty he would work on the current show.
Julia Gillard has reflected on the impact of her infamous 'misogyny speech' in parliament ten years on.

The former Australian Prime Minister - the first and only woman to hold the role - famously delivered a blistering speech on sexism in Australian politics during a session in parliament in October 2012.

The comments sparked a debate that reverberated around the world.

Julia Gillard has reflected on the impact of her infamous 'misogyny speech' in parliament ten years on. Pictured in this week's issue of Stellar Magazine

A decade later, the 60-year-old says that she did not realise at the time how significant her words would be.

'Giving the speech, I didn't have any sense of the impact it would have' Gillard tells this week's issue of Stellar Magazine.

'If you'd asked me 30 seconds after I sat down, "How is the press gallery going to report this? How is it going to reverberate?" I would have said, "I don't see that this is going to reverberate in the world." So I didn't have that sense about it.'

The former Australian Prime Minister - the first and only woman to hold the role - famously delivered a blistering speech on sexism in Australian politics during a session in parliament in October 2012 (pictured)

Within minutes, Gillard realised the true impact of her rousing words.

'Even by the time I'd walked back to my office from the chamber  which is only a two- or three-minute walk  there were starting to be calls and a reaction beyond Canberra' she tells the publication.

'So I got an early inkling from that, that it was going to have some sort of emotional resonance beyond the confines of Parliament House.'

'Giving the speech, I didn't have any sense of the impact it would have' Gillard tells this week's issue of Stellar Magazine

'I think its power has been that there are millions of women  and I feel like I've met millions of them  who have lived through sexist experiences, misogynistic experiences' she added

Gillard believes her speech resonated with women around the world who shared her experiences.

'I think its power has been that there are millions of women  and I feel like I've met millions of them  who have lived through sexist experiences, misogynistic experiences' she said.

'And at 3am they're going, "Oh, I wish I'd said that, I should have given it back to him, I shouldn't have taken it." And it's a speech that helps capture the frustrations of those moments'.

Julia served as prime minister from 2010 to 2013

Gillard was widely praised for her speech, with New Yorker Magazine even suggesting at the time that then-American President Barack Obama could learn a thing or two from Gillard in politics following the heated debate. Pictured recently

Julia served as prime minister from 2010 to 2013.

In 2012, she was praised for her strong stance on sexism in government during a heated debate on the parliamentary speaker's text scandal.

Gillard spent 15 minutes attacking leader of the opposition Tony Abbott before the Australian House of Representatives during a debate over a motion to sack the Speaker of the House, Peter Slipper after a series of text messages he sent to his male assistant referring to women in a derogatory way were made public.

She accused Abbott of sexism, addressing the former Liberal prime minister throughout her speech.

Among her comments she said: 'I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. I will nota nd the government will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. Not now, not ever.

'If he wants to know what misogyny looks like in modern Australia, he doesn't need a motion in the House of Representatives. He needs a mirror.'

Gillard was widely praised for her speech, with New Yorker Magazine even suggesting at the time that then-American President Barack Obama could learn a thing or two from Gillard in politics following the heated debate.
Married At First Sight UK's Lara Eyre has spoken out on her experience on this year's edition of the show, slamming her match Richie Dews as 'fake'.

The waitress, 50, described the guitarist as 'playing up to the cameras' during their time on the dating show, as she admitted her upset over being 'thrown under the bus' by him.

Following a seemingly good start, the pair decided to leave the show during it's second week as they struggled to make things work as a married couple.

'He threw me under the bus': Married At First Sight's Lara, 50, has slammed her former husband Richie Dews as 'fake' and 'dishonest' as she claims he played up to the cameras

Richie and Lara met for the first time at the alter, and instantly hit it off while tying the knot during the unconvential dating show.

But the latter appeared slightly unnerved at her new husband's lack of dating experience, with the musician admitting he had never been in love or in a long-term relationship.

And during the second commitment ceremony, single mum Lara dubbed the former rocker a 'great guy' but admitted he wasn't the one for her - as they decided to part ways.

But the Canada-native has now explained there was plenty more going on off-screen, claiming that Richie 'played up to the cameras' and was 'completely different' while filming and not.

She revealed to The Sun: 'It felt like I was dating a TV presenter because Richie was always acting whenever they were filming and concerned with how people would perceive him.

'When the cameras were off, Richie kept to himself and wasnt as enthusiastic or caring, he didnt ask much about me except for when they were filming. How can you make a relationship work if someones performing? I was there for realness and he wanted to come off looking fantastic.'

Just a day before they decided to leave the show, Lara and Richie attended the weekly couple's dinner party seperately - giving a strong indication of the cracks in the relationship.

But with Richie arriving to the party first, Lara shared that she was 'hurt' as the musician got first dibs chatting to their co-stars - as he explained that he 'didn't know' where his wife was during the party.

Differences: From the get-go, Lara appeared slightly unnerved at her new husband's lack of dating experience, with the musician admitting he had never been in love or a long-term relationship

Acting: 'It felt like I was dating a TV presenter because Richie was always acting whenever they were filming and concerned with how people would perceive him,' she explained

Revealing that Richie was cautious of his image and begged her not to say 'bad things' about him as they put on a united front, she spoke of her shock upon arriving to the dinner party.

Explaining: 'It was a bit of a shock when I arrived at the dinner party and he had thrown me under the bus. I was quite upset when I watched that back.'

Lara also detailed how she wished the show was filmed more similarily to Love Island, with 24/7 cameras to ensure less acting.

Cautious: 'Richie always told me, "please dont say bad things about me" and was clear that he wanted to maintain how great we were,' she continued

Camera ready: Lara also explained that she wished the show was filmed more similarily to Love Island, with 24/7 cameras to ensure less acting

A self-proclaimed 'superfan' of the show, the Nottingham local was surprised at the editing that went on from the show, explaining that the heavily edited commitment ceremony's changed the actual narritave.

MailOnline have contacted Richie Dews for comment.

The E4 show uses a team of 'dating experts' to match singletons looking for love, fast-tracking the dating process as they meet for the first time on their wedding day.

Going through the social experiment, each couple must live together and forge a relationship as a new married couple - attending weekly dinner parties and commitment ceremony with their co-stars to chat over their emotions, and decide whether to continue in the marriage or call it quits.

Married At First Sight UK continues on Monday at 9pm on E4.
Advertisement

Fans eagerly anticipating the return of The Crown were given a teaser of the fifth series on Saturday as a new trailer was dropped.

The short 37-second clip portrayed when the news of the dramatic breakdown of Diana and Charles' marriage was revealed to the public and the ensuing family drama that all took place under the brightest of spotlights.

It was also revealed that the next instalment will premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, November 9 - where fans will see Imelda Staunton take on the role of Queen Elizabeth II for the first time.

Exciting: Fans eagerly anticipating the return of The Crown were given a teaser at the fifth series on Saturday as a new trailer was dropped

The video starts with an eerie voiceover saying: 'Buckingham Palace is issuing this statement: It is with regret that the Prince and Princess of Wales are separating'.

A news bulletin is then heard in the background stating: 'There's uproar in Britain after Prince Charles bared his soul to the nation but the Princess of Wales upstaged her husband speaking about her marriage, her life and her future.'

A cacophony of reports are then heard being mixed up in the background that culminate with the phrase: 'This is becoming all-out war' as the screen shows the pair getting ready to do news interviews.

Tense: The short 37-second clip portrayed when the news of the dramatic breakdown of Diana and Charles' marriage was revealed to the public and the ensuing family drama that all took place under the brightest of spotlights

Dramatic: The video starts with a voiceover saying: 'Buckingham Palace is issuing this statement: It is with regret that the Prince and Princess of Wales are separating'

Diana - played by Elizabeth Debicki - looks smart in a green jacket and skirt while Charles - played by Dominic West - wore a dark suit as he sat on the chair and fiddled nervously with his hands.

The final black screen then flashes up with: 'The Crown: November 9.'

Netflix confirmed the release date at the Tudum: A Netflix Global Fan Event which was broadcast across the streamer's YouTube channels.

Trailer: A news bulletin is then heard in the background stating: 'There's uproar in Britain after Prince Charles bared his soul to the nation but the Princess of Wales upstaged her husband speaking about her marriage, her life and her future'

Preparing: A cacophony of reports are then heard being mixed up in the background that culminate with the phrase: 'This is becoming all-out war' as the screen shows the pair getting ready to do news interviews

Getting ready: Diana - played by Elizabeth Debicki - looks smart in a green jacket and skirt while Charles - played by Dominic West - wore a dark suit as he sat on the chair and fiddled nervously with his hands

Coming soon: The final black screen then flashes up with: 'The Crown: November 9'

Series five of The Crown will take place in the 1990s and, like each previous season, will consist of 10 episodes.

Fans will not see the death of Princess Diana in this series as her passing - which took place in 1996 - will not be covered until the sixth and final series.

The new series of The Crown will also be the first to air since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8.

The breakdown of the then Prince Charles and Diana's relationship will be a central part of the new series.

Fan favorite: Netflix confirmed the release date at the Tudum: A Netflix Global Fan Event which was broadcast across the streamer's YouTube channels

Tragic: Fans will not see the death of Princess Diana in this series as her passing - which took place in 1996 - will not be covered until the sixth and final series

Plot: The breakdown of the then Prince Charles and Diana's relationship will be a central part of the new series

Return: It was also revealed that the next instalment will premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, November 9 - where fans will see Imelda Staunton take on the role of Queen Elizabeth II for the first time

Role: The airdate for the new series has finally been confirmed, which will be the first time fans see Imelda take on the role of Queen Elizabeth II

The fourth series, which streamed in November last year, told the story of the early romance between Charles and Diana.

It was announced last year that Elizabeth Debicki would take over from Emma Corrin and play Diana for the fifth and sixth series, which will cover Diana's death in 1997.

The actress said of her casting last year: 'Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many. It is my privilege and honour to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one.'

Meanwhile Dodi Fayed is expected to play a large part in the next series of The Crown, with British actor Khalid Abdalla, 39, who starred in the 2007 film The Kite Runner, cast in the role.

The final two series of The Crown will cover the Royal Family's history throughout the 1990s and into 2003, however it is not yet know which moments will be seen.

Change: It was announced last year that Elizabeth Debicki would take over from Emma Corrin and play Diana for the fifth and sixth series, which will cover Diana's death in 1997

Congrats: Lesley Manville was confirmed to have joined the cast of The Crown as Princess Margaret back in 2020

There are several poignant moments which could be used, including the Queen making a speech on her 40th anniversary of her accession in 1992, in which she called the year an 'annus horriblis'.

She was referring to the breakdown of three of her children's marriages; Prince Andrew, Princess Anne's and Prince Charles' divorce from Princess Diana.

Other notable events during the time period included a fire at Windsor Castle, her golden wedding anniversary in 1997, and the deaths of Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother.

Also joining The Crown in series five is Lesley Manville, 64, who is set to star as Princess Margaret while Jonathan Pryce, 73, will take over the role of Prince Philip.

James Murray will take on the role of Prince Andrew, replacing Tom Byrne, who played the Queen's second son in series four.
Kim Kardashian was ever the style icon as she took to the runway of Dolce & Gabbana's SS/23 fashion show during Milan Fashion Week on Saturday.

The reality star, 42, has been working in collaboration with the couture fashion house to design the new collection that was showcased during the show.

And signing it off, Kim took to the catwalk to take a bow in a glimmering number of her own, featuring a black gown with a fully embellished detail.

Style icon: Kim Kardashian, 42, wowed in a glimmering black gown on Saturday as she took to the catwalk to take a bow following the Dolce & Gabbana show during Milan Fashion Week

Taking to the stage after the models had walked, Kim looked incredible in the square-neck number - which had a centre slit down the back and a thin strap design.

She paired the jaw-dropping look with heeled black boots that clung to her lower-leg, before adding a statement cross necklace and matching drop earrings.

Her now-platinum locks were bundled into a high beehive-style bun, as two sections of hair were sleekly left down to frame her face.

Beauty: Following the show, she stepped out in a glimmering number of her own, featuring a black gown with a fully embellished detail

Behind the looks: She saw out the Sicilian piazza show alongside designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce

All-black: Kim paired the jaw-dropping look with heeled black boots that clung to her lower-leg, before adding a statement cross necklace and matching drop earrings

Support: Kim's mother Kris Jenner and Kim's children were seen on the front row for the show

Chic: Kris looked great in a white suit

Big moment: They were every inch the proud family as they watched Kim in the show

The beauty added a glamorous palette of make-up as she saw out the Sicilian piazza show alongside designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce.

Walking on either side of Kim, the two designers kept understated in all black - as the high-spirited trio beamed before taking off.

The new collection was designed in collaboration with Kim, with the looks featuring a slew of her signature corseted and distressed pieces - while models donned a 'KIM' choker when taking to the catwalk.

And releasing a limited collection to their website following the show, shoppers can now by a 150 T-shirt from Dolce & Gabbana with a print of Kim eating pasta on it.

The show, which was also live streamed via Instagram, opened with dramatic light flickers, paparazzi camera clicker noises and sound effects of 'We love you Kim' screams, before a video was blown up on a screen as the models took to the runway.

Bombshell: Her now-platinum locks were bundled into a high beehive-style bun, as two sections of hair were sleekly left down to frame her face

Ciao, Kim! The beauty appeared in high spirits as she waved off the crowd from the amazing show

The collaboration, dubbed 'Ciao, Kim', has been teased via social media over the coming days - with a slew of vintage Hollywood-style adverts featuring Kim.

She has once again been chanelling iconic actress Marilyn Monroe in the new campaign, which even saw her face projected onto the building of Dolce & Gabbana's Milan store.

And looking the epitome of Italian glamour, one ad showed her peroxide blonde hair bundled away as she ate a cone of traditional gelato, surrounded by hounding paparazzi.

And on Wednesday, the collaborators shared the initial teaser for the runway show, with Kim seen in black and white again, deplaning her private jet.

The caption simply read: 'Ciao Milano, #CiaoKim #DolceGabbana.'

Proud mother Kris Jenner arrived at the show sporting a bright white tailored suit, complete with a chic tie and blazer.

While her beau Corey Gamble matched his partner of eight years as he also opted for an all-white look for the occasion, before they took to the front row.

Working on it: The collaboration, dubbed 'Ciao, Kim', has been teased via social media over the coming days - with a slew of vintage Hollywood-style adverts featuring Kim

Doting: Proud mum Kris Jenner arrived at the show sporting a bright white tailored suit, complete with a chic tie and blazer

The momager's cropped chocolate locks sat in her signature style for the event as she amped up the glamour with a pair of diamond earrings.

While she enhanced her complexion with a bronzed makeup look, dark lined eye and subtly nude lip.

Stepping out of a black SUV in the city of style, she was joined by stylish beau Corey as they co-ordinated their ensembles.

Planned: While her beau Corey Gamble matched his partner of eight years as he also opted for an all-white look for the occasion, before they took to the front row

So chic: The momager's cropped chocolate locks sat in her signature style for the event as she amped up the glamour with a pair of diamond earrings

The business executive and talent manager opted for a pair of straight leg white trousers and a sleek matching shirt for the outing.

Sticking with the colour scheme, he kept comfortable in white trainers with an icy blue lace and pink paint splatter design - shielding his eyes with circular framed sunglasses.

And adding some extra glitz to the look, Corey opted for two silver necklaces and a complementing watch - alongside some rings to finish the look.

Stylish: Business executive and talent manager Corey opted for a pair of straight leg white trousers and a sleek matching shirt for the outing

Keeping updated: Kim has been shared teasers via Instagram to her 330M followers

Wow! Kim's face was even projected onto Dolce & Gabbana's Milan store in preparation for the show

Other A-listers such as Alessandra Ambrosio attended the show, with the model opting for a daring look as she revealed her underwear in full-mesh.

She completed her out-there look with an oversized black studded leather jacket that she slung over her shoulders on top of the risque jumpsuit.

It's not the first time Dolce & Gabbana have worked alongside the Kardashian clan, with the brand creating eldest sister Kourtney's iconic wedding dress for her Portofino nuptials to Travis Barker earlier this year.

The whole family were kitted out with ensembles from the high-end brand, and even stayed in L'Ulivetta villa - which is owned by the brand.

Wow! Alessandra Ambrosio commanded attention as she revealed her underwear in a daring ensemble at the show

Work it! The model, 41, showed off her sizzling figure in a sheer mesh black jumpsuit that gave a glimpse of her lace lingerie beneath as she posed up a storm

Outfit: She completed her out-there look with an oversized black studded leather jacket that she slung over her shoulders

Incredible: The beauty boosted her height with matching long suede boots and wore a pair of dark shades and a choker necklace as well as dangly silver earrings

Stylish lady: Also at the event was Monica Bellucci who wore a chic black jacket as she made her arrival

Aside from high-end fashion, the famous family have also been taking to the small screen with their Hulu series The Kardashians.

And Kris left fan's astonished during Thursday's season two premiere as she hilariously admitted to 'forgetting' about a home that she owns.

The mother-of-six revealed that the Beverly Hills condo, which is just one in her large property portfolio, is only used for wrapping Christmas gifts and storing Champagne.

Speaking to her daughter Khloe, Kris admitted: 'This is a cute little place if I must say so myself,' going on to confess that she uses the pad as her Christmas 'gift wrapping station' and 'Santa's workshop.'

Khloe then remarked: 'I can't wait to be wealthy enough I forget I have properties somewhere', adding in a mock British accent, 'Oh, I have a condo in Beverly Hills! I forgot about that!'

On-screen: Aside from high-end fashion, the famous family have also been taking to the small screen with their Hulu series The Kardashians

Hilarious: And Kris left fan's astonished during Thursday's season two premiere as she hilariously admitted to 'forgetting' about a home that she owns

Kris later explained in a confessional that she had bought the property to have a base close to her mother Mary Jo 'MJ' Campbell, and cousin Cici Bussey, who live in the area.

'I kind of forgot it was there,' Kris laughed. 'That sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?'

Kris and Khloe were then seen peeking inside the fridge, which was largely empty with the exception of several bottles of champagne.

'In case of emergency, Kris quipped, while Khloe looked on in wonder.

With the average sale price for condos in Beverly Hills currently $1.5 million, viewers were left in shock at Kris' statement as they rushed to Twitter to comment.

They tweeted: 'I forgot I had a condothat sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?' Yes, Kris. That does sound ridiculous.'; 'Kris Jenner forgetting she had a condo in Bev Hills is amazing I can't even hate on #Kardashians it's so ridiculous that it's good.'

Unbelievable: Kris was joined by her daughter Khloe Kardashian, 38, on the trip, who mocked her mother for being so rich that she couldn't remember her property portfolio
Netflix has been slammed by viewers after adding an LGBTQ tag to the new Jeffrey Dahmer series, who have raged: 'this is not the representation we're looking for'.

Many called out the streaming platform - who have now removed the tag - saying they were 'gobsmacked' and 'disgusted' at the choice.

The series follows the infamous Milwaukee serial killer who murdered 17 people between 1978 and 1991 - many of whom were young, gay African Americans.

Outrage: Netflix has been slammed by viewers after adding an LGBTQ+ tag to the new Jeffrey Dahmer series, who have raged: 'this is not the representation we're looking for' (actor Evan Peters in the series)

Many hit out at the tag, with one writing: 'Netflix added the Jeffrey Dahmer series to the LGBTQ+ tag. I am gobsmacked.'

Another wrote: They put the new Jeffrey Dahmer movie under the LGBTQ tag and I am disgusted. IT'S NOT AN LGBTQ STORY LIKE WTF.'

Someone else said: 'This is not the representation we're looking for' after the issue was raised on TikTok.

Evil: The series follows the infamous Milwaukee serial killer (pictured) who murdered 17 people between 1978 and 1991 - many of whom were young, gay African Americans

Reaction: Many called out the streaming platform - who have now removed the tag - saying they were 'gobsmacked' and 'disgusted' at the choice

Another quipped: 'Guys my favourite LGBTQ series on Netflix is: Rupaul's Drag Race, Dahmer, and Queer Eye.'

Someone else said: 'No way they put an LGBTQ tag on the new Dahmer series like PLEASE.'

Not everyone was against the idea however, as some pointed to the fact that the show does explore LGBTQ+ injustices at the time.

'You've got to take the bad along with the good,' wrote one, while another said: 'The Dahmer case is a huge part of LGBTQ history, it's important people know he got away with so much.'

Not happy: Many hit out at the tag, with one writing: 'Netflix added the Jeffrey Dahmer series to the LGBTQ+ tag. I am gobsmacked'

A third added: 'And the Toronto village killer was able to get away with his crimes in the early 2000s for the same reason so the issue is still relevant.'

MailOnline has contacted Netflix for comment.

Actor Evan Peters plays Jeffrey Dahmer in the limited series.

It will retell the story of Dahmer from the perspective of his victims, and explore major mistakes Wisconsin police made in handling the probe of the notorious mass murderer, who made national headlines for acts of cannibalism and necrophilia involving his victims.

Crime: Dahmer in 1992 was convicted of 16 murders he'd been charged with, and sentenced to 16 life sentences in prison. He was beaten to death by another inmate in November of 1994 at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin

The show also features actors Niecy Nash, Penelope Ann Miller, Shaun J. Brown, Colin Ford, and Richard Jenkins, with directors Paris Barclay, Carl Franklin, and Janet Mock.

Miller and Jenkins will play the roles of Dahmer's parents, while Nash will portray Dahmers neighbor Glenda Cleveland, who tried in vain to report his bizarre behavior to authorities.

Peters has past worked with Murphy on a number of projects, including nine of 10 seasons of American Horror Story, as well as the series Pose.

Peters in April told Variety about the painstaking task he had taken of researching Dahmer in depth for the role.

'I've read so much, I've watched so much, I've seen so much, and at a certain point, you've got to say, "All right, that's enough,"' he said. 'There are beautifully written scripts. You can have all the backstory you want, but at the end of the day we're not making a documentary.

'It's more about maintaining the idea and the through line of why you're telling the story and always having that as your guiding light.'

Dahmer in 1992 was convicted of 16 murders he'd been charged with, and sentenced to 16 life sentences in prison.

He was bludgeoned to death with a metal bar in November of 1994 by Christopher Scarver, another inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.

The gruesome story of Dahmer has past been chronicled in the 2002 movie Dahmer, in which Jeremy Renner played the titular role; as well as 2017's My Friend Dahmer, in which Ross Lynch played a teen version of the nascent serial killer.

Murphy has excelled chronicling 1990s true crime sagas, with past American Crime Story projects including 2018's The Assassination of Gianni Versace and 2016's The People Vs. OJ Simpson.
Ellie Simmonds detailed her fears on as she prepares for the first live show of Strictly Come Dancing this weekend.

The Paralympian, 27, admitted on Saturday that she is terrified of 'being in the dance-off' and getting 'no votes'.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's performance with OK Magazine, Ellie revealed that she hopes the public will support her as the first contestant with dwarfism.

Nervous: Ellie Simmonds, 27, detailed her fears on as she prepares for the first live show of Strictly Come Dancing this weekend

She explained: 'One of the things I'm nervous about is not getting votes and being in the dance-off.

As the contestants battle it out to take home the Glitterball, Ellie added that she hopes the public will support her, and said: 'If I got the Glitterball it would go in my house in Cheshire. I'd put it in my office on my desk.

'It shows if I can do it  and I've seen the likes of Rose [Ayling-Ellis] who's changing the world of disability and inclusivity  then people watching at home can adapt it to them, too.'

Scary: The Paralympian admitted on Saturday that she is terrified of 'being in the dance-off' and getting 'no votes' but hoped that the public would support her

It comes as Ellie explained her hopes to inspire others during her upcoming stint on Strictly Come Dancing, aiming to give more representation for the dwarfism community.

Looking for some tips and tricks, the sportswoman has also admitted to reaching out to US reality star Terra Jole - who appeared on the US version of the dancing competition, Dancing With The Stars.

Chatting to presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt on Friday morning's BBC Breakfast, Ellie explained her reasonings for joining the show.

'If I can do it, people watching can too': It comes as Ellie explained her hopes to inspire others, aiming to give more representation for the dwarfism community

She shared: 'It's all different and out of my comfort zone. But I've realised if I can do it in a different way, people watching can realise that they can dance and even it's not a traditional way, it's different.

While host Charlie questioned: 'The programme does have a track record now of people going on with disabilities and dispelling myths, is that part of your driver?'

Agreeing, Ellie continued: 'Yeah definitely, you've seen in the past the likes of Rose [Ayling-Ellis] last year, JJ [Chalmers], Jonnie [Peacock], Lauren [Steadman]  some incredible people.

'Strictly Come Dancing is paving that way for people being different on TV and it's amazing.'
Netflix revealed the release date of the much anticipated third season of Emily In Paris on Saturday.

The streaming service delighted fans with a sneak peak of the upcoming series in which they announced its release for December 21.

In the clip, the main protagonist Emily, played by Lily Collins, can be seen as she ponders a 'hard decision' whilst drastically taking the scissors to her hair.

Yay! Netflix revealed the release date of the much anticipated third season of Emily In Paris on Saturday, with the first trailer showing main character Emily cutting a fringe

Standing in the bathroom mirror, the marketing whiz chops into her fringe whilst her pal Mindy (Ashley Park) screams, 'Emily, no!'

Following a montage of clips from the upcoming season, she could be seen reassuring her love interest Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) that 'everything is fine.'

The sneak peak concludes with a black screen that reads 'Only on Netflix, December 21,' as the release date was finally revealed.

Soon: The streaming service delighted fans with a sneak peak of the upcoming series in which they announced its release for December 21 (pictured is Gabriel's love interest Gabriel)

OMG! In the clip, the main protagonist Emily, played by Lily Collins, can be seen as she ponders a 'hard decision' whilst drastically taking the scissors to her hair

It comes after Lily Collins offered her 26.8M Instagram followers a glimpse into the long-awaited season of her Netflix drama.

Season two of the show left fans on the edge of their seats with the cliffhanger of whether the actress's eponymous character will stay in the City of Love or head home to the US - and which love interest she'll end up with.

Teasing viewers to 'get ready for another wild ride', Lily shared a slew of snapshots from the new season, featuring returning co-stars such as Lucien Laviscount and Lucas Bravo.

Reaction: Standing in the bathroom mirror, the marketing whiz chops into her fringe whilst her pal Mindy (Ashley Park) screams, 'Emily, no!'

Busy: Following a montage of clips from the upcoming season, she could be seen reassuring her love interest Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) that 'everything is fine'

Upcoming: The sneak peak concludes with a black screen that reads 'Only on Netflix, December 21,' as the release date was finally revealed

Season two saw Emily's new beau Alfie (Lucien) admit that he's heading back to the UK after some time in Paris - hoping to keep the romance alive long-distance.

But things weren't so straight forward for the couple, following a messy love triangle between Emily, her neighbour Gabriel (Lucas) and his girlfriend, Camille - who is Emily's best friend.

And as one of the teaser snaps shows Emily seemingly getting close to Alfie during season three, fans are now left curious for an update on which suitor the main character will end up with.

Tough: Season two saw Emily's new beau Alfie (Lucien) admit that he's heading back to the UK after some time in Paris - hoping to keep the romance alive long-distance

Coming soon! It comes after Lily offered her 26.8M Instagram followers a glimpse into the long-awaited season of her Netflix drama as she teased at 'new love triangles'

Triangle: One of the teaser snaps shows Emily seemingly getting close to Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) during season three as fans are now left curious for an update

Get ready! Taking to the caption, Lily teased fans to 'get ready for another wild ride'

Taking to the caption, Emily explained: 'First look at @emilyinparis Saison Trois!! Get ready for new looks, new locations, new love triangles Merci France for being a home away from home and embracing us yet again.

'So proud of this cast and crew and cannot WAIT for you all to see what our girl Emily gets up to! Get ready for another wild ride'

One teaser shot from the new season shows the star soaking up the French sun in a gingham bikini as she sips on a drink poolside, while the show's stars such as Ashley Park and Camille Razat were also seen on-screen.

Another displayed Gabriel and Emily appearing to be in a tense conversation, following the latter's season 2 slip up that she's in love with her taken neighbour.
Sarah Roberts has insisted all is well at home between her and husband James Stewart.

The relationship between Home and Away's golden couple was recently rumoured to be on the rocks.

But in her interview with this week's issue of Stellar Magazine, alongside a stunning high fashion photo shoot, the actress says the couple are solid.

Sarah Roberts has insisted all is well at home between her and husband James Stewart. Pictured in this week's issue of Stellar Magazine

'Family life is going great; we're both really proud of each other,' she told the publication.

The actress, 37, added that the couple are happily parenting Scout, the ten-year-old daughter her husband, 46, shares with his ex, Jessica Marais, 37.

'We're busy bringing up Scout. She's in Grade 4 now [and] becoming a little lady' Sarah said.

The relationship between Home and Away's golden couple was recently rumoured to be on the rocks. James and Sarah are pictured

It comes after split rumours were sparked after Stewart, who married Roberts in 2019, was notably absent from the premiere of his wife's latest film, Wog Boys Forever, on Thursday night in Melbourne.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Stewart was 'nowhere to be seen on the red carpet' and Stewart is no longer following her on Instagram.

However, Roberts' agent shut down claims of a split and the actress was still wearing her wedding ring at the event.

But in her interview with this week's issue of Stellar Magazine, alongside a stunning high fashion photo shoot, the actress says the couple are solid

'Family life is going great; we're both really proud of each other,' she told the publication

The actress, 37, added that the couple are happily parenting Scout, the ten-year-old daughter her husband, 46, shares with his ex, Jessica Marais, 37

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Roberts' management for comment.

Rumours of the pair's breakup had been swirling for many months and they had reportedly been undergoing couple's counselling in a bid to restore their relationship, claims the Daily Telegraph.

Stewart and Roberts got engaged in November 2018. He proposed at the restaurant where they'd had their first date the previous year.

Rumours of the pair's breakup had been swirling for many months and they had reportedly been undergoing couple's counselling in a bid to restore their relationship

Stewart was notably absent from the premiere of his wife's latest film on Thursday night in Melbourne. Pictured: Sarah at the red carpet premiere of Wog Boys Forever

The pair tied the knot at Luttrellstown Castle, on the outskirts of Dublin, in July 2019.

The actor, who plays Justin Morgan on Home and Away, shares daughter Scout with his ex-fiancee Jessica Marais.

In 2020, Sarah told Stellar magazine she had suffered two miscarriages since getting married.

The Home and Away stars got engaged in November 2018. Pictured: James Stewart (centre), Sarah Roberts (left) and Stewart's daughter Scout (right)

'We're busy bringing up Scout. She's in Grade 4 now [and] becoming a little lady' Sarah said

Stewart and Marais met on the set of Packed to the Rafters in 2009.

The had announced their engagement in October 2010, and welcomed Scout in May 2012.

In 2015, the pair called it quits, with James later saying: 'Our relationship didn't work out because I think hearts go in different directions eventually.'
Kim Kardashian looked ever the blonde bombshell as she was spotted leaving he hotel and going to dinner with friends in Milan, Italy, on Thursday.

The Kardashians star, 41, was a head-turner in a cleavage-baring Dolce & Gabbana metallic bustier top that showed off he trim waist, and matching pants.

The SKIMS founder coordinated the look with a matching minuscule shimmering silver purse.

Blonde bombshell: Kim Kardashian looked ever the blonde bombshell as she was spotted leaving he hotel and going to dinner with friends in Milan, Italy, on Thursday

The reality TV star completed the look with a pair of pointed toe silver heels.

The beauty wore her voluminous platinum blonde strands parted on the side and cascading down her shoulders in gentle waves.

As for glam, the stunner looked picture perfect with bronze eyeshadow and a nude lipstick on her pout.

Head turner: The Kardashians star, 41, was a head-turner in a cleavage-baring Dolce & Gabbana metallic bustier top that showed off he trim waist, and matching pants

Famous assets: The SKIMS founder showed off her famous assets from behind, with her platinum blonde tresses cascading down in voluminous curls

And on Saturday the beauty was ever the style icon as she took to the runway of Dolce & Gabbana's SS/23 fashion show during Milan Fashion Week.

She has been working in collaboration with the couture fashion house to design the new collection that was showcased during the show.

And signing it off, she stepped out in a glimmering number of her own, featuring a black gown with a fully embellished detail.

Style icon: Kim wowed in a glimmering black gown on Saturday as she took to the catwalk to close off her Dolce & Gabbana fashion show during Milan Fashion Week

Beauty: Following the show, she stepped out in a glimmering number of her own, featuring a black gown with a fully embellished detail

Taking to the stage after the models had walked, Kim looked incredible in the square-neck number - which had a centre slit down the back and a thin strap design.

She paired the jaw-dropping look with heeled black boots that clung to her lower-leg, before adding a statement cross necklace and matching drop earrings.

Her now-platinum locks were bundled into a high beehive-style bun, as two sections of hair were sleekly left down to frame her face.

Behind the looks: She saw out the Sicilian piazza show alongside designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce

The beauty added a glamorous palette of make-up as she saw out the Sicilian piazza show alongside designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce.

Walking on either side of Kim, the two designers kept understated in all black - as the high-spirited trio beamed before taking off.

The new collection was designed in collaboration with Kim, with the looks featuring a slew of her signature corseted and distressed pieces - while models donned a 'KIM' choker when taking to the catwalk.

And releasing a limited collection to their website following the show, shoppers can now by a 150 T-shirt from Dolce & Gabbana with a print of Kim eating pasta on it.
Bella Hadid was quite pretty in neon pink as she arrived for the Jil Sander show in Milan on Saturday.

The supermodel, 25, was dressed in a magenta top and matching jacket paired with a modest looking ankle length denim skirt with a sexy slit on the side.

Styling for the look included white socks, black penny loafers and large white earrings.

Pretty in pink: Bella Hadid, 25, was quite pretty in bright pink as she arrived for the Jil Sander show in Milan Saturday wearing a neon magenta top and matching jacket

Bella's long dark hair was swept back into a simple pony tail and she wore dark wire framed sunglasses with daytime friendly makeup.

The designers decided to do something a bit different this year, and instead of showing their Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023 collection in a hotel or other venue, Lucie and Luke Meier chose to show their wares outside.

Many of the models carried umbrellas in the fashion parade as the city was experiencing damp weather.

Styling: Bella's long dark hair was swept back into a simple pony tail and she wore dark wire framed sunglasses with daytime friendly makeup in the show that was seen worldwide via video streaming

The new ready to wear fashions were seen around the world, as they were streamed live on social media and and on the Jil Sander website.

The designer is focused on more inclusive looks that can be worn by women size XS to large.

Bella, who has donated some of her earnings to causes supporting victims of the Ukraine war and Palestinian causes, spoke out recently about the death of a young woman in Iran who died Friday after being arrested by the country's morality police earlier in the week for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely.

Ready to sashay: Bella is seen above closing the Jil Sander SS23 coed show at Milan Fashion Week

She shared a photo of the victim, Mahsa Amini, 22, from before her arrest juxtaposed with a picture of the dying woman lying comatose in the hospital. Her family claimed she died as a result of a beating while in custody, but the police said she died of heart attack.

The activist wrote, 'Rest in peace #mahsaamini. You did not deserve this. Sending blessings to her family and loved ones.'

The young woman's death has resulted in women across Iran burning their hijabs and cutting their hair in acts of defiance against the government. At least 17 people have been killed since the protests began.
Matthew McConaughey looked dapper as he stepped in front of the camera Saturday.

The actor, 53, was styled in a baby blue suit, a white button down shirt and beige shoes for the weekend shoot in downtown Los Angeles.

The Oscar winner was seen leading a mob of people through the streets of downtown Los Angeles while filming for an unknown project.

Dapper: Matthew McConaughey, 53, looked dapper in a baby blue suit as he lead a mob of people while shooting a scene in downtown Los Angeles Saturday

McConaughey was spotted getting touchups from hair and wardrobe cast members in the moments before the director called 'action.'

For the scene, the versatile star appeared to be leading a peaceful protest as he and dozens of extras marched down the street.

While his character appeared to be taking a political stand, the actor has been hinting that he might too, one day, via a run for office.

Touchups: The Oscar winner was spotted getting touchups from hair and wardrobe cast members in the moments before the director called action

In a speech at Dreamforce in San Francisco Wednesday, the SFGate reported The Gentlemen star, who has hinted he might run for governor in his native Texas, didn't deny he might one day seek an even higher office.

'Yeah I'll consider it in the future, I'd be arrogant not to. Absolutely, I would consider it,' the We Are Marshall star said regarding a potential run for the White House.

'If I got into any form of politics I'd be remiss not to also go in as an artist and a storyteller; help put a narrative together,' he explained in his trademark drawl. 'You're the CEO of a state and a nation, a lot of compartmentalization and choices to be made. They scare me, but I'm not afraid of 'em.'

Political future: The actor, who attended a gun safety bill signing at the White House over the summer, hinted in a recent speech he might, one day, seek the highest office in the US/ Pictured White House June 2022

The father of three: Levi, 14, Vida, 12 and Livingston, nine, whom he shares with wife Camila Alves, 40, would have to consult with his family before making any big move toward office.

In referring to the polarization in American politics, the Dallas Buyer's Club star told attendees, 'There's definitely a greater divide now than there has been.

'One thing is we have to admit that part of that divide is the Kool-Aid we're being sold,' he explained. 'The divide is not as thick as we're being sold; most of us are much more near the middle than we're being told.'
Cindy Crawford and husband, Rande Gerber, dressed to impress as they stepped out for a bite to eat together in Santa Monica earlier Friday evening.

The supermodel, 56, and businessman, 60, kept their looks simple yet fashionable as they stopped by the celebrity hotspot, Nobu.

The couple officially tied the knot in 1998, and share two children, daughter Kaia, 21, and son Presley, 23.

Date night: Cindy Crawford, 56, and husband, Rande Gerber, 60, were pictured enjoying quality time together at Nobu in Santa Monica on Friday

The Vogue model kept her look stylish and chic for their outing, wearing a white silk tank with a blazer of the same color and material on top.

She added a pair of light blue jeans to complete her overall ensemble, while holding a white clutch bag in her right hand.

Cindy kept her accessories minimalistic, wearing a gold necklace and a pair of small earrings.

Her voluminous, brunette hair was parted to the side and fell down past her shoulders in natural waves.

Stylish: The couple were a fashionable duo as they stopped by the celebrity hotspot, Nobu, in Santa Monica

Rande also kept his look casual for the couple's dinner date. He donned a dark brown flannel shirt and added a gray jacket on top to stay warm in the cooler nighttime temperatures.

Like his wife, the businessman also opted for a pair of classic blue jeans to complete his overall look for the romantic evening.

As the two stepped out from the restaurant, Rande could be seen leading Cindy to their car as the paparazzi cameras brightly flashed around them.

The couple said 'I do' at a wedding that took place in Nassau, the capital city of The Bahamas, in 1998. The two recently celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary earlier this year in May. Their son, Presley, was born in 1999, and their daughter, Kaia, in 2001.

Happy couple: Cindy and Rande tied the knot in 1998 in The Bahamas, and recently celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary earlier this year in May

Talented family: The two lovebirds share two children, daughter Kaia, 21, and son Presley, 23

Cindy was previously married to Hollywood actor, Richard Gere, from 1991, until their divorce four years later in 1995.

Kaia has followed in her mother's footsteps, and has become a successful model, having collaborated with top luxury brands such as Chanel and Marc Jacobs.

During an interview with Vogue, Cindy opened up about her daughter diving into the modeling industry.

Proud mother: Cindy expressed to Vogue that when her daughter, Kaia, began modeling, she felt very 'protective'

Successful career: During an interview with W Magazine, Cindy explained that she has learned a lot over the years in the modeling industry, and has become more confident

'When Kaia started to model, she jumped right into it, loved it, and immediately wanted to do everything,' the beauty stated.

'I was very protective at first, and I traveled with her to fashion month. But Kaia has her head on straight,' she further added.

The mother daughter duo recently attended a book launch from British Vogue editor, Edward Enninful, in Los Angeles earlier in September. Kaia donned a black minidress while Cindy showed off her fit physique in an orange, pleated skirt and sleeveless top.

Cindy recently opened up about her own career in the modeling industry, which reached great heights in the 80s and 90s.

New experience: Cindy recently attended the Burning Man event in the Nevada desert earlier in September

During an interview with W Magazine, the beauty explained, 'Im aware that I dont look the same as I did when I was 25, but I bring experience and confidence in front of the camera that I didnt have then.'

'And I still like what I do. I never thought Id be working the way that I am at this stage,' the mother of two stated.

While the supermodel enjoys devoting time to the work that she loves, Cindy also focuses on family. She recently attended Burning Man with her daughter to ring in her 21st birthday.
This Morning's Phillip Schofield's popularity has reportedly dropped as he has lost thousands of followers on social media amid his 'queue-gate' row.

The presenter, 60, lost over 12,000 Instagram followers in the last month - whereas in contrast his co-star Holly, 41, made advances in her number of fans online, according to The Sun.

The duo have been the subject of scrutiny in the wake of the claims they 'skipped the queue' to see the Queen lying in state last week and an online petition to have the duo fired from their lucrative presenting roles has hit 65,000 signatures.

Oh no: This Morning's Phillip Schofield's popularity has reportedly dropped as he has lost thousands of followers on social media amid his 'queue-gate' row

Statistics collected by social media analytics website Social Blade seen by the publication reveal Phil has been gradually losing fans for the past 12 months but experienced his biggest drop this week.

In the last year, Phil has lost 117,769 fans across Twitter and Instagram, whereas Holly- has gained 787,783.

Since September 2021, Phillip has lost 89,260 Instagram followers, with 10,170 of these fans unfollowing him in the last 30 days alone, and 2,941 in the last week.

Difficult: The duo have been the subject of scrutiny in the wake of the claims they 'skipped the queue' to see the Queen lying in state last week and an online petition to have the duo fired from their lucrative presenting roles has hit 65,000 signatures

In contrast, Holly has gained a total of 729,202 new Instagram followers in the last 12 months, and attracted 35,790 new fans on the platform in the last 30 days.

On Twitter, meanwhile, Phil has lost 28,508 followers in the last 12 months, with 5,655 of these fans unfollowing him in the last 30 days.

In the same period, Holly has gained 58,581 new followers on the platform.

Phillip has a current total of 3,032,459 followers on Instagram and 4,482,362 on Twitter.

Caught on camera: Holly and Phil were pictured entering the hall through a door which was clearly marked as not for public access - thought to be the entrance for media representatives

Representatives for both Holly and Phil have been contacted by MailOnline for a comment.

This Morning bosses have denied show hosts Holly and Phillip had 'VIP access' and filed 'past the Queen lying in state' as they filmed a segment for the programme at Westminster Hall in London last week.

With reports the five-mile long queue had been closed for six hours on Friday, boosting the wait time to 'at least 14 hours', the TV duo were said to have joined a separate queue and were taken into a press gallery.

The presenters have not commented on the allegations since issuing a statement on Tuesday's show in which they insisted they 'did not skip the queue'.

A clearer view: A photo of Westminster Abbey - highlighting where the media box is, where the public queue is and where Holly and Phil appeared to be walking

An ITV spokesperson added in a statement to MailOnline: 'This Morning had press accreditation and like other media, Phillip and Holly were escorted to work from the press gallery by government staff.

'They did not file past The Queen's coffin. They were there alongside a host of other broadcasters and national press outlets for an item that will be broadcast on Tuesday's show. Any allegations of improper behaviour are categorically untrue.'

However, in a statement issued by ITV on Saturday and later broadcast on Tuesday's This Morning, which was voiced over by Holly but both stopped short of using the word 'sorry' - a move which has left many viewers furious.

A source told MailOnline: 'Every word of the statement was poured over. In the end, it's spectacularly backfired.

'Initially Holly and Phillip were prepared to say sorry if they'd upset anyone as they both just desperately want to draw a line under the affair. But they were advised strongly not to go down that road of saying sorry.'

Such has been the backlash to the pair that TV insiders are raising 'serious concerns' about the presenters' wellbeing after they appeared tearful and muted on This Morning this week.

In the first episode of the show since the row unfolded, Holly and Phil, strongly denied viewers' claims they were 'too posh to queue' and said they had been in Westminster Hall on Friday 'strictly for the purpose of reporting on the event.'

The voiceover also hammered home the point, 'Please know that we would never jump a queue.'

Snap happy: Holly and Phil outside the Houses of Parliament. The pair say none of the broadcasters and journalists at the Queen's lying-in-state took anyone's place in the queue

A TV source said on Wednesday night: 'The abuse has been nothing short of disgusting, not least as they have done nothing wrong and were fully entitled to media accreditation so they could inform their viewers.'

'There is huge, real and serious concerns over their wellbeing and ITV are fully supporting them behind the scenes in the face of such relentless trolling. The channel backs them 110 per cent.'

Footage inside Westminster Abbey appeared to show Holly and Phil, 60, walking along an area separate from the media box - but ITV has since insisted the stars did not join mourners in filing past the coffin.
Images show them filming on the island of Majorca in place of Saint-Tropez

The actors filmed their scenes for the sixth series of the Netflix hit The Crown

Elizabeth Debicki and Khalid Abdalla bear an uncanny resemblance to Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed as they holidayed with William and Harry in France in 1997

Pictured together for the first time, here are The Crowns Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed lookalikes recreating the last family getaway the tragic couple ever took.

In these exclusive photographs, Elizabeth Debicki and Khalid Abdalla bear an uncanny resemblance to the ill-fated lovers as they holidayed with William and Harry in the South of France in July 1997. Just a month later, the couple would lose their lives in a Paris car crash.

The actors filmed their scenes for the sixth and final series of the Netflix hit on the Spanish island of Majorca, which stood in for Saint-Tropez, where the real couple stayed aboard a super-yacht owned by Dodis father Mohamed Al Fayed.

The actors filmed their scenes for the sixth and final series of the Netflix hit on the Spanish island of Majorca

In the scenes, Miss Debicki, 32, donned a pair of stylish striped trousers similar to those Diana was pictured wearing several times, paired with a navy tank top and white boat shoes. Abdalla, 40, was in a multicoloured shirt and cream slacks.

The adult stars were joined by Rufus Kampa, 16, who plays a young Prince William, and Will Powell as Prince Harry.

In the scenes, Miss Debicki, 32, donned a pair of stylish striped trousers similar to those Diana was pictured wearing several times, paired with a navy tank top and white boat shoes. Abdalla, 40, was in a multicoloured shirt and cream slacks.

Production on The Crown has resumed after pausing for just two days following the Queens death: one immediately after her passing on September 8 and one last Monday for her State funeral. After news of her death broke, the dramas writer Peter Morgan was quoted as saying: The Crown is a love letter to her and Ive nothing to add for now, just silence and respect.

However, the programme has faced criticism over inaccuracies portrayed as truth. In 2020, then Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden demanded that Netflix make clear the show is fiction with an on-screen disclaimer.

Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact, he said. The streaming giant has added no such warning.

In these exclusive photographs, Elizabeth Debicki and Khalid Abdalla bear an uncanny resemblance to the ill-fated lovers as they holidayed with William and Harry in the South of France in July 1997

Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed were pictured together aboard a super-yacht owned by Dodis father Mohamed Al Fayed in 1997

Fabricated scenes have included the false suggestion that the affair between Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles continued throughout his marriage to Diana, and that Charless great-uncle Lord Mountbatten wrote him a letter condemning the relationship.

Morgan has defended his work, saying: You sometimes have to forsake accuracy, but you must never forsake truth.

Series five of The Crown is due out this autumn, with series six released next year.
Ana De Armas put on a leggy display in a dramatic gold crop top and a black thigh-split skirt as she attended the 70th San Sebastian Film Festival 2022 in Spain on Saturday.

The 34-year-old actress exuded glamour in a bold two-piece ensemble for the premiere of her Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde.

Ana looked in high spirits as she strutted her stuff before posing up a storm for the cameras.

Stunning: Ana De Armas put on a leggy display in a dramatic gold crop top and a black thigh-split skirt as she attended the 70th San Sebastian Film Festival 2022 in Spain on Saturday

The brunette beauty opted for a daring black maxi skirt that featured a split in the leg to highlight her toned and tanned pins.

She paired the leggy ensemble with a statement gold top that exuded elegance and class whilst showing off her toned mid-riff.

The beauty also opted for a pair of strappy black heels and further accessorised her look with some drop earrings.

Glamorous: The 34-year-old actress exuded glamour as she put on a leggy display in a bold two-piece ensemble

She also styled her brunette locks down in a sleek and straight hairdo for the red carpet event.

Ana was also joined on the red carpet by Australian director Andrew Dominik who sported a smart black suit for the occasion.

The pair could be seen linking arms and smiling towards each other as they strutted down the red carpet together.

In another stunning pictures of Ana, she could be seen waving to fans nearby as she made her way into the event.

Puts on a leggy display: The brunette beauty opted for a daring black maxi skirt that featured a split in the leg

Looking chic: And paired the leggy ensemble with a statement gold top that exuded elegance and class whilst showing off her toned mid-riff

Kind: In other stunning pictures of Ana, she can be seen waving to fans nearby as she made her way into the event

The red carpet event comes after Ana said it is 'disgusting' that the nudity from her highly-anticipated Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde - which is rated NC-17 - will go viral on the Internet.

The Cuban and Spanish actress appeared in Variety magazine where she candidly discussed how she will react when clips of her nude body will circulate around the world.

Ana was unprompted as she brought the subject up while stressing that context was important as she said: 'I know what's going to go viral.

Ana De Armas put on a leggy display as she attends the 70th San Sebastian Film Festival 2022 in Spain on Saturday alongside Australian director Andrew Dominik

All smiles: And Andrew Dominik sported a smart black suit for the occasion and was all smiles with Ana as they made their way down the red carpet

'And its disgusting. Its upsetting just to think about it. I cant control it; you cant really control what they do and how they take things out of context. I dont think it gave me second thoughts; it just gave me a bad taste to think about the future of those clips.'

Many of the reviews of the highly-anticipated flick have commented on how far director Andrew Dominik took Marilyn's story to the depths of despair.

Ana commented: 'I did things in this movie I would have never done for anyone else, ever. I did it for her, and I did it for Andrew.'

The film, which received an NC-17 rating, explores the actress' history of abuse at the hands of powerful men, along with her descent into drug abuse.
Irina Shayk shared a bit what it's like to be back stage at a fashion show.

The model, 36, who stunned on the Versace runway at Milan Fashion Week, posted some behind-the-scenes photos on social media.

The Russian-born beauty was styled in a long sleeve black midi dress with a plunging neckline.

BTS: Irina Shayk, 36, shared a bit what it's like to be back stage at a fashion show, posting some behind-the-scenes photos on social media from the Versace Fashion Week runway

Accessories included large silver hoop earrings, stacked necklaces, a black studded belt at her hips, a matching black purse and strappy high heel sandals.

The working mom, who shares daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper, five, with former partner Bradley Cooper, 47, showed off her moves in a video in which she was placed inside a clear box.

Writing on Instagram, the expressed her thanks to the designer, 'Exclusively walking for D @donatella_versace. Happy to be back with my fam Thank u.'

Selfie: The Russian-born beauty posted a selfie styled in a long sleeve black midi dress with a plunging neckline writing, 'Exclusively walking for D @donatella_versace. Happy to be back with my fam Thank u'

In addition to posting a selfie, the runway veteran showed fans the look board created for her stroll down the catwalk.

Followers got a glimpse of the stunning purple dress she wore for her second outfit and a number on floor, depicting her place in the lineup.

The model jumped to the defense of her fellow model, Emily Ratajkowski, 31, who came under fire for posting a picture of herself and her son, Sylvester, 18 months, naked, in a bath tub.

Look board: Irina posted a snap of the look board which details everything she's was going to wear in the catwalk

Some of the My Body author's followers criticized her for including the toddler in the photo.

One follower commented a cutting, 'not everything is for the internet. we get that you have to be naked for attention because your face is below average. At least respect your son's decency.'

Irina wrote a furious, 'why don't u fk off with ya bellow [sic] average personality? to which Queer Eye's Tan France replied 'YES IRINA!!! couldn't have said it better maself.'
On a previous visit to Rome, Lily James sparked all sorts of trouble when she was photographed getting close to married actor Dominic West.

But the most daring thing the actress did on a return trip to the Eternal City was pay a visit to a nail bar.

Ms James took some time out from filming her new movie, Finally Dawn, to have a manicure at Mimi Beaute, a salon popular with Italian celebrities.

She inspected the salons handiwork afterwards as she strolled along the citys famous Via dei Giubbonari, dressed in a yellow vest top and black trousers  and wearing no make-up.

WHEN IN ROME: Lily James examines her cuticles after her high-end manicure session

Ms James took some time out from filming her new movie, Finally Dawn, to have a manicure at Mimi Beaute, a salon popular with Italian celebrities

The Mamma Mia! actress then stopped in a bar for a bottle of water and to check her phone. But it didnt take long before she was recognised by one of the waiting staff, who asked her for a selfie.

Ms James, 33, smiled for the camera while the waitress snapped the pair of them.

Her low-key itinerary was in marked contrast to her October 2020 trip with West, 52, whose wife was at home with their four children.

The two stars were seen cosying up together before riding on a scooter through the city centre as West  her co-star on the BBC drama The Pursuit Of Love  nuzzled Ms Jamess neck.

After returning home, West and his wife Catherine FitzGerald put on a united front for journalists, shared a kiss for photographers and left a handwritten cardboard sign outside their London home that read: Our marriage is strong and were very much still together. Thank you. Catherine and Dominic.

SAY FORMAGGIO: Lily poses for a selfie with a waitress as she stops for a water while walking around the Eternal City

The actress, was pictured on a cosy outing with married actor Dominic in Rome in October 2020

Ms James has never directly referred to the photos, but earlier this year spoke about the pressures of being in the public eye, saying: It was a lot.

The star has been filming Finally Dawn in Rome for some weeks. In the movie, she plays a young actress who goes to the famous Cinecitta Film Studios to audition for a role, but ends up enjoying a long night of fun where she is described as finding herself.

The independently made film, which also stars Willem Dafoe and Stranger Things actor Joe Keery, is being directed by Saverio Costanzo.

Former Downton Abbey star Ms James has been dating Queens Of The Stone Age rocker Michael Shuman since last year.
Crew members that worked on the psychological thriller, Don't Worry Darling, shared a statement on Saturday refuting rumors of on set issues between Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh.

A total of 40 individuals, including producer Miri Yoon, came forward to release a statement obtained by DailyMail.com with the 'need to correct' the alleged claims, calling them 'absurd' and 'completely false.'

The recent statement came shortly after an insider told Vulture that both Olivia Wilde, 38, and Florence, 26, got into a 'screaming match' during filming last year.

No drama: Crew members recently came forward to state that there was never any issues between Olivia Wilde, 38, and Florence Pugh, on set of Don't Worry Darling

'As a crew, we've avoided addressing the absurd gossip surrounding the movie we're so proud of, but feel the need to correct the anonymous 'sources' quoted in a recent article,' the statement began.

'Any allegations about unprofessional behavior on the set of are completely false,' they further stated.

Olivia was addressed in the statement, with the crew expressing that she was nothing but, 'an incredible leader and director who was present with and involved in every aspect of production.'

False rumors: Crew members revealed in a statement obtained by DailyMail.com that the rumors were 'absurd' and 'completely false'; Seen in Spain in September

Towards the conclusion, the individuals jointly took time to shoot down the claims made by other 'sources' to Vulture, which was shared earlier on Friday.

'There was never a screaming match between our director and anyone, let alone a member of our cast.'

The crew further reiterated in their statement that the set was always professional, and that, 'We are happy to put our names on this, as real people who worked on the film, and who have witnessed and benefitted from the collaborative and safe space Olivia creates as a director and leader.'

Professional: They also expressed that the director created a 'collaborative and safe place' on set; Pictured 2022

'Collaborative environment': The crew stated, 'There was never a screaming match between our director and anyone, let alone a member of our cast'; Olivia seen in September in NYC

Don't Worry Darling Crew Statement On Saturday, Don't Worry Darling producer Miri Yoon and 40 crew members denied the allegations of onset unrest with a signed statement. 'As a crew, we've avoided addressing the absurd gossip surrounding the movie we're so proud of, but feel the need to correct the anonymous "sources" quoted in a recent article. Any allegations about unprofessional behavior on the set of Don't Worry Darling are completely false. Olivia is an incredible leader and director who was present with and involved in every aspect of production. She ran this set with class and respect for everyone involved. There was never a screaming match between our director and anyone, let alone a member of our cast. We are happy to put our names on this, as real people who worked on the film, and who have witnessed and benefitted from the collaborative and safe space Olivia creates as a director and leader. We're also thrilled that the movie is in theaters this weekend. We can't wait for you to see it on the big screen.' Advertisement

'We're also thrilled that the movie is in theaters this weekend. We can't wait for you to see it on the big screen,' they added at the very end.

The new claims counteract what a previous unnamed insider informed Vulture in regards to the drama that allegedly occurred on set in 2021.

The source, who had spent ample time on the Don't Worry Darling set, claimed that Olivia and Florence had a 'screaming match' due to Olivia's 'absences' during filming.

Previous claims: An unnamed source had informed Vulture that Olivia and Florence had allegedly gotten into a 'screaming match' on set; Still from Don't Worry Darling

'Olivia and Harry would just disappear,' the source stated, referencing to Harry Styles, who played one of the leading roles in the movie alongside Florence. The former One Direction member and Olivia have been in a relationship since January 2021.

The insider further added to the publication that the drama taking place on set had reached Warner Bros. executive, Toby Emmerich, who then had to instill a 'long negotiation process,' to keep the peace.

Rumors of drama between Olivia and Florence sparked when a clip was released of the star talking to Shia LaBeouf, who had originally been cast as Jack Chambers, which later was taken over by Harry.

Keeping the peace: The insider also claimed to Vulture that a Warner Bros. executive had to keep the peace on set

The Transformers actor had sent the video to Variety after Olivia had claimed that he had been fired from the film. On the other hand, Shia claimed that he had 'quit.'

In the short reel, the director stated that she wasn't, 'ready to give up on this yet, and I, too, am heartbroken and I want to figure this out,' referencing to Shia not being a part of the project. She then alluded to possible tensions between the actor and Florence.

'You know, I think this might be a bit of a wake-up call for Miss Flo, and I want to know if youre open to giving this a shot with me, with us.'

Florence chose to limit her time spent for Don't Worry Darling promotional activities and press calls, due to a busy schedule with other projects. However, she did make a show-stopping appearance at the movie's premiere during the Venice Film Festival earlier in September.

Now released: Don't Worry Darling officially released in theaters nationwide in the United States on Friday; Florence seen in Venice in September

Limiting press: Florence limited her promotional activities for Don't Worry Darling due to a conflicting and busy schedule; seen at the 2022 Venice Film Festival

Despite the differing rumors and alleged drama that occurred on set, Florence shared a heartfelt tribute post onto her Instagram earlier on Friday towards Don't Worry Darling.

In the caption, she expressed her thanks to all who helped bring the film to life, and reflected on the memorable moments spent on set.

Olivia also shared a behind the scenes photo on Friday, which showed herself sitting next to Florence, Harry, and a crew member on set. They all appeared to be in good spirits as they prepared to shoot a scene.

Don't Worry Darling officially premiered in theaters nationwide in the United States earlier on Friday.

Tribute: Earlier on Friday, Florence penned a heartfelt tribute to the film, Don't Worry Darling, despite drama rumors
Hilaria Baldwin and husband Alec Baldwin welcomed a new addition to their family.

The Yoga guru, 38, shared on Saturday that she and the actor, 64, have welcomed their seventh child together on Thursday - a daughter named Ilaria Catalina Irena.

'Shes here! We are so excited to introduce you to our tiny dream come true, ilaria catalina irena,' the star wrote in the caption underneath a video montage of photos and clips.

Baby joy: Hilaria Baldwin shared on Saturday that she and husband Alec Baldwin have welcomed their seventh child together - a daughter named Ilaria Catalina Irena

Baby mine: 'Shes here! We are so excited to introduce you to our tiny dream come true, ilaria catalina irena,' the star wrote

Hilaria shared the date of the birth in the caption '9-22-22' as well as the baby's weight: '6lbs 13oz.'

She also gave an update on their health, writing: 'Both she and I are happy and healthy.'

As for the other six kids she shares with Alec, she wrote: 'Her Baldwinito siblings are spending the day bonding and welcoming her into our home.'

Here: 'Shes here! We are so excited to introduce you to our tiny dream come true, Ilaria catalina irena,' the star wrote in the caption underneath a video montage of photos and clips

Proud papa: Alec was pictured in the adorable montage showing off the baby's footprint in black ink on his forearm

'Much love to you all. We are so happy to celebrate this wonderful news with you,' the author wrapped up her caption.

Hilaria looked overjoyed in the snaps, holding the little one to her chest on the hospital bed.

Proud papa Alec was also pictured in the adorable montage showing off the baby's footprint in black ink on his forearm

In a decade of marriage, Alec and Hilaria have welcomed Carmen, nine, Rafael, seven, Leonardo, six, Romeo, four, Edu, two, and Marilu, one.

Home from the hospital: In a decade of marriage, Alec and Hilaria have welcomed Carmen, nine, Rafael, seven, Leonardo, six, Romeo, four, Edu, two, and Marilu, one

Introductions: Hilaria's Insta Stories were filled with sweet photos of Ilaria's elder siblings cradling the newest addition to their family

Bundle of joy: The proud mother of seven also posted a solo shot of her swaddled infant snoozing peacefully, apparently having come home from the hospital

Hilaria's Insta Stories were filled with sweet photos of Ilaria's elder siblings cradling the newest addition to their family.

One particularly heart-melting picture showed Hilaria holding her newborn as Carmen snuggled up to her and gazed down at her baby sister.

The proud mother of seven also posted a solo shot of her swaddled infant snoozing peacefully, apparently having come home from the hospital.

Hilaria joyfully revealed this March that she was pregnant with her newest baby, and in May she and Alec shared that they were having a girl.

And now she's here: Hilaria joyfully revealed this March that she was pregnant with her newest baby, and in May she and Alec shared that they were having a girl

'We have "somos un buen equipo" engraved on our wedding bands,' the couple told People while announcing Hilaria's latest pregnancy. 'We say that to each other all the time at home - that we're a good team.'

Hilaria wrote on her Instagram page after getting pregnant with Ilaria: 'We were pretty sure our family was complete, and were beyond happy with this surprise.'

Before Edu and Marilu were born, Hilaria tragically suffered two miscarriages, one at nine weeks and another at four months.

Just a few months after Hilaria gave birth to Edu in September of 2020, she and Alec brought Lucia into the world reportedly via surrogate.

Growing family: Hilaria wrote on her Instagram page after getting pregnant with Ilaria: 'We were pretty sure our family was complete, and were beyond happy with this surprise'

Alec also shares a 26-year-old daughter called Ireland with his first wife Kim Basinger, with whom he had an infamously rancorous divorce.

His and Hilaria's baby joy comes amid a turbulent time for Alec, who is still fielding the fallout from the infamous Rust shooting.

Last November, Alec accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a prop gun on the set of Rust, a western he starred in and helped produce.

Proud papa: While little Ilaria is her mother's seventh child, she is baby number eight for Alec, who also has a daughter from his first marriage

He is facing multiple legal problems as a result, including a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Halyna's bereaved family.

Hilaria, who had her own scandal in 2020 when it emerged she faked her Spanish heritage, recently celebrated her 10th anniversary with Alec.

Announcing her latest pregnancy in the midst of Alec's legal crisis, she declared that their new baby was a 'blessing and a gift during such uncertain times.'
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
The Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow 2022

Each year, the hill behind the Greek Orthodox Church in the historic Grafton Hills neighborhood comes alive with the Miami Valley's most extreme jack-o'-lantern display. See close to 1,000 intricately carved pumpkins at this free event for the whole family!

Pumpkin Glow returns again this year to Stoddard Avenue October 24 & 25

This fun, FREE event for the whole family returns to the Stoddard Avenue hill behind Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 500 Belmonte Park North in Daytons Grafton Hill neighborhood.

A fun event for the whole family

Over 1000 uniquely carved jack-o-lanterns

Food trucks TBD

This is a FREE event! No ticket necessary

Started in 1984 by Stoddard Avenue resident Judy Chaffin  the Pumpkin Lady -- the event has grown from 30 pumpkins on the hill to hundreds. Friends and neighbors gather to offer skills from gutting and cleaning to carving, placing and lighting the finished pumpkins. The Grafton Hill Neighborhood Association is asking the community to get involved by volunteering to gut, trace and carve the pumpkins this year.

The Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow is a unique event for the Dayton community and we are excited to host it in again in our neighborhood this year. We are excited to invite the community in to get involved this year by helping us gut, trace and carve the pumpkins said John Edinger, president of the Grafton Hill Association. We have so much fun during the processand have food available for volunteers throughout the day! The glow is free to see and open to the public with thousands of people of all ages enjoying the unique jack-o-lanterns on display.

Parking will be available at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, The Dayton Masonic Center, The Dayton Art Institute and throughout the neighborhood. Stoddard Avenue will be open only to pedestrians to make it easy for little goblins and their families to enjoy the display.
Four women died and 30 were hospitalised after undergoing a double puncture laparoscopy (DPL) at a family planning camp in Ibrahimpatnam.  Representational Image/By arrangement

Hyderabad: The government has directed officials to file a criminal case on a surgeon and to initiate action against 13 medical officials over the death of four women after botched tubectomies in a government hospital in Ibrahimpatnam on August 25. It has also clarified that family planning surgeries will be provided as part of hospital services and wont be performed in camps.

Four women died and 30 were hospitalised after undergoing a double puncture laparoscopy (DPL) at a family planning camp in Ibrahimpatnam. The health, medical and family welfare department issued a memo to file a criminal case against Dr Joel Sunil Kumar, DPL surgeon, who conducted the surgeries.

The department issued GO 594 as per which Ranga Reddy DMHO Dr Swarajya Lakshmi was transferred as joint director in the office of the commissioner of health and family welfare, on administrative grounds.

The government also issued GO 595 by which Dr Jhansi Lakshmi was relieved from her post of in-charge district coordinator of hospital services, Ranga Reddy district, and directed to report to her original post of civil surgeon specialist, community health centre, Shadnagar.

Memos were issued directing officials concerned to initiate disciplinary action under Rule 20 of Telangana Civil Services against both Dr Swarajya Lakshmi and Dr Jhansi Lakshmi.

Disciplinary proceedings have been ordered against 10 other officials, Dr Naga Jyothi, deputy DMHO, Ibrahimpatnam; Chandrakala, head nurse, CHC, Ibrahimpatnam; Dr Geetha, deputy civil surgeon, CHC, Ibrahimpatnam; Dr Srinivas, PHC medical officers Dr Kiran, Dr Poonam and Dandumailaram, Alivelu and Mangamma, Jayalatha, and Janakamma, all PHC supervisors.

The director of public health Dr G. Srinivasa Rao in his inquiry report has made several recommendations that the government has asked to be implemented. One of the measures is to make family planning surgeries an integral part of the hospital service delivery system.

In addition to this, a surgeon or an institute can perform only 30 family planning surgeries on a single day. Officials have to follow up with patients, who have undergone surgeries
CHENNAI: Protestors gathered at Kannan Roundana in Old Washermenpet, which had earned the sobriquet Chennai Shaheen Bagh in early 2020 when it became the site for a continuous agitation against the CAA and NPR, on Friday to express their anger against the arrest of over 100 office-bearers of Popular Front of India (PFI) and Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) all over the country.

Condemning the raids on the offices and residences of PFI and SDPI leaders on Thursday, over 1000 people, including a large number of women, gathered to revive the Chennai Shaheen Bagh that was given up due to the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.

The protest venue in Old Washermenpet that involves several business streets, on which people sat down for days without break, was named after Shaheen Bagh of Delhi, which was the main protest venue in the country against CAA and NPR that was sought to be brought in by the BJP government in 2019.

In Delhi, the Shaheen Bagh protests that happened from December 15, 2019, to March 24, 2020, were spearheaded by women. In Chennai, too, the number of women participants was overwhelming in 2020.

On Saturday, the same Kannan Roundana resounded with the same spirit of protest as several Islamic movements and the Mosques coordination committee had called for the agitation to express their opposition to the Union Government misusing the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to intimidate people belonging to the minority communities.

The DMK, too, came out against the raids by NIA and ED, saying that it was an instance of misusing the law. The party spokesman, T K S Elangovan, said the PFI leaders had been arrested with no evidence against them.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi general secretary Thol Thirumavalavan said the crackdown on PFI and SDPI was an intimidatory tactic employed against all democratic forces. He accused the BJP government of intimidating and oppressing members of the Muslim community.

In a statement on Friday, Thirumavalavan said that both the democratic organizations functioned in a transparent manner and even accommodated members of all communities.

Many other political leaders like the coordinator of Tamil Nadu Makkal Urimai Peravai (Tamil Nadu Peoples Rights Federation), K Kurinji, and Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, K Ramakrishnan condemned the raids and arrests.

Kurinji called for the dissolution of the NIA and Ramkrishnan said that the BJP was carrying out the raids to create a tense situation with the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in mind.
India advised its nationals looking for jobs abroad to verify the credentials of foreign employers and antecedents of recruiting agents in view of many Indians lured to Myanmar as part of a scam. (Representational image)

New Delhi: India on Saturday advised its nationals looking for jobs abroad to verify the credentials of foreign employers and antecedents of recruiting agents in view of many Indians lured to Myanmar as part of a scam.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said instances of "fake job rackets" offering lucrative jobs in Thailand by dubious IT firms have come to the notice of Indian missions in Bangkok and Myanmar.

"Instances of fake job rackets offering lucrative jobs to entice Indian youths for the posts of 'digital sales and marketing executives' in Thailand by dubious IT firms involved in call centre scam and cryptocurrency fraud have come to our notice recently by our missions in Bangkok and Myanmar," the MEA said

"The target groups are IT skilled youth who are duped in the name of lucrative data entry jobs in Thailand through social media advertisements as well as by Dubai and India-based agents," it said in an advisory.

The MEA said the victims are reportedly taken across the border illegally, mostly into Myanmar, and held captive to work under harsh conditions.

It advised Indian nationals not to get "entrapped" in such fake job offers being floated through social media platforms or other sources.

"Before travelling on tourist/visit visa for employment purposes, Indian nationals are advised to check/verify credentials of foreign employers through concerned Missions abroad, and antecedents of recruiting agents as well as any company before taking up any job offer," it said.

The Indian embassy in Myanmar recently rescued over 30 Indians out of 60 who were trapped in that country's Myawaddy area after falling prey to an international racket promising jobs in Thailand.

Myawaddy area in southeastern Myanmar's Kayin state bordering Thailand is not fully under the control of the Myanmarese government and certain ethnic armed groups hold sway over it. PTI MPB CJ CJ 09241347 NNNN
As many as 2,100 special services will be run before Dasara to various places in AP from Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and other places. (File)

VIJAYAWADA: AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) had in the previous years been collecting 50 percent extra fare from those travelling by its Dasara special buses. But this time, it has decided to operate 4,500 special buses, charging only the normal fares.

Commuters have welcomed the cancellation of 50 percent extra fare during Dasara. They say it will help them celebrate Dasara better with some additional money two years after the Corona crisis.

Incidentally, TSRTC collected normal fare during last Dasara. But APSRTC charged 50 percent extra fare. People then raised objections and preferred travelling by Telangana buses. Wizened, APSRTC officials have announced normal fares for this years Dasara specials. This is the first time that APSRTC will operate buses with normal fares during the festival.

As many as 2,100 special services will be run before Dasara to various places in AP from Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and other places.

Similarly, 2,400 buses will be operated to Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and other places from all the 26 districts of AP after Dasara.

APSRTC collects 600 to 430 per head as fare to travel between Hyderabad and Vijayawada by AC, luxury and non-AC buses. A family of four is forced to spend at least 1,800 to 2,400 for reaching Vijayawada and returning to Hyderabad in Dasara special buses.

A private employee P. Rajesh welcomed APSRTCs decision, saying people will prefer APs buses against those of TSRTC. This will increase the occupancy ratio of APSRTC buses.

The corporation has made arrangements to operate special bus services to and from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Bhimavaram, Amalapuram, Rajamahendravaram, Tuni, Kurnool, Anantapur, Tirupati, Kadapa, Srisailam, Markapuram, Ongole, Nellore, Hyderabad, Bhadrachalam, Chennai, and Bangalore. The buses will bring passengers to AP from September 29 to October 4 and take them back from October 5 October 7 after Dasara.

APSRTC executive director (Operations) K.S. Brahmananda Reddy stated that they have revised bus ticket fares twice recently due to fuel price hike. As such, the corporation does not want to impose an additional burden on passengers by way of 50 per cent more fares.

Brahmananda Reddy said they are expecting a revenue generation of 6 crore during the period. He requested people to make good use of Dasara special buses with normal fares.
My only meeting with Queen Elizabeth II was when she conferred an MBE on Harry Miller, a working-class Welshman who had turned up in (then) Madras, having married an Ayyangar. You cant be an Ayyangar in Chennai without connections in high places. These helped him land a job as Indian Express photo head. He also wrote a hugely popular Madras Diary that made him a celebrity. This, plus being on the Madras Clubs committee, made him a star. But what got him an MBE was his eccentric interest in snakes and a tribe of snake-catchers called Irulas.

As editor of the South Express editions and one whom Harry befriended, it remained unknown to me that Harrys interest in Irulas was shared by the great futurist Arthur C. Clarke, based in Sri Lanka, and Gavin Young of Londons Telegraph, who congregated at the clubs famous terrace.

Anyway, Harry built a considerable reputation as an Irulas expert and landed an MBE. Rather than make him go to London, the British high commission arranged for the ceremony at the deputy high commissioners bungalow in New Delhis Chanakyapuri. The Queen was going to be in New Delhi for the 1983 Commonwealth summit. For the MBE ceremony, Harry invited Saroj Goenka, Ramnath Goenkas daughter-in-law and Harrys boss, and me.

In the appointed room there were four guests -- Harry, Ms Goenka, me and an English priest from Nepal who had done wonderful things. The high commission staff, including the deputy high commissioner, floated in and out of the room like butlers carrying expensive bottles of liquor. The royal household had apparently not let them in on a key secret: what might Her Majesty ask for by way of alcoholic beverages at 5 pm. I thought that was tea time. Awkwardness entered the proceedings when it was established that after spending an hour with us, Her Majesty and Prince Phillip would either walk or drive to the main lawn for a cocktail party with hundreds of expatriates.

Finally, word came from the royal household: Her Majesty will either ask for gin and tonic or Dubonnet. Gin was easy, but was there any Dubonnet on the premises? It was all procured and placed on a table.

A sudden stillness descended. The royal couple entered. Prince Phillip, his hands folded behind his back, instantly engaged Harry in a chat on the flora and fauna of South India. Harrys strong suite was reptilian -- he changed the subject. Prince Philip picked up the theme as on cue: Irulas, a tribe of snake catchers, I bet. He then brought the Queen into conversation. She was, by now, on her second gin and tonic. There was some perfunctory conversation with me about my being from the North but working as a journalist in the South. Do you know the language? That stumped me. She took Ms Goenka aside to make her feel important for a moment. She was offered a third gin and tonic, which she left half consumed. We were instructed to stay inside. A pity I cant report if the royal couple, the Queen laced with gin, had walked to the largish cocktail party or were ferried by car.

The royal family was only a manifestation of the culture that colonialism left behind. Our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had a high level of comfort with this culture. Nehru must have evolved almost unrecognisably through various phases -- after Harrow, Cambridge, and the national movement. The extended conversation I had with Mrs Vijayalakshmi Pandit in Dehradun, when she lived with her daughter Nayantara Sahgal, gave me insights about Nehru which is difficult to reconcile with the khadi-clad leader of the national movement, seated reverentially by Mahatma Gandhis side. Bhai (Nehru) was cross with father because he had hired an English governess for me, Mrs Pandit said. You see, the British aristocracy those days gave residence only to French governesses.

Was this after Harrow in 1907 or after Trinity College Cambridge in 1910? Here was the Raj in full force, transforming Indias future PM into a cultural mimic of Britains highest strata. Some attitudes persisted. For instance, when Doon School was established on Etons model, Nehrus two grandsons Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi were sent there on Nehrus recommendation.

During Nehrus first televised press conference in London, Kingsley Martin, editor of the New Statesman, asked him a searching question: After what the British did to you, there is no resentment against Britain. How do you explain this? In other words, was there no combat in the national movement, only jousting?

The most memorable encounter with the aftermath of the Raj was at the Madras Club where the first Indian, an industrialist called Kothari, was allowed entry only in 1963 and where Diwali was celebrated annually as Guy Fawkes Day until 1982.

The story of Prince Charles historic lunch at Madras Club may be useful for those keeping notes on the new King. An announcement that the prince would join club members was followed by a stern notice that all members would be required to wear suits for the occasion, a tough call in Madras muggy summers. It was a painful sight watching members drenched with sweat which formed maps of perspiration on collars. The excitement was electric as the princes cavalcade rolled in. Then the shock at the sight of Prince Charles alighting from his car dressed in a safari suit, a total violation of that days club rules. The committee went into a huddle on their feet like a rugby scrum and took a timely decision. The dress code for the day stood cancelled!
Washington: US President Joe Biden has terminated the designation of Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally, more than a year after the Taliban captured power in Kabul.

In 2012, the United States named Afghanistan a major non-NATO (MNNA) ally, which cleared the way for the two countries to maintain a defence and economic relationship.

The designation gave several facilities and concessions to Afghanistan in terms of defence and security-related assistance and equipment.

"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961,...I hereby terminate the designation of Afghanistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States for the purposes of the Act and the Arms Export Control Act," Biden said in a presidential memorandum to the Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The change in Afghanistan's status follows Biden's withdrawal of US troops from the country last year, ending nearly 20 years of war.

Afghanistan swiftly fell back into the hands of the Taliban, which have repeatedly made assurances to the international community that they will protect the rights of women and girls, while simultaneously stripping away many of their freedoms and protections.

The MNNA status was first created in 1987. With Afghanistan's status rescinded, the US will have 18 major non-NATO allies, according to the State Department.

They are Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.

Taiwan is treated as an MNNA, without formal designation as such, according to the State Department.

Early this month, Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna tabled a resolution in the House of Representatives to designate India as a major non-NATO ally.

A major non-NATO ally is eligible for loans of material, supplies, or equipment for cooperative research, development, testing, or evaluation purposes. They are also eligible as a location for US-owned War Reserve Stockpiles to be placed on its territory outside of US military facilities.

These countries enter into agreements with the United States for the cooperative furnishing of training on a bilateral or multilateral basis, if the financial arrangements are reciprocal and provide for reimbursement of all US direct costs.
NEW YORK: The tide of international opinion appears to be decisively shifting against Russia, as a number of non-aligned countries are joining the United States and its allies in condemning Moscows war in Ukraine and its threats to the principles of the international rules-based order.

Western officials have repeatedly said that Russia has become isolated since invading Ukraine in February. Until recently, though, that was largely wishful thinking. But on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, much of the international community spoke out against the conflict in a rare display of unity at the often fractured United Nations.

The tide had already appeared to be turning against Russian President Vladimir Putin even before Thursdays U.N. speeches. Chinese and Indian leaders had been critical of the war at a high-level summit last week in Uzbekistan. And then the U.N. General Assembly disregarded Russias objections and voted overwhelmingly to allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be the only leader to address the body remotely, instead of requiring him to appear in person.

That shift against Russia accelerated after Putin on Wednesday announced the mobilization of some additional 300,000 troops to Ukraine, signaling the unlikelihood of a quick end to the war. Putin also suggested that nuclear weapons may be an option. That followed an announcement of Russias intention to hold referendums in several occupied Ukrainian regions on whether they will become part of Russia.

Those announcements came at the very moment that the General Assembly, considered the premier event in the global diplomatic calendar, was taking place in New York.

Numerous world leaders used their speeches on Tuesday and Wednesday to denounce Russias war. That trend continued Thursday both in the assembly hall and at the usually deeply divided U.N. Security Council, where, one-by-one, virtually all of the 15 council members served up harsh criticism of Russia  a council member -- for aggravating several already severe global crises and imperiling the foundations of the world body.

The apparent shift in opinion offers some hope to Ukraine and its Western allies that increasing isolation will add pressure on Putin to negotiate a peace. But few are unduly optimistic. Putin has staked his legacy on the Ukraine war and few expect him to back down. And, Russia is hardly isolated. Many of its allies depend on it for energy, food and military assistance and are likely to stand by Putin regardless of what happens in Ukraine.

Still, it was striking to hear Russias nominal friends like China and India, following up on last weeks remarks, speak of grave concerns they have about the conflict and its impact on global food and energy shortages as well as threats to the concepts of sovereignty and territorial integrity that are enshrined in the U.N. Charter.

Brazil registered similar concerns. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa make up the so-called BRICS bloc of countries, which has often shunned or outright opposed Western initiatives and views on international relations.

Only one country, Belarus, a non-council member and Russia ally that was invited to participate, spoke in support of Russia, but also called for a quick end to the fighting, which it called a tragedy.

We hear a lot about the divisions among countries at the United Nations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. But recently, whats striking is the remarkable unity among member states when it comes to Russias war on Ukraine. Leaders from countries developing and developed, big and small, North and South have spoken in the General Assembly about the consequences of the war and the need to end it.

Even a number of nations that maintain close ties with Moscow have said publicly that they have serious questions and concerns about President Putins ongoing invasion, Blinken said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was careful not to condemn the war but said that Chinas firm stance is that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected. The purposes of the principles of the U.N. Charter should be observed.

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the trajectory of the Ukraine conflict is a matter of a profound concern for the international community. He called for accountability for atrocities and abuses committed in Ukraine. If egregious attacks committed in broad daylight are left unpunished, this council must reflect on the signals we are sending on impunity. There must be consistency if we are to ensure credibility, he said.

And Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Alberto Franca said immediate efforts to end the war are critical. The continuation of the hostilities endangers the lives of innocent civilians and jeopardizes the food and energy security of millions of families in other regions, especially in developing countries, he said. The risks of escalation arising for the current dynamics of the conflict are simply too great, and its consequences for the world order unpredictable.

Foreign ministers and top officials from Albania, Britain, France, Ireland, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico and Norway delivered similar rebukes.

Russias actions are blatant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, said Albanian Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka. We all tried to prevent this conflict. We could not, but we must not fail to hold Russia accountable.

Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard called the invasion a flagrant breach of international law and Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said: If we fail to hold Russia accountable we send a message to large countries that they can prey on their neighbors with impunity.

Unsurprisingly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was unapologetic and defensive at the same time and specifically targeted Zelenskyy. Citing a phrase often attributed to President Franklin Roosevelt, Lavrov called Zelenskyy a bastard, but said Western leaders regarded him as our bastard.

He repeated a long list of Russias complaints about Ukraine and accused Western countries of using Ukraine for anti-Russia activities and policies.

Everything Ive said today simply confirms that the decision to conduct the special military operation was inevitable, Lavrov said, following Russian practice of not calling the invasion a war.

Russia has denied being isolated and the foreign ministry used social media to publicize a number of apparently cordial meetings that Lavrov has held with foreign minister colleagues at the UN in recent days.

Still, Blinken and his colleagues from other NATO nations seized on what they believe to be growing opposition to and impatience with Putin.

And, several speakers, including Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, pointed out that Lavrov skipped the meeting except for his speaking slot.

I notice that Russian diplomats flee almost as quickly as Russian soldiers, Kuleba said, referring to Lavrovs hasty exit along with recent Russian troop retreats in Ukraine.
A woman and two teenage girls belonging to the Hindu community have been kidnapped with two of them forcibly converted to Islam and married to Muslim men in Pakistans Sindh province, the latest in a string of such atrocities committed against members of the minority community.

Meena Meghwar, 14, was abducted from the Nasarpur area and another teenage Hindu girl was kidnapped while returning home from the market in Mirpurkhas town, police said.

In the third instance, a married Hindu woman with three children went missing from Mirpurkhas and later showed up after allegedly converting to Islam and marrying a Muslim man.

Also Read | 'Country that wants peace would never shelter planners of 26/11 attack,' India slams Pak PM's UNGA remark

In the last case, police have refused to register an FIR on the complaint of the womans husband Ravi Kurmi who says she was forcibly abducted and converted to Islam by their neighbour Ahmed Chandio who used to harass her wife.

A local police officer in Mirpurkhas said all three cases are being investigated.

The officer, however, said married woman Rakhi claims she converted and married the Muslim man of her own will.

The abduction and forcible conversion of young Hindu girls have become a major problem in the interior of Sindh province which has a large Hindu population in Thar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Ghotki and Khairpur areas. Most of the Hindu community members are labourers.

In June this year, teenage Hindu girl Kareena Kumari told a court here that she was forcibly converted to Islam and married to a Muslim man.

In March this year, three Hindu girls  Satran Oad, Kaveeta Bheel and Anita Bheel  were abducted, converted to Islam and married to Muslim men within eight days.

Also Read | Hindutva ideology in India has fuelled violence against Muslim minority: Bilawal Bhutto

In another case on March 21, Pooja Kumari was brutally shot dead outside her home in Rohri, Sukkur. Apparently, a Pakistani man wanted to marry her but she refused and he and two of his accomplices opened fire on her a few days later.

On July 16, 2019, the issue of abducting and forcibly converting Hindu girls in various districts of Sindh province was taken up in the Sindh Assembly, where a resolution was debated and unanimously passed after it was modified over objections of certain lawmakers that it should not be restricted to Hindu girls only.

But the bill which criminalised forcible religious conversions was later rejected in the assembly. A similar bill was again proposed but rejected last year.
The powerful Dalit political party of Tamil Nadu, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), would conduct protest marches against the arrest of Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), the party said in a statement.

VCK founder leader and Member of Parliament, Thol Thirumavalavan in a statement on Friday said that the Popular Front of India was a transparent social movement. The arrest of senior leaders of the PFI and the raids conducted at its offices across the country were condemnable.

He said that the party will conduct protest marches against the action taken on PFI.

Also read | PFI encourages youth to join terrorist groups: NIA report

The VCK leader said that ever since Narendra Modi assumed office as Prime Minister, there has been a move against the Popular Front of India (PFI). He said that PFI and its political arm Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) were working for the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden in society.

Thol Thiruvamavalavan said that while most of the leaders of PFI were Muslims, non-Muslims were also in the leadership of the organisation.

Notably, the central agencies, including NIA and ED, conducted massive raids across 15 centres in the country against the PFI and arrested many functionaries of the organisation.

PFI national chairman OMA Salam, its secretary, Nasarudin Elamaram, ideologue, Prof P. Koya, and founder leader, E. Abdurahman were all rounded up and the arrests were recorded. The arrested are taken to New Delhi for further investigation.

In Tamil Nadu, raids were conducted at 11 centres and 12 PFI leaders were arrested including national executive member, A.M. Ismail from Coimbatore.
The multi award-winning Stage Beyond Theatre Company is celebrating the arrival of the 2021 New York Festivals Radio Awards trophy for Best Digital Drama aired by RTE Radio 1.

RTE Drama on One collaborated with Derrys theatre company for adults with learning disabilities, to produce a remote recording of Hamlet, Prince of Derry, adapted by Colin Murphy, directed by Conall Morrison, and scored by Si Schroeder.

Stage Beyond, supported by National Lottery funding through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, secured a silver award for the play which was among world class audio work from more than 30 countries honoured at a virtual awards event held in the Big Apple last October.

The original stage production of Hamlet, Prince of Derry was postponed because of Covid-19, and when RTE stepped into the breach to commission it as a digital drama, radio showed its vital role in enabling cultural work even under the most severe restrictions.

With theatres shutdown during lockdown and everyone required to stay safe at home, the actors at Stage Beyond used online apps and recorded lines on their smartphones.

Hamlet, Prince of Derry, which also featured acclaimed actor Patrick OKane (Ghost of Hamlets Father) and UTV presenter Paul Clark as newsreader, was aired on RTE Drama on One in July 2020 and again earlier this year.

The New York Festivals Radio Awards trophy recently winged its way across the Atlantic via RTE in Dublin for special delivery to the Millennium Forums renowned resident theatre company for adults with learning disabilities based in the North West region.

Dee Conaghan, Artistic Director of Stage Beyond which was established in 2002 to provide professional artistic provision and access for people with learning disabilities, said there was great excitement when the impressive trophy arrived home.

Stage Beyond Theatre Company members and Board Trustees pictured with the 2021 New York Festivals Radio Awards trophy for 'Hamlet, Prince of Derry' (Best Digital Drama). Holding the trophy is Oisin Kelly who played Hamlet in the play which was recorded remotely and produced by RTE Drama on One during Covid-19.

She said: The much-anticipated arrival of the New York Festivals Radio Award was met with great excitement by everyone at Stage Beyond.



Appreciation

We are immensely proud of this highly prestigious international recognition. On behalf of the members and Board of Trustees, I would like to extend a huge thank-you once again to the entire team involved in Hamlet, Prince of Derry and a special message of appreciation to Kevin Brew, producer at RTE Drama on One for all his support.

"Stage Beyond is privileged to work with some of the top industry professionals in the country and we are forever grateful to our good friend Conall Morrison, the esteemed Shakespearian director who also worked with us on our award-winning contemporary adaptation of the most famous play in the English language.

Entries to the New York Festivals Radio Awards are judged around the world by panels of peers in their respective industries. For more information, go to www.newyorkfestivals.com.
Where to Watch / Stream In Search of Bengali Harlem Online Theatrical release - Not available on any OTT Platform right now.

Advertisements

In Search of Bengali Harlem : Release Date, Trailer, Cast & Songs About In Search of Bengali Harlem In Search of Bengali Harlem was released on Sep 25, 2022 and was directed by Aladdin Ullah and Vivek Renjen Bald .This movie is 1 hr 25 min in duration and is available in English language. In Search of Bengali Harlem is available in genre.

In Search of Bengali Harlem - Star Cast And Crew

Disclaimer: All content and media has been sourced from original content streaming platforms, such as Disney Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc. Digit Binge is an aggregator of content and does not claim any rights on the content. The copyrights of all the content belongs to their respective original owners and streaming service providers. All content has been linked to respective service provider platforms.This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by

Advertisements
Where to Watch / Stream Plus One at an Amish Wedding Online Theatrical release - Not available on any OTT Platform right now.

Advertisements

Plus One at an Amish Wedding : Release Date, Trailer, Cast & Songs About Plus One at an Amish Wedding Plus One at an Amish Wedding was released on Sep 25, 2022 and was directed by Richard Ramsey .This movie is 1 hr 30 min in duration and is available in English language. Galadriel Stineman, Mary McElree, Kevin Joy, Preston Kameka, Emily Joy Conly, Summer Mastain, Jordon Crusoe, Stacey Avey, Travis James, Pamela Daly and Victoria Fox are playing as the star cast in this movie. Plus One at an Amish Wedding scores a 7.8 digit binge rating out of 10 and is a brilliant movie to watch in the Comedy, Romance and Other genres.

Rating Rating 7.8/10 Rating User 0 /5 Rate this Movie     

Image Gallery



Disclaimer: All content and media has been sourced from original content streaming platforms, such as Disney Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc. Digit Binge is an aggregator of content and does not claim any rights on the content. The copyrights of all the content belongs to their respective original owners and streaming service providers. All content has been linked to respective service provider platforms.This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by

Advertisements
Where to Watch / Stream Bali 2002 Online Bali 2002 is not available on any OTT Platform right now.

Advertisements

About Bali 2002 Bali 2002 was released on Sep 25, 2022 . This show is available in English language. Rachel Griffiths, Sri Sacdpraseuth, Richard Roxburgh, Sri Ayu Jati Kartika, Claudia Jessie, Elizabeth Cullen, Ewen Leslie, Saskia Archer, Sean Keenan, Josh Heuston, Renee Lim and Rob Carlton are playing as the star cast in this show. Bali 2002 is available in Drama genre.

Image Gallery





Disclaimer: All content and media has been sourced from original content streaming platforms, such as Disney Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc. Digit Binge is an aggregator of content and does not claim any rights on the content. The copyrights of all the content belongs to their respective original owners and streaming service providers. All content has been linked to respective service provider platforms.This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by

Advertisements
The local greyhound fraternity is good at commemorating former practitioners. A year doesnt go by at Dundalk Stadium that theres not a competition run in memory of at least one deceased owner, breeder or maybe a racegoer.

In recent months events have been run in the name of Ned Lawrence, Paddy and Eamon Carroll, and only last week, Peter Burke. This weekend, the Arthur Boyle Memorial gets underway. Solid prizemoney has been attached to all of them, and theyve proven themselves very popular with owners and trainers.

The Peter Burke Memorial was run over the 525 and was won by the Co Fermanagh challenger, Tahina Blue, who came with a tremendous late run to pip Marinas Joker, earning his owner the handsome prize of 2,250.

Peter Burke had over 50 years in the greyhound game prior to his death three years ago, running a hugely successful kennel in Clogherhead. Many of his charges ran with the Mulla prefix, but it was a pair by the name of Mams Bank and Dads Bank that won him most acclaim.

The former was in the field for the 1983 renewal of the Dundalk International which produced a finish which is still recalled whenever the tracks most prestigious race comes up for discussion.

Five of the six runners crossed the line together, and it was only after a lengthy deliberation over the photo that Quick Suzy was declared the short-head winner from dead-heaters Yankee Express and the Burke runner.

English Derby winner, Whisper Wishes, was a further neck back in fourth, and it was then another neck back to Irish Derby runner-up, Brideview Sailor. Game Ball was the only one not to feature in the photo.

Peter Burkes widow, Doreen, who shared in all of her late husbands successes, regularly attending whenever the kennel had a runner, was there on Saturday night last to present the trophy and was accompanied by family members.

Arthur Boyle ran a very successful kennel in Dowdallshill for a number of years, and prior to his death formed a partnership with Channonrock owner/trainer, Seamus Casey. The competition in his name begins on Saturday night next and is being run over the 550.

On the same night, the dogs go to traps for the semi-finals of the Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park. There was a time early on when it seemed a runner with strong local connections would make it to the business end of the 125,000-to-the-winner competition.

Sentimental Lad, owned and trained by Michael Heeney  formerly of Newtownbalregan and Castletown, but now living in Co Waterford  broke the 580 record at Shelbourne prior to winning his Derby opening round heat.

But sadly, when odds-on to score next time out, he was slow away from the traps before meeting with trouble at the second corner and was eliminated. It is possible the well-made black will be seen out next in the St Leger at Limerick.

Cooavanney Hoffa was a very fast quarter-final winner, and in the opinion of many shrewd judges can go the whole way.
Louth TD Imelda Munster has described the progress made by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) installing CCTV at racecourses as woeful and lamentable saying that delays called into question the commitment to what is a crucial integrity measure.

The Sinn Fein TD, and member of the Public Accounts Committee, raised the matter with the IHRB during a hearing of the committee with officials from Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the IHRB and Department of Agriculture.

Deputy Munster said: "a person could be forgiven for having the impression that theres little enthusiasm, or that there are attempts to frustrate the rollout of CCTV across all 25 racecourses. This delay is hard to comprehend given that you would imagine that maintaining and protecting the integrity of the sport would be given priority.

It was five years ago Horse Racing Ireland announced the allocation of funds to the IHRB for the installation of CCTV at 25 racecourses. In the intervening period, timeframes have shifted like sand, with the committee being advised last November that they were working towards completion at each racecourse by the commencement of the 2022 season.

By the new year, a date for completion of works was no longer available, while in February, a new deadline of mid-autumn emerged. Autumn has arrived and today the IHRB advised the Public Accounts Committee that they have completed the installation at just two of 25 racecourses."

She continued, the IHRB as an organisation is in effect almost entirely dependent on taxpayer money yet due to the manner in which it is allowed to operate legislatively is seriously lacking in transparency. They have not until this point disclosed the salary of their CEO, nor are they subject to Freedom of Information. At the same time, it was today clarified today at Committee that what I regard as an already unnecessarily complicated relationship between the HRI and IHRB, is further convoluted by that of the IHRB with Turf Club, especially in the case of the Curragh Racecourse re-development.

It is apparent that in the spirit of transparency the racecourse redevelopment company should be subject to both audit by the Comptroller & Auditor General and the Freedom of Information Acts, yet government support and effective endorsement of those convoluted relationships prevent that."

Deputy Munster added, this is just one example of certain publicly funded bodies lacking in full and proper scrutiny; and its one I intend to continue highlighting and advocating for reform on. In the meantime, the race-horsing board need to get their act together if they want to ensure that the integrity of the sport is maintained. They absolutely must fast-track the roll-out to the 25 race courses by end of year. It beggars belief that this even has to be said to them five years on.
Secondary school students in Louth are being encouraged to enter the 2022 Oireachtas Essay Competition.

Many people question the ability of normal politics to deliver solutions to societys challenges, Ceann Comhairle, Sean O Fearghail said at Thursday's launch.

Launching a new Oireachtas Essay Competition, Aiste an Oireachtais, the Ceann Comhairle said that populism and polarisation were threatening to overwhelm societies and endanger peoples wellbeing.

Democracy itself looks fragile in the places where we thought it was most deeply rooted, Mr O Fearghail said.

In wars and conflicts we see the failure of politics to secure peaceful solutions to conflicts. In the disparaging comments you hear about politicians and political parties there is, sometimes, an indefensible cynicism. But  sometimes  it is the voice of people who feel genuinely let down, the voice of disappointed hope, that we hear.

The Ceann Comhairle said it was vital to secure the interest and engagement of young people in order to have healthy, functioning democracies.

Parliamentary Politics Matters is the theme of the new Essay Competition, devised by Independent NUI Senator Ronan Mullen with the support of the Oireachtas Education Unit. Students north and south (Senior Cycle and AS/A Level students) will be invited to submit essays in Irish or English and to compete for a prize fund of 4,000.

The Competition will be run on a special website which will issue a numerical code to competing students to ensure anonymity in the judging process. Students will be asked to register by 15th November with the final date for submitting entries being 8th December.

Eason is the principal sponsor of the Competition with educational publishing companies CJ Fallon and Folens giving associate sponsorship.

The Ceann Comhairle paid tribute to Journalist and Broadcaster Sean ORourke who was guest speaker at Thursdays launch. In his career as a Journalist and Broadcaster to date, he has done so much to make politics relevant, vital and interesting to our citizens.

The launch was was also addressed by Ms Geraldine Delaney, Principal of Palmerstown Community School and a member of the Competition Judging Panel.

This competition is a very valuable tool in opening up debate, increasing interest and awareness in our national parliament, Ms Delaney said. It is surprising that it is only now being introduced in 2022.

Democracy needs the wisdom of the old but it also requires the idealism and enthusiasm of the young, she said. When you empower the youth and future of our world you give them the tools to bring about change and to break cycles that have caused problems in the past.

Many people wonder about the quality of our politics and the future of democracy itself, said Senator Mullen. We hope this Competition will stimulate interest in the political process and help each student to find their role in our democratic system.
The planning designs for a number of upcoming, newly built and existing housing estates in the town came under scrutiny at the public meeting of the Dundalk JPC held on Wednesday night.

One resident from the Glenwood Estate raised the issue of Permeability at the meeting stating that local planning designs have allowed for the creation of pathways and alleyways between and inside estates to facilitate the running, distribution and dealing of drugs.

They specifically raised the proposed connecting of the Glenwood Estate with Hoeys Lane and the new adjacent estate currently in development.

The resident stated that if allowed to go ahead the connection would result in dealers being able to travel from College Manor, College Heights, Muirhevnamore and Glenwood and having to come out on the main road only once.

The main road is where the gardai patrol and can see these fellas, they said, further stating that gardai were finding it increasingly difficult to police these rat runs.

The resident called for the council to work with gardai while making planning decisions to avoid such issues arising in the future.

Councillor Kevin Meenan agreed that it was a serious issue that had to be resolved stating that alleyways and rat runs were also a serious issue in Muirhevnamor.

It is one area of the state working against another area of the State [gardai vs planners], it serves to devalue the houses, nobody wants living next to an alleyway.

Housing estates should be designed safety first. Ive always maintained that [the plans] are probably done by someone in Dublin who has never seen a housing estate and has just gone through college thinking that its a lovely fluffy idea to have everybody walking and moving through the estates, it does not work, it never has worked, we have never learned from the mistakes made from when Muirhevnamore was built and parts of Coxes too.

In response Paddy Donnelly, Director of Housing Services at Louth County Council said that the council were bound by legislation brought about by directives from Europe.

He stated that there were benefits to connectivity and permeability but that the need to eliminate rat runs was not something that was lost on planners and that, there is a legacy there that we do have to address and design those out.

He also committed to having a look at the proposed connections at the Glenwood estate.
Self-styled Johane Masowe eChishanu apostolic church prophet and leader Lazarus Simbarashe Nengomasha, known as Madzibaba Simba, was yesterday fined $200 000 (or six months) after being convicted of trying to smuggle more than US$10 000 to South Africa through the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in 2020.

He also sees his US$8 890 seized as being over the legal limit of US$2000 permitted to travellers being forfeited to the State.

Madzibaba Simba was tried with former police chief inspector Pedzisai Hali on smuggling charges before regional magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro who fined them each $200 000 and ordered the US$8 890 to be forfeited to the State. Hali is already in jail serving an effective 14 months after being previously found guilty of criminal abuse of office for his part in the smuggling attempt.

Madzibaba Simba and Hali were convicted of smuggling after full trial.

On November 6, 2020 at around 6am Madzibaba Simba and Hali went to RGM International Airport where Simba was to fly to South Africa.

Hali produced his airport pass to appear as if he was escorting Madzibaba Simba as a VIP. An alert officer of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe stopped the two and asked Madzibaba Simba to produce his diplomatic passport.

As he did not have one the official advised them to use the ordinary exit, which required them to declare their valuables.

It was then discovered that Madzibaba Simba had US$10 890 plus R2 920, which he wanted to smuggle to South Africa. The money was then seized by Zimra leaving him with US$2 000, the maximum a traveller is allowed to take out of the country in cash. Madzibaba Simba and Hali were arrested and taken to court charged with smuggling.

Hali is also serving a effective 14-month-jail term after he was convicted of criminal abuse of office for trying to assist Simba get through the airport without going through the currency and other checks.

He was initially jailed for 24 months when he appeared before magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna, who set aside 10 months of the sentence on condition that he will not commit a similar offence within the next five years Herald
SMART by GEP

SMART by GEP is the EBRDs electronic procurement platform.

SMART by GEP provides EBRDs suppliers with a single point of entry for EBRDs goods, works, services and consultancy services opportunities, other than certain outside counsel services. Registration is required to view current Procurement Notices.



Interested suppliers who have not yet been registered in EBRDs SMART by GEP should go to Registration on the EBRDs SMART by GEP website.

Please refer to the following documents for guidance on registering and accessing RFX in SMART:

For assistance during registration, contact the GEP Helpdesk: support@gep.com

Please note that SMART by GEP only supports Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge internet browsers. Please ensure you use one of these to access SMART.

More information about outside counsel services.

VIEW CURRENT GOODS, WORKS, SERVICES AND CONSULTANCY SERVICES NOTICES ON THE EBRDS SMART BY GEP WEBSITE

Invoicing

Once services have been completed, please use these invoicing guides for the preparation of your invoice:

Consultancy invoices

Corporate invoices
Our flagship programmes are designed to address the finance and advisory needs of various groups of businesspeople, helping them grow and transform.

Women in Business

The EBRD's Women in Business programme is one of the Banks most celebrated initiatives, aimed at recognising and addressing the challenges faced by women-led businesses across our countries of operations. The programme promotes access to finance and a shift in the way in which local financial institutions serve women-led SMEs: providing them with introductions to business networks, know-how, and role models, to give them the support they need to take their businesses further and help to create an enabling environment for womens entrepreneurship more broadly.

Find out more

Blue Ribbon

The EBRD's Blue Ribbon programme delivers tailor-made financing and sector-specific advisory solutions  covering operational, management, and financial advisory  to high-growth SMEs over the course of five years  helping the SME make the right choices in the best possible way. Blue Ribbon is delivered across all EBRD countries of operations on an invitation-only basis.

Star Venture

The EBRD's Star Venture programme targets promising start-ups, accelerators and consultants, by leveraging a dedicated network of mentors and advisers to channel a whole range of bespoke advisory services; industry best practices; workshops; and mentoring and technical assistance, helping them to unleash their full potential.

Youth in Business and Skills in Business

The EBRDs Youth in Business programme enables young entrepreneurs to access critically needed financing and technical assistance to grow their small businesses via dedicated credit lines to banks and microfinance institutions for on-lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises run by young entrepreneurs. The credit lines are complemented by technical assistance to partner banks to strengthen their lending capacity. In addition, young business owners and managers will have access to advice to increase their productivity and scale up their enterprises.

The Bank has a parallel Skills in Business credit facility with local banks, which aims to tackle the skills shortages and high employee turnover that hinder growth. Eligible small businesses that receive financing will also benefit from advisory support to recruit, train and retain staff and attract talent.

The Skills in Business advisory component is also available via the EBRDs Direct Financing Framework and Risk-Sharing Facility across the southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region, supported by funding from the Small Business Impact Fund (Donors to the EBRDs Small Business Impact Fund include Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and the United States of America), and Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.

Business Development and Matching

The EBRD's Business Development and Matching programme mobilises SMEs in particular sectors to developed markets where SME owners and executives can meet potential overseas partners and expand their businesses through arranged 1:1 matching meetings and participation of international trade shows.
On 26 April 1986 the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine became the site of the worst ever nuclear accident. A massive steam explosion destroyed the reactor hall of unit 4 and radioactive material was released, affecting large parts of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, but also reaching western Europe.

The incident caused huge damage in the immediate vicinity and had a severe impact beyond. The emergency services response took place in extremely perilous conditions under extraordinary time pressure. While early interventions led to a stabilisation of the situation, a long-term solution had yet to be developed and implemented in subsequent years.

This has been achieved. In a unique demonstration of global cooperation and solidarity, the international community and Ukraine have radically transformed the site of the 1986 accident. In November 2016 the New Safe Confinement was moved over the old sarcophagus housing the destroyed reactor 4.

The New Safe Confinement makes the site safe and allows for the dismantling of the ageing shelter and management of the radioactive waste within the shelter. Following systems installation, testing and commissioning the New Safe Confinement has now been handed over to the Ukrainian authorities and the Chernobyl Shelter Fund was closed in late 2020.

The New Safe Confinement represents an extraordinary feat of engineering. The 36,000 tonnes structure is 108 metres high, 162 metres long and has a span of 257 metres. It provides a safe working environment equipped with a heavy duty crane for the future dismantling of the shelter and waste management.



The structure was constructed by Novarka, a consortium by the French engineering companies Bouygues and Vinci. All work on site was carried out under strictest health and safety regulations by a specially trained workforce whose radiation exposure was permanently monitored. There was no single case of exposure beyond permissible limits.

The first waste canister containing highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been successfully processed and will now be safely stored for at least a 100 years. More videos

The 1986 explosion caused the deaths, within weeks, of some 30 workers and firemen at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and injured many more. Its long-term impact on the health of others is the subject of debate to this day.

Some 200,000 people, including the inhabitants of the neighbouring town of Pripyat, were evacuated from the vicinity of the destroyed reactor. A 30 km (19 mile) exclusion zone was imposed and still is in place.

The accident led to a worldwide review of nuclear safety standards and regulatory processes and the acknowledgment that international cooperation in this field is critically important. The EBRDs involvement in nuclear safety programmes and in Chernobyl projects is a direct consequence of this.

The accident left Ukraine with a costly legacy when the country gained independence in 1991, including the cost of managing the site, the decommissioning of the three intact reactor units, the loss of arable land, health screening or support for victims.

The EBRD was tasked by the international community with managing the funds financing the efforts to transform Chernobyl into a safe and secure state. Decommissioning any nuclear power plant is a challenge. In Chernobyl, where the last unit was shut in 2000, it is further complicated by the fact that it takes place in a contaminated area. The EBRD has been assisting Ukraine to address the challenge of making Chernobyl safe and secure since it was first invited by the country and the G7 to manage dedicated donor funds in 1995.

The entire Shelter Implementation Plan cost 2.1 billion and has now been completed. It is funded by contributions from 45 countries, the European Commission and the EBRD.

The EBRD also manages the Nuclear Safety Account which finances two additional decommissioning infrastructure facilities at the site:

1) The Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility 2 to process the spent fuel assemblies from reactors 1 to 3, place them in double walled canisters and enclose them in concrete modules for a minimum period of 100 years. This work has been carried out by the US company Holtec. The facility has successfully passed hot testing and first spent fuel canisters have been transported to their final destination. The facility cost in excess of 400 million.

2) The Liquid Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant was the first EBRD-managed project in Chernobyl, The facility retrieves highly active liquids from their current storage tanks, processes them into a solid state and moves them into containers for long-term storage. The plant is complete and fully operational.

Transforming Chernobyl is a long-term challenge. Through the EBRD-managed funds the international community together with Ukraine has created the foundations to develop and implement a national strategy for the coming decades.

More than 2 billion has been received for EBRD-managed Chernobyl projects from 45 donors. The EBRD has contributed 715 million of its own resources in support of the work to transform Chernobyl into an environmentally safe and secure site.
The Port of Cork has officially launched its new state-of-the-art Container Terminal, which can facilitate larger vessels than anywhere else in Ireland, and will further open Cork harbour up as an international gateway for trade.

The 89m investment in the Cork Container Terminal (CCT) is the biggest investment in port infrastructure in the history of the state.

The Port of Cork Company (PoCC) launched the new facility in Ringaskiddy on Friday, after years of planning and development, describing it as a hugely important milestone.

The new terminal became operational in April 2022, and enables the port to deliver more efficient container handling facilities in one of the largest deep-water, multimodal berths in the world.

The 39 hectare facility is operational 24/7, and at 360 meters in length it can cater to any kind of shipping.

When fully operational, on completion of the M28 road network, CCT will have the capacity to handle 330,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) of cargo, with 400 truck movements per day.

Speaking at todays launch, Minister with special responsibility for transport and logistics Hildegarde Naughton said that the Cork Container Terminal is already strengthening Port of Corks position on a global scale.

The Port of Cork and Dublin are the only ports in Ireland capable of servicing all six shipping modes  lift-on/lift-off, roll-on/roll-off, liquid bulk, dry bulk, break bulk and cruise. On that basis, the Ringaskiddy re-development will be beneficial not only to the Port, its customers and Cork, but to the entire country, she said.

Fridays ribbon cutting ceremony was also attended by representatives from Crosshaven Boys N.S. Earlier this year, the school were the winners of a competition to name the two new colossal cranes in the container terminal.

The winning names for the two giant 50m ship-to-shore Liebherr cranes, as chosen by Crosshaven Boys National School were Mahain and Binne, inspired by the old Irish folklore story about two giants who lived in Cork harbour.

PoCC Chairperson, Michael Walsh, said that CCT represents the first phase of an overall proposed development plan for the Port of Cork.

This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter at Port of Cork as we seek to meet the next phase of needs of our community and customers. As we look forward towards a Vision for 2050, we see huge potential for our beautiful harbour to continue its role as a focal point for our community to live in and enjoy, as well as a key gateway for global trade and enabler of Net Zero, he said.

PoCC is currently developing a Masterplan to 2050, which will act as a blueprint for the growth and development of the Port of Cork over the next number of years.

Mr Walsh encouraged the local community, customers and national stakeholders of the Port to contribute to public consultation on the draft 2050 Masterplan, which is set to launch in the coming weeks.

Eoin McGettigan, CEO of PoCC, added that it is really important to us that we work with our colleagues, neighbours and customers in the local area to make sure that the development of the Port of Cork is something that everyone is proud of.

As we look toward the future, reducing Irelands carbon emissions and creating a cleaner, greener future is a priority which will require a joint effort from everyone, including industry and businesses nationwide. I would like to reaffirm the Port of Cork Companys commitment to playing its part on this journey, particularly with facilitating the development of the Offshore Renewable Energy sector in Cork harbour over the next few years, he said.
James Cox

Russia's position on the UN Security Council is irreconcilable, according to the Taoiseach.

Micheal Martin said serious reform of the body is needed in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.

As a permanent member of the council, Russia can veto any and all action other member states want to take.

Mr Martin said that is not a position that fits with a council aimed at improving the security of the world.

Speaking to reporters in New York, he said: "We've all agreed that the Security Council needs to reform anyway, prior to these events.

"But given the war on Ukraine, the manner of that war, how it has been conducted with clear violations of all known conventions... even military conventions and the conduct of warfare.

"There's a huge irreconcilability between Russia being a member of the Security Council of the United Nations, which is about peace and unity, and waging a war of this kind."
By Cate McCurry, PA

The Minister for Justice has said warnings over a rise in anti-social behaviour in west Dublin have not been ignored by the Government, as she announced a number of measures to tackle ongoing issues.

Helen McEntee unveiled plans to crack down on anti-social problems in Cherry Orchard, where a Garda car was rammed by joyriders on Monday evening.

Ms McEntee visited the area on Friday to hear about the communitys concerns and meet with a number of local representatives.

Among a number of measures will be an increase of high-visibility policing in the area, including the city centre.

Determined response from the community in Cherry Orchard.



A minority will never be allowed terrorise decent communities - those who deserve to be punished will be.



But providing services and supports for young people and communities is vital to preventing anti social behaviour pic.twitter.com/moIMYBXnWs  Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) September 23, 2022

The incident, which saw a Garda vehicle being rammed by a car, has been widely condemned.

Footage of the incident, which also shows dozens of onlookers cheering after the Garda car is rammed, was shared online.

Ms McEntee and Minister of State with Responsibility for Law Reform James Browne met with community representatives and organisations, public representatives, as well as Garda members.

Reiterating her condemnation of the incident, Ms McEntee said: It was obviously unacceptable that this community should have to put up with this type of behaviour, or that members of An Garda Siochana should be treated in this way.

But the reason that Im here today is to work with the community to try and respond and ensure that there is a criminal justice response, that we have the gardai and the resources to support that the community need to respond to these types of issues.

But beyond that we support the community in making sure that the right type of resources, the right type of supports, and the right type of comprehensive community response is in place.

There are fantastic people working in this community, living in this community, who just want to get on with their lives and support those who need their help.

What Ive given today is a commitment that as Minister for Justice, we will respond and that we will help them with that co-ordinated response.

She also rejected a suggestion that the Government has ignored warnings from local councillors in the area who have been flagging anti-social behaviour issues for some time.

Weve been speaking to local gardai, who for some months now have been working with the local community, responding to these types of incidents, and trying to put in place the most effective policing response, while at the same time working with the community groups to try and get to the crux and behind what is actually happening, Ms McEntee added.

What we saw on Monday evening I think was probably an escalation of a lot of what is happening.

What I intend to do now is make sure that the most comprehensive response is put in place, not just in terms of criminal justice responses but the wider response that the community need.

She said that any change in the area following the additional resources will take some time.

The Fine Gael minister said Cherry Orchard was a wonderful community and needed support to lift it.

On Thursday, gardai raided six homes in the Ballyfermot area in connection with Mondays incident.

While the properties were searched, no arrests were made.
IT is not often I have a cautionary tale to tell but I do today, and it is about ticks. It is something that has cropped up twice this summer for us, I suspect exacerbated by the presence of the dog, and thus an increase in the time spent walking in the woods.

It is something you hear a lot about, but until this summer I had no immediate experience with it, but let me tell you we were thrown into the deep end this year.

During the August Bank Holiday weekend, we were home in Sligo and went for a lovely walk in the local woods, which took us up through a boardwalk area. There was a significant overgrowth of ferns that we had to brush through as we made our walk along the walk.

We did that walk on a Saturday and on Monday, as we were en route to the Netherlands, my daughter showed me a small bite on her tummy that I wrongly assumed was a midge bite. It looked the same, a slightly raised white bump similar to what you would get from a nettle sting. This is the bit I find interesting because, I can assure you, I looked at that bite a lot over the next 24 hours and there was absolutely nothing in it to suggest that there was any sort of insect present.

We arrived in the Netherlands, I was dropping the girls off there for my sister for a few days, so really it was with the grace of God that the reaction to the tick became evident the day I was there and before I left for home. As the Tuesday progressed, pretty much hour on hour the midge bite got bigger and bigger. Around 4pm that day the area around the bite was one shade of red raised and outside that there was another rash developing that was larger, circular and a slightly lighter shade of red.

I decided to send a picture to my friend that is a nurse (Im sure shes sick of getting strange pictures and questions from me at this stage!) and sure enough, within minutes, she came back to say she thought it was a tick.

It had never even crossed my mind that that is what it was, but interestingly, at this point you could see a small black dot at the centre of the redness that was beginning to look like there was an insect or tick present.

We went straight to a pharmacy where the pharmacist confirmed it was a tick and kindly removed it for me. I was nervous about doing it wrong as there is a knack to ensuring you remove the entire tick.

It is worth noting here, that there are different types of ticks, because the one my husband arrived home with the other day was a large and obvious tick; an adult tick. Both my husband and daughter got bitten in the exact same place, on their tummies so tuck in those t-shirts if you are in the woods!

There are also nymph ticks which are tiny and they are the ones that are most likely to cause Lymes Disease because they go unnoticed until either you have a local reaction to the bite, like my daughter did, or, worst case scenario, you develop Lymes Disease.

Back to the Netherlands, where thankfully the Dutch healthcare system is incredibly efficient and their English probably better than mine! We had an appointment in the emergency department of the hospital within an hour of ringing. I will insert a little travel tip here  keep your European Health Cards in your wallet. I left ours with our passports in the apartment, I had to pay up front but can claim the money back, but it would have been free if I had had my daughters card on me.

An interesting revelation was the fact that they didnt have any stocks of the antibiotic that we needed. The Dutch Government hadnt been quick enough to purchase it and other countries (including Ireland thankfully) had bought up the stocks, so we had to settle for a less effective alternative, but that kept us going until she got home and was able to get the antibiotics that she needed.

As a precaution, she needed to undergo blood tests here in Ireland to check for a presence of antibodies that would indicate she had Lymes Disease, but thankfully the first round of those has come back negative.

We are due to go back for a second round of testing as the doctor was worried the first test might have been a bit too early to pick up a presence of the antibodies, so we are not out of the woods yet (pardon the pun).

Tick season is coming to a close at the moment, they are most active from around April to October, but they are there all year round so check yourself for them if you go through a leafy part of the woods and watch out for bites taking on a bullseye type rash
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.

Factory farming is on the ballot in Switzerland, which could become the first country in the world to ban the agricultural practice linked to a host of environmental harms from animal cruelty to the climate crisis.

The so-called Factory Farming Initiative will be decided this Sunday, September 25, according to the Swiss government website.

We believe animal agriculture is one of the defining problems of our time. It is an issue whose time has come, Philipp Ryf, co-president of the group Sentience Politics that introduced the initiative, said, as Plant Based News reported.

Switzerland has long been a pioneer of animal welfare. Its 1978 Animal Welfare Act prohibited unjustifiable cruelty to animals and it became the first country in the world to prohibit battery cages for hens in 1996, according to Time. Its also the only country to protect the dignity of the creature in its constitution, a change made in 1992, according to Plant Based News.

The new initiative would expand those constitutional protections to secure an animals right not to be intensively farmed, The Guardian reported.

Already, factory farming in Switzerland looks much gentler than in the U.S. Currently, farms in Switzerland are limited to 300 veal calves, 1,500 pigs or 27,000 broiler chickens, according to Time. The new initiative, if passed, would up these standards using organic regulator Bio Suisse guidelines that limit pigs per barn to 1,000 and hens to pen to 2,000. Further, it would require that all livestock be able to access the outdoors and that the entire slaughter process be cruelty free. Farms would have 25 years to transition.

Its true that we dont have a lot of big farms in Switzerland, legislator Martina Munz of the pro-ban Social Democratic party said, as Time reported. But we have a lot of things we can do better when it comes to animal welfare. Its not just the number of animals in the group, its also about how theyre kept, its about slaughtering and transportation.

Sentience Politics managing director Silvano Lieger added that its currently legal to limit hens to the space of an eight-and-a-half-by-11 piece of printer paper, The Guardian reported.

The ban would also extend to imported products and reduce the use of soya-based feed that is connected to deforestation.

Opponents argue that Switzerland already has comparatively strict animal welfare laws and smaller farms that the new rules will negatively impact. Farmer Ueli Stauffacher told Time that if the initiative passes, he would have to choose between the equally financially damaging choices of reducing his chicken flock or building more barns.

People dont understand how agriculture works anymore, Stauffacher said. Forty or fifty years ago, almost everyone had someone in their family who farmed, but that conduit is gone now. So you get people saying, oh, poor animals. But they still want to eat meat.

The ban is supported by the Small Farmers Association but opposed by the Swiss Farmers Union, which argues that it would lead to an increase in imports as consumers seek cheaper options and the ban on factory-farmed meat would not withstand existing trade agreements, according to The Guardian.

As of now, the future of Swiss farming remains uncertain, with 47 percent of voters polling in favor of the ban and 52 against it. But campaigners hope that it will pull through so that Switzerland can inspire other countries that are reconsidering their relationship with meat in the wake of the climate crisis.

It is imperative that other governments, in particular the EU and in North America, should follow the lead and consult on the future of factory farming, Pro Veg International Vice President Jasmijn de Boo told Plant Based News. We need policies that at least set out time scales to downscale industrial animal farming and envisage the removal of subsidies for animal agriculture.

Even if it doesnt pass, however, its supporters say the ban has started an important discussion.

Every day, there are articles in the newspaper about it, Ryf told Time. People who have never heard about the conditions in Swiss farms are now thinking about them. All the politicians have heard the specifics, all the journalists, and they probably will keep on talking about it. So this, for us, is already success.
China-ASEAN economic cooperation contributes to development, prosperity in region: Cambodian official, experts

Xinhua) 15:23, September 24, 2022

The economic cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has provided a lot of benefits to all, contributing to common development and prosperity in the region, Cambodian officials and experts said.

China and ASEAN became each other's largest trading partner in 2020.

Trade between China and ASEAN reached 544.9 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of this year, 13.1 percent year on year, while the cumulative two-way investment exceeded 340 billion dollars, according to an official report.

Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat told Xinhua in an interview that China-ASEAN economic cooperation is very close thanks to the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

"China is a very close partner of ASEAN and a big market one," he said.

Sovicheat said the CAFTA has created a huge market for a combined population of more than 2 billion and has eliminated most of the tariffs between the two sides.

"Everyone stands to gain from the Chinese market with a strong purchasing power," the spokesman said.

The official also highlighted that China is the major supplier of raw materials to factories across the world, saying that without raw materials from China, factories will face difficulties in their production.

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said China-ASEAN economic cooperation is stronger against the backdrop of rising unilateralism and protectionism.

"There are several reasons that contribute to China-ASEAN closer economic cooperation, including China's mutual support to ASEAN during the COVID-19 pandemic era, mutual respect for mutual benefits and win-win result, and firm promotion of trade and investment liberalization agendas such as the CAFTA, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation," he told Xinhua.

Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said China has been the biggest trading partner of ASEAN for more than a decade.

"Thus, the ASEAN economic future is connected with the Chinese economic outlook and growth," he told Xinhua.

Matthews said China-ASEAN relations have brought about economic, social, technological, and infrastructural development in the region.

"Chinese initiatives such as the Belt and Road, global development, connectivity, and poverty alleviation, among others have directly contributed to socioeconomic development and the improvement of people's livelihoods in ASEAN," he said.

The professor said both China and ASEAN have shared common development, promoting win-win cooperation, mutual respect, multilateralism, openness, inclusiveness, and common value of peace and stability.

"Close China-ASEAN economic cooperation has not only brought about peace, stability, sustainable and inclusive development and prosperity for both sides, but also for the region and the world," he said.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

(Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Liang Jun)
At its Tudum event today, Netflix shared an update on its highly-anticipated adaptation of Liu Cixins The Three-Body Problem. First announced in 2020, the upcoming live-action series from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will arrive sometime next year. Netflix shared a behind-the-scenes teaser showing off a few character moments.

First look at David Benioff, D.B. Weiss and Alexander Woos new series 3-BODY PROBLEM.



The series releases in 2023 on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/vo6nPCPod5  DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 24, 2022

Some of the actors set to star in the project include Benedict Wong (The Martian, Doctor Strange), Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), as well as John Bradley and Liam Cunningham of Game of Thrones fame. Considered a modern sci-fi masterpiece, The Three-Body Problem was first published in China in 2008. It took another six years before the novel arrived in the west, and it subsequently became the first Asian novel to win a Hugo Award. Cixin and Ken Liu, who translated two of the novels in the Remembrance of Earths Past trilogy into English, are consulting on the live-action adaptation.

Netflix signed Benioff and Weiss to a lucrative $200 million deal in 2019. The 3-Body Problem is the first project the duo is writing for the company  though they also produced a series with Sandra Oh. Netflix is likely to share more information about the 3-Body Problem in the coming months.
After 45 years of voicing one of the most iconic characters in cinema history, James Earl Jones has said goodbye to Darth Vader. At 91, the legendary actor recently told Disney he was looking into winding down this particular character. That forced the company to ask itself how do you even replace Jones? The answer Disney eventually settled on, with the actors consent, involved an AI program.

If youve seen any of the recent Star Wars shows, youve heard the work of Respeecher. Its a Ukrainian startup that uses archival recordings and a proprietary AI algorithm to create new dialogue featuring the voices of performers from long ago. In the case of Jones, the company worked with Lucasfilm to recreate his voice as it had sounded when film audiences first heard Darth Vader in 1977.

According to Vanity Fair , Jones had signed off on Disney using recordings of his voice and Respeechers software to keep Vader alive. Lucasfilm veteran Matthew Wood told the outlet that James guided the Sith Lords performance in Obi-Wan Kenobi, acting as a benevolent godfather, but it was ultimately the AI that gave Vader his voice in many of the scenes.
The Japanese government has earmarked $2 billion in funding for vaccine research in an effort to make sure its country is better prepared for any future pandemic, according to Nature. Japan lagged behind other countries not just in developing vaccines, but also in approving them when it came to COVID-19. As the publication points out, three of Japan's most advanced COVID-19 vaccine candidates are still undergoing clinical trials. To prevent a repeat, the country established the Strategic Center of Biomedical Advanced Vaccine Research and Development for Preparedness and Response (SCARDA) back in March.

SCARDA's central research center will be based in Tokyo, but it will be supported by four core institutes, namely Osaka University, Nagasaki University, Hokkaido University and Chiba University. The $2 billion funding is supposed to keep it running for five years. $1.2 billion will go towards the center's vaccine research and development projects, while $400 million will be spent on supporting start-ups in drug development. The other $400 million will go towards setting up a network of research centers across the nation, as well as towards vaccine testing.

SCARDA will initially focus on developing vaccines for eight infectious diseases, including COVID-19, monkeypox, SARS, dengue and Zika virus. Its researchers will look into various types of vaccine technologies, as well, such as mRNA and viral vectors. The center aims "to find seeds for future vaccines," but its ultimate goal is to be able to conjure up diagnostic tests, vaccines and treatments within 100 days of the identification of a pathogen that has the potential to become a pandemic.

Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on

It was the UK government that first proposed the 100-day response goal, based on what it learned from COVID-19. "The first 100 days when faced with a pandemic or epidemic threat are crucial to changing its course and, ideally, preventing it from becoming a pandemic," the UK wrote in its pandemic preparedness report to the G7. According to the World Health Organization, it recorded over 2.5 million cases and 200,000 deaths 100 days after it declared COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern. A swift response from the start could've prevented those numbers from getting any higher.
Dhruv Mehrotra, Wired

Some churches ask congregants to install activity-tracking apps on their phones in the name of accountability. Many churchgoers aren't aware some software monitors a lot more than internet history. Some even take screenshots every minute before sending them to an "accountability partner." When asked about the apps, Google told Wired two of the most popular ones violate its policies.

Elizabeth Dwoskin and Jeremy B. Merrill, The Washington Post

Following the 2020 election, a wave of new influencers burst on the scene, amassing big follower counts by echoing former President Donald Trump's claims of election fraud.

Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic

"There is a fundamental tension in the tech industry between the desire to build at all costs, because building is a universal virtue, and the less flashy value system of maintaining structures that already exist so that they may flourish," Warzel writes in his Galaxy Brain newsletter.
This content is made possible by our sponsor; it is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Engadget's editorial staff.

Microsoft fans are no stranger to Xbox Live Gold, the companys online multiplayer subscription allowing players to battle or play co-op with each other. While you dont need a Gold plan to hop on free-to-play games like Apex Legends and Fortnite, its still a prerequisite for the upcoming multiplayer titles such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022).

Whether you recently purchased a new Xbox Series X or S or need to renew your subscription, you can get three months of Xbox Live Gold for $20 . With this membership, you can access the matchmaking portion of paid games, new free titles every month, exclusive store discounts and more.

A couple of Xbox Lives main benefits are Clubs and Looking for Group . The former essentially works as a clan builder, allowing you to discover, join or create communities of like-minded players to chat and co-op in games. The latter is great for making ragtag parties to complete quests or dominate a multiplayer lobby. And with Xbox Live Gold, youre not restricted to any titles your new friends might want to try.

Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on

Additionally, Gold members can claim between two and four free games each month, and titles can come from the Series X|S, One and original Xbox libraries. This months games include Gods Will Fall, Double Kick Heroes and Portal 2, giving gamers a good mix of action, rhythm and puzzle-solving enjoyment.

Finally, if you want to expand your library even quicker, your Gold subscription offers store discounts of up to 75 percent off on select Xbox One games. That means you can relive last generations greatest titles like Gears of War 4 and Red Dead Redemption 2.

If you dont intend to just play single-player games, a Gold membership can ensure you dont miss out on the competition online. You can purchase a three-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold for just $20 , down from $25.
A deficit in healthcare and its skewed availability across states remain major limitations.

The National Health Accounts estimate for 201819 highlights the working of the sector, its changing structure and also the wide disparity in the level of healthcare spending across states. The major players in the healthcare sector are the private- and government-owned hospitals and clinics. While the former provides around a third of the total healthcare spending nationally, the latter accounts for a quarter. The share of the pharmacies in the healthcare sector was slightly higher than one-fifth. In contrast, the diagnostic laboratories and administrative agencies together accounted for less than a tenth of the healthcare spending. Similarly, the most important healthcare function is inpatient curative care, which accounts for a third of the total spending. Medicines, and healthcare goods and outpatient curative care each accounted for around one-fifth of the total healthcare spending. The share of spending on preventive healthcare was just around one-tenth.

A cause for concern is the recent trends in healthcare expenditure. At the national level, the share of the total health expenditure has declined by around one-fourth in the last decade and a half. Between 200405 and 201819, the total health expenditure came down from 4.2% to 3.2% of the gross domestic product (GDP). This is in sharp contrast to worldwide trends where the share of health spending in global GDP has doubled over the last two decades, creeping up close to double digits.
Arguably, taking oath is an ethical virtue and perhaps also a device that, therefore, demands from the oath- taker an intense allegiance and firm commitment to norms and textualised principles that make political practices and the resultant social order decent. Oath-taking thus plays an important function in offering affirmation of public pronouncements and decisions backed by the moral force of the oath. Put differently, the force of reason that is supposed to reside in public decisions or political alliances needs to be assisted by the moral strength that is internal to the pledge of an oath.

The political mobilisation of the underprivilegedled particularly by Dalit Bahujan thinkers and public figureswas triggered by the ethical force of the oath. Among others, it was B R Ambedkar who took the assistance of a pledge in order to drive home the importance of convertion to Buddhism. The 22 oaths taken by the several lakh erstwhile untouchables who embraced Buddhism appealed to the neo-Buddhists and sought to induce in them the need for a reaffirmation of transformative or transcendental reason. Similarly, the social activists in contemporary times have been appealing to the people to take an oath by expressing their commitment to abide by the normative principles enshrined in the Constitution.
Leo Giacometto, an international entrepreneur and longtime fixture in Republican politics in Montana, died August 2022 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, according to his obituary. He was 60. (Provided by Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto)

Leo Giacometto once rode a Smurf-colored convertible Ford Mustang through Glacier National Park, but he preferred the wide expanses of his ranch in Alzada, said Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto.

He was like, This is so much better. Over there, the mountains block the view. The prairie is much better, said Aurelia Giacometto, his wife, in a phone call.

Last month, Leo Giacometto, once a fixture in Republican politics in Montana and former chief of staff for the late U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, died in the Kingdom of Bahrain, according to his obituary published with the Kline Funeral Chapel in South Dakota.

He died of cardiorespiratory arrest, said Aurelia Giacometto. He was 60 years old, but his wife has a different count of his time on Earth.

He always said that he wanted to live to be 120, so in my mind, I think he did just that, the amount of stuff that he accomplished in his 60 years takes a couple of lifetimes to do, Aurelia said. And he did it.

He traveled to more than 120 countries, befriended people all over the world, ran a ranch that was seven generations in his family (he fought with a milk cow; see below), and Aurelia said he knew everything from how to lead a blockchain company to how to prevent counterfeit drugs from entering a country.

He could talk with the rancher next door, but then a week later, he could be sitting at the table with the princess of a country, Aurelia said.

Giacometto, who had two children, swept the midwest conservative off her feet in part with his wit. He inspired her to plunge into the Great Blue Hole in Belize, even though she couldnt swim, she said. (She wore a lifejacket, and it took 10 minutes, she said, but she jumped because he promised to catch her.)

Leo was truly larger than life, the obituary said. He worked hard, played hard, and loved deeply.

In 1990, Giacometto was nominated by President George H. W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the U.S. Marshal for the District of Montana. The obituary said he was one of the youngest U.S. Marshals in the history of the Marshal Service.

The Alzada ranch owner turned international entrepreneur served under two Republican governors in Montana, as director of agriculture for Gov. Marc Racicot and as a member of the Northwest Power Planning Council for Gov. Judy Martz.

According to his obituary, Giacometto served two terms in the Montana House of Representatives, from 1987 to 1990, following his tenure as the Carter County Magistrate.

Aurelia Giacometto said he loved his time working for Sen. Burns improving life for Montanans. In the Treasure State, she said one of his proudest feats was getting the road paved from Ekalaka to Alzada.

He fought, and he fought, and he fought, and it finally came through, Aurelia said.

In a tribute posted with his obituary, Chris Gallus of Butte said he was thankful for his friendship with Giacometto, which started in 1987 at the Montana Legislature.

Leo defined gregarious in every sense of the word and in each and everything he ever did, Gallus wrote.

Giacometto served his country 23 years in all after enlisting in the U.S. Army at age 17, the obituary said. It said he graduated from the U.S. Army Military Police Academy, Airborne School, Jungle Warfare School, and U.S. Army Command, and he was an honor graduate of the Montana Military Academy.

He went in as enlisted and came out as a lieutenant colonel, Aurelia said. That is because Leo always looked for solutions, and he thought outside of the box.

Giacometto spent his last eight years of service as a U.S. Army Reservist with the U.S. State Departments Counterterrorism Taskforce, according to the obituary. It said he served as a business consultant as well, including to Fortune 500 companies.

From Africa to the Middle East and Eurasia to Mongolia and Bahrain and Azerbaijan, Leo found himself involved in everything from telecommunications and oil and gas exploration to aviation and block-chain management, the obituary said.

In Montana in 2001, Giacometto was a key figure in a high profile investigation of a drunk driving crash that killed then-House Majority Leader Paul Sliter, according to media reports at the time.

Witnesses told investigators that Giacometto, first on the scene following a Republican power broker dinner at a Marysville steakhouse, tried to obscure the fact that Martz policy advisor Shane Hedges was involved in the single-car wreck.

Giacometto denied wrongdoing and was never charged; driver Hedges pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in the incident.

Giacometto was born in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, and the chapel received tributes about him from Montana to California to Virginia to Bahrain. Friends grieved Giacomettos untimely passing, and they praised his political acumen, ranching tenacity, mentorship and vibrant personality.

You couldnt have more fun in a bar in Montana or anywhere else than with Leo, wrote Roger Fleming, of Bozeman, who said Giacometto was loyal to his friends and down to earth.

In another tribute, Jon Maunders, of Arizona, said he was sorry to hear of the loss.

Leo was just a great person, Maunders wrote. Funny, smart, real! He has left his mark on all of us who knew him. Prayers and condolences to all of his family and loved ones.

Aurelia said her husband would help anyone, and he could turn nothing into anything. He encouraged her in her quest to become a lawyer, she said, and she credits his support for her appointment as head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with its nearly $3 billion budget and 8,500 employees.

Aurelia said she found her soulmate in Leo. They were together for years, but officially married just one year ago Sunday.

Leo loved Montana, it was his home and heart, Aurelia said in an email following the phone interview. Where he is  he sees the sunrise every morning and the sun never sets.

The Milk Cow From Hell-compressed

The post Former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Burns, U.S. Marshal for Montana, passes away in Bahrain appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

BOZEMAN  As fall approaches and bear activity increases, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff in southwest Montana have recently responded to many reports of bear conflicts. These conflicts stem from a mix of human safety concerns, habituated bear behavior, unsecured attractants and other issues.

On Sept. 20, FWP bear specialists captured an adult female grizzly bear on private land in the Gardiner Basin. In the weeks prior to the capture, the bear had broken into a fenced compound, frequented a home that had no unsecured attractants or natural foods, and killed chickens secured by electric fencing. The bear was largely undeterred by hazing efforts, which included rubber bullets, paintballs, electric fencing and noise-making devices. The bear also had been captured and relocated twice in prior years because of similar conflicts.

Due to the recent conflicts and the bears history, and in consultation with the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service (USFWS), FWP euthanized the bear on Sept. 21.

The female grizzly was accompanied by a small cub, which was captured on Sept. 21. The cub will be transferred to a zoo in the coming weeks.

Montanas archery hunting season overlaps with the time of year bears are more actively seeking food. Several hunters have reported encounters with grizzly bears this year.

On Sept. 20, FWP received a report of an adult male grizzly bear that was shot and killed in self-defense by a group of hunters on private land west of Emigrant. The hunters were not injured. FWP and the USFWS confirmed the grizzly bear mortality and are still investigating the incident.

On Sept. 14, a group of hunters reported they were charged by a grizzly bear near Rock Creek in the Tom Miner Basin. One of the hunters shot at the bear with a pistol, and the bear ran away. The U.S. Forest Service issued a temporary road closure while FWP wardens and bear specialists investigated the incident. After searching from the ground and from a helicopter, no sign of an injured bear or bear tracks were found. The area was reopened with an advisory of high bear activity.

In recent weeks, FWP game wardens and bear specialists have also responded to numerous conflicts with black bears in residential areas of Bozeman, Belgrade, Big Sky, Helena and Butte. Several black bears have had to be euthanized after they gained access to garbage and other unsecured attractants, creating human safety risks and habituated bear behavior.

Be Bear Aware

Unsecured attractants, such as garbage and bird feeders, can lead to human safety risks and property damage. Relocating and releasing bears that have associated human activity with food usually leads to further conflicts because bears often return to the same area where they were captured to look for food. Unfortunately, bears in these situations cant be rehabilitated, so they often must be euthanized.

Montana is bear country. Grizzly bear populations continue to become denser and more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year. Bears also become more active in late summer and fall as they spend more time eating in preparation for hibernation.

Avoiding conflicts with bears is easier than dealing with conflicts. Here are some precautions to help residents, recreationists and people who work outdoors avoid negative bear encounters:

Keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants put away in a secure building. Keep garbage in a secure building until the day it is collected. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available in many areas.

Never feed wildlife. Bears that become food conditioned lose their natural foraging behavior and pose threats to human safety. It is illegal to feed bears in Montana.

Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.

Travel in groups whenever possible and make casual noise, which can help alert bears to your presence.

Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.

Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.

If you encounter a bear, never approach it. Leave the area when it is safe to do so.

Hunting in places that have or may have grizzly bearswhich includes areas of Montana west of Billingsrequires special precautions:

Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.

Look for bear sign and be cautious around creeks and areas with limited visibility.

Hunt with a group of people. Making localized noise can alert bears to your presence.

Be aware that elk calls and cover scents can attract bears.

Bring the equipment and people needed to help field dress game and remove the meat from the kill site as soon as possible.

If you need to leave part of the meat in the field during processing, hang it at least 10 feet off the ground and at least 150 yards from the gut pile. Leave it where it can be observed from a distance of at least 200 yards.

Upon your return, observe the meat with binoculars. If it has been disturbed or if a bear is in the area, leave and call FWP.

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the USFWS, working closely in Montana with FWP, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, Wildlife Services, and Native American tribes. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

For more information and resources on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear.
Press release from the Missoula County Sheriff's Office

Missoula, MT (September 23, 2022)  Missoula County Sheriffs Office Cold Case Unit solves 30-year-old transient murder case. On September 13, 1992, a partially buried body was discovered in an area known as Orange Avenue Ranch or Peace Tree Camp. Detectives were able to determine that the victim, William T. Adams, aka Cadillac Man, spent the night at the Poverello on August 25, 1992, and, through an entomology report, died as a result of a knife wound to the chest and massive head trauma on September 2nd or 3rd. No suspect was found during the initial investigation.

The body of Mr. Adams, a known transient that was known to ride the rails, was found face down in a shallow grave near the base of a hillside with a broken knife in his chest. He was wearing a sweat jacket and wool sweater that had been pulled up over his head, appearing as though he had been drug to the location. Several other items of clothing were found at the scene including two ball caps and a bloody shirt/jacket that, through DNA testing, led to the identity of the suspect.

During the initial investigation it was believed that the unknown suspect had sustained a cut on their hand and possibly used the shirt/jacket to cover and help control the bleeding. Through DNA testing the Cold Case Unit was able to identify the suspect from that piece of clothing as Leonard D. 8 Ball Owen. He was also a known transient who travelled by train. He had an extensive criminal history which included violent crimes.

Mr. Owen is deceased but with the cooperation of immediate family and the support and financial assistance of Season of Justice, the Cold Case Unit was able to make a positive identification. Although, a transient by choice, Mr. Owen had family ties to Montana that most likely brought him to the area.

Our Cold Case Unit has proven invaluable, stated Sheriff T.J. McDermott. Their dedication and perseverance to seek the truth and close these cases is appreciated by many, including law enforcement, past and present, and family members that experience closure.

Sheriff McDermott established the Cold Case Unit in January 2019. The unit has been successful in solving cold cases for Missoula County Sheriffs Office and multiple law enforcement jurisdictions across the State.

You can listen to more on our 'Montana Murder Mysteries' podcast:
The United States Supreme Court (Photo by Jim Small of the Arizona Mirror for States Newsroom).

Sovereignty on Native American land is being attacked by the United States highest court, leaders from various tribal nations told members of Congress this week.

The Supreme Courts ruling in Castro vs. Huerta earlier this year allows state prosecutors to take over criminal prosecutions for crimes that occur on Indigenous nations, and its causing confusion and concern that the decision will not only undermine tribal law but slow the wheels of justice.

The court essentially flipped the script on state criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country, Cherokee Nation Attorney General Sara Hill told lawmakers. But the most troubling aspect of Castro-Huerta could be what it may portend for future cases and legislative efforts.

During the hearing of the congressional Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, Hill was joined by witnesses from the Oglala Sioux, Muscogee Creek Nation, Bay Mills Indian Community and Tulalip Tribes.

Rep. Theresa Ledger-Fernandez, D-N.M., leads the subcommittee.

Assistant Secretary of the Interior Department Bryan Newland (Ojibwe) also testified and said his agency will soon host two listening sessions with tribal leaders to gather input on how theyd like to see the administration react to the ruling.

The Castro-Huerta opinion creates uncertainty across Indian Country. State prosecutors may now accept or decline cases involving crimes committed by non-Indians against Indians in Indian Country, without getting the consent of the tribe, Newland said at Tuesdays hearing. This invites further conflict, and it diminishes the ability of tribes to coordinate with federal agencies on public safety priorities within their communities.

Castro vs. Huerta started is a case from the Cherokee Nation and involves a child from that community. Hill said it was an attempt to reverse an earlier Supreme Court ruling that actually affirmed the power of tribal courts while prosecuting crimes.

The case was one of dozens the Oklahoma Attorney General brought in front of the high court hoping for an opportunity to overturn the landmark ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma, Hill said.

While the ramifications of Castro-Huerta are still unknown, Hill mentioned that federal efforts such as the Violence Against Women Act and McGirt are fostering a tribal court system on the Cherokee Nation that is proving more effective than the state.

She said prior to the McGirt decision in 2020, the Cherokee Nation pursued fewer than 100 criminal cases annually. In 2021, her office has now filed more than 3,700 cases and is on track to increase that workload this year.

With provisions from the Violence Against Women Act, which grants tribes the ability to prosecute people who are non-Native for crimes they are accused of committing against Native Americans, Hill said the Cherokee Nation is preparing for another jump in our caseload.

Given an opportunity to flourish post-McGirt, and post Castro-Huerta I have no doubt that tribal justice systems will continue to be a source of innovation and public safety throughout our nation, she said.

Hill said Congress needs to meet its obligations and provide adequate funding to tribes so they can meet their obligations to public safety.

Jonodev Chaudhuri, Muscogee Creek Nation ambassador, said further congressional reforms must address sentencing and jurisdictional limitations. Many tribes, due to federal law, are limited in their ability to call for hard-time penalties, including for crimes that are violent.

If we really want to keep people safe, whether theyre Native or non-Native in Indian Country, we have to empower local decision-makers on the ground and the governments who have the greatest interest in protecting people, Chaudhuri said. That should appeal to both sides of the aisle.

Teri Gobin, chairwoman of the Tulalip Tribes, said her government was forced into policies that gave the state of Washington greater authority to prosecute crimes, even those that occurred in her community. She said that the relationship, which was enacted by Congress in 1953, historically failed her people.

The Castro-Huerta case couldnt be more wrong with its underlying assumption that states will do a better job of protecting our children, she said.

Tulalip began exercising its jurisdictional muscle in 2013 when the Violence Against Women Act was first passed. She said children were found to be present in more than half of the violent cases they took on, but that the state of Washington did not prosecute a single case of those incidents when the accused was non-Native.

Aside from the chaos and confusion that occurs when a state has jurisdiction over tribal lands, that jurisdiction is rarely exercised, she testified. And if the state does exercise this authority theres often bias treatment, discrimination and an insensitivity toward the tribal victim and their families.

Along with everyone else who spoke, Gobin said Congress must act to make clear definitions over jurisdiction and affirm the authority tribal court systems carry.

Ultimately, the courts decision restricts the ability of tribal nations to seek self-sufficiency and build strong governments, she said. And it disregards the connection between sovereignty and safety for Native children, threatening to obscure the critical work this Congress has done to restore our inherent right to protect our children.

This story was originally written and produced by Source New Mexico which is a part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

The post Tribal leaders testify before Congress about sovereignty in legal systems appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Global textile powerhouse Chinas apparel exports amounted to $71.423 billion during January-June 2022. Trousers and shorts continue to remain the top apparel export products, accounting for 20.36 per cent at $14.542 billion during the period under review. The share of coats, sportswear and suits remained negligible at less than 1 per cent each.

The contribution of jerseys was 12.21 per cent in Chinas total apparel exports which was valued at $8.723 billion in the first half of this year, according to Fibre2Fashions market insight tool TexPro. Jackets and blazers contributed 9.21 per cent, dresses 7.92 per cent, T-shirts 7.20 per cent, accessories 4.83 per cent, socks 4.47 per cent, shirts 4.33 per cent, nightwear 2.42 per cent and skirts 2.32 per cent out of the total exports. The share of swimwear, babywear and ensemble was less than 2 per cent each.

Chinas apparel exports remained mostly steady despite the US ban on cotton and cotton products originating from Xinjian region, as per TexPro.

Global textile powerhouse China's apparel exports amounted to $71.423 billion during January-June 2022. Trousers and shorts continue to remain the top apparel export products, accounting for 20.36 per cent at $14.542 billion during the period under review. The share of coats, sportswear and suits remained negligible at less than 1 per cent each.

The countrys monthly apparel exports were at $18.854 billion in July, $17.328 billion in June, $14.538 billion in May, $10.824 billion in April, $9.719 billion in March and $9.237 billion in February 2022.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
A new leather factory, which was launched in the Kampong Speu province of Cambodia, will create more than 2,000 employment opportunities. Kampong Speus governor Vy Samnang led a delegation to inaugurate the Milanna Leather Ware MFY Cambodia Co Ltd factory recently.

Samnang credited peace in the region for creating several business opportunities for investors in Cambodia, according to various Cambodian media reports. The governor also expressed his gratitude to the factory owners who invested in Kampong Speu. The opening ceremony of the new factory took place in Krabei Tram village, Chung Ruk commune, Kong Pisey district, Kampong Speu.

A new leather factory, which was launched in the Kampong Speu province of Cambodia, will create more than 2,000 employment opportunities. Kampong Speu's governor Vy Samnang led a delegation to inaugurate the Milanna Leather Ware MFY Cambodia Co Ltd factory recently. There are currently 186 factories in the Cambodian province of Kampong Speu.

There are currently 186 factories in the Cambodian province of Kampong Speu, which provide jobs to 148,367 people of which 115,475 are women.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)
Atithi Bhooto Bhava is a story of Srikant Shirodkar (Pratik Gandhi), a stand-up comedian who has a blow-hot, blow-cold relationship with her flight attendant girlfriend Netra Bannerjee (Sharmin Segal). Life takes a turn when he comes into contact with a Sikh ghost, Makhan Singh (Jackie Shroff). Makhan thinks Srikant is his reincarnated grandfather who passed away in 1975. Makhan was just a teenager then and had run away to Mumbai as he couldn't bear the twin loss of his grandfather passing away and his girlfriend getting engaged to someone else. Now, he wants to go back to Mathura to catch a last glimpse of his beloved, as he feels that's what's keeping him rooted on earth. Shrikant takes up the trip along with Netra and his bestie Sucharita (Divinaa Thackur). The road trip from Mumbai to UP teaches all three friends some necessary life lessons. They get to know the value of friendship, of family, of real love and become better people in the process. Srikant and Netra come closer as a couple as well, which might be something that Makhan Singh intended from the start.Films with friendly ghosts have been made before. Chamatkar (1992) and Phillauri (2017) immediately come to mind. Atithi Bhooto Bhava kind of continues the legacy. In an era where raunchy and toilet humour holds sway, you smile when you see a ghost getting thrown out of a car because he hadn't put on a seatbelt. Apart from the light-hearted humour bordering on the silly, the film is peppered by homilies on relationships. That too is a gag because Makhan is repeating things his grandfather had taught him to a man he believes is his born again grandfather. The film keeps it simple, with Makhan not interfering much and letting the couple iron out the kinks in their relationship mostly by themselves. It's a feel good film from start to finish where nice people become nicer at the end.The film leans heavily on Jackie Shroff's charm. He's totally likeable as a friendly ghost. The man can surely act and plays his character with a light touch, keeping things simple, reacting to co-stars and situations, remaining true to the story throughout. What can one say about Pratik Gandhi? He's a complete actor who not only modulates his voice properly  the younger and older versions sound different  but also gets both the Punjabi and Marathi accents right. Such is his form currently that he could do no wrong. He shares an easy on-screen camaraderie with Jackie Shroff in the film, which was crucial, as he's shown to be the only one who can see the ghost. Sharmin too looks convincing as the girl who has a hard time adjusting to her man's quirks. She and Pratik come out as a real couple. Their problems are everyday problems blown out of proportion and the actors complement each other's performances. Divinaa Thackur is competent as the understanding best friend.The film could have more fun with the ghost's character by employing better special effects but didn't take up on the opportunity. Athithi Bhuto Bhava isn't a laugh-out-loud comedy but would surely bring a smile to your face

Abhishek Srivastava, September 23, 2022, 3:31 AM IST

critic's rating: 3.0/5

Story: Atithi Bhooto Bhava is about a stand-up comedian who in an inebriated state, meets a ghost. Things take a bizarre turn when the ghost requests the stand-up comedian to help him meet his long-lost love.



Review: Atithi Bhooto Bhava is one of those films that tries hard to ensure that the sequences in the film are pitch perfect and everything falls into place, but the outcome is just the opposite and everything actually falls flat. The final outcome is far from satisfactory. Director Hardik Gajjar takes the help of an old formula and tries to give his own twist to the tale. A friendly ghost meeting a common man and the subsequent unfolding of events can now at best be described as a cliched theme.

This comedy-drama is about a stand-up comedian, Shrikant Shirodkar, who is in a live-in relationship with Netra, an air hostess. While Netra follows a regular day job routine, Shrikant takes care of household tasks, including cooking. Though Shrikant is committed to Netra, his "shrugging" attitude sometimes is a major turn-off for Netra, which often results in bitter fights between the two. One day, while on his way back home, Shrikant encounters Maakhan Singh, a 55-year-old Sikh who helps him by ensuring he reaches his home safely. Little does he realize that the man is a ghost and in another life, Shrikant was his grandfather. He offers to leave his house on the condition that he helps him meet his long-lost love, who lives in Mathura. A lot transpires during the journey from Mumbai to Agra, and that forms the crux of the story.



While the film does sparkle in a few sequences, it remains dead wood till the end. This film primarily remains a comedy, but the chuckles are few and far between. The film employs old tropes to move the story forward. The only chuckles this film manages to deliver are through a bartender and a housemaid. Prateek Gandhi and Jackie Shroff are virtually in every frame of the film, and one must not forget that comedy is not their greatest weapon.



Sample this - there is a sequence in 'Atithi Bhooto Bhava' when a Punjabi character asks his lady love Tumhara roka ho gaya?. The answer he is greeted with is Kisi ne roka hi nahi. Now this also gives a peek into the mood of the dialogues of the film. A doctor crying at the sight of a ghost and Jackie getting into the body of a female Dhaba owner and then speaking in a manly voice is just not the right tool to evoke laughter. The film actually tries too hard on many fronts to evoke laughter, but one sees through and finds out that its not working.



Prateek Gandhi steps into a character that is close to being a dude and delivers mixed results. He delivers a sincere performance, but an average screenplay prevents him from going all out. Its evident that Jackie Shroff knew pretty well what he was getting into. He must have figured out that the role is a cakewalk for him and thus did not put in much effort, which in the end looks more like an average performance. It's a bit of a mystery that the director did not give much screen space to Anuradha Patel, who appears towards the end for a few minutes sans dialogues. One only wishes that Hardik Gajjar and his team would have worked more on the screenplay of the film and refined it.



Atithi Bhooto Bhava is a film that can be watched at any point in time without any expectation. It does not tax your brain but at the same time, it is also devoid of any merit.




An all-in-one, modular educational unit for children ages 2+ and above, creating meaningful learning and playing experiences anywhere.

Cambridge, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - September 24, 2022) - Out Of The Box Education, a startup founded in MIT, is pleased to announce the launch of the world's first Classroom-in-a-Box with Digital Platform, an innovative all-in-one educational unit for children ages two and above. The award-winning, patent-pending product is developed as part of the MIT DesignX program.

MIT Consumer EdTech Startup Out Of The Box Education Launches World's First Classroom-in-a-Box with Digital Platform for Children

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/138163_6b303bc7c4b7ea55_001full.jpg

Throughout the past two years, parents and educators have been facing immense challenges transitioning to remote or hybrid work, while concurrently facilitating their children's learning - a problem exacerbated by the pandemic. Out Of The Box was founded with the philosophy that meaningful learning and play can (and should) take place everywhere, not just in traditional schools. The classroom-in-a-box transforms any space with different configurations that provide endless experiences.

The Kickstarter launch will be live on 27 September 2022. For more information, visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/outoftheboxeducation/out-of-the- box-classroom-in-a-box-for-learn-and-play

The components in the classroom-in-a-box are modular and mobile, giving children the freedom to explore different configurations and usage modalities. The unit also comes with an artificial intelligence-enabled digital platform that provides personalized learning journeys catered to each child's unique learning needs and a learning library with expandable content.

According to research conducted at Cambridge University, a guided play-focused approach where children can explore at their own pace is as effective as a traditional classroom environment in teaching literacy, critical thinking, and numeracy. "Children learn differently, and we should encourage them to explore, learn and play the way they do best," says Out Of The Box Cofounder Yu Qian Ang - whose mother was a preschool teacher for over 20 years - on the inspiration behind the project. "For children, every interaction is an opportunity to learn, and a traditional, asymmetric instructional approach may discourage them."

Out Of The Box has won multiple international awards, including the audience choice award at the World Bank Youth Summit, and was also honored in Fast Company's World Changing Ideas and Innovation by Design.

Through the Kickstarter campaign, the cofounders hope to build a community of enthusiastic early adopters who will provide feedback, ideas and grow with the product. Backers also have the option to support efforts to bring these experiences to underprivileged children.

About Out Of The Box Education:

Out Of The Box Education, founded at MIT, aims to bring meaningful learning and playing experiences to children everywhere. The company's first product is a patent-pending classroom-in-a-box (hardware) with an AI-enabled learning platform (software) that transforms any space into a learning and play environment for children.

Contact Info:

Name: Kloe Ng

Email: admin@ootb.education

Organization: Out Of The Box Education, Inc.

Website: http://www.ootb.education

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138163
On September 2, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the outgoing Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Ivanovich Denisov.



Wang Yi spoke highly of Denisov's excellent work in China. Wang Yi said, you are a good friend, an old friend, and a true friend of the Chinese people, and in the past 10 years, as a diplomatic envoy to China, you have done a lot of effective work to promote cooperation between China and Russia in various fields and enhance friendship and mutual trust between the people of the two countries, and have made important contributions to safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of the two sides and uphold international fairness and justice. Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, China-Russia comprehensive strategic coordination has continuously moved forward, and the public support and the social foundation of bilateral relations have been further cemented. Mr. Ambassador has done a lot for it. The Chinese side highly appreciates that. We expect that you will continue to make new contributions to the development of China-Russia relations.

Wang Yi said that against the backdrop of profound adjustment and evolution of international relations, the Chinese side and the Russian side have been more keenly aware of the important achievements in good neighborliness and friendship, and mutual benefit and win-win outcomes between the two countries, more understood the precious experience of non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party between the two sides, and more recognized the great significance of China and Russia to strengthen cooperation shoulder to shoulder and support each other back to back as two major countries. China-Russia relations have withstood the test of the international landscape and have always remained vital and dynamic, and we have every confidence in the future of China-Russia relations. We believe that under the joint guidance of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations will continue to enjoy high-level development, to provide a strong guarantee for safeguarding each other's core interests of the two countries, and make new contributions to the two countries in achieving their own development and revitalization.

Denisov wishes the convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China a success. He said that he worked in China for 20 years altogether, witnessed tremendous achievements that China made in every aspect, and believes that China will make new and greater achievements in the future. Over the past 10 years, Russia-China relations have achieved fruitful results, and under the personal guidance of the two heads of state, Russia-China relations have entered a new era. The Russian side will continue to work with the Chinese side to render each other staunch support on issues concerning each other's core interests, carry out back-to-back strategic coordination, strengthen strategic coordination in international affairs, and push bilateral relations to a higher level.

Both sides also had an exchange of views on issues of common concern, and agreed that the United States and other Western countries have interfered in other countries' internal affairs and made smear campaigns in the name of human rights and democracy at every turn, but their tricks have been seen through by more countries and people and will surely end in bankruptcy.
From September 14 to 16, 2022, President Xi Jinping attended the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Samarkand and paid state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan upon invitation. As the visit came to a conclusion, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi briefed the accompanying journalists on the visit.

Wang Yi said that in the mid-autumn season, President Xi Jinping embarked on the trip to Central Asia, which has received international attention. The visit takes place at a time when the world is undergoing accelerating changes unseen in a century, a protracted COVID-19 pandemic, profound adjustments in major-country relations, the spread and spill-over of geopolitical conflicts and mounting difficulties and challenges facing humanity at large. Domestically, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is soon to be held. The vast land of China is brimming with vigor and vitality. The Chinese people are united in a common effort and ushering in bright prospects for Chinas national rejuvenation. Being the first overseas visit by President Xi Jinping since COVID-19 began, the visit is of major significance and the timing of the visit is rather special. It is a major diplomatic action of the CPC Central Committee vis-a-vis Eurasia in light of both domestic and international imperatives, and an important landmark visit undertaken at a crucial and historic juncture. The global media have closely followed the visit with intense coverage. Cooperation, security, development, openness, mutual trust, and respect became the key buzzwords in international mainstream media coverage. International commentary described the choice of Central Asia as President Xi Jinpings first overseas visit since COVID-19 as one of major strategic significance and a strategic step China has taken to unite with its SCO friends in order to penetrate the attempted encirclement by the United States. It fully shows the strong confidence and influence of President Xi Jinping, and the growing international standing and influence of China.

Over three days and two nights, President Xi Jinping flew to Nur-Sultan and then Samarkand and, within a 48-hour stay, attended nearly 30 multilateral and bilateral events with a twin focus on security and development. Despite its brevity, the visit has had many highlights and created fruitful outcomes. With the visits facilitation, the expansion of the SCO took a new step forward. The visit also successfully steered Chinas relations with relevant countries to new levels. It is a visit that pointed the way forward in turbulent times and reinvigorated the ancient Silk Road. Against the overarching backdrop of turbulence and mounting risks and challenges in todays world, President Xi Jinping's visit to Central Asia has added vigor and vitality to the Silk Road connecting Asia and Europe and stabilizing factors to the regional and international landscape that are currently at a crossroads. The visit has created more favorable international conditions for Chinas new journey toward building a modern socialist country in all respects and fully demonstrated the extraordinary vision and sense of responsibility of a major country and a major political party that care about the world and stay at the forefront of the trend of the times.

I. Carry forward the Shanghai Spirit and open a new phase of development of the SCO

Wang Yi said that 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 Between SCO Member States. Over the past years, the SCO has carried forward the Shanghai Spirit featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for the diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development, and played an active role in and made contributions to Eurasian and international affairs. Meanwhile, today's world has witnessed the rising challenge of unity vs division and cooperation vs confrontation. The SCO is faced with various tests in safeguarding regional peace and security. Its member states face serious challenges in upholding their own security and stability. Bearing in mind the new circumstances, tasks and difficulties facing the SCO and its member states, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the Samarkand Summit. The speech focuses on the importance of this milestone year to the SCO in the course of its development, provides insights and guidance on the future of the SCO from a strategic and overall perspective, and puts forward major initiatives and proposals on greater unity among the member states and the future development of the SCO.

President Xi Jinping gave an insightful review of the success of the SCO, attributing it to the organizations commitment to political trust, mutually beneficial cooperation, equality, openness and inclusiveness, and equity and justice, and said these five points fully embody the Shanghai Spirit, which is the source of strength for the development of the SCO, and the fundamental guide that the SCO must continue to follow in the years to come. The commitment to these five points is a practice of true multilateralism that rises above traditional bloc politics. It is an answer to the question of what new type of regional cooperation is required in the new era and how to advance it, offering significant guidance for the SCO's development and the sound and equitable development of international relations.

As for the future development of the SCO, President Xi Jinping pointed out that under the new circumstances, the SCO, as an important constructive force in international and regional affairs, should keep itself well-positioned in the face of changing international dynamics, ride on the trend of the times, constantly enhance strategic independence, consolidate and deepen solidarity and cooperation and build a closer SCO community with a shared future. To this end, President Xi Jinping put forward five suggestions, emphasizing that we need to enhance mutual support, expand security cooperation, deepen practical cooperation, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and uphold multilateralism. These suggestions echo the common aspirations of every member state to seek unity, stability and development, and draw a road map for the progress of the SCO and a new blueprint for its cooperation.

Through concerted efforts of President Xi Jinping and other participating leaders, the summit adopted over 40 outcome documents covering economy, finance, technology, culture, institution-building, external exchanges and so on. Particularly, under the initiative of the Chinese side, heads of state of the SCO member states adopted four major statements on international energy and food security, tackling climate change, and keeping supply chains secure, stable and diversified. The Chinese side also announced that it is ready to establish a China-SCO base for training counter-terrorism personnel, host a forum on industrial and supply chains, set up a China-SCO Big Data Cooperation Center, and provide developing countries in need with emergency humanitarian assistance of grain and other supplies worth 1.5 billion yuan. These tangible measures meet the needs of various countries, and show that China not only presented the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, but also carried out the initiatives with real actions. At the summit, President Xi Jinping called for continued efforts to achieve the complementarity of the Belt and Road Initiative with national development strategies and regional cooperation initiatives, expand sub-multilateral cooperation and sub-regional cooperation, and create more growth drivers in cooperation. The other countries responded positively, saying that they will continue to tap into the potential of cooperation in various fields, build the SCO into an anchor of regional security and stability, and make greater contributions to world peace and development.

It is particularly noteworthy that before the summit, an increasing number of countries had applied for joining the SCO. China and other member states of the SCO together adopted a holistic approach to these applications and conducted equal-footed consultations. At the summit, the SCO accepted Iran as a member state, supported the starting of the procedure for the accession of Belarus, granted Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar the status of SCO dialogue partners, and reached agreement on admitting Bahrain, the Maldives, the UAE, Kuwait and Myanmar as new dialogue partners. This is a new and the largest round of expansion for the SCO. It helps consolidate the standing and influence of the SCO as an organization for regional cooperation with the largest population and the largest landmass in the world, and demonstrates once again the dynamism, ability to unite, and appeal of the Shanghai Spirit. The expansion also fully shows that the SCO is not an isolated and exclusive "small circle", but an open and inclusive "big family". The SCO, as a new type of international organization consisting of 26 countries, has shown stronger vitality and more promising prospects, and will definitely inject more positive energy and new impetus into safeguarding peace and prosperity of the Eurasian continent and the world, and play an exemplary role in promoting the building of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.

Samarkand, renowned as the pearl on the Silk Road, witnessed the glory and splendor of the ancient Silk Road. Today, the famous historic city has borne witness to yet another landmark and important moment for the Eurasian continent. Through the concerted efforts of all the parties, the Samarkand Summit had more participating leaders and more outcome documents than any previous summit in the history of the SCO. Uzbekistan, as the rotating chair of the SCO and host country of the summit, attached great importance to the summit and made it a national priority. The Chinese side provided staunch political, logistic and COVID-response support and made positive contributions to the success of the summit. This is an example of how China works with other SCO members in the spirit of solidarity and coordination by means of giving each other support when needed. At the summit, the Samarkand Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was signed and released, which fully absorbed the main elements of the series of important initiatives China had made.

II. Write a new chapter of good-neighborly friendship between China and Kazakhstan, and between China and Uzbekistan under the guidance of building a community with a shared future

Wang Yi said that both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are major Central Asian countries, as well as China's key neighbors to the northwest and comprehensive strategic partners. The two countries are also among the first group of countries to support and jointly contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative. During his visit to Central Asia nine years ago, President Xi Jinping proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative in Kazakhstan, the first time for him to come up with this Initiative, and made a special trip to Samarkand, hence a "Silk Road bond" with the two countries. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Kazakhstan, and between China and Uzbekistan. Next year will be the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Chinas relations with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan relations are at a fresh historic starting point. Visiting Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan again after those years and the fact that both countries are on President Xi Jinpings first overseas trip since the onset of COVID-19 fully shows the high level and uniqueness of China's relations with the two countries, as well as the close friendship and deep trust between him and the heads of state of these two countries.

The heads of state of both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan attached great importance to the visit and treated President Xi Jinping as their most honored guest by personally directing and planning the visit and extending full diplomatic protocol and the highest level of reception. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev personally went to the airport to greet him and bid him farewell. He held a grand welcome ceremony at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace and awarded President Xi Jinping with the Order of the Golden Eagle, or "Altyn Qyran" Order, the highest order of Kazakhstan awarded to individuals, and personally invited a famous Kazakh meritorious artist to sing in Chinese the song "Ying Shan Hong", which is known to every household in China. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took time from his busy schedule of receiving more than 10 leaders attending the SCO Summit to greet President Xi Jinping at the airport with a spectacular ceremony. He awarded President Xi Jinping the first Order of Friendship, the highest honor conferred by Uzbekistan on foreign individuals, and invited him to plant an oak tree symbolizing the evergreen friendship between Uzbekistan and China. President Mirziyoyev also designated the prime minister of his government to oversee the entire reception. These special and heart-warming arrangements demonstrate the political will of the two heads of state for friendship with China and the profound goodwill of the people of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan towards China.

President Xi Jinping held warm and friendly talks with President Tokayev and President Mirziyoyev, which produced a broad range of practical results. President Xi Jinping signed and issued joint statements respectively with the two presidents, which comprehensively summarize the achievements and experience accumulated during the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations and chart the course for future growth of relations. As announced, 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, while China and Uzbekistan will, bearing in mind the long-term development of China-Uzbekistan relations and the future welfare of the two peoples, implement the vision of a community with a shared future at the bilateral level and give bilateral relations a whole new characterization. President Xi Jinping outlined the essential components of what makes a community with a shared future, putting firm mutual support before all else. In Kazakhstan, President Xi Jinping stressed that the unbreakable friendship between China and Kazakhstan will contribute to the growth of positive and progressive forces in the world and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. He stressed that China is ready to work with Kazakhstan to be each other's strong supporters for development and rejuvenation. President Tokayev said that President Xi Jinping's visit demonstrates the two sides' commitment to opening another 30 golden years of Kazakhstan-China relations, which is of special and great significance in the current volatile and complex international environment, Tokayev noted, adding that this will make a new milestone in the history of Kazakhstan-China relations and that 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. In Uzbekistan, President Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Uzbekistan have always respected each other, enjoyed good neighborliness and worked in partnership for mutual benefits and that China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to implement the vision of a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future and deepen all-round cooperation for mutual benefit. Mirziyoyev said that President Xi Jinping's historic state visit to Uzbekistan will elevate the Uzbekistan-China comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height and that China is a reliable friend and comprehensive strategic partner of Uzbekistan, adding that Uzbekistan is firmly and unequivocally committed to the one-China principle, and firmly supports China's position on matters concerning its core interests and that Uzbekistan will always be trustworthy as well as a good neighbor, good friend and good partner for China.

During the tour, China reached wide-ranging consensus on the future direction and priorities of cooperation with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan respectively and agreed with them to continue to engage in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, speed up the alignment of development strategies, and promote pragmatic cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, energy, railway and connectivity. Nearly 30 bilateral cooperation documents across a broad range of areas, including finance, water conservancy, digital economy, green development, culture, and sub-national cooperation, have been signed. Among them, the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project marks important progress in the construction of a major transport route in the Eurasian continent. In addition, the completion of the restoration project of historical and cultural sites in Khorezm region, which was commenced during President Xi Jinping's visit to Uzbekistan in 2013, has become another highlight of cultural cooperation between the two sides.

Wang Yi said that the launch of the concept of a community with a shared future between China and Kazakhstan and between China and Uzbekistan at the bilateral level is an integral part of the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. It will certainly enable their millennia-old traditional friendship to brim with renewed vigor and vitality and better benefit the Chinese people and the people of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, while making China-Kazakhstan and China-Uzbekistan contributions to regional peace and stability and development.

. Deepen strategic communication with all parties to inject positive energy into the peaceful development of the Eurasian continent

Wang Yi said that President Xi Jinping also held bilateral meetings in Samarkand with the leaders of 10 countries attending the SCO Summit at their request and attended the trilateral meeting between China, Russia and Mongolia. Among them are both old friends with whom President Xi Jinping has met several times in recent years and new friends met for the first time. The meetings covered many topics, reached significant depth and produced substantive results, which play an important role in guiding the growth of bilateral relations and promoting regional peace and stability by setting the direction and outlining the priorities.

President Xi Jinping held his second face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin this year, which was also the first meeting between the heads of state of China and Russia on the international occasion since the outbreak of the pandemic. The two heads of state positively evaluated the fruitful strategic communication maintained between the two countries this year, and said that they will continue to strongly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests, strengthen coordination and cooperation within multilateral frameworks, promote the enhancement of solidarity and mutual trust among all parties, and safeguard the common interests of vast developing countries and emerging markets.

The heads of state of China, Russia and Mongolia held an in-person meeting for the first time after three years. President Xi Jinping fully recognized the achievements of trilateral cooperation among China, Russia and Mongolia, and put forward four proposals on promoting the trilateral cooperation, stressing the need to firmly grasp the right direction of the trilateral cooperation, elevate cooperation within the framework of the SCO, implement well the projects under the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, and cultivate more deliverables of the trilateral cooperation.

President Xi Jinping met with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon respectively. This is the third time this year that President Xi Jinping and the heads of five Central Asian countries have met, fully reflecting the close ties between China and Central Asian countries. President Xi Jinping reiterated his support for Central Asian countries in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and security, opposition to any external forces' interference in the internal affairs of Central Asian countries, and support for Central Asian countries in strengthening integrated cooperation. All parties agreed to expand and strengthen the China+Central Asia (C+C5) Meeting mechanism to maintain security and stability in Central Asia and promote common development in the region.

President Xi Jinping also met with the leaders of Iran, Belarus, Pakistan, Mongolia, Turkiye and Azerbaijan separately, reaching many new and important common understandings on advancing the development of bilateral relations. They also exchanged views and formed synergy on promoting the political settlement of regional hotspot issues such as Iranian nuclear issue, Afghanistan and the Middle East issues. The Chinese and Belarusian heads of state issued a joint statement and unanimously decided to upgrade China-Belarus relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership.

I would like to point out in particular that in response to the recent attempts by certain countries to undermine China's sovereignty and interfere in China's internal affairs, the leaders of the above-mentioned countries took the initiative to reiterate during their meetings that they will continue to firmly abide by the one-China principle and firmly support China's position on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and other core interests. This shows once again that it is clear to all who stands for fairness and justice. China enjoys abundant support for its just cause.

Wang Yi said that so far this year, from the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 to the BRICS Summit, from the High-Level Dialogue on Global Development to the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Samarkand, each time we can strongly feel the international community's firm support for China and eager expectation for deepening friendship and cooperation with China. President Xi Jinping, with his far-sighted strategic vision, open and inclusive broad-mindedness, and charismatic personality of valuing goodwill and friendship, has won China more and more understanding, respect and recognition internationally. Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has become a constructive force in international relations for dialogue and cooperation, for unity and openness, and for peace and development, and has played an increasingly important role for the long-term stability and sustainable development of the Eurasian continent and the world at large.

IV. Expound on the bright future of China's development and look forward to the new journey of a major country and a major political party.

Wang Yi said that last year we celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, and many countries were impressed by the CPC's remarkable achievements over the past century. They hoped to find out about the secret of China's "two miracles" of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, and they had profound interest in China's system, path, theory and culture. Next month, the 20th National Congress of the CPC will be convened, which will draw a magnificent blueprint for China's future development. The international community will focus more on China and the CPC.

The leaders of the countries who met President Xi Jinping during his visit took the initiative to wish the 20th National Congress of the CPC a full success. They expressed confidence in China's development prospects and the hope to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China on all fronts. They said they looked forward to China playing a greater role in international affairs. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that President Xi Jinping is a truly great leader, who enjoys the heartfelt support of the Chinese people, and that China will surely achieve its magnificent goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects as scheduled. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that President Xi Jinping is a great statesman in today's world, and Uzbekistan is convinced that under President Xi Jinping's wise leadership, China will have not only a bright today but also a brighter tomorrow.

On various occasions during this visit, President Xi Jinping shared stories about China and the CPC by presenting Chinas history and reality, and theories and practices, and shared experience in state governance with leaders of other countries. It showed the image of a confident, open and progressive major country and major Party on a new journey, and further enhanced understanding of, support for and recognition of the CPC.

President Xi Jinping expounded on the significance and overall goals of the 20th National Congress of the CPC. He pointed out that at this national congress, the CPC will fully review the major achievements made and valuable experience gained in China's reform and development endeavors. It will also formulate programs of action and overarching policies to meet China's new development goals on the journey ahead in the new era and the new expectations of the people. President Xi Jinping stressed that we will continue to follow the Chinese path to modernization to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and we will continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. By doing so, we will create new opportunities for the world with new advances in China's development and contribute our vision and strength to world peace and development and human progress.

President Xi Jinping introduced China's reform and development, stressing that China has continued to respond to COVID-19 and promote economic and social development in a well-coordinated way. The fundamentals of China's economy, characterized by strong resilience, enormous potential, ample room for policy adjustment and long-term sustainability, will remain sound. This will greatly boost the stability and recovery of the world economy and provide more market opportunities for other countries. President Xi Jinping pointed out that China has entered a new development stage and is making active efforts to foster a new development paradigm. China stands ready to continue to share development achievements with other parties and learn from each other's development experience. All parties are welcome to board the express train of China's development. China's door of opening-up and friendly cooperation will always be open to the world.

President Xi Jinping made an insightful explanation of China's diplomatic visions and propositions. He pointed out that human society "has both sunny and rainy days in its development", described the GSI and the GDI with a clear focus, and called on all countries to stay true to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture. He called on all parties to foster global development partnership, and achieve more robust, greener and more balanced global development. Regarding certain countries that are obsessed with geopolitical games and bloc confrontation, President Xi Jinping clearly pointed out that we should remain firm in safeguarding the UN-centered international system and the international order based on international law, practice the common values of humanity, uphold true multilateralism, jointly improve global governance, reject zero-sum game and bloc politics, and work together to ensure that the international order is more just and equitable.

Leaders congratulated China on its outstanding achievements in economic and social development under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, particularly the victory of the battle against extreme poverty and the completion of the building of a moderately prosperous society. They spoke highly of the two great initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, namely the Belt and Road Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. They believed that the GDI and the GSI put forward by China are of important strategic significance for solving the risks and challenges facing the world today.

Wang Yi said that President Xi Jinping's visit, which covers neighboring Central Asia, focuses on the Eurasian continent and reflect global changes, is yet another successful practice and vivid embodiment of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. Over the past ten years since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China, through vigorous and determined endeavor, has overcome difficulties and made pioneering and historic achievements in its diplomatic work. In the new era, China has pursued its development in the context of human development, and constantly pooled the greatest common denominator of the interests of the Chinese people and the people of other countries. China has firmly stood on the right side of history and followed the trend of the times. We have pursued the right path, brought benefits to the world, and enjoyed popular support. The 20th National Congress of the CPC soon to be held will sound a new clarion call, and China's diplomatic cause will also embark on a new journey. We must unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, follow Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, strive to break new ground in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and continuously make new contributions to building a modern socialist country in all respects and promoting world peace and development!
On September 20, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) in New York. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sent a video message. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Lao Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, Thai Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen Hassen, along with foreign ministers of nearly 40 countries, including Mongolia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, and Nicaragua, permanent representatives of the group members to the United Nations, and responsible officials of international organizations of the United Nations Development Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Organization for Migration, and the International Renewable Energy Agency, were present.



Wang Yi said that President Xi Jinping proposed the GDI during the UN General Assembly last year. Aiming at building a global community of development, the GDI gives priority to development, puts people at the center, and seeks to expedite the implementation of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the past year, more than 100 countries and international organizations, including the United Nations, have supported the GDI, and more than 60 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative. The Group of Friends has become an important force for solidity, coordination and common development, and an effective platform for discussing plans for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Wang Yi expressed that the global development cause is at a critical juncture now. Global economic recovery is becoming more difficult every moment, and developing countries face severe challenges in the realization of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The more difficult things get, the more we need to work together. In June this year, President Xi Jinping chaired the High-level Dialogue on Global Development, announced China's 32 important measures to implement the GDI, helped to bring development back to the center of the international agenda together with leaders of other countries, and stayed committed to forging a united, equal, balanced and inclusive global development partnership, injecting strong impetus into the accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda and marking the transformation of the GDI from "laying a foundation" to "building a framework" and the stride from "painting the broad strokes" to "refining the details".

Wang Yi said that we have built a platform for cooperation and worked together to build networks of cooperation in agriculture, education, pandemic countermeasures and climate change response; we have made the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund implemented and have officially launched Phase III of the China-FAO South-South Cooperation Trust Fund; we have ensured that cooperation projects focus on people's livelihood areas, such as poverty reduction, food, and health. As the sponsor of the GDI and the largest developing country in the world, China is willing to strengthen strategic synergy with UN development agencies and work with members of the Group of Friends to take seven additional measures to implement the 2030 Agenda:

First, release first batch of 50 projects of GDI project pool in areas of poverty reduction, food security, and industrialization.

Second, advance Food Production Enhancement Action and carry out cooperation in areas of digital and innovative agricultural finance, prevention and treatment of animal and plant diseases, and sustainable soil & water resources management.

Third, promote Global Clean Energy Cooperation Partnership and promote clean energy transition, to achieve more sustainable energy security.

Fourth, promote "Smart Customs, Smart Borders & Smart Connectivity Cooperation", strengthen the building of smart customs networks, and boost the connectivity of the supply chain in the digital era.

Fifth, initiate the World Digital Education Alliance, strengthen international cooperation in digital education, empower education development with digitalization, and make educational resources more inclusive and accessible.

Sixth, jointly start formulating the Global Action Plan of the Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic with INBAR to effectively combat plastic pollution so that our future generations will continue to enjoy a clean and beautiful planet.

Seventh, announce that make available globally the data acquired by the Sustainable Development Science Satellite (SDGSAT-1) launched by China in November last year to assist countries in sustainable development research and decision-making.

Wang Yi put forward three suggestions for forming synergy of the international community to advance the GDI:

First, seek synergy and enhance the leading role of the UN development system. We should set up a working mechanism at the UN level as soon as possible to promote the initiative, strengthen alignment, and make good use of the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and the China-UN Peace and Development Fund.

Second, uphold extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and pool wisdom and strength. We should promote the institutionalization of the Group of Friends, confirm a coordinator in key areas and regions, and make joint efforts to achieve positive outcomes in the mid-term evaluation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations and the Sustainable Development Goals Summit next year.

Third, pursue inclusive progress and revitalize the global partnership for development. We expect developed countries to implement obligations of official development assistance, and increase input in developing countries, least developed countries and small island states in particular. We hope that World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other institutions will actively participate in the cooperation of the GDI, and provide more financial support for developing countries.

Wang Yi said that on the path of development, no country nor individual should be left behind, and this is the basic vision of the GDI, and it is the goal that the UN advocates and we are striving for. China stands ready to continue sharing development opportunities with other countries, and to achieve common progress for all mankind. China will firmly stand with the developing countries to make every effort to advance the implementation of the GDI, sound the bugle for common development, create a fast track for development through cooperation, jointly implement the 2030 Agenda, and build a better community with a shared future for mankind.

On behalf of the Chinese government, Wang Yi presented to the UN six sets of data products for global sustainable development, including data products on global arable land and forest, so as to provide data support for all countries to better achieve food security, ecological conservation on land, and other sustainable development goals.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other participants highly praised that since proposing the Belt and Road Initiative, President Xi Jinping has demonstrated his vision again and put forward the GDI. They believed that it is of great importance to boost international development cooperation and help implement the 2030 Agenda, and it will serve as a catalyst for developing countries, small and medium-sized countries in particular, to accelerate development. All parties spoke highly of the exemplary role played by the Chinese side in poverty alleviation and other fields. China is welcome to take the lead in adopting 32 pragmatic measures and launching the first batch of projects from the GDI project pool. They expected to work with China and other global development partners to strengthen solidarity and coordination, adhere to multilateralism, encourage the international community to focus on the central tasks of development, share the best practices, achieve economic recovery and inclusive transformation and development, create a fair environment for development, and better cope with food and energy security, climate change and other common challenges.

After the meeting, all the parties released a press statement, further identifying the way forward for and principles of the GDI.

On the same day, Wang Yi met consecutively with foreign ministers of Malta, the Solomon Islands, Mali, Venezuela, the UK, and Argentina. After his arrival in the United States, Wang Yi also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, and foreign ministers of Pakistan, France, Nicaragua and Cuba, and had a group meeting with foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
On September 21, 2022 local time, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was attending the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York.

Vucic asked Wang Yi to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping. He said that Serbia-China relations truly reflect mutual respect and mutual trust, and the pragmatic economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has been developing by leaps and bounds. He once again thanked China for its strong support and help for Serbia's economic and social development. Serbia cherishes the friendship established with China, firmly pursues the one-China policy, and believes that there is but one China in the world, a position it will never change.

Wang Yi conveyed President Xi Jinping's warm greetings to President Vucic. Wang Yi commended the fact that all the people throughout Serbia have stayed united, firmly safeguarded state sovereignty, national dignity and legitimate rights and interests, and made sustained and positive achievements in national development. Wang Yi said , China and Serbia are trustworthy and reliable partners to each other. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Serbia relations have entered a new era of vigorous development, and pragmatic cooperation has made great strides, boosting Serbia's efforts to speed up development and revitalization. China and Serbia have further upgraded our friendship, consolidated solidarity and mutual trust while fighting together against the pandemic. China will continue to provide help and support for Serbia in light of its needs, and work together to forge closer China-Serbia relations.

The two sides exchanged views on the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). Wang Yi said that over the ten years since its launch, the China-CEEC cooperation has always focused on pragmatic cooperation, upheld openness and transparency and leveraged complementary advantages. The outcomes have been emerging constantly and more potentials are still to untap. China looks forward to working with CEEC, including Serbia, to continuously promote mutually beneficial China-CEEC cooperation.
On September 21, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the opening ceremony of the second Middle East Security Forum via video link.



Wang Yi said, three years ago, China held the first Middle East Security Forum, which gathered common ground and contributed wisdom to maintaining and promoting security in the Middle East. In the past three years, the principle of adhering to multilateralism and opposing unilateralism has gained more popularity in the Middle East; the call for upholding fairness and justice and opposing hegemony and bullying has become louder in the Middle East; the idea of promoting development and cooperation and guarding common security has taken root in the Middle East; encouraging progress has been made in strengthening civilization dialogue and enhancing understanding and trust in the Middle East. Under the new circumstances, it is both the common aspiration of the Middle East countries and the due responsibility of the international community to adopt systematic and forward-looking thinking based on the actual situation in the Middle East and changes in the international environment, so as to jointly resolve the security challenges in the Middle East and join hands to promote long-term stability in the Middle East.

Wang Yi stressed, in 2018 at the opening ceremony of the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, President Xi Jinping raised the proposal to build a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security architecture in the Middle East. It has found an important way out for the security dilemma in the Middle East. In April this year, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which gives clear answers to the question of our times about how countries can achieve common security and is of great significance to promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. China is willing to take the implementation of the GSI as an opportunity to work with Middle East countries and the international community to jointly promote the construction of a new security architecture in the Middle East. Wang Yi put forward four proposals in this regard:

First, uphold the new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. We should uphold the vision of common security, pay attention to the reasonable security concerns of all countries, and should not seek unilateral absolute security. We should attach importance to a comprehensive approach, addressing both traditional security threats and non-traditional security challenges such as the pandemic, food and energy. We should adhere to cooperation and achieve security through political dialogue and peaceful negotiation, and should not have blind faith in force or unilateral actions. We should seek sustainable security, resolve conflicts through development, and eliminate the breeding ground for insecurity.

Second, clarify the dominant position of the Middle East countries. The people of the Middle East are the masters of the future and destiny of the region, and the Middle East security affairs should be in the hands of the Middle East countries. China supports the Middle East countries to independently build a regional security architecture that is in line with the reality of the region and takes into account the interests of all parties in the spirit of independence and self-reliance, and in exploring a path of long-term peace and security with characteristics of the Middle East.

Third, we should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We must implement the UN Security Council resolutions on dealing with the hotspot issues in the Middle East, especially the Palestinian question, and support the UN's mediation efforts. We must uphold the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We must reject hegemony and bullying, and oppose all unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" not authorized by the United Nations.

Fourth, strengthen dialogue on regional security. China advocates the resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel on the basis of the "two-state solution" as soon as possible, and calls for the convening of a more authoritative and more influential international peace conference on a larger scale. China supports countries in the Gulf region to strengthen dialogue and ease conflicts, and advocates the establishment of a Gulf security dialogue platform to build mutual trust and common security through dialogue.

Wang Yi pointed out that as a strategic partner of the Middle East countries, China has always been an important constructive force in promoting peace and supporting development in the Middle East. Over the past year, China has put forward a five-point initiative on achieving security and stability in the Middle East, a four-point proposal for the political settlement of the Syrian issue, and a three-point vision for the implementation of the "two-state solution" between Palestine and Israel. At the same time, China has joined hands with the Middle East countries to combat the pandemic, advance the Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Global Development Initiative, so as to positively help promote the development of the Middle East. China is willing to continue to work with the Middle East countries and the international community to make unremitting efforts to achieve long-term peace and stability in the Middle East.

**********

The second Middle East Security Forum was held in Beijing on September 21 in an online-plus-offline format, themed on "Promoting a new security architecture in the Middle East to achieve common security in the region", hosted by the China Institute of International Studies.
On September 21, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Wang Yi said, in June this year, China and Poland held the third plenary session of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee to synergize and implement cooperation in various fields. The two heads of state had a successful phone conversation just days ago, providing strategic guidance for maintaining the sound and stable momentum of China-Poland relations. The two sides understand and support each other on issues concerning respective core interests, thus providing a solid political guarantee for the development of bilateral relations. The two countries jointly act on true multilateralism and uphold the important norm of non-interference in internal affairs, constantly injecting new impetus into China-Poland cooperation.

Wang Yi said that China is ready to strengthen strategic synergy with Poland and advance cooperation in various fields, including China-Europe freight trains, civil aviation, agriculture and investment. China is willing to steadily advance the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) on top of deepening bilateral cooperation. Poland is a major country in Central and Eastern Europe and an important initiator of China-CEEC cooperation. China supports Poland in building a CEEC wholesale market for agricultural products and making it a regional distribution center for agricultural products.

Rau expressed that Poland views China as a friendly and reliable strategic partner, and the two countries have maintained close high-level interactions and exchanges at various levels. The two sides share common views on safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Poland adheres to the one-China policy and appreciates China's consistent pursuit of a foreign policy of peace. Poland is committed to advancing China-CEEC cooperation and is ready to strengthen cooperation in agricultural product trade with China. Poland attaches importance to China's international status and influence and hopes that China will play an important role in restoring peace in Europe.

Wang Yi said, a magnified and prolonged Ukraine crisis serves no one's interests. Hope the conflict will end as soon as possible and peace talks could resume. It's China's consistent proposition that a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture should be established to provide a lasting guarantee for peace. China will remain committed to promoting peace talks.
On September 22, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met at request with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Wang Yi expressed, President Xi Jinping has pointed out that all countries deserve respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, the legitimate security concerns of any party should be taken seriously, and support should be given to all efforts that are conducive to peacefully resolving the crisis. These "four shoulds" are the most authoritative position of the Chinese side on the Ukraine issue, and the fundamental guideline that the Chinese side follows when perceiving and dealing with the issue. As a responsible major country and a permanent member state of the UN Security Council, China has always been committed to dialogue for peace, never standing on the sidelines, nor pouring oil on the flame, still less seeking selfish gains. We always stand on the side of peace, and will continue to play a constructive role.

Wang Yi thanked the Ukrainian government and people for assisting and supporting the evacuation of Chinese personnel, especially Chinese students in Ukraine. He said, this has fully demonstrated the friendly feelings between the two peoples. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ukraine. The Chinese side stands ready to take it as an opportunity to plan the next-stage development of bilateral relations, carry forward traditional friendship, and better benefit the two peoples.

Kuleba said that Ukraine attaches importance to the international status and important influence of China, and expects the Chinese side to play an important role in alleviating the current crisis. Ukraine is ready to conduct dialogue and negotiations serving its national interests. The Ukrainian side is always committed to the one-China policy, supports the Chinese side in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and expects to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side in various fields.
On September 21, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York.

Wang Yi said, pragmatic cooperation between China and Norway has made positive progress in recent years. Last year, bilateral trade increased by nearly 40 percent year on year. Free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations have entered the final stage, and a new version on avoidance of double taxation will soon be signed. In the face of world changes and chaos, stability and confidence are more important than gold. The two sides should respect each other and treat each other as equals, increase understanding and eliminate misunderstanding, maintain the sound momentum of sound and stable development of China-Norway relations, strengthen exchanges at all levels, and promote pragmatic cooperation to achieve more results. China is ready to work with Norway to strengthen communication and coordination in the United Nations and other multilateral institutions and jointly practice true multilateralism.

Huitfeldt said that the Norwegian side is pleased that the two sides have overcome the pandemic and continued to advance bilateral relations. Norway and China have great potential for cooperation in such areas as climate change response, economic transformation, renewable energy, and green development. Norway looks forward to speeding up FTA negotiations and continuing to conduct constructive cooperation with China.

Wang Yi expressed, China has played an important role in promoting the conclusion of the Paris Agreement. China will continue to show its responsibility as a major country and shoulder its due responsibility for the future of humanity. We stay committed to the path of green, low-carbon, and sustainable development, and have set two ambitious goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality to achieve the largest reduction in carbon emission intensity in the world. We vigorously develop renewable energy, with electricity generated by wind and solar power ranking the first worldwide, as well as the world's largest production and sales of new energy vehicles. Developed countries are expected to honor their commitments and provide financial, technological, and capacity-building support to developing countries.

Huitfeldt said that Europe is deeply worried about the current situation in Ukraine and hopes that China will play an important role. Wang Yi expounded on the principled position of the Chinese government and stressed that what President Xi Jinping has proposed that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be fully observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously, and all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be supported is the fundamental guide for China in dealing with the Ukraine issue. The international community should support all efforts conducive to peace, and cope with the challenges brought by the spillover of the crisis to world economic recovery. China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace talks in its own way.
On September 23, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the compound of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations.

Wang Yi said that the current China-U.S. relations are facing grave impacts, and there are lessons that the U.S. side needs to learn from. As China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture, it is a pressing task for both sides to act in a responsible manner for the world, the history, and the two peoples, find the right way forward and manage to get along, and work towards stabilizing bilateral relations.

Wang Yi elaborated on the Chinese side's stern position on the U.S. side's recent erroneous acts on the Taiwan question. Wang Yi stressed that the Taiwan question is at the heart of China's core interests, and is of paramount importance to the Chinese people. Safeguarding state sovereignty and territorial integrity is our mission, and we never vacillate. The U.S. side has made clear political commitments to the Chinese side on the Taiwan question. These commitments have gone through from the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques to the repeated statement of the current U.S. government on not supporting "Taiwan independence". However, the U.S. side's moves run counter to them, in an attempt to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, stand in the way of China's peaceful reunification cause, use Taiwan to contain China, and even publicly claims to come to the defense of Taiwan. These all have sent a truly wrong and dangerous signal. The U.S. side must earnestly return to the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques and the one-China principle, clearly reaffirm its commitment to the one-China policy, and unequivocally state its opposition to any "Taiwan independence" separatist activity.

Wang Yi stressed that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and the U.S. side has no right to interfere in the means of its resolution. The Chinese side's position on resolving the Taiwan question is consistent and clear, and we will continue to adhere to the fundamental guidelines of peaceful reunification and "One Country, Two Systems". Peaceful resolution cannot coexist with "Taiwan independence". The more rampant "Taiwan independence" separatist activities are, the less likely peaceful resolution is. To truly maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait, the United States must unequivocally oppose and curb any "Taiwan independence" activities.

Wang Yi emphasized, China and the United States, as two major countries, have common interests and profound differences, and this will not change. Since the first day of engagement, the two sides have known that the two countries have been dealing with a country with different systems, but this has not prevented both sides from carrying out cooperation based on common interests, and should not be an excuse for antagonism and confrontation between China and the United States. Hope that the U.S. side will adjust its perception of China, reflect on and change its China policy featuring containment and suppression, and the U.S. side will not attempt to deal with the Chinese people from a position of strength, try to suppress China's development, or wantonly engage in unilateral hegemony. The U.S. side should create a favorable environment for the two sides to resume normal exchanges, and steer China-U.S. relations back on the track of sound and steady development.

Blinken said that the current U.S.-China relations are in difficult times, and steering bilateral relations back on the track of steady development serves the interests of both sides. The two countries used to successfully manage differences, and the U.S. side stands ready to have candid communication and dialogue with the Chinese side, to avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment, and find a way forward. Blinken reaffirmed that the U.S. side does not seek a new Cold War, does not changeone-China policy and does not support "Taiwan independence".

The two sides also had an exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine, among others.

Both sides believe that the meeting was candid, constructive, and important, and agreed to maintain communication.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Los Angeles, Sept. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Los Angeles, California -

Los Angeles, CA  The decision to enter rehab isnt an easy one. Many people decide theyre not ready for the ordeal it can present. Thats what Sable, a California woman, and her boyfriend did  until the staff at Muse Treatment showed them that they could do it.

The staff was right. The young couple, who were homeless when they first came to Muse, found compassion, support and effective treatment at Muses Los Angeles facility.

Sable was so happy with the experience, that she wrote a praise-filled 5-star review on Google.

Muse has staff with that extra bit of special, she wrote. Somehow, they convinced us to stay, which led us to surrender wholeheartedly. Every day we are grateful we stayed.

Their experience is a common one at Muse, an addiction center with treatment facilities in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California. Each location is staffed with compassionate treatment specialists who understand the addiction and recovery experience like few others in the treatment world.

But another critical factor is that co-addicted couples can attend therapy together, an arrangement that is not available at some other treatment centers. If both members in the relationship are not fully committed to recovery  not just their own but also to their partners  they can actually undermine recovery efforts. But when both members are determined to help each other find sobriety, they give each other a greater chance of long-term recovery.

Emotional support is one of the essential elements of recovery. Having the most important person support the journey can be a significant weapon in the battle. When that person also understands what youre going through because theyre experiencing it as well, the support becomes even more meaningful. No matter how positive and well-intentioned other people in one's life are, those people cant match the understanding that an addicted spouse or partner brings to one's treatment.

Couples also find healing in their relationship, which may be an underlying cause of their addiction. The addiction specialists at Muse know that substance abuse is often the result of problems that a couple is having with each other; couples rehab can help you get at these underlying issues to resolve them more effectively than if you were just getting addiction treatment. That doesnt mean youll never fight again; without drugs to medicate bad feelings, people may even fight more. But therapists are available to help patients through it.

At the same time, however, each member in the relationship is treated as an individual. Although couples get therapy together, each needs to focus on their own needs and will also get individual therapy. Couples receiving residential treatment are housed separately in same-sex accommodations.

Together, couples can find the addiction solutions they need at Muse.

Sable and her boyfriend had tried treatment before but were still struggling to kick their dependence. Knowing we needed to change because we may not survive the next overdose, we reached out and got the opportunity to go to Muse detox in California, she wrote.

The Muse team immediately connected with Sable and her boyfriend and helped them believe recovery was possible. They provided a comfortable, supportive, community-oriented environment where each individual contributes to the communitys success.

Now we get to wake up thankful to be alive and not dope-sick every day, Sable concluded. We are finally at home.

To speak with a drug rehab admission counselor at its Los Angeles facility, dont hesitate to call 866-488-0078 today.

###

For more information about Muse Treatment, contact the company here:



Muse Treatment

(800) 426-1818

1251 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
ALEXANDRIA, VA, Sept. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Austin Yavorsky, CEO and founder of Landian (LNDA), announces that it has built the world's largest functional metaverse that's years ahead of anything that currently exists. The Landian Metaverse eliminates deficiencies in existing metaverse markets, makes participation more accessible to everyone, and is the future of Web3.





Tier 1 of the Landian Metaverse

"Landian is not a game," said Yavorsky. "We are a platform for building the next internet iteration where all tools and resources are provided. Think of us as the Web 3.0, child of WordPress, Shopify, Upwork and Instagram, all rolled into a remarkable experience where users develop meaningful solutions."

The Landian Metaverse Tier 1 live auction sold out at a record-breaking 98,463,595 square meters of land equal to hundreds of thousands of NFTs. Over a four-day period, nearly 400,000 transfers took place, topping the BSC charts. Landian is able to accommodate millions of users simultaneously.

The Landian Metaverse is built in Unreal Engine 5 and utilizes the Binance Smart Chain (BSC). Smart contracts are incorporated into real-world immersive experiences and graphics are delivered at speeds that far exceed anything currently available in the market. Users can purchase plots, construct buildings, and create unique experiences in the Landian Metaverse.

Plots are sold as NFTs and have real value based on location, land mass, and predicted future usage. Holders can develop their plots into homes, businesses, education centers and unique experiences. Development is only limited by the imagination. Payment is via crypto commerce or traditional methods such as credit cards.

Web3 incorporates decentralization, blockchain technologies and token economics. The Landian Metaverse provides a hyper-realistic world that's functional and profitable for individuals, businesses and governments in the real world.

"Landian has successfully changed the traditional metaverse and blockchain technology perceptions." Said Yavorsky. "While it's unclear how Web 3.0 will ultimately look in the future, the Landian Metaverse future looks bright."

About Landian

Founded in 2019, Its 440+ local and international employee base supports the world's most advanced metaverse for real solutions. Landian.io exists so that people, businesses, organizations, and cultures can engage unencumbered and without limitations, making virtual worlds more interactive, accessible, and easier to navigate. Packed with exciting incentives that stimulate user engagement and commerce, Landian is governed by a shared value system that benefits founders and users. One's ability to evolve and thrive in Landian is contingent solely on effort, and becoming anyone or anything is limited only by the imagination. With its best-in-class centralized network for streaming services and a decentralized network, Landian.io is designed to counter common market, ecommerce, and engagement deficiencies in the existing metaverse market.

For the latest updates and information, join Landian's Discord channel, follow on Twitter, or visit Landian.io

Social Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/landianmeta

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landianmeta

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/landianmeta

Telegram: https://t.me/reallandianportal

Media Contact

Brand: Landian Metaverse

Contact Person: Media team

Email: rebeca.c@landian.io

Website: https://www.landian.io/

SOURCE: Landian Metaverse
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- K92 Mining Inc. (K92 or the Company) (TSX: KNT; OTCQX: KNTNF) announces that it has filed a technical report (the Technical Report) containing a maiden resource estimate on the Blue Lake gold-copper porphyry deposit in Papua New Guinea. The Technical Report, titled, Independent Technical Report, Mineral Resource Estimate Blue Lake Porphyry Deposit, Kainantu, Papua New Guinea dated September 20, 2022, with an effective date of August 1, 2022, was prepared by Simon Tear BSc (Hons), EurGeol, PGeo IGI, EurGeol, and Anthony Woodward BSc (Hons), M.Sc., MAIG. Refer to the Companys news release dated August 9, 2022, for a summary of the key results, assumptions and estimates contained in the Technical Report. The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and is available under the Companys SEDAR profile (www.sedar.com) and on the K92 website at www.k92mining.com.



The Blue Lake project is located approximately 4 km southwest of the Companys producing high-grade gold-copper Kora and Judd intrusion-related deposits at the Kainantu Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea. Blue Lake was discovered by K92 after mineralized lithocap was identified in 2017. K92 has completed two diamond drill programs at Blue Lake for a total of 26 holes and 16,474.8 metres.

About K92

K92 Mining Inc. is engaged in the production of gold, copper and silver at the Kainantu Gold Mine in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea, as well as exploration and development of mineral deposits in the immediate vicinity of the mine. The Company declared commercial production from Kainantu in February 2018, is in a strong financial position. A maiden resource estimate on the Blue Lake porphyry project was completed in August 2022. K92 is operated by a team of mining company professionals with extensive international mine-building and operational experience.

On Behalf of the Company,

John Lewins, Chief Executive Officer and Director

For further information, please contact David Medilek, P.Eng., CFA at +1-604-416-4445

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as expect, plan, anticipate, project, target, potential, schedule, forecast, budget, estimate, intend or believe and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could, should or might occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our ability to control, that may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, without limitation, Public Health Crises, including the COVID-19 Pandemic; changes in the price of gold, silver, copper and other metals in the world markets; fluctuations in the price and availability of infrastructure and energy and other commodities; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; volatility in price of our Common Shares; inherent risks associated with the mining industry, including problems related to weather and climate in remote areas in which certain of the Companys operations are located; failure to achieve production, cost and other estimates; risks and uncertainties associated with exploration and development; the fact that a feasibility studying of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability has not been prepared for the Kainantu Mine; uncertainties relating to estimates of mineral resources including uncertainty that mineral resources may never be converted into mineral reserves; the Companys ability to carry on current and future operations, including development and exploration activities; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; the Companys ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold, silver and copper; inability of the Company to identify appropriate acquisition targets or complete desirable acquisitions; failures of information systems or information security threats; political, economic and other risks associated with the Companys foreign operations; geopolitical events and other uncertainties, such as the conflict in Ukraine; compliance with various laws and regulatory requirements to which the Company is subject to, including taxation; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions, including relationship with the communities in jurisdictions it operates; other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry; and the risks, uncertainties and other factors referred to in the Companys Annual Information Form under the heading Risk Factors. Estimates of mineral resources are also forward-looking statements because they constitute projections, based on certain estimates and assumptions, regarding the amount of minerals that may be encountered in the future and/or the anticipated economics of production, should mining occur. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actual results to differ materially from those that are anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
English French

OTTAWA, Ontario, Sept. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Monday September 26 is World Contraception Day, the SOGC wishes to bring your focus on issues still not solved in Canada. Statistics shows that 48% of young women unintentionally become pregnant (1). This means too few women and girls do not know enough about the options available. Policymakers, educators, corporations and even medical professionals must do more to help.



First option: education. We are offering a podcast to help women and young women to learn about contraception options available and how to discuss the matter with a physician. A panel of experts was gathered by The Brand is Female on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (free recording available on Monday). The Brand is Female is Canadas leading podcast about women leadership. For World Contraception Day, the SOGC also came up with a specific set of solutions gathered in one location: www.sogc.org/contraception. The SOGC also offers reliable and trustworthy online tools  pregnancyinfo.ca, itsaplan.ca  and a partner such as Organon offers essencelle.ca. They provide women, particularly those in vulnerable positions, with vital information to become their own advocates.

Second option: availability. Abortion pill is unequally available throughout Canada, for example rarely proposed in Atlantic Provinces and Quebec, and rarely available without prescription. The SOGC is totally in favor of health solutions, including contraceptives, being easier to get for women and girls Canada-wide. In many places, barriers will have to burst through or worked around.

Third: time for men to do more. Men must educate themselves on contraception issues and become responsible sexual partners. And where they hold positions of decision-making and sway, men must champion progress and push for positive change.

On this September 26th, World Contraception Day is an opportunity to recognize that millions of women and girls need more education, better availability for contraception options, and better cooperation from men. The SOGCs latest podcast hopes to help these women to learn and discuss contraception more openly with their partner or with their doctor.

(1) Organon Canada Ipsos Survey Results, March 2022.

Podcast Preview:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tI9dRIwHru9-nLLr7xI_os_tv3CQ9CV7/view?usp=sharing

episode part 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hqJhTBe6ktUP0-7Gs3Upyk9xg7Nx6i9k/view?usp=sharing

Source: Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada

1-800-561-2416 ext. 232 or media@sogc.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/88e321ce-03c9-4f16-9b0a-74d4f8521d4a
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Scottsdale Artists' School Announces its Annual Fine Arts Fundraiser: Beaux Arts and Champagne.

Scottsdale Artists' School's annual fine arts fundraiser, Beaux Arts and Champagne 2022 will be a hybrid event this year.

Over the past 39 years, Scottsdale Artists' School, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been a prominent influence in the art community and continues to teach the fundamentals of fine art to artists and aspiring artists of all ages and skill levels. The School offers programs to a wide range of students, including children in our public schools, families, adults and many others who might not be able to attend without assistance. Proceeds from the fundraiser are essential to supporting these programs.

On November 10-12, 2022, an online silent auction will showcase the works of leading artists featuring paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Guests can go online for a virtual auction. They may attend an in-person event on Saturday, November 12 starting at 6 pm. This festive gala is set to be an evening of fun, a celebration of beauty and a night of revelry for Scottsdale Artists' School. Guests will enjoy music, libations, light dinner, and special door prizes. They will be able to mingle with artists, both local and visiting, and get the opportunity to acquire original works of art. All bidding will be online whether attending the in-person party or joining virtually.

This year's silent auction will feature travel packages, themed baskets, and various artwork from well-known professional artists, including Signature Artist Douglas Fryer. A limited set of juried work from the school's student artists will also be available. Opening bids begin at a percentage of the fair market value for each piece of artwork.

Participants will also be able to purchase raffle tickets for the sculpture Midnight at the Oasis by Signature Sculptor Sandy Scott. In-person attendees will also be entered to win a variety of Door Prizes.

The In-Person Evening Gala, on November 12, will start at 6 pm. Tickets are $150 per person.

Raffle tickets for the Midnight at the Oasis Sculpture by Sandy Scott are $25 for 1 ticket and $100 for 6 tickets.

Website:

https://scottsdaleartschool.org/beaux-arts-2022

Contact Information:

Trudy Hays

Executive Director

thays@scottsdaleartschool.org

(480) 990-1422



Gabriele Rewis

Director of Marketing

grewis@scottsdaleartschool.org

480 990 1422



Related Files

BeauxArtsPressRelease22Final.pdf

AAChalfpagead22No.2Email copy.jpg

Related Images











Image 1: Scottsdale Artist School Beaux Arts 2022





Save the Date for Scottsdale Artists' School Annual Fine Arts Fundraiser.









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
Greensboro, N.C., Sept. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RH CPAs, PLLC, a North Carolina-based accounting, tax and advisory firm with offices in Lexington, Greensboro and Charlotte, N.C. and Karachi, Pakistan, has been awarded Captive Internationals US Accountancy, Audit and Tax Firm 2022 title. Daniel Milan, Director of Insurance Services, was named as the top individual winner in the category; Audit Partner Diana Hardy, CPA, CFE and Audit Manager Waqqas Asghar, ACA, CPA were highly commended. RH was one of a dozen firms competing in the category, winning in Captive Internationals most contested awards season yet.

We are thrilled to be recognized as Captive Internationals top firm for audit, accounting and tax services in the U.S. this year, said Leon L. Rives II, Chief Visionary Officer at RH CPAs. It is due to Daniels, Dianas and Waqqas leadership that we are able to provide our clients with the highest level of audit and accounting services. Our team is our competitive advantage.

Diana Hardy, CPA, CFE has over 12 years of experience in the auditing and accounting fields and was named Audit Partner of the firm in 2020. In her role as Audit Partner, Hardy leads RHs attestation practice and manages the firms operations. She is Chair of the North Carolina Captive Insurance Association and a board member for Goodwill Industries of the Triad. Hardy is also a member of the Central Carolina Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Daniel Milan is a native of Lexington, N.C. and attended The University of North Carolina-Charlotte, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree in 2015. Milan has been working in the captive insurance field and employed at RH CPAs for the past six years.

Waqqas Asghar, ACA, CPA has over a decade of experience in the accounting and auditing field. Receiving his Chartered Accountancy (ACA) qualification from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) in 2013 and his CPA license in 2018, Asghar joined RH CPAs in 2017 and was promoted to Audit Manager in 2019.

Captive International draws together content from their Bermuda Captive, Cayman Captive, EMEA Captive and US Captive titles as well as news, analysis and features drawn from ongoing coverage of the global captive insurance market and bespoke special reports. Their US Captive Awards identify the best-in-class service provider across a variety of categories.

About RH CPAs, PLLC

RH CPAs, PLLC is a multi-office professional limited liability partnership engaged in the practice of public accounting. Our purpose is exceeding expectations with expertise and enthusiasm, while providing value beyond audit and tax services.

###
UN chief calls for efforts to close 3 major gaps to end COVID-19 pandemic

Xinhua) 16:08, September 24, 2022

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a high-level event on ending the COVID-19 pandemic at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 23, 2022. (Evan Schneider/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for efforts to close three major gaps to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, the booster gap. Vaccine booster coverage remains low everywhere. Low-income countries, in particular, are still struggling, with only 35 percent of healthcare workers and 31 percent of older populations fully vaccinated and boosted, he said.

"Our top priority continues to be getting vaccines into arms. This must include addressing the shadow pandemic of vaccine hesitancy, and countering misinformation with life-saving facts," he told a high-level event on ending the pandemic.

Second, the testing gap. Testing rates are plummeting everywhere, exposing the world to potential variants and undermining the rollout of new treatments. Giving these new medicines a chance means dramatically expanding testing and treatment coverage, especially for low- and middle-income countries, he said.

Third, the preparedness gap. Now is the time to strengthen defense against future threats by investing in early-warning systems, local manufacturing and diagnostic capabilities, and a well-paid, well-supplied health workforce. The world must never be caught so unprepared again, he said.

"Making progress toward closing these gaps is what today is all about. It's time to build political momentum to finish the job on COVID-19. Let's get it done. Let's end this pandemic -- once and for all," said Guterres.

The world is challenged on all fronts. Most of those challenges, particularly rising poverty and inequalities, have been aggravated by the pandemic that continues to upend lives, livelihoods and economies, he said.

This is the third UN General Assembly taking place under the shadow of COVID-19, he noted.

While no country was spared, low- and even middle-income countries continue to suffer the worst impacts, he said.

At the same time, the world can draw strength from some inspiring progress. On average, countries have vaccinated 75 percent of their healthcare workers and other populations. New oral antiviral drugs are coming on board. Combined with testing, these offer a clear path to preventing deaths among the most vulnerable. And countries are increasingly integrating COVID-19 measures into routine health services and programs, he said.

"The lessons from these successes are clear. The virus is treatable. We can save lives. And we can bring the virus under control -- even among high-risk populations. If we could combine these tools with greater ambition among world leaders, we could end the pandemic this year," said Guterres.

The high-level event was convened by the secretary-general on the sidelines of the general debate of the UN General Assembly, and was co-organized with the World Health Organization and the UN Children's Fund.

(Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Liang Jun)
Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive (BFDA), the joint venture of Daimler Truck Holding AG and Foton Motor, celebrated the first locally produced Mercedes-Benz trucks with an inauguration ceremony at its new state-of-the-art production site in Huairou, Beijing. The new facility covers an area of more than 400,000 square meters and provides a highly-flexible and scalable production line following the lean production principle.





The production portfolio of BFDA at the new plant in Huairou comprises two tractor product lines, both developed based on the flagship model, Mercedes-Benz Actros, from Daimler Trucks global heavy-duty platform. Since the launch of the first generation of Actros in 1996, more than 1.5 million units of the model have been sold worldwide.

The localized Mercedes-Benz Actros from BFDA comes with the third-generation OM471 engine, as the benchmark choice for optimized transportation efficiency. The Mercedes-Benz Actros C model is the upgrading choice for customers with flexible logistics patterns. Both localized product lines are thoroughly engineered according to Mercedes-Benz Trucks standards to reliably serve the needs of customers in China. Local know-how, value contribution and supplier development, combined with Daimler Trucks global Research & Development and manufacturing expertise ensure highest quality standards.

Parallel to the locally-produced Actros and Actros C tractor models, the import of Mercedes-Benz trucks to China continues with focus on chassis business for special applications such as firefighting, concrete pumps and even recreational vehicles. In addition, the existing Auman brand remains as a solid foundation for Daimler Trucks joint venture BFDA.

Locally produced Mercedes-Benz Actros and Actros C models are expected to be ready for delivery to customers in China in November this year.

BFDA is a 50:50 joint venture between Daimler Truck and Foton Motor. The company produces and distributes Auman-branded heavy-duty trucks in China, and starts the local production and distribution of Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty trucks in 2022 at a dedicated Mercedes-Benz Trucks business unit under the joint venture roof.
Samsungs Galaxy S23 series is slated to arrive early next year and one of the lineup models has just passed through 3C certification in China. The corresponding model number SM-S9180 denotes the highest-tier Galaxy S23 Ultra model. In the certification, the device is listed to support a maximum of 25W charging (11V @ 2.25A).

This is lower than the Galaxy S22 Ultras 45W charger support, but if we recall  the S22 Ultras 45W charging didnt make a significant dent in the charging times compared to the 25W charging of the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

30min charging test (from 0%)

Higher is better

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (25W)

61%

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (45W)

60%

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

54%

Time to full charge (from 0%)

Lower is better

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (45W)

0:59h

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (25W)

1:04h

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

1:11h

Other testing found that the S22 Ultra only achieved 45W charging for a very short period of time, so perhaps Samsung has figured out how to sustain 25W charging for longer through the charging cycle of the battery, which would still improve charging speeds or even close the gap between the 45W charging figures for the 22 Ultra.Another possibility is that 25W charging is limited to some variants of the S23 Ultra including, in this case, the Chinese variant.

The S23 Ultra is rumored to have a similar design and dimensions as the S22 Ultra, thought the camera is expected to see a 200MP sensor update. Meanwhile, we expect to see the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 powering the flagship. Recent reports suggested that Samsung will use Qualcomm chips on all its new lineup's variants  though theres a possibility that some units would be equipped with Samsung Exynos chipsets.

Source
Following Xiaomis confirmation of the Civi 2s release date and dual selfie cameras, the Chinese OEM teased the upcoming smartphones battery capacity and its charging features. Xiaomi posted the following teaser poster on its official account on Weibo.

The Weibo post mentions a thin and light body with 4500 mAh super battery. There is also mention of 67W charging thats capable of fully charging the Civi 2s battery to full battery in 40 minutes.





The Civi 2s triple camera setup was detailed recently, though we only know about the main 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor with f/1.8 aperture. The dual selfie cameras are 32MP each, one of which has an ultrawide angle lens.

All else will be revealed at Xiaomis launch event for the device, taking place on September 27 at 14:00 Chinese local time.

Source  Via
PRIVATE SCHOOLS

St. Johns School

St Johns School Starry Knights 60th Anniversary Gala, which includes a silent auction, performances and raffle prizes, will take place 6-9 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Dale Jenkins Gymnasium. Tickets are $150 per person and $1500 for a table of 10. Proceeds will go toward scholarships. Buy tickets at the business office or at stjohnsguam.com/60th-anniversary.html.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Felix M. and Gov. Carlos G. Camacho Scholarship Foundation

The Felix M. and Gov. Carlos G. Camacho Scholarship is open to Guam Community College full-time students who are Guam residents. Applicants must be in good standing, pursuing an associate degree in liberal studies business track, accounting, marketing or supervision and management. The application, along with your official high school transcript, two recommendation letters from a high school principal, teacher, counselor or a business or professional person in the community and a copy of your households 2021 tax return are due 4 p.m. Friday to the GCC Financial Aid Office. Awardees will be granted $3,000, in increments of $750 per semester. For more information or to fill out an application, visit bit.ly/3RwJplK.

AGA Guam Chapter: Herminia Dierking Scholarship

Full-time incoming juniors or seniors in the University of Guam School of Business and Public Administration can apply to the AGA Guam Chapter: Herminia Dierking Scholarship. Applicants must be a major in accounting, business administration, finance, economics or public administration with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 as of Spring 2022. Awardee will be given $1,000. Complete an application at bit.ly/3ehyEVM. Deadline is 2 p.m. Friday to the UOG Financial Aid Office at finaid@triton.uog.edu.

AGA Guam Chapter

Part-time or full-time students who completed 12 hours of 60 hours towards an Associates Degree in Accounting can apply to the AGA Guam Chapter Scholarship. Applicants must have a grade point average of a 3.0. as of Spring 2022. Complete an application at bit.ly/3dyiW95. Deadline is Friday to financialaid@guamcc.edu.
Triple J Auto Group presented the Guam Memorial Hospital Volunteer Association with a 2022 Kia Seltos on Sept. 23, 2022, to support and officially kick off the groups annual Thanksgiving raffle fundraising efforts. From left: members of GMHVA, known as the Pink Ladies, along with Myrna Aquino, co-chairperson of the GMHVA Thanksgiving raffle; Jenny Cruz, chairperson of the Thanksgiving raffle; Toni Pecon, president of GMHVA; Jina Rojas, vice president of GMHVA; Jeff Jones, president and chief operating officer of Triple J; Julie Jones Murrell; Jay Jones, senior vice president of Triple J; and Dan Murrell, senior vice president of Triple J.
Members of the nonprofit organization Neechuumeres: Chuukese Women of Guam set up vaccination awareness information table outside of the Northern Regional Community Health Center in Dededo on Dec. 5, 2021. From left: Marisa Reyes, Delyn Dois, Nedine Sngeni and Jennifer Killion. Mangilao resident John Howard suggests the development of a dispute resolution program could help members of the Chuukese community as they build their lives on Guam.
Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news

Login Sign Up

 New Ad-free Subscriber Login

Email

Password

Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password.

Stay logged in

Help
Henderson County News 'National Night Out' features first responders, llamas, donut eating contest For the second consecutive year, the Hendersonville Police Department is inviting the community to National Night Out! from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 1300 Seventh Avenue East, the lot previously containing the old Four Seasons Cinemas building. Read Story 

Henderson County News After track shift, Ian churns north, sparing mountains Hurricane Ians shift from a northwest to a due north track likely spared Henderson County a major shellacking from wind and rain. Read Story 

Henderson County News At Sherman's, shopkeepers have gazed on 100 years of local history A smile spread across Becky Banadygas face and her husband, Rex, chuckled when the two recalled the time U.S. Secret Service agents plucked a dummy hand grenade from the showcase of their Main Street store. Read Story 
Addiction ministry seeks OK to use $1M home as treatment facility

Home on Fork Creek Road in Saluda is listed for sale for $1.3 million.

SALUDA  A church-based organization that treats people suffering from opioid addiction is seeking approval from Henderson County to convert a $1 million home in rural Saluda into a residential treatment facility.

Craig Halford, president and founder of First Contact Ministries, filed an application on Aug. 31 with the Zoning Board of Adjustment seeking a special-use permit to use the 5,200-square-foot home as an assisted living residence. The four-bedroom, five-bath home on 34 acres at 4353 Fork Creek Road is valued at $928,800 for tax purposes and currently listed for sale for $1.3 million. The home, owned by Linda M. Neufield of Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, has a pending offer for purchase of $1.3 million, according to Zillow.com

The special-use permit application identified the plan preparer as David Hill, a land surveyor who is also a Henderson County commissioner. In the application, Halford indicated that the home is so isolated that its use for addiction treatment programs would be unnoticed by neighhors and would cause no disruption or traffic issues. The home is on the backside of a 34-acre tract, bordered on the rear by the Greenville watershed, and at the end of a quarter-mile driveway up a mountain, the application said. There are only three conventional houses and one mobile home on Fork Creek Road.

"Residents will be transported by the ministry from the ministry office in Hendersonville so traffic will not be affected," Halford said in response to the permit application's requirement that the use "be in harmony with the surrounding area." "There will be no activities that will affect the harmony of the neighborhood. Residents will be there voluntarily and should someone decide to leave we will transport them off the property."

One neighboring homeowner said in a message to the Lightning that First Contact "wants to turn a million dollar home into a drug rehab facility across the street from Orchard Lake campground and in the middle of a residential area," adding that "it's duplicitous to call a drug rehab facility an assisted living facility."

First Contact Ministries has been trying for several years to build a treatment facility or find a home for one. The nonprofit organization, which gets support from Mud Creek Baptist Church and other churches, tried unsuccessfully in October 2018 to get a special-use permit to build a 42-bed residential treatment facility across Erkwood Road from the church. After three nights of hearings, the county Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to deny the permit.

The zoning board will hear the Fork Creek Road request at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 100 N. King St.
Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.
Fall Foliage Leaf Hunt on for 2022

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The annual Fall Foliage Leaf hunt, a traditional and popular feature that kicks off Fall Foliage Festival Week, starts today, Saturday.

This year the committee has revealed that there will be 15 colorful leaves hidden in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, North Adams and Williamstown.

When a leaf is found it should be brought to Pedrin's Dairy Bar during normal operating hours to claim a prize. One prize per household please. Prizes are generously donated by area merchants including Pedrin's, Boston Sea Foods, Craft Food Barn, Planet Fitness, Big Y, North Adams Historical Society, North Adams MoviePlex 8, Walmart and Wild Oats.

A second set of clues will be announced in the event of unclaimed leaves.

The committee has repeated the last three years' successful procedure whereby one plastic bag with a yellow or orange leaf should be removed and brought in and another with a green leaf that should be left at the site so that subsequent hunters will know they correctly solved the clue but someone already claimed the prize-winning leaf.

A complete list of winners, locations and sponsors will be released in October. All leaves should be returned by Oct. 11.

As always, the leaf committee has included an invisible leaf hunt for homebound residents. Participants in the invisible hunt are asked to mail a postcard (or card in an envelope) with the number of the clue and the answer/s with their name, address and phone number, to the Mayor's Office of Tourism, City Hall, 10 Main St., North Adams MA 01247. Only mailed entries will be accepted. In the event of a tie the earliest postmark will determine the winner. Please submit answers to be received by Oct. 11.

This year's theme is "Home for the Holidays" so we zeroed in on the most recent holiday earlier this month, Labor Day. The first set of clues are:

Where We Labored

1. North Adams

2. Adams

3. North Adams

4. Adams

5. Clarksburg

I've Been Workin' on the Railroad

6. North Adams

7. Williamstown

8. Cheshire

9. Florida

10. Adams

More Mills

11. North Adams

12. Williamstown

13. Adams

14. Adams

15 North Adams

Invisible Leaf Hunt Clues: Fill in the Blanks

1. Labor: In the 1870s North Adams had the largest population of __________________ east of the Mississippi, after Calvin ________________ replaced striking _______-_________ workers in his shoe factory by these laborers.

2. Railroads and mills go together. Please list three mills built along the railroad tracks in Northern Berkshire communities: _________ _____________, ___________ ________________ and _________ __________.

3. More Mills: Mass MoCA on _______ __________ formerly housed major employers ___________ _________ _______ until the 1940s and _________ __________ until the 1980s.

Good luck. Thanks for participating.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd L, front) speaks during the United Nations Security Council foreign ministers meeting on Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York, U.S., September 22, 2022. /China's Foreign Ministry

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday stressed that all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis should be supported.

He made the remarks when attending the United Nations (UN) Security Council foreign ministers meeting on Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York.

Noting that China's stance on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear, Wang said the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be safeguarded, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter upheld, and the legitimate security concerns of all parties taken seriously.

On the current situation, Wang said, China has put forth a four-point proposal.

First, it is a must to keep to the direction of promoting dialogues and negotiations. It is imperative that the parties concerned resume dialogues as soon as possible, integrate legitimate concerns into negotiations and put feasible options on the table so as to bring about outcomes for peace, Wang said.

Second, joint efforts must be made to ease tensions. All parties concerned should exercise restraint and refrain from words and deeds that aggravate confrontation, Wang said, adding that the international community should play a constructive role in helping cool the situation.

There is no room for trial and error as far as the safety of nuclear facilities is concerned, and any risk of accidents must be avoided, Wang said.

Third, the humanitarian situation must be alleviated. Wang said the international humanitarian law should be observed to minimize civilian casualties.

International investigations should be objective and fair, based on facts and avoid politicization, said Wang, adding that UN humanitarian agencies should be supported in continuing to provide assistance to the affected people.

Fourth, full efforts must be made to contain spillover effects. Wang called for joint efforts to ensure the stable operation of the global energy market and support for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in resolving the issue of food shipments from Russia and Ukraine.
External Affairs minister S Jaishankar in New York praised the leadership skills of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while recalling the attack on the Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan near the Indian consulate and while India was coordinating evacuations from the country.

Recalling the situation in Afghanistan in the year 2016, Jaishankar attending a book discussion event here on Thursday said: It was past midnight, and our consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, was under attack. And we were using phones, trying to figure out what happened. All of this was happening and youre juggling phones, trying to keep everybody updated. And then, my phone rang. When the prime minister calls, there is no caller ID. His first question was  Jaage ho? (Are you awake?), Jaishankar said.

The External Affairs minister was speaking at an event to discuss the book [email protected]: Dreams Meet Delivery.

Jaage ho?achaa tv dekh rahe hotoh kya ho raha h waha (whats happening there?), Modi asked Jaishankar over the call, responding to which the EAM responded and informed the PM that help was on its way.

Jaishankar said during the address citing the phone call with Prime Minister. I told him that it might take a couple of more hours and that I would call up at his office. To this, he responded  Mujhe phone kar dena (Call me please), Jaishankar said.

Praising the leadership skills of PM Modi the EAM said, To handle the consequences of very big decisions, that is a singular quality.

The external affairs minister also recalled his first meeting with the prime minister.

I frankly liked Mr Modi before I met Mr Modi. I am on some levels, as many would complain, a micromanager. I can be quiet a pain. But the level of preparation he had done was commendable, Jaishankar said.

The EAM also pointed out that PM Modi starts his day at 7:30 am and carries on, and does not drop, while others might.

The EAM also recounted Indias evacuation effort from Afghanistan after the country fell to the control of Taliban last year.

India evacuated almost all its citizens who wished to return from Afghanistan by conducting several rescue operations on Afghan soil during the crisis. India airlifted its citizens from Kabul. It also airlifted its citizens through Dushanbe in Tajikistan and Qatar.

Jaishankar has over the last three days he has met with envoys and heads of states from around the world on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The highlights of Jaishankars meetings particularly with developing countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Small Islands are sharply focused on the reform of the UN Security Council.

Jaishankar will address world leaders at the General Assembly on Saturday, after which he will leave for Washington and a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The body of Ankita Bhandari a receptionist at the Vanatara Resort in Rishikesh was recovered from the Chilla canal, seven days after she went missing.

Relatives identified the body of the teenager who was reported missing over six days ago, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said.

Rishikesh, Uttarakhand | Search operation was going on from 7am, we took out the body of a woman, her relatives came here & identified it to be the body of Ankita Bhandari. Deadbody taken to AIIMS in Rishikesh: SDRF official pic.twitter.com/ADizQp2vAP  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 24, 2022

BJP leader's son admits to murder

Earlier, Pulkit Arya, the owner of the resort, and son of BJP leader Vinod Arya, who was arrested by the police in connection with the disappearance of the 19-year-old had confessed of pushing her into the Ganges near Shakti barrage.

According to the family of the teenager, Arya was forcing her into prostitution and was pushing her to provide sexual favors to guests at the resort.

She also allegedly rejected Arya's sexual advances.

On September 18, Arya along with his friend Ankit Gupta and resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar took Ankita to an isolated spot near Shakti barrage.

There an argument broke out between the two and Arya, in a fit of rage, pushed Ankita into the water.

Whatsapp chats, evidence against accused

The police launched a probe her family filed a missing complaint expressing fears that she could have been killed.

Ankita's Whatsapp conversations nailed Arya as she had mentioned about his demands to some friends and another resort staff.

The trio was arrested by the police on Friday amid massive protests by locals.

Locals in Rishikesh even blocked the Police vehicle that was carrying the accused and also thrashed them.

#WATCH | Rishikesh, Uttarakhand: Women gherao the Police vehicle that was carrying the accused in Ankita Bhandari murder case



The 19-yr-old receptionist went missing a few days ago & her body was found today. 3 accused, incl Pulkit -owner of the resort where she worked- arrested pic.twitter.com/v3IK8zE1xI  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 23, 2022

"Sections of murder and concealment of evidence  302 and 201 of the IPC  have been slapped on the accused," SSP of Pauri Garhwal said.

'Illegal' resort demolished by government

In a late-night development on Friday, the Vanatara Resort owned by Arya was demolished on the order of the Uttarakhand government after it was found to be 'illegal'.

Uttarakhand | Demolition underway on orders of CM PS Dhami, at the Vanatara Resort in Rishikesh owned by Pulkit Arya who allegedly murdered Ankita Bhandari: Abhinav Kumar, Special Principal Secretary to the CM https://t.co/NPQxAlnDrC pic.twitter.com/54NcAMGZTk  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 23, 2022

The Uttarakhand Chief Minister has also given instructions to district magistrates to investigate all resorts in the state.

Along with this, the Chief Minister has also ordered to ensure that necessary action is taken against resorts that are operating illegally.

SIT to probe the murder

"It is unfortunate. Police are working, they have done their work for making the arrests. Strictest punishment would be given for such heinous crimes, whoever be the criminal," the CM had said about the murder case.

#WATCH | "Ankita's body recovered. We've constituted an SIT under DIG P Renuka Devi to ensure the strictest punishment for the accused, it'll investigate the matter. No accused will be spared, whoever they may be," says Uttarakhand CM PS Dhami on #AnkitaBhandari murder case pic.twitter.com/bOpRFrc5lW  ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2022

The CM also announced on Saturday that an SIT has been formed under Deputy Inspector General of Police P Renuka Devi to investigate the case.

For more on the news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
When Riverdance was first performed live in Dublins The Point Theatre as the interval act of Eurovision 1994, Bill Whelan, the not-yet Grammy award-winning composer, was terrified.

When youre the composer, its petrifying. Because youre looking at every single aspect of it, everything thing that happened during rehearsal and its live in front of you and millions of others around the world. There was no margin for error.

"If anyone slipped or fell, if anyone didnt play the right piece, whatever it was, we were done. So, until the performance was over, my experience was one of just absolute terror.

"We were just hoping we could get to the end! And then, of course, turning around and seeing every member of the audience on their feet, waving Norwegian flags and British flags  none of us expected that reaction.

Its been 27 years since that day, and the shows withstanding memory still brings Whelan and his counterparts to smile.

In Limerick for weeks after, every time the Angelus came on in my local pub, he shares, laughing, the pub bodhran player stuck on the Riverdance tape and played it to cheers again. Those were the heady days, but I still get such a buzz from it. Its incredible.

I speak to Whelan today alongside fellow award-winning musicians fiddler Zoe Conway and her guitarist husband, John McIntyre, ahead of a one-off concert at Ballymaloes Grainstore, a rare live performance.

The trio log into Zoom, sharing laughs and jokes about their family links and fond memories (Bill produced Zoes first album back in 2002, and they have worked closely ever since, with Bill inviting Zoe and John to perform on the Riverdance 25th anniversary album).

Right to left, Bill Whelan, Zoe Conway and guitarist husband John McIntyre

Conway, a star within Irish traditional circles and also boasting international acclaim, rose to prominence as a teenager in Louth, choosing music outright from the age of about 13.

It was always music for me, she smiles. My father often pushed me to try other, less precarious routes of employment, as any parent would. But in my early teens, he said to me that he was not going to push me to practice or play anymore, he was going to step back and that this had to be my decision. So I pondered it over two days and decided I would be so miserable without playing. Even those two days were tough.

"It had a huge effect on me and it was always the only thing I was going to do. I even remember hurting my shoulder once when I was 15 and had to stop playing for three months in order to let it repair fully.

"Those three months nearly broke my heart.

A professional musician from the time she left school (Conway took Transition Year out to form a band and play internationally), Conway made her name in the contrasting worlds of traditional and classical violin, oftentimes to the dismay of her teachers, practicing both disciplines in secret.

Tell her how your classical teacher finally found out you were playing traditional Zoe, McIntyre nudges.

I won the All Ireland, and it was in the paper, she modestly laughs.

McIntyre too boasts several musical disciplines, taking up guitar at the age of eight only to form a number of bands in his teens, one of which was indie group, The Revs, a Donegal rock outfit that toured extensively across Ireland (Oxegen, Slane) as well as the US, Australia and Europe.

People think I brought John into trad music, Conway smiles, but he spent all of his summers in Donegal where his dad is from. So he was well used to a session.

The trio chose Ballymaloe as the venue for a rare public performance due to their intertwined connections with the House, the Grainstore and the Cookery School. Bills children are graduates of the school (my two girls cook a brilliant Christmas dinner) and Zoe and John have performed in the Grainstore over the last 15 years at both public and private events.

Each of the three performers repertoires boasts absurdly impressive reviews and concerts; together, Zoe and John have been described by the BBC as simply one of the best folk duos on the planet, with performances spanning from audiences with Irish Presidents Mary McAleese and Michael D. Higgins to soundtracks like Float Like A Butterfly (Samson Films 2018) and Artemis Fowl (Disney 2020).

Whelan has worked with Irish traditional music and musicians since 1980 when he was the pianist for Planxty, later producing and arranging pieces for, among others, U2, Van Morrison and Kate Bush. He has also worked extensively in theatre; his adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivans HMS Pinafore had successful runs at Londons Old Vic, Melbourne and Sydney and received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination.

In 1989, he was appointed composer to the WB Yeats International Theatre Festival at Dublins Abbey Theatre, writing original music for 15 Yeats plays, while also composing scores for films including Lamb, starring Liam Neeson, and Dancing at Lughnasa, starring Meryl Streep. His memoir, The Road to Riverdance, is also set for release in late October.

I had to do something during Covid, he laughs now. My wife, Denise, had been kind of pressing me for a while to write something, more to have something to hand down to my kids or grandkids.

"So I began work on the copy during the lockdown. It took me about six months to write and I went right back to my very early days, in fact, beyond that, to my parents time, right up to the opening night of Riverdance in London in 1995. It stops there.

"There might be a second installment if I get another bit of time off. Its actually coming out the day after The Grainstore gig, so its a very exciting time.

Riverdance cast members Amy Mae Dolan and Fergus Fitzpatrick

The three speak passionately about breaking the iron-clad rigidity within musical disciplines and blurring lines between traditions.

I remember as a teenager, being told not to follow in the footsteps of Johnny Doherty and Willie Clancy who pushed the boundaries of traditional music, and in order to be a good player you must stick to the music we already had and not go further, Conway says.

I remember thinking, you know, at some stage the tunes were playing now were brand new, why cant we do that again?

Completely, Whelan agrees. I always found Japanese musicians were so fascinated by that, as their music and dances are so classical and captured in glass plates, just to be pulled out on national holidays. One time I was interviewed by a Japanese journalist who asked me what influence did I think the album, ORiada Sa Gaiety, had on the development of traditional Irish music, and I remember being blown away.

"The hunger and curiosity to see how other groups formed their music and dance has always been there, I see it today with the Riverdance dancers when they meet with the Russian and Spanish and American dancers, but for some reason, its often gatekept and ironclad.

"The appetite is there for it, and oftentimes the desire to be faithful to the tradition yet not be afraid to move it forward much like Zoes work keeps the tradition alive.

We always saw traditional Irish dancing as hands-by-the-side rigidness, but the new iterations are far more free-flowing, and the cultural interaction is leading people to love it that much more.

At 72, Whelan is still composing, scoping out new musical talent (just last night I saw the most amazing violinist perform, she was nine) and is as drawn to the discipline of Riverdance as ever.

The dancers are athletes, he insists. I remember back in the day theyd be eating burgers during their lunch breaks, not anymore.

He also cant let me go without detailing his favourite anecdote about the dancers strength.

Years ago, I was with Irish international rugby player Keith Wood, and I asked him did he want to come in and see backstage. He said, of course.

"It was only when he came in, saw the dancers warming up, and noticed that one of the male dancers was doing a very impressive set of push-ups, with another dancer sitting on his back, that he said forget it, and walked back to his seat.

"I think its all down to seeing how others perform and compete and are involved. We need, I think philosophically, to be interacting with others worlds  and thats what makes things even better than before.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee has again condemned the ramming of a Garda car in Dublin following a meeting with the local community to assess how antisocial behaviour can be reduced.

She described the meeting in Cherry Orchard on Friday as positive and as the first step towards addressing the social challenges behind the recent incident.

I have to again condemn what happened on Monday night, she said. It is utterly unacceptable that this community should have to put up with this type of behaviour, or that members of the Garda Siochana would be treated in this way.

However, she denied these actions are being taken solely because a Garda car was involved in this incident, unlike previous allegations of antisocial behaviour made by councillors in various regions.

They havent been ignored, she said. Weve been speaking to local gardai who for some months now have been working with the local community responding to these type of incidents, and trying to put in place the most effective policing response.

She outlined longer-term plans, including funding for youth groups, and said these will benefit communities outside Dublin that are also facing challenges.

"We have three community safety partnerships that are being piloted across the country," she said.

One in the north-inner city (Dublin), one in Longford, and one in Waterford. This is the long term plan, the whole focus is community safety in an area dealing with these kind of issues.

"It shouldnt just be the gardai, it shouldnt just be the local authorities. Its a collective effort that needs to happen.

Ms McEntee said as the pilots develop they will bring together local representatives, gardai, Tusla, HSE, and younger people among others to set out a localised plans, adding that those plans will be supported by Government.

Role of social media

The justice minister also urged social media companies to take action when similar content is posted online.

Video of what happened on Monday was uploaded to various social platforms and widely shared.

This incident may have happened a couple of years ago and no one would have heard about it because social media wasnt what it is now, she said.

Obviously we differentiate between what is criminal content and what is harmful content.

She said it is a very challenging environment because it is so easy to share content.

We have work in the pipeline to be able to work with the very large online providers we have in this country, she said.

To make sure where you have this type of harmful content that it is either removed or that we can have some sort of code of conduct or legislation in place to deal with this.

Separately, Ms McEntee and Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne met Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Angela Willis, Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region.

They agreed the most effective way to deal with antisocial behaviour is through supports for communities including Youth Diversion Programmes and other services.

These will include awards from the Community Safety Innovation Fund, reinvesting proceeds of crime seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) including 135,000 for a project running in around Ballyfermot.

They also agreed that high-visibility policing is crucial to ensuring that people feel safe in towns and cities around the country.
The Russian ambassador to Ireland has hit out at the Taoiseachs recent speech on the war in Ukraine which described planned referenda in the region as shams.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

He said: Now we see President Putin plan sham referenda in eastern Ukraine, aimed at forcibly changing Ukraines borders, in clear violation of the UN Charter. We have to name what we are seeing.

These actions, taken collectively, show Russia behaving as a rogue state.

Voting has been organised, at short notice, for this week in four areas of Ukraine occupied by the Russian army.

Residents have been told to vote on proposals for these areas to declare independence and then join Russia.

In a public statement on Friday Ambassador Yuriy Filatov described Mr Martins comments on human rights as regrettable.

He claimed: It is regrettable that, judging by the Taoiseach narrative on Ukrainian conflict, these principles do not apply to the people of Eastern Ukraine  Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics, Zaporozhie and Kherson regions.

He said the Taoiseachs speech did not represent the situation as he sees it.

He alleged: Indeed, the speech fails to mention that for eight years Russian speaking people of Donbass have been deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms, above all  the right to live.

He further claimed: They have had to defend themselves against nationalistic, anti-Russian government in Kiev, which has waged war on them, put them under blockade in an attempt of forced ukrainization.

Russian leaders have previously attempted to pin the blame for increased hostilities in the area on NATO, a claim which international observers have refuted.

Mr Filatov repeated this argument, claiming NATO and the United States are working together with the strategic aim to create anti-Russia on our border.

He said: Now that the Eastern Ukraine is voting in the referenda to retain their way of life and to join Russia, Taoiseach is calling it a sham.

The international community has indicated these votes are considered to be similar to a disputed 2014 referendum in Crimea which led to Russia annexing this region of Ukraine shortly afterwards.

Nato Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg has also described the votes as a "sham".

He told CNN: But these votes have no legitimacy and of course they don't change anything. This continues to be a war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine.
The European Council president has backed Taoiseach Micheal Martins statement that Russias permanent place on the United Nations Security Council must be questioned because of its invasion of Ukraine.

Charles Michel told the UN General Assembly yesterday that Russia should be suspended from the UN Security Council for going to war in Ukraine.

When a permanent member of the Security Council launches an unprovoked and unjustifiable war ... which is condemned by the General Assembly, that warrants suspension from the Security Council, said Mr Michel. That, in my view, should be automatic.

Mr Michel is the former prime minister of Belgium and has headed the European Council, which decides the European Unions political priorities, since 2019.

Speaking in New York a few hours earlier, Mr Martin called for reform of the Security Council at the highest level, saying Russias use of the veto is not acceptable.

I believe it is called into question, he said. That a member of the Security Council with veto powers can wage such an unjust war, which is such a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, does call Russias membership of the security council into question.

He recalled how a year ago, Ireland challenged the council to take on its responsibilities to address the impact of climate change on global peace and security.

Some 113 countries supported that call, with Russia the sole veto.

He said that Ireland has never refused people fleeing persecution, but it is unclear whether Ireland could accept any of the thousands of young men who are fleeing Russia, as Germany has done.

I think wed have to assess all of that, he said.

I mean, in the first instance, we are accepting Ukrainian families who are fleeing war. That has been a priority for us, along with normal asylum-seeking applicants, which is kind of way up this year.

That influx is putting a lot of pressure on the country, Mr Martin said.

So we have to work within our capacities, to be frank, he said.

We play a role internationally in terms of people of conscience, who have stood up to regimes. But clearly, there are a lot of challenges there.

Russian ambassador to Ireland Yuriy Filatov hit back claiming it was regrettable that the Taoiseach did not mention that for eight years Russian-speaking people of Donbas have been deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms; above all  the right to live.

They have had to defend themselves against nationalistic, anti-Russian government in Kiev, which has waged war on them, put them under blockade in an attempt of forced Ukrainization, he claimed.

Now that the Eastern Ukraine is voting in the referenda to retain their way of life and to join Russia, Taoiseach is calling it a sham.

It would be only fair to remind that it was the US and their NATO allies who supported and nurtured this kind of Kiev regime, with the strategic aim to create anti-Russia on our border, he concluded.
Last Sunday two things happened in Ireland.

In the first half of the day, Tommy Tiernans testimony about his recent trip to Somalia was published in a Sunday paper. There was something about it, its directness, its clarity, that signalled Tommy was now, never going to take no for an answer when it came to things like climate inaction or political abdication in the face of abject poverty. From his writing, there was a sense that Tommy had been changed in some resolute way. It was the kind of work that could win a Pulitzer, but not the kind of work to be flagged on the papers front page. Far away famines dont make us buy papers in all likelihood.

Asking Tommy Tiernan to go to the drought-ridden horn of Africa was a genius stroke. Aid agencies know they need to make us care. In a post-pandemic world, faced with the challenge of climate change on the one hand and war on the other, care is thin on the ground, theres a feeling that empathy has given way to apathy.

Then out goes Tommy, a man who eyeballs everyone from presidents to sex workers, and asks them questions like: Are you happy? followed by stoney silence on national television. Weve rewarded his work with our own eyeballs, his Saturday night show overtaking The Late Late Show at times in terms of viewers.

So when Tommy goes to eastern Africa and tells you about it, a baby he met in one part of the day, who he finds out later in the same day has died of hunger, you listen.

You press pause on your protective apathy and you let yourself be moved by what he witnessed in a place called Luuq. You know youre running the risk of being paralysed by that familiar sense of powerlessness, but theres something about this Somalia piece, the tale of failed crops and arid land, season after season, that doesnt tip you back into apathy.

That was Sunday morning.

Margaret Atwood made a call to action to tackle the climate crisis.

Then on Sunday evening, in the cosy confines of Dun Laoghaires Pavilion Theatre, out walks the 82-year-old Margaret Atwood. While most of us know her as the acclaimed author of The Handmaids Tale, and Booker Prize winner for its 2019 sequel, The Testaments, the Canadian writer is also a poet.

So here she was on stage in Dun Laoghaire talking poetry to a jam-packed theatre thanks to the local council, Poetry Ireland and Creative Ireland.

It was a comfortable evening in the presence of a literary superstar with a razor-sharp mind and a more than articulate tongue. You got to sit back and take it all in.

But anyone who follows Atwood knows shes a highly-informed and impassioned climate activist and so sooner or later, you knew you could be knocked out of your south county Dublin comfort.

You hoped the conversation wouldnt turn to climate, but then this is a woman who did the promo for her Handmaids Tale sequel with the Extinction Rebellion badge on her lapel, and who collected her Booker Prize with the same badge on her lapel too.

So of course, the conversation would turn to climate.

And you couldnt change the channel, scroll your phone or leave the theatre.

Here comes the climate lecture and the resultant anxiety.

But no.

Any activist worth their salt, just like whoevers idea it was to ask Tommy out to Somalia, knows that you must empower people to change.

Shaming and scaremongering might feel like the path to go, but all research shows that they bring you on the road to nowhere. Shame, science shows, leads to inaction.

So what did Margaret Atwood say in that cosy south county Dublin theatre last Sunday night?

She told a story. Because, she knows that stories, and analogies, work too.

Margaret Atwood has this friend who either works on or stars in this real-life MacGyver show. She referred to him as survivor man. He would be dropped into a remote place in the world like somewhere in the Andes and have to make his way out of there.

To survive he always needed four things: experience, know-how, some tools like the match or sellotape, and willpower.

She then turned to climate action saying we have the knowledge, we have the skills and we have the resources. The room kind of started to heckle then, and the audience, in an impromptu manner, started saying words like politicians and willpower.

This poetry night turned townhall worked out that all we really are missing is willpower in this climate fight. And thats the kind of thing not outside the realms of possibility.

There was more agreeable heckling from the audience then, that it wasnt punters who lacked the willpower, but politicians. Then there were more solutions from the townhall and a shared realisation, an agreement that politicians are led by punters, that its people, their voters who embolden them with willpower.

Project Drawdown

Margaret Atwood then mentions a website. This is a woman who has written with a scalpel her entire life, every utterance is more than considered.

Drawdown.org is the website. Officially its called Project Drawdown, a list of about 90 or so climate solutions. The name, the idea  drawdown, meaning the point in the future when greenhouse gas levels stop climbing and start declining, if we take action on these 90 or so solutions, locally, globally, personally, and politically.

Theres everything there from family planning to composting, and from improved fisheries to carpooling and bamboo production.

You wont be able to do all of them, but you might be able to do two or talk to your local politician or neighbour about another.

You have Tommy Tiernans moving testimony on one hand and Margaret Atwoods call to action on the other, and all the recent news about devastation on the horn of Africa or the Gulf Stream potentially collapsing no longer feel as paralysing.

There are problems, but there are solutions too.

In 2018, when the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) said we had a few short years to get our climate act together before it was literally too late, the sense of urgency was palpable.

Four years later, that urgency has not manifested into palpable action, but into a sense of powerlessness. That is a state we cannot afford, nor a resigned state actually need to be in. There are more than 90 solutions on the table, the only thing lacking is willpower.
Russia has escalated its military and political campaign to capture Ukrainian territory, rounding up Russian army reservists to fight, preparing votes on annexing occupied areas, and launching deadly attacks.

A day after president Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilisation to bolster his troops in Ukraine, dramatic scenes of tearful families bidding farewell to men departing from military mobilisation centres in Russia appeared on social media.

Video on Twitter from the eastern Siberian city of Neryungri showed men emerging from a stadium. Before boarding buses, they hugged family members waiting outside, many crying and some covering their mouths with their hands in grief.

In Moscow, women hugged, cried, and made the sign of the cross on men at another mobilisation point. A 25-year-old who gave only his first name, Dmitry, received a hug from his father, who told him to be careful as they parted.

Dmitry told Russian media company Ostorozhno Novosti he did not expect to be called up and shipped out so quickly, especially since he is still a student.

No one told me anything in the morning, he said. They gave me the draft notice that I should come here at 3pm. We waited 1.5 hours, then the enlistment officer came and said that we are leaving now. I was like: Oh great! I went outside and started calling my parents, brother, all friends of mine to tell that they take me.

A day after president Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilisation to bolster his troops in Ukraine, dramatic scenes of tearful families bidding farewell to men departing from military mobilisation centres in Russia appeared on social media. Picture: Olga Maltseva

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in some of his harshest comments so far in the nearly seven-month-old war, lashed out at Russians succumbing to the pressure to serve in their countrys armed forces and those who havent spoken out against the war. In his nightly video address, he switched from his usual Ukrainian language into Russian to directly tell Russian citizens they are being thrown to their deaths.

You are already accomplices in all these crimes, murders, and torture of Ukrainians, Zelenskyy said, wearing a black T-shirt that said in English: We Stand with Ukraine, instead of his usual olive T-shirt. He said Russians options to survive are to protest, fight back, run away, or surrender to Ukrainian captivity.

Western leaders derided Putins mobilisation order as an act of weakness and desperation. More than 1,300 Russians were arrested in anti-war demonstrations earlier in the week after he issued it, according to the independent Russian human rights group OVD-Info. Organisers said that more protests were planned for today.

Putins partial call-up of 300,000 reservists was short on details, so much so that the Russian military announced on Thursday it had set up a call centre to answer questions.

In Washington, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, the Pentagons press secretary, said the US believes that it will take Russia time to train and equip the new troops and that doing so may not solve command and control, logistics, and morale issues.

A billboard promoting Russian army service, bearing the slogan Serving Russia is a real job, in St Petersburg. Picture: Olga Maltseva

Concerns about a potentially wider draft sent some Russians scrambling to buy plane tickets to flee the country, and Zelenskyy claimed on Thursday that the Russian military is preparing to draft up to a million men. A Kremlin spokesman earlier denied such claims.

German interior minister Nancy Faeser offered support to potential deserters. She told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that anyone who courageously opposes Putins regime and therefore puts himself in the greatest danger can apply for asylum in Germany.

Referendums

In the Kremlins territory annexation campaign, pro-Moscow authorities in four Russian-held regions of Ukraine yesterday began holding referendums on becoming part of Russia  a move that could expand the war and follows the Kremlins playbook from when it annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. Most of the world considers the 2014 annexation of Crimea to have been illegal.

Voting on the referendums in Ukraines Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk regions is scheduled to last through Tuesday. Foreign leaders have called the votes illegitimate and non-binding.

In Luhansk, billboards reading With Russia Forever and Our Choice-Russia appeared on the streets, while volunteers distributed ribbons in the colours of the Russian flag, and posters reading: Russia is the future. Participate in the referendum!.

Hostilities

Meanwhile on the battlefield, Russian and Ukrainian forces exchanged missile and artillery barrages as both refused to concede ground. Russian missile strikes in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia left one person dead and five wounded, Ukrainian officials said.

Officials in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk said Ukrainian shelling killed at least six people. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, a deputy in the Ukrainian presidents office, said a hotel in Zaporizhzhia was struck and rescuers were trying to free people trapped in rubble.

The governor of the mostly Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region, Oleksandr Starukh, said Russian forces had targeted infrastructure and damaged apartment buildings in the city, which remains in Ukrainian hands.

The mayor of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Alexei Kulemzin, said Ukrainian shelling hit a covered market and a minibus. Overnight, one person was killed during Russian shelling in Nikopol, across the river from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to the Dnipropetrovsk regional governor.

Prisoner swap

While hostilities continued, the two sides managed to agree on a major prisoner swap. Ukrainian officials announced the exchange of 215 Ukrainian and foreign fighters  200 of them for a single person, an ally of Putins. Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic, confirmed that pro-Russian Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk, was part of the swap.

Putin has repeatedly spoken about Medvedchuk as a victim of political repression. Media reports alleged that before Russias invasion, he was a top candidate for leading a puppet government the Kremlin hoped to install in Ukraine.

Among the freed fighters were Ukrainian defenders of a steel plant in Mariupol during a long Russian siege, along with 10 foreigners, including five British citizens and two US military veterans, who had fought with Ukrainian forces. Some of those freed had faced death sentences in Russian-occupied areas.

A video on the BBC News website Thursday showed two of the released British men, Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, speaking inside a plane while en route home.

We just want to let everyone know that were now out of the danger zone and were on our way home to our families, Aslin said in the video, as Pinner added: By the skin of our teeth.

The non-profit Presidium Network, which is helping provide aid to Kyiv, said Aslin, Pinner, and three other Britons were safely home and reunited with their families Thursday.

Nuclear threat

The continuation of Russian missile attacks and the beginning of a partial mobilisation of Russians into the armed forces suggested the Kremlin was seeking to dispel any notion of weakness or waning determination to achieve its wartime aims in light of recent battlefield losses and other setbacks.

Ratcheting up tensions, a senior Kremlin official on Thursday repeated Putins threat to use nuclear weapons if Russian territory comes under attack.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russias Security Council, said strategic nuclear weapons are one of the options to safeguard Russian-controlled territories in eastern and southern Ukraine. The remark appeared to serve as a warning that Moscow could also target Ukraines Western allies.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken responded Thursday, calling on every UN Security Council member to send a clear message to Russia that it must stop its nuclear threats.

Russias neighbours have been on edge about a possible threat from Russia. Estonia said training exercises started Thursday for nearly 2,900 reservists and volunteers, in an apparent counter to Moscows announcement of a partial military mobilisation.

Read More Putin's nuclear threat shows a desperate man out of options

Andrew Katell contributed from New York.
Junta Watch Junta Watch: Drones Put Military on Edge; Nuclear Plans Proceed; and More

Min Aung Hlaing presents a cash award to a traditional artist troupe in Irkutsk, Russia on Sept. 11. / Cincds

Resistance drone attacks taking a toll

The Myanmar military regime is installing anti-drone guns at important buildings and places, junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said at the regimes regular press conference on Tuesday, an indication that the resistances drone warfare against the regime is working effectively.

A little over a year ago, when resistance fighters collectively known as the Peoples Defense Force started fighting back against the regime, they were armed only with homemade guns and rudimentary hunting rifles. Today, many resistance groups are employing drones to bomb military targets on both land and water.

At the 16th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime on Thursday, the juntas deputy home affairs minister and police chief, Major General Zin Min Htet, admitted that PDF groups are using improvised explosives and drones to create ever more powerful explosions.

Drones are among the weapons the juntas frontline troops most fear, as they can inflict damage on a wide area beyond the specific target, according to defectors. PDFs are also using drones against junta ground assault troops in Karen State and Sagaing Region. Five regime soldiers were killed in a resistance drone attack in Karen State on Wednesday.

Nuclear ambitions reaffirmed

With the Myanmar military regime increasingly pursuing nuclear technology with help from Russia, junta spokesman Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun confirmed at Tuesdays press briefing the regimes plan to implement a small nuclear power plant project in the next few years.

Without specifying where the reactor will be built, he said the Atomic Energy Department of the junta-controlled Ministry of Science and Technology will establish a nuclear information technology center in Yangon, which will be assigned to gauge and influence public opinion on nuclear energy.

Myanmars bid to acquire nuclear technology dates back to the time of former military dictator Than Shwe, who also sought to build a nuclear research center with the help of Russia. The latest plan for a nuclear power plant follows the regimes recent signing of a nuclear roadmap agreement with Russian state-owned nuclear agency Rosatom on further atomic energy cooperation including the possible implementation of a modular reactor project in Myanmar.

Though the regime says nuclear energy would be used for peaceful purposes in Myanmar, which has been hit by chronic electricity shortages, many believe it is just an initial step in a plan to utilize nuclear energy for military purposes including production of nuclear weapons.

Threats fall on deaf ears

Speaking at the same press conference, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun threatened supporters of the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) with charges punishable by death.

Those who donate even a penny to the NUG, its parliamentary wing the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), or its armed wing the Peoples Defense Force (PDF) could face the death penalty, the junta spokesman warned, adding that netizens who like and share Facebook posts of the NUG and its affiliates faced charges carrying up to 10 years in prison.

The military junta has labeled the NUG, CRPH and PDF as terrorist organizations, and junta-controlled newspapers have featured reports on the theme of identifying and taking legal action against those who support the NUG and its affiliates since January. Nearly 100 people have been prosecuted under the Counterterrorism Law, Penal Code and Electronic Transactions Law for their alleged ties to the groups.

To see whether such threats are having the desired effect, one need look no further than the arsenals of the PDF groups. Initially armed with homemade rifles when they formed last year, many of the groups are now equipped with automatic assault rifles. Some are better dressed than the regimes forces and many are well fed by supporters at home and abroad. To the regimes dismay, a recent raffle of a wood panel created by detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyis son raised more than US$1.7 million in less than two weeks to help the Myanmar people fight the regime. The amount exceeds the $1.3 million Daw Aung San Suu Kyi received for winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

Junta cant confirm or deny Buckingham Palace haunted

Contrary to what you might have heard, the juntas information team is actually quite responsive! Especially when you ask for confirmation of something ridiculous, like whether or not Buckingham Palace is haunted by the ghost of Queen Elizabeth II!

A recent leaked screenshot, viewed by The Irrawaddy, from the regimes Information Team closed group on Viber, offers ample evidence. The group was formed by the team for sharing information and has 130 participants, mostly from pro-regime media. The team is led by the regimes deputy information minister, who is known for his unprofessionalism and reckless comments.

Following the funeral of the Queen, a so-called journalist from pro-junta media outlet Myanmar Hard Talk (MHT) told the team he had learned that her soul had yet to rest in peace and that Buckingham Palace was haunted. (Sorry he didnt say how he got the scoop!) Then he asked:

I was informed that the palace is arranging to invite some monks from Myanmar for a recitation of Buddhist mantras to help the Queens soul rest in peace. Have they invited the monks? Thanks!

The regimes information team treated this absurd inquiry quite seriously, replyingapparently without ironyjust over an hour later: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture hasnt received any invitation yet.

The question by MHT is a classic example of the efforts of pro-junta media in Myanmar to propagate misinformation and disinformation in the country. But why drag the Queen into it? Its simple: the Myanmar regime was among a handful not invited to attend the funeral. So the junta lobbyist tried to circulate some fake news attacking the Queen and Britain. If nothing else, the episode sheds light (as if any were needed) on just how lacking in intelligence the people working for pro-regime media in Myanmar truly are.
After much debate and public persuasion, City of Miami Commissioners at this week's second (and final) Budget Hearing approved the annual budget of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust in the amount of $1,630,000 and kept the nine-member Board intact -- pending an auditor general's final report -- for the fiscal year commencing Oct. 1.

The total included the customary $300,000 issued in the past few years, plus an additional $300,000 requested by the Trust for five more positions -- four of those park rangers to support the 82-acre environmental gem off the Rickenbacker Causeway.

The vote went 3-2 with Alex Diaz de la Portilla and Joe Carollo voting "no" after questioning the number of employees, the "excessive" salaries already in place, and the lack of overall progress toward the bottom-line effort to build a historic museum to honor Miami's African-American community on the nearby site of the once-segregated beach.

Carollo, who wanted commissioners to take charge of the Trust, instead indicated that after three years -- on any Trust board in the city -- if no significant progress is made, or any improprieties are uncovered, it would be grounds for the removal of the entire board.

Board of Commissioners Chair Christine King, whose request had been accepted in the previous meeting to oversee the Virginia Key Historical Trust Board and try to improve its direction and management for one year, led the "yes" votes with Ken Russell and Manolo Reyes following suit.

Ten members of the community spoke, including current Virginia Key Beach Park Trust Chairman Patrick Range II, the grandson of the late M. Athalie Range, the founding chair of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust and Miami's first African-American commissioner.

Range told commissioners he lacked support from the City or the Commission, even trying to get a build item on the agenda.

"We talked (earlier) about self-sustaining," Range said. "Between 2009 and 2016, the Trust received zero dollars from the City of Miami ... (but) that was the result of the real estate fallout and the City was not in position to fund the Trust, and so we had to re-calibrate the $1.3 million (we received) in 2008-09 to zero. We had to manufacture the monies to operate the park and, guess what, we did that."

The funding started anew in 2016-17 with a $150,000 allocation to ramp up the request for the museum.

"Unfortunately, no personnel nor financial contributions have come from the Parks Department, even though we're the largest park ... Nevertheless, we've been able to sustain ourselves," Range said.

Commissioner de la Portilla questioned how $859,000 in total salaries for what would be, eventually, 23 employees could comprise most of the original $1,330,000 budget (before the additional $300,000 was approved, none of which was tied to the museum).

"So, we're looking at about 64% of your budget going to salaries. Do you see anything wrong with that?" asked de la Portilla. "That kind of overhead is absurd. Voting for that would be malfeasance on my part," using a word that was tossed around by commissioners at the Sept. 13 meeting when the subject was first discussed  something that Range vehemently denied Thursday night.

But, de la Portilla offered another avenue, saying he would take $150,000 from his office budget and asked other commissioners if they would do the same just to get the museum project going. "I want to build it, but I don't want to pay salaries," he said.

And, since the $300,000 would come from "uncollected" reserves, which the City has accumulated $8 million, de la Portilla simply asked, "Why don't we just take $2 million out of that and build the museum (now)?"

Neither of those solutions were agreed upon.

King, however, agreed with Reyes that transparency will be vital.

"It is our intent to analyze the staff and budget," she said. "Mr. Range himself even said perhaps 'we can do better with salaries and staff.' "

Carollo, who offered a number of potential ways to boost revenues -- and tourism -- to the beach park that provides a beautiful vantage point of the city, wanted to be in position to make decisions himself, but said he will work with Range and his staff to see if such amenities as the "choo-choo" train and antique carousel could be a strong part of the drawing card.

But, he also was taken aback at how it takes 23 employees to oversee 82 acres (including some hard-to-approach mangroves and beachfront), while at Bayfront Park, the city's other gem, "we have 11 people -- five maintenance, five full-time and one part-time -- for 60 acres.

"I don't see why you need (23) ... I'm embarrassed to say you have twice more and (probably, in some cases) making $40-$45,000 more ... that is what I'm basing my opinion on."

Range said he wasn't allowed to discuss an ongoing audit but wanted to address allegations and misinformation from the Sept. 13 City Commission meeting, when words like "malfeasance" and "fiscal irresponsibility" were used.

He pointed out that in November 2004, Miami-Dade County voters approved GO Bond money to build a museum "for the immigrant experience."

He said, despite what some still refer to the area as "Black Beach" or "Colored Beach," which, "in fact, it was in the segregation days, but the fact is this 82-acre park, the largest in the City of Miami proper, is used by more people who don't look like me.

"This year, we've had 100,000 (visitors) pass through the park, and they come from your districts. We keep it clean, keep it safe, and open to all. This is not 'Blacks Park' or 'Blacks Beach' ... we have some of the most beautiful vistas ... people clamoring for photo shoots, and weddings. We have accomplished all aspects of the master plan from 2006 except the building of the museum."

Also pleading their case were veteran community members Dr. Enid Curtis Pinkney and Dr. Dorothy Jenkins Fields, now a historian, who were there when the Trust was created in 1999 following the establishment of the Virginia Key Beach Park Civil Rights Task Force in June, which was a direct response by the community opposing private development on the beach park.

The City of Miami Commission then decided to create the now Virginia Key Beach Park Trust to oversee the development of the historic beach park property where members have made countless improvements, replacing features such as a dance hall that thrived during segregation, and reopening the park to the public, while protecting the shoreline.

Dr. Pinkney said her family has lived in Miami since 1910 and she has seen "much racial discrimination and prejudice" over the years. She said there was a time "you had to be afraid of white people if you didn't do what they said. Prior to 1945, there was nowhere a Black person could go to the beach around here, except for this Virginia Key area.

"In 1999, we were told that the City (of Miami) wanted to turn the beach into an eco-tourist camp, whatever that is, and we were told that developers wanted to put up a hotel there. Some of us continued to believe the developers are (still) stimulating the problems," she said, pointing out, for example, a big development in Overtown -- without the homeless -- "would make money off the back of Black history.

"If you're following their lead, we are definitely in trouble," she told commissioners. "... you're disrespecting Black history. I feel we are moving backwards, going in the wrong direction. I was on the (Virginia Key) committee before it became a Trust. ... Black people have a hard time (today) getting things done in Miami. Ask me, I know," she said, urging commissioners to use "God's wisdom, and to be fair and respect everybody."

Others pointed out a museum would honor the pioneering laborers who built this city "on their backs."

Another resident, George Simpson, said when he attended Christopher Columbus High, he was the first Black student there -- and still was the only one all four years.

"All these kids (on weekends) would go to all these (different) beaches," he said. "There was only one beach I could go to and that was Virginia Key Beach, and it was very nice ... I also had a band, and we'd play there, and white kids would come Friday and Saturday nights ... the point is ... we knew that beach was special, the waves were the right height. That beach has a rich history and everyone goes there (today)."

Another speaker, Lourdes Cabrera, said she came to support the current Board of Trustees.

"I've heard a lot about resiliency tonight," she said, alluding to several people who pleaded with commissioners to include a separate resiliency department to help protect the city against climate change. "You know who's resilient? That committee. They've created a historic bond from generation to generation.

"It's unfair to erase that Board, because they've done so much. Let's keep something historic for all of us ... and future generations."

Before the vote took place, Range told commissioners: "This is not about me ... no matter how you move (on) it, I'm here (to support the building of a Black Heritage museum and the preservation of the land).

"It's the most beautiful piece of dirt we have in this city."

For more information on Virginia Key Beach Park and its history, click here.
A second lot of data claimed to be from Optus has been advertised for sale on a Web forum, with 100 sample records being linked to as proof that it is genuine.

Emsisoft security researcher Brett Callow pointed out in a tweet that the account stated, "No sale will be made for 1 week until Optus reply".

He said this implied it could be a case of attempted extortion. iTWire has sought a reaction from Optus about this. The Optus breach was made public on Thursday.

A second account is now selling what's claimed to be #Optus data, and has linked to a paste with 100 sample records. The account states, "No sale will be made for 1 week until Optus reply" implying that this a case of attempted extortion. pic.twitter.com/pU2iUiSQ5b  Brett Callow (@BrettCallow) September 23, 2022

The post claims this data is from 11.2 million users and is demanding a million dollars from the company for the sale to be cancelled.

On Friday, Optus was asked about another lot of data that was claimed to be from its innards. More than 24 hours later, there has been no response from its media unit.

A media conference by Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin on Friday did not offer any new information about the data breach.

Bayer Rosmarin claimed the attack was "sophisticated", but that is a claim made by every company that suffers a data breach.

In a post dated the 17th, names and email addresses allegedly associated with 1.1 million #Optus mobile numbers were put up for sale. pic.twitter.com/AkUgrFCFes  Brett Callow (@BrettCallow) September 22, 2022

The first lot of data was advertised in a post dated 17 September and offered 1.1 million Optus mobile numbers and asked those interested to contact a given Telegram account.

Meanwhile, encryption software firm Senetas has questioned whether the data that was pilfered was encrypted or not.

Senetas chief executive Andrew Wilson said: "The critical question that must be answered by Optus [is] - was the data encrypted? If not, why not?

"If this is strongly encrypted sensitive data, as it should be, then Optus customers do not need to be alarmed. They likely have years to change their passports and other identity documents before the attackers can read and use what theyve stolen. If it isn't, customers need to get onto that process today. That's quite a difference!

"Further statements from Optus that this was a very 'sophisticated' attack are unsatisfactory. Very sophisticated and increasingly malicious attacks are common. That's why 'data protection' is essential today - and that's encryption. It is the last line of defence. Whether the stolen data is encrypted or not should be in the first communication about a successful breach. It is concerning that this vital bit of information is missing so far.

"Many have questioned whether the prevention systems like those used by Optus are sufficient, or if the company under-invested in its cyber security and this is the inevitable result. This is unlikely. No cyber-attack prevention system is bullet-proof.

"The focus should instead be on regulation - we need comprehensive federal cyber security legislation that punishes companies and government agencies that fail to encrypt sensitive data. Not every company can afford the type of prevention systems Optus has, but the lesson must not be that they shouldn't try or have a last line of defence in place should a breach occur."

Update: Later in the afternoon, Optus advised: "Apologies for the delay. We are co-ordinating with the AFP [Australian Federal Police] because this is now a criminal investigation. On their advice, we can't comment on this."
GUEST INTERVIEW: The need to amplify the power of metric, event, log and trace-based (MELT) monitoring and traditional observability exists because of ever growing cyber security threats, which have only multiplied since the pandemic, with Deep Observability an empowering answer from Gigamon, as its CEO, Shane Buckley explains.

Gigamon. The company today offers a deep observability pipeline that harnesses actionable network-level intelligence to amplify the power of observability tools.

Billed as a powerful combination, Gigamon explains it helps enable IT organisations to assure security and compliance governance, speed root-cause analysis of performance bottlenecks, and lower operational overhead associated with managing hybrid and multi-cloud IT infrastructures.

The promised result? Modern enterprises realising the full transformational promise of the cloud, which in an ever faster-moving world full of ever-changing challenges is an important capability to deliver, as we all rely on the digital world to live our modern lives.

Founded in 2004, Gigamon today serves more than 4,000 customers worldwide, including over 80% of Fortune 100 enterprises, 9 of the 10 largest mobile network providers, and hundreds of governments and educational organisations worldwide.

The company has an excellent primer on why Deep Observability matters here.

You can also read Gigamon's first State of Ransomware 2022 and Beyond report here, which provides insights into how the threatscape is evolving and how the severity of the blame culture in cybersecurity is escalating.

To learn more, iTWireTV spoke with a great source: Gigamon President and CEO, Shane Buckley, who was visiting Australia in the first week of September 2022.

That video interview is directly below, where we spoke about deep observability, security, ransomware, zero trust, cloud adoption, mental wellness for cyber security professionals, Gigamon's operations and customers in Australia and New Zealand, the future and plenty more, after which is a summary of the topics we spoke about, so please watch and read on!

I started by introducing Shane, and asking him to recap the Gigamon story in 2022, after which we dived into deep observability, why it matters, and how it differs from visibility.





We then discussed other aspects of cyber security, including ransomware and zero trust, along with how Gigamon is part of the accelerating cloud adoption equation, and how Gigamon sees the importance of mental wellness in an ever more stressful cyber security landscape.





Shane explained Gigamon's operations in Australia, New Zealand and the region, the go to market strategy with the channel, and interesting local customers.





Next, Shane shared his views on Gigamon's future, as well as what it's like to be a CEO for the third time in his career and what he has learned, and what a day in the life of a CEO in a major tech company is like.





After this, I asked Shane to share a memory of his first computer, his history in the world of tech, great advice received in life, and his final message to iTWire viewers and readers, and Gigamon's current and future customers and partners.

So, to learn more about Gigamon, Shane Buckley, cyber security, deep observability and more, please watch the video interview above!
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.










PROFESSOR DOMINIQUE TURPIN, DIRECTOR AND ACADEMIC ADVISOR OF SEG, HAS BEEN APPOINTED EUROPEAN DEAN OF CEIBS The China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) Board of Governors has appointed Professor Dominique Turpin as European President of CEIBS with effect from September 1, 2022. PROFESSOR DOMINIQUE TURPIN, DIRECTOR AND ACADEMIC ADVISOR OF SEG, HAS BEEN APPOINTED EUROPEAN DEAN OF CEIBS The China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) Board of Governors has appointed Professor Dominique Turpin as European President of CEIBS with effect from September 1, 2022. Careers - Appointments

This is a press release Category: Europe This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2022-09-23











From 2010 to 2016, he was Dean and Provost and long-time professor of marketing of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD Business School) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Prof. Turpin was awarded life membership in the International Academy of Management for his outstanding achievements in the field of executive education.



Prof. Turpin has deep knowledge and extensive consulting experience in the areas of brand management, customer orientation, marketing strategy, and Asian business strategy.



He is a board member of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), a member of the international advisory boards of leading institutions such as Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) and Waseda University Business School in Japan, and has been a member of the Academic Committee of CEIBS.



Professor Turpin has extensive industry connections and currently consults for companies in a variety of industries, including the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, manufacturing, online education, and he has served as a director for well-known Chinese companies.



Founded in 1994 by the Chinese government and the European Union, CEIBS is the only business school in China jointly founded by Chinese and foreign governments.



''With the motto of "Conscientiousness, Innovation, and the Pursuit of Excellence", the school is committed to cultivating business leaders with both Chinese depth and global breadth, who actively assume social responsibility.''



The school has been praised by the leaders of China and the European Union as "the cradle of many outstanding managers" and "a model of successful European-Chinese cooperation".



CEIBS offers a full-time English MBA, a Financial MBA (FMBA), EMBA, Global EMBA (GEMBA), Excellence in Service EMBA (HEMBA), DBA (Switzerland), and Executive Education programs. CEIBS was the first in mainland China to receive dual accreditation from the European Accreditation System for Quality Development (EQUIS) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB). CEIBS has ranked among the top 100 in the Financial Times Global MBA list for six consecutive years, and among the top five in its Global EMBA 100 list for four consecutive years.



The school has built a world-class full-time academic team that includes more than 80 renowned scholars from China and abroad.



The professors come from more than 10 countries and regions around the world. Two-thirds of the international faculty members are knowledgeable, well-educated and rooted in China, thereby blending the world's most cutting-edge management ideas with Chinese management practices.



In the authoritative ranking of the Financial Times, CEIBS faculty members are ranked among the top in the world in terms of internationalization. For the second year in a row, CEIBS has been ranked first in the Elsevier list of highly cited scholars in China in the discipline of "Business Administration".



The School has the largest and strongest alumni network among business schools in mainland China.



At present, CEIBS has over 26,000 alumni in more than 90 countries and regions around the world, and has provided management training to more than 200,000 middle and senior managers at home and abroad.



They are not only an important force for the sustainable development of China and the world economy, but also active advocates of business civilization and social responsibility in the new era.



The Academy holds various in-person academic forums and high-end summits in dozens of major cities in Asia, Europe, and Africa, as well as hundreds of online forums and lectures every year.



These meetings, which focus on several areas of intense interest in key industries with the aim of developing key insights into the future, have become an important platform for exchange and cooperation between China and Europe.














By SA Commercial Prop News

Airports Company SA (Acsa) on Tuesday launched a massive R4.5 billion mixed-use development set in the western precinct of the OR Tambo International Airport.



State-owned Airports Company SA (Acsa) on Tuesday launched a massive R4.5 billion mixed-use development set in the western precinct of OR Tambo International Airport.

The development will see the precinct acquire new offices, retail space, hotel and conference facilities and additional transit-related services.

Construction will begin before the end of this month, with an anticipated completion date for the first phase at the end of 2020.

Speaking to SA Commercial Prop News at the sod-turning ceremony event, Bongiwe Pityi-Vokwana, GM of the airport, said that the airport plans to target a further 180,000 square metres for a mixed-use development to be located on the northern precinct of the airport.

Ms. Pityi-Vokwana was joined at the ceremony by members of the Western Precinct Consortium, which won the bid for the first phase.

This phase will see construction of three six-storey office buildings, above podium with a floor area of 33 000 square metres.

Says Ms. Pityi-Vokwana: As the busiest airport in Africa and the international gateway to South Africa, it is imperative that O.R Tambo International Airport remains an international landmark with world-class infrastructure and a large variety of services for all users and markets. The Western Precinct development forms part of a strategy to expand our offering and to drive new sources of growth for the entire region.

In addition to this development, O.R Tambo Internationals Airports Company long-term Infrastructure Master Plan features midfield cargo and midfield passenger terminals, each requiring several billion rands in further investment. These developments will accommodate growing passenger demand and expand the midfield cargo facilities at the airport to accommodate up to two million tonnes of air cargo annually.

At the same time, airport users will start to see upgrades to the existing terminal buildings. So, we are entering a very exciting period in the life of our airport which supports about 38,000 jobs in and around the precinct, says Ms. Pityi-Vokwana.

The mixed-use development will consist of a variety of buildings which are framed in such a way as to form a boulevard at the international departures level, where a variety of retail commercial and ancillary buildings each open onto a vibrant energetic street environment serviced by lively restaurants, corner cafes and bars.

The iconic structure will house all the vertical and horizontal circulation functionality in a clear and legible way anchored by the Gautrain station at its core and will provide a unique architectural language to Africas largest airport.

The first phase buildings will provide for:

 Corporate head office for Airports Company South Africa and the South African Civil Aviation Authority and

 Common-use facilities such as a fitness centre, canteen and creche.

The development will improve the connectivity from the Gautrain station and to existing hotels and facilities via pedestrian friendly connections to the international terminal building.

The members of the Western Precinct Consortium are HERI Propco (developer), mmqsmace Consultancy, and TiBER Construction (building contractor). The Consortiums ownership profile is 62% black-owned. The Consortium has committed that a minimum 30% of the total contract value will be sub-contracted to Exempt Micro Enterprises (EMEs) and Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs).

We will also be closely partnering with the Consortium to ensure that their Enterprise Development and Skills Development plans are achieved and that local residents are prioritised during the recruitment of labour, Pityi-Vokwana added.

Consortium leader Mandla Mlangeni says the group was delighted to win the competitive bid. Together we bring exceptional engineering and construction skills and experience to the Western Precinct development.

Mlangeni says that during construction of the first phase an estimated 1100 people will be employed on site at the peak of the project.

We have already put in considerable effort to recruiting from the regions around the airport and will continue to do so. In addition, the consortium will remain focused on fulfilling our bid undertakings to use black-owned subcontractors and suppliers, he said.

Ms. Pityi-Vokwana says that ultimately the seven phases of the Western Precinct development will stretch from the site of the old Shade 2 carports in the north to up to where the Southern Sun Hotel is located.

She says that the planned revamp of the airports facade will present an entirely new profile in keeping with its size and role in the regional and national economies. The iconic airport development precinct will serve as a catalyst in transforming the Airport hub into an Aerocity.
UN investigators accused Russia of committing war crimes on a "massive scale" in Ukraine, listing bombings, executions, torture and sexual violence, but said it was too soon to prove crimes against humanity.

Speaking before the United Nations Human Rights Council, the head of a high-level investigative team listed numerous serious violations committed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine seven months ago.

Erik Mose, chairman of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) set up by the council in March, said the team had seen evidence of numerous executions and the rape and torture of children.

"Based on the evidence gathered by the commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine," he said.

The categorical nature of that statement was unusual for UN investigators, but the team of three independent experts said the evidence they had found was clear.

- 'Massive scale' -

In the few months they have been on the job, they said they had initially concentrated on crimes committed in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions in late February and March.

They had visited 27 towns, interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses, and had "inspected sites of destruction, graves, places of detention and torture, as well as weapon remnants".

"We have been on the ground... and concluded that what we saw amounted to, according to our evidence, war crimes," Mose told journalists.

The team said they had found two cases where Ukrainian soldiers had abused Russian soldiers, but far more and diverse cases of war crimes by the Russian side.

"There is a world of difference between massive scale war crimes on the one hand and on the other hand two cases that we are aware of," commission member Pablo de Greiff told AFP.

Dozens of countries welcomed the findings, with Ukraine's representative Anton Korynevych telling the council they marked "an important milestone on a path to accountability for Russia's crimes".

Russia's representative was absent from the room, however, and did not respond to the report.

- Mass graves -

Mose said the team had been especially "struck by the large number of executions" and the frequent "visible signs of executions on bodies, such as hands tied behind backs, gunshot wounds to the head and slit throats".

He said the commission was investigating such deaths in 16 towns and settlements, and had received credible allegations regarding many more cases.

Mose said the team had drawn some of its evidence on executions from findings in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, where hundreds of bodies were discovered after the Russian army was driven out in March.

And while they had not yet examined the case of Izyum, where mass graves were discovered when Ukrainian forces recaptured the area this month, he said, "We certainly intend to look into it."

Mose also pointed to "consistent accounts of ill-treatment and torture" of Ukrainians held by the Russians, including "beatings, electric shocks and forced nudity".

And he decried the forced transfer of detainees to Russia, where some had subsequently "disappeared".

The team also documented sexual and gender-based violence against victims as young as four and as old as 82.

- List of perpetrators? -

In some cases, the investigators had established that Russian soldiers were the perpetrators, Mose told the council.

"There are examples of cases where relatives were forced to witness the crimes," he added.

The commission also documented a wide range of crimes against children, he said, including some who were "raped, tortured and unlawfully confined".

While the team was clear in its conclusion that war crimes had been committed, it said it did not yet have enough evidence to determine if violations could amount to crimes against humanity, which are more systematic in nature.

Numerous crimes were committed by individuals, especially under Russian command, but "we didn't find (yet) that such behaviours present patterns", commission member Jasminka Dzumhur told reporters.

Looking forward, the team will broaden its investigation to look, among other things, at allegations that Ukrainian children are being taken to Russia for adoption.

They will also seek to establish blame for the violations and a list of suspected perpetrators before they present their final report to the council next March.
Israel is deliberately impeding progress toward a two-state solution and can no longer be considered a reliable partner in the peace process, Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas told the United Nations on Friday.

His remarks come a day after Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said he supported a two-state solution, but Abbas said the proof would be immediate negotiations.

Repeating grievances, Abbas said the Jewish state has acted with "total impunity" against people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and that Palestinians' trust in the prospects for peace is "regressing."

Israel "is, through its premeditated and deliberate policies, destroying the two-state solution," the Palestinian Authority (PA) president said in a speech to the General Assembly.

"This proves unequivocally that Israel does not believe in peace," he added.

"Therefore, we no longer have an Israeli partner to whom we can talk."

Lapid, in his own address, reiterated his support for the creation of a "peaceful" Palestinian state.

Abbas called the remarks a "positive development," but said a true test of credibility "is for the Israeli government to go back to the negotiation table -- immediately, tomorrow."

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

The Lapid government's current strategy is to try to support the Palestinian economy, but without embarking on a peace process with Abbas.

The 87-year-old Abbas is contending with growing unrest in parts of the West Bank that threatens to spiral out of control, and his popularity in the territory has slumped to historic lows.

Some Palestinians accuse the PA of being Israeli pawns and tacitly accepting the occupation of the West Bank.

- 'Protecting Israel' -

Abbas told the General Assembly that Israel has been engaged in a campaign of land confiscation in the occupied territories and was giving the military "total freedom" to kill or otherwise use excessive force against Palestinians.

"This is the truth: they are an apartheid regime," he said, using a comparison that infuriated Israel.

Abbas's speech was "a lie-filled rant completely detached from reality," said Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan.

"President Abbas uses the UN as a platform to incite hatred against Israel, while glorifying the terrorists that he himself funds," Erdan said in a statement, after the Palestinian leader praised jailed militants.

In demanding the international community hold Israel accountable for "the massacres they have committed," Abbas accused the United Nations and its more powerful members, notably the United States, of "protecting Israel."

He reiterated the Palestinians' position that Israel be brought before the International Criminal Court so that it is forced to "shoulder its legal, political, moral and financial responsibilities."

The United States has been urging the PA not to pursue a case at the ICC, arguing it is not a sovereign state and that the court unfairly targets Israel.

Israel has occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank since 1967 and from 2007 has imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory controlled by the Islamists of Hamas.

A year ago, Abbas addressed the UN by videolink and said he was giving Israel one year to withdraw from occupied territory or he would no long recognize the Jewish state based on pre-1967 borders.

He did not mention the ultimatum Friday, but focused instead on the lack of international recognition of the Palestinian territories.
A truth commission investigating Mexico's so-called "Dirty War" of the 1960s-1980s said Friday there were indications that serious human rights violations were committed at a military base in the capital.

The announcement came after victims visited the army camp in Mexico City for the first time along with investigators probing decades-old alleged abuses against leftist movements.

"We found credible signs that Military Camp No. 1 was the scene of crimes against humanity and very serious human rights violations," commission member David Fernandez told a news conference.

Investigators, survivors and relatives were allowed to spend three days at the army base on the instructions of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

What they saw supported the testimony of survivors and will facilitate a more in-depth investigation, Fernandez said.

Erasmo Cabanas, who was detained in the military camp twice between 1976 and 1977, said that some of the people who disappeared during the dark chapter in Mexican history were "tortured and killed" at the base.

"Tell us where the clandestine graves are because it's important to know where our relatives are," said Cabanas, a relative of a 1970s guerrilla leader.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which for decades ruled Mexico as a one-party state, was accused of using torture, forced disappearances and killing to suppress guerrilla, student and labor movements of the time.

Lopez Obrador vowed "zero impunity" for abuses at the inauguration of the truth commission in June, saying that his government had given orders "not to hide anything."

Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval acknowledged that some military actions at the time had fallen short of "the principles of legality and humanity."
Brazils economy, wary of left-wing presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas economic policies, will again vote for incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, but this time with more reservations, experts say.

Elected in 2018 on a promise to reduce government intervention, Bolsonaro has stayed true to his word with a series of measures to boost the economy, introduce privatizations and draft tax reform.

Small and medium-sized business owners appreciated Bolsonaros refusal to halt the economy during the coronavirus pandemic that has killed 685,000 Brazilians, according to Daniela Campello, political science expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.

The post-pandemic economic recovery also worked in the Presidents favour.

After GDP slumped during the pandemic, Latin Americas largest economy grew 4.6 percent in 2021 and is expected to grow further by 2.65 percent this year.

 economic recovery 

Business leaders fear Lula will impose greater government interventionism in the economy and a redistribution commitment for the benefit of workers, his constituency, Campello said.

Lula, for example, has promised to roll back a 2017 labor reform that has been heavily criticized by labor rights groups.

Meanwhile, the agribusiness sector, which accounts for nearly 28 percent of Brazils GDP, is one of Bolsonaros most ardent supporters.

Oscar Cervi, a major grain producer, is one of the biggest donors to Bolsonaros campaign, donating one million reais (around $200,000).

A convoy of tractors even took part in the traditional military parade in Brasilia during the September 7 Independence Day celebrations.

The sector has benefited from investment in infrastructure such as ports and railways and continues to perform well despite difficulties caused by Russias invasion of Ukraine, said Luiz Carlos Correa Carvalho, president of the Brazilian Agribusiness Confederation.

Bolsonaros opposition to land claims by Brazils indigenous groups  an issue now in the hands of the Supreme Court  has also proved popular with a sector that thrives on clearing rainforests to produce farmland.

Lula even said agribusiness is rightist and fascist which is why producers are very scared and see it as a threat, said Correa Carvalho.

 Support not unanimous 

The other fear in the agribusiness sector is that Lula will follow the lead of neighboring centre-left Argentine President Alberto Fernandez in levying export taxes, an adviser said on condition of anonymity.

The presidents loyalists include a group of businessmen currently under investigation by the Supreme Court for professing support for a coup detat if Bolsonaro loses the election.

But this staunch support for the far-right leader is not unanimous.

Businessman Luis Stuhlberger claims he will never again vote for the psychopath Bolsonaro.

Corporate sector support is more divided than in 2018, said Christopher Garman, executive director for the Americas at consultancy Eurasia Group.

Auto industry and international trade directors told AFP they did not want to take sides this time after backing Bolsonaro in the last election.

Powerful business groups like the Federation of Sao Paulo Industries and the Federation of Banks even signed an open letter defending democracy after Bolsonaro attacked the electoral system.

Bolsonaro has lost credibility in his financial management and has a terrible reputation outside of the country and  ecologically, Garman added.
On the half-ruined top floor of a block of flats in war-torn Irpin, near Kyiv, Mykhailo Kyrylenko proudly watches the new roof taking shape.

Over a hundred apartment blocks in Irpin  dubbed a hero city by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for holding off Russian invaders heading towards the capital  were badly damaged by shelling.

Now the onset of winter poses a different threat as repairs urgently need to be completed before temperatures drop.

With state and local resources tight, the 16,000 residents of Irpin, left homeless by the shelling, are in a race against time to get their homes ready.

We didnt wait for help, said Kyrylenko, the chairman of the residents association of his building. I understand that there is a war in the country, many people understand that.

Its colorful block with gable walls painted yellow was hit by four shells in the first days of the invasion, which began on February 24. These blows destroyed the roof and burned down the top floor.

However, after weeks of fighting, Ukrainian forces retook the city, prompting 65-year-old Kyrylenko to mobilize residents of the building.

When government experts determined the top floor could be saved, he organized a vote with most in favor of rebuilding.

People dont have much money, but they have agreed to donate funds to gradually restore the destroyed apartments, Kyrylenko, wearing a dark blue work overall, told AFP.

If we waited for the state to help us, then  we absolutely had to take the fifth floor down, it would collapse, he said.

 The roof is the key 

His efforts quickly bore results.

About a dozen of the 40 apartments in the building remained permanently occupied. They have been reconnected to water, sewerage and electricity  although there is still no gas.

The most important thing is to put the roof on so that rainwater and snow dont get in, Kyrylenko said, looking up at new wooden beams that were almost all in place now.

But bare brick walls on the sides and heaps of rubble underfoot showed the work yet to be done.

Residents themselves and charitable foundations have already contributed significant sums, but Kyrylenko said at least two million gryvnia ($53,000) more would be needed to winterize the building.

Eight families now live here and will continue to do so, Kyrylenko said.

On the fourth floor, Viktor Murygins apartment was only minimally damaged, only faint streaks were visible on light-colored walls after the rain.

Although less affected, 63-year-old Murygin contributed both money and manpower to the reconstruction.

It was a constant struggle against the elements, Murygin said.

It was necessary to protect not only my apartment, but also the apartments below.

And thanks to moisture-proof materials bought by charities, three homes have been saved so far.

 Please help 

While residents of many other Ukrainian cities hit by Russian shells desperately seek reconstruction funds, government and local officials are beginning to respond.

Prime Minister Denys Shmygal last week announced a government allocation of around Gryvnia 3.4 billion ($91 million) for operational restoration works.

But much more is needed, said Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn.

We are appealing to the entire global community to help us with building materials and funding for reconstruction, Markushyn wrote on social media earlier this month on Irpins annual City Day.
In neighboring Russia, Latvians are preparing for war







AFP  Gints Ivuskans setImageWidth(photo0);

When war broke out in Ukraine, the head of the Fashion Chamber of Latvia, Dita Danosa, did not hesitate to become an army reservist and exchanged her usually elegant clothes for military uniforms.

I really felt like I cant be passive and just watch TV, the 49-year-old told AFP at the Mezaine military training area in western Latvia.

So I decided, yes, the National Guard is the right place for me.

Since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February, Baltic states like Latvia  which borders Russia  have been concerned about what Moscow might do next.

This fear has led to a four-fold increase in volunteers like Danosa for the armys reserve force, known as the National Guard, or Zemessardze in Latvian.

When the war started, all European values ??were in jeopardy, Danosa said, breaking the silence between the volleys of two bullets.

While Latvias EU and NATO membership reassured her, Danosa said she felt threatened because Russian aggression is unpredictable and we dont know what can happen.

Dressed in full battle dress, including a magazine belt, she recalled that Latvia had an occupation history. The former Soviet republic regained its independence in 1991.

Mezaines location is symbolic. During the Cold War, the Skrunda-1 radar station was located here, whose two large installations were intended to alert the Soviet Red Army in the event of a missile attack from the west.

Today, the site is used, among other things, for the training of urban guerrillas.

 4,000 applications 

Established in 1991, the National Guard is the largest component of the armed forces in the country of 1.85 million people.

It consists of around 9,600 volunteers and is divided into four brigades. The national army now has around 6,000 professional soldiers.

Welcoming the huge surge in volunteer interest, Guard Commander-in-Chief Egils Lescinskis said fewer people were getting off.

He said they had received around 4,000 applications since early 2022, versus an average of around 1,000 candidates a year.

Around 20 percent of the volunteers this year are women.







AFP  Gints Ivuskans setImageWidth(photo2);

The volunteers go through 21 days of basic training, usually spread over seven weekends, after which they are ready to go on call.

Last Saturday, around 30 gun-armed volunteers in camouflage fatigues waited in complete silence at the edge of a dense forest.

Their only communication as they prepared to attack a convoy was through hand gestures or the tugging of a wire.

When the vehicle arrived, the burst of heavy gunfire was deafening. A few seconds later, a car horn pierced the air.

The driver, head on the wheel, pretended to be dead.

 Protect our loved ones 

The training includes everything from simple survival to understanding what war is, said recruit Rudolfs Aboltins.

How to take up arms or present yourself or talk to people, how to engage in unexpected situations in society and in combat, he added.

Like Danosa, Aboltins joined the Guard after the invasion.

While he sees no immediate threat to Latvia, the atrocities in Ukraine mean what Im doing right now could matter in the future, he said.







AFP  Gints Ivuskans setImageWidth(Photo1);

Many of us have pacifist tendencies. We took up guns and started learning how to shoot because we want to be able to protect our loved ones, he told AFP.

After basic training, he will take a specialized course to improve communication between civilians and troops.

If you want, you can also specialize in areas such as anti-tank defense, medical aid or sniper training.

My wife said at least one family member needs to join and learn basic skills, said 35-year-old entrepreneur and father-of-two Juris Kukulis.

So if something happens, we know what to do.
Top US and Chinese diplomats meet in New York on Friday as rising tensions show signs of easing, but Beijing issued a fresh warning against supporting Taiwan.

Foreign Minister Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi are set to meet on the sidelines of the annual United Nations summit, their first meeting since in-depth talks in Bali in July, where both sides seemed optimistic about greater stability.

A month later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan and enraged Beijing, which was staging drills seen as a dry run for an invasion of self-governing democracy.

President Joe Biden said in an interview that aired on Sunday that he stands ready to intervene militarily if China uses force, deviating again from decades-long US ambiguity.

In a sign of smoother relations, Wang said he met with US climate chief John Kerry in New York, despite Chinas announcement after Pelosis visit that it was limiting cooperation on the issue, a key priority for Biden.

But in a speech ahead of his talks with Blinken, Wang reiterated his anger at US support for Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory.

The Taiwan issue is emerging as the greatest risk in China-US relations. If mishandled, it will most likely destroy bilateral ties, he said at the Asia Society think-tank.

Just as the US will not allow Hawaii to be taken away, China has the right to maintain the countrys unification, he said.

He condemned the US decision to allow Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency after the vice president, to visit Taiwan. The Biden administration, while privately concerned about her trip, noted that Congress is a separate branch of government.

 Organization of a summit meeting 

But Wang was forgiving towards Biden. The New York talks are expected to lay the groundwork for a first meeting between Biden and President Xi Jinping since they became leaders of their two countries, likely in Bali in November on the sidelines of a Group of 20 economic powerhouse summit.

Wang said that both Biden and Xi are committed to making China-US relations work and avoiding conflict and confrontation.

However, what has happened is that the US seems to have two different musical scores. The political will of their leaders for a stable bilateral relationship has yet to be translated into logical strategies, he said.

The US Congress is a stronghold of support for Taiwan, a vibrant democracy and great technological power.

Last week, a Senate committee took a first step to ship billions of dollars worth of arms directly to Taiwan in a bid to deter China, a rise from decades of selling only arms requested by Taipei.

Tensions have also risen over human rights, as the United States accuses the communist state of committing genocide against the predominantly Muslim Uyghur population.

Biden, like his predecessor Donald Trump, has viewed a rising China as the United States key global competitor and has promised to realign US foreign policy to the challenge.

Russias invasion of Ukraine in February quickly shifted US focus to Europe, but it also fueled fears that Beijing was realizing years of threats to use force against Taiwan.

However, US officials were also heartened that China has shown some distance from Russia, its nominally close ally.

President Vladimir Putin told Xi at a meeting last week he understood Chinas concerns about Ukraine, while Wang stressed the need to end the war rather than back Russia at a special Security Council session on Thursday.
Seo In Guk as a special way to invite fans and promote his new movie "Project Wolf Hunting."

The South Korean heartthrob returns to the big screen with an action thriller movie helmed by Kim Hong Sun of "The Chase" and "The Con Artists."

Over Seo In Guk's Instagram, he showed off his major transformation as he plays the role of Jong Du.

Seo In Guk Instagram: Actor Dons Full Bodied Tattooed on his First Villain Role in 'Project Wolf Hunting'

On his social media, the actor wowed his 3.4 million Instagram followers with his look as he plays his first villain role.

"Cute Jongdoo released. Let's meet cute Jongdoo in theaters," Seo In Guk's Instagram caption reads, as he flashed his smile while sporting tattoos over his face, neck, and arms.

Although the body art is only temporary, fans lauded how tattoos looked good on Seo In Guk.

Moreover, others say that they can't wait to watch his new movie "Project Wolf Hunting."

Seo In Guk's movie had its theatrical release on September 21and was also invited to be part of the 47th Toronto International Film Festival.

The South Korean movie is among the representatives of the Midnight Madness Category, which started last September 8.

Joining Seo In Guk as the cast are Jang Dong Yoon, Choi Gwi Hwa, veteran actor Sung Dong Il and "Alchemy of Souls" star Jung So Min.

Seo In Guk Shares his Thoughts About Sporting Completely Different Visuals for 'Project Wolf Hunting'

Viewers often see Seo In Guk portraying protagonist roles may it be in K-drama or movies; however, he surprised the fans when he appeared as the villain in "Project Wolf Hunting."

What's interesting is that he looked unrecognizable with his full-bodied tattooed and perfectly chiseled physique as he plays first-degree murderer Park Jong Doo, one of the most wanted by the in Interpol and leads the rebellion during the authorities' mission at the Pacific Ocean.

In an interview obtained by a news portal, the actor talks about the changes he did to play his first villain role.

Too young to be a gang boss, Park Jong Doo hides his personality and wants to look intimidating through tattoos.

He revealed that the production team took 3 hours to cover his body with tattoos using very realistic-looking stickers.

"The design was made by the director and tattooist Aerok. I just gave my opinion here and there, and everything came together very well," he said.

Moreover, Seo In Guk purposely gained 16 kilograms to fit in his character's image.

"I thought he needs to have an [intimidating] aura, which is why I bulked up in size," he said, adding that his goal is "to reach the level of a UFC fighter. It's like how it feels different to see a very ferocious wolf than just a wolf."

"Project Wolf Hunting" is Seo In Guk's next project after the rom-com series "Cafe Minamdang."

Interestingly, he is in talks to headline the cast of "Smoking Gun" penned by "Cafe Minamdang" screenwriter.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Poong, The Joseon Psychiatrist' Goes Head-To-Head With 'Cafe Minamdang' On Viewership Rating



KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills


File photo RJD national president Lalu Prasad on Saturday said that BJP will be wiped out from Bihar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. RJD national president Lalu Prasad on Saturday said that BJP will be wiped out from Bihar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.



While speaking to media at the Patna airport, Lalu Prasad said: "We will wipe out BJP in 2024.



An ailing Lalu Prasad, who was in the national capital for his treatment, had returned to Patna last month. He is scheduled to go to Singapore for a kidney transplant on Monday.



While in Delhi, he is set to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Sunday. He will will be accompanied by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The two leaders will brief the Congress chief about the initiatives being taken to unite the opposition parties against the BJP in 2024.



They are scheduled to meet Sonia Gandhi at her residence at 6 p.m. on Sunday




A Surete du Quebec police car is seen in Montreal on July 22, 2020. Quebec provincial police will assist Longueuil police in their probe of a double murder Friday evening, just south of Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
The Kenosha Unified School Districts enrollment for the 2022-23 academic year continued a downward trend following a slight increase a year ago, according to the latest districtwide data.

The district saw a decrease of 433 students for a total of 19,187 students enrolled for the current school year compared with 19,620 students a year ago, according to the Sept. 16 Third Friday Count.

Last year, district enrollment was up by just 37 students, an anomaly among the data.

On an annual basis, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requires districts to gather and report an enrollment headcount of students who receive primary educational services from their respective districts on the third Friday in September. The department then uses the figure to determine state revenue limits, which is the amount of funding Kenosha Unified is entitled to receive from general state aid and local tax levies. Those dollar amounts, however, will not be available from the state until next month.

In a February report to the School Board, district administration had initially projected a decrease of 552 students. District officials said the large decline was based upon multiple factors, but mainly the decreasing birth rate.

Birth rates fall

Since 2009, birth rates in the districts boundary areawhich includes Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie and Somers  has continued to slide, averaging about 500 fewer children born each year compared with a high of 1,953 births in 2008.

The approximately 500 less births is a major component that will continue to affect KUSD for the next several years, Kris Keckler, Unifieds chief information officer in the Educational Accountability office, said Wednesday. Obviously not all students attend KUSD, so this number decrease will fluctuate.

Keckler said parents can opt to make other educational choices including open enrollment, homeschooling and private schools that will affect district enrollment.

We will have a declining birth rate impact for at least the next five years, and most likely a few years longer, he said.

During Tuesdays annual meeting of electors, Tarik Hamdan, the districts chief financial officer, said that at the time administration began building the proposed 2022-23 budget, the district had originally projected a enrollment decline with 600 fewer student full-time equivalents in the Third Friday headcount.

If that comes true (it) would be a projected revenue loss of $6.3 million of revenue limit authority, he said. It would also mean the district would have $440,000 less per pupil aid to work with next year.

Better than original projections

He said, however, that the most recent Third Friday County figures show a little bit better results, adding about 150 student full-time equivalents or a decline of 450, which would lessen the blow.

Property values also increased in the district in large part due to the closing out of a tax incremental finance district that had previously been in effect for the Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets.

With the expiration of what was once known as the villages TID No. 2, $670 million was added to the tax rolls, contributing to the districts overall growth in value, about 18% from $11.5 billion to $13.6 billion, or just over $2 billion. Typically, with the greater equalized valuation, state aid decreases and would result in an increase in the levy. But, its not that simple, Hamdan said.

The revenue limit authority calculation and the state aid calculation are two separate things and they are based on variables from different points in time. In our situation, we are experiencing multiple years of consecutive declines in enrollment and our overall total authority is declining because of that by about $6.3 million. The state equalization aid variables have a lag in them so they are based on prior year variables such as enrollment, equalized property values, and shared costs, he said.

As a result, the full 18% growth in property value and the full extent of the additional enrollment loss would not be realized in this years aid formula and the district is projecting a loss of about $1.5 million in the state aid relevant to the revenue limit formula, said Hamdan. Because the district is reducing its total capacity by $6.3 million and the state aid is being reduced by just $1.5 million, it is left with about $4.8 million in reduced levy authority. In other words, the levy, which was $89.7 million this year is also trending downward to $84.9 million, or the amount set at the annual meeting last week.

Unified is expected to receive re-calculated and finalized figures for property values on Oct. 1 and revenue limit, state aid and tax levy by Oct. 15.

Largest decreases in 2nd, 7th grades

Keckler said the largest grade level decreases were in 2nd and 7th grades, where there were 125 and 139 fewer students, respectively.

Grade 2 went down minus 125 students from the prior year, but this would still be the first COVID group that didnt enroll in the early education grades, he said. Grade 7 went down 139 students, and this is the expected large one year birth rate drop going back to the recession of 2008-09. This decrease will continue to roll up a grade level each year. This was a large single year drop, but then we have only had declining births each year so far.

While enrollment at Whittier Elementary dropped by 146 students, according to officials, the population loss was consistent with the districts moving of the virtual school program from Whittier to Kenosha e-School this year.

Enrollment, staffing

Keckler said the district also uses the enrollment figures to manage staffing needs. He said that over the last few years, the districts staffing levels have decreased along with enrollments and COVID pandemic relief and stimulus funding have been used to add temporary grants to address the overall achievement gap.

There are no current plans to alter any locations, though there is a general budget committee working on reviewing all of the KUSD expenses for consideration, which could include locations, programs, extracurricular activities, etc., he said.
The orientation meeting for the Nacel Open Door student exchange program was held recently.

Nacel Open Door, Inc. is dedicated to promoting international understanding and language education. It believes it is essential for young people to develop a deeper awareness of their role as citizens of the world through direct experience in other cultures and languages.

At the event, two girls from Thailand who attend school in Kenosha Unified School District and at Westosha Central did their Thai dance in traditional dress for the audience of exchange students and host parents.

Natnarin and Thanaree performed the dance as the typical music from Thailand played.
A host family is needed quickly for a girl from Germany who is already attending school in the Kenosha Unified School District this fall.

Marena from Germany needs a new host family immediately. She is already attending Harborside Academy. She is 17, very sociable, and speaks English well. She pays all expenses, and has medical insurance.
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside is reporting steady fall enrollment numbers despite a record-breaking number of graduates for a third consecutive year.

University officials said a key element of UW-Parksides Strategic Framework is the Bold Goal of increasing the number of annual graduates by 50 percent by 2025.

Enrollment highlights include:

Overall, new undergraduate enrollment is up 20 percent

New transfer student enrollment is up 20 percent despite the downward trend nationally

Parkside Access to College Credit (PACC) dual enrollment is up 124 percent

Early College Credit Program (ECCP) is up 51 percent

Continuing student enrollment is down due to large graduating classes resulting in an overall decrease of less than 3 percent

The ECCP and PACC are concurrent enrollment programs that allow high school students to earn college credit at no charge and help reduce the cost and time to earn an undergraduate degree.

From a student success perspective, taking a college course in high school increases the likelihood that a student will enroll in college, persist and ultimately graduate with a college degree, said Deann Possehl, UW-Parkside assistant provost for student success.

UW-Parkside has also seen increased engagement with non-traditional students with 120 enrolled in the UW Flexible Option in Business program that allows busy adult learners to start their studies in any month and work at their own pace, online, when and where their schedule allows.

UW Parkside provides a personalized experience for students in the college search process, said Janice Harring-Hendon, executive director of enrollment services for UW-Parkside.

UW-Parkside provides students with a variety of ways ... to take a closer look at all that UW-Parkside has to offer and streamline the admissions experience, she said, noting that the Admissions Office has expanded its on-campus visitation and event programs, offering personalized meetings with admissions counselors and a wide variety of transfer student programming.

To plan a visit to UW-Parkside, go to www.uwp.edu/apply/visitus/campustours.cfm.

UW-Parkside Provost and Vice Chancellor Rob Ducoffe recognized that stability in enrollment reflects the tremendous efforts of innumerable colleagues across campus and the interest students have in a rich, high-quality college experience.

The Fall 2022 enrollment numbers include significant increases in transfer students, first-generation and students of color, and continuing record-setting numbers of graduates, he said. All these reflect the importance we place on ensuring that southeast Wisconsin residents have access to an affordable and high-quality education.


united nations Indian diplomat Mijito Vinito said that peace is possible in the sub-continent only when Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism, "comes clean" and ends persecution of minorities. Indian diplomat Mijito Vinito said that peace is possible in the sub-continent only when Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism, "comes clean" and ends persecution of minorities.



Replying to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's attacks on India at the high-level UN General Assembly meeting on Friday, Vinito disputed his claims about wanting peace with New Delhi pointing out that Islamabad's actions do not match his words.



He zoomed in on Islamabad's history of terrorism and said: "A polity that claims it seeks peace with its neighbours would never sponsor cross-border terrorism, nor would it shelter planners of the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, disclosing their existence only under pressure from the international community."



Hafiz Saeed, leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba who masterminded the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack in which about 175 people died, is living openly in Pakistan, as is another operative involved in the attack, Sajid Mir.



A country that truly seeks peace "would not make unjustified and untenable territorial claims against neighbours, it would not covet their lands and seek to illegally integrate them with its own", Vinito said referring to Pakistan's continued occupation of parts of Kashmir in violation of Security Council Resolution 47 of 1948, which ordered it to withdraw its troops and nationals from there.



Vinito, who is from the 2010 Indian Foreign Service batch and is a first secretary in India's UN mission, drove his stinging responses home with a calm demeanour.



Exercising India's right of reply, he countered Sharif's claims about the treatment of minorities in India and held a mirror to Pakistan's own record.



"It is not just about the neighbourhood that we have heard false claims today, it is about human rights, about minority rights and about basic decencies.



"When young women in the thousands from the minority community are abducted as an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), what can we conclude about the underlying mindset?" he asked.



According to the Human Rights Council of Pakistan, Hindu and Christian girls are victims of kidnapping and forced marriages.



"The desire for peace, security and progress in the Indian subcontinent is real. It is also widely shared and it can be realized," Vinito said.



"That will surely happen when cross-border terrorism ceases, when governments come clean with the international community and with their own people, when minorities are not persecuted, and not least when we recognize these realities before this Assembly."



In his speech at the Assembly, Sharif had claimed that he wanted peace and offered to speak to India's leaders, but only after New Delhi gives in to his demands.



The premier said he wanted to turn the page on the 20th century and take on the challenges of the 21st century but quickly went back 75 years raking up the Kashmir dispute, attacking the withdrawal of special constitutional status for that territory.



He catalogued what he said were India's actions against the Muslim minority.



Saima Saleem, a counsellor in Pakistan's UN mission, who responded to Vinito, repeated almost verbatim a lot from Sharif's speech.



She directed many of her remarks against the RSS and also strung together isolated incidents and remarks by fringe characters to make them appear as state policy.



In a bid to stir up Muslims, she brought up the remarks made in a TV programme about Prophet Mohammed by a former BJP functionary but did not say that she is now facing criminal charges.




71 Shares Share

An excerpt from A Short Primer on Why Cancer Still Sucks.

The United States has the worlds most expensive health care system. It spends about twice as much each year on every American as the Canadian system spends on Canadians. Per capita, the U.S. spends far more than Canada on drugs each year. The U.S. also has far more health care capacity, with more specialists, nurses, hospital beds, CAT scanners, MRI scanners, PET scanners, and radiotherapy treatment units per capita than Canada. This higher capacity can be useful, but it costs a lot of money.

The higher health care spending in the U.S. is primarily due to a much higher price for every medical procedure. It isnt due to more procedures being performed in the U.S.

Having a single-payer system in Canada makes the Canadian system much less expensive to run. In Canada, hospitals and physicians easily submit a single monthly bill electronically to the provincial government. In the U.S., physicians and hospitals cannot automate sending their bills to each of hundreds of insurers. Instead, it involves a huge amount of time and expensive paperwork. Consequently, health care administrative costs are almost five times higher in the U.S. than Canada. In this case, government bureaucracy is surprisingly more cost-efficient than the private sector.

Billing insurance companies is not the only expensive part of the U.S. system. An insurance company must approve any nonemergency tests, procedures, or treatments before they can be performed. This extra administrative burden is costly.

When we moved to Texas, my wife, who is Canadian, was incredulous at the number of people working in U.S. doctors offices. The average Canadian physician shares a receptionist and maybe a nurse with a few other physicians. Conversely, a doctors office in Houston is overflowing with staff, most of them dealing with insurance companies.

The Canadian approach is much simpler: Provincial governments build limited capacity. Canadian patients use this limited capacity to the maximum extent that available resources allow. If there is insufficient capacity, health care providers must apply for permission to build more capacity. That takes time. The net result is that there is never quite enough capacity. This increases wait times, yet it is also very cost-efficient administratively. The bottlenecks effectively control utilization, with no need for daily calls to insurance companies.

Because American health care is so expensive, U.S. companies must pay a lot for employee health care insurance. This drives up labor costs in the U.S., while paradoxically keeping wages low. It is, therefore, more expensive to produce something in the U.S. than in Canada and elsewhere. This is one major driving force behind U.S. jobs shifting to other countries.

U.S. physicians have a feral fear of liability. An American physician is much more likely to be sued than a Canadian physician. This and other factors drive-up the cost of U.S. malpractice insurance. American physicians also follow more expensive defensive medicine processes, ordering tests that might not be necessary medically but that reduce the risk of a successful lawsuit.

Costs of compliance with government regulation are probably also higher in the U.S. When I worked at MD Anderson, I received frequent emails from the Office of Compliance that I was obligated to either do or avoid various specific things. I might be fired and might face criminal prosecution if I ignored them. For example, it was illegal to fill out forms requesting a motorized wheelchair for a patient. Such forms could only be completed by very specific professionals. I would have faced stiff criminal penalties if I completed one since I was not authorized to do so. We were also told that if we tried to arrange free chemotherapy for underinsured patients, the government might charge us with using coercion to try to attract patients.

Such legal threats from government are substantially less commonplace in Canada. A Canadian physician must maintain a high level of professional conduct, in keeping with the standards of provincial medical licensing bodies. However, there are not constant threats from government, and no need for an institution to have an Office of Compliance.

While living in Houston, I was struck that overall, the relationship between the American people and their government appeared to be a somewhat uncomfortable one. This is in keeping with the U.S. imprisonment rate. Its the highest in the world (639 prisoners per 100,000 population, compared to 104 per 100,000 in Canada). In the U.S., prisons may be highly profitable, privately-owned capitalist ventures in which politicians and others may invest.

I suspect this U.S. discomfort with government plays at least some role in the strong support for the Second Amendment. It has probably also played a role in the 2016 election of Donald Trump as a president who promised to drain the Washington swamp. In the Frozen North, Canadians may strongly disagree with their government. We may even despise it, but we generally do not fear it. In Canada, governments control health care spending largely through strategic, though potentially misguided budget constraints rather than by heavy-handed threats.

Life expectancy: Despite the huge amount spent on U.S. health care, American men live an average of 4.5 years less than Canadian men. American women live three years less than Canadian women. In fact, the U.S. ranks a lowly 46th in the world in average life expectancy.

Part of this is due to many young Americans being underinsured. A countrys average life expectancy will drop if a lot of young people die prematurely because they dont have health insurance. When we moved to Texas in 2003, we hired a company to install a swimming pool at our new house. In talking to one of the young workers, my wife was concerned to find that he had unrelenting, disabling stomach pain. He told my wife that because he had no insurance, he could not afford medical care. This would not have been an issue in Canada. A Canadian could always see a doctor. They could go a to any walk-in clinic if they had trouble finding a family physician. They might have to wait a few days or weeks for an appointment if they had a family doctor, but lack of insurance would not prevent them from seeing one.

David J. Stewart is an oncologist and author of A Short Primer on Why Cancer Still Sucks.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Page Content

During the farewell reception hosted by Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalization, Alexandra van Huffelen, in the Netherlands on Friday, September 23, His Excellency Governor drs. Eugene B. Holiday was awarded with the Royal Decoration of Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau from His Majesty the King Willem-Alexander through the State Secretary.





Since becoming a country on 10-10-10, Governor Holiday is the first person on Sint Maarten to be awarded this royal recognition in the Order of Orange-Nassau.





After a short introductory video produced by the Sint Maarten Government reflecting on the highlights of not only Governor Holidays tenure but also his contributions prior to 10-10-10 during the Constitutional process, as Managing Director of the Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company, his role at the Central Bank of the Netherlands Antilles, N.V. GEBE, Winair, and during hurricane Luis, the royal decoration was bestowed upon him.





The second segment of the video reflected the characteristics in the words of all the persons that supported the nomination, this included the Philipsburg Methodist Congregation Circuit; Miguel Alexander, advisor and former notary who has known Governor Holiday in different capacities for over 20 years; Dennis Richardson, former Lt. Governor of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten and advisor during the Constitutional trajectory; Dr. Nilda Arduin, the first Ombudsman of Sint Maarten; and Joane Dovale-Meit, former Island Secretary and General Director of the Government of the Island Territory and advisor during the Constitutional trajectory.





The Council of Ministers (CoM), which formally nominated the Governor for a royal decoration and advised on the rank, was very pleased with the final outcome of the nomination and decision-making process.





Words of gratitude were also expressed to all the entities involved in the process which includes the advisory body Kapittel voor de Civiele Orden and the Dutch Government; in particular Dutch State Secretary van Huffelen.





According to the Dutch royal decorations website, lintjes.nl, the awarding of Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau  which is the third degree - is not common.





The decorated person must have performed very special or important activities, or the merits have an international and even global appeal and meaning.





During the annual Kings Day, it is customary that Governor Holiday awards citizens, who made a contribution of outstanding value to the community. There are six classes in the Order of Orange-Nassau:





1. Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau

2. Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau

3. Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau

4. Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau

5. Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau

6. Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau





The Government of Sint Maarten congratulates His Excellency Governor drs. Eugene B. Holiday for being awarded the royal decoration of Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau, a rank most deserving for His Excellencys contributions to Sint Maarten and his service to the Kingdom and beyond.




ARISS contact is scheduled with students from New England Sci-Tech featured at the BIG E in W. Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students from New England Sci-Tech located in Natick, MA.

ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS. The BIG E ("New England's Great State Fair") is hosting this ARISS contact during the annual state fair event, to be held in their large performance arena with seating for over 5,000 people.

New England Sci-Tech is a non-profit STEM and education center and makerspace dedicated to project-based, hands-on learning for youth and families across the New England community. The institution provides STEM education for youth through adult ages, both in-person and remote learning. The science-technology facility has a fully equipped ham radio lab, space science lab, maker space with a battling bots arena, 2D/3D design lab, woodworking shop, and a 5-meter- sized planetarium. Located on one of the highest hills in Natick, Massachusetts, the facility is ideally suited for amateur radio as well as astronomy. With a solar telescope and several large night scopes the school offers free public observing sessions to watch the sun, stars, moon, planets, and overhead passes of satellites and the International Space Station.

To support this ARISS contact, New England Sci-Tech staff developed a 12-month program that provided students hands-on experience in model rocketry, astronomy, electronics, coding, mathematics, and, of course, amateur radio. Guidance on amateur radio-related activities and course curriculum has been provided by Fred Kemmerer (AB1OC) (ARRL New England Division Director and ARISS Mentor), long-time instructor on amateur radio and satellite communications topics. Hands on instruction has been provided by members of the Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society (STARS) (W1STR).

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Bob Hines, amateur radio call sign KI5RQT. Local Covid-19 protocols are adhered to as applicable for each ARISS contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Aartselaar, Belgium. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign ON4ISS, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for September 27, 2022 at 2:30 pm EDT (West Springfield, MA) (18:30:39 UTC, 1:30 pm CDT, 12:30 pm MDT, 11:30 am PDT). Special programming prior to initiating the radio contact will begin at 1:20 pm EDT.

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdxnD8uF8t0

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Have you used any AI Robots to help you on the space station?

2. How would you feel, if we find signs of life on another planet?

3. What happens if an astronaut gets sick in space?

4. How do all the modules from different countries interconnect without causing software or hardware incompatibilities?

5. What exercise method do you find most useful to ward off muscle atrophy?

6. Have you experienced light flashes or Astronaut's Eye?

7. It is my absolute dream to be sitting in the same position you are. If you could give me just one piece of advice what would it be?

8. Have you ever been on the ISS when it was impacted by an object in space such as a micrometeorite?

9. Do you ever feel pain because of the way microgravity affects your muscles?

10. Did you find the astronaut training program was mentally or physically strenuous or stressful?

11. How does seeing the earth from a different perspective change the way you think about life?

12. What advice would you give to children who wish to someday become an astronaut?

13. If extravehicular activity didn't require so much preparation beforehand, would you do it more often?

14. What was the most amazing thing you saw your first time in space?

15. Have you used amateur radio on the ISS besides making ARISS contacts with school kids on Earth?

16. Do you sleep better in space or on Earth?

17. Do you normally rely on computers or human skill for spaceship docking at the ISS?

18. What are some memorable mascots that have been brought up to the ISS?

19. What unusual weather on Earth have you seen from space?

20. What class or extracurricular activity inspired you the most to become an astronaut?

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and NASA's Space communications and Navigation program.

The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org.

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN

ARISS PR

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Search on Amateur Radio on the ISS and @ARISS_status.

Check out ARISS on Youtube.com.
Foundations of Amateur Radio

The Patriot in Amateur Radio

It's been a while since I looked up the word 'patriotic'. Depending on which dictionary definition you use it could be: "showing love for your country and being proud of it", or it could mean: "having or expressing devotion to and vigorous support of one's country".

Synonyms for the word patriotic include "nationalist" and "nationalistic" and it relates to words such as "chauvinist", "jingoist" and "fervent". Jingoist means having or showing excessive favouritism towards one's own country.

That said, the original Amateur's Code published in 1927 says that:

The Amateur is Patriotic. His knowledge and his station are always ready for the service of his country and his community.

The 2022 ARRL handbook says:

The Radio Amateur is PATRIOTIC...station and skill always ready for service to country and community.

The ARRL website is slightly different:

The Radio Amateur is PATRIOTIC...His/[Her] station and skills are always ready for service to country and community.

Based on the meaning and connotations of the word "patriotic", I think that the sixth clause of the Amateur's Code is a political statement. It came at the close of World War One and in that context it makes sense.

I will also note that the word "patriotic" means different things to different people. For some it's a positive concept, for others it's the opposite and I think as a result it's a problematic concept in the world today.

If that's not clear to you, consider the notion of patriotic to a person living in the United States of America versus a person living in Ukraine, or a person living in North Korea, Sudan, China or Japan. Each of these countries have different concepts of the idea of patriotic which might not actually be compatible with each other.

Should we as a global community encourage cohesion or encourage incompatibility?

A more inclusive word might be "loyal", but we've already covered that. I've offered the following revision of the original loyalty clause to be:

The Radio Amateur is LOYAL...offering encouragement and participation to the global amateur community.

We could add the word country to that and dispense with the patriotic clause altogether, but I think that detracts from what the sixth clause is attempting to achieve, the sharing of station and skill to country and community.

What if we replace the word "patriotic" with "supportive" instead? I also think that the lost word "knowledge" is separate from station and skill and I think it has a place in this clause.

The clause would read:

The Radio Amateur is SUPPORTIVE...knowledge, station and skills always ready for service to country and community.

I'm aware that, given the wide range of meanings for the word "patriotic" across Earth, this is likely to be controversial, but in considering this version, please consider the level of emotion included in your feeling of the word "patriotic" versus the emotion for the word "supportive". It seems to me that reducing the level of emotion in a code of conduct is a positive evolution.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

I'm Onno VK6FLAB

 This article is the transcript of the weekly 'Foundations of Amateur Radio' podcast, produced by Onno Benschop, VK6FLAB who was licensed as radio amateur in Perth, Western Australia in 2010. For other episodes, visit http://vk6flab.com/. Feel free to get in touch directly via email: cq@vk6flab.com
Douglas Jensen, a January 6, 2021 rioter, was found guilty by a Washington, DC, jury on September 23 on charges related to the attack.
NASA to provide live coverage of Space Station crew activities

From bottom to top, the Soyuz MS-21 crew ship is docked to the Prichal docking module, which is also attached to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. The International Space Station was orbiting 266 miles above the Indian Ocean west of Australia at the time this photograph was taken on May 16, 2022. Credits: NASA

Three cosmonauts living aboard the International Space Station are set to return to Earth Thursday, Sept. 29.

Expedition 67 Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos will be at the controls of the Soyuz MS-21 spacecraft flanked by fellow cosmonauts Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov for their undocking from the stations Prichal module at 3:34 a.m. EDT on Sept. 29. The trio will head for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan more than four hours later at 6:57 a.m. EDT (4:57 p.m. Kazakhstan time).

Coverage of the crews change of command, undocking, and landing will air live on NASA Television, the agencys website, and the NASA app as follows (all times Eastern):

Wednesday, Sept. 28

9:35 a.m.  Change of Command Ceremony (Artemyev hands over station command to ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti)

Thursday, Sept. 29

3:15 a.m.  Soyuz undocking coverage begins

5:45 a.m.  Deorbit burn and landing coverage begins

The three cosmonauts launched to the station on March 18, and are completing a mission of 185 days and 2,960 orbits of the Earth spanning 77 million miles.

When the Soyuz undocks, Expedition 68 will formally begin aboard the station under the command of Cristoforetti. Joining her are NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins, and Frank Rubio as well as cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin.

During Expedition 68, the arrival of NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 aboard Dragon Endurance will bring four more crew members to the space station. That crew currently is scheduled for launch Monday, Oct. 3, for a short handover period with Crew-4 astronauts prior to their return to Earth shortly after.

Learn more about space station activities at: https://www.nasa.gov/station
WIA say AX prefix use is illegal Australia's WIA have said the use by some stations of the AX prefix to commemorate the death of Queen Elizabeth II is illegal



The WIA posted this on Facebook:



Clarification re Use of AX prefix:



There has been some unhelpful statements made by a splinter AR group re a proposal to use the AX prefix for commemoration of the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II.



These statements have caused much confusion and if their proposal is followed then it will result in radio amateurs operating illegally and risking prosecution.



The regulations regarding the use of the AX prefix remain unchanged and DO NOT allow for legal use on this occasion.



Whilst it is a historically significant and solemn occasion, worthy of appropriate commemoration, ACMAs formal advice on this matter is very clear that is NOT LEGAL to use the AX prefix on this occasion at this time - irrespective of whether it is a major or minor breach.



Source: https://www.facebook.com/wiavk/posts/pfbid027rm9QS1Ce7X

mbh5Nauf91MHdpnveuA75GAD2fWovecs9FSmz6dPFhPKuoc2py7Jrl



The WIA refers to a so-called "splinter AR group" but pointedly doesn't name it. The national society they are referring to is the Radio Amateur Society of Australia (RASA)



RASA have published letters from the regulator ACMA and the WIA President on their site at

https://vkradioamateurs.org/wia-and-rasa-support-of-the-ax-prefix/
As Pakistan drowns, as Puerto Rico is cast into darkness, and as Jacksonians remain thirsty, its past time for a climate tax on fossil fuel companies.

by Sonali Kolhatkar

What do Pakistan, Puerto Rico, and Jackson, Mississippi, have in common? Theyve all recently experienced climate-related catastrophic rains and flooding, resulting in the loss of homes, electricity, and running water. But, even more importantly, they are all low-income regions inhabited by people of colorthe prime victims of climate injustice. They face inaction from negligent governments and struggle to survive as fossil fuel companies reap massive profitsa status quo that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called a moral and economic madness.

Pakistan, which relies on yearly monsoons to enrich its agricultural industry, has had unprecedented floods since June, impacting 30 million people and killing more than 1,500a third of them children.

Zulfiqar Kunbhar, a Karachi-based journalist with expertise in climate coverage, explains that things are very critical in the rain-affected areas of his nation. Kunbhar has been visiting impacted regions and has seen firsthand the massive agricultural loss and livelihood loss among Pakistans farming communities.

On 26 August 2022, a man (L) and a youth (R) use a satellite dish to move children across a flooded area after heavy monsoon rainfalls in Jaffarabad District, Balochistan Province, Pakistan. [Photo UNICEF]

Sindh, a low-lying province of Pakistan, is not only one of the most populous in the nation (Sindh is home to about 47 million people), but it also produces about a third of the agricultural produce, according to Kunbhar. Twenty years ago, Sindh was stricken with extreme drought. In the summer of 2022, it was drowning in chest-deep water.

The UN is warning that the water could take months to recede and that this poses serious health risks, as deadly diseases like cerebral malaria are emerging. Kunbhar summarizes that provinces like Sindh are facing both the curse of nature and government mismanagement.

Climate change plus government inaction on mitigation and resilience equals deadly consequences for the poor. This same equation plagues Puerto Rico, long relegated to the status of a United States territory. In September 2022, on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 and killed nearly 3,000 people, another storm named Fiona knocked out powerfor the entire region.

Julio Lopez Varona, chief of campaigns at Center for Popular Democracy Action, spoke to me from Puerto Rico, saying, the storm was extremely slow, going at like 8 or 9 miles an hour, and as a result, it pounded the island for more than three days with relentless rain. Communities were completely flooded; people have been displaced, he says. Eventually, the electrical grid completely failed.

Days after the storm passed, millions of people remained without powersome even lost running waterleading the White House to declare a major disaster in Puerto Rico.

Even on the U.S. mainland, it is poor communities of color who have been hit the hardest by the impacts of climate change. Mississippis capital of Jackson, with an 82 percent Black population and growing numbers of Latin American immigrants, struggles with adequate resources and has had problems with its water infrastructure for years.

Lorena Quiroz, founder of the Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity, a Jackson-based group doing multiracial grassroots organizing, told me how the citys residents have been struggling without clean running water since major rains and resulting floods overwhelmed a water treatment plant this summer.

Its a matter of decades of disinvestment in this mostly Black, and now Brown, community, says Quiroz. In a state run by white conservatives, Jackson is overseen by a Black progressive mayor, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, who is now suing the state government over inaction on the citys water infrastructure.

Quiroz says its painful to see how government is not doing what they should, how the state government is neglecting its most vulnerable populations.

Over and over, the same pattern has emerged on a planet experiencing catastrophic climate change. Setting aside the fact that we are still spewing greenhouse gasesinto the atmosphere as the world burns and floods, the impacts of a warming climate are disproportionately borne by poor communities of color as evidenced in Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Jackson, and elsewhere.

The UN head, Guterres is doing what he can in using his position to lay blame precisely on the culprits, saying in his opening remarks to the UN General Assembly in New York recently, It is high time to put fossil fuel producers, investors, and enablers on notice. Polluters must pay. Guterres specifically touted the importance of taxing fossil fuel companies to cover the damage they are causing in places like Pakistan. According to the Associated Press, Oil companies in July reported unprecedented profits of billions of dollars per month. ExxonMobil posted three months profits of $17.85 billion, Chevron of $11.62 billion, and Shell of $11.5 billion.

Contrast this windfall with the countless numbers of people who lost their homes in Pakistan and are now living in shanties on roads where they have found some higher ground from the floods. If you lose a crop, thats seasonal damage, but if you lose a house, you have to pay for years to come, says Kunbhar.

Kunbhars view of what is happening in Pakistan applies equally to Puerto Rico and Jackson: Society is divided between the haves and have-nots, he says. The poorest of the poor who are already facing an economic crisis from generation to generation, they are the most vulnerable and the [worst] victims of this crisis.

In Puerto Rico, Varona sees displaced communities losing their lands to wealthier communities. He says that the local government in Puerto Rico is allowing millionaires and billionaires to come and pay no taxes and to actually take over many of the places that are safer for communities to be on. This is an almost intentional displacement of communities that have historically lived here, he says.

And in Jackson, Quiroz says she is aghast at the mean-spiritedness of Mississippis wealthier enclaves and state government. It is so difficult to comprehend the way that our people are being treated.

Although disparate and seemingly disconnected from one another, with many complicating factors, there are stark lines connecting climate victims to fossil fuel profits.

Pakistans poor communities are paying the price for ExxonMobils billions.

Puerto Rico remains in the dark so that Chevron may enjoy massive profits.

Jackson, Mississippi, has no clean drinking water so that Shell can enrich its shareholders.

When put in such terms, Guterress idea for taxing the perpetrators of climate devastation is a no-brainer. Its high time, he said, to put fossil fuel producers, investors and enablers on notice, so that we can end our suicidal war against nature.

This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. She is a writing fellow for the Economy for All project at the Independent Media Institute.
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 24 (ANI/NewsVoir): Decades come and similarly go, evolving styles and trends. What remains, is the spirit of celebration and togetherness which is constant. Through the course of 37 years, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has nurtured, inspired and championed Bengal's festive soul, Durga Pujo. Paying a musical tribute to the changing tones of Sharodiya, and to celebrate the recognition of the festival as a world heritage by UNESCO, Asian Paints has launched their new film for Sharad Shamman.

The film opens in the 80's, exploring the journey of a music video through decades. Marked by retro music, complete with disco riffs and octa-pad beats, the 80's move on to the 90's, with pop rock signatures of the times. The song progresses into the 2000s, with the first flushes of electronica. Each decade is represented by an Asian Paints paint can from the times. The film echoes the core sentiments that styles and customs may change, but the spirit of Sharodiya stays the same.

Also Read | CBI Cracks Down on Child Porn, Raids 56 Locations in 20 States Under 'Operation MeghChakra'.

Durga Puja is an important time for the Bengali diaspora, and Asian Paints understands that. With every year, they take consumers through the changing colours of culture while adding new shades of innovation, to the topcoats of tradition. That's why it comes as no surprise that Asian Paints Sharad Shamman would join UNESCO in celebrating Durga Pujo as an intangible world heritage.

Speaking on the film, Amit Syngle, MD and CEO, Asian Paints Limited expressed, "We've been championing Asian Paints Sharad Shamman in Kolkata for the last 37 years, since 1985. As we get into the 38th year, the celebrations have become even more special since UNESCO has inscribed the festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Over the last four decades, Asian Paints has been synonymous with Durga Pujo celebrations, not just in encouraging art and the culture of the city, but also in heightening the excitement among pandals to win the prestigious Sharad Shamman trophy."

Also Read | World Pharmacists Day 2022 Date & Theme: Know the Significance of This Day and Ways To Thank All Pharmacists Who Contribute to Improving Global Health Outcomes.

"We have more than one reason to celebrate Sharodiya this year. The decision taken by UNESCO to declare Durga Pujo as an intangible world heritage inspired us to reimagine our annual Sharad Shamman campaign. The film is a tribute to Kolkata's evolving pop culture, its sounds and images. The changing musical signatures through the course of the film have managed to invite the vintage past to our contemporary celebrations. It is a quick tour through Kolkata's cultural history, a tribute to the people and the customs that have helped us become a world heritage in the first place," remarked Sujoy Roy, Executive Creative Director of Ogilvy India.

Watch the new film of Asian Paints Sharad Shamman below:

YT Link - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxtKkykoevk

Since its foundation in 1942, Asian Paints has come a long way to become India's leading and Asia's second largest paint company, with a consolidated turnover of Rs. 289 billion. Asian Paints operates in 15 countries and has 27 paint manufacturing facilities in the world, servicing consumers in over 60 countries. Asian Paints has always been a leader in the paint industry, innovating & introducing new concepts in India like Colour Ideas, Safe Painting Services, Colour Next and Asian Paints Beautiful Homes Stores. Asian Paints manufactures wide range of paints for Decorative and Industrial use for interior and exterior walls. Their portfolio also includes SmartCare range for waterproofing, WoodTech products for wood finishes and Adhesives range for all surfaces. The company is also present in the "Home Improvement and Decor segment" and offers bath and kitchen products. The company also introduced lightings, furnishings, and furniture in its portfolio and offers a range of safe and supervised painting and interior design services.

This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 24 (ANI/NewsVoir): Over 1500 entrants including students their parents and teachers attended the CAS Fiesta 2022 on Friday, September 23 to support the CSR projects, held at Oakridge International School, Bachupally. This was the most successful fundraising event the school has ever held, having raised about 300,000 INR.

There were 63 multifarious stalls that provided a wide range of fascinating foods including Oreo rolls and mousse, home-baked goods, potato swirls, doughnuts, Pani Puris, Nachos, pickles, brownies, macaroons, puffs, etc., where guests were spoiled for choice. As part of their fundraising efforts for the great cause, students showcased various activities like games, puzzles, dance, singing, skits, flash mobs, and other performances that enchanted the attendees.

Also Read | Navratri 2022: Deepika Padukones, Aishwarya Rai Bachchans & Other Movie-Inspired Garba Looks to Flaunt On this Festival.

Oakridger Bhuvan from IBDP1 said, "It was enjoyable working for the CAS-Fiesta, from making the forms to allocating the stalls, to add to the merriment of CAS-Fiesta 2022 had many more activities like Video games, dart games, ping pong balls, Nerf guns, Scary houses, games of tickets, and puzzles. Students and teachers organized more activities like fashion, photo Booths, Multicultural quizzes, interactive booklets, DIY workshops, pottery, fluid art, and karaoke. I learned many skills along the way and working with my fellow students helped me learn the importance of teamwork and communication."

196 teachers, 130 student volunteers, and numerous parent volunteers all contributed to the event by helping the underprivileged and creating a social impact. The teachers and students at Oakridge International School made an effort to instil the fundamental value of "giving back to the community". This event, which the students organized with the support of their teachers, is primarily intended to raise money through the sale of tickets, sweets, and activities. The funds raised from the event will support several initiatives including raising awareness about menstrual hygiene, giving to orphanages, empowering educational initiatives, and giving learning resources to underfunded schools.

Also Read | Homosexuality at Display in Gir National Park, Two Male Lions Spotted Having Sex.

"I am walking 21,000 kms across India for a future where "Nobody will die waiting for blood. Today at CAS Fiesta, I got to see our future leaders putting their honest efforts to create a positive impact in the world around us. I am sure they are going to help me in fulfilling my dream as well for every kid," said the Guest of Honour, Kiran Verma, a Social Entrepreneur - Founder of Simply Blood, the World's First Virtual Blood Donation Platform as chief guest.

"The annual CAS-Fiesta is a way for students across schools and segments to come together and raise funds for CAS endeavors that the school hosts in the coming months. It honors the spirit of community and togetherness as students and teachers alike coordinate and organize this prestigious event," says Fiona Chettiar CAS Coordinator, Social Impact Lead.

"CAS is one of the more fun components of the IB program, the opportunity to organize the biggest CAS event of Oakridge has made the application of CAS as a subject very meaningful for me. We came up with the theme "multicultural festive cape", It has been chaotic, tumultuous, and stormy, but in the end, what makes it beautiful is how we wove our strengths into a strong fabric of collaboration, making us inevitable!" said Veda from IBDP2.

Speaking on the occasion, School Principal, Baljeet Oberoi said, "The event was curated to work towards the cause of welfare, betterment of the environment, and helping the underprivileged, thus creating a social impact. The purpose of providing a such platform to the students is to enhance entrepreneurship skills, and creative, and critical thinking skills. Gives a sense of ownership and purpose to the young minds, and hence builds empathy and gratitude."

Oakridge International School, Bachupally is a part of Nord Anglia Education, the world's leading premium school organization. Oakridge students are connected to a community of 81 international schools spread across 32 countries, with access to rich resources, support, and global opportunities that enhance the schools' already excellent teaching and learning experience. Oakridge Bachupally School was recently ranked in the Top 3 International Schools in Hyderabad and No.1 in Northwest Zone in Times School Rankings 2021. The school also ranked among the Top 3 International Day Schools in Hyderabad and Telangana by Education World India School Rankings 21-22.

To know more about the different programs, reach out to www.oakridge.in/bachupally.

To follow us on Instagram, click bit.ly/3dD4vQQ and on Facebook, click bit.ly/3Bwh34A.

This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 24 (ANI/NewsVoir): After the pandemic struck, the real-estate and construction sector has been rethinking ways of designing buildings. In such a backdrop, INTERMAT's first edition, exhibiting a wide range of construction machinery and materials in Mumbai, was a melting pot of discussions, business partnerships and collaborations. The event was held at the Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre, NESCO, Goregaon from September 19-21, 2022.

INTERMAT is among one of the world's top 3 construction shows where businesses can gain visibility, build networks and encourage growth within a qualified diverse ecosystem. In this expo, industry professionals explored exhibits of a complete range of construction machinery and materials, established their presence and built a gateway for businesses in developing and high-potential regions.

Also Read | World Pharmacists Day 2022 Date & Theme: Know the Significance of This Day and Ways To Thank All Pharmacists Who Contribute to Improving Global Health Outcomes.

The expo provided a constructive platform and appealing opportunities for businesses with favourable valuations, a brighter scope for improvement, and much more.

The event witnessed a footfall of 10,000+ professional trade visitors, including some of the industry's most prominent participants and exhibitors such as Ace, Caterpillar, Kobelcom, Puzzalona, NB Equipment, Doosan, Hyundai, M.B.Crusher, TATA Capital, Gulf Oil, Wipro, Uniflex, and others.

Also Read | NASA Prepares Again for Artemis 1 Moon Mission Launch, Weather May Play Spoilsport.

Isabelle Alfano, Construction Business Unit Director, Comexposium said, "I am ecstatic after this big success of INTERMAT's first edition in India." She added, "We received an overwhelming response from industry leaders, and marking a presence in one of the largest, growing economies will take INTERMAT a notch higher. We launched at the right time and I am looking forward to organising more such events in the country."

The event also had a finance conference hosted, which discussed various financing opportunities for the growing infra sector. The conference had industry leaders on the panel such as Sarosh Amaria from Tata Capital Financial Services, Rajkiran Rai from NaBFID, Sachin Pillai from Hinduja Leyland Finance. There were managing directors and chief financial officers from other reputed organisations like Volvo, ITD Cementation, Tata Hitachi Construction and many more. Overall, this conclave was attended by over 200 delegates.

Rajan Sharma, Director at Inter Ads Exhibitions, remarked, "This event was huge. It exceeded our expectations and had industry leaders, decision-makers, and consumers all under the same roof. The expo was brimming with ideas, potential partnerships and I look forward to more such editions of INTERMAT in the near future."

The INTERMAT is a trade show that is a collaboration between Comexposium, a leading European Event Organizer and Inter Ads, an Indian trade show organizer. Among the top 3 construction trade shows in the world, INTERMAT aims to give the Indian construction industry premier access to the sector. The next edition of INTERMAT India will be held in April, 2024.

This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
By Mukesh Singh

Patna (Bihar) [India], September 24 (ANI): Gearing up to face the combined strength of Mahagathbandhan parties after JD-U broke ranks with it, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to announce its chief ministerial face for Bihar after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to take on Nitish Kumar in the assembly polls.

Also Read | Mumbai Shocker: History-Sheeter Held for Sexually Harassing Lawyer in Ladies Compartment of Local Train at Jogeshwari Railway Station.

Sources said a meeting of the state core committee was during the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state and the party discussed its course of action in view of new challenges and the changed political landscape in the state.

The BJP could not project a strong face in Bihar though it grew in strength in the state as it had mostly been in alliance with JD-U with Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister.

Also Read | Mumbai: Doctors Remove Over 7000 Gallstones From Woman's Bladder After She Complains of Stomach Pain.

The force with which BJP leaders have attacked Nitish Kumar after he broke the alliance and rejoined hands with RJD shows that a reconciliation in the future seems an impossibility.

Sources said the state party leaders have suggested that the party should project a tall leader to take on Nitish Kumar and a decision on the candidate for the 2025 assembly poll will be taken after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP has started its mission 2024 from Seemanchal in Bihar. Sources said Shah has given a target of winning at least 32 of 40 seats in Lok Sabha elections. Shah was on a two-day visit to Bihar. He held several meetings with the state unit of the party. He held meetings with BJP workers in Kishanganj, Purnia, Araria and Katihar districts.

Shah is learnt to have told BJP leaders that the caste politics of the RJD-led alliance will not work. He is leant to have given the example of Uttar Pradesh where two major state parties had joined hands against the BJP but the party triumphed. Sources said 32 seats have been identified and party leaders have been told to make extra efforts on the remaining eight seats.

Sources said there was also discussion on the demand of caste census and the difficulty of conducting it in Bihar was highlighted.

Shah on Friday addressed the 'Jan Bhavna Mahasabha' rally and said that the people of the state will "wipe out the Lalu-Nitish duo" in the 2024 general elections and the party will come to power in the state in 2025.

Addressing the 'Jana Bhavna Mahasabha' in Bihar's Purnea, Shah said, "In 2014, you (Bihar CM Nitish Kumar) only had 2 LS seats, 'naa ghar ke rahe the, naa ghaat ke'. Let the 2024 LS elections come, the Bihar public will wipe out the Lalu-Nitish duo. We're, with a full majority, going to come to power here in 2025 polls".

Shah further said that Nitish Kumar does not favour any political ideology, and can join hands with any party to stay in power.

"Nitish Kumar is not in favour of any political ideology. Nitish ji can leave socialism and go with Lalu ji also, can do casteist politics. Nitish ji can leave socialism and sit with the Left, Congress. He may also leave RJD and join BJP. Nitish has only one policy - my chair should remain intact," he said.

The Home Minister said that danger of 'Jungle-raj' is looming over Bihar".

Notably, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had parted ways with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last month and rejoined hands with RJD to form the Mahagathbandhan government.

It was in 2020 when the BJP-JDU won the election in alliance with each other in Bihar and Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister despite BJP being the single largest party. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kolkata, Sep 24 (PTI) Hundreds of passengers were left stranded as casual employees of South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) went on strike on Saturday, demanding revision of salaries and making their jobs permanent.

The strike, days ahead of Durga Puja, affected passengers in the districts of south Bengal, with many stranded at bus terminuses in Kolkata, Howrah, Digha, Durgapur and Asansol, among others.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Fire: Shoe Factory at Gwalior's Tansen Nagar Ablaze, 30 Workers Evacuated.

Transport Minister Snehasish Chakraborty said, "I will try within my means to resolve the issue."

The striking employees are affiliated with the ruling TMC's trade union INTTUC. PTI dc

Also Read | Sex Racket Being Operated From Spa Busted in Delhi's Anand Vihar.

(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 24 (PTI) A Delhi court on Saturday discharged a show-cause notice issued to Robert Vadra for allegedly violating terms and conditions while travelling to the UK via Dubai but warned him to remain careful in future.

Earlier, on September 20, refusing to accept his assertion that he was "forced or compelled to stay in Dubai on account of medical exigencies while travelling via UAE to the UK", the court issued the show-cause notice asking why his fixed deposit receipt (FDR) of Rs 25 lakh should not be forfeited.

Also Read | Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Slams Opposition, Says 'Rival Political Leaders Chronic Liars'.

"... From the contents of the affidavit, I am satisfied that the omission is not intentional, the explanation is not an afterthought, and conduct of the applicant does not lack bona fides and good faith," special judge Neelofar Abida Parveen said.

Discharging the show-cause notice, the judge further said that Vadra had "tendered an unqualified and unconditional apology for the lapse which was accepted", and "the applicant is warned to remain careful in future".

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Fire: Shoe Factory at Gwalior's Tansen Nagar Ablaze, 30 Workers Evacuated.

The court then took on record Vadra's compliance report, saying he had "shown sufficient cause and satisfactory explanation for the four days stop over at UAE".

As he had returned to the country in terms of the permission granted, the court ordered the deposited FDR to be released.

The court noted that Vadra had produced medical records regarding his condition due to which he was advised not to undertake long journeys or to opt for breaks and a medical certificate issued in Dubai for his medical assistance was on record.

It said that Vadra, on previous occasions, had travelled to Dubai and via Dubai as a stopover for a break in his onward journey.

"The submission, therefore, is not misplaced and the explanation not too far fetched that the applicant was under a bona fade impression that the four days stay at Dubai is not in contravention of the permission...," the court said.

The court, in its order dated August 12, granted permission to Vadra to travel to the UK via UAE, Spain and Italy for four weeks.

After his return, he filed an application for submitting the necessary documents and for release of the FDR.

On perusal of the documents, the court found that Vadra reached UAE on August 25 and then took a flight for London on August 29, while there was no permission from the court to travel to UAE for any period of time.

Subsequently, Vadra filed an affidavit stating he stayed in UAE because he had Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in his left leg and he had been advised to take proper rest between long-haul flights.

During the trip as there was inflammation and pain in his left leg, he had to stop and seek medical advice in Dubai on August 27, the affidavit said.

At present, Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, is on bail in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
By Shalini Bhardwaj

New Delhi [India], September 24 (ANI): Dr M Srinivas, who took over as the new Director of AIIMS, Delhi, on Friday, had several accomplishments to his credit as an administrator and doctor during his tenure at ESIC Hospital, Hyderabad, and now has his task cut out at one of the busiest hospitals and key research institutes in the country.

Also Read | UPPSC APO Result 2022 Declared at uppsc.up.nic.in; Know Steps To Check Score.

During his tenure at ESIC hospital, Hyderabad, Dr Srinivas drastically brought down referrals to private hospitals. The referrals at the hospital now pertain only to specialities which are not available there including cardiac Cath Lab and Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy equipment.

On the first day after taking charge as AIIMS Delhi Director, Dr Srinivas, 56, went to the paediatric surgical ward and AB5 ICU and interacted with the staff.

Also Read | Karnataka To Amend Rules To Ban Confiscation of Farmers' Property by Banks, Says CM Basavaraj Bommai.

The staff members ANI spoke to lauded his simplicity. "We are expecting positive changes, he is extremely humble," said a staff member.

The new AIIMS Director has also issued the memorandum on submitting files in e-mode except for confidential ones.

"All concerned are hereby informed that henceforth all the files be submitted to the undersigned in e-file mode only unless the matter is confidential and cannot be submitted in e-filing mode," an office memorandum said.

He took over office at about 11 pm on Friday and was back in the hospital on early Saturday morning at around 6 am.

Dr Srinivas is back at AIIMS, Delhi, after a six-year deputation at ESIC Hospital where he also served as a Dean.

Credited with major transformation at ESIC Hyderabad, he also started biometric attendance at the hospital, a move which is expected to be replicated at AIIMS.

Dr Srinivas's achievements at ESIC Hyderabad include establishing undergraduate (MBBS Course), postgraduate courses in 22 departments, 25 super speciality departments and 12 super speciality courses.

During the Covid pandemic, he converted the hostels and OPD of ESIC hospital to isolation wards in a few days.

The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday appointed Dr Srinivas as the new director of the prestigious All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.

The official order said Dr Srinivas has been appointed for a period of five years or till he attains the age of 65 years. He succeeds Dr Randeep Guleria and is one of the youngest directors of the prestigious institution. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], September 24 (ANI): The Supreme Court has observed that the issue of challenge to three farm laws (now repealed) is not an "ongoing issue" and asked Kisan Mahapanchayat which had sought permission to allow Satyagraha at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to protest against the laws, why it wants to continue with the case.

A bench of Justices KM Joseph and Hrishikesh, while hearing the case, told the counsel appearing for Kisan Mahapanchayat that this case has become infructuous and nothing is left in the case.

Also Read | Delhi Rains: Heavy Downpour Continues for 3rd Consecutive Day, Waterlogging Leads to Traffic Snarls in Key Roads of City.

On November 19, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of the three contentious farm laws, after thousands of farmers camped at Delhi border points in a protest since November 2020.

In 2021 Kisan Mahapanchayat, a farmers' body, had filed the plea before the top court seeking direction to allow it to hold Satyagraha at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.

Also Read | Manipur High Court Declares Sitting MP's Election 'Null and Void', Allows BJP Candidate's Petition.

The Kisan Mahapanchayat is a body of agricultural community and farmers which was protesting against the three farm laws.

Heraing the case on Friday, Justice Joseph asked counsel of Kisan Mahapanchayat, "Matter has become infructuous. What is there in it now? Jantar Mantar issue. We can't debate ontheoretical issues. Can't waste Court's time."

"My right to protest is still affected in this petition," counsel of farmers' body told the bench. To this, the bench observed that this is not an ongoing issue and the petitioner can approach the court if need arises.

When the petition was filed, there was a context to it but now there is no cause of action, it added.

However, the farmers' body said that it still want to protest with regard to MSP and other issues.

The bench then asked the counsel appearing for the Centre to get instructions in the case. The apex court now posted the matter for hearing in October.

Last year, a bench headed by Justice AM Khawnilkar (now retired) had decided to examine the issue whether the farmers who have challenged the three farm laws in the court have the right to protest when the issue is sub-judice.

We will decide if right to protest is an "absolute right", the top court had said while expressing its disapproval towards holding of protests when petitions challenging the farm laws are already pending before the Constitutional Court.

"We have to decide the legal question on when you have approached courts, then how can you protest on the same issue,' the it had said.

It had pulled up Kisan Mahapanchayat for approaching the court and continuing with the protests at the same time by blocking the nation highways in Delhi-NCR and said that protesting farmers have "strangulated" the entire city now want to come inside the city.

The Supreme Court on January 12, 2021 had stayed the implementation of the contentious farm laws till further orders and constituted a four-member committee to make recommendations to resolve the impasse over them between the Centre and farmers' unions who were protesting at Delhi borders.

Kisan Mahapanchayat had moved the top court seeking directions to the the authorities to allow it to stage peaceful and non violent 'Satyagraha' at Jantar Mantar, Delhi.

It had sought direction to the Central Government, Lieutenant Governor and Commissioner of Delhi Police to provide space to at least 200 farmers or protestors of the Mahapanchayat at Jantar Mantar for organising 'Satyagraha' and to not stop them from proceeding towards Jantar Mantar.

Denying the permission of holding peaceful, unarmed and non violent Satyagraha at the designated place at Jantar Mantar is in violation of the basic democratic rights enunciated as fundamental rights under the Constitution of India, said Kisan Mahapanchayat.

It had said that the action of authorities is "discriminatory and arbitrary" as permission to protest has been granted to another farmer body, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, while denying them to organise staggered Satyagraha. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hyderabad, September 24: Hyderabad police apprehended one foreign national drug peddler and an interstate drug peddler on Friday.

The arrests were made by the Hyderabad Narcotic Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) along with Langer House Police. Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Directs District Magistrates To Investigate All Resorts in State, Assures Strict Punishment.

The police recovered 17 grams of MDMA, two cell phones and cash of Rs 3000 from the accused. As per information, the foreign national belongs to Ghana (Africa) and resides illegally in Bangalore. Bihar: Four Wanted Maoists Including CPI Regional Commander Held From Aurangabad.

As of now six drug consumers, who are purchasing drugs from the above accused are identified and the investigation is on to identify other consumers.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai, September 24: The Government Railway Police (GRP) on Saturday arrested a 43-year-old history-sheeter for allegedly sexually harassing a 25-year-old lawyer travelling alone in a first-class ladies compartment of a local train at Jogeshwari railway station in Mumbai, police said.

The complainant had claimed that GRP personnel behaved insensitively when she went to lodge a complaint, triggering outrage on social media. The GRP later expressed regret. The accused, Biharilal Yadav, was nabbed from suburban Mahalaxmi in Central Mumbai, an official said. Mumbai Shocker: Lawyer Molested in Andheri-Borivali Local Train, Narrates Ordeal Faced by Her at GRP Chowky; Police Assure Action.

Yadav has a criminal record who was arrested in October 2021 also, he said.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning when the lawyer was travelling from Cotton Green station to Jogeshwari station in a Harbour line train. Mumbai Shocker: Half-Naked Man Molests Woman Passenger, Seen Boarding Local Train at Jogeshwari Station (Video).

Yadav boarded the ladies' first class compartment in which the lawyer was travelling alone at Andheri station and sexually harassed her. He fled when the train halted at Jogeshwari station, as per the FIR. The victim narrated her ordeal on Twitter in multiple posts.

The GRP formed four teams, the official said, adding that one of the teams checked habitual offenders. During the investigation, Yadav's photo matched the description provided by the complainant. A GRP team later visited Yadav's house in Kalva in the neighbouring Thane district.

He was arrested from suburban Mahalaxmi in Mumbai. The lawyer later tweeted that GRP personnel behaved insensitively when she went to lodge a complaint.

Upon reaching the Andheri Railway Police station, I was visibly distressed and crying. As I spoke to the police in-charge and told them I was molested and I'd be comfortable speaking about it to a female cop, the first question he asked me was Molestation kya hota hai (what is molestation), the woman tweeted.

As she identified the perpetrator in the CCTV footage, a woman police personnel kept telling her that being a lawyer, she should have hit the man.

She claimed that she was made to narrate the incident three-four times and her statement was finally recorded after three hours at the Andheri Railway Police station.

The GRP later expressed regret. Ma'am, we deeply regret the inconvenience caused to you. The investigation is underway and we appreciate your cooperation all day through. We have noted your account of our personnel's behaviour and will sensitise them accordingly, the GRP tweeted.

Yadav was booked under section 354-A (punishment for sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the official said, adding that prima facie he had consumed "bhang" (a narcotic made from cannabis) at the time of the incident.

He is handed over to the Borivali GRP for further investigation.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Libyas competing domestic actors are being exploited by foreign powers seeking to downplay their role in the fragile country.

by John P. Ruehl

After leading a military coup in 1969, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi cemented his rule over Libya for more than 40 years. A variety of different political ideologiesPan-Arabism, Pan-Africanism, socialism, Islamic leftism, and otherscharacterized his leadership, which were further reinforced by a cult of personality. While living standards for Libyans increased under his rule, Gaddafi attracted resentment among some non-Arab populations, Islamic extremists, and other political opponents.

As the Arab Spring spreadoutward from neighboring Tunisia into Libya in February 2011, protestors and militant groups seized parts of the country. Loyalist armed forces retook control of much of what they had lost over the next few weeks after the outbreak of the protests, but Gaddafis historical antagonism toward Western governments saw them seize the opportunity to impose a no-fly zone and bombing campaign against Libyan forces in March 2011.

File photo of late Muammar Gaddafi during a state visit to Ukraine (4 November 2008, Kyiv, Ukraine). [Photo  Shutterstock]

Alongside assistance from regional Middle Eastern allies, the NATO-led intervention was successful in helping local militant groups topple Gaddafi, who was later captured and executed in October 2011. Soon after his death, questions were immediately raised about how Libya could be politically restructured and avoid becoming a failed state. After militant groups refused to disarm, they along with their allies began to contest territory and control over Libyas fragile new national institutions.

The National Transitional Council (NTC) was established to coordinate rebel groups against Gaddafi, and naturally inherited much of the Libyan government after the war. But a number of countries did not recognize its authority, and after handing power over to the General National Congress (GNC) in 2012, Libyas weak central government steadily lost political control over its enormous territory to competing groups.

Libyas population of almost 7 million people lives in a highly urbanized society that has led to the development of strong regional identities among those living in its northern coastal cities. There has also historically been an east-west divide between the two coastal provinces of Cyrenaica in the east and Tripolitania in the west.

A large Turkish and part-Turkish minority also live throughout Libyas major cities, particularly in the city of Misrata. Most of them have descended from the Ottoman troops who married local women during Ottoman rule from 1551-1912, and though not a strictly homogenous group, the majority revolted against Gaddafi as nationwide protests began in Libya.

The historical lack of central authority in Libyas more rural south resulted in widespread autonomy for the Tuareg tribe in the southwest and the Tubu tribe in the southeast. While the Tuaregs largely supported Gaddafi, the Tubu joined the revolutionaries, sparking increased tension between these two tribes to gain control over the city of Ubari, local smuggling routes, and energy infrastructure.

Alongside ethnic and cultural disputes, Libya was further destabilized by radical Islamists after the fall of Gaddafi. Mass unemployment among Libyas relatively young population fueled recruitment for ISIS and the Al Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Sharia. Having gained battlefield experience and with limited economic prospects, many militants in Libya had little incentive to return to civilian life, while the influx of foreign jihadists also kept the violence ongoing.

Rivalries between these numerous factions helped lead to the outbreak of the second Libyan civil war in 2014. The UN-brokered Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) was signed in December 2015 to create a Presidential Council (PC) for appointing a unity government in Tripoli but failed to curtail growing violence between local actors.

Two major entities came to dominate the country. The Government of National Accord (GNA), which was presided over by the PC, was recognized in March 2016 to lead Libya, with Fayez Serraj as the Libyan prime minister. This move partly incorporated elements of Libyas political Islamic factions.

The Libyan House of Representatives (HoR), meanwhile, refused to endorse the GNA, and relocated to Tobruk in Cyrenaica after political pressure and Islamist militias forced it out of Tripoli in 2014. The HoR is led by former General Khalifa Haftar, who commands the Libyan National Army (LNA).

The GNA retained official recognition by the UN as well as Libyas most important economic institutions, including the Central Bank of Libya (CBL). But both the GNA and the HoR continued to fight for influence over the National Oil Corporation (NOC), while many other national institutions were forced to work with both factions.

Military force has also been integral to enforcing rival claims to Libyas leadership. In 2017, Haftars forces seized Benghazi, consolidating power across much of the east and center of the country. But his attempt to take Tripoli in 2019-2020 was repelled by GNA and allied forces, prompting an HoR retreat on several fronts. A ceasefire between the GNA and the rival administration of the LNA declared an end to the war in October 2020, but tensions and violence persisted.

Libyas civil conflict has also been inflamed by outside powers. Turkey opposed the original NATO-led intervention in 2011 but supported Libyan Turks, some of whom founded the Libya Koroglu Association in 2015, to coordinate with Turkey. Ankara has also supported the GNA with arms, money, and diplomatic support for years, and Turkish forces and military technology were integral to repelling Haftars assault on Tripoli.

Turkeys business interests in Libya and desire to increase its power in the Mediterranean remain Ankaras core initiatives, and in June it voted to extend the mandate for military deployment in Libya for another 18 months. Both Turkey and Qatar, which has also been a strong backer of the GNA, are close with the Libyan branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and associated political circles in Libya, to attempt to promote a brand of political Islam that rivals Saudi-led initiatives.

With few core interests in Libya, the U.S. has shown tacit support for intervening again in a conflict it had allegedly won, but from 2015 to 2019, U.S. airstrikes and military support helped the GNA push ISIS out of many Libyan cities. Yet, Washington has remained wary of being associated with the Libyan conflict and with Islamists allied with the GNA, and the U.S. harbored and provided support to Haftar for decades to pressure Gaddafi before the civil war.

Egypt has been one of the HoRs most crucial allies, providing weapons, military support, and safe haven through Libyas eastern border. Besides protecting Libyas Egyptian population, Egypts military-led government is also seeking to suppress political Islam in the region after Egypts Muslim Brotherhood briefly ruled Egypt from 2011 to 2013 following Egypts own revolution. In 2020, Cairo approved its own intervention in Libya.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have similar interests in suppressing rival political Islamic forces in the region and have provided funding and weaponry to Haftar. Doing so has brought them closer to Russia, which has also supported Haftar with substantial military assistance. This includes warplanes piloted by the Russian private military company Wagner, which is suspected to be partially bankrolled in Libya by the UAE.

Libyas destabilization complements the Kremlins attempts to influence Europe. Haftars forces and supporters managed to block Libyan oil exports in 2020 and again earlier this year, threatening continental supply and increasing Russias leverage. Additionally, instability in the region and porous borders encourage migrant flows to Europe, often increasing the popularity of right-wing political parties which have grown closer to Russia over the last two decades.

The HoR has also found less direct aid from France. Officially, Paris has supported UN negotiations and the GNA and has sought to minimize perceptions of its involvement in the conflict. But the death of three undercover French soldiers in Libya in 2016 showed that Paris remained deeply involved in the countrys civil war, and it has sold billions in weapons to Saudi Arabia and the UAE to help Haftar. This is part of Frances efforts to suppress Islamist groups in Africa, where France retains considerable interests.

Frances position has brought criticism from Western allies. In 2019, Paris blocked an EU statement calling on Haftar to stop his offensive on Tripoli, while its support for Haftar has severely undermined its relationship with Italy, which has seen its economic influence in Libya decline.

Since the conclusion of the second Libyan civil war in 2020, steps have been taken to unify the country. A Government of National Unity was established in 2021 to consolidate Libyas political forces, and the new Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh reached an agreement with Haftar in July 2022 to enforce a ceasefire.

But based on the current dynamics of limited intervention, there is relatively little risk and high rewards for foreign powers to continue destabilizing Libya. Turkey and Russia are also using the conflict to add to their leverage over one another in Syria. With repeated delays in holding elections in Libya and rival local and foreign actors seeking to dominate the country, Libyan citizens risk continuing to be used instead of being helped to ensure a stable and secure future for their country.

This article was produced by Globetrotter.

John P. Ruehl is an Australian-American journalist living in Washington, D.C. He is a contributing editor to Strategic Policy and a contributor to several other foreign affairs publications. He is currently finishing a book on Russia to be published in 2022.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 24 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday termed the violence in the State during the hartal called by the Popular Front of India (PFI) a day ago, as a premeditated one and said the culprits would not be spared.

Also Read | Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Slams Opposition, Says 'Rival Political Leaders Chronic Liars'.

Vijayan, while addressing a senior police officers association's event here, condemned the violence and said it resulted in destruction of public and private properties.

"In yesterday's (Friday) hartal, led by the PFI, Kerala witnessed premeditated violence. The State witnessed an organised and violent interference from their part resulting in huge loss to the State," Vijayan said.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Fire: Shoe Factory at Gwalior's Tansen Nagar Ablaze, 30 Workers Evacuated.

The Chief Minister said it was an attempt to destroy the peaceful atmosphere and that the culprits would not be spared.

Vijayan said during the hartal, they attacked public transport vehicles and many were wearing face masks to hide their identities.

"They were attacking in a pre-planned manner resulting in a huge loss to the State. It is highly condemnable," the Chief Minister said.

He lauded the efforts of the police, saying they took stern action in controlling the violence.

"Strong action was taken and many were arrested. Police have started identifying those who engaged in violence covering their faces. We will identify them and no culprit would be spared. Police will bring those responsible to justice," Vijayan said.

Meanwhile, the police said a total of 281 cases were registered in connection with the September 23 violence and 1,013 arrests were recorded. 819 persons are under preventive detention.

The Left leader said some political parties have joined hands with such elements for temporary benefits and asked them to rethink on their association.

"Here, communal elements are showing terror behaviour. Communal-terror elements can never bring together our nation. They have their own agenda. Secular minds should not encourage any sort of such propagandas," Vijayan said.

In near simultaneous raids across the country, a multi-agency operation spearheaded by the NIA on September 22 led to the arrest of 106 activists of the Popular Front of India in 11 States for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country, officials had said.

The PFI had declared hartal in Kerala on September 23 protesting against the raid on its offices and the arrest of its leaders and the State witnessed widespread violence.

(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 24 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday posted for October 12 a plea of Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) Syed Shahnawaz Hussain challenging the Delhi High Court order which upheld the decision of the trial court to order registration of FIR against him in relation to the alleged 2018 rape case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India UU Lalit allowed the lawyer of the complainant to file documents from the trial court.

Also Read | Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray Says 'Faith in Judiciary Vindicated', After Bombay High Court Allows Dussehra Rally at Shivaji Park.

"Counsel appearing on behalf of the original complainant is granted a week's time to place certain copies on record. List matter on October 12, 2022, for hearing," the bench stated in its order.

Earlier, the top court stayed all the proceedings against Hussain in connection with an alleged 2018 rape case.

Also Read | Elephant Attack: Woman Trampled to Death by Elephant in Chhattisgarh's Surguja, Husband Manages To Escape.

It had put on hold the further proceedings before the trial court in connection with the case and also Delhi High Court's order to register FIR against Hussain. The apex court also issued notice on BJP leader's plea challenging the High Court order.

On the last date of hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Hussain had told the top court that High Court has proceeded on a presumption that the only method of investigation is post-registration of FIR, which he said is an incorrect application of the law.

He had pointed out that the inquiry report did not find sufficient grounds for even entering into an investigation.

The Delhi High Court had found no merit in the petition filed by Hussain challenging the trial court order and thus decided to dismiss it. "The FIR be registered forthwith. The investigations are completed and a detailed report under Section 173 CrPC be submitted before the MM within three months," it had said.

The High Court had also said that the police after registration of an FIR and conducting a complete investigation would have to submit a report under Section 173 CrPC in the prescribed format.

A woman in 2018 made allegations of rape and sought registration of an FIR against Hussain.

On July 7, 2018, the Metropolitan Magistrate of the Saket court ordered the registration of a rape FIR against the person accused.

The trial court's decision was challenged by Hussain in the Sessions Court, but there too he did not get relief. After this, he approached the High Court.

The High Court had on July 13, 2018, granted an interim stay on order to file the FIR while examining the matter in detail.

In the High Court, it was submitted that the investigation by the police completely falsified the case of the complainant that she and Hussain were together at Chattarpur Farms where she had been drugged and raped by him.

It was submitted that Hussain had not moved from his residence after 9.15 pm and, therefore, could not have been in Chattarpur at 10.30 pm as alleged by the prosecutrix.

Furthermore, the witnesses at the Roshan Tent House, where the prosecutrix claimed to have met Hussain, have neither confirmed this fact nor did the CCTV footage support her claim, Submitted from Hussain's side in the High Court.

Moreover, the witnesses at the farmhouse have also refuted her claim that she and Hussain had been to the Farmhouse on April 12, 2018, as alleged by her, Hussain's lawyer had argued.

It was submitted that the CDRs of the prosecutrix also disclosed that she had remained in Dwarka till 10.45 pm. Thus, her entire case has been falsified by the investigations and, therefore, the MM and the Special Judge had erred in directing the registration of the FIR and these orders were liable to be set aside and the FIR as well as the complaint case and all the proceedings arising therefrom ought to be quashed, the lawyer had added. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jammu, Sep 24 (PTI) Two notorious drug peddlers were detained under the PIT NDPS Act in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district, police said on Saturday.

Under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, a person can be put under preventive detention for a year without bail.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Fire: Shoe Factory at Gwalior's Tansen Nagar Ablaze, 30 Workers Evacuated.

Dossiers of Umar Jaan and Mohd Hanief, both local residents, were prepared on the directions of Senior Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar and sent for approval. They were detained after obtaining formal orders from the competent authority, a police spokesperson said.

They are notorious drug peddlers and were supplying drugs to youths in the district, especially in Udhampur town, he said.

Also Read | Sex Racket Being Operated From Spa Busted in Delhi's Anand Vihar.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 24 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while inspecting the ongoing construction work of the Vindhya Corridor on Saturday directed the officers to complete the work in six months.

The UP CM was inspecting the ongoing construction work of the Vindhya Corridor after offering prayers to Maa Vindhyavasini in Mirzapur, ahead of the Sharadiya Navratri starting on Monday

Also Read | Mumbai: Doctors Remove Over 7000 Gallstones From Woman's Bladder After She Complains of Stomach Pain.

Ahead of Sharadiya Navratri starting from Monday, the Chief Minister conducted an on-site inspection of Vindhyachal Temple and Vindhya Corridor under construction.

Earlier today, Yogi landed at Mirzapur Police Lines, where he was welcomed by Anupriya Patel, the Union Minister of State for Industries and Commerce and the MP from Mirzapur.

Also Read | Chandigarh University MMS Case: Indian Army Personnel Posted in Arunachal Pradesh Arrested by Punjab Police Over 'Leaked Objectionable Videos' of Students.

During the inspection, Divisional Commissioner Yogeshwar Ram Mishra and District Magistrate Divya Mittal informed the CM about the progress.

Along with the Chief Minister, Principal Secretary for Tourism and Culture Mukesh Meshram was also present, according to an official statement.

The CM also went through the Vindhya Corridor model and gave instructions to the construction project manager to finish everything on time. The CM also gave specific instructions in view of Sharadiya Navratri, regarding the security and convenience of the pilgrims travelling to Vindhyachal temple from all across the nation.

Adityanath also presided over a review meeting in the office hall of Commissioner Mirzapur, with the officers and inquired about the status of the Vindhya Corridor and the Navratri Mela preparations.

During the meeting, CM Yogi ordered to divide the work into three shifts while hiring more workers and artisans. Additionally, he requested the district administration to review the progress and obtain the progress report while keeping timeliness and quality in mind.

CM Yogi also suggested setting up of workshops for carving stones used in construction work. He advised the officers to make better the fundamental amenities available to the devotees in light of the Navratri Mela.

The Chief Minister further ordered that the whole Vindhyachal Mela region should be kept clean and sanitised. Additionally, he gave instructions to improve parking, restrooms, drinking water, medical facilities, security measures, and lighting for the devotees.

The Chief Minister directed to make tabletop speed breakers by removing bumpy breakers from major roads of the Mirzapur city area within three days.

Other than CM Yogi, Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel and Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh along with other MLAs were present in the meeting,

Vindhya Corridor, modelled after Kashi Vishwanath Dham, is being built around Vindhyachal Temple at an estimated cost of Rs 224 crore in an effort to boost pilgrimage travel.

Vindhya Corridor is being built using pink stones of Ahraura that the artisans of Jaipur and Rajasthan have expertly crafted. This year will mark the official opening of the corridor. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Sep 24 (PTI) State-owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) on Saturday said it has signed an agreement with Brazilian national oil company Petrobras for sourcing crude oil from the Latin American nation as part of plans to diversify its sourcing needs.

BPCL imports a large volume of crude oil which is turned into fuel such as petrol and diesel at its three oil refineries at Mumbai, Bina in Madhya Pradesh and Kochi in Kerala.

Also Read | Indian Rupee Falls Record Low Against US Dollar: RBI Expended About USD 80 Billion or 15% of Reserves Moderating Rupee Fall.

The firm, which gets majority of its supplies from west Asian nations such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia, is looking to diversify its sources of supply in an attempt to cut down reliance on any particular region.

Company chairman and managing director Arun Kumar Singh and Petrobras CEO Caio Paes de Andrade signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Brazil, BPCL said in a statement.

Also Read | Tecno Pova Neo 5G With MediaTek Dimensity 810 SoC Launched in India.

"The signing of the MoU will strengthen future crude oil trade relations between the two companies and explore potential crude import opportunities by BPCL, on a long term basis, especially considering the current geopolitical situations," it said.

Bharat PetroResources Limited (BPRL), the upstream oil and gas exploration and production subsidiary of BPCL, plans to invest USD 1.6 billion to develop an oil block in Brazil.

BPRL holds a stake in an ultra-deep water hydrocarbon block in Brazil, owned and operated by Petrobras. The field development plan and final investment decision is expected to be declared soon, the statement said without giving details.

On July 27, the Union Cabinet gave approval to the firm to invest an additional USD 1.6 billion in the Brazilian oil block BM-SEAL-11.

The block is to start production from 2026-27.

BPRL has a 40 per cent stake in the block. Brazil's national oil company Petrobras is the operator with 60 per cent interest.

Multiple oil discoveries have been made in the block, which is being developed now.

Originally, BPCL had partnered with Videocon for taking the stake in the block in 2008. IBV Brasil SA, a 50-50 joint venture between Videocon and BPRL Ventures NV, a unit of BPRL (the upstream arm of BPCL), held 40 per cent. But after the bankruptcy of Videocon, BPRL now owns the entire 40 per cent stake.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beijing [China], September 24 (ANI): A former Chinese Vice Minister of public security accused of taking over 646 million yuan bribes, was sentenced to death, just weeks before a crucial Communist Party reshuffle to be held on October 16.

The former Vice Minister, Sun Lijun has been stripped of all his political rights and all his personal property was confiscated, according to Global Times.

Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rakes Up Kashmir Issue at UNGA, Says We Look for Peace With All Our Neighbours, Including India' (Watch Video).

The crime of accepting the bribes rewarded Sun the death sentence with a two-year reprieve. And after completing that, his sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment, with no possibility of commutation or parole, according to Global Times citing a court ruling.

He was also sentenced to eight years in prison for manipulating the stock market and was fined 1 million yuan, in addition to a further five years for illegally possessing firearms. The court thus decided to hand down the death sentence with a two-year reprieve.

Also Read | UN Urges International Creditors To Consider Suspending Debt Repayment for Pakistan.

From 2001 to April 2020, Sun used the influence accumulated through past positions to seek gains for others and illegally accepted money and property worth 646 million yuan.

In the first half of 2018, Sun manipulated related individuals to engage in stock market dealings, helping certain individuals to avoid losses of 145 million yuan.

Sun was also found to have illegally possessed two firearms, reported Global Times.

A similar incident was reported on Wednesday, where three ex-police chiefs on charges of taking bribes were punished.

Gong Daoan, a former vice-mayor of the Shanghai government and former director of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, was sentenced to life imprisonment for taking bribes of about Yuan 73.4 million (USD 10.4 million), by the Tangshan Intermediate People's Court, Hebei province.

The court also deprived Gong of his political rights for life and confiscated all of his personal property, and his illegal gains will be handed over to the State treasury, reported China Daily.

In another case, Deng Huilin, former vice-mayor of the Chongqing municipal government and former head of the Chongqing Public Security Bureau, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for taking bribes of about Yuan 42.7 million by Baoding Intermediate People's Court in Hebei.

The court also fined him Yuan 4 million and Deng's illegal gains will be handed over to the State treasury, reported China Daily.

Separately, Liu Xinyun, former vice-governor and police chief of Shanxi province, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after a court in Hebei province combined punishments of his corruption-related convictions on Wednesday.

The Intermediate People's Court in Langfang, Hebei, sentenced Liu to 12 years in prison for the crime of bribery, with a fine of Yuan 1 million, and also gave him another four-year prison term for the abuse of power. In combination, the prison term is 14 years, reported China Daily.

Gong Daoan, Deng Huilin and Liu Xinyun were sentenced over bribery charges following claims of disloyalty against President Xi JinpingTrials came just three weeks before the ruling Communist Party's national congress on October 16 at which Xi is expected to extend his rule for the third time.

Since coming to power in 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched a series of campaigns nominally about fighting corruption but aimed at eliminating political opponents and establishing his political prestige. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, September 24: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has deployed his satellite-based 'Starlink' service in Iran amid widespread protests in the country following which authorities had restricted internet access.

This Iranian government had cut off internet access for many of its citizens on Wednesday amid widespread protests over the death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody, according to reports. Mahsa Amini Death: Iran Restricts Internet As Protests Intensify.

On Friday, SpaceX founder Elon Musk had indicated that he will make Starlink available in Iran. US State Secretary Antony Blinken earlier announced on Twitter about advancing internet freedom and the free flow of information for the Iranian people by issuing a General License to provide them greater access to digital communications to counter, what he claimed, was the Iranian government's censorship.

Replying to Blinken's tweet, Musk wrote, "Activating Starlink ...." Protestors have been demanding basic rights of freedom and holding demonstrations against the mandatory dress codes including the compulsory wearing of the Hijab.

The protests in Iran erupted last weekend after Mahsa Amini died following her detainment by Iran's morality police. She died a few days after falling into a coma while being detained on an accusation of violating a law related to hijabs.

It is worth noting that earlier this week, lawmakers from New York and New Jersey had urged US Treasury Department to grant approval if SpaceX sought licensing permission to make internet service available in Iran.

Lawmakers, led by Claudia Tenney of New York and Tom Malinowski of New Jersey, reportedly made the appeal to the Treasury Department, Fox News had reported. The letter came after Musk tweeted Monday that SpaceX would seek exemptions from sanctions on the country.

SpaceX has deployed Starlink in emergency situations in past, such as in Ukraine after Russia invaded and in the South Pacific islands of Tonga after a volcanic eruption.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New York [US], September 24 (ANI): Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who is considered one of the most eligible bachelors in his country, has revealed plans to marry, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

When asked by Arab News if he plans to marry, Bilawal Bhutto replied, "Of course, I have plans to marry." But added that he is in "no rush."

Also Read | NASA Prepares Again for Artemis 1 Moon Mission Launch, Weather May Play Spoilsport.

Bilawal Bhutto, the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), took over as the 37th Foreign Minister of the country in April this year.

He is the son of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.

Also Read | TikTok Rolls Out Comment Dislike Button for All Users Globally.

Bilawal Bhutto is considered one of the key architects who helped oust Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan from power in April.

The Pakistan foreign minister is currently in New York to attend the 77th session of UNGA.

On Friday, Bilawal Bhutto called for generous international support during the next phases of rehabilitation and reconstruction due to the Pakistan floods.

Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UNGA, he called for "climate justice" for Pakistan.

"This is a tragedy of monumental proportions," the Pakistan FM was quoted as saying by The Nation newspaper in New York.

According to Bilawal, the total flood damage in Pakistan was over USD 30 billion, 10 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), with one-third of the country under water. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Tehran, September 24: Iranian authorities on Saturday announced to restrict internet access in the country over intensified protests after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after her arrest for allegedly failing to comply with Iran's strict rules on women's dress by wearing an "improper hijab".

The internet monitoring agency Netblocks said Friday Iranians are facing a third wave of "nation-scale" loss of mobile internet connectivity as the protests continue, reported CNN. Mahsa Amini Death: Pro-Hijab Counter Rallies in Iran to Counter The Protests.

The watchdog group said earlier in the week that Iran was experiencing the most severe internet restrictions since 2019, with mobile networks largely shutdown and social networks Instagram and WhatsApp restricted in the country since protests began. Mahsa Amini Death: 31 Civilians Killed by Iran Security Forces in Crackdown on Anti-Hijab Law Protestors, Says Human Rights Outfit.

To circumvent internet blocks, Iranians both inside the country and in the diaspora are turning to popular Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers such as Tor Project and Hula VPN - the top downloaded apps available in Iran via Google Play Store, a marketplace for Android smartphone users to download apps, according to monitoring service AppBrain.

However, Netblocks has warned that the kind of internet disruption seen currently in the country "cannot generally be worked around with the use of circumvention software or VPNs," reported CNN.

Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets in protest since the death last week of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was apprehended in Tehran and taken to a "re-education center", apparently for not wearing her hijab properly.

Since Friday, demonstrations have taken place in at least 40 cities nationwide, including the capital Tehran, with protesters demanding an end to violence and discrimination against women as well as an end to compulsory wearing of the hijab.

Dozens of protesters have reportedly been killed in the resulting clashes with security forces, reported CNN. Amnesty International said Friday that at least 30 people, including four children, had died; according to state media the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, 35 people have died.

Authorities hope that by restricting the internet they can bring the protests under control. Speaking with state broadcaster IRIB on Friday, Iran's Minister of Communications Ahmad Vahidi said, "Until the riots end, the internet will have limitations. To prevent riot organization through social media, we are obliged to create internet limitations."

Vahidi's comments came after videos on social media showed scenes of public defiance, with women removing and burning their headscarves and demonstrators chanting such slogans as, "women, life, freedom."

The move to further restrict the internet also followed a call by the United Nations for an independent investigation into Amini's death and for Iran's security forces to refrain from using "disproportionate force" on the protesters, reported CNN.

Amini's death has now become a symbol of the violent oppression women have faced in Iran for decades, and her name has spread around the globe, with world leaders invoking her even at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City this week.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Thursday said UN experts strongly condemned the use of physical violence against women in Iran by state authorities, reported CNN.

"Iranian authorities said (Amini) died of a heart attack, and claimed her death was from natural causes. However, some reports suggested that Amini's death was a result of alleged torture and ill-treatment," it said in a statement.

"We call on the Iranian authorities to hold an independent, impartial, and prompt investigation into Ms Amini's death, make the findings of the investigation public and hold all perpetrators accountable," it added.

Meanwhile, Internet activist hacker group Anonymous has also targeted the Iranian government online over the past week, announcing several breaches of government websites on Thursday, reported CNN.

Using the hashtag #OpIran, short for Operation Iran, which started gaining traction on social media following the death of Amini, Anonymous also tweeted Thursday that the organization was successful in hacking more than 1,000 CCTV Iranian cameras - a claim CNN has not been able to independently confirm.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday said that he was "concerned about reports of peaceful protests being met with excessive use of force leading to dozens of deaths and injuries."

"We call on the security forces to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force and appeal to all to exercise restraint to avoid further escalation," Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at the daily briefing on UNTV.

The UN said it's closely following the protests in Iran and called on authorities to "respect the right to freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association."

Guterres reiterated a call from the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights for a prompt investigation into the death of Amini by an "independent competent authority," reported CNN.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kabul [Afghanistan], September 24 (ANI): A blast near the Wazir Akbar Khan area of Kabul city on Friday sparked strong international and domestic reactions.

Taliban's spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid on Twitter condemned the blast and said attacking mosques and targeting worshippers is a "major and unforgivable crime."

Also Read | Indian-Origin UK Minister Suella Braverman Wins Queen Elizabeth II of the Year Award.

Former President Hamid Karzai also "strongly" condemned the blast and called it a "terrorist act" against Islamic and human principles, reported Tolo News.

The US embassy for Afghanistan on Twitter said that Washington "strongly condemns today's vicious attack on worshipers outside the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in Kabul."

Also Read | Mahsa Amini Death: Internet Services Restricted in Iran As Anti-Hijab Law Protests Intensify.

"Such an attack against people professing their faith is unjustifiable," the embassy said on Twitter. "We offer condolences to the families of the victims and hope those injured recovers swiftly," reported Tolo News

The UN Assistant Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a tweet Another bitter reminder of ongoing insecurity and terrorist activity in Afghanistan - today's explosion outside a downtown mosque in Kabul caused numerous casualties, including fatalities."

On Friday afternoon a blast occurred nearby the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque, killing nine people and wounding 41 others, including children.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Abdul Nafay Takor, said that the blast was due to a car bombing, reported Tolo News.

According to reports, the explosion occurred when the worshipers were leaving the mosque, reported Tolo News.

Kabul has recently seen a surge in security incidents. Notably, the explosion comes days after a blast was heard near the Russian Embassy southwest of Kabul city.

The blast resulted in the death of two Russian Embassy staff and the injury of several locals, Taliban spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said in a tweet.

This explosion happened days after at least 20 people were killed in a blast that rocked a mosque in northwestern Afghanistan during Friday prayers. In recent months, a number of blasts have been reported in the capital city of Kabul, claiming dozens of innocent lives.

Earlier on September 8, one person was killed and four people, including women and children, were injured when a grenade that belonged to the Taliban members in the Faryab province of northern Afghanistan exploded recently.

The grenade explosion occurred in police district 2 of Maimana city, the provincial capital of Faryab, Khaama Press, citing the officials who also said that two people had been detained in connection with the grenade explosion

This series of blasts comes on the heels of one year of the Taliban's brutal rule in Afghanistan. Rights groups said the terror outfit had broken multiple pledges to respect human and women's rights.

After capturing Kabul in August last year, the Islamic authorities have imposed severe restrictions on women's and girls' rights, suppressed the media, and arbitrarily detained, tortured, and summarily executed critics and perceived opponents, among other abuses.

Rights groups say that the Taliban's human rights abuses have brought widespread condemnation and imperilled international efforts to address the country's dire humanitarian situation. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], September 24 (ANI): On recognising the weaknesses of the Security Council in dealing with global challenges, the L.69 group of countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific have committed to instilling "new life" in their efforts towards achieving reform of the UN Security Council.

L.69 group and other reform-minded countries, joined hands to call for a more inclusive, responsive and participatory international governance architecture. They called for urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council to reflect the contemporary global realities.

Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rakes Up Kashmir Issue at UNGA, Says We Look for Peace With All Our Neighbours, Including India' (Watch Video).

"We commit to 'instil new life' in our efforts during the 77th session of the General Assembly, and urgently call on all Members States of the United Nations to join hands to achieve a comprehensive reform of the Security Council," according to the statement released by Ministry of External Affairs.

L.69 group is of pro-reform member states, including primarily developing countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. The meeting on "Reinvigorating Multilateralism and Achieving Comprehensive Reform of the UN Security Council", was held in New York and was chaired by the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves and co-hosted by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Also Read | UN Urges International Creditors To Consider Suspending Debt Repayment for Pakistan.

According to the statement, the high-level meeting of the members of the L.69 group commemorated the 15th Anniversary of their founding.

The grouping underlined that the lack of progress in Security Council reform has serious implications, not only for the continued relevance of global governance institutions but also for global peace and security and delivering on the purposes, principles and promises of the United Nations Charter.

"At today's high-level meeting, the participants - both the members of the L.69 group and other reform-minded countries, joined hands to call for a more inclusive, responsive and participatory international governance architecture. They called for urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council to reflect the contemporary global realities," the statement reads.

After the meeting, the participants participated in a "Call to Action" joint statement where they said that the United Nations require urgent and comprehensive reforms and emphasised that the security council must be reflective of the "aspirations and perspectives of the developing world" that form the majority of UN global membership.

32 countries including India highlight the reforms required in the UN Security Council in their joint statement.

The signatories of the joint statement stated that they reaffirm that adapting the United Nations to contemporary world realities necessarily requires urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council, the principal organ for international peace and security.

"We recognize that a resilient world urgently needs reformed and effective multilateralism to deliver solutions for the pressing and evolving challenges of our time, developmental challenges, poverty, climate change, pandemics, global food security, international conflicts and crises, and international terrorism," the statement reads.

According to the statement, the heads of delegations were convinced of the need to restore faith in effective multilateralism, "we stand united, as a group of pro-reform like-minded States, determined to work towards a more inclusive, responsive and participatory international governance architecture," the statement reads.

The head of delegations recognised that a reformed Security Council must better reflect the contemporary United Nations membership, including through enhanced representation of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which comprise approximately 20 per cent of the United Nations' membership.

An expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories, as well as reform in its working methods, is indispensable to making this body more representative, legitimate and effective, delegations reiterated.

"We reaffirm our support for the representation of Africa in line with the Common African Position, as contained in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration," the statement reads.

The head of delegations affirmed the need for a formal negotiation process, guided by the decision-making modalities and working methods laid out in the Charter of the United Nations and in line with the rules and procedures of the General Assembly. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Islamabad [Pakistan], September 24 (ANI): A 13-year-old girl belonging to the Hindu community in Pakistan's Sindh province has reportedly been abducted last week while she was returning from the market.

According to reports, the victim's family alleges that the police have refused to file an FIR in the case.

Also Read | India Slams Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's Remarks at UNGA, Says Country That Claims To Seek Peace With Neighbours Will Never Shelter Planners of 26/11 Attack.

Earlier, another Hindu married woman was also abducted and forcibly converted to Islam and is being allegedly held captive by one Muslim family in the province.

Pakistan's dilemma of forced conversions and marriages put minority women at risk and the issue of securing rights for minority women has become particularly complex in the country.

Also Read | Syria: 73 Dead As Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Syrian Shore, 20 Others Rescued.

As Pakistan moves in an increasingly conservative Islamist direction, the situation for Hindus, Christians and other religious minorities, especially that of women, is worsening, reported International Forum for Right and Security (IFFRAS).

The situation faced by the Hindu and Christian groups in Pakistan is bad in general, but women from these communities are the worst victims of discriminatory attitudes of the authorities, political groups, religious parties, the feudal structure and the Muslim majority.

Religious minority women and girls are abducted, forcibly converted, forcibly married and abused, and their families are unsuccessful in their attempts to challenge these crimes using legal avenues, reported IFFRAS.

While the abductions, forced conversions, forced marriages and abuse are perpetrated by individuals, the fate of religious minority women and girls is often sealed as the existing laws or handling of such cases deem any legal recourse unavailable or ineffective.

Human rights groups have documented the plight of Pakistan's religious minorities for years, but it is only recently that these minorities have become the focus of popular discourse because of revelations on social media regarding their treatment, reported IFFRAS.

On the evening of August 20 in the Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Dina Kaur, a teacher belonging to the Sikh community, was forcibly abducted and converted to Islam. Despite massive protests by the Sikh community in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province over the incident, local police have failed to initiate any investigation into the abduction and forcible conversion of Dina Kaur.

The plight of women in Pakistan is increasing day by day as a fresh report has stated that nearly 6,754 women and girls were abducted in the country's Punjab province in the first half of 2021. Out of that, 1,890 women were raped, 3,721 were tortured and 752 girls were raped, Duniya News reported. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Islamabad [Pakistan], September 24 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Ishaq Dar will assume charge as the finance minister of the country replacing Miftah Ismail on Tuesday, Geo News reported.

According to Geo News, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with party supremo Nawaz Sharif in London on Saturday, where it was decided that the ruling coalition would hand over the finance ministry to Ishaq Dar after he returns to the country.

Also Read | Sikh Student Detained for Wearing Kirpan at University of North Carolina; BJP Leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa Raises Questions (Watch Video).

Earlier today, Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah confirmed that Dar would return to Pakistan next week. Addressing a news conference in Lahore, Sanaullah said Dar would be able to help Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif manage the country's economic affairs "better".

Dar, himself, had said yesterday that he would take oath as a Senator immediately after his return and would perform whatever duty was assigned to him by Nawaz and Shehbaz.

Also Read | Indian-Origin UK Minister Suella Braverman Wins Queen Elizabeth II of the Year Award.

According to the sources, current finance minister Miftah Ismail will remain part of the government's economic team.

For weeks, there has been speculation that incumbent Finance Minister Miftah Ismail would be replaced by Dar, with certain top members of the PML-N -- like Maryam Nawaz and Javed Latif -- on several occasions publicly attacking and disowning his policies, in particular, the inevitable reversal of the costly fuel subsidy introduced by the previous PTI government, the Dawn reported.

It is pertinent to mention here that the former finance minister left Pakistan four years back and is wanted in Pakistan in multiple cases.

A day ago, an accountability court had suspended an outstanding arrest warrant against Dar, paving the way for the former finance minister's return from London, where he has been living in 'self-exile' for the past five years or so.

Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir issued a suspension order for a perpetual warrant of arrest against Dar, which was issued on December 11, 2017, after he absconded from an assets-beyond-means case. The warrants were suspended until October 7, giving the senator-elect a fortnight to surrender to the law.

The court suspended his arrest warrants on his lawyer Qazi Misbah's guarantee that Dar would come straight to the court after landing at the airport.

Earlier, in May, the Pakistan court issued a perpetual arrest warrant against former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in "corruption reference".

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed the reference against Dar, who has been declared an absconder in the case since he has missed hearings owing to his prolonged stay in London, that the former Minister had acquired assets beyond his known sources of income, Dawn newspaper reported.

The court also made conditional the issuance of a ruling on pleas seeking the acquittal of co-accused -- former NBP president Saeed Ahmed, Mansoor Raza Rizvi, and Naeem Mehmood, who were directors of Ishaq Dar's Hajveri Modaraba -- on the PML-N leader's arrest. The co-accused had filed pleas for their acquittal and challenged the reference under the NAB amendment ordinance, as per the publication.

NAB reference states that the accused had acquired assets and pecuniary interests/resources in his name or the name of his dependents for an approximate amount of Rs831.678 million. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Protesters outside UN in New York demand recognition of genocide committed by Pakistani Army in 1971 in Bangladesh

New York [US], September 24 (ANI) Protesters representing ethnic and religious minorities on Friday protested outside the United Nations in New York, demanding recognition of the genocide committed by the Pakistani Army in 1971 in Bangladesh.

Led by activist Priya Saha, the group estimated that nearly three million people were killed in a span of nine months at that time.

Also Read | India Slams Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's Remarks at UNGA, Says Country That Claims To Seek Peace With Neighbours Will Never Shelter Planners of 26/11 Attack.

On March 25, 1971, Pakistan Army launched 'Operation Searchlight', wherein a planned military operation was carried out by the Pakistani Army and its military deliberately harmed hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi citizens.

According to the rights groups, the horrors of 1971 are considered one of the worst mass atrocities in history.

Also Read | Syria: 73 Dead As Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Syrian Shore, 20 Others Rescued.

Protesters were also carrying placards "calling for help" for women from Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities in Pakistan.

Religious minority women and girls are abducted, forcibly converted, forcibly married and abused, and their families are unsuccessful in their attempts to challenge these crimes using legal avenues.

A 2015 report by the South Asia Partnership-Pakistan in collaboration with Aurat Foundation found that at least 1,000 girls are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year. In a recent case in September 2022, Bhagwanti, a Hindu teenage flood victim girl from Shahadapur, Sanghar, Sindh, was raped for two days while she went out to get a paltry ration, reported IFFRAS.

While the abductions, forced conversions, forced marriages and abuse are perpetrated by individuals, the fate of religious minority women and girls is often sealed as the existing laws or handling of such cases deem any legal recourse unavailable or ineffective.

Human rights groups have documented the plight of Pakistan's religious minorities for years, but it is only recently that these minorities have become the focus of popular discourse because of revelations on social media regarding their treatment, reported IFFRAS. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, Sep 24 (PTI) Days after US President Joe Biden stressed reforming the UN Security Council, Quad countries have committed themselves towards expanding the 15-member world body in both permanent and non-permanent categories.

A joint statement issued following a meeting of Quad foreign ministers in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly also called for respecting the territorial integrity. It was apparently aimed at China.

Also Read | Hundreds of Lawyers and Legal Academics Have Been Swept Up in Xi Jinpings Crackdown on   Latest Tweet by Reuters.

"We are committed to advancing a comprehensive UN reform agenda, including through expansion in permanent and non-permanent seats of the UN Security Council so that it reflects the current global realities and incorporates more geographically diverse perspectives," said the foreign ministers of Quad that comprise India, Japan, Australia and the United States.

The meeting was attended by foreign ministers  Penny Wong of Australia, S Jaishankar of India, Hayashi Yoshimasa of Japan and US Secretary of State Tony Blinken.

Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rakes Up Kashmir Issue at UNGA, Says We Look for Peace With All Our Neighbours, Including India' (Watch Video).

"We underscored the need to address attempts to unilaterally subvert the international and multilateral system, including in the UN," they said.

Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the ministers said Quad's vision is for a region where the rules-based international order is upheld and where the principles of freedom, the rule of law, democratic values, peaceful settlement of disputes, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are respected.

"We reaffirmed our conviction that international law, peace, and security in the maritime domain underpins the development and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. We strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo or increase tensions in the region," they said.

"We also reaffirmed our unwavering support for ASEAN unity and centrality, ASEAN-led regional architecture, and practical implementation of ASEAN's outlook on the Indo-Pacific."

Welcoming the progress in delivering on Quad commitments, the ministers said they were pleased to sign guidelines to operationalise the Quad Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Partnership for the Indo-Pacific announced by Quad leaders in May 2022.

"We look forward to the counter-terrorism tabletop exercise being hosted by Australia later in 2022, and we announced a statement on ransomware, calling on states to take reasonable steps to address ransomware operations emanating from their territory," they said.

Quad ministers reiterated the Quad's commitment to supporting regional partners' efforts in improving their maritime security and domain awareness.

"We support the ongoing efforts, in close consultation with regional partners, to take forward the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness," said the joint statement.

"We will continue to leverage our collective expertise to support the region, to respond to other challenges, such as education and disinformation, as well as advance the initiatives set forth by Quad leaders on health security, climate change, infrastructure, peaceful use of outer space, critical and emerging technologies, and cybersecurity," it said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 24 (ANI): A 32-year-old woman Bilqees Ara, an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker known as 'blood woman of Kashmir' has set an example for people across the Valley by donating blood 28 times since 2012, according to reports.

Bilqees who hails from Handwara Tehsil of North Kashmir's Kupwara district said that she understands the importance of blood.

Also Read | NASA Prepares Again for Artemis 1 Moon Mission Launch, Weather May Play Spoilsport.

"I feel privileged and proud to be the savior of many patients in Kashmir valley," she said.

"I have seen people crying helplessly while trying to get blood to save their loved ones but I am proud of myself because I have arranged blood for them too. After that I was feeling an inner joy," she said, adding that her only wish now is that all women should do the way she is doing it.

Also Read | TikTok Rolls Out Comment Dislike Button for All Users Globally.

A mother of three children, Bilqees has said that once her child who was ailing in a hospital needed blood and she donated that time too.

"I have donated blood to the needy including accident victims, pregnant ladies and other patients in almost every hospital in North Kashmir, besides, whenever I had the opportunity, I would donate blood at Srinagar Hospitals," she said, adding that in her area people know her as 'Blood Woman of Kashmir'.

She said that she felt inner solace on all 28 times she had donated blood.

"I am a registered blood donor, whenever a need arises the officials at Blood Bank at Handwara hospital call me and within the shortest span of time I make myself available to donate blood," she said.

Giving advice to the people, Bilqees said that people should come forward for it because it makes you feel better mentally as well as physically. Along with herself, she has so far motivated hundreds of people to donate blood, besides organising many blood donations camps at several places.

Bilqees, wife of a teacher who also is a regular blood donor, says that she is proud to be doing it.

"Women should come forward and do this as there is nothing to be afraid of. This is to be done for the society," she said, adding that she wondered who else would do it if she refused. If a person has blood and courage, why can't he give it to someone else in a time of need? she asked.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Database on Blood Safety (GDBS) 2011, 90 per cent of blood donors in India were men and only 10 per cent were women.

WHO had previously indicated that India reported the greatest increase in blood donors from 3.6 million in 2007 to 4.6 million in 2008. There are no figures for the subsequent years.

In India, anyone above 18 years of age is allowed to donate blood as long as they fulfil certain physical and health criteria. While men can donate blood safely once in every three months, women can donate every four months, according to experts.

The World Health Organization recommends that donation by 1 per cent of a country's population would suffice for its blood needs. A 2019 report referred to a study by The Lancet that said India battled a shortfall of 41 million units, and that was well before Covid.

Data shows that women make for more than 40 per cent of blood donors in 25 countries, among them Australia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Mongolia, New Zealand, Portugal, Swaziland, and Thailand. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington [US], September 24 (ANI): A digression by US President Joe Biden during his address to teachers at the National Education Association headquarters in Washinton DC on Saturday has bewildered netizens.

In his Friday speech to teachers, Biden abruptly digressed from his speech and while recognizing an audience member said, "You gotta say hi to me."

Also Read | Sikh Student Detained for Wearing Kirpan at University of North Carolina; BJP Leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa Raises Questions (Watch Video).

Later, quickly turning towards the audience at large he said, "We go back a long way. She was 12, I was 30. But anyway, this woman helped me get an awful lot done."

However, Biden did not say what he did when he was 30 and the woman was a preteen. Soon after this clip went on air, social media was lit up with the and seemingly inappropriate aside.

Also Read | Indian-Origin UK Minister Suella Braverman Wins Queen Elizabeth II of the Year Award.

During the gathering, Biden's remarks left the audience of teachers and union members laughing and cheering at the bawdy remark.

A Twitter user demanded clarification on the remarks and wrote, "We need clarity on Biden's comment concerning his, she was 12 I was 30, made on Friday."

While sharing the New York story over Biden's remarks, one user wrote, "We are all dismayed at Biden's "She was 12, I was 30" remark. However, what should really shock us is that this took place at an NEA meeting, and all the teachers there cheered and laughed in approval."

Earlier, US President Joe Biden while calling for supporting Ukraine against a Russian invasion had a slip-of-the-tongue moment when he mistakenly referred to the Ukrainians as "Iranian people".

"Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he'll never gain the hearts and souls of the Iranian people," Biden said in his State of the Union speech that was an emotional appeal for putting up a united front against the Russian aggression.

The awkward moment immediately began trending on Twitter and other social media with the word "Iranian".

The 79-year-old Biden, has tripped over words earlier as well. As a child he had problems with his speech and had to work to overcome a stutter and it has been widely reported that he used to spend long hours reciting works of Yeats and Emerson to overcome his speech condition.

Last year social media had pounced on his gaffe when he mistakenly called his Vice President Kamala Harris as "President Harris".Meanwhile, during his State of the Union, President Biden has reiterated that his country will not deploy troops in Ukraine against the Russian forces.

Condemning Russia's "premeditated attack" in Ukraine, Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to shake the very foundation of the free world.

(ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, Sep 24 (PTI) A presidential commission has recommended that all branches of the US military should adopt a standardised uniform policy that presumptively allows for accommodating religious articles of faith, such as turbans, beards, hijabs, and yarmulkes.

The President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders on Friday released its inaugural report detailing recommendations that were approved on May 12.

Also Read | India Slams Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's Remarks at UNGA, Says Country That Claims To Seek Peace With Neighbours Will Never Shelter Planners of 26/11 Attack.

Religious articles of faith, such as turbans, beards, hijabs, and yarmulkes, a skullcap worn in public by Orthodox Jewish men, were banned from the US military's uniform guidelines in 1981.

The US Army and Air Force changed their uniform policies in 2017 and 2020, respectively, to presumptively allow these articles of faith.

Also Read | Syria: 73 Dead As Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Syrian Shore, 20 Others Rescued.

Now, hundreds of service members currently serve in the US Army and Air Force with their articles of faith," the commission said.

"But the US Navy and Marines have provided limited religious accommodations to service members and, as a result, force them to violate their religious practice to serve their nation," it said.

The process and policy for religious accommodations is inconsistent between the different branches of the military, the commission said.

The commission has also recommended that the federal government should ensure that emergency and disaster prevention, planning, response, mitigation, and recovery programmes are inclusive of and reflect the experiences of limited English proficient populations.

"Public and emergency alerts should be simultaneously accessible to persons with limited English proficiency at the same time as English-speaking persons," it said.

Federal agencies should provide key documents, digital content, and forms on their websites translated into multiple AA and NHPI (Asian Americans (AA), Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders) languages, the commission recommended.

The White House Domestic Policy Council is currently reviewing the recommendation before it can be sent to President Joe Biden for his decision.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beverly (US), Sep 24 (AP) A gray seal that wandered into a Massachusetts pond and evaded authorities' attempts to capture him turned himself in Friday after waddling up to the local police station.

The gray seal first appeared earlier this month in Shoe Pond in the city of Beverly, northeast of Boston. The animal is believed to have travelled to the pond from the sea via a river and drainage pipes.

Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rakes Up Kashmir Issue at UNGA, Says We Look for Peace With All Our Neighbours, Including India' (Watch Video).

The seal quickly became a local attraction and was even named 'Shoebert' after his chosen pond.

Firefighters and wildlife experts used boats and giant nets in an effort to capture the wily animal Thursday, but gave up after several fruitless hours. Early Friday morning, however, Shoebert left the pond, crossed a parking lot and appeared outside the side door of the local police station looking, according to a police statement, "for some help".

Also Read | UN Urges International Creditors To Consider Suspending Debt Repayment for Pakistan.

The seal was quickly corralled by a team of wildlife experts, firefighters and the police department's "entire midnight shift," according to a Facebook post from the Beverly Police Department.

"Shoebert appeared to be in good health and was a little sassy in the early morning hours," the department noted.

The seal was transported to Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut, where aquarium staff will perform a medical exam before releasing him back into the wild, Sarah Callan, manager of the aquarium's animal rescue program, wrote in an email.

"He is acting like a typical, feisty, 4-year-old gray seal," Callan added. "We are planning to release him in a quiet, remote location near other seals." (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New York, Sep 24 (PTI) As India assumes the presidency of the G20, the world counts on it to mobilise credible actions to deliver on the 2030 Development Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday.

In his message to a special India@75' event on Showcasing the India-UN Partnership in Action', the UN chief underlined that as home to the largest youth generation in history, India will be decisive in the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Also Read | Indian-Origin UK Minister Suella Braverman Wins Queen Elizabeth II of the Year Award.

"Looking ahead, India, home to the largest youth generation in history will be decisive in the success of the Sustainable Development Goals, and reiterating Prime Minister Modi - as you reform the world transforms, Guterres said.

The event here was organised by the Government of India and the United Nations to highlight India's partnership with the UN, its South-South Cooperation, its development journey and achievements in the 75th year of its independence.

Also Read | Mahsa Amini Death: Internet Services Restricted in Iran As Anti-Hijab Law Protests Intensify.

It was held on the margins of the high-level UN General Assembly session and attended by dignitaries from the UN including President of the 77th session of UN General Assembly Csaba Korosi, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner.

Mohammed, while delivering Guterres' message at the event, said that as India assumes the presidency of the G20, we count on you to mobilise credible actions to deliver on the 2030 Agenda, Addis Ababa agreement and the Paris Agreement.

Guterres said in his message that over the last 75 years India has achieved remarkable progress in equitable and sustainable development, lifting over 270 million people out of extreme poverty and rising to become the world's fifth largest economy. He said all sectors of society have been positively impacted, including health, education, food security and climate change.

Guterres said the world is fast approaching the midpoint of the time available to reach the SDGs.

Yet we must be honest that our assessment progress is in peril. Even the most fundamental goals on poverty, hunger and education are going in reverse and we can see consequences everywhere from the escalating climate chaos and humanitarian emergencies to rising inequalities and injustices, he said.

The UN chief gave a clarion call to the world to change course and added that the 2030 Agenda for development remains our compass to guide us to a more peaceful, prosperous future that leaves no one behind.

We need to act together in solidarity with greater ambition, and urgency, and we need to act in partnership across governments, civil society, the private sector and from the global to the local levels, he said.

He noted that rooted in a shared belief and multilateral solutions, the India-UN SDG partnership is a powerful example of cooperation that we can move forward.

Mohammed, in her personal remarks, said that India has inspired, by its diverse society, energised by its youthful population, its strong democracy and women in peacekeeping.

She said the huge and growing potential to transform the world, the scale and pace of growth charts a path for others to follow.

Transformations and food systems, sustainable energy, connectivity and health are going to be the key opportunities for deepening the partnership. The current crisis we have, be it the recovery from COVID or the climate crisis, or the impacts from the Ukraine war, what we have is never been more endowed and able to face those crises together, she said.

A concept note shared ahead of the event said that as a founding member of the United Nations, India strongly supports the purposes and principles of the UN.

India's deepening engagement with the United Nations is based on its steadfast commitment to multilateralism and dialogue as the key for achieving shared goals and addressing common challenges.

The India-UN Development Partnership Fund is the first-ever single-country South-South cooperation initiative at the UN.

Launched in June 2017, this USD 150 million Fund supports South-owned and South-led demand-driven sustainable development projects with a focus on LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.

The dedicated facility is managed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). In the last five years, the Fund has accumulated a portfolio of 66 projects in 51 countries.

From supporting a project to get ready a Convention Centre in Palau to host Ocean Conference, to rehabilitating hospitals in Antigua & Barbuda and Guyana, to building a school in Dominica, an Information Technology Centre of Excellence in Papua New Guinea to developing the capacity of women to stem desertification in the Kanem and Lake Chad regions, this Fund is directly impacting the lives of communities across the developing world.

An important aspect of India's leadership in climate action is converting domestic action into an international collaboration.

India is helping ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all' through its initiatives like International Solar Alliance (ISA), which was formed at CoP21 in 2015 in Paris.

Over the years, ISA has helped ensure energy security and sustainable livelihoods by providing poor communities in developing countries access to natural, economic, human, and social capital.

ISA was accorded multilateral treaty status by the UN in December 2017, and now has over 100 members.

At CoP26 in 2021, India and the UK announced the One Sun One World One Grid initiative, the first international network of global interconnected solar power grids which will combine large-scale solar power stations, wind farms and grids with rooftop solar and community grids towards a reliable, resilient and affordable supply of clean energy.

India is also the founder member of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) which is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes that aim to promote the rapid development of resilient infrastructure to respond to the Sustainable Development Goals' imperatives of expanding universal access to basic services, enabling prosperity and decent work.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Aurangabad, Sep 24: Four wanted Maoists from Aurangabad district, have been arrested during a joint operation of security forces of Bihar and Jharkhand, officials said.

The arrested Naxals include Vinay Yadav, the regional commander' of the CPI (Maoist), who was carrying a reward of Rs 18 lakh on his head, they said.

Police also recovered Rs 20 lakh in cash from their possession.

Acting on a tip-off, security personnel had launched a search operation in some forested areas of the district, said Aurangabad SP Kantesh Kumar Mishra. MP: 3 Booked for Recording Female Student in College Washroom, 2 Detained.

These Maoists were involved in many crimes. Arms and ammunition have also been recovered from their possession, he said. All the wanted Naxals were arrested from Daud Nagar, Madanpur and Mayapur areas of Aurangabad district, Palamu SP Chandan Kumar Sinha said at a joint press conference.

Earlier on September 18, another Maoist leader Deepak Yadav alias Karu Yadav, who was wanted in more than 60 cases in Jharkhand and Bihar, was arrested from Maharashtra. He was brought to Hazaribag and sent to jail on Friday, SP Manoj Ratan Chothe said.
New Delhi, Sep 24: Delhi Police have arrested two vehicle thieves who previously worked as painters in the national capital, an official said on Saturday. The accused, identified as Arman Ali and Alam Khan, stole motorcycles from different parts of Delhi and its adjoining areas with the help of a master key.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Esha Pandey said that a tip-off that two auto lifters would come to NTPC park, Arpan Vihar on a stolen motorcycle was received on September 22, after which police laid a trap near NTPC park, Arpan Vihar in south east Delhi." Delhi Rains: Heavy Downpour Continues for 3rd Consecutive Day, Waterlogging Leads to Traffic Snarls in Key Roads of City.

"The two accused, after being spotted on a motorcycle, were immediately apprehended. On asking about the ownership details of their motorcycle, they could not produce any documents," the DCP said. Ankita Bhandaris Body Recovered From Chilla Canal in Uttarakhands Rishikesh, Relatives Confirm Identity.

The recovered motorcycle was found to have been stolen from Kalindi Kunj area. Additionally, two more motorcycles were also recovered from Arpan Vihar which were stolen from Okhla Industrial Area in Delhi and Neemrana in Rajasthan.

The duo has been arrested. Further investigation is under progress.
Subho Mahalaya 2022! Mahalaya is a Hindu observance that marks the commencement of Durga Puja and the end of Pitru Paksha. The holy occasion is observed at the end of the 16 days of paying homage to our deceased kins and ancestors by ritually offering 'tarpan' to the departed souls. People take a holy dip in the water of the Ganges and send up prayers in remembrance of their forefathers. Mahalaya is celebrated in the Hindu month of Ashwin, which falls in Gregorian September and October. The day is observed on Amavasya, at the end of Krishna Paksha. From the date of Mahalaya, Devi Paksha begins. As per Panchang, Mahalaya 2022 will be celebrated on September 25, Sunday, beginning the Durga Puja festival in the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, and Bihar. Here's a collection of Subho Mahalaya 2022 images in Bengali, Subho Mahalaya greetings in Bengali, Happy Mahalaya 2022 wishes and WhatsApp messages.

On the following day of Mahalaya, Bengalis celebrate their significant festival of Durga Puja by revering the Goddess' triumph over the demon, Mahishasura. Mahalaya day is observed by installing giant and elaborate idols of Maa Durga at homes or in pandals at the public level. In Bengal, sculptors who shape clay to make divine idols of Goddess Shakti begin painting the statues' eyes as part of the "Chakkhudaan" custom. The tradition is followed to invoke the Goddess, which is performed by awakening her to open her eyes by offering prayers. Furthermore, greeting family and dear ones on social media during such occasions has become a mandatory part. To save your search time, we have compiled a set of Mahalaya 2022 greetings, Subho Mahalaya images, HD wallpapers, Happy Mahalaya 2022 WhatsApp messages, SMS and quotes.

Subho Mahalaya Messages in Bengali

Mahalaya Greetings in Bengali (File Image)

Subho Mahalaya Greetings in Bengali

Mahalaya Greetings in Bengali (File Image)

Subho Mahalaya Images in Bengali

Mahalaya Greetings in Bengali (File Image)

Subho Mahalaya Wallpapers in Bengali

Mahalaya Greetings in Bengali (File Image)

Subho Mahalaya Wishes in Bengali

Mahalaya Greetings in Bengali (File Image)

Mahalaya 2022 Greetings & Durga Puja Messages for Loved Ones on This Festival of Hope and Happiness

During Mahalaya, folks believe that Devi Durga was created by the cosmic powers of all the supreme deities to kill the demon Mahishasura, who waged a war against all the gods by spreading adharma. Hindus have faith that on this particular day, the Goddess Shakti descends on Earth.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 24, 2022 09:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Militants shot and injured a non-local labourer in #JammuandKashmir's Pulwama district on Saturday.



The police said that militants fired at a non-local labourer identified as Shamshad in Ratnipora area of Pulwama district on Saturday evening. pic.twitter.com/tg3og6zRin IANS (@ians_india) September 24, 2022

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Donald Trump is facing another legal hurdle on top of others after New York attorney general Letitia James filed a civil lawsuit and criminal referral against him.

Legal experts noted that the former president's "luck is running out," with a professor emeritus at Harvard Law School, Laurence Tribe saying that Trump "faces jail times one way or another."

WGBH News reported that Tribe also cited the Justice Department's probe on the classified documents that Federal Bureau Investigation seized from Mar-a-Lago and that Attorney General Merrick Garland "has not been asleep at the switch" regarding the matter.

The legal expert also noted that none of Trump's arguments work, adding that "he is incriminating himself over and over and over again," referring to the former president's recent interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Trump said in the interview that he can declassify documents by just "thinking about it."

Tribe explained that Trump is using public statements like "telepathy defense" as a last resort.

A retired federal judge, Judge Nancy Gertner, said that she has no doubt that Garland will indict the former president for keeping the classified documents at in Florida residence.

Gertner added that the only question will be what happens with sentencing and how the evidence looks at that point.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Warns of 'Big Problems' Like 'We've Never Seen Before' if Criminally Indicted

Legal Experts on Donald Trump's 'Thinking About It' Claims

Legal experts have also commented on Trump's claims that the president can declassify government documents by just "thinking about it."

George Washington University law professor, Paul Rosenzweig, said in an emailed statement to Yahoo News that Trump's remarks reminded him of Johnny Carson's "Carnac the Magnificent" sketch." Rosenzweig, who is also a former deputy assistant secretary for policy in the Homeland Security department, added that "it is nonsense on stilts," and "also seems delusional."

One former U.S. attorney, Barbara McQuade, said in an email that to claim that a president can declassify documents just thinking about it "is absurd." McQuade is also a University of Michigan Law School professor. She noted that the president has many powers but one must actually execute those. She then said that pardon power cannot be used "just by thinking about it."

Jonathan Turley, a law scholar, said that if Trump could declassify every document with a thought, he could do it in every document with a "constitutional Jedi-like power." Turley had testified before Congress in support of Trump during the former president's first impeachment hearing in 2019.

Donald Trump's Lawsuit and Probes

Trump with his three adult children was accused of lying to tax collectors, lenders, and insurers in a fraud scheme that routinely incorrectly state the value of their properties.

The New York attorney general filed the civil lawsuit following the FBI investigates of Trump's handling of sensitive documents, as reported by The Guardian. Meanwhile, the FBI removed 11 boxes of classified documents, with some marked top secret.

In January, the National Archives had removed 15 boxes of documents from Mar-a-Lago, also including top secret markings for the documents.

Trump is also caught in the middle of an investigation regarding the January 6 Capitol riot, which resulted in a violent insurrection caused by a mob of his supporters.

His niece, Mary Trump, had also sued him for allegedly defrauding her out of millions of dollars.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Admits He Didn't Win Presidential Election 2020 During Interview With Presidential Historians

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Trump sued by New York attorney general - from CBS News


In Brazil, fears that current President Jair Bolsonaro will pull a Donald Trump-style insurrection if ever he loses is real. This makes it complicated as the current frontrunner is the leftist candidate and former President Lula. Polls in Brazil currently have him enjoying a rather comfortable lead against the far-right current president.

In just a few days, Brazilians will be voting for the first round of the elections on October 2, 2022. However, critics of the administration have stated their fears that Bolsonaro may not recognize the results and pull a coup.

However, according to Reuters, Lula has been talking to the United States and American diplomats, including the top American diplomat in Brazil, Douglass Koneff, have assured the frontrunner that the United States will quickly recognize whoever wins, either in the first round or the October 30 run-off elections.

Latin American, Caribbean, and the European Countries Also Plan to Immediately Recognize Results

Lula himself has stated that Washington plans to immediately recognize the results, regardless of who wins. This will set an example for other nations and minimize the chance of a contested result.

Other countries have also assured Lula's camp that they will swiftly recognize the winner of the Brazilian presidential elections as well. Lula foreign policy adviser Celso Amorim stated that diplomats from Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as many European countries, have assured him of swift recognition of the results.

READ MORE: Brazil Elections: Jair Bolsonaro Continues to Sow Doubts on Election as He Lags in Polls

United States Warns Jair Bolsonaro Not to Pull a Donald Trump

As for the United States, it had been growing concerned with Bolsonaro's baseless allegations of electoral fraud.

U.S. President Joe Biden has had experience with sitting presidents refusing to accept defeat and planning a coup to overturn the results, as the same thing happened to him when he defeated former President Donald Trump. The Biden administration has already sent multiple delegations to Brasilia to urge Bolsonaro to commit to democratic norms.

According to Common Dreams, Bolsonaro's posturing and baseless allegations of election fraud have also concerned U.S. lawmakers. One of them is Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). He, alongside Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and other Senate Democrats, have filed a Senate Resolution on Brazil's elections.

Sanders stated that the resolution does not take sides in the Brazilian election, as that would be unacceptable. However, the resolution makes it clear that the continuing relationship between the United States and Brazil depends on the commitment of Brazil's government to democracy and human rights, according to the Washington Post.

Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin (Md.), Raul Grijalva (Ariz.), and Sara Jacobs (Calif.). also filed a companion resolution.

This posturing from the United States is a direct message to Bolsonaro, who previously tried telling diplomats that the elections in Brazil will be stolen because the electoral committee, led by Supreme Court judges, is siding with Lula. However, journalists have pointed out that despite his accusations, Bolsonaro has never presented any solid evidence to back his claims.

READ MORE: Jair Bolsonaro Net Worth 2022: How He Went From Middle-Class Soldier to One of Brazil's Wealthiest Leaders

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: 'There's something strange going on': Some fear a coup in Brazil - CNN
January 6 rioter Doug Jensen was found guilty on Friday of all seven counts he was facing in the Capitol riot case.

Yahoo News reported that Jensen was one of the rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 insurrection caught by Capitol police officer Eugene Goodman.

During the closing statement, the federal prosecutor said: "Doug Jensen would not be stopped on January 6 until he got what he came for: to stop the peaceful transfer of power."

Jensen was found guilty on seven charges, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers and civil disorder. He was scheduled for sentencing on December 16.

READ NEXT: Olympic Swimmer Klete Keller Guilty on Charge in January 6 Capitol Riot

Doug Jensen Was Released and Put Back in Jail After a Violation

Doug Jensen has been in jail since last year while he waits for his trial. He was then eventually released as part of a high-intensity pretrial program.

However, a judge put him back in jail after he broke the rules and live-streamed an event with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who has been spreading 2020 election conspiracy theories.

During the Capitol breach, Jensen was filming a video from the base of the Capitol building, saying he was at the White House even if he was not. "Storm the White House! That's what we do!" he said in one video, NBC News reported.

Doug Jensen Capitol Breach Trial

On Friday morning, both the government and Doug Jensen's defense team gave their final arguments. In the afternoon, the jury of 10 men and two women began deliberating.

According to the prosecutor, Jensen "was the rioter who would not back down" in preventing the peaceful transfer of power. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hava Arin Levenson Mirell noted that Jensen was prepared to topple every obstacle he encountered that day.

He removed a 20-foot wall to get into the Capitol, took pepper spray like oxygen, and got through police lines.

Mirell also said that Goodman didn't have any help when fighting with the mob during the January 6 riot, and the mob, which was "led by the defendant," did not leave when the police asked them to.

Jensen's wife, April Jensen, subtly sobbed as she sat in the courtroom's second row behind him as the guilty verdicts were read out.

Jensen blew her a kiss as he entered the room to accept the decision, and she did the same when her husband walked out. He was detained before the trial and remained detained following the decision.

Jensen was charged with impeding an official proceeding, carrying a maximum 20-year sentence. Other charges, like civil disorder, entering restricted grounds areas, or getting in the way of a police officer, have full sentences of five years or one year, respectively.

But defendants typically don't receive maximum penalties under federal guidelines, according to USA Today. Christopher Davis, Jensen's attorney, told the reporters that the jury was very conscientious and respected the verdict.

"This is a sad case. Doug Jensen is a good man who was struggling back when all of this occurred. He has a loving wife and family. I hope they can come back from all of this," the lawyer noted.

READ MORE: Ime Udoka Scandal: Nia Long Breaks Silence on Fiance's Affair with Celtics Staffer

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Doug Jensen Found Guilty on All Counts for US Capitol Riot Involvement - From We Are Iowa Local 5 News
The highly controversial migration programs of Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have now been the subjects of national debates, with more and more lawmakers questioning them over their actions.

Democrats are calling the attention of the Department of Justice to look into the programs and see if the two governors have violated federal laws while carrying out the orders.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott's Migrant Busing Program

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been transporting busloads of migrants to Democratic-controlled cities such as Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C. in the past few months.

Abbott, who has jurisdiction on the Texas-Mexico border, claimed the state is suffering a massive exodus of migrants illegally crossing the border. According to CNN, the Lone Star governor has already spent more than $12 million to send off migrants to other states.

"Because (President) Joe Biden is not securing the border, the state of Texas is having to step up and spend Texas taxpayers' money doing the federal government's job," Abbott said in a statement.

Last week, Abbott sent two buses from Texas carrying migrants near Vice President Kamala Harris' Naval Observatory residence in Washington, D.C. Harris has continued to remain silent about the issue, but her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, reacted to it.

The press asked the second gentleman about his thoughts on the surprising arrival of almost 100 immigrants near their residence after taking a COVID-19 booster shot last week.

Emhoff then said: "These are human beings... These are people. They needed to be treated with dignity, with kindness and respect, and they weren't. And we have so-called leaders in this country who rather than focusing on what's good for the public within their own states, they're using people as pawns for a political stunt."

Ron DeSantis, who many Republicans consider a prime candidate for the 2024 presidential election, followed Greg Abbott's plan as he recently sent two planes full of migrants to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts.

READ NEXT: Ron DeSantis Threatened to Send Plane Full of Migrants to Joe Biden's Home, But It Never Appeared: What Happened?

Florida's Programs to Relocate Migrants Goes Under the Microscope

According to The Guardian, Democratic lawmakers had called on the Justice Department to investigate whether Florida and Texas officials broke federal law when they transported dozens of Venezuelan asylum seekers from Texas to Martha's Vineyard under allegedly false pretenses.

According to San Antonio Report, a 27-year-old Venezuelan said he was paid $200 by someone named "Perla" to find people outside a migrant center in San Antonio, Texas that were willing to take the flight to Martha's Vineyard.

"As the federal government retains jurisdiction over cases that involve interstate travel, we request the Department of Justice investigate whether any federal funds were used to operate a fraudulent scheme and request the Department of Justice make a determination as to whether officials in Texas and Florida violated federal law," the letter sent to the DOJ said.

The letter came from the congressional representatives Sylvia Garcia, Gerry Connolly, Ted Lieu, and dozens of other Democrats. DeSantis has denied the allegations that they have misled the migrants.

To this date, only one criminal investigation has been opened by a Texas sheriff in connection to this situation. Bexar County Sherrif Javier Salazar said Monday they were investigating the flights chartered on behalf of Ron DeSantis.

The Democratic lawmakers said the justice department should do the same. Salazar has yet to discuss what specific laws might have been violated. However, he said it seemed evident that the Venezuelan asylum seekers had been "lured under false pretenses."

READ MORE: Ron DeSantis in Legal Trouble: Martha's Vineyard Migrants File Class-Action Lawsuit While Bexar County Sheriff Investigating Governor's Actions in Flying Migrants to Massachusetts

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Ivan Korrs

WATCH: Why The DeSantis Migrant Stunt Could Be The New Bridgegate - From MSNBC
Guadalajara Cartel founder Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo will remain locked up in Mexico's Jalisco state prison after a federal judge suspended his transfer to a private home again.

According to Infobae, officials of the Jalisco state Prevention and Social Reintegration Directorate General received the order at around 2:50 p.m. on Friday.

The seventh district judge reportedly suspended Felix Gallardo's transfer to his Zapopan home after the Attorney General's Office (FGR) requested that he be transferred instead to the Federal Center for Social Reintegration (Cefereso) in Morelos state and resolve the problems with the company supervising the ankle monitor that he will wear.

The judge has denied the request of the FGR to transfer the Guadalajara Cartel founder to Cefereso. However, the judge postponed Felix Gallardo's house arrest until the problems with the firm supervising the electronic ankle bracelet had been addressed. Milenio reported that there is still no definite date on when the company would resolve these issues.

Guadalajara Cartel Founder Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo's Transfer to Home Previously Postponed

Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo was supposed to get out from Puente Grande prison in Jalisco on September 15 and be transferred to his house in the Ciudad del Sol neighborhood. However, it was deferred after the National Guard admitted they could not do it due to a lack of personnel.

The postponement in placing Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo under house arrest had certainly not made his lawyers happy. One of his lawyers, Teresa Vallejo Perez, accused Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Rosa Icela Rodriguez of meddling in the process and ordering the transfer to be suspended.

Vallejo Perez noted that she will hold the secretary and "all of Mexico" responsible if her client died. The lawyer said the secretary intends to build an image that his client is an evil man who will be sacrificed for political gains.

Vallejo Perez further noted that the National Guard agents had already told her there was no danger to the public or possibilities of escape and had sufficient personnel to transfer the Guadalajara Cartel founder to his home.

She said the agents had also checked Felix Gallardo's ankle monitor and verified that it worked correctly. The Mexican drug lord must wear an ankle monitor for authorities to know where he is.

The Guadalajara Cartel founder's lawyers, wife, and son waited more than three hours for the formal release of Felix Gallardo from prison last week, but it did not materialize.

READ NEXT: Ailing Guadalajara Cartel Founder Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo to Spend More Days in Prison as Transfer to Private Home Suspended

Guadalajara Cartel Founder Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo's Ailments

Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo had already been allowed to continue his sentence from home as his health deteriorated. However, the FGR challenged the order issued by a judge.

The FGR argued that the judge had only ruled on his 40-year sentence and not his separate 37-year sentence. According to reports, another judge still needs to rule about his 37-year sentence.

Felix Gallardo is currently serving two prison sentences that add up to his 76-year-old age. He was arrested in April 1989 for the kidnapping and killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar.

In the same year, a court sentenced the Guadalajara Cartel founder to 40 years in prison for crimes that included stockpiling weapons, drug trafficking, murder, bribery, and money laundering. However, after serving 28 years, a 2017 retrial sentenced him to an additional 37 years for the death of Camarena.

In granting him house arrest, the judge said the Mexican drug kingpin could serve the remaining three years of his sentence for drug trafficking and possession of weapons in a private home due to his advanced age and health problems. And after he completed it, the judge noted that Felix Gallardo will have to begin serving his sentence for the murder of Camarena.

Last year, the Guadalajara Cartel founder told Telemundo that his health was terrible and that his family was already digging a hole under a tree for him to be buried. He also said he does not have hopes of getting out of prison.

He noted that he had lost all hope of being released and believed he would die in prison. Felix Gallardo is currently blind in one eye and deaf in one ear and often needs an oxygen tank in order to breathe.

Felix Gallardo, also known for his aliases "El Jefe de Jefes"(The Boss of Bosses) and "El Padrino" (The Godfather), once worked with Rafael Caro Quintero, another Guadalajara Cartel co-founder, who was recently arrested by security forces in Sinaloa.

Felix Gallardo also oversaw lieutenants like young Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, who later became the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. He was also known to work with Amado Carrillo Fuentes for the fleet of airplanes used to move drugs for his Juarez cartel.

READ MORE: Guadalajara Cartel Founder Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo to Remain in Prison Even After Being Granted House Arrest | Here's Why

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Miguel Felix Gallardo: The Dark Story - From Humans of History
Watching television along with a young child can be beneficial to their cognitive development, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Portsmouth say that although too much exposure of young infants to TV may be detrimental to play, language development and executive functioning, watching age-appropriate content can also have its benefits.

These benefits can include reinforcing their learning and improving conversation skills through co-viewing with an adult.

Dr Eszter Somogyi from the universitys department of psychology said: Were used to hearing that screen exposure is bad for a child and can do serious damage to their development if its not limited to, say, less than an hour a day. While it can be harmful, our study suggests the focus should be on the quality or context of what a child is watching, not the quantity.

Weak narrative, fast-pace editing, and complex stimuli can make it difficult for a child to extract or generalise information.

But when screen content is appropriate for a childs age, its likely to have a positive effect, particularly when its designed to encourage interaction.

The research, published in Frontiers In Psychology, looked at 478 studies published in the past two decades and concluded that context was crucial to how beneficial screen use could be.

Dr Somogyi explained: Families differ a lot in their attitudes toward and the use of media.

These differences in the viewing context play an important role in determining the strength and nature of TVs impact on childrens cognitive development.

Watching television with your child and elaborating and commenting on what is viewed can help enhance their understanding of the content, reinforcing their learning during educational programmes.

Co-viewing can also contribute to the development of their conversation skills and provides children with a role model for appropriate television viewing behaviour.

The research authors point out that in the past 30 years the number of television programmes targeting infants had increased with the screen time of children aged between 0 and two years doubling between 1997 and 2014.

The authors recommend reinforcing contexts that promote learning, such as viewing chosen age-adapted content, viewing with adult supervision, and not having a second device or TV screen on in the background.

Dr Bahia Guellai, from the department of psychology at Paris Nanterre University, who was also involved in the research, said: The important take-home message here is that caregivers should keep in mind new technologies.

Television or smartphones should be used as potential tools to complement some social interactions with their young children, but not to replace (them).

I think the most important challenge of our societies for future generations is to make adults and young people aware of the risk of an unconsidered or inappropriate use of screen use.

This will help in preventing situations in which screens are used as the new type of child-minding, as it has been during the pandemic lockdowns in different countries.

I am optimistic with the concept of finding an equilibrium between the rapid spread of new technological tools and the preservation of the beautiful nature of human relationships.
A diabetic who drove while disqualified because he needed to get food was banned from driving for ten years.

David Binions, 36, of Rathleague, Portlaoise was stopped while driving on the Abbeyleix Road in Portlaoise on June 17 last.

Sgt JJ Kirby said when stopped he gave his name as David Conroy which turned out to be false. He said the defendant had 14 previous convictions and had been disqualified from driving at the time.

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick admitted her client had a horrendous record and said while he has an appalling record for driving with no insurance, he has no convictions for driving under the influence or dangerous driving.

Ms Fitzpatrick said the man left school at 14 to work and is currently on disability. She explained that he has diabetes and he drove because he had to get something to eat.

She provided some letters of support to Judge Michelle Finan.

On reading the material, Judge Finan said I can see that the community and his family are very supportive of him and speak highly of him.

Judge Finan said she didnt believe jailing the defendant would benefit anyone. She ordered a probation report with a view to community service and said if he was found suitable he could carry out 200 hours of community service in lieu of six months in prison.

Judge Finan disqualified the man from driving and put the case back to January 19 for finalisation.
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.
Gardai at Naas are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision on the M7 motorway in County Kildare.

Gardai and Emergency Services were alerted shortly after 4:00am after a male pedestrian in his mid-20s was struck by a car traveling northbound on the M7 between J11 and J10 near Naas.

He was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. The occupants of the car did not require hospital treatment.

Garda Forensic Collision Investigators are examining the scene and the M7 remains closed to north bound (Dublin bound) traffic between J11 (M7/M9) and J10 (Naas South) following the collision.



Traffic on the M9 is currently being diverted at J2 Kilcullen and on the M7 at J12 Newbridge. Diversions are expected to remain in place for much of the morning. Further traffic updates are available on @gardatraffic.

Investigating Gardai are appealing for witnesses to come forward and are particularly appealing to motorists who may have stopped at the scene of the collision prior to the arrival of Gardai and Emergency Services to make contact with them.

They are also asking motorists with any video footage (including dash cam) who were travelling on the M7 between J11 and J10 in either direction in hours prior to the collision, to make it available to them.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Naas Garda Station on 045 884300 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has published new research outlining Irish adults preparations for their retirement. The research findings show that a high percentage of consumers do not have any pension plan in place. When asked their reasons for not having a pension in place, 32% stated that they have yet to get around to it, 20% feel they are too young and a further 20% dont feel they can afford it.

Almost a quarter (23%) of those in the 55-64 years age group - those who may expect to retire in the next decade - reported that they dont currently have a pension in place. 77% of this age cohort expect to qualify for the State Contributory pension as one way of funding their retirement. Of the 735 adults who took part in the research, two thirds (66%) stated they would be using the State Contributory pension to help fund their retirement. The research also shows that 32% of those questioned were unaware of the amount of the State Contributory pension payment (currently 253 per week).

Respondents intend to supplement their pension plans with a variety of other forms of retirement funding, including, selling a property (24%), rental income (23%), equity release (15%) and selling a business (14%). One third of those aged 25-34 expect to use funds from the sale of a property or income from a rental property as a source of funding in retirement.

Kevin O'Brien, Member of the CCPC, said: "This research suggests a lack of provision for adequate retirement income among a considerable cohort of Irish adults. It raises concerns therefore around the long-term financial well-being of consumers, with 38% having no pension in place.

Of those surveyed, many cite the time to set up a pension or being too young as barriers to making pension provisions. Pension planning is key to maintaining financial well-being in retirement and it is evident from this new research that many Irish adults do not have the necessary provisions in place to provide for a secure retirement, despite the significant tax reliefs available on pension contributions.

Two thirds of consumers surveyed indicated that they would be willing to pay automatic contributions into a compulsory pension scheme. This is positive news with pension auto-enrolment set to be introduced to Ireland in 2024, which will see employees automatically enrolled in a workplace pension scheme which will be co-funded by their employer and the State.
Leitrim County Council is not in a position to advise which estates may be taken in charge around Leitrim next year.

Questions were raised about Liscara in Carrick-on-Shannon and Lock Estate in Rooskey this month. Cllr Enda Stenson said Liscara is an excellent place and needs to be made a priority - it cant be let deteriorate any further. The council said, While the Liscara estate will be considered, the Council can give no guarantee that the process necessary to qualify will be completed in time for the next tranche of taking in charge. Cllr Stenson asked if any of the apartments have been highlighted to the Government for Ukrainian refugees, but the council replied that the issues with the estate are complicated.

Cllr Sean McGowan asked for an update on the taking in charge of the Lock Estate in Rooskey. He stated that there is no public lighting in the estate, and it is extremely dark for the residents who live there." The local authority said The Lock, which is a small development and needs no works to complete may be considered for inclusion in the next tranche of taking in charge. For an estate to be taken in charge, several pre-requisites have to be completed, including obtaining the agreement of Irish Water.

About the issue of the lack of street lighting in this estate, the council noted the development sought planning permission without any street lighting being proposed; with permission being granted on that basis. As the estate was not intended to have street lighting provided as an integral part of the development, the Council will not be providing any street lighting as part of the taking in charge process and any street lighting at this location will have to be considered under the Councils street lighting programme; where it will be subject to the usual budgetary and priority considerations." However the council did say they will engage with residents for a lighting solution.
Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, Qatar energy minister, and Patrick Pouyanne, TotalEnergies CEO, in Doha on September 24, 2022. KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

France's TotalEnergies on Saturday, September 24, signed a major investment in Qatar's natural gas production expansion, which comes as Europe searches for new energy sources as an alternative to Russia.

Qatar Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi announced the deal with TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanne. TotalEnergies will have 9.3% of the North Field South project, Mr. Kaabi said, for which 25% will be reserved for foreign energy firms.

"Qatar Energy announces the selection of TotalEnergies as a partner for the development of the North Field South," Qatar's official news agency QNA said. "New partners will be announced at a later stage."

Mr. Kaabi said that the French giant would also help to finance the extraction of gas from North Field South. He said the French firm would take on an "enhanced strategic" role in Qatar's gas expansion.

Read more Subscribers only As winter approaches, a global battle for liquefied natural gas has begun

Read more Subscribers only 'While very expensive and dirty, liquefied natural gas is the new star of energies'

10% of world reserves

In June, TotalEnergies agreed to a $2 billion deal to take part in the giant North Field East project, that will help Qatar increase its liquefied natural gas (LNG) production by more than 60% by 2027.

With European nations scrambling to find alternatives to Russian oil and gas, LNG from North Field is expected to start coming online in 2026.

Qatar is already one of the world's top LNG producers, alongside the United States and Australia.

State-owned Qatar Energy estimates that North Field holds about 10% of the world's known natural gas reserves. The reserves extend under the sea into Iranian territory, where Tehran's efforts to exploit its South Pars gas field have been hindered by international sanctions.

We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback

South Korea, Japan and China have become the main markets for Qatar's LNG but since an energy crisis hit Europe last year, the Gulf state has helped Britain with extra supplies and also announced a cooperation deal with Germany.

Read more Subscribers only 'The Arab gas pipeline project makes it possible to bypass Russia and avoid the long LNG tanker journey from Qatar'

Le Monde with AFP
The leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Akesson, delivers a speech in Frihamnen, the port of Gothenburg, Sweden, on August 26, 2022. BJORN LARSSON ROSVALL / AFP

A blue bus, chartered by the right wing and displaying the slogan "A new energy for Sweden," left Stockholm on Tuesday, August 23, for a tour of the country's three nuclear power plants. With less than three weeks to go before the September 11 general election  and with electricity prices hitting record highs in the Scandinavian kingdom  the country's conservatives, liberals and Christian Democrats were hoping to shine a spotlight on their pledge to revive the nuclear sector in Sweden, if they win the legislative elections.

This was without taking into account the controversy caused by the presence on board the bus of a far-right MP, Mattias Backstrom Johansson. Head of energy policy for the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD), he said he was happy to "campaign" with the other parties. "This shows a clear alternative for voters and what they can expect after the elections." These words were greeted with dismay by several liberal lawmakers, who demanded that their representative get off the bus immediately.

Read more Subscribers only Governing in coalitions: Commonplace throughout Europe, an oddity for France

In an attempt to pacify his colleagues, the leader of the Liberals, Johan Pehrson, said that this was just "a visit with three parties, who have a common vision of how we should restart Sweden as an industrial nation in order to get reasonable electricity prices," and that it should certainly not be seen as "an alliance." This time, the anger came from the ranks of the SD  who are polling at over 20% while the Liberals are stagnating at 4%  and who know that the only chance for the right to return to power, after eight years in opposition, is to join forces with them.

At the local then national level

We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback

"It was this very practical observation that led the conservatives and their Christian Democrat allies to change their strategy and begin to closen ties with the SD," explained Jonas Hinnfors, professor of political science at the University of Gothenburg in southwestern Sweden. Until a few years ago, such a scenario was unimaginable. Founded in 1988 by former fascists, the nationalist party remained unattractive, despite the efforts of Jimmie Akesson, its leader since 2005, to make it respectable.

But after the last legislative elections in 2018, the barrier gradually gave in. Initially entering parliament in 2010 with 5.7% of the vote, the SD then won 17.5% of the vote. Following the election, conservative leader Ulf Kristersson attempted to form a government with the Christian Democrats, Liberals and Centrists. With no majority in parliament, the four parties were dependent on support from the far right. The Centrists and Liberals refused, allowing the SD and the Greens to return for a second term.

You have 60.14% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on September 24, 2022. BRYAN R. SMITH / AFP

China and India on Saturday called at the UN headquarters in New York City for a negotiated end to the Ukraine war, stopping short of robust support for traditional ally Russia. After a week of pressure at the United Nations General Assembly, Russia's foreign minister took the General Assembly rostrum to deliver a fiery rebuke to Western nations for what he termed a "grotesque" campaign against Russians. But no major nation has rallied behind Russia, including China, which just days before the February invasion of Ukraine had vowed an "unbreakable" bond with President Vladimir Putin.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on both Russia and Ukraine to "keep the crisis from spilling over" and from affecting developing countries. "China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis. The pressing priority is to facilitate talks for peace," Wang said, adding: "The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture."

During his visit to the United Nations, Wang met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, in their first talks since the war began. Earlier this month Putin acknowledged Chinese "concerns" about Ukraine during a meeting with his counterpart Xi Jinping.

Read more Subscribers only Russia finds itself isolated in the UN Security Council

Limiting material support

US officials have been heartened by what they see as China's lack of concrete backing for the war and say that Beijing has declined requests to send military equipment, forcing Russia to rely on North Korea and Iran as its own supplies dwindle.

China's reaction to Russia is being closely watched for clues on its approach to Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that Beijing claims as its territory. Wang held firm that China would take "forceful steps" against any interference, insisting that efforts to prevent "reunification" with Taiwan would be "crushed by the wheels of history." India, unlike China, has a warm relationship with the United States but it has historic ties with Russia, its traditional defense supplier. "As the Ukraine conflict continues to rage, we are often asked whose side we are on," said India's foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. "Our answer, each time, is straight and honest -- India is on the side of peace and will remain firmly there," he said, concluding "We are on the side that calls for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out."

Russia on offensive

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a news conference declined to answer whether there has been any pressure from China. In his speech, he sought to cast blame squarely on the West. "The official Russophobia in the West is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque," Lavrov told the General Assembly. "They are not shying away from declaring the intent to inflict not only military defeat on our country but also to destroy and fracture Russia."

The United States, he said, since the end of the Cold War has acted as if it is "an envoy of God on Earth, with the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and wherever they want," Lavrov said. He also blasted the European Union as an "authoritarian, harsh, dictatorial entity" and said the bloc's leadership forced one member state's leader -- Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades -- to cancel a planned meeting with him.

We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback

Western powers are looking at further sanctions after Putin called up reservists and made a veiled threat to use nuclear weapons, and have vowed not to recognize results of referendums on Russian annexation being held in occupied territories. They have welcomed Lavrov's isolation, noting how he only showed up at a Security Council session on Thursday to deliver remarks and not to listen to others. Russia enjoyed one rare voice of support Saturday at the General Assembly. Mali's interim Prime Minister Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, appointed by coup leaders, hailed the "exemplary and fruitful cooperation" with Moscow.

The junta has welcomed Russia's Wagner Group security firm, despite Western allegations of rights abuses, as France pulled out troops who had been struggling to contain a jihadist insurgency.

Le Monde
ORGANIC Limerick dairy farmer Sean Condon has been chosen as one of five ambassadors for the 2022 Farming for Nature public vote awards.

Sean beat off competition from 60 farmers to be just one of five picked.

Now in its fifth year, Farming For Nature was set up with the aim of identifying, celebrating and supporting farmers who are farming, or farmers who wish to farm, in ways that support and protect nature on their land. And thats exactly what Sean is doing.

You can vote for Sean at farmingfornature.ie. The deadline is midnight on Friday, October 28.

An organic dairy farmer from Crecora, Sean farms about 140 acres of good grassland. He milks 50 cows once a day. External inputs on the farm are extremely low and Sean takes pride in managing a low-input, low intensity productive farm. Some of the milk produced is sold under Seans own brand of organic raw milk  Templeroe Milk.

The remainder is sold to the Little Milk Company. He also supplies to high-end restaurants.

Sean is passionate about maintaining traditional farming systems whereby production and nature work in harmony.

For me, farming for nature may be more about what I'm not doing rather than what I am doing, said Sean, who also has a deep association with Limerick and Crecora Camogie.

Permanent pasture, mature hedgerows, pockets of woodland and a pond all provide important habitats for the healthy population of birds and other wildlife on his land. Some years ago, a reed-bed system was installed to clean run-off water from the farmyard. Sean leaves wild plants grow around the farm and recognises their importance in farmland ecosystems.

If you don't have some weeds on the land then you don't have insects, and without insects there is not much food source for young birds, said Sean.

Dr Brendan Dunford of the Burren Programme, founder and committed volunteer with Farming for Nature said: At a time of so much divisive debate around food security, biodiversity loss and climate change, this years farming for nature ambassadors offer us the hope, inspiration and practical advice that we so desperately need to navigate the challenges  and embrace the opportunities - that lie ahead. These farmers deserve our respect, gratitude and support: they embody all thats great about rural Ireland and we are so proud of them.
RESIDENTS in on Limerick town put their heads and hearts together to organise a special send-off for their local parish priest, who has been saying Mass in the community for more than two decades.

Rathkeale came together to bid farewell to Clare native Father Willie Russell, their priest who has served in the community at St Marys Church, for the last 22 years.

One touching tribute on the night described Fr Russell as a ball of fun, likening him to a grandfather, father and brother rolled into one.

The freshly painted Community Hall in Rathkeale, Limerick was teeming with well-wishers for the event, earlier this month.

Countless speakers expressed best wishes for their adopted priest, after diligently serving Abbeyfeale and its surrounding districts.

Brid Meehan read a special poem she authored for the occasion, Tribute to a Clare Man.

Guests on the night included Fr Willies family and Fr Liam Enright, who returned from his new parish of St Josephs, on O Connell Avenue, in Limerick City.

It was a wonderful opportunity to work with so many great people in the historic town of Rathkeale, said Fr Willie, taking to the podium.

The send-off was organised by Amanda Sheridan, Breda McCarthy, Nora McCarthy and Gia Sheridan, all members of Rathkeales Traveller community, with assistance from more members of the parish, Downes Eurospar and the other providers of the wonderful food.

Seamus Hogan was the charming master of ceremonies, the musicians played beautifully, and George Daly recorded the event.

In one final hurrah, the community thanked Fr Willie for his kindness, understanding and always being there when loved ones passed away.

They thanked him for his spiritual deeds. Our doors are always open to Fr Willie in Rathkeale, concluded Amanda Sheridan.
GARDAI in Limerick are investigating a "vicious" and "pointless" attack that left a man in hospital.

A man was attacked by a gang of five males on Wednesday, September 21 on Mungret Street in Limerick city.

The incident occurred at 3:30pm. The man was viciously beaten and knocked unconscious, receiving a number of head injuries.

The injured man was taken to University Hospital Limerick by ambulance. He has since made a full recovery.

Garda John Finnerty described the attack as "vicious" and "pointless" and "has no place in our society".

Gardai in Henry Street are investigating the incident and are appealing to the public to help them identify the culprits involved.

"Unfortunately we do not have a description of them. There would have been a large number of people either walking on Mungret St or driving by at the time of the attack at 3.30pm.

"If you were one of them and you seen this attack, then please contact the gardai at Henry St garda station at 061 212400".
A group of farmers that had blocked National Highway-44 near Shahdabad for their demands of immediate paddy procurement has lifted the blockade after getting assurance from the district administration on Saturday.

Also Read: Farm output to grow at least 3% despite lower rice harvest

We had talks with the district administration & they've ensured that paddy procurement will start immediately. As our demands have been met, we have decided to lift the blockade on the road", said Gurnam Singh Chaduni, the president of Bhartiya Kisan Union.

#UPDATE | Haryana: We had talks with the district administration & they've ensured that paddy procurement will start immediately. As our demands have been met, we have decided to lift the blockade on the road: Gurnam Singh Chaduni, President, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Haryana) https://t.co/TbMjAzJvFJ  ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2022

It is worth noting that more than 700 farmers joined the protest to block the highway from Friday for their demand for an immediate beginning of paddy procurement.

Also Read: Agritech is changing future of farming. Top 5 stocks benefitting from the change

Along with immediate paddy procurement, farmers also demanded a hike in calculating paddy yield per acre from 22 quintals to 30 quintals for procurement.

The demand for an increase in paddy yield was met the same day. The government had agreed to calculate the paddy yield per acre as 28 quintals instead of 22 quintals at present. As there was no assurance on paddy procurement by the government, the farmers continued their protest.

The protest turned chaotic when some protesting farmers jumped over police barricades put up on the road. Blockades on the national highway caused a huge problem for the daily commuters due to long traffic jams. Many of them remained stranded on the road for hours. Later the vehicles were diverted from Pipli to Chandigarh via Pehowa and Ladwa.

Gurnam Singh Chaduni, leading the protest had assured of a peaceful protest but warned of things going out of control if police resorted to lathi charges or tear gas. Luckily, the protest was called-off the next day only, as the district administration held a meeting with the farmers and also announced to take a farmer's delegation to Chandigarh for further discussions with senior government officials.

(With agency inputs)
Hong Kong: Christopher Hui to visit Manila

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui will depart for Manila, the Philippines, on September 26 for the 55th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

On the meetings sidelines, Mr Hui will meet ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa, ADB senior personnel and other financial officials attending the yearly meeting.

He will also meet senior government officials of the Philippines, as well as engage in dialogue with businesspeople invited by Asia Society Philippines.

Mr Hui will return to Hong Kong on September 29. During his absence, Under Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Joseph Chan will be Acting Secretary.

This story has been published on: 2022-09-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
At least 36 people have died as a result of hazardous weather in northern India during the past 24 hours, including 12 who were struck by lightning. Officials haveissued a warning about more intense downpours in the coming days.

According to Relief Commissioner Ranvir Prasad, at least 24 people were killed in Uttar Pradeshafter their homes collapsed due to heavy rainfall.

According to reports by officials, reports that 39 individuals in the state had died from lightning in the past five days. Authorities have issued fresh recommendations for how people should protect themselves during a thunderstorm.

Lightning strikes are common during Indias monsoon season, which runs from June to September.

Recommendations issued

During the thunderstorm

Keep a watch on local weather updates and warnings

Try to stay indoors; stay off verandas

Unplug all electrical equipment. Don't use corded telephones

Don't touch plumbing and metal pipes. Do not use running water

Stay away from structures with tin roofs/metal sheeting

Don't take shelter near/under trees

Stay put if you are inside a car/bus/covered vehicle

Don't use metallic objects; stay away from power/telephone lines

Get out of water - pools, lakes, small boats on water bodies and take safe shelter immediately

After thunderstorm

Stay away from storm-damaged areas

Listen to local radio/TV stations for updated information or instructions on weather and traffic updates

Help children, women, elderly and differently-abled

Stay away from fallen trees/power lines and report them to nearest tehsil/district headquarter immediately.

Frequency of lightning has increased

According to Col. Sanjay Srivastava of the Lightning Resilient India Campaign, which collaborates with the Indian Meteorological Department, deforestation along with depletion of freshwater resources, and pollution all contribute to climate change, which increases lightning frequency.

Over the past year, there has been a 34% increase in lightning strikes in India, which has led to an increase in mortality. According to Srivastava, India had 1,489 lightning-related deaths in 2016, and that figure increased to 2,869 in 2021.

Global warming has also increased the frequency of lightning, said Sunita Narain, director general at the Center for Science and Environment. A 1-degree-Celsius (1.8-degree-Fahrenheit) rise in temperature increases lightning by 12 times.

The capital is also not unaffected by the ravages of the continuous torrential rains sweeping across the region. Saturday witnessed the third consecutive day as rains continued to lash Delhi and the capital region, causing water logging and traffic snarls at some places.

(With inputs from AP)
Even as Pakistan is suffering from the worst economic crisis with inflation soaring up to 27% in August and one-third of the country still inundated with floods, the doles for the Pakistan Army don't seem to stop. Citizens of Pakistan are expressing their anger on social media platforms against their government's decision to exempt tax on the import of bulletproof vehicles by army officers, even after their retirement.

The notification, which was put on hold after the protests, has been approved by the federal cabinet. It exempts senior army officers of the Pakistani Army from the payment of all duties and taxes on the import of bulletproof vehicles up to 6000cc after their retirement.

The exemption of Customs Duty, Sales Tax, Withholding Tax, and Federal Excise Duty (FED) would be applicable on the import of bulletproof vehicles up to 6,000cc by the military officers, including Lieutenant Generals, services chiefs, Chief of the Army Staff and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), the report by News International confirms.

The process will be followed on the recommendation of the defence ministry and all four-star generals will be allowed to import two duty-free vehicles after their retirement, whereas, three-star officers will be allowed to import one such duty-free bulletproof vehicle, according to the reports of The Dawn.

Prior permission from the law enforcement agencies would be required before such import and in case the officer disposes of the vehicle before five years, the law enforcement agency will recover all duties and taxes applicable at the time of import of such vehicles.

Sources also claim that the decision to allow such duty-free import of bulletproof vehicles was first taken in 2019 but was not implemented for the reasons best known to the government.

The decision came at a time when the country is suffering from its worst economic crisis and its worst floods in decades. Inflation is at an all-time high, the foreign reserves are dwindling rapidly, the burden of heavy external debts, etc.

With Inputs from agencies.
At a time when India and Pakistan are engaged in a war of words at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh asserted the capability of the Indian Army to give a befitting reply to any power looking at India with evil intentions. The minister also informed that with China now, India will engage on an equal footing.

He was addressing an event to release a five-volume book on Deendayal Upadhyay. Newly elected Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar was also present on the occasion.

He mentioned Deendayal Upadhyay as the first person to speak in favor of nuclear weapons for India after China tested nuclear weapons in 1964.

The minister also claimed that even after having nuclear weapons in 1998 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India also used nuclear weapons as a deterrent and never intended to use them against any country.

"Because of that deterrence, the Indian Army today has the full confidence of self-defense. Today in 2022, when India's army engages with China, it does so on an equal footing.

"If any power looks towards India with evil intention, Indian soldiers have the capability to give a befitting reply," he said.

The minister also affirmed that the goal of the country's defense programs is not to be just self-sufficient in its defense needs but also to export defense items to other countries. "I can say we are moving fast towards fulfilling the dreams of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay," he said.

He informed the audience that the Defence Ministry had issued three "positive indigenization lists" of 310 defense items that would be entirely manufactured in India and would not be procured from any other country under any circumstances after a deadline.

"You will be happy to know that we have earmarked a major part of our budget for buying only from domestic vendors," he told the gathering.

With Inputs from PTI.
While Cambridge has often celebrated its well-known abolitionists, like Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce, a new report shows that the institution benefitted substantially from the slave trade over many years, with a significant part of the universitys funding derived from the exploitation of enslaved people.

The research was conducted by two Cambridge post-doctoral researchers appointed by the Advisory Group on the Legacies of Enslavement, a group of senior academics, student and alumni representatives chaired by Professor Martin Millet, the Laurence Professor of Classical Archaeology. The group also established a panel of historians from outside the university to provide advice on the research.

The enquiry, which was launched in 2019 and published as a digest on Friday, aimed to shed a light on the ways in which the university was involved in the slave trade, as well as how its scholarship shaped public and political opinion, reinforcing racist ideas between the 18th and early 20th centuries.

While several Cambridge alumni were enslavers and plantation owners, the universitys most direct involvement in the slave trade came through its investments in the South Sea Company, which traded slaves between Africa, South America and the Caribbean from 1713 to 1740. Cambridge colleges including Corpus Christi, Gonville & Caius, Jesus, Kings and Pembroke were large investors in those companies and made significant financial benefits" through their investment, the research found. Many Colleges continued to receive dividends on their bonds until their redemption in 1854.

The report notes that the Gibbs Building in Kings College was largely built with income from the slave trade, while The Fitzwilliam Museum was partly funded with donations that derived from the profits of the slave trade. Several colleges also invested in the East India Company, and later, at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries, held investments in other colonial enterprises in Australia and Africa. Some colleges also received donations directly from colonial companies.

Researchers also found that academics at Cambridge consistently developed and disseminated racist ideas that justified enslavement and colonization. Cambridge was a stronghold of pro-Confederate thought during and after the American Civil War.

Cambridge said a full version of the research would be published in 2023.

In response to the findings, the report calls for the creation of a Cambridge Legacies of Enslavement Research Centre to continue the work by the enquiry. Cambridge said it will pay 1.5 million ($1.7 million) of seed funding to develop proposals for the center, as well as other activities.

Cambridge will also commission and install plaques that identify and contextualize statues of individuals around the university, according to the report.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
Russia on Friday has reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment to Vladimir Putin on 'not an era of war' when the two spoke on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, saying that remarks have been consistent with India's position on the issue.

"The West uses only those quotes that suit them while ignoring other parts," he said.

While addressing a press conference, Russia's Ambassador to India Denis Alipov was asked about PM Modi's appeal to Putin on cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, to which he said that the remarks have been consistent with India's position on the issue.

During a meeting with Putin in Samarkand, PM Modi had told the Russian leader that today's era is not of war", remarks that were seen by a section of world leaders as a public rebuke. For his part, Vladimir Putin assured PM Modi that he was aware of India's worries on the crisis in Ukraine and that Russia will use all available means to put a stop to it as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the US was heartened by the comments made by PM Modi.

Speaking on price cap, Alipov also said that the country would stop supplying oil to the global market if the price cap proposed by G-7 countries was not fair.

"If we consider the prices are not fair and unacceptable to us, we would simply stop supplying the oil to global markets and to those countries that join the US initiative on the price cap," he said.

He further added that said Russia would not follow any mechanism detrimental to its trade interests.

With sanctions imposed by western nations making scant impact on Russia, the G-7 countries and the European Union have mooted an oil price cap on Russian crude and refined products to limit Kremlin's revenues.

Earlier this month, a statement issued by G-7 Finance Ministers said the price cap was specifically designed to reduce Russian revenues and its ability to fund the Ukraine war.

Alipov said the price cap will lead to acute shortage of oil in the global markets and the price would sharply go up.

The US has asked India to join the coalition to cap the prices of Russian oil, but New Delhi has said it would "carefully examine" the proposal before taking any decision.

"India has so far taken a careful approach to this idea. It will not be beneficial to Indian interest," Alipov said, acknowledging that India would pursue its own interest if such a step gets implemented.

Speaking on reports about Pakistan transferring arms to Ukraine, Alipov said if such deliveries have taken place it would have a negative impact on Russia's relations with Pakistan.

"As of now there have been such unconfirmed reports. I do not know about the facts. If there is a confirmation of this there will be an impact on our relations with Pakistan there is no doubt about that," the Russian envoy said.

(With inputs from PTI)
Russian police moved quickly Saturday to disperse peaceful protests against President Vladimir Putin's military mobilization order, arresting hundreds, including some children, in several cities across the vast country.

Police detained more than 700 people, including over 300 in Moscow and nearly 150 in St. Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, an independent website that monitors political arrests in Russia. Some of the arrested individuals were minors, OVD-Info said.

The demonstrations followed protests that erupted within hours Wednesday after Putin, in a move to beef up his volunteer forces fighting in Ukraine, announced a call-up of experienced and skilled army reservists.

The Defense Ministry said about 300,000 people would be summoned to active duty, but the order left a door open to many more getting called into service. Most Russian men ages 18-65 are automatically counted as reservists.

On Saturday, police deployed in force in the cities where protests were scheduled by opposition group Vesna and supporters of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. They moved quickly to arrest demonstrators, most of them young people, before they could hold protests.

In Moscow, a heavy contingent of police roamed a downtown area where a protest was planned and checked the IDs of passersby. Officers rounded up those they deemed suspicious.

A young woman climbed on a bench and shouted We aren't cannon fodder!" before police took her away.

In St. Petersburg, small groups of demonstrators managed to gather and shout protest slogans before being rounded up.

In the city of Novosibirsk in eastern Siberia, over 70 people were detained after singing an innocuous Soviet-era song praising peace.

In another Siberian city, of Irkutsk, police handed summons to military conscription offices to men who took part in a protest.

People who tried to hold individual pickets that are allowed under Russian law also were detained.

The quick police action followed the dispersal of Wednesdays protests, when over 1,300 people were detained on Wednesday in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities.

Putin on Saturday signed a hastily approved bill that toughens the punishment for soldiers who disobey officers orders, desert or surrender to the enemy.
In a joint statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, it said that The United Nations requires urgent and comprehensive reforms while emphasising that the Security Council must be reflective of the "aspirations and perspectives of the developing world" that form the majority of UN global membership.

India emphasised its concerns in a statement of 32 countries highlighting the urgency to push reforms in the UN Security Council.

While stating that the UNSC was the principal organization for international peace and security, joint signatories to the statement reaffirmed that adapting the United Nations to contemporary world realities necessarily requires urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council.

The heads of delegations were convinced of the need to restore faith in effective multilateralism and stated, "we stand united, as a group of pro-reform like-minded States, determined to work towards a more inclusive, responsive and participatory international governance architecture,"

The statement read, "We further recognize that lack of progress in Security Council reform has serious implications, not only for the continued relevance of global governance institutions but also for global peace and security and delivering on the purposes, principles and promises of the United Nations Charter,"

The head of delegations emphasized that the reformed Security Council should better reflect the current membership of the United Nations, including through increased representation of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which make up about 20% of the United Nations membership.

The delegation reiterated that the expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories, as well as reform in its working methods, is indispensable to making this body more representative, legitimate and effective.

"We reaffirm our support for the representation of Africa in line with the Common African Position, as contained in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration,"

"We commit to 'instil new life' in our efforts during the 77th session of the General Assembly, and urgently call on all Members States of the United Nations to join hands to achieve a comprehensive reform of the Security Council,"

The delegation felt the need for a formal negotiation process, guided by the decision-making modalities and working methods laid out in the Charter of the United Nations and in line with the rules and procedures of the General Assembly.

With inputs from ANI












M&M Industries is allowing their employees to work for other manufacturing companies around the Chattanooga area. To make things easier for everyone involved, they will still pay their employees and they will get to keep their benefits as well.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Granard's first tentative steps to establish itself as a location for a book festival took place last week. Granard Booktown Festival is inspired by the global booktown movement, most notably Wigtown in Scotland.



Through books and the arts, Granard, will become Ireland's newest booktown.

Using words and literature we will bring speakers, writers and artists to the town over a long weekend each April.



The launch of Granard Booktown Festival took place in Granard Library last week. There was a bumper attendance for the occasion when author and Irish Times columnist Michael Harding was the guest speaker.

Still Voices Film Festival co-founder Ronan O'Toole is one of the driving forces behind the initiative. Ronan was delighted with the initial engagement of the booktown festival: The launch was great. There was a good turnout from the Granard community. The board is a made up of many people from all across the county, so it was very important to get the support of the people of Granard.

Rosemary Gaynor of Granard Library put in a tremendous effort and that helped the evening go well. The talk by Michael Harding on the importance of books was brilliant. Everyone is thrilled and very excited at the prospect of the festival next April.



On the evening of the launch RTE were filming a piece for the programme Keys to my Life.

Presenter Brendan Courtney accompanied Michael Harding to the launch as part of that show.

The festival is run by a committee of local writers, artists and academics. Accessibility board member, James Cawley, is ensuring it will be a fully accessible festival.



Booktown 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 Carlton Reynolds and RTE radio host and founder of Ireland's largest book club Rick O Shea.



Best-selling author John Connell, Viv Huynh, Cllr Remu Adejinmi, Belinda McKeon and Coucnil Cathaoirleach Turlough McGovern are all board members.



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.

All roads lead to Granard, Longford, April 21-23, 2023 for the inaugural Booktown festival. For more information visit the website www.granardbooktown festival.ie or follow on social media.
The Minister for Justice has said warnings over a rise in anti-social behaviour in west Dublin have not been ignored by the Government, as she announced a number of measures to tackle ongoing issues.

Helen McEntee unveiled plans to crack down on anti-social problems in Cherry Orchard, where a Garda car was rammed by joyriders on Monday evening.

Ms McEntee visited the area on Friday to hear about the communitys concerns and meet with a number of local representatives.

Among a number of measures will be an increase of high-visibility policing in the area, including the city centre.

Determined response from the community in Cherry Orchard. A minority will never be allowed terrorise decent communities  those who deserve to be punished will be. But providing services and supports for young people and communities is vital to preventing anti social behaviour pic.twitter.com/moIMYBXnWs  Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) September 23, 2022

The incident, which saw a Garda vehicle being rammed by a car, has been widely condemned.

Footage of the incident, which also shows dozens of onlookers cheering after the Garda car is rammed, was shared online.

Ms McEntee and Minister of State with Responsibility for Law Reform James Browne met with community representatives and organisations, public representatives, as well as Garda members.

Reiterating her condemnation of the incident, Ms McEntee said: It was obviously unacceptable that this community should have to put up with this type of behaviour, or that members of An Garda Siochana should be treated in this way.

But the reason that Im here today is to work with the community to try and respond and ensure that there is a criminal justice response, that we have the gardai and the resources to support that the community need to respond to these types of issues.

But beyond that we support the community in making sure that the right type of resources, the right type of supports, and the right type of comprehensive community response is in place.

There are fantastic people working in this community, living in this community, who just want to get on with their lives and support those who need their help.

What Ive given today is a commitment that as Minister for Justice, we will respond and that we will help them with that co-ordinated response.

She also rejected a suggestion that the Government has ignored warnings from local councillors in the area who have been flagging anti-social behaviour issues for some time.

Weve been speaking to local gardai, who for some months now have been working with the local community, responding to these types of incidents, and trying to put in place the most effective policing response, while at the same time working with the community groups to try and get to the crux and behind what is actually happening, Ms McEntee added.

What we saw on Monday evening I think was probably an escalation of a lot of what is happening.

What I intend to do now is make sure that the most comprehensive response is put in place, not just in terms of criminal justice responses but the wider response that the community need.

She said that any change in the area following the additional resources will take some time.

The Fine Gael minister said Cherry Orchard was a wonderful community and needed support to lift it.

On Thursday, gardai raided six homes in the Ballyfermot area in connection with Mondays incident.

While the properties were searched, no arrests were made.
A number of measures and supports are needed to tackle the low representation of people living with sight loss in higher education and the workforce, a new report has found.

NCBI has launched a new report entitled Equitable Education, detailing the challenges faced by students who are blind or vision impaired, and their families, in the education system.

The report, based on the experiences of students and their families, contains a series of recommendations aimed at the Government and state agencies to ensure that all students, regardless of their level of vision, have access to an equitable and inclusive educational experience.

Lorna Fitzpatrick, NCBI Advocacy and Engagement Manager said: Sight loss is a spectrum and can impact everyone differently, so it is imperative that children and young people with sight loss have access to regular individualised assessments and timely interventions to ensure they have the skills to be independent and active agents in their own learning.

The report clearly shows variations that exist in students experiences in accessing supports as well as the severe lack of quality data on the number of students with vision impairment in the education system or evidence to demonstrate that current supports are enabling these students to thrive. This data will be key to driving future decisions relating to supports for students with sight loss and must be a priority for the Government Departments and state agencies.

Eithne Walsh, Head of Communications and Advocacy with Feach said: This report marks a great starting point for improving supports for blind or vision impaired students in education. The issues highlighted in the report have been denying students with low vision equality of access to education, which ultimately affects every aspect of their lives. None of the issues are insurmountable, practical solutions can be put in place which will have a huge impact on their educational outcomes.

The Equitable Education Report describes many of the challenges faced for students who are blind or vision impaired from primary education through to tertiary education. It focuses on solutions that are needed to support children and young people with sight loss to access learning and to develop the skills to support them as they transition through education.

A recent AHEAD report shows that only 282 blind or vision impaired students are registered with Disability Support Services in Higher Education in 2020/2021. Further to this, only 24% of people who are blind or vision impaired are employed in Ireland. The low representation of people living with sight loss in higher education and the workforce demonstrates the need to implement changes throughout the education and employment systems to ensure they are supported to take up and achieve success throughout their lives.

Some recommendations, which are outlined in more detail from page 4 of the report, include:

Establish a database on the availability and delay of schoolbooks in accessible formats at beginning of each school year with the availability of learning materials as a KPI within the Department of Education on the timeline of delivery.

Review of SUSI eligibility criteria to provide support for students who are blind or vision impaired studying on a part-time basis.

Address the deficits in the provision of assistive technology and access skills to learning through the introduction of formalised procedures for individualised assessments and training to support optimum use of technology for learning.

Develop school transitioning protocols determining and agreeing content and the delivery of comprehensive transitional plans for children who are blind or vision impaired.

Fund the introduction of dedicated resources nationwide, similar to those in the south of the country, to deliver orientation and mobility supports for children and young people.

Agree to a formal process of engagement with students to ensure that their experiences influence positive change.
The relationship between Prince Harry and the rest of the Royal Family has soured in recent years, mainly due to his relationship with wife Meghan Markle and their decision to attack the media in 2019.

Markle was planning to sue Associated Newspapers Limited over a breach of her privacy, with their connected papers having printed a letter she had penned to her estranged father.

Prince Harry on the British press: "It's all lies"

The announcement of the lawsuit was set to be announced, however Harry needed to tell his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, ahead of time.

According to a new book released about the Royal Family, entitled 'Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown', Harry called the Queen to tell her.

"Prince Harry is looking nervous, as he is in a hotel in Malawi at the end of the first day of a three-day visit there as part of his and Meghan's 2019 tour of southern Africa and he's got to tell the Queen that he and Meghan are about to detonate a bomb under what has, until then, been a very successful autumn tour, and he's not looking forward to the prospect," an extract from the book started.

"In two days' time, Harry and Meghan will release an explosive announcement that Meghan is going to sue The Mail on Sunday over an article it published revealing the contents of a letter she wrote to her father.

"Harry will also publish a statement of his own, in which he will condemn the media and accuse the tabloids of waging a 'ruthless campaign' against Meghan, vilifying her on an almost daily basis.

"The media's behaviour, he will say, 'destroys people and destroys lives'. But first, he has to make that phone call.

"Harry often has an attack of the nerves before he has to speak to the Queen.

"So when he joined his team for a drink in the bar that Sunday evening, he sat there, so strung out and nervous that his private secretary, Sam Cohen, told him 'You need to have a beer'."

It was a matter of particular importance for Harry as he felt that his wife was being targeted and treated poorly, just like his late mother, Princess Diana, was.
Cuba is an island country located in the North American continent and it celebrates its Independence Day annually on 10th October which is also a national holiday in the country.

This day commemorates the beginning of the War of Independence of Cuba from the Spanish Empire in 1868 which lasted all the way upto 1898 until Cuba came under US occupation for a brief and then finally it was formally declared independent in 1902.

However, freedom was short-lived due to a series of rebellions during the Spanish-American War, when Dominican General Maximo Gomez failed to overthrow Spanish power but still this event eventually led to getting independence for Cuba and hence it is widely celebrated.

Event Cuba Independence Day Date October 10, 2022 Day Monday Significance The day honors Cuba's Independence Day Observed by Cuba

--Advertisement--

--Keep on reading--

Cuba Independence Day History:

The history of Cuba began with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 and the subsequent invasion of the island by the Spaniards. Aboriginal groups of the Guanahatabey, Ciboney, and Taino inhabited the island but were soon eliminated or died as a result of diseases or the shock of conquest. Thus, the impact of indigenous groups on subsequent Cuban society was limited, and Spanish culture, institutions, language, and religion prevailed.

Colonial society developed slowly after Spain colonized the island in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; pastoral pursuits and agriculture served as the basis of the economy. For the first three centuries after the conquest, the island remained a neglected stopping point for the Spanish fleet, which visited the New World and returned to Spain with the mineral wealth that they looted from the American continent.

However as the nation saw boom in its sugar industry the prosperity began to increase in the islands however at this time slavery was also introduced to the islands. But still Cuba remained loyal to the Spanish Empire for a very long time. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Cuban loyalty began to change as a result of Creole rivalry with Spaniards for the governing of the island, increased Spanish despotism and taxation, and the growth of Cuban nationalism.

These developments combined to produce a prolonged and bloody war, the Ten Years War against Spain (186878), but it failed to win independence for Cuba. At the outset of the second independence war (189598), Cuban independence leader Jose Marti was killed. As a result of increasingly strained relations between Spain and the United States, the Americans entered the conflict in 1898 and Cuba obtained official independence in 1902 after three and a half years of U.S. military occupation.

In 1902, President Tomas Estrada Palma was elected and Cuban independence was declared, albeit the Platt Amendment leased Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. Until 1925, when the United States formally acknowledged Cuban sovereignty over the island. Since its independence the country has also seen many drastic changes in its history.

--Advertisement--

--Keep on reading--

Cuba Independence Day Significance:

Cuba Independence Day is considered a very important holiday in the country and that's why it has also been designated as a national holiday in the country. Although the country did not got direct independence from the War of Independence against the Spanish but this event played a very important role which eventually led to the independence of the country as the US got involved in it which further weakened the Spanish control and which forced them to leave the country and US eventually gave independence to the country after a brief occupation.

So this day celebrates one of the most important event that ever took place in the country's history and this was the beginning of the first War of Independence against the Spanish Empire by the Cubans in 1868. Then after a long and painful struggle against the colonizers the Cubans were finally able to defeat them and get their independence by 1902.

This day also serves as an opportunity to all of the Cubans to understand the importance of freedom as during colonial years they were heavily looted and discriminated by the colonizers and so this day also encourages all of the Cubans to aiways show love and brotherhood for each other as they are only strong until they are united and so to ensure that Cuba remains free always it is necessary to maintain peace and harmony.

This day also works as a memorial for all of the Cubans as on this day they gets the chance to remember about all of the sacrifices and struggles by their ancestors during the brutal wars of independence. Hence it gives an opportunity to all of the Cubans to pay tribute to their heroes or leaders by remembering their sacrifice for the nation.

Otherwise this day also gives a chance to all of the Cubans to celebrate their culture and traditions proudly on this day. To feel proud of their identity as being Cuban and to enjoy the rich culture, food and traditions that the Cubans have! Overall it is a time of celebrations honoring the spirit of independence.

--Advertisement--

--Keep on reading--

Cuba Independence Day Celebrations:

As the Cuba Independence Day is a national holiday which means that the leave is given on this day during which all the public institutions, schools, offices remains closed for the day so that everyone can get the chance to enjoy and celebrate the freedom and spirit of Cuba.

Many beautiful and colorful events also takes place during the whole day and night on Independence Day this includes everything from massive parades in the streets to the several concerts and cultural programs taking place all across the country during which a large amount of people gathers together to enjoy a nice time for the Independence Day.

Students and other educational institutions all across the country also marks this day with grand celebrations. Like University students generally holds a torch march all across the city while paying tribute to the national hero Jose Marti. During these marches flags are very proudly waved all over the country. Several cultural programs are organized on this day at schools.

The main ceremony of this day takes place at the capital city of Havana like many other countries where military parades and flag hoisting ceremony take place. This is all broadcasted live on national television so that everyone in the countruu can witness this massive celebrations and feel proud of their country.

Cubans people celebrates this day by gathering with friends and family doing many recreational activities and traditional Cuban food is very much enjoyed during this festival. This all is followed by a nice fireworks show in the evening or night at various places across the country.

Most Searched FAQs on Cuba Independence Day:

1. When is Cuba Independence Day celebrated?

Cuba Independence Day is annually celebrated on 10th October.

2. From whom did Cuba got its independence?

Cuba got its independence from Spain.

3. Is Cuba still a communist country?

Yes, Cuba remains a communist country. Since 1959, the Communist Party of Cuba has been the countrys ruling party.
Dr. Joseph Saye Guannu

Sunrise: September 17, 1940

Sunset: August 29, 2022

This is a story of a true Patriot, Professor, Historian, Brother, Friend, and Culture Icon, Dr. Joseph Saye Guannu, I knew. My tribute: A Big Cotton Tree Uprooted is written on behalf of Liberian Students in the United States and Canada in the 1970s and 1980s. At that time he was affectionately referred to as Brother Saye. He was friendly with everybody who came in contact with him. He was the true definition of a GOOD PERSON: kind, helpful, trustworthy, considerate, and down to earth as we say in Liberian parlance. This giant of a man was born on Tuesday, September 17, 1940, in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, Liberia; he died on Monday, August 29, 2022, at about 8:43 p.m. in the city of Ganta, Nimba County - after a protracted period of illness; just a few weeks shy of his 82nd birthday.

Liberian Students Association in the Americas & Canada (LSA)

Below is a partial list of LSA members in the 1970s and 80s. This writer Siahyonkron J. K. Nyanseor, along with Tambakai A. Jangaba, Dr. Joseph Saye Guannu, Dr. D. Elwood Dunn, Gabriel Baccus Matthews, Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu, Sr., Dagbayonoh Kiah Nyanfore, II, Andrew W.N. Pyne, Charles MacArthur Taylor, Tarty Teh, Nyudueh Morkonmana, Leslie Norman Abayomi Cole, Samuel Polypheus Jackson, James Laveli Supuwood, Kronyahn Weefur, Saymah Y. Tuan, Willington Tehnewehtee Toe, Blamoh Nelson, Betty Marpu Lloyd, Gabriel Fanon Senyon, Dr. Robert K. Stewart, James A. Cassell, Thomas Bodio Collins, Jackie Goodridge, G. Moses Duopu, Peter N. Kerbay, Edward Okeke Davies, Jr., Joe B. Jimmeh, Bobbie W. Sandimanie, Joe Outland, Prof. Pajibo, Kai Bardoo Freeman, John Moore, Buford Taylor, Simon Yanford, Annie Tarr, Ellen Morris, Miatta Fahnbulleh, Francois T. Wurah, Dr. Robert J. Boakai, Jessie M. Cooper, Mollesuma Kromah, Togar Gayewea McIntosh, Catherine Nmah, Elizabeth Winnie Botoe, Judy Stryker, Hawa Beysolow, Roslyn Clement, etc., were part of the group of Liberian students in the Diaspora who felt the need to advocate in order to change the Liberian socio-political/economic system of monkey work baboon draw. As the result, we met frequently on the weekends at social events in the basement of Joe Outlands home; located at 150 East 94Th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11212. The photo below is the house on the left.



PHOTO Zillow: 150 East 94th Street, Brooklyn  Joe Outlands Residence (The Basement)

At one time or another, the following persons: this writer - Sam Anthony Roberts, III, aka Siahyonkron J. K. Nyanseor, Thomas J. Smith aka Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu, Sr., Anita Tencent Mae Doegbee, Martha Brewer, Nelson Dohama Williams, Moses Barrolle, Morris Jacob Harmon, Orlando J. Wisseh, Annie Tarr, Moses Jerald Karnga, Edwin Fahnbulleh, Robert Doe Johnson, Wesley Pennoh, Yvonne White, Prince Anderson, Thomson Johnson, Anthony Minikon Wesley, Henry Barchue, Joseph Yekeh Kokro, Tucker Tarr, Isaac Harris, Josiah Davis, etc., resided at our address: 548 Hinsdale Street, Brooklyn, NY 11207, which Anthony Minikon Wesley dubbed as Free Port of Entry because it was the first place Liberians stranded at John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport got shelter. It became the second most popular gathering location for Liberians next to 150 East 94th Street, Brooklyn, NY.

Our frequent visitors were: Sam Yan-Somah, J. Laveli Supuwood (Big-Guy), Alfred (The Hook) Harris, Ernest GI Boy Jenkins, Matthew K. Woods, James Bondo, etc.

Formation of the Liberian Students Task Force

Due to the manner, in which the elites and Liberian leaders were mistreating the poor and the Liberian people at home; we borrowed from the U. S. Civil Rights movement, the Black Power, and the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa as our point of reference. Their activities influenced us in the Diaspora to respond to the urgent needs of our people at home. This clarion call strengthened our resolve thereby bringing us together to find some solutions to the plight of our suffering masses in Liberia. Because of the changes around the world  at the time, we felt it necessary to challenge the authorities in Liberia to promote freedom of speech, and civil and human rights for every Liberian, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, political orientation, and their station in life.

As the Restless Generation who could no longer Leave the peoples thing alone; we were determined to work from the Diaspora with all Liberians around the world, especially at home; which includes the Liberian workers Union, and the powerless majority who were against change through GRADUALISM. Our generation could no longer Leave the peoples thing alone anymore! As a result, we organized to put pressure on the ruling elites and their supporters to change the Liberian socio-political/economic system of monkey work baboon draws.

Below are some members of the LSA Task Force Committee: Tambakai A. Jangaba (selected as Chairman), Gabriel Baccus Matthews, Kronyahn Weefur, Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu, Charles MacArthur Taylor, Tarty Teh, Togar Gayewea McIntosh, Nyudueh Morkonmana, Leslie Norman Abayomi Cole, Samuel Polypheus Jackson, James Laveli Supuwood, Miatta Fahnbulleh, Judy Stryker, Hawa Beysolow, Dr. Robert J. Boakai, Dr. Robert K. Stewart, and this writer (Siahyonkron J. K. Nyanseor, Sr.). There were others I cannot remember today!



Ad-hoc Task Force Advisors

On an ad-hoc basis, Dr. D. Elwood Dunn, Dr. Joseph Saye Guannu, Ft. Thomas E. Hayden (SMA), Joe Outland, Prof. Pajibo, Dr. Igolima Amachree, J. Laveli Supuwood, Kai Bardoo Freeman, etc., were consulted; and at times, Hon. Eugenia A. Wordsworth-Stephenson, then Liberia Consul General to New York was present as an observer at some of the meetings.

Prior to the presentation of the Task Forces final report, there was a disagreement between Chairman Matthews and me (Siahyonkron Nyanseor) then known as Sam Anthony Roberts, III, which Ambassador Guannu mentioned in a letter dated April 12, 1983, to me! It is attached for the purpose of history, and the major role Dr. Guannu played in the Diaspora.

The Disagreement

In 1972, G. Baccus Matthews and I served on the Task Force of which he was the Chairman. At the final meeting which was held in 1973 at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA; the Committee was assigned the task of coordinating and compiling the final report, which was to be submitted to the Conference. To my surprise, I was left out of this process. The excuse was, I could not be found, yet, the final report had my name as a member; so I protested that if my name had to be included, the Committee had to reconvene in order for me to make my input. My protest was accepted by the Conference after a 35 to 45 minutes debate. A consensus was reached for the committee to reconvene. We met and put the finishing touches on the report.

On April 21, 1974, the Task Force submitted its final report and recommendations at the conference, which was held at Drexel Universitys Hopkinson Hall located on 34th and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, PA. It was at this conference, the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas and Canada (ULAA) was organized. The organizations represented at the conference were: the Liberian Students Association of New York, which consisted of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut; the Liberian Students Association of Pennsylvania, which included Delaware Valley, and the Liberian Students Association of Metropolitan Washington, D. C., which included Maryland and Virginia.

Point of Departure

From the inception of the Republic of Liberia, 152 years (1822  1974) of its existence, political, social, and economic powers were held by a few who believed in the politics and philosophy of: So Say One, So Say All. This approach and system of government limited the participation of the majority of the Liberian people in the affairs of their government. As a result, the country failed miserably in making any significant progress and development.

In the organizing document, the Annual General Conference was made the Supreme Authority because ULAA as a Representative Democratic Organization had to assure the full participation of the membership in the general affairs of the organization. Secondly, it was set up in this way to discourage the abuse of power and authority by a select few, which is a hallmark of past Liberian government officials and families.

Find below excerpts of the April 21, 1974 Declaration, which includes the Vision, Principle, and objectives. It reads:

To create a framework for the intelligent examination and discussion of issues relating to the welfare of our people as well as the presentation of responsible collective views and opinions, which includes the Motto: Together, We Struggle For A Better Liberia.

a) To establish a system of meaningful communication among all Liberians;

b) To stimulate and encourage exemplary scholarship among Liberians at home and abroad;

c) To create a framework for the consideration of problems related to the welfare of Liberian people at home and the articulation of responsible collective viewpoints among Liberians abroad, and

d) To Provide and/or coordinate various services to Liberians and their local organizations abroad.



Find below a copy of the letter to me from Ambassador Joseph S Guannu:



The Big Helleva Cotton Tree Metaphor

The purpose for which my tribute to Dr. Joseph Saye Guannu is titled: A Big Helleva Cotton Tree Uprooted  has to do with the significance of a Big Cotton Tree in Africa. In Africa, a Big Cotton Tree is used to provide directions. Most African towns and villages are built in the location of a giant Cotton Tree. The tree serves as a navigational guide to go from one village to the other. More importantly, Cotton plays a vital role in the African economy, particularly in the sub-Saharan region. It is both a significant export crop as well as a fiber extensively used in the domestic textile industry and is a key to farmers livelihoods and state revenue.

I use The Big Cotton Tree Metaphor to describe Brother Guannu because he was not only a man with many titles, but he was a role model in our lives in the Diaspora for all Liberian Students in the 70s and 80s. As our mentor, Dr. Guannu pointed us in the right direction to gain knowledge so that we will be useful not only to our parents but to our beloved country, Liberia.

I remember Dr. Guannu telling me to Go to school to learn proper book so that Liberian History will be rewritten to include the natives this way, Liberia will truly be united as One Nation, Under God.



I believe it was due to his love for Liberia he became involved in organizing the Liberian Students Association (LSA) in the Americas and Canada. In addition, he became a principal advisor to Jangaba Johnson (Tambakai A. Jangaba), Chair of the Task Force.

His death uprooted our giant Cotton Tree!

I have personal and profound memories of Brother Joseph Saye Guannu. I remember as if it was yesterday when he told us this story in 1833 S Street NW, Apt. 42, Washington DC of Blamo and Naomi Seekie.

According to the story, when he completed his studies abroad, he returned to Liberia and visited his parents village in Sanniquellie, Nimba County to reunite with relatives and friends. One morning when he woke up, his parents compound was occupied with plenty sick people that had assembled for treatment from their son who had become a doctor. To them, every doctor is a medical doctor. But when he explained to them that he was not a medical doctor, but a book doctor; they were unhappy! Their general response was he is a Play, Play Doctor. They felt hurt for their son to have spent all those years abroad for nothing.

A True Culture and Literary Icon

Saye was a true patriot who worked tirelessly for Liberia, and the Liberian people everywhere  be it in the Diaspora and at home. As a scholar, he was committed to truth-telling and represented the true meaning of the word  Statesman.

Dr. Joseph Saye Guannu has gone to join Liberian Literary Icons like Liberia's Poet Laureate, Roland Tombekai Dempster, Bai Temia Moore, H. Carey Thomas Albert Porte, and others who are no longer with us; yet, their contributions have left a lasting impact on many of us, including this writer.

As a youth, I grew up reading both Prof. Dempster and Bai Temia Moores writings about Liberias rich culture and its people that the elites and the leadership of our country were too ashamed to celebrate. One of Prof. Dempsters quotes I am fond of is: Let the press be free; the truth, however, crushed to Earth, shall rise again. For us, we shall speak the truth, if bullets to our breasts!

Prof. Dr. Guannu wrote several books, most notable of which are Liberia History before 1857; Liberian History up to 1847; The Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of Liberia from Joseph Jenkins Roberts to William Richard Tolbert Jr. (1848 -1976). Others are An Introduction to Liberian Government: The first Republic and the Peoples Redemption Council from 1983-1985 and Liberian Civics 2004-2010.

Dr. Guannu was a true patriot and Pan-Africanist. He understood the struggles and appreciated Africas Greatness! Unlike the cultural and historical icons, I mentioned earlier; today, Liberia consists of individuals whose sole purpose is to get government jobs to advance their own political agenda, which includes their class and tribal interest  a repeat of the same problems that led to the April 12, 1980 coup.

According to his friend and comrade Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh: Some persons see the passing away of Prof. Dr. Guannu as a LOSS but it is a GAIN because of the considerable knowledge about Liberia and Liberians that we have from him.

The culture these Liberian literary and cultural heritage icons worked tirelessly to promote is worth preserving; to which Mr. Rudolf Janke says, Preserving the country's heritage means to save the story from being lost.

I bade you farewell Saye; our Ancestors are gladly waiting to welcome you with a specially made Country Cloth Gown, a cow tail, and women lappas spread for you to walk on to greet you in all of our native languages.

Therefore, we are not sad because you left many of us behind to continue until the final victory is won  (the struggle for Rice and Rights). The Struggle continues!

PEACE, until we meet again!

Gwe feh Kpeh!

Eminent Siahyonkron J. K. Nyanseor, Sr.

Your friend & brother

About The Author : Elder Siahyonkron J. K. Nyanseor, Sr. is a life-long activist (*troublemaker) in researching the true history of Africa, and the people of African origin in the Diaspora. He had dedicated his teaching of African culture; spent over 48 years advocating for the human, civil and constitutional rights of all people, especially, the Liberian masses. He is a Griot, poet, journalist, and ordained Minister of the Gospel. He can be contacted at: eldersiahicf@gmail.com.








The Mariners announced theyve placed Julio Rodriguez on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain. Seattle recalled Taylor Trammell from Triple-A Tacoma to take the vacated active roster spot.

Rodriguez has battled back soreness for a few days, and the issue was serious enough the club sent him for an MRI this afternoon. Manager Scott Servais told reporters this evening the teams doctors were still evaluating the imaging results results before determining whether an IL stint would be necessary (via Adam Jude of the Seattle Times). Further specifics on Rodriguezs condition arent clear, but the issue is evidently serious enough itll cost him at least a week and a half.

There are 12 days remaining in the regular season, so its possible Rodriguez makes it back by the start of the postseason. Needless to say, the Ms would surely be better off if he can get back in time for the opening round of the playoffs. With a four-game cushion over the Orioles for the American Leagues final Wild Card spot, the Mariners are in strong position to secure their first postseason berth in over two decades. Embarking on a long playoff run would certainly be a lot tougher without the AL Rookie of the Year candidate, as Rodriguez is already Seattles best player.

During his debut campaign, Rodriguez has connected on 27 home runs and stolen 25 bases. Hes the only player in the majors who has already eclipsed 25 homers and steals apiece, and he owns an overall .280/.342/.502 line through 549 plate appearances. Rodriguez has paired that excellent offensive production with above-average center field defense in cementing himself among the sports top young stars.

For whatever time Rodriguez is out, the Mariners are set to turn to one of their other former top outfield prospects. Jarred Kelenic has yet to cement himself as a big league regular, owning a .170/.250/.340 line over 504 MLB plate appearances. The one-time sixth overall pick and consensus top prospect just recently turned 23 years old, though, and hes raked at a .295/.365/.557 clip in 86 games in Tacoma this year. Servais confirmed that Kelenic would be the everyday center fielder for as long as Rodriguez is out of action (Jude link).
A Ghanaian female media personality with Accra-based TV3, Berlinda Addardey, better known as Berla Mundi is wondering how she fell for Dr UNs lies.

After some years, the celebrated media personality seems embarrassed after accepting what was described as fake United Nations-sponsored awards.

Her tweet today, September 24, monitored by Modernghana News, is that of regret and bitterness, seeing how the scorn artist is parading himself around after deceiving her and others.

Eeeiii so this man awarded me and I also collected it? I will never forget , she tweeted.

What happened on August 28, 2020 has since become a hot topic in the aftermath of the 7th edition of the United Nations Global Leadership Service to Humanity Awards.

Celebrities and media figures such as Sarkodie, Nathaniel Attoh, Serwaa Amihere, Berla Mundi, Jonnie Hughes and others were victims of the awards.

They were given various objects believed to have various meanings which was later revealed to be a hoax after the international body United Nations issued a disclaimer.
History is not made by people who remain silent when the people are suffering or those who agree with every leader in order not to lose any opportunity or suffer any discomfort or injury. History is made by people who have principles that they live by and are prepared to die for if need be. Gongloe

Liberians are eager and ready to decide the fate, the future of their country, and the next generations through the constitutional process in the 2023 general elections. It is inarguable that the inability of Liberians to unite irrespective of tribes and religion to pave the way for the emergence of credible leadership in Liberia has been identified as one of the major reasons for insecurity, unemployment, collapsed education and health care systems, and infrastructure deficit holding us to ransom. The argument currently is whether we re-elect the ruling Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC) candidate, President George Weah.

On Friday, September 16, 2022, the Liberia People's Party (LPP) elected Liberia's renowned human right lawyer, former President of the Liberia National Bar Association, and Associate Professor of Law at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law. Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe is the LPP presidential candidate for the 2023 general election. The partys delegates elected the human right lawyer as its flag bearer at its national convention in Gbarnga, Bong County. Before his emergence at the convention, the well-known human rights lawyer, accepted a petition by a group of Liberians on December 2021 to run for President.

Taiwan Gongloe was born in Glehyee-Zorpea, Yarwein Mehnsonnoh District, Nimba County on 6 August 1956 political journey first began nearly 46 years ago when he joined the Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA), a pan-African political organization which played a pivotal role in the struggle for social justice and democracy in Liberia in the 1970s. After the People's Redemption Council 1980 coup d'etat, Dr. Amos Sawyer, Gongloe, and others founded the Liberian People's Party (LPP). The LPP was established in 1983, nearly 39 years ago, but was banned during the electioneering process by military dictator Master Sergeant Samuel Doe and his Peoples Redemption Council (PRC) brutal junta.

Fast-forward to 2022 and Gongloe, now 66, is running to be Liberias next president. He is among the scores of well-known faces in what is currently a crowded horse race. For any of these candidates, governing Africas first independent country will be a daunting task. Gongloe argues that government is the place to serve and not to steal.

In the 10 October 2023 presidential election, it is widely speculated that the race is between President George Weah and Former Vice President Joseph Boakai both being unpopular in different ways, the two men have the political and financial backing of the ruling All Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC) and the former ruling party, Unity Party (UP). In Liberias big-money elections, the chance of a third party causing an upset against these behemoths is negligible. Nonetheless, Gongloe, backed by the Liberian Peoples Party is determined to spice up the tasteless political environment in Liberia. He argues that Liberia is in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and desperately needs change, starting from the top. According to him, to get to a better Liberia, the Liberian people need an alternative leader who knows Liberian political history and has been a part of the struggle of the Liberian people for making Liberia a better place for all Liberians.

Gongloe insists that by contrast, his vision and experience could solve many of the countrys challenges. These range from a faltering economy to weak infrastructure, food insecurity, massive unemployment of the youth, insecurity in the country, etc. He argues the Liberian people need an alternative leader who does not say one thing and does something different. The Liberian people need an alternative leader who will not lie to them. The Liberian people need a leader whose income and sources of income will be known to the people at all times. Carrying a homemade broom with him at public gatherings as a symbol of his intentions to sweep away corruption if he is elected as president, Gongloe stresses the only way to achieve this is to elect a Liberian leader who has served the Liberian people without stealing their money. The election of a person who does not steal the government's money is important because, if the president does not steal his ministers, those who serve under the ministers will not steal. He warned, Liberians must not see corruption as a way of life. He argues that transparency in law enforcement and court proceedings tends to promote peace and foreign investment in any country. He emphasized that there will be no selective application of the law under a Gongloe administration because selective justice is no justice. There must be justice for all in Liberia for the attainment of sustainable peace, progress and prosperity. In tackling improving the socioeconomic condition, Gongloe intends to  redirect the economy of Liberia towards self-sufficiency in food production, engaging in import substitution and value-added export promotion as well as expanding economic activities in the rural parts of Liberia by granting tax incentives to rural-based manufacturing companies, with the objective of slowing down the current level of rural-urban migration and unemployment among the youth.

Aside from Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh's unblemished record of activism that has spanned over 50 years, in my opinion, no Liberian alive has done more for the masses than Tiawan Gongloe when it comes to defending the voiceless; when we set aside individuals like Albert Porte, D. Tweh, Baccus Matthew, Bishop Michael Francis and others who are respected by all for the role they play in the Liberia society. People from opposition parties and the ruling party have acknowledged Gongloe 's roles in the struggle for social justice and democracy and fight for human rights at different times.

Among all the candidates in the 2023 race, Gongloe is used to resisting exclusion and repression, both economic and political. As a social activist in the 70s and 80s and later human right activist in the 90s and 2000s, Tiawan Saye Gongloe has solidarized with different groups and people he considered to be oppressed, which has consistently happened for over 46 years on stretch. Gongloe argues that History is not made by people who remain silent when the people are suffering or those who agree with every leader in order not to lose any opportunity or suffer any discomfort or injury. History is made by people who have principles that they live by and are prepared to die for if need be. Gongloe as a student leader was jailed by the Tolbert administration during a student protest. On August 22, 1984, the University of Liberia students protested the arrest of Prof. Amos Sawyer. Before his arrest, Prof. Amos Sawyer had criticized then Head of State, Samuel Doe. Doe was affronted by what he called the "gross disrespect" accorded him by university administrators and students and ordered his minister of defense, Maj. Gen. Gray D. Allison, to the campus to stop the demonstrators. The wave of looting, flogging, and rape left the campus community stunned for years. As a Teacher Assistant, Gongloe was stripped naked and severely beaten by the soldiers after attempting to protect an elderly female staff of the University of Liberia during the soldiers' onslaught. He was hospitalized at the SD Cooper Hospital and was treated. After the raid, he was sacked from the University of Liberia by the military junta.

In 1997, Charles Taylor was elected as the 22nd President of Liberia. Tiawan Saye Gongloe, defended journalists, political activists, and the downtrodden during Charles Taylors tyrannical rule. He was very outspoken about human rights violations and abuses by the Liberian security forces under Charles Taylor. In March of 2002, Gongloe was arrested by Charles Taylor's regime in connection with a speech he had delivered in Guinea, wherein he had discussed the role of civil society in achieving peace in the Mano River Union. Gongloe was beaten severely throughout the night of his arrest and subjected to death threats. He was then taken to Cooper Hospital as a result of injuries sustained from the beatings. He suffered from loss of hearing in his left ear, a swollen and bloodied left eye, severe bruising all over his body, and intense internal pain. Gongloe was charged with no offense even though he was tortured and detained.

Tiawan Saye Gongloe is a transformational public servant. He was the first Solicitor General since the independence of Liberia in 1847 to have appointed college-educated lawyers as county attorneys in all 15 counties of Liberia, thereby improving the protection of rights and prosecutorial powers of the Liberian government. As Minister of Labor, Gongloe issued Regulation Number 17, which increased work permit fees for non-Liberian residents from USD 400 to USD 1000, compelling foreign employers to hire more Liberians by reducing or getting rid of non-Liberian employees. Gongloe's most recent leadership role at the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) speaks for itself; he left the organization solvent, with over USD 100,000 in its coffers, which were raised over three years, even though the Bar was in severe debt when he took over. He even constructed the first floor of a three-story headquarters of the LNBA, currently under construction on the Robertsfield Highway in Margibi County.

Lastly, as a politician, he has been able to disrupt the entire political system and has been able to raise the consciousness of Liberians on the negative effects of corruption by carrying a broom and sweeping corruption. Gongloe is the only presidential candidate that has presented a 10 points agenda for tackling the health deficit, educational deficit, agriculture deficit, infrastructure deficit, corruption, unemployment, the deficit of public truth, etc. While many deem it fit to commend him for his unwavering efforts and the tenacity to change the narrative, we still have some Liberians who have either not gotten his message right or perhaps do not align with his approach and thought process. Notwithstanding, the point of convergence for all perspectives about his personality is that he is not a Liberian who has a space for Fear. Tiawan Saye Gongloe can simply fit to be a synonym for Courage in Liberia.

For us, what distinguishes Gongloe from other candidates is his audacity to promote strict adherence to the rule of law, fight for justice, tackle corruption by probing and retrieving every penny stolen by past and present governments, and appointing not less than fifty percent of cabinet ministers to women, instigate a lifestyle audit for all public officials and redistribute national wealth in a manner that is beneficial to the majority of Liberians. He proposes to build a  new Liberia through a new system of governance that is decentralized, gender-sensitive, participatory, inclusive and accountable. His wanting to party lines to employ only those who in their lifetime, have demonstrated honesty and are capable is commendable. Gongloe says the only way for Liberia to make progress, is to retire the CDC! CDC must be retired, declared redundant, and kicked out of office in 2023. We totally agree with him and are calling on all Liberians to join Gongloe on the train that will move Liberia from backwardness to forwardness. His records of service in both the public and private sectors over the past 44 years speak to integrity and honesty.

Truth be told, Tiawan Saye Gongloe has charted a remarkable journey from the boy from Glehyee-Zorpea, Yarwein Mehnsonnoh District, Nimba County to becoming a presidential candidate. And regardless of the number of votes he picks up on 10 October, he has already seasoned the 2023 presidential race with something a little different. He is a breath of fresh air. Indeed, a better Liberia is possible.






Ubor Ntebi Bewalti I

24.09.2022 LISTEN

The Chief of the Konkomba Communities in the Greater Accra Region, Ubor Abraham Bio III and his elders have stated that the intention of the leadership of the Konkomba community is to promote peace and unity among the Konkomba residents in the Region.

It is also part of the leadership agenda to ensure that Konkomba communities smoke the peace pipe with all other tribes and citizens especially at their workplaces.

The leadership of Konkombas after enstooling Ubor Ntebi Bewalti I on February 8 2021 outdoored him to Konkombas as their representative at the Komkomba yam market Accra Central Business District.

Addressing a press conference to announce a date for the newly installed Chief Ubor Ntebi Bewalti I to officially represent them amidst alleged rejection from some quarters, the General Secretary of the Konkombas Yam Market, Mr. Anthony Tanyam denied the allegations that the Konkomba Yam sellers don't need a representative.

Mr. Tanyam said there are 16 different tribes who operate in the market area. He noted that out of the number 15 tribes have their sub-chiefs to represent them except the Konkombas who at the time of the press conference have no sub-chief to represent them.

The General Secretary allegedly described as spurious the allegations that the intended outdooring of the Konkomba sub-chief Ubor Ntebi Bewalti was aimed at imposing him on them.

According to him, some tribesmen have been linking home issues to the yam market activities in Accra which he noted were deliberate attempts to blackmail the Komkomba sub-chief who is yet to be outdoored.

Mr Tanyam made it clear that the enskinned sub-chief of Konkomba will not impose nor Lord his authority over any other sub-chief or tribe as it has been peddled.

The Secretary urged Ghanaians especially the traders at the Konkomba market to not take people with negative thoughts at the market serious since their claims are unfounded.

"We ask all persons with negative thoughts to stop their vile propaganda against the anticipated outdooring of the Sub Chief. Since we are here to unite and develop Nkpakpaando and for that matter the country in general," the Secretary stated.
The saying that one can never know the depth of a well until s/he steps in with one leg, is, but relatively true. Just as I was about settling in, I had my first dose of what would have made me opt out of the LLB race. To be a lawyer in Ghana is a privilege and not a rightso said by a lecturer who happens to be a lawyer himself.

Decoding the essence of the above statement took me days until when I decided to flip through the Constitution, 1992, to be sure whether articles 37 and 38 were predicated on discretion or made mandatory on the part of the state and it's parastatals. For the benefit of all, I wish to extract the two articles in order to situate the subsequent submissions in proper context.

Article 37 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, under social objectives states, the State SHALL endeavor to secure and protect a social order founded on the ideals and principles of freedom, equality, justice, probity and accountability as enshrined in Chapter 5 of this Constitution; and in particular, the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that every citizen has equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before the law. As part of the basic principles of making meaning out of legal constructions as it is in the constitution, we are tasked to employ the reasoning of the ordinary man on the streets, to start with. In this attempt, I am inclined to co-join the ordinary interpretation of article 37 with article 38. Article 38 under Educational Objectives says, the State SHALL, provide educational facilities at all levels and in all the Regions of Ghana, and shall to the greatest extent feasible, make those facilities available to all citizens.

To the extent that the 1992 Constitution in article 37 mandates the state to endeavor to direct its policies to ensure that every citizen has equality of rights and opportunities, and indeed, every citizen of Ghana has the right to education, I shudder to think that the foundation of the statement that to be a lawyer in Ghana is a privilege and not a right, is weak, unfair and pinned on convenience and caprice.

I am further inclined to believe that a system only gets better and working only if the members within that system gets periodic opportunity to assess, evaluate and critique it. To take the substance of the evaluation and criticisms and apply same to envelope the sentiments and ambitions of the people is just as good as crafting a good law. The Ghana legal system has been on the hot seat for sometime now. Judges have had their bite in respect of corruption and delivering unfair verdicts not grounded on law, lawyers have had theirs in same measure and the legal education and the systems around same have had to the take the chunk of the rots being discussed.

In Ghana, everyone seem to know the problem but no one is ready to offer or implement the solution. If not, I don't see why a lecturer, who's a Lawyer anyway, would stand before Level 400 LLB students and confess that, the educational set up in Ghana is producing students who can only memorize and not students who are prepared to engage any critical thinking that Ghana need to develop. Just after the dot (.), the same lecturer is using same methods of memorize, pass and forget to lecture same students he expects to thinking critically. He worsens the case by threatening students never to read outside of his lecture notes and cases he gives. Who is to blame? Just a few days ago, I watched the Minister of Education of Ghana, lamenting how the educational system in Ghana is churning out students who can only memorize but cannot think critically. I lost complete hope after listening to him. Meanwhile, the same minister is supposed to lead in policy direction as far as education is concerned in Ghana. So, who's suppose to offer and implement the solutions?

It was all joy when I was offered admission to read Lawthis was a long dream come true. Like I always thought, I was going to be washed, cleaned and ushered into a new world of thinking where logic takes precedence over street thinking. Fast forward, my expectations are getting dashed by the day because it is business as usual. Perhaps, the best amongst us, LLB students across all faculties, is most likely to be the one who has the capacity to memorize names of cases, names of authors of books, dates when some Justices died in the 18th Century in Uk, and obviously not those who have the capacity to think through and fashion out solutions the law has proffer for the welfare of the Ghanaian society, as we are made to think.

If the Law is largely about Justice and Justice is somehow inflamed by fairness, then Ghana is yet to have The Law. Why should we have an unfair system attempt to trigger any conversation about fairness? The brain drain that is currently taking centre stage in the medical profession will soon hit the legal profession.

As of June, 2021, there were 3,213 registered practicing lawyers in Ghana. Out of this number, just less than 15% are practicing in the entire 5 regions of the North. Not until some Northern young men and women started to agitate, Northern Ghana had no single Law faculty. Meanwhile the obligation of the state as contained in article 38 of the 1992 constitution where educational facilities ought to be made available to all regions of Ghana, is mandatory and not optional.

To be fair, I am not for mass production of Lawyers into the system in principle, owing to the fact that, it will be very dangerous since crude and half-baked lawyers will find their way into the system and stain the enviable image of the legal profession. In any case, is the current mafia system any better? I certainly will go for a system which will set up a very transparent and effective screening mechanism which will get well trained and professional

Lawyers into the system while ensuring that those who are genuinely qualified and have the passion to practice are given the opportunity without their backgrounds used as a factor.

I was told sometime ago that, to get a pass card to enter Makola to undertake the professional course, which content is no substantially different from what which we undertake at the various faculties, one's background use to be a factor; whether you had a lawyer or a judge in your family or you have any closed ties with one. Maybe that is why the cliche that to be a lawyer in Ghana is a privilege and not a right suffices.

If the General Legal Council believe that the number of students being churned out by the about 13 law faculties across the country is way too much to be in the system, it can, as required the General Legal Council Act, 1960 (Act 32), regulate the faculties and prescribe for them a required and reasonable number to admit. This issue of having to leave the faculties to admit more numbers just to make profit at the expense of the expectations and ambitions of many helpless students, is by any imagination, unfair and unjust. You do not allow huge numbers from the entry point only to frustrate same with some technicalities which are alleged to be borne out of mafia and convenient tactics.

I listened to one Chief Justice at one point in time where she openly declared that, it will never be under her tenure that legal education will be expanded. Her reasons were that, it will open the floodgates for the mass production of half-baked and unqualified lawyers into the system. I felt disappointed initially but was drawn to the fact that I was still in Ghana where conventions mostly take precedence over established laws and written legislations. As a Chief Justice, it is easier to ensure a clean system is established to get more Lawyers trained than it is to get a system that frustrate innocent students in the name of getting refined Lawyers trained.

I was just awoken to the news that the questions for the Law Entrance Exams scheduled for today, 23rd September, 2022 was leaked and same exams had to be postponed. What is our fear when the system is faulty at all levels? Once you train us to memorize our way to the Bar, be ready to face us when we employ every means to be called to the Bar. When something is wrong with the system, stop gagging the people who suffer from inadequacies of the system from speaking up. When all of us become timid and only nod and take notes as though we are a bunch of Kindergarten toddlers, we will get out there as lawyers who can't even recite the title of a case and can't defend our own rights. Lawyers are supposed to be advocates of the law, and advocates are to speak for it when it is right and to equally speak against it when it is wrong. The General Legal Council should avert its mind to section 13 subsection 2 of Act 32 which clothes the council with the power to act.

Expand Legal Education and ensure a proper regulation to avert a mass production of lawyers without capacity into the system. Otherwise, we shall always memorize our way to the BAR.

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese

(CJ, Wisconsin University)

0244198031
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea with an iron fist for more than 43 years, will seek a sixth term in November, the vice president said Friday.

Obiang, 80, is the longest ruling head of state in the world excluding monarchs but it was uncertain if he would stand again or whether his son would succeed him.

It was his son, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, nicknamed "Teodorin", who made the announcement.

"Because of his charisma, his leadership and his political experience", the ruling party unanimously chose Obiang as its candidate for the November 20 poll, Obiang Mangue wrote on Twitter.

The Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) holds 99 of the 100 seats in the outgoing lower house of parliament and all 70 of the senate seats.

But it had not been clear who would be named as the party's candidate in the presidential ballot.

No other candidate has so far been declared.

Succession

Obiang seized power in a coup in 1979 that led to the execution of his feared, ruthless uncle and predecessor Francisco Macias Nguema.

The PDGE was the country's single legal political movement until 1991, when multi-party politics were introduced.

But Obiang himself has never officially been re-elected with less than 93 percent of the vote.

He could now be set for another seven years in power.

Last year, Teodorin seemed to have been lined up to stand in the elections. In the end, however, and to general surprise, he was not chosen as a candidate last November.

Observers and diplomats pointed to a power struggle between Teodorin and certain regime figures who did not want to see the president's son taking over the reigns.

Teodorin has been sentenced in France to a three-year suspended prison term and a fine of 30 million euros for having fraudulently accumulated luxury properties and goods.

On Tuesday, the small, oil-rich country announced it was bringing forward the presidential vote by five months.

It also said the poll would take place at the same time as parliamentary elections.

Holding the two costly votes together was necessary at a time of economic crisis due to the Ukraine conflict and the pandemic, it said.

The country, one of the world's most authoritarian, abolished the death penalty, state television announced on Monday citing a new law signed by the president.

International rights groups regularly accuse the authorities in the former Spanish colony of human rights abuses.
Democratic Republic of Congo journalist Tatiana Osango was sexually assaulted by supporters of opposition politician Martin Fayulu on September 15. (Photo: Tatiana Osango)

23.09.2022 LISTEN

Authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo should thoroughly and transparently investigate and hold accountable those responsible for attacking three journalists  Tatiana Osango, Didier Kiku, and Tresor Bazola  in two separate incidents in September, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.

On September 15, supporters of opposition politician Martin Fayulu, president of the Engagement for Citizenship and Development (Ecide) political party, grabbed and scratched Tatiana Osango, a reporter with the privately owned YouTube-based news channel Reaco News, on her breasts and other parts of her body and threatened her with rape and death, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and a report by the local press freedom group Journalistes En Danger. The attack took place just after Osango arrived outside the Ecide headquarters in Kinshasa, DRCs capital, to cover a meeting related to the parliaments opening session.

In a separate incident, at around 11 a.m. on September 18, four police officers punched, slapped, and used a belt to hit Didier Kiku and Tesor Bazola, a reporter and a camera operator with the privately owned Tokomi Wapi broadcaster, as they covered demonstrations over the appointment of a new pastor to Kinshasa religious group Evangelical Free Church Africa, according to media reports and the two journalists, who spoke to CPJ by phone.

Bazola was treated at a local hospital for a head injury while Kiku was treated for injuries to his right hand and for chest pain, the two said, adding that their camera was damaged.

DRC authorities should investigate and hold accountable the opposition supporters who sexually assaulted Tatiana Osango and the police officers who attacked journalists Didier Kiku and Tresor Bazola, said Muthoki Mumo CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, in Nairobi. Attempts to silence the press  whether through gendered attacks or police violence  send a chilling message that journalists are not safe to work in the DRC.

The supporters who attacked Osango carried machetes, stones, and bottles, said the journalist, who received physiotherapy for pain in her left arm after the incident. She said that they stole her jewelry, press identification, bank cards, and the equivalent of US$700 in cash. The attackers also hit her vehicle with stones and machetes, smashing its windows, according to Osango and footage by local broadcaster Canal Kin Television. The mob punched and threw stones at Osangos driver after he tried to intervene, and he sought treatment at a local hospital for a head injury and body pain.

Fayulu forbade you to come to Ecide. Do you want to be raped? Do you think Fayulu is missing the money? Today is your death, Osango told CPJ the supporters shouted at her. I am accused on a daily basis by the ruling party of defending the cause of the opponent Fayulu through my various programs and today Fayulu activists are looking for my head and want to rape me. Finally, who do I work for? As a journalist, I do not belong to any political formation or leader. I am for the truth, Osango said.

This woman [Osango] just wants to distract us. I dont know who attacked her and damaged her vehicle, Ecide youth president Serge Welo, who was at the scene of the attack, told CPJ via messaging app.

Ecide Secretary General Devos Kitoko told CPJ via messaging app that he was not in Kinshasa at the time of the attack and cannot understand why Tatiana Osango would be assaulted at the headquarters of Ecide since it is almost every week that she comes to the headquarters of our political party to peacefully cover our activities and that day we had no activity, adding that he thought Osango should have informed him directly of the attack instead of sharing it in the media.

CPJs calls to the Provincial Commissioner of the Congolese National Police in Kinshasa, General Sylvano Kasongo, rang unanswered.
The Winneba Campus of the University of Education on Friday, September 23, witnessed the anger of some students in what is described as a peaceful demonstration.

The students protest against school authorities for not updating their cumulative records for the past three years.

The students say they are unable to track their academic performance.

The final years are expected to graduate in three weeks time but they dont know their grade points.

The angry students staged "fix our GPA demonstration to compel the school authority to do the needful.

However, the police fired tear gas denying them the chance to meet their management to present their petition.

Reports revealed that the students went on a rampage, disrupting lectures and other administrative activities on campus, destroying some signposts and using tree branches to block roads.

A student told Modernghana News that "this is just the tip of the iceberg. This is just a peaceful one, this coming Monday will be a violent demonstration.

The upcoming demonstration on Monday is dubbed Level 400 Goes Red.

Check below for videos of the first demonstration
24.09.2022 LISTEN

I have been hearing and reading with utter dismay Ghanaians inability to bring the Chinese to order, regarding their wanton destruction of the nations water bodies, virgin forests and arable/fertile lands. They are audaciously into illegal surface and alluvial mining, called in the local parlance as galamsey.

They have no iota of respect and fear for the presidential directive in place banning illegal galamsey that has devastated and continue to wreak havoc on the ecosystem of the country. An ecosystem is a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life

They are destroying the landscape, water bodies, the weather, forests, etc.; all in their heartless exploitation of gold and other mineral riches of the country to the detriment of Ghanaians.

I have been made to understand that the Chinese females and their agents and assigns are holding obnoxious sex videos on some Ghanaian political leaders, powerful traditional overlords and some top military/police personnel that they are using as a trump card against them to silence them into submission while they viciously carry on with their illegal surface or small scale mining.

If it is true that they hold such video tapes which they dangle in the face of the unnamed irresponsible past and present government ministers, traditional overlords and security personnel, to subdue them into silence to just watch agape while they happily unrestrictedly destroy the ecology, then God have mercy on Ghana.

Is it not said for every action there is a reaction? The government ministers and other top officials should have known better that by being promiscuous, going behind the back of their wives to engage in extra marital affairs with these Chinese women, there was bound to be a heavy price to pay. They had put their credibility on the line.

Why should the nation and majority of Ghanaians suffer, paying the price for the libidinal enjoyment by these disgusting and senseless officials? Why should we sit down and watch as if we are without brains in our head while the Chinese females are using their private parts, vagina, so to speak, to woo the hearts and minds of our myopic, corrupt and sorry to say, useless leaders, to gain unrestricted access to the nations virgin forests, big rivers and arable/fertile lands in search of the mineral endowment to destroy them as and when they like?

Is it not said, Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"? If the leaders concerned fear being exposed in their nakedness, why did they go in to the Chinese women at all? Were they out of curiosity craving to enjoy the alleged small, tight and sweet Chinese vagina that may be same as their squinted eyes?

Let me emphasise to those irresponsible Ghanaian leaders facilitating the Chinese chances of destroying Ghana in their search for selfish personal wealth that it is not a crime to go in to another unmarried woman according to our Ghanaian culture. Therefore, they should not be disturbed when exposed by the Chinese women for having sex with them. Just that they have been stupid to have allowed these rogues or vermin to secretly or consensually film them while in the process of enjoying themselves sexually.

Should Ghanaians for the sake of saving the dignity of the top officials involved in consensual sexual activities with the Chinese females, principal among whom is Aisha Huang aka Huang En, sit down doing nothing while the Chinese are empowered to destroy our nation beyond repair? No, no and no!!!

If they become convinced that we shall forever be protective of the officials concerned hence doing nothing to stop their destruction of our rivers and lands through their galamsey activities, they will forever be emboldened to do worse to the land than they are doing now.

I had heard how some of these Chinese had had the boldness to even kill some Ghanaians who had attempted to stop them from destroying their lands. Can any foreigner do what the Chinese are doing in Ghana, in China without being shot dead by their authorities?

Why are Ghanaians in their ensemble behaving as lowlifes to allow the Chinese to take us for a rough ride, if not enslave us, in our own country? Are we that stupid, if I may ask?

I hope the Attorney General will expedite the prosecution of Aisha Huang or her impersonated Huang En without the usual unnecessary postponements bordering on corruption to finally throw out the case. Fast track her prosecution and that of all her associates, or accomplices including her supposed Ghanaian husband.

I am monitoring how things pan out with regard to Aisha Huang/Huang En and all those arrested Chinese rogues.

Any government official or security personnel helping the Chinese to destroy Ghana is a fool and a disgrace to the womb that conceived them.

Ghanaian youths, please, arise to save your country from the hands of greedy bastards before it is too late.

No more destruction of our water bodies, forests and arable/fertile lands.

Let us rally together and behind Odike to wrestle mother Ghana from destruction from the hands of those rogue government and traditional leaders as well as corrupt security personnel.

Rockson Adofo

Saturday, 24 September 2022
Spain's top criminal court has opened a fraud investigation into a medicinal cannabis investment platform which allegedly swindled people around the world of millions of euros.

Established in 2020, JuicyFields offered investors  who it called "e-growers"  the chance to profit from the cultivation, harvesting and sale of legal cannabis plants, promising returns of up to 66 percent.

But the Amsterdam-based company suddenly stopped operations in mid-July, froze cash withdrawals and vanished from the internet, investors allege.

The Spanish National Court opened its probe into JuicyFields on September 15 after a lawsuit filed by nearly 1,200 investors in July, a court document seen by AFP on Thursday showed.

Losses of up to 200,000

The class action lawsuit accuses JuicyFields of operating like a Ponzi scheme, in which early investors are paid out of deposits made by later investors.

It estimates that there are nearly 4,500 victims in Spain alone, who each lost an average of 6,500. Some individuals lost as much as 200,000.

The minimum investment was 50, and the money could be deposited and withdrawn via bank transfer or cryptocurrencies.

The company sought to impress investors by hiring social media influencers and displaying luxury cars at trade shows as a sign of its success.

At its height, JuicyFields claimed to have 500,000 investors.

On its website, the company says: "We welcome continued investigations by the authorities so that the truth can ultimately reach everyone's ears and eyes.

"In the meantime, we have put a plan into action that will allow us to generate income with our own money with a view on at least repaying all the existing investors who have money tied up in the bank accounts."

It is not clear whether the cannabis plants listed in virtual greenhouses on the company's online platform ever really existed, according to journalists who have looked into its operations.

French class-action suit

This is believed to be the first class-action lawsuit against JuicyFields, which according to media investigations scammed investors around the world.

A group on mobile messaging service Telegram in France for people who want to take legal action against JuicyFields has over 1,600 members. Several members say they have filed individual lawsuits against JuicyFields.

A class-action lawsuit is also expected to be filed in France against the firm.

Many investors are seeking to profit from the legal cannabis industry, where opportunities have arisen as more and more countries approve the plant for medical or recreational use.

(with AFP)
24.09.2022 LISTEN

It is time to achieve economic independence through an African Common Currency, your currency is your economic power, Dr. Chris Kpodar, President of Solomon Investment Ghana Limited has stated at the Ghana News Agency-Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue in Tema.

Dr. Kpodar revealed that a common currency backed by the many natural resources would properly empower Africa economically and developmentally, and therefore reiterated the call for the African Union (AU) to champion the adoption of an African Continental Common Currency (ACCC) agenda.

Speaking on the topic: The justification for African Continental Common Currency backed by resources, not by dollar, at the forum monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema, Dr. Kpodar noted sadly that the current group of African leaders and governments lacks the individual country power to push through with the ACCC agenda.

He said our current group of leaders lacks to power to replace other foreign currencies which dominate trading even from African-country-to-African-country trading based.

Dr. Kpodar, who is also a Chief Technical Advisor for the Centre for Greater Impact Africa (CGIA) said it would be difficult for a common currency vision for Africa to be achieved by the current leaders of the various countries as the will and commitment to do so was not available.

On the whole, there isnt much hope for the present people who are in power, currently most of them have to go before we can do better; in general, we need a new generation that is putting pressure because the dreams of our fathers were not achieved by our leaders, he stressed.

Dr Kpodar noted that the use of Dollars, Euros, Pounds, and CFA respectively by African countries is an indication of the strings attached to their former colonial masters who were still controlling their affairs through the usage of money.

The President of Solomon Investment Ghana Limited observed that if Ghana and the other African countries could come together as a community, as they did in many precious resources, they could have a competitive and comparative advantage over the Western countries that were currently dominating the world because of their currencies.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, GNA Tema Regional Manager, applauded the advancement of the African Continental Common Currency Agenda which would ignite the true transformation from the political to the economic independence of African Countries.

Our forefathers fought for political independence, the struggle for true independence was truncated with the freedom euphoria.

The current leaders must work out and champion another mass struggle for economic independence that is the only way for the African Continent to enjoy total liberation, Mr. Ameyibor noted.

He stressed that it is time for Africans to start another struggle for economic independence, and emphasized the need to upscale the discussion on the ACCC Agenda across the African States and challenged the AU to create the enabling topics around the issues to generate interest.

Mr. Ameyibor also urged the political, academic, and economic classes as well as the civil society organizations, religious leaders, and the media to galvanize the necessary discourse on the ACCC Agenda.
24.09.2022 LISTEN

Three students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUTS) are standing trial for their involvement in the violence on campus that occurred in August.

After facing the Asokore Mampong District Court in their first trial, the three students have been remanded into Police custody for close to three weeks.

The Asokore Mampong District Court, on September 23, 2022, remanded into Police custody three students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUTS) who are standing trial for their involvement in the recent mayhem on campus.

They will reappear before the court on October 10, 2022, parts of a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service said on Saturday.

The three KNUST students are Emmanuel Appiah Amoah, Eugene Noamesi, and Kwabena Kwarteng Amaniampong.

They were arrested by the police following a Police investigation into the campus violence in August 2022.

The police have assured the general public that all the perpetrators of the disturbances will be brought to justice.
24.09.2022 LISTEN

"We are calling on civil society groups, chiefs, religious and traditional leaders, to help to talk about HIV and AIDS in the communities so that we prevent new infections," Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo, Programme Manager at the National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NACP) has stated.

He noted that, unlike other health conditions, HIV is cumulative so anyone who tests positive will be adding to the numbers and over time it will become overwhelming, therefore, he appealed to the public to support People Living with HIV and AIDS in the communities to help reduce stigmatization and discrimination.

Dr. Ayisi Addo stated at the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Offices Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue platform, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema.

The GNA Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue is a media think-tank platform for state and non-state and commercial and business operators to communicate to the world.

Let us collectively intensify the education on HIV prevention until a cure or vaccine is found to prevent new infections or reduce the number of positive patients, Dr Ayisi Addo noted.

Dr Ayisi Addo recommended that an enabling environment be created to motivate people to know their status and rather not point fingers at those who have declared their status or look down on them since that will cause them to hide and in effect place others at risk.

The NACP Programme Manager also advised HIV patients on treatment to adhere to their schedule because as long as they take their medication, the virus was suppressed, undetectable and cannot be transmitted. When they withdraw, the virus comes back again.

"The message now is there is treatment so even if you know your status, it is not a death sentence," he said, stressing that whereas the face of HIV had changed, the problem persisted and there were conditions to continue to stay healthy even when one tested positive.

In addition, he said that people living with HIV had the same life expectancy even more than other people because of treatment.

Mr Francis Ameyibor, Regional Manager, Ghana News Agency, Tema, said the Agencys Regional Office has shaped itself as a vanguard for industrial communication and a catalyst for change to promote national development.

He said with Tema as an industrial nerve of the country, it was reasonable for the GNA regional office to position itself to become the frontline of industrial communication to advance the countrys growth.

Therefore, he noted that the regional office of the Agency had developed systematic pillars on which pragmatic journalism hinged; including a mechanism to deepen the working relationship with its stakeholders, to ensure that both the media and the corporate world worked toward national development.
Daniel Cassell (L) & Alexander Cummings (R)

As the Nation prepares for the October 2023 election, the ten years' residency clause qualifications of candidates contesting the office of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, have generated endless controversies. The dominant School of thought has asserted loudly and clearly over the years, that a person is not eligible to contest election to the office of the President and Vice President unless he/she meets the residency clause requirement.



Qualifications for the Office of the President and Vice President

The office of the President is filled periodically every six (6) years by an election process conducted nationally by the National Election Commission (NEC). The constitution provides for the basic requirements to be met by a candidate to be eligible for an election into the office of the president and vice president. It has been and is still being contested that candidates must have been a resident of the Republic ten years prior to his/her election. Article 52(C) (as amended) has been cited in support of the contention by proponents of that view to support their position. Article 52 says: No person shall be eligible to hold the office of President or Vice-President unless that person is a: C. resident in the Republic ten years prior to his election, provided that the President and the Vice-President shall not come from the same County. Also in Article 52 (A) (B), Candidates contesting elections must be  a natural born Liberian citizen of not less than 35 years of age; the owner of unencumbered real property valued at not less than twenty-ve thousand dollars.



Disqualification To Contest the Office of President and Vice Presidency

According to the provisions of Article 52 (A)(B) (C) of the Liberian Constitution, a person will be disqualified for running for the Office of the President and Vice President if he/she does not meet the following qualifications: a natural born Liberian citizen of not less than 35 years of age; the owner of unencumbered real property valued at not less than twenty-ve thousand dollars; and resident in the Republic ten years prior to his election, provided that the President and the Vice-President shall not come from the same County.



2011 National Referendum

In the August 2011 national referendum, the Johnson-Sirleaf government attempted to reduce the residency requirement to five years from ten years. However, the constitutional amendments were rejected in the national referendum by the Liberian People. One defeated proposal was to move back the national election date from the first Tuesday in October to the first Tuesday in November, pushing the election out of the rainy season, which might increase voter turnout, and closer to the January presidential inauguration, which would help to alleviate security concerns. Another change, also rejected, called for a simple majority for victory in local and legislative polls, which aimed to elect officials in a single round, doing away with expensive run-off elections. Also defeated was the proposed amendment to raise the Liberian Supreme Court judge retirement age from 70 to 75. The most controversial proposition #1 suggested lowering the residency requirement for presidential candidates from 10 years to 5 years was massively defeated.



When the National Elections Commission (NEC) qualified the sixteen presidential candidates for the 2011 presidential candidate election, Simeon Freeman of the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC) filed a writ of prohibition to the Supreme Court, arguing that these politicians have not lived in Liberia according to 52C of the 1986 Constitution which requires that anyone wishing to become president of Liberia should live in the country not less than ten years prior to the election. According to the MPC, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Prince Johnson of the National Union for Democratic Progress, Charles Brumskine of the Liberty Party, Rev. Kennedy Sandy of the Liberia Transformation Party, and Dew Mason of the National Democratic Coalition should not contest the presidential election on 11 October 2011.



2011 Supreme Court Ruling on the Residency Clause

The Supreme Court of Liberia ruled out the residency argument by the MPC. In the Supreme Court ruling on 5 October, Chief Justice Johnnie Lewis wrote: Following careful review of the facts in this case and the law applicable thereto, it is hereby adjudged that for the purpose of eligibility, we hold that Article 52(C) of the Liberian Constitution requires that a Liberian citizen shall have been a resident' in the Republic of Liberia for at least ten (10) years immediately preceding the presidential election in which the candidate is competing; that also, on account of the civil war and its devastating impact on the lives of the Liberian people at different period periods of the nations history, which necessitated the flight of citizens from the country, it is our opinion that the framers of the 1986 constitution could neither have contemplated nor intended that Liberians faced with the state civil crisis be 'resident' because at some point in the future they may want to run for the office of president, Chief Justice Johnnie also said article 52  having been suspended during the state of war in Liberia and same restored as part of the ushering of a constitutional government on January 16, 2006, the principle embraced under the Article 21 of the Constitution, constitutes a bar prohibiting what amounts to a retroactive application of Article 52  to disallow otherwise qualified Liberians from running for the office of president during the 2011 presidential election.Chief Justice Lewis concluded  We, therefore, hold that Article 52 applies only to the Constitutional period as it was contemplated and intended by the writers of the Liberian Constitution (1986).



The Supreme Courts decision in the aforementioned case reinforces the importance of qualification for election by a candidate and gave proof that where a candidate for president and vice president do not duly qualify for an election is fielded by a political party, the electoral victory of such a candidate is liable to be set aside.



Mr. Alexander B. Cummings Jr. of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP)

Alexander B. Cummings Jr. was born in Liberia on December 7, 1957, in Liberia. Mr. Cumming, a former Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company retired on March 31, 2016, after more than 18 years of distinguished service to the Company according to a Coca-Cola press release.



In July 2011, Mr. Cummings traveled from his residence in Georgia, the USA to Liberia where he received Liberia's highest honor, the Humane Order of African Redemption, for humanitarian work in Liberia and acts supporting and assisting the Liberian nation and Africa in general. In 2015, Cummings established the Cummings Africa Foundation to assist in improving education, health, entrepreneurship & agriculture in Africa, with special emphasis on Liberia. In January 2016, the then Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company joined the 2017 presidential and representative elections as a presidential hopeful on the Alternative National Congress (ANC) ticket. He was certified by Jerome Koyoyas National Election Commission as a presidential candidate of the ANC and participated in presidential and representative elections. Mr. Cumming came fourth with total votes of 112,067 (7.21% of votes) despite Cumming not meeting the residency clause and his confession to a gathering of Diaspora Liberians in the United States that he carries a US passport because he is a naturalized American citizen. Mr. Cummings made the admission in September of 2015 when he addressed a town hall gathering of Diaspora Liberians in the US state of Minnesota, where he revealed that he carries an American passport, and insisted that he is a Liberian.



Currently, Alexander B. Cummings Jr. is the political leader of the ANC and the Standard-bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) in the 2023 pending election.



Dr. Daniel Cassell of Liberia People Liberation Party

Daniel E. Cassell was born in Liberia on January 8, 1966. He migrated to the United States in October of 1995, where he has resided since. He established the Kwenyan Professional Health Services, a mental health/behavioral and substance abuse agency and in 2008, he became a professional counselor in the state of Pennsylvania and also a licensed clinical drug and alcohol counselor in New Jersey in 2009. Upon his return from America, Dr. Cassell established the Dr. Cassell Foundation in July 2020 to assist with meeting the basic needs of the poor, less fortunate, and disenfranchised citizens of Liberia. In 2020, Daniel Cassell announced his intention to run for president of Liberia in the 2023 elections, establishing the People Liberation Party (PLP) to back his candidacy. The PLP was officially certificated as a full-fledged political party in Liberia by the NEC on December 21, 2020.



Dr. Cassell was arrested in Georgia on March 17, 2022, as a Fugitive from Justice. His company, according to the source, allegedly created fake vouchers for clients to the insurance company multiple times to the tune of US$3.7 million. Most of the funds, according to investigators, were funneled through his Cassell Foundation - the foundation through which he carries out his philanthropic activities. On September 20, 2022, Dr. Cassell was indicted by a grand jury in the United States. According to preliminary reports the charges stem from a 2019 OIFP investigation allegedly revealing that from January 2015 through October 2021, when the Kwenyan entities ceased operations, Cassell, with assistance from his employees, engaged in schemes to defraud Medicaid and to defraud Progressive Insurance Company, which provided auto insurance coverage for a fleet of over 20 service vans used by the clinics. A subsequent joint investigation by OIFP and the New Jersey Department of the Treasury allegedly revealed that Cassell and his wife, Bindu R. Cassell, 37, of Perkasie, PA, used the Kwenyan entities to hide income and also failed to disclose additional earned income on their jointly filed 2016, 2017 and 2018 N.J. tax returns.



Daniel E. Cassell is the political leader of the People Liberation Party (PLP) and the presidential candidate of the PLP in the 2023 pending election.



Conclusion

Constitutionally, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings Jr and Dr. Daniel E. Cassell are not eligible to run for president or vice president of Liberia because none has met the 10 years of residency eligibility prior to the election to run for president or vice president of Liberia. The basic qualifications to be met by presidential candidates for the President and Vice president positions respectively must be in line with the provisions of the Constitution of Liberia. These basic qualifications are provided under Article 52(a)(b)(c) of the Constitution of 1986 and any person who is disqualified for any reason stated above should not be eligible to participate in the 2023 presidential election as a presidential candidate. No provision of the Constitution should be set aside or ignored during the 2023 elections for the sake of political accommodation. Similarly, no provision should be misinterpreted or misconstrued so as to satisfy the desire of any politician or political party.






Mr. Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) Council Chair has commended corporate bodies in Tema for supporting the Tema Regional Command to complete an office and conference hall project which would be used to train companies within the region on fire precautions and other related issues.

Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi said it was a project which other regions must emulate to project the image and work of the service in their communities.

He commended the GNFS Tema Regional Commander, and the personnel under the command saying they have exhibited unity of purpose which has been evident in everything they do at the Command, an attribute worth exhibiting by others in the service.

Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi stated during the commissioning of the GNFS Tema Regional Commands new office and conference block to promote the creation of sustained awareness of fire prevention in the region.

The block named after Nii Opremeh II, the Shiashi Mantse, known in private life as Mr. Gilford Tetteh Adams, a retired former Tema Regional Fire Commander has a 50-seater ultramodern conference hall and offices.

The Chief Fire Officer, Julius A. Kuunuor; Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi, GNFS Council Chair, and other dignitaries jointly commissioned the facility after inspecting a guard of honour by the Regional Command

Touching on some perceptions the public has about the operations of the GNFS, Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi urged the public to discard notions including fire service visit fire scenes without water in the fire tenders, as they were mostly untrue.

He said even though they may have some logistical constraints the personnel were doing their best and responds promptly to emergencies, adding that the government was also working on getting more equipment for them to work with.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO1) Doris Lamptey, Tema Regional Fire Commander, said the project commenced in 2010 under Nii Opremeh but was abandoned until she took office in November 2021.

ACFO1 Lamptey said she saw it as a responsibility to complete the project and therefore engaged and sought help from stakeholders who supported it to completion.

She added that it would serve as a place to train organizations and industries in the region noting that when we want to conduct training for people, we sit under the appliance bay which was not the best.

She also said it would also provide the needed office for personnel to work, indicating that the Tema Regional Fire Headquarters did not have enough offices and that sometimes where the personnel would sit and work was a problem.

There is a saying that a sound mind is in a sound body, if you have a very good conducive working environment it makes your output increase, and as firefighters, we need it because when there is a fire outbreak you have to stop everything to attend to that emergency.

So assuming you come to work and dont have that conducive environment you will reach there already exhausted, we want our men to be fit and 24-hour ready when it comes to any eventuality, ACFO1 Lamptey stated.
An economist and Finance Professor with the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Godfred Bokpin has indicated that leadership deficit remains one of the main problems derailing the country's progress in terms of development.

This year has been particularly difficult for the country with the economy continually being downgraded by rating agencies.

As a result, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's government has run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to seek support to shore up the sinking economy.

Unfortunately, not even the ongoing discussions with the Fund have been able to save Ghanas economy from a further downgrade by Fitch to additional junk status.

Speaking to Joy News on Saturday morning, Prof. Godfred Bokpin said the problems of the economy have everything to do with leadership.

If you check all that we've said from last year to date, you will see that there was no theory.

Since independence, our biggest problem has been leadership deficit, the UG Business School professor said.

According to him, although an IMF support programme will do the Ghanaian economy some good, it will not solve the problem.

He proposes that the government engages in consultations to come up with home-grown remedies that will deal with the economic challenges.

An IMF programme we can pursue but let us look at government interventions as the long-term solution, Prof. Godfred Bokpin added.

Meanwhile, a new phase of the discussions between the government of Ghana and the IMF is expected to start next week.
24.09.2022 LISTEN

The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights Judges will undertake a five-day peer-to-peer visit to the European Court of Human Rights, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court.

The visit is fixed for September 26th to 30th, 2022 aimed at exchanging experiences, and enhancing cooperation among the continental judicial fraternity a statement signed by Dr. Robert Eno, African Court Registrar and copied to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema stated.

The African Court statement explained that the purpose of the visit is also to generally engage with global judicial institutions whose mandates stand at the intersection between public international law, and human rights justice.

The African Courts delegation which includes seven Judges, Legal Officers, and Registry Staff, will be led by its President Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud.

According to the statement, the visit is part of the African Courts long-standing endeavour to pursue cooperation with peer institutions involved in human rights adjudication in a bid to reinforce judicial dialogue and exchange practices pertinent to international justice.

The African Continental Court is composed of eleven Judges, nationals of Member States of the African Union elected in their individual capacity.

The African Court was established by pursuant to Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, (the Protocol) which was adopted by Member States of the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in June 1998. The Protocol came into force on 25 January 2004.
The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights has dismissed a case filed against the United Republic of Tanzania by John Martin Marwa who is a Tanzanian. The African Court however ordered that each Party should bear its own costs.

African Court in its ruling in the case involving John Martin Marwa versus the United Republic of Tanzania application no. 021/2017 on jurisdiction and admissibility, obtained by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema.

According to the ruling John Martin Marwa (the Applicant) who is a national of Tanzania (the Respondent State) is a schoolteacher and at the time of filing the Application, was serving 30 years imprisonment having been convicted of the offence of rape of an 18-year-old student.

The Applicant alleged that the Respondent State violated his right not to be discriminated against protected under Article 2 of the Charter; his right to equality before the law and equal protection of the law protected under Article 3(1) and (2) respectively of the Charter; and his right to have his cause heard protected under Article 7(1) of the Charter.

The African Court however ruled that on the admissibility of the Application, in particular, when considering whether the Application was filed within a reasonable time, it considered that although the Applicant was, at the material time, incarcerated, he had not provided the Court with compelling arguments and sufficient evidence to demonstrate that his personal situation prevented him from filing the Application in a more timely manner.

In view of the foregoing, the African Court found that the filing of the Application within six years and 12 days after exhaustion of local remedies was not a reasonable time within the meaning of Article 56(6) of the Charter and as restated in Rule 50(2)(f) of the Rules.

Having found that the Application had not satisfied the requirement in Rule 50(2)(f) of the Rules, the Court declared the Application inadmissible as the conditions of admissibility of an Application filed before it are cumulative, such that if one condition is not fulfilled then the Application becomes inadmissible, the African Court stated.

On reparations, the Applicant prayed the Court to restore justice where it was overlooked, quash both the conviction and the sentence of 30 years imprisonment imposed upon him and order his release from prison.

He further prayed the Court to grant any other orders that may be appropriate in the circumstances.

The Respondent State did not file any submissions in this Application and therefore the Court decided, in the interest of justice, to issue a Ruling in default.

Having found that its jurisdiction was not in contention, the African Court held that it had material, personal, temporal and territorial jurisdiction.

The African Court is a continental court established by African Union Member States to ensure the protection of human and peoples rights in Africa.

The African Court has jurisdiction over all cases and disputes submitted to it concerning the interpretation and application of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and any other relevant human rights instrument ratified by the States concerned.
What was a trip of a lifetime for some and a day out for others ended in one of the world's worst maritime disasters, with victims' families still seeking justice 20 years on.

Nadine Verschatse's eyes mist over when she recalls the capsizing of Le Joola on the night of September 26, 2002 after it sailed into a storm off the coast of Gambia.

The tragedy has haunted the 69-year-old Frenchwoman as she continues her fight to get justice for her daughter "and all the others".

She picks up a green folder and pulls out a photograph while sitting in a Dakar restaurant.

"Look, I always keep it with me. You have to put faces to names," says Nadine looking at the photo of Claire, her daughter, a radiant 20-year-old flanked by her childhood friend Guerande.

"For their birthdays, as they'd been working hard, we gave them a trip."

The trip, to Senegal, marked the first time they had ever travelled by plane, but they were never to return.

Today, Nadine says they are "forgotten," just two more victims of "injustice".

Joola had some 2,000 passengers aboard -- almost quadruple its capacity. By - (AFP/File)

That night saw 1,863 people drowned or lost -- surpassing the Titanic toll of more than 1,500 90 years earlier.

Le Joola ran into trouble on the way from Ziguinchor in the Casamance region to Dakar.

Victims' associations say more than 2,000 passengers from more than a dozen countries died after cramming onto a vessel designed for a quarter as many, with only 65 survivors.

'Apocalyptic vision'

Senegalese Leandre Coly, 37, was among the survivors.

He remembers an "apocalyptic vision," which still haunts his dreams, describing an initially joyful atmosphere onboard with some passengers playing cards, others laughing and joking as musicians played.

Then the wind picked up and heavy rain prompted the passengers to close the portholes.

The vessel tilted dangerously "and everything slid away -- instruments, the musicians, people. Water began to seep in, the lights went out. People were crying out all around", Leandre said.

Instinctively, Leandre grabbed hold of a fellow passenger and stumbled to an exit, swimming away from the stricken vessel, discarding his clothes as his strength ebbed away.

Mourners gather by containers at Dakar port holding victims after the disaster. By SEYLLOU (AFP/File)

Despite fearing he would drown, he defied the odds and, guided by the sound of voices in the darkness, found a small group holding on to an inflatable boat which they prised open.

In the early hours a group of fishermen pulled them to safety, Leandre recalls tearfully.

Nadine looks on from a separate table, giving him space to remember.

'Big family'

"We are a big family," she says referring to those affected by the disaster.

Two decades on, many questions remain unanswered.

The causes of the incident have never been fully established, despite a Senegalese government inquiry and a French probe launched because of the deaths of several French citizens.

Engine failure, a navigational error, bad weather, poor maintenance and overcrowding -- or a combination -- were likely to blame.

Officially, 1,928 people were onboard a boat designed for only 536.

"There was negligence, failures -- that much is known," says Nadine.

Legal dead end

Senegal closed the case in 2003 after concluding an investigation that blamed the captain, lost in the catastrophe.

French courts also dismissed a years-long French probe into the case, which had found evidence against seven Senegalese officials, concluding that Paris did not have jurisdiction.

Nadine said that amounted to "killing the victims a second time".

Senegalese and French victims' associations want the raising of the wreck of Le Joola, which sunk to a depth of some 20 metres (60 feet).

An aerial view of the doomed ferry. By HANDOUT (Marine Nationale/AFP/File)

They also want a memorial erected.

One was due to be unveiled in Ziguinchor, where most of the victims were from, in time for Monday's anniversary -- but the site is nowhere near ready.

French victims have long tried unsuccessfully to obtain permission for a memorial gravestone to be placed at Paris' Pere-Lachaise cemetery.

"We shall not abandon our victims... they deserve to be honoured," said Nadine.

She will join commemorations in Senegal, now a "second home", as she has done every year since the disaster except for a period during the pandemic.

"Without them perhaps I wouldn't be here today. I might have chosen just to go to pieces," she reflects, wiping away tears.
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has stated that government remains committed to advancing fundamental human rights and fulfilling its obligations to ensure that minority rights are not marginalised.

Stressing on the commitment, Mr. Yeboah Dame added that the government would firmly ensure that Article 17 of the constitution that guarantees equality before the law and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status is achieved.

The Attorney-General made these remarks at the High-Level Meeting of the 77th Session of the General Assembly to mark the Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious And Linguistic Minorities.

Mr. Yeboah Dame, in his address, said, despite the progress made in advancing the rights of minority groups following the adoption of the Declaration 3 decades ago, challenges persist.

We solidarize with the people belonging to minority groups and remain concerned about the disproportionate suffering they are subjected to in conflict situations, including their vulnerability to forced displacements, obstacles to education and other attendant effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

Mr. Dame re-iterated Ghana's commitment to the implementation of the Declaration as he said it is the government's conviction that unbridled political will by the Member States at the national, regional and multilateral level is critical to advance the rights of minority groups sustainably.

The Attorney General highlighted the following points, which he says are instrumental in dealing with the issue confronting minority groups:

First, We believe that although the Declaration was adopted three decades ago, it remains relevant in addressing contemporary challenges facing minority groups. It is, therefore, important for the Member States to make their commitment to its implementation.

Secondly, As we move towards a post-COVID-19 future, it is important for Member States to deliberately put in place measures that would enhance emergency aids, boost data collection for monitoring and tracking of disparities among minority groups, intensify outreaches including minority languages and sign languages on how to prevent and address COVID-19 and other challenges, and availability of services. This would help ensure that minority groups are not disadvantaged.

Thirdly, The growing exclusion, marginalisation and discrimination against minorities require a more holistic and comprehensive approach in addressing the situation. We welcome the integration of employment, sustainable development and social protection into domestic policies and the advancement of equal rights and opportunities for all, ensuring that the interest of minority groups is served.

Furthermore, deliberate policies that create a conducive environment for minority groups to meaningfully participate in political activities and decision-making are encouraged.

Finally, Equally important is the urgent need to empower minority women and girls to help ameliorate the various forms of abuse they are subjected to. We believe this can be addressed by urgently considering measures embedded in economic support and stimulus packages that reflect the needs of women who face multiple forms of discrimination. In addition, the introduction of interventions such as helplines, psychosocial support and online counselling is recommended.

---citinewsroom
The Lagos State police command has impounded two buses loaded with large quantities of live cartridges, three dismantled motorcycles at Poromope Estate, Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin on Saturday, the operatives of Ikorodu Division also made some arrests.

Hundeyin said, Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects, Tukur Abdullah 'm' aged 35, Muazu Telim 'm' aged 50 and Dahiru Idris 'm' aged 36 were on their way to Katsina State.

The suspects, recovered exhibits as well as the vehicles, with registration numbers KMC 438 YK and KMC 394 XF have been transferred to the Lagos State Command Headquarters, Ikeja for further investigations.

-LagosPoliceNG
MBABANE-A brave teacher managed to calm down over 30 kombi conductors who were baying for the blood of one of the pupils who had stabbed their colleague, the previous day.

The kombi conductors, who were seething with anger, stormed Ndwandwe High School, located at Velezizweni under the Ngwempisi constituency, in the Manzini region, looking for one of the pupils who had stabbed their colleague, Nkosinathi Sgushede Dludlu (24). Inside sources said the kombi conductors allegedly hurled insults and ransacked each and every classroom in a bid to locate, capture and mete mob justice on the pupil whom they alleged stabbed their friend.

Stabbed

According to one of the residents, Ncamiso Metfula, the pupil allegedly stabbed Dludlu with a pair of scissors, last Saturday while they were on their way from a church service at around 11pm at an area called Mtimane. Metfula said the brawl between the duo (kombi conductor and pupil) emanated from a love triangle whereby both gentleman claimed to be betrothed to the same girl who is also doing Form III at Ndwandwe High School.

The trio (Kombi conductor, pupil and the girl) were from attending a church service when the fight ensued, which saw one of them being allegedly stabbed with a pair of scissor in the process. Dludlu, the survivor also confirmed that he was stabbed by the Form III pupil over a girl when they were coming from a church service, last Saturday.

Revenge

The areas Bucopho Sibusiso Dludlu told Eswatini News that last Monday, over 30 kombi conductors arrived at the school, Ndwandwe High, in two Toyota quantums, and allegedly insulted, harassed pupils and teachers while searching for the pupil whom, it has been alleged, stabbed their colleague with a pair of scissors. According to Dludlu, the angry mob of conductors ransacked the school but failed to capture him as he had escaped just before they arrived. The bucopho revealed that the angry conductors even went to search for the pupil at his home, which is in the same area but could not find him.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the matter and said investigations were currently taking place in connection to the stabbing of a 24-year-old man of Velezizweni with a pair of scissors.Worth noting, is that the country has been experiencing numerous cases whereby people had decided to mete out mob justice as a form of revenge. Houses and properties are being burnt while some people killed in the process as people opt to take the law into their hands.

Violence

Most recently, at Nceka around Siphofaneni, goat farmers who are victims of stock theft are also threatening violence as revenge after a suspect was released on bail. Meanwhile, his father, Sicelo Dludlu disclosed that a case was opened against the pupil at Mankayane Police Station, the following day, Sunday. Metfula (who witnessed the whole incident) told Eswatini News that he called for help from the areas bucopho, who responded immediately and transported the stabbed man to Mankayane Government Hospital.
September 24, 2022 Rekindling Its Iraq WMD Fiasco The New York Times Is Back At Printing 'Officials Said' At first I wondered why the New York Times homepage editor would put a piece about Putin and his alleged involvement in war strategy under 'U.S. Politics'.

bigger But after reading As Russian Losses Mount in Ukraine, Putin Gets More Involved in War Strategy I understand the qualification. Some quotes: President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has [...], American officials said, ... American officials briefed on highly sensitive intelligence said ... ... his involvement has created tensions, American officials said. The officials said ... ..., Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview on Friday. ... is to both sides, American officials said. Some American officials said they saw trouble ahead ... A senior U.S. official said this week ... ...could eventually be threatened, American officials said. Senior Russian officers repeatedly questioned [...], American officials said, ... The Russian officers believed [...], American officials said. ... focused on massive artillery barrages, American officials said. ... hit by Ukrainian fire, Ukrainian officials said. ... said Seth G. Jones, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. ... said Michael Kofman, director of Russia studies at CNA, a defense research institute in Arlington, Va. ..., U.S. officials say Mr. Putin believes ... ... American officials have said that Mr. Putin has not been given accurate information ... Mr. Putin, an American official said, has opposed ... ..., American officials said Russian officers themselves are divided ... Adding up we have: anonymous American/U.S. official/s [said/have said/say]: 15 times,

[said/have said/say]: 15 times, named American semi- officials (Jones, Kofman): 2 times,

semi- (Jones, Kofman): 2 times, a named American official (Milley): 1 time,

(Milley): 1 time, anonymous Ukrainian officials: 1 time. There are no other sources in the piece. Would you believe that it took 4 (FOUR) NYT 'reporters', Julian E. Barnes, Helene Cooper, Eric Schmitt and Michael Schwirtz, to stenograph that nonsense? A lot of anonymous American officials said that the U.S. was winning its wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan etc. Anonymous American officials said that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The NYT printed all those false claims without providing evidence for their veracity. There was some agonizing after the Iraq WMD claims turned out to be false. The NYT and other media promised to do better and to restrict the use of anonymous sources: Under our guidelines, anonymous sources should be used only for information that we think is newsworthy and credible, and that we are not able to report any other way.

...

We understand readers wariness, but many important stories in sensitive areas like politics, national security and business could never be reported if we banned anonymous sourcing. Sources often fear for their jobs or business relationships  sometimes even for their safety. Those anonymous American officials quoted in the above NYT piece are distributing 'newsworthy' and 'credible' information? Even some they very obviously have no way to obtain ('Mr. Putin believes ...')? They must be fearing for their jobs and safety when they reveal the secrets of Putin's believes to those assiduous NYT 'reporters'? Or its all just another bunch of lies. Not only what the American officials say but also what the NYT claims to be. The above piece is not the result of journalism by independent media but the outcome of intense collaboration between a quasi state organ and the Biden administration. It is an information operation waged against its own people and propaganda for a real war waged against Russia. Why do they expect anyone to pay for this dreck? Posted by b on September 24, 2022 at 7:50 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
MBABANE  The Manzini lawyer, *Sam, accused of raping and impregnating his daughters successfully challenged one of the charges when he appeared at the Manzini Magistrates Court yesterday.

This is despite that the said charges had not even been read to him when he appeared for the first time since his arrest on Thursday. The lawyer said he would represent himself in the case. After he had been informed that he would be remanded in custody he immediately showed interest to address the court, which was presided over by Senior Magistrate Nonhlanhla Dlamini. He said one of the charges should not have been in the charge sheet because he was already out on bail for the same alleged offence. He said it would create confusion in his bail application because he was already out on bail for such an charge. The charge in question is one in which he allegedly raped his 14-year-old cousin and impregnated her in the year 2007 to 2008 at or near Fairview area in the Manzini Region. A child was born as a result of the alleged rape.

Bail

Among these charges I am facing is a matter which is pending before this court. It has been listed as Count 2, yet I was granted bail in 2008 at the High Court. I paid E5 000 and was released. It was before Magistrate Israel Magagula. I should not have been arrested on account of such a matter because I have never violated my bail conditions despite that it occurred a long time ago, he said. He said he had known about the case three months ago when it started appearing in the newspapers and on social media. This case has been on social media and newspapers since three months ago. I have kept my peace to ensure justice eventually unfolds. All along I have been cooperating with the law enforcement officers, even as they came to my home a number of times, and I cooperated.

It is also common knowledge that I am an officer of the court and some of the rules do not even need to be related to me. I will abide by the bail conditions as pronounced by the High Court, he said. He even advised the court to stand down the matter to allow the prosecution to make consultations on the way forward. Prosecutor Cebile Nkambule then asked that the matter be stood down temporarily and the magistrate granted the request. Upon her return to the court, 15 minutes later, the prosecutor asked that Count 2 be removed from the charge sheet and the request was granted.

Minors

The implication is that instead of facing five counts as had been drafted, the lawyer will now face four counts, all bordering on having sexual relations with minors. The first count is rape of his 12-year-old daughter between 2006 and 2011. According to the charge sheet, it carried aggravating circumstances in that the accused is in loco parentis with the complainant as he is the biological father of the complainant and thus he allegedly abused the relationship of trust. Prior to the sexual abuse, the complainant was sexually inactive and the accused allegedly impregnated the complainant as a result of the rape. It was further revealed in the charge sheet that the accused allegedly exposed the complainant to the risk of infections and HIV/AIDS as he did not use a condom.

The third count was one in which the accused allegedly raped his 14-year-old daughter between 2006 and 2011 and impregnated her. The same aggravating circumstances as stated in count 1 also apply. In count 4, the lawyer is alleged to have had sexual acts with one of his daughters aged 16 in contravention of section 3 (2)(c),3(6)(e) as read with Section 3(9)(b) of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act 15/2018. In this charge, he is further alleged to have impregnated the daughter and forced to abort the pregnancy.

In count 5, the lawyer was charged with the offence of contravening section 37(1) as read with section 37(5) of The Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act 15/2018. He is alleged to have, in the year 2019 to 2020 at or near Nkambeni area in the Manzini region, unlawfully maintained a sexual relationship with his 16-year-old daughter. The charges also carry a warning that should the lawyer be convicted of the offences his particulars will be included in the National Register of Sexual Offenders.

*Not real name to protect minors.
Buckingham Palace releases picture of King Charles at work View Photo

LONDON (AP)  King Charles III has been pictured taking up his new state duties in Buckingham Palace for the first time.

In the image the monarch is seen looking into his official red box which contains documents from the British Government and the Commonwealth

In a sign of royal continuity, the picture is taken in front of a photo of his late parents, Elizabeth and Philip, which the pair had gifted to King George VI in 1951  the year before Elizabeth became queen.

During her own reign, Queen Elizabeth II was also regularly pictured with her official red box, which each monarch receives from their private secretary.

The image was taken in the Eighteenth Century Room at Buckingham Palace three days after Elizabeth died.
Mali prime minister lashes out at France, UN, regional bloc View Photo

Malis prime minister lashed out Saturday at former colonizer France, the U.N. secretary-general and many people in between, saying that the tumultuous country had been stabbed in the back by the French military withdrawal. In the same remarks, Abdoulaye Maiga praised the exemplary and fruitful cooperation between Mali and Russia.

Maiga was directly criticizing U.N. Secretary-General Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by the fourth sentence of his speech to the General Assembly. And he slammed what he called Frances unilateral decision to relocate its remaining troops to neighboring Niger amid deteriorating relations with Malis two-time coup leader, Col. Assimi Goita.

While it was Goita and his allies who overthrew a democratically elected president by military force two years ago, Malis prime minister repeatedly referred to a French junta throughout his speech Saturday.

Move on from the colonial past and hear the anger, the frustration, the rejection that is coming up from the African cities and countryside, and understand that this movement is inexorable, Maiga said. Your intimidations and subversive actions have only swelled the ranks of Africans concerned with preserving their dignity.

France intervened militarily in 2013, leading an effort to oust Islamic extremists from control of the northern Malian towns they had overtaken. Over the past nine years, France had continued its presence in a bid to stabilize the country amid repeated attacks by insurgents. The French departure has raised new concerns about whether those militants will again regain territory with security responsibilities now falling to the Malian military and U.N. peacekeepers.

Maiga insisted Saturday that terrorist groups have been severely weakened since the August 2020 coup detat even though militants over the summer attacked the countrys largest military base, just 15 kilometers (9 miles) outside the capital, Bamako.

In a more than 30-minute speech, he referenced everything from Victor Hugo to the Rwandan genocide. Maiga repeated unfounded claims that France colluded with Islamic extremists and spoke of nefarious elements with hidden agendas.

At one point he even called into question the nationality of Nigers President Mohamed Bazoum, whom he called a foreigner who claims to be from Niger.

We know that the people of Niger, brothers of Mali, are distinguished by very rich societal, cultural and religious values, Maiga said. Bazoum is not a Nigerien.

The Malian prime minister offered a grim assessment of the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MINUSMA, while openly praising the influence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group who have been accused of carrying out human rights abuses.

We must recognize that nearly 10 years after its establishment, the objectives for which MINUSMA was deployed in Mali have not been achieved, Maiga said. This is despite numerous Security Council resolutions.

The Malian prime minister had particularly sharp words as well for Guterres, criticizing his recent comments on the standoff between Mali and Ivory Coast over 46 detained Ivorian soldiers.

Maiga reiterated claims before the U.N. General Assembly Saturday that the soldiers were sent to Mali as mercenaries, which the Ivorian government has vigorously denied. Ivory Coast says the soldiers were to provide security for a company contracted by the United Nations, but Maiga maintained that there is no link between the 46 and the United Nations.

On Saturday, he said that soldiers had arrived in Bamako with weapons, indicating on their paperwork that they were painters and masons. Instead, he said, they came with the evil intention of destabilizing the country.

Three female Ivorian soldiers already have been released as a humanitarian gesture, but there have been no updates about the others.

Since friendship is based on sincerity, I would like to express my deep disagreement with your recent media appearance, in which you took a position and expressed yourself on the case of the 46 Ivorian mercenaries, he said in comments aimed at Guterres.

The nature of the offenses in the case does not fall within the remit of the secretary-general of the United Nations, he added.

Maiga, a government spokesman, was dispatched to New York to address the U.N. General Assembly instead of Goita. The coup leader instead attended celebrations Friday in Bamako marking Malis independence from France in 1960.

Also in attendance at that event was the junta leader who seized power in Guinea a little over a year after Malis coup detat. A third West African country, Burkina Faso, underwent a military coup in January, deepening fears that democracy is backsliding in the region amid mounting violence from Islamic extremists.

___

For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly

By KRISTA LARSON

Associated Press
On Ukraine, Russia repeats insistence that it had no choice

On Ukraine, Russia repeats insistence that it had no choice View Photo

UNITED NATIONS (AP)  Russia made its case to the world Saturday for its war in Ukraine, repeating a series of grievances about its neighbor and the West to tell the U.N. General Assembly meeting of leaders that Moscow had no choice but to take military action.

After days of denunciations of Russia at the prominent diplomatic gathering, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sought to shift the focus to Washington. His speech centered on a claim that the United States and its allies  not Russia, as the West maintains  are aggressively undermining the international system that the U.N. represents.

Invoking history ranging from the U.S. war in Iraq in the early 2000s to the 20th-century Cold War to a 19th-century U.S. policy that essentially proclaimed American influence over the Western Hemisphere, Lavrov portrayed the U.S. as a bully that tries to afford itself the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and wherever they want and cant accept a world where others also advance their national interests.

The United States and allies want to stop the march of history, he maintained.

The U.S. and Ukraine didnt retort at the assembly on Saturday but can still offer formal responses later in the meeting. Both countries presidents have already given their own speeches describing Russia as a dangerous aggressor that must be stopped.

Lavrov, for his part, accused the West of aiming to destroy and fracture Russia in order to remove from the global map a geopolitical entity that has become all too independent.

The Ukraine war has largely dominated the discussion at the assemblys big annual meeting, and many countries have laid into Russia for its Feb. 24 invasion  denouncing its nuclear threats, alleging it has committed atrocities and war crimes, and lambasting its decision to mobilize call up some of its reserves even as the assembly met.

Neither partial mobilization, nuclear saber-rattling, nor any other escalation will deter us from supporting Ukraine, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde declared Saturday.

Russia does have some friends in the sprawling chamber, and one  Belarus  offered a full-throated defense Saturday of its big neighbor. Echoing Russias talking points, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said it was precisely the West that made this conflict inevitable in Ukraine.

The speeches came amid voting in Russian-occupied parts of eastern and southern Ukraine on whether to join Russia. Moscow characterizes the referendums as self-determination, but Kyiv and its Western allies view them as Kremlin-orchestrated shams with a foregone conclusion.

Some observers think the expected outcome could serve as a pretext for Russian President Vladimir Putin eventually to escalate the war further.

We can expect President Putin will claim any Ukrainian effort to liberate this land as an attack on so-called Russian territory, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned the U.N. Security Council on Thursday.

Lavrov dismissed the complaints as the West throwing a fit about people making a choice on where they feel they belong.

Russia has offered a number of explanations for what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine. Lavrov recapped a couple: risks to Russia from what it considers a hostile government in Kyiv and a NATO alliance that has expanded eastward over the years and relieving Russians living in Ukraine  especially its eastern region of the Donbas  of what Moscow views as the Ukrainian governments oppression.

The incapacity of Western countries to negotiate and the continued war by the Kyiv regime against their own people left us with no choice but to recognize the two regions that make up the Donbas as independent and then to send troops in, Lavrov said.

The aim was to remove the threats against our security, which NATO has been consistently creating in Ukraine, he explained.

While Ukraine has recently driven Russian troops from some areas in the northeast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week warned the assembly that he believes Moscow wants to spend the winter getting ready for a new offensive, or at least preparing fortifications while mobilizing more troops.

Regardless, he declared that his forces will ultimately oust Russian troops from all of Ukraine.

We can do it with the force of arms. But we need time, said Zelenskyy, the only leader who was allowed to address the assembly by video this year.

The war has disrupted the trade of Ukrainian and Russian grain and Russian fertilizer, touching off a global food crisis. A deal recently brokered by the U.N. and Turkey has helped get Ukrainian grain moving, but fertilizer shipments have proved more difficult.

At a news conference after his speech, Lavrov said he discussed problems with the deal at a meeting this week with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Although international sanctions against Russia did not target food and fertilizer exports, shipping and insurance companies and banks have been loath to deal with Moscow  and the Kremlin has frequently pointed to that in alleging that Western sanctions have exacerbated the crisis. Lavrov told reporters Saturday that Russia wants fertilizer stuck in European ports to be given to needy countries quickly.

At the Security Council on Thursday, Ukraine and Russia faced off, in a rare moment when Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, were in the same room  though they kept their distance.

The General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in March to deplore Russias aggression against Ukraine, call for immediate withdrawal of all Russian forces, and urge protection for millions of civilians. The next month, members agreed by a smaller margin to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council.

___

Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report. For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly

By JENNIFER PELTZ

Associated Press
MBABANE  An attempt to deliver a petition at His Majestys Correctional Services (HMCS) turned rowdy as police dispersed political activists with over 13 teargas canisters, yesterday in Mbabane.

The less than 50 political activists donning colours and flags from the different political formations in the country, yesterday marched to the HMCS headquarters, to deliver a petition in which they were demanding answers on what they termed as the attempted murder of the two incarcerated Members of Parliament (MPs), Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza from Hosea and Mthandeni Dube from Ngwempisi. The MPs legal representative, Ben J Simelane had confirmed the narrative, that the two MPs were allegedly heavily assaulted by Correctional Services officers on Wednesday morning.

The political activists assembled next to the Mbabane Government Hospital and proceeded as planned to deliver the petition to the Commissioner General Phindile Lomakhosini Dlamini. At around 1pm, armed police officers were already waiting for the political activists to arrive at the HMCS gate.

Warning

The over 30 police officers then gave the political activists only two minutes to disperse. They shouted instructions to them. The police officers took turns advising the political activists to abandon the petition delivery and said Hambani ekhaya situnge sitonibulala which loosely translated go home, boredom will kill you. But the political activists including Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) Chairperson Thulani Maseko and Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) Sibongile Mazibuko, continued to sing political chants and charged towards the police and that is when all hell broke loose as the cops began to use tear gas canisters to disperse them.

One of the cops was seen attempting to throw a teargas canister inside the vehicle used by the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) Secretary General (SG) Wandile Dludlu, failed as he quickly closed the window and drove away. NNLCs Sibongile Mazibuko was told to go home as they did not want the blood of an elderly person on their hands. MSFs Thulani Maseko did not run away but instead remained behind as the police repeatedly shouted that, boredom would kill them and that they should go home immediately.

Harmed

Maseko said he would go and see a doctor as he feared his eyes had been harmed by the teargas as he was seen wiping them with a towel. The group of protesters eventually turned back without delivering their petition and regrouped at the Mbabane Bus Rank. At the bus rank, the group of protesters continued to sing political chants in front of a few police officers from the traffic department, who were stationed at the bus rank. While that was happening , police officers from the Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) went to park next to the Engen Garage in Mbabane and monitored from afar. As it became apparent that the petition delivery was not going to happen, political activist Sakhile Awviva Nxumalo asked the crowd to disperse and go get themselves ready for the funeral of their late member, Mandla Nkomonye. Nkomonyes funeral was scheduled for 1am this morning.
Indiana abortion clinics see patients amid legal changes View Photo

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Dr. Jeanne Corwin traveled about two hours on Friday from her hometown of Cincinnati to an Indianapolis abortion clinic, where she saw the clinics first 12 patients the day after an Indiana judge blocked the states abortion ban from being enforced.

Its a trip Corwin has made several times over the past few months, as her Ohio medical license allows her to sign off on required paperwork for Womens Med patients in Indiana to access care in the clinics sister location in Dayton.

But with Indianas abortion ban temporarily on hold  paired with a judges Sept. 14 blocking of an Ohio ban on nearly all abortions  Womens Med and other Indiana abortion clinics resumed seeing patients on Friday while anticipating further change amid mercurial abortion access in the country following the U.S. Supreme Courts June decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Its a glimmer of hope and common sense, Corwin said of Thursdays ruling blocking Indianas abortion ban.

One patient who went to the clinic on Friday was an Indianapolis woman who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity due to privacy concerns. It was for the 31-year-olds second abortion, she said. Her first was at 16, when she was afraid of caring for a child and worried what her parents would think about her being pregnant.

At the time, I felt like I was too young to have a child, the patient said. I cant even imagine what life would be like now.

Now focused on a career and with a son she had at 25, the patient said she chose an abortion because she and her partner decided another child would not be best for them right now.

Hours after Owen County Judge Kelsey Hanlon on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction against Indianas abortion ban, the state filed a promised appeal and motion asking the states high court to take up the case.

Under Indianas ban, which has exceptions, abortion clinics would have lost their licenses and been prohibited from providing any abortion care, leaving such services solely to hospitals or outpatient surgical centers owned by hospitals.

The ban also only permits abortions in cases of rape and incest before 10-weeks post-fertilization; to protect the life and physical health of the patient; or if a fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly.

With Indianas law on hold, bans on abortion at any point in pregnancy are in place in 12 Republican-led states. In Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions amid litigation over whether an 1849 ban is in effect. Georgia bans abortions once fetal cardiac activity can be detected. And Florida and Utah have bans that kick in after 15 and 18 weeks gestation, respectively. In Arizona, a judge ruled Friday that the states near-total ban on abortions could be enforced.

The Indiana state attorney generals office had asked Hanlon to uphold the states ban, saying arguments against it are based on a novel, unwritten, historically unsupported right to abortion in the state constitution.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, which is representing the abortion clinics, filed the lawsuit Aug. 31 and argued the ban would prohibit the overwhelming majority of abortions in Indiana and, as such, will have a devastating and irreparable impact on the plaintiffs and, more importantly, their patients and clients.

Ken Falk, the ACLU of Indianas legal director, said Friday that the plaintiffs now have 15 days to file their response to the states request for the stay. He said he did not expect any immediate hearings on the matter.

Mike Fichter, president and CEO Indiana Right to Life, said in a statement that the organization is encouraged by the judges acknowledgement of the states legitimate interest in protecting unborn babies and hopeful the blockage will be brief.

While such legal conflicts play out in the background, Womens Med will provide abortions while it can, most likely starting next week, said Dr. Katie McHugh, an abortion provider at the clinic.

The patients that came through the clinics doors Friday signed state-required consent forms ahead of their second appointment, which is when the abortion will take place. Indiana has an 18-hour waiting period on abortions, while Ohios is 24 hours.

A short-staffed Indiana clinic will also continue sending Indiana patients to Ohio for the procedure until Womens Med is back to normal numbers. Clinic staff has traveled between the two states to keep each clinic afloat when the other was closed, McHugh said.

The last three months since the Dobbs decision have been so out of normal that weve had to, you know, make do with the time and the staff and the resources that we had, McHugh said. Were trying to get our footing again.

Elsewhere in Indiana, Amy Hagstrom Miller  president and CEO of Whole Womans Health  said that the South Bend abortion clinic is trying to piece together adequate staff in order to see patients again.

Jody Madeira, professor in the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, said the judges interpretation of the Indiana Constitutions article on liberty is encouraging for abortion-rights groups, who say liberty rights include bodily autonomy.

This is quite a different argument than one might expect from a Republican judge, who tend to read the text of the Constitution narrowly, said Madeira, who anticipates the Indiana Supreme Court will ultimately decide on the bans legality.

There are separate licensing procedures for abortion clinics and hospitals, another burden that proposes legitimate and reasonable rationale for ending the clinics licenses, the judges order states.

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 didnt decide whether the state constitution included the right to privacy or abortion.

You can have the right, Madeira said. But not the access or the infrastructure.

__

Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Arleigh Rodgers on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arleighrodgers

By ARLEIGH RODGERS and RICK CALLAHAN

Associated Press
Arizona judge: State can enforce near-total abortion ban View Photo

PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona can enforce a near-total ban on abortions that has been blocked for nearly 50 years, a judge ruled Friday, meaning clinics statewide will have to stop providing the procedures to avoid the filing of criminal charges against doctors and other medical workers.

The judge lifted a decades-old injunction that blocked enforcement of the law on the books since before Arizona became a state. The only exemption to the ban is if the womans life is in jeopardy.

The ruling means the states abortions clinics will have to shut down and anyone seeking an abortion will have to go out of state. The ruling takes effect immediately, although an appeal is possible. Planned Parenthood and two other large providers said they were halting abortions.

Abortion providers have been on a roller coaster since the U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing women a constitutional right to an abortion. At first providers shut down operations, then re-opened, and now have to close again.

Planned Parenthood had urged the judge not to allow enforcement, and its president declared that the ruling takes Arizonans back to living under an archaic, 150-year-old law.

This decision is out of step with the will of Arizonans and will cruelly force pregnant people to leave their communities to access abortion, said Alexis McGill Johnson, Planned Parenthood Federation of Americas president and CEO, said in a statement.

Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who had urged the judge to lift the injunction so the ban could be enforced, cheered.

We applaud the court for upholding the will of the Legislature and providing clarity and uniformity on this important issue, Brnovich said in a statement. I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans.

The ruling comes amid an election season in which Democrats have seized on abortion rights as a potent issue. Sen. Mark Kelly, under a challenge from Republican Blake Masters, said it will have a devastating impact on the freedom Arizona women have had for decades to choose an abortion. Democrat Katie Hobbs, who is running for governor, called it the product of a decadeslong attack on reproductive freedom by Republicans that can only be fended off by voters in November.

Masters and Kari Lake, the Republican running against Hobbs, both back abortion restrictions. Their campaigns had no immediate comment.

Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson ruled more than a month after hearing arguments on Brnovichs request to lift the injunction.

The near-total abortion ban was enacted decades before Arizona secured statehood in 1912. Prosecutions were halted after the injunction was handed down following the Roe decision. Even so, the Legislature reenacted the law in 1977.

Assistant Attorney General Beau Roysden told Johnson at an Aug. 19 hearing that since Roe has been overruled, the sole reason for the injunction blocking the old law is gone and she should allow it to be enforced. Under that law, anyone convicted of performing a surgical abortion or providing drugs for a medication abortion could face two to five years in prison.

An attorney for Planned Parenthood and its Arizona affiliate argued that allowing the pre-statehood ban to be enforced would render more recent laws regulating abortion meaningless. Instead, she urged the judge to let licensed doctors perform abortions and let the old ban only apply to unlicensed practitioners.

The judge sided with Brnovich, saying that because the injunction was issued in 1973 only because of the Roe decision, it must be lifted in its entirety.

The Court finds an attempt to reconcile fifty years of legislative activity procedurally improper in the context of the motion and record before it, Johnson wrote. While there may be legal questions the parties seek to resolve regarding Arizona statutes on abortion, those questions are not for this Court to decide here.

In overturning Roe on June 24, the high court said states can regulate abortion as they wish.

A physician who runs a clinic providing abortions said she was dismayed but not surprised by the decision.

It kind of goes with what Ive been saying for a while now - it is the intent of the people who run this state that abortion be illegal here, Dr. DeShawn Taylor said. Of course we want to hold onto hope in the back of our minds, but in the front of my mind I have been preparing the entire time for the total ban.

Republicans control the Legislature, and GOP Gov. Doug Ducey is an abortion opponent who has signed every abortion law that reached his desk for the past eight years.

Johnson, the judge, said Planned Parenthood was free to file a new challenge. But with Arizonas tough abortion laws and all seven Supreme Court justices appointed by Republicans, the chances of success appear slim.

Whats allowed in each state has shifted as legislatures and courts have acted since Roe was overturned. Before Fridays ruling, bans on abortion at any point in pregnancy were in place in 12 Republican-led states.

In another state, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions amid litigation over whether an 1849 ban is in effect. Georgia bans abortions once fetal cardiac activity can be detected. Florida and Utah have bans that kick in after 15 and 18 weeks gestation, respectively.

The ruling came a day before a new Arizona law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy takes effect. Signed by Ducey in March, the law was enacted in hopes that the Supreme Court would pare back limits on abortion regulations. Instead, it overturned Roe.

Ducey has argued that the new law he signed takes precedence over the pre-statehood law, but he did not send his attorneys to argue that before Johnson.

The old law was first enacted among a set of laws known as the Howell Code adopted by 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature in 1864. Arizona clinics have been performing about 13,000 abortions a year.

By BOB CHRISTIE

Associated Press
(Natural News) A new ordinance in Chicago declares the Windy City a sanctuary for bodily autonomy and forbids government agencies and staff from helping other states enforce their abortion laws or laws against the genital and chemical mutilation of children.

(Article by Matt Lamb republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

The Chicago City Council approved on Wednesday the Bodily Autonomy Sanctuary City Ordinance, which prohibits any Chicago government agency or employee from provid[ing] information related to, or in furtherance of, any investigation or proceeding initiated in or by another state or jurisdiction that seeks to impose civil or criminal liability or professional sanctions upon a person for the provision or receipt of, or any inquiry concerning, reproductive health care or gender-affirming care that is legal in the State of Illinois.

Illinois allows abortion up until the moment of birth. The citys leftist mayor Lori Lightfoot supports the ordinance, which models an executive order she had signed earlier in the year.

I pledged that we will always be a city that respects the dignity of bodily autonomy for women. That were always gonna make sure our providers are able to serve women, wherever they reside, that are coming to our city to access reproductive health care services because that, to me, is a fundamental right, Lightfoot said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

So Chicago is always gonna be an oasis for justice for all. Not only do we make that pledge. We put our money where our mouth is. I immediately allocated $500,000 to make sure that our providers could take care of women that were traveling from other states, she said. Travel, lodging, aftercare. And were gonna be making another big commitment as we go into budget season. We have to make sure that women in this country are not taken back to the pre-Roe years where they had no control over the circumstances under which they had children.

But Lightfoots support for bodily autonomy only extends to the killing of preborn babies and the chemical and surgical mutilation of gender-confused bodies.

She instituted a COVID vaccine passport system which required anyone older than four years old who wanted to eat in a restaurant or go to a movie in Chicago to show their papers. The bodily autonomy champion explicitly said the goal was to make life difficult for people who made a personal decision not to take the COVID jab. This health order may pose an inconvenience to the unvaccinated, and in fact it is inconvenient by design, she tweeted.

The homosexual leftist mayor has also used heated rhetoric against social conservatives, urging a call to arms upon the leak of the Roe v. Wade reversal draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito.

She also used heated language toward Justice Clarence Thomas who suggested in the final Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court ruling that the nations highest court should revisit other decisions on same-sex marriage and contraception.

If you read Clarence Thomas concurrence  f*** Clarence Thomas, Lightfoot screamed during a homosexual pride event. She double downed on her vulgar attacks on the black conservative justice, after criticizing toxicity in our public discourse, in relation to a shooting in the suburb of Highland Park.

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
(Natural News) One of Chinas most influential commodities traders has recently asked for government and financial institutions help after liquidity issues hit him hard. He Jinbi, founder and chairman of Xian Maike Metals International Ltd., is now suffering a liquidity crisis, and his empire is under threat.

The company handles a million tons of copper a year, amounting to a quarter of Chinas refined copper imports. It is the largest player in the most important global trade route for the metal and a major trader on the London Metal Exchange.

He said the problems are only temporary and affected only a small part of the business  10,000-20,000 tons of refined copper supply over annual imports of over one million tons  but his trading counterparties and creditors are being cautious.

Some Chinese domestic traders have suspended incoming deals, while one of its longest-standing lenders, ICBC Standard Bank Plc, was concerned enough that it moved some copper out of China.

Beijings restrictive Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) policies have greatly impacted the copper price, and the firm has been asking for support from the government and state banks. A Maike official told Reuters that lockdowns in the cities of Shanghai and Xian had affected the upstream and downstream businesses, halting deliveries and transport as well as delaying the release of some financial documents.

Even if the copper trading firm can secure support, industry executives speculate that Maike may struggle to maintain its dominant role in the Chinese copper market as stakeholders trust is slowly plummeting.

David Lilley, who started dealing with Maike in the 1990s, said: He has skillfully ridden the dynamics of the Chinese economy, but no one was prepared for the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the trading firm told Bloomberg on September 7: Our company [Maike] has been deeply involved in the development of the commodity industry for nearly 30 years. It had maintained a steady development as witnessed by everyone. It will soon resume normal operations and continue to contribute to the development of the industry and the local economy.

He founded Maike nearly three decades ago trading copper wires and has been the most well-known name in Chinas copper industry.

Maikes story is similar to modern China chronicles

According to Lilley, Maikes slow downfall is in some ways similar to the story of modern China.

The city of Xian faced a monthlong lockdown in December and January and then further restrictions were imposed in April and July when the new variants of the coronavirus emerged. This certainly hurt Hes property investments, making his hotels unbooked and vacant for months. Moreover, some of the commercial tenants could no longer pay rent as a result of non-profiting businesses.

Like Chinas burgeoning economy pre-pandemic, Maike was one of many companies that plunged their fortunes into the property market in the boom years. According to Dong Hao, head of the Chaos Ternary Research Institute, after the sharp turnaround in real estate last year as a result of the public health restrictions, the companies have encountered various difficulties.

As economies come swirling down, copper started to slump as well. At the same time, Maike suffered the result of growing caution among banks toward the commodity sector in China.

Lately, the company began experiencing difficulties paying for its copper purchases, and several international companies halted sales to Maike and also diverted their cargoes. Maike said banks agreed to support them, even offering extensions on existing loans, but its trading activity has largely ground to a halt as other traders grow increasingly nervous about dealing with the company. Worse, some of the biggest banks in the sector are pulling back from financing metals in China.

For many years, traders like Maike have been quite important in the importation of copper into China  theyve bought very consistently to keep the flow of financing going, said Simon Collins, the CEO of digital trading platform TradeCloud. With the property market like it is, I think the music could be stopping.

Visit Collapse.news for more stories like this.

Watch the below video that talks about Chinas unending battle with COVID as cities are on lockdown amid a spike in cases.

This video is from the Chinese taking down EVIL CCP channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Shanghai lockdown causing cargo backlog ripples throughout China.

American imports of Russian ferrous metals dropped to near-zero in July.

SUPPLY CHAIN NIGHTMARE: Taiwanese manufacturers operating in Shanghai forced to shut down operations due to Chinas lockdown.

Sources include:

Yahoo.com

Mining.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Winter comes early to Germany as a leak at a nuclear plant causes the operations to be shut in for a week as repairs get underway.

The country is currently desperately attempting to stave off a winter energy crisis by most recently seizing Rosneft refinery assets. However, the PreussenElektra, a subsidiary of utility giant E.ON, reported to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection the leak at Isar 2 nuclear power plant in Bavaria on Monday, September 19, adding more pressure to the current difficulties and soon-to-be freezing situation.

The leak at Isar 2 means that a week of repairs in October will be necessary if the power plant is to remain operational beyond December 31, Reuters reported. The plant was already scheduled for a permanent shutdown in January next year as part of Germanys going green efforts to phase out nuclear power. But given the imminent energy crisis come winter, government leaders and authorities have discussed delaying a phase-out of nuclear power.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the idea of extending the countrys use of nuclear power and delaying the phase-out of nuclear power plants just two weeks ago. The nations opposition conservatives have insisted to keep the two remaining nuclear reactors online. Scholz resisted, saying that the country will have sufficient resources to make it through the winter.

According to Guardian, Scholz plans to keep the remaining two nuclear reactors as an emergency reserve, but these will not be producing any power.

The countrys move to quit nuclear power back in 2011, which included shutting down three reactors in 2021 and three more this year, has become increasingly unpopular amid an energy crisis.

Critics argue that the gas buying spree to fill storage has led to further soaring prices, affecting Germanys neighboring countries.

Green agenda is failing as Germany depends on leaking power plant and coal amid energy crisis

At the start of September, German lawmakers announced they are going to burn coal and keep the two nuclear power plants as a last resort to get through the winter. (Related: Germany to reopen coal-fired power plants as Russia throttles Europes gas supplies.)

Now, they are to jump over another hurdle as they could only count on the Neckarwestheim nuclear power plant for at least a week as the Isar 2 will be under repair as their backup.

The major crises  war and climate crises  have a very concrete effect, Robert Habeck, the federal economics and climate protection minister said in written statements. The country is blaming the war in Ukraine for its ability to manage its energy supplies because Germany depends heavily on natural gas exports from Russia.

Citing a need for maintenance work, Russias state-owned energy company Gazprom is not re-opening the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which is the primary route to supply Europe with natural gas.

Also, summer heatwaves and ongoing drought have disrupted energy sources. The summer drought has reduced the water levels in rivers and lakes, which weakens hydroelectric power in neighboring countries and also makes it difficult for us to transport coal to the power plants that we have to use due to the tight gas situation, Habeck said.

Back in June, Germany started opening coal-fired power plants and offering incentives for companies to curb natural gas consumption. As of this writing, the nation is relying on coal for almost a third of its electricity.

Following the green agenda, Germany has been trying to reduce reliance on coal. Scholz said the opposition Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) bore complete responsibility for the exit from coal and nuclear power that formed part of his predecessor Angela Merkels Energiewende policies, which in turn raised the reliance on Russian gas.

Visit EnergySupply.news for more news related to the dwindling energy supply in Germany and across Europe.

Watch the below video that talks about Europes self-imposed energy crisis.

This video is from the Dune Drifter channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Germany redefines heatwave to scare people into believing fraudulent climate change narrative.

ENERGY RATIONING BEGINS: Germany implementing energy rationing program amid fears of gas shortages and riots.

Gas flows from Russia to Germany halted INDEFINITELY following Gazprom force majeure declaration.

Falling water levels on Rhine River making it difficult for Germany to source coal amid energy crisis.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

OilPrice.com

Reuters.com

TheGuardian.com

CNBC.com

BMWK.de

FT.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdowns were just the beginning, and the globalists will try to control the population once again with climate lockdowns.

In an interview with LifeSiteNews co-founder and editor-in-chief John-Henry Westen, author Marc Morano warned that the COVID-19 lockdowns proved that forcing people to remain in their homes and restricting their economic activity could protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

The COVID lockdowns were literally a version of what theyve called for decades in the climate movement, said Morano. I attend every United Nations climate summit and Im going to the one in Egypt this year  and what these summits call for is the degrowth movement, or planned recessions, to fight global warming. And what that means is the government imposes slower economic growth or forces a recession to lower emissions.

Morano pointed out that the globalists are claiming that the lockdowns and the reduction of so-called emissions are just tools for their ultimate goal, which is total control.

If you live under authoritarianism, if you live under government control of every aspect of your life, youre solving viruses, youre solving climate, said Morano. The point is, they want control and theyll do whatever they have to, whether its a virus, whether its climate, you name it  they want to invoke emergency powers. Thats really what this is about: emergency powers to bypass democracy.

Globalist organizations promoting climate change lockdowns

Organizations like the United Nations (UN) and the World Economic Forum have praised the COVID-19 lockdowns and compliance with them for their ability to reduce global emissions.

Morano noted that in 2019, the UN said the world needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around seven percent every year to meet the goals stated in the Paris Climate Agreement.

One year later, because of the lockdowns, we had a seven percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, said Morano. It was almost like the UN called it.

Morano also pointed out how leading members of the UN have praised the lockdowns for how great they supposedly were for the environment, even quoting one climate chief who called lockdowns and the global shutdown of the economy the only way to meet the UNs climate targets.

The UN is not the only organization calling for climate-related lockdowns. The WEF recently praised the lockdowns for their ability to demonstrate the core of individual social responsibility and for helping pave the way for the acceptability of climate-related restrictions on freedom of movement and economic participation. (Related: WEF claims that billions who obeyed lockdowns and mask mandates will also comply with new globalist social credit scheme.)

This comes from a recent report released by the WEF suggesting that policies to track and restrict personal carbon usage could be implemented with widespread compliance almost overnight, thanks to the example of the COVID-19 lockdowns.

A huge number of unimaginable restrictions for public health were adopted by billions of citizens across the world, the report stated. There were numerous examples globally of maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, mass vaccinations and acceptance of contact-tracing applications for public health.

This compliance could help realize the WEFs goal of making people live without emitting too much carbon in their daily lives.

More stories about the so-called climate change can be found at ClimateAlarmism.news.

Listen to Marc Moranos full interview with John-Henry Westen about climate lockdowns.

This video is from the channel LifeSiteNews on Brighteon.com.

More related articles:

British astrophysicist: Climate change is a scam, scientists promoting it are only trying to make money.

Patrick Moore criticizes Greenpeace, says its been taken over by leftist climate alarmists.

The government will declare a climate crisis to put people back into lockdown.

Here come the CLIMATE LOCKDOWNS: World agency demands locking down cities to achieve climate goals.

Like COVID-19, climate alarmism is a tool global elites wield to control our lives.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

LifeSiteNews.com
(Natural News) It would be wonderful if Big Pharma actually produced effective medications and vaccinations that did not bring with them a laundry list of horrific side effects and long term health detriment, but that never seems to be the case. It would also be absolutely amazing if the medical industrial complex, including companies, doctors and laboratory technicians, could function without getting busted right and left for health care fraud, embezzling and kickback schemes.

Thats why its always wise to be skeptical of any vaccines, medicines or lab results that the medical industry offers the populace, because there are a bunch of criminals running rackets all across the country. Besides the following cases that are quite bad, imagine how many out there get away with murder and never get busted at all. The following health care fraud busts are from 2022. Take heed.

Three dozen telemedicine company executives busted for total of $1.2 billion in health care fraud schemes

A nationwide sting operation by the Justice Department just took down 36 executives for fraudulent testing and medical equipment schemes, seizing over $8 million in cash, plus real estate, yachts and luxury vehicles. Most of the schemes involved illegal kickbacks and bribes by lab owners for patient referrals coming from medical professionals for cardiovascular testing. Note that the COVID-19 vaccines (a.k.a. clot shots) just so happen to frequently cause myocarditis and pericarditis, not to mention blood clots and irregular heartbeats, so go figure. Coincidence?

One person charged actually ran several clinical labs and allegedly paid $16 million in kickbacks to marketers at telemedicine companies and call centers that send patients (mostly elderly and disabled) in for cardiovascular and cancer diagnostic testing. This involved hundreds of millions of dollars in false and fraudulent Medicare claims, and the results of the testing were never even used in the treatment of those patients.

Silicon Valley medical tech company president busted in $77 million COVID-19 and allergy testing scheme that misled investors

The president of Arrayit Corporation was convicted of health care fraud and an illegal kickback scheme to the tune of $77 million, where he pretended to invent revolutionary technology to test for virtually any disease using just a couple droplets of blood. Termed micro-array technology, Mr. Schena and his publicist name him the father of micro-array technology and claimed he was on a shortlist to win the Nobel Prize with his invention that was supposedly worth billions.

Schena lured investors to private meetings to win their confidence while publishing false press releases and tweets about his partnerships with big companies, government agencies, childrens hospitals and public institutions, saying they all already agreed to use his technology. It was all lies.

Two men in Miami convicted in $14 billion health care fraud scheme that preyed on vulnerable addiction treatment hospitals

In a sophisticated pass-through billing scheme involving rural hospitals that care for the substance-addicted folks in rural areas, including in Florida, Georgia and Missouri, two men in Miami, Florida got busted laundering proceeds to the tune of $1.4 billion. They defrauded distressed medical facilities across several states for several years, and defrauded private insurers with an elaborate billing scheme that had to do with laboratory testing. Both fellows were convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, and face up to 20 years for each offense.

Two people from Houston busted for nearly $7 million in Medicaid fraud and kickback scheme

For three years, 2019 through 2021, a manager and operator of a family dental care clinic in Houston illegally billed Medicaid for childrens dental services that were never even provided. One of the accused was practicing pediatric dentistry without a license. They both face years in prison and massive fines for conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks.

There seems to be a bottomless pit for robbing the medical system, and surely there are thousands of others who already got away with similar crimes, maybe on a bit smaller scale. Thats why its becoming increasingly difficult to believe anything these doctors and hospitals tell patients about their medical conditions, including everything having to do with COVID-19 and cancer. Beware of fraud and fake doctors.

Tune your internet dial to NaturalMedicine.news for more tips on how to use natural remedies for preventative medicine and for healing, without having to rush to the scheming pharma industry for every little minor ailment (that would probably become major later).

Sources for this article include:

TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov

Justice.gov

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) During the beginning of the pandemic, one of the biggest needs according to government officials like then-NYC Gov. Andrew Cuomo was ventilators.

(Article by Bo Banks republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com)

The narrative was set: people are going to die if they do not have access to ventilators.

According to a new report from Politico, places like New York never procured anywhere close to what it supposedly needed when it came to ventilators.

New York never procured anywhere close to what it supposedly needed. But the collection it did manage to build hasnt done much more than gather dust. https://t.co/g4TetK7lQp  Zach Williams (@ZachReports) September 20, 2022

When New York became the U.S. epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo scoured the globe for life-saving equipment as the daily death toll in the state approached 800, Politico reported.

If you remember, Cuomo notoriously demanded access to as many as 40,0000 ventilators. But just a few short years after purchasing 8,555 for millions, he failed to properly use them.

Put differently, Cuomo freaked out, blurted out a desperate need that was overreaching. It was not a well-calculated response for the spread of COVID-19.

More from Politico:

The state acquired 8,555 ventilators at a cost of $166 million and 1,179 X-ray machines for $86.4 million, state officials told POLITICO this month.

And now theyre stacked in warehouses across New York with no plans to distribute them or put them to any immediate use; Covid treatments have largely moved away from ventilators, and hospitals say they have plenty available to deal with their immediate needs.

A spokesperson for Cuomo argued that he saw this public backlash coming: We always said the pendulum will swing the other way and critics would say there was too much in reserve.

Given the option where lives were on the line, wed do the same thing, he added. And  in preparation for the next global supply chain shredding pandemic  there needs to be enough medical equipment on hand.

Though Cuomos move did not pan out well two years later, some are defending the need for ventilators at the time. Saying it was the best pandemic response option available given the information at hand during the beginning months of the pandemic.

Eventually, ventilators were found to cause more harm than good in a lot of cases according to Brooks Gump, a Syracuse University professor of public health.

Its crazy to think how much damage was done and money lost because of the poor response from elected officials who ignored the science for power hungry optics.

Theres a lesson to be learned in this poor decision making.

Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com
(Natural News) A report by an intelligence firm revealed that 162 researchers from a top American nuclear facility have now been hired by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to do research. Much of the research they are doing is advanced Chinese military technology, constituting a grave threat to the national security of the United States.

The report was recently published by Strider Technologies, a strategic intelligence firm based out of Salt Lake City. The firm reported the systemic effort by the Chinese government to place Chinese scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where America first developed nuclear weapons. Many of the scientists were later lured back to China to help make advances in such technologies as deep-earth-penetrating warheads, hypersonic missiles, quiet submarines and drones.

The Los Alamos lab is one of the largest scientific and technological institutions in the world. Its scientists conduct a ton of research for the military and other aspects of American national security. These scientists also do a lot of research on space exploration, nuclear fusion, nanotechnology and supercomputing. (Related: Russia, China make stunning advances in anti-satellite drone swarms, laser weapons to win space war.)

According to Strider, the 162 scientists were hired by the CCP over the last 35 years and many of them went on to do high-level military research. At least one scientist who now works for Beijing previously held Top Secret security clearance for the Department of Energy.

The scientists were paid as much as $1 million through their participation in talent programs organized by the CCP. These programs were designed to recruit Chinese scientists working overseas to return to China.

Greg Levesque, the co-founder of Strider and lead author of the report, noted that the talent transfer program poses a direct threat to U.S. national security.

China is playing a game that we are not prepared for, and we need to really begin to mobilize, he added.

Chinese technology advancing at record speed thanks to US-trained scientists

Strider is only the latest firm to sound the alarm over the dangers of these brain drain programs. Current and former U.S. intelligence officials alike said the Strider report shows how the Chinese government has been using talent transfer programs to acquire crucial technology to help build up its military capabilities.

Of the 113 Los Alamos postdoctoral researchers and permanent staff members who now work for the CCP, more than 79 percent of them were selected to participate in talent programs. These researchers are now contributing directly to the advancement of the CCPs weapons technologies, including the development of jet engines, warheads, unmanned vehicles, stealth submarines and the CCPs hypersonics program.

One such researcher is Chen Shiyi, currently the president of the Southern University of Science and Technology in Guangdong, China. Chen was a postdoctoral researcher at Los Alamos from 1987 to 1990 and returned to work for the Chinese government in 2005.

Through Chen and the network of returning researchers he was able to cultivate, at least 25 other people have gone on to work advancing Chinese military technology. This includes Zhao Yusheng, who worked on researching deep-earth penetrating warheads in the U.S. government with a $19.8 million taxpayer-funded grant. Zhao is now affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, which is the CCPs primary organization for conducting research on nuclear and other weapons.

No one can say this is not a national security issue, remarked Bill Evanina, who worked as a top counterintelligence official for the federal government from 2014 to 2021. Because from hypersonics to acoustical capabilities and to warheads, we are perpetrating the ability for adversaries to utilize weapons against us. And that is hard for any American to swallow.

Watch this episode of Evolutionary Energy Arts going into detail about the CCP infiltration at the Los Alamos lab.

This video is from the channel Evolutionary Energy Arts on Brighteon.com.

More related articles:

Beijing influencing media outlets in a bid to create a more positive reputation for China.

Biden admin has refused to remove Chinese-made Huawei cellphone tower equipment believed capable of intercepting US nuclear communications.

China, Russia developing space weapons that can destroy, disable satellites.

Chinese researchers develop autonomous drones that can track people through dense forests.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NBCNews.com

Brighteon.com
A new study shows that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is expected to affect global food prices and carbon emissions.

The research was published in Nature Food and ScienceDaily.

The study applied an economic simulation model to determine the short-term and long-term effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on food, crop prices, and climate change.

The study was led by Jerome Dumortier and his co-authors. Dumortier is an associate professor in the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPU.

Dumortier explained the concerns about the food prices and food insecurity globally that first began in Ukraine.

Moreover, the research stressed that Russia's invasion of Ukraine would continue to impact the global supply. But, the effects on the food supply are not something bad they predicted.

Also Read: New Study Reveals Nanoplastics on Food Chain Could Cause Potential Health Risks

Dumortier added that countries started to produce the needed crops and export to supply because Ukraine could not export due to invasion.

Impact on crop production

The study findings figured out that the war between the two countries could impact crop production, affecting food prices and food security worldwide. However, the researchers noted that it wasn't bad as they thought.

According to United Nations, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) said that the war in Ukraine is affecting food security and global grain supplies globally.

According to the study's estimates, they see the following:

Corn and wheat prices could increase by up to 4.6% and 7.2%

Prices of crops, including sunflower, soybeans, rice, and barley, will also increase.

Impact on Environment

The research also predicted that countries are working to fill the production gap, which can impact the global climate.

Dumortiter said that countries like Brazil could clear the land and vegetation to fill the production gap by planting more crops. As a result, the study emphasized that land-use change with increasing carbon emissions could contribute to more deforestation and environmental concerns.

Furthermore, the findings noted that the increasing corn production in Brazil could make up for the Ukraine drop in corn exports.

Researchers urge national governments to develop policies and plan to help affected populations. Governments can provide domestic food subsidies or eliminate restrictions on trade.

Environmental plans helping to make up the production loss can mitigate the effects of climate change, especially global carbon emissions.

The co-authors in the study are

Miguel Carriquiry, Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay

Amani Elobeid, Iowa State University.

The United Nations (UN) reported that over 7 million people had fled Ukraine, and nearly 7 million were displaced.

The same report revealed that the UN and its partners extended humanitarian assistance and protection to over 8.1 million people affected by the war.

6.7 million people received food assistance.

1.7 million who received cash assistance.

Moreover, the UN said that they highlight the protection of civilians there as a priority with intensifying humanitarian operations.

Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Around 4,000 Wild Animals Trapped at Mykolaiv Zoo due to Ongoing Gunfire and Rocket Attacks

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
MBABANE  Members of Parliament (MPs) Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube say they thought the Correctional officers wanted to kill them.

The Correctional officers who assaulted the MPs on Thursday morning, according to MP Mabuza were uttering the words; iso ngeso when assaulting them. He described their attack by the warders as an act of cowardice. The Hosea MP and his co-accused, Ngwempisi MP Mthandeni Dube yesterday filed an application to compel the Commissioner General of His Majestys Correctional Services, Phindile Dlamini, to produce them for medical examination at Manzini Clinic.

Assaulting

In the application, MP Mabuza said he was in his cell with MP Dube and they were attacked by several Correctional officers. He said the warders turned off the lights and allegedly began assaulting them heavily. The unlawful exercise went on for a very prolonged period such that we were both severely injured, MP Mabuza told the court. He stated that when he enquired as to why they were being assaulted, he did not get an explanation. The MP pointed out that he seemed to have infuriated the warders by asking them why they assaulted them as they allegedly continued to assault them.

I am currently feeling severe pain all over my body, especially around my ribcage and, therefore, I am desirous to have myself produced for medical attention at Manzini Clinic. I state that I am currently experiencing nose bleeds and the second applicants (MP Dube) eye was severely injured.

Jeopardy

We were heavily assaulted and during the course of same, the designated juniors of the first respondent (commissioner general) were making utterances to the effect that iso ngeso, MP Mabuza narrated. He said he had serious apprehension that his life was in serious jeopardy. According to MP Mabuza, as the assault went on for a long time, he thought the warders intended to kill them. He submitted that he could barely move and he felt like his limbs were dislocated. The MP alleged that the commissioner general denied them the opportunity to access medical assistance. According to MP Mabuza, during the course of the same day, Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko, was denied permission to consult with them. He said another attorney, Mhlengi Mabuza, who is part of their legal team, was made to wait for about two hours before being allowed to see them. MP Mabuza further informed the court that they were not allowed to make phone calls. He said this was a clear violation of their right to legal representation.

Examination

This is an application for an order to direct the first respondent to produce us before a medical doctor at Manzini Clinic for medical examination. I hasten to add that the injuries were severe and inflicted in a brutal manner with the sole intention of decapitating and/or taking our lives. I state that the assault was unjustified and an act of cowardice perpetrated by the first respondent and/or its designated juniors solely to harm us. There has been no indication on the part of the first respondent to assist ourselves medically. Thus we fully comprehend that the assault was wilful and meant to harm ourselves and further undermine our bodily integrity, said MP Mabuza.

He told the court that their continued denial to afford them medical attention might lead to serious and permanent medical complications. He said the longer they were not seen by a medical practitioner, the might lose their lives. MP Dube filed a confirmatory affidavit aligning himself with MP Mabuzas submissions. They argued that the matter was urgent. The Crown did not oppose the MPs application. The Crowns representative made Judge Nkosinathi Maseko aware of a memorandum communicating that the Correctional Services had granted the MPs permission to attend to Manzini Clinic and had made arrangements for them to see a medical doctor at the clinic at noon yesterday.

Health

The matter was stood down while the MPs representatives, Mhlengi Mabuza and Dumisani Hleta, travelled to Manzini Clinic around noon to ascertain if the accused persons were indeed at the clinic. They found MP Mabuza at the clinic. MP Dube, according to a source in the know, did not travel to the clinic with his co-accused since he preferred to use a different health facility. When the attorneys, Mabuza and Hleta, returned to the High Court at 2:30pm, they advised the court that they were withdrawing the application. The application was then withdrawn.

Meanwhile, our sister publication, the Times of Eswatini yesterday reported that the assault on the MPs lasted about 45 minutes. According to impeccable sources, the legislators and seven other inmates were allegedly assaulted by Correctional officers around 6am yesterday. It was alleged that about 20 officers from the Rapid Response Unit, which is a para-military unit of HMCS, went to the cell occupied by the Hosea Constituency MP Mabuza and Ngwempisi Constituency Dube.

It was supposed that during the attack, the Correctional Officers had their faces covered in balaclavas. Upon entry, it was claimed that the officers started assaulting the two legislators with open hand claps, fists, kicked them and also spray guns. As this was happening, the sources alleged that the Correctional officers were using expletives and also claiming that it was an eye for an eye.

Questioned

Seeing this, it was said the seven inmates occupying the same cell with the MPs tried to intervene and questioned the violence. However, the intervention of the inmates supposedly drew the ire of the HMCS personnel as they supposedly started assaulting them as well. During the skirmish, it was claimed the law enforcers continued to use all sorts of missiles and assaulted all inmates in the cell. The sources claimed that MP Dube was also pressed against a bed and against the wall such that he sustained an injury on his eye. On the other hand, it was purported that MP Mabuza was assaulted all over the body in such a way that he bled profusely through his nose. The assault was said to have lasted for 45 minutes.
IDdesign Oman, a pioneer in innovative, high-concept design, is celebrating its 20 years of luxury furnishing journey in the sultanate.

This milestone has been marked with the launch of a new collection of luxury furniture and accessories designed for a glamorous and contemporary lifestyle.

The IDdesign universe is characterized by furniture and home accessories that have been handpicked and designed with the well-known Scandinavian sense of detail and quality in mind.

Shedding light on the brands 20 year legacy of excellence, exceptional craftsmanship, and customer satisfaction, Marios Stylianides, General Manager, Oasis Lifestyle, said: "Over the past two decades, IDdesign has established itself as a leading European furniture brand in the Sultanate of Oman, receiving exceptional love and warmth from our customers."

"Our philosophy combines elegance with comfort and innovation, so each piece is created with the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship by European designers and artisans. The unique combination of materials used by us, and our high quality production standards transform furniture into enduring daily companions," he stated.

IDdesigns stylish showrooms are located at the Markaz Al Bahja Mall (First Floor) in Muscat and on Al Tatawoor Street 244 (2100 Central Business District) in Salalah; both outlets are home to an extensive collection of contemporary furniture, accessories, lighting and art pieces.

These showrooms welcoming spaces offer customers a unique shopping experience, and aim to provide them with a host of design inspirations, with new decor and furnishings updated periodically, said Stylianides.

"The passion of our team and the loyalty of our customer-base have been deciding factors of our growth and success; and for us continuing to drive IDdesign to the next level," he noted.

"Just like our new anniversary collection, we have introduced great designs over the years, some that are looking into the future, others that fit right into todays trends and finally some that simply last year after year, remarked Stylianides.

"This mix has what has positioned us well in the industry here in Oman", he added.-TradeArabia News Service
January 9th, 2022

The WHOIS protocol is one of the older internet protocols around. It's infuriatingly simple, by and large considered obsolete, and the data provided by it unpredictable, unreliable, incomplete, and, of course, still one of the corner stones of internet operations. In other words, it's the kind of thing I like to waste my time on trying to understand.

Originally set up in the 1970s at the Stanford Research Institute Network Information Center (aka SRI-NIC) by the mother of the DNS and overall ARPANET boss Elizabeth J. Feinler, WHOIS was first described in RFC812 (1982). Based on the FINGER protocol, it was as dead simple as you could imagine:

Connect to the service host (SRI-NIC) TCP: service port 43 decimal NCP: ICP to socket 43 decimal, establishing two 8-bit connections Send a single "command line", ending with <CRLF>. Receive information in response to the command line.

Yep, that was it. And that's still the full protocol specification (now RFC3912 (2004)). Here, give it a try:

$ telnet whois.iana.org 43 Trying 2620:0:2d0:200::59... Connected to ianawhois.vip.icann.org. Escape character is '^]'. org % IANA WHOIS server % for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org % This query returned 1 object domain: ORG [...]

Congratulations - you just spoke WHOIS!

The data you get back is intentionally not structured and is designed to be human-, not machine-readable (more on that a bit below). It was originally intended to provide contact information including "mailing address, telephone number, and network mailbox" "for ARPANET users" like so:

Command line: dyer Response: Dyer, David A. (DAD2) DDYER@USC-ISIB (213) 822-1511 Dyer, Fred S. (FSD) Dyer@RADC-MULTICS (315) 330-7275 Dyer, Mary K. (MARY) DYER@SRI-NIC (415) 859-4775 Dyer, William R. (WRD) WRDyer@RADC-MULTICS (315) 330-7791 Command line: mary Response: Dyer, Mary K. (MARY) DYER@SRI-NIC SRI International Network Information Center Telecommunications Sciences Center 333 Ravenswood Avenue Menlo Park, California 94025 Phone: (415) 859-4775

And you thought the DNS was the phonebook of the internet...

How to find the responsible WHOIS server

When the internet grew too large for SRI-NIC to continue functioning as the global phonebook, and eventually with the transfer of the operation of the DNS root to ICANN, WHOIS also became decentralized. Information about the various (and increasing number of) TLDs was provided logically by the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), registries, and registrars. Some of them run a so-called "thick" server, which provides all the information; others are "thin" servers, only providing the information of the WHOIS server that does have the full information. Different TLDs, for example, may operate in either mode, but the protocol does not provide any means to differentiate the two. In other words: if you wanted to find out information about a domain, you'd have to know who the responsible registry is to ask them.

How do you know what WHOIS server to query for a given domain? Well, you just gotta know. There's no standardized way. Some domains use SRV DNS records as suggested in this internet draft:

$ host -t srv _nicname._tcp.co.uk _nicname._tcp.co.uk has SRV record 0 0 43 whois.nic.uk. $ host -t srv _nicname._tcp.arab _nicname._tcp.arab has SRV record 10 10 0 your-dns-needs-immediate-attention.arab. $ host -t srv _nicname._tcp.cpa _nicname._tcp.cpa has SRV record 10 10 0 your-dns-needs-immediate-attention.cpa. $ host -t srv _nicname._tcp.music _nickname._tcp.music has SRV record 10 10 0 your-dns-needs-immediate-attention.music. $ host -t srv _nicname._tcp.xn--fiqs8s _nicname._tcp. is an alias for wildcard.cnnic.cn. $ host -t srv _nicname._tcp.xn--fiqz9s _nicname._tcp. is an alias for wildcard.cnnic.cn. $ host -t srv _nicname._tcp.xn--mxtq1m _nicname._tcp. has SRV record 10 10 0 your-dns-needs-immediate-attention. $ host -t srv _nicname._tcp.xn--ngbrx _nicname.tcp. has SRV record 10 10 0 your-dns-needs-immediate-attention. $

...but that seems to function primarily as an indicator of a TLD compromise: out of 1489 TLDs, only nic.uk has a valid entry. Instead, some TLDs use <tld>.whois-servers.net , and the "new" TLDs after 2003 are supposed to have whois.nic.<tld> ; ccTLDs pretty much all do their own thing, why not. Hence, your whois(1) client likely contains some optimistic logic and a number of hardcoded RIR WHOIS servers like this:

#define ANICHOST "whois.arin.net" #define BNICHOST "whois.registro.br" #define CNICHOST "whois.corenic.net" #define DNICHOST "whois.nic.mil" #define FNICHOST "whois.afrinic.net" #define GNICHOST "whois.nic.gov" #define IANAHOST "whois.iana.org" #define INICHOST "whois.networksolutions.com" #define LNICHOST "whois.lacnic.net" #define MNICHOST "whois.ra.net" #define NICHOST "whois.crsnic.net" #define PDBHOST "whois.peeringdb.com" #define PNICHOST "whois.apnic.net" #define QNICHOST_TAIL ".whois-servers.net" #define RNICHOST "whois.ripe.net" #define RUNICHOST "whois.ripn.net" [...] /* * If no country is specified determine the top level domain from the query * If the TLD is a number, query ARIN, otherwise, use TLD.whois-server.net. * If the domain does not contain '.', check to see if it is an NSI handle * (starts with '!') or a CORE handle (COCO-[0-9]+ or COHO-[0-9]+) or an * ASN (starts with AS) or IPv6 address (contains ':'). Fall back to * NICHOST for the non-handle and non-IPv6 case. */

Otherwise, if you don't know the WHOIS server to query, you can try your luck asking IANA, which runs a "thick" server for all TLDs. It should return to you the referral to the responsible WHOIS server, which you can then ask for who might be responsible for the final domain you care about:

$ echo netmeister.org | nc whois.iana.org 43 | grep refer refer: whois.pir.org $ echo netmeister.org | nc whois.pir.org 43 | grep refer $ echo netmeister.org | nc whois.pir.org 43 | grep "Registrar WHOIS Server" Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.gandi.net $ echo netmeister.org | nc whois.gandi.net 43 | grep Creation Creation Date: 2000-04-24T02:15:22Z $

Notice something? When we ask IANA, we ask for " refer ", but when we ask PIR, we need to ask for " Registrar WHOIS Server ". This is because the WHOIS protocol does not specify the output format of the data, nor what data should be provided. At all. It's all free form, unstructured ASCII text -- if you're lucky, that is. (More on that (again) a bit below.)

Data Privacy

But what data would you expect to be found in WHOIS? Since the early days, ICANN has had a requirement for registries and registrars to provide

unrestricted and public access to accurate and complete WHOIS information, including registrant, technical, billing, and administrative contact information. ICANN Policies

This includes the actual postal address, phone numbers, and email addresses of the various contact persons or departments (see above re "phonebook"). Which of course is routinely abused by all sorts of people, including by scammers, phishers, and for general OSINT. On the other hand, Law Enforcement really wants this information to be readily available, and as a geek with at least half a dozen random domains registered, you are likely familiar with the legal requirement to keep this information up to date.

Quite obviously this poses a dilemma: the information is required by ICANN to be openly provided, but for a variety of reasons and privacy concerns, you don't want your phone number and address out there on the internet. But more than just a cosmetic concern, the ICANN requirement now does indeed conflict with modern privacy laws, such as the EU's GDPR, meaning all domains registered by European registries are in violation of either GDPR or ICANN's requirement. Fun!

(ICANN promised not to take action against violators, and registries/registrars nowadays provide redacted information to the public but promise to provide detailed information upon "legitimate requests".)

Data Format

As I noted above, the data provided via WHOIS is completely unstructured and undefined. It is intended for human consumption, and the service operator is free to decide how to display the information. Most WHOIS servers use a simple " key: value " format, but that's far from universal. Similarly, different servers use different methods to e.g., show that certain pieces of information logically belong together.

For example, consider the information returned by the different WHOIS servers involved in a simple lookup of this website:

$ whois netmeister.org % IANA WHOIS server % for more information on IANA, visit % http://www.iana.org % This query returned 1 object refer: whois.pir.org domain: ORG organisation: Public Interest Registry (PIR) address: 11911 Freedom Drive 10th Floor, address: Suite 1000 address: Reston, VA 20190 address: United States contact: administrative name: Director of Operations, Compliance and Customer Support organisation: Public Interest Registry (PIR) address: 11911 Freedom Drive 10th Floor, address: Suite 1000 address: Reston, VA 20190 address: United States phone: +1 703 889 5778 fax-no: +1 703 889 5779 e-mail: ops@pir.org [...] # whois.pir.org Domain Name: NETMEISTER.ORG Registry Domain ID: D25516943-LROR Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.gandi.net Registrar URL: http://www.gandi.net Updated Date: 2021-02-20T17:59:09Z Creation Date: 2000-04-24T02:15:22Z [...] # whois.gandi.net Domain Name: netmeister.org [...] Registry Registrant ID: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY Registrant Name: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY [...] Registry Admin ID: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY Admin Name: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY [...] Registry Tech ID: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY Tech Name: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY [...] >>>Last update of WHOIS database: 2022-01-09T00:16:58Z <<<

Ok, so far, so good. Different grouping, but still, reasonably easy to parse. Now compare this to the following other queries returning results from various WHOIS servers:

$ whois stevens.edu # whois.educause.edu Domain Name: STEVENS.EDU Registrant: Stevens Institute of Technology Castle Point on Hudson Information Technology Hoboken, NJ 07030 USA Administrative Contact: Domain Name Administration Stevens Institute of Technology Information Technology Castle Point on the Hudson Hoboken, NJ 07030 USA +1.2012165457 webmaster@stevens.edu [...] $ whois nic.tg This is JWhoisServer serving ccTLD tg Java Whois Server 0.4.1.3 (c) 2006 - 2015 Klaus Zerwes zero-sys.net All rights reserved. Copyright "NICTogo2 - http://www.nic.tg" Domain:.............nic.tg Registrar:..........NETMASTER SARL Activation:.........2021-11-11 Expiration:.........2030-06-26 Status:.............Active Contact Type:.......[PRIVEE] Last Name:..........[PRIVEE] First Name:.........[PRIVEE] Address:............[PRIVEE] Tel:................[PRIVEE] Fax:................[PRIVEE] e-mail:.............[PRIVEE] Name Server (DB):...ns1.nic.tg Name Server (DB):...ns2.nic.tg $ whois norid.no [...] Domain Information NORID Handle...............: NIC311D-NORID Domain Name................: nic.no Registrar Handle...........: REG1-NORID Tech-c Handle..............: NH55R-NORID Tech-c Handle..............: NS7R-NORID DNSSEC.....................: Signed Additional information: Created: 2004-02-25 Last updated: 2021-02-25 $ whois jprs.jp Domain Information: [] [Domain Name] JPRS.JP []  [Registrant] Japan Registry Services Co.,Ltd. [Name Server] ns1.jprs.jp [Name Server] ns2.jprs.jp [Name Server] ns3.jprs.jp [Name Server] ns4.jprs.jp [Signing Key] 59551 8 2 ( F7700A9A545DD57075E545AFE2D823CB 90A2C9A1305E1696C61F91BEA26FA137 )

Given how useful the information in WHOIS can be, it's no surprise that there are many businesses offering proprietary services to monetize the munging of the public information into a data format that's easy to process in an automated fashion, such as in XML or JSON. As you can tell from the above examples, it's fairly obvious how the information belongs together for a human: Humans are really, really good at identifying patterns visually, and you can all look at the output and immediately see what data represents what information, but trying to convince a computer to understand all these different formats is a major PITA and exactly what these services build their profit model on.

Paying for an online service to access public data is a bit annoying, so I wrote a tool to JSONify WHOIS data: jswhois(1). This tool will attempt to turn the unstructured, human-readable output above into structured JSON as shown below:

$ jswhois stevens.edu | jq { "chain": [ "whois.iana.org", "whois.educause.edu" ], "query": "stevens.edu", "whois.educause.edu": { "Administrative Contact": [ "Domain Name Administration", "Stevens Institute of Technology", "Information Technology", "Castle Point on the Hudson", "Hoboken, NJ 07030", "USA", "+1.2012165457", "webmaster@stevens.edu" ], [...] $ jswhois nic.tg | jq { "chain": [ "whois.iana.org", "whois.nic.tg" ], "query": "nic.tg", "whois.nic.tg": { "Activation": "2021-11-11", "Address": "[PRIVEE]", "Domain": "nic.tg", "Expiration": "2030-06-26", "First Name": "[PRIVEE]", "Last Name": "[PRIVEE]", "Name Server (DB)": [ "ns1.nic.tg", "ns2.nic.tg" ], [...] $ jswhois norid.no | jq { "chain": [ "whois.iana.org", "whois.norid.no" ], "query": "norid.no", "whois.norid.no": { "Algorithm 1": "8", "Created": "1999-11-15", "DNSSEC": "Signed", "DS Key Tag 1": "44384", "Digest 1": "ac8f61c8a538d1e6dbfd98fd86d788b0222994a8842ebabc0df159b354a09f8d", "Digest Type 1": "2", "Domain Name": "norid.no", "Last updated": "2021-12-14", "NORID Handle": "NOR18456D-NORID", "Name Server Handle": [ "AUTH681H-NORID", "AUTH682H-NORID", "Y4H-NORID", "Z11H-NORID" ], } [...] $ jswhois jprs.jp | jq { "chain": [ "whois.iana.org", "whois.jprs.jp" ], "query": "jprs.jp", "whois.jprs.jp": { "Domain Information": { "Domain Information": "[]", "[Domain Name]": "JPRS.JP", "[Name Server]": [ "ns1.jprs.jp", "ns2.jprs.jp", "ns3.jprs.jp", "ns4.jprs.jp" ], "[Registrant]": "Japan Registry Services Co.,Ltd.", "[Signing Key]": [ "59551 8 2 (", "F7700A9A545DD57075E545AFE2D823CB", "90A2C9A1305E1696C61F91BEA26FA137 )" ], [...]

This is tedious, sure, but what's even more annoying is that it still is only of limited usefulness: aside from the lack of a data format, there is also no standard specification of what data is to be provided, and for the data that is required at least by ICANN, there is no requirement or specification of how that data is to be named.

That is, if you want to use jswhois(1) to return to you the email address of the administrative contact of the domain in question, then you still have to know what the fields returned by the registrar's WHOIS server are named. Commercial services may attempt to reformat or rename fields so that you have consistent keys to extract, but will that work for all domains? How many different WHOIS formats are there?

Registrars and Registries

Looking at a subset of TLDs from my previous adventure, I found a total of 1021 distinct WHOIS servers for 1489 TLDs. Here's the top ten breakdown of which WHOIS servers are responsible for the most number of TLDs:

244 whois.iana.org 67 whois.afilias-srs.net 46 whois.nic.google 24 whois.uniregistry.net 16 whois.registry.in 14 whois.nic.gmo 8 whois.gtld.knet.cn 7 whois.teleinfo.cn 6 whois.gtlds.nic.br 5 whois.publicinterestregistry.net

IANA, Afilias, and Uniregistry not surprisingly manage the largest number of TLDs, and as you may remember from the new-TLD-landrush, Google had applied for over 100 TLDs and today runs 46 TLDs. (The largest number of TLDs registered by a single company goes to Donuts Inc. with 248, but they run a separate WHOIS server for each of those TLDs at whois.nic.<tld> .)

But that's only TLDs. There are over 2500 registrars accredited by ICANN, of which e.g., GoDaddy, currently the largest with over 72 million (!) domains, is just one. In theory, for each of the millions of second-level domains, there might be a different WHOIS server responsible, each with its own human-readable output format.

Data in WHOIS

The data found in WHOIS varies from registry to registry, not only in structure (as shown above), but of course also in content. Some include nameserver IP addresses, some don't. Some include DNSSEC information, others don't. I even found an (expired) x509 cert in the WHOIS data for 2001:dcd::/32 .

If you search for IP addresses or CIDRs, you get back rather different data than if you search for domain names. APNIC, RIPE, and AFRINIC, for example, even give you some routing and geolocation information:

$ jswhois 2001:dd8:9:2::101:61 | jq { "query": "2001:dd8:9:2::101:61", "whois.apnic.net": { "inet6num": { "geoloc": "-27.473058 153.014208", "inet6num": "2001:dd8:8::/45", [...] } "route6": { "country": "AU", "descr": "APNIC Network", "last-modified": "2018-11-20T03:36:54Z", "mnt-by": "MAINT-APNIC-IS-AP", "origin": "AS4608", "route6": "2001:dd8:9::/48", "source": "APNIC" } [...]

Given the loose specification, you can use the WHOIS protocol and server for just about any data. Team Cymru, for example, lets you look up AS numbers for the given IP addresses using WHOIS:

$ whois -h whois.cymru.com 2001:470:30:84:e276:63ff:fe72:3900 AS | IP | AS Name 2033 | 2001:470:30:84:e276:63ff:fe72:3900 | PANIX, US

And as you've no doubt noticed, some international WHOIS servers may return data to you in non-ASCII charsets, such as e.g., whois.kr , or whois.jprs.jp . How well do the various WHOIS API services handle what effectively amounts to random data that may be returned? I wonder...

$ whois -h whois.netmeister.org log4j ___________________________________________________ < ${jndi:ldap://www.netmeister.org/blog/whois.html} > --------------------------------------------------- \ ^___^ \ (ooo)\_______ (___)\ )\/\ ||----w | || ||

Old and busted...

Since the data in WHOIS is unpredictable (who knows what data is returned to you and what the format might be), unreliable (who knows if the data you're looking for, if it is present at all, is up to date), difficult to discover (bouncing from IANA along unpredictable, unreliable referral entries or betting on a few hard-coded servers), possibly available via different mechanisms (besides the standard TCP port 43, several WHOIS servers provide an HTTP API endpint), and often obscured or redacted (e.g., due to GDPR, but several WHOIS servers also require registration before either TCP port 43 or API access is granted)... why haven't we replaced it with Something Better(tm)?

There were some attempts to overhaul WHOIS, like the "Referral Whois" protocol (RWhois, RFC2167) or the now obsolete "WHOIS++", but it seems like one of those things everybody depends on, so changing it isn't going to be easy.

ICANN decided years ago to replace WHOIS with work dating back to 2012, and the "Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP, RFC9082) certainly seems like a much better alternative. RDAP is RESTful and standardized based on an analysis by the IETF of the TLD WHOIS server responses; since 2019, ICANN requires registrars and registries to implement an RDAP service.

Fully replacing WHOIS does, however, not yet seem to be on the horizon, and we're still relying on what started out as perhaps the simplest possible protocol intended for human consumption. Sometimes the internet moves really slowly, and all I can hope is that nobody comes along and tries to put it on the blockchain...

January 9th, 2022

Links:
Washington, Sep 24 (UNI) North Korea may well conduct a nuclear test during US Vice President Kamala Harris' upcoming trip to Japan and South Korea as Pyongyang has been preparing for such a test, a senior US administration official has said.

The official warned on Friday the North will face serious consequences should it choose to conduct a new test.

"It is possible and we previously said that the DPRK is preparing to conduct a nuclear test," the official said when asked about the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test during Harris' trip to the Northeast Asian countries next week.

The official noted Pyongyang has been said to be preparing for a nuclear test for some time.

"We have made clear that such a test would result in additional actions by the United States to demonstrate our ironclad commitment to the security of the Republic of Korea and to our Japanese allies," said the official.

"We have made clear how concerned we have been by North Korean provocations and destabilizing behavior and a nuclear test would certainly be in that category," the official added, also noting the issue of North Korean provocations will "certainly" be discussed when Harris meets her South Korean counterpart.

Harris is scheduled to make a four-day visit to Japan from September 26, leading a presidential delegation to the funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

She will arrive in South Korea on September 29 for a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, the official said in a telephonic press briefing. It will mark her first trip to both Japan and South Korea since taking office early last year, the yonhap news agency reported.

In addition to Yoon, Harris is also scheduled to meet with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will be leading South Korea's presidential delegation to Abe's funeral.

The Harris-Han meeting will be held in Tokyo on September 27, according to the U.S. administration official.

The official said Harris will have an opportunity to engage with US troops stationed in South Korea.

"She wants to go there (South Korea) and make clear that the United States has a very strong commitment to the Republic of Korea's security, and that's what she's going to be signaling and that's what she's gonna be conveying to the president," the official said of Harris' trip to Seoul.

The official declined to comment on whether the vice president will be working directly to help mend relations between Seoul and Tokyo during her visit to the region, but said the US certainly encourages its two allies to improve their ties, the yonhap report said.

UNI ING
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).
AP

The names of three people found shot outside a suburban Chicago home and the man believed to have killed them before fatally shooting himself have been released
Ethan Simmons is a reporter at The News-Gazette covering the University of Illinois. His email is esimmons@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@ethancsimmons).
Geneva, Sep 24 (UNI) The United Nations has said its investigators have concluded that Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine, including bombings of civilian areas, numerous executions, torture and horrific sexual violence.

The team of three independent experts on Friday presented their first oral update to the UN human rights council here, after it launched initial investigations looking at the areas of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions, adding that it would broaden its inquiries.

Speaking a day before the seven-month anniversary of Russias invasion of its neighbour, Erik Mose, the head of the investigation team, told the council on Friday that based on the evidence gathered by the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine.

The team of investigators visited 27 towns and settlements, as well as graves and detention and torture centres; interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses; and met with advocacy groups and government officials, the Guardian reported.

Mose said the team had been especially struck by the large number of executions in the areas that we visited, and the frequent visible signs of executions on bodies, such as hands tied behind backs, gunshot wounds to the head, and slit throats.

He added it was investigating such deaths in 16 towns and settlements, and had received credible allegations regarding many more cases that it would seek to document.

The investigators had also received consistent accounts of ill-treatment and torture, which were carried out during unlawful confinement, the council was told.

The UN has made the investigation of human rights violations in the war a priority and in May its top human rights body mandated a team of experts to begin work in the country.

Since then, UN investigators, have risked their lives to collect evidence of crimes perpetrated against civilians, including in areas still threatened by enemy forces or laid with mines, the Guardian said.

In the settlements of Bucha, Hostomel and Borodianka, occupied for about a month by Russian troops, Ukrainian investigators found dozens of mass graves where the bodies of civilians, tortured and murdered, had been buried, the team said.

Since the Russians withdrew from the area, a group of young volunteers worked tirelessly to exhume the bodies and send them to forensic doctors who have been collecting evidence of crimes perpetrated by Russian troops.

Mose said the team had also processed two incidents of ill-treatment against Russian Federation soldiers by Ukrainian forces, adding that while few in numbers, such cases continue to be the subject of our attention, the Guardian report said.

He said investigators had also documented cases of sexual and gender-based violence, in some cases establishing that Russian soldiers were the perpetrators.

There are examples of cases where relatives were forced to witness the crimes, he said. In the cases we have investigated, the age of victims of sexual and gendered-based violence ranged from four to 82 years.

The commission had documented a wide range of crimes against children, Mose added, including children who were raped, tortured, and unlawfully confined, the Guardian said.

UNI ING
On March 18, 2014, President Barack Obama presented posthumous Medals of Honor to family members and representatives of 21 U.S. Army veterans from three wars; World War II, Korea and Vietnam and three living veterans from the Vietnam War. Sgt. 1st Class Melvin Morris, Master Sgt. Jose Rodela and Sgt. Santiago J. Erevia. Ladies and gentlemen, it is very rare where we have the opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary courage and patriotism of such a remarkable collection of men, Obama concluded. We are so grateful to them, we are so grateful to their families, it makes us proud and it makes us inspired. (Courtesy U.S. Army)
Tyler Cowen is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a professor of economics at George Mason University and writes for the blog Marginal Revolution. He is coauthor of Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Saudi Arabia remains Bahrains first and top trade and economic partner, said Samir Abdulla Nass, highlighting the steady growth of bilateral ties despite the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman said, The volume of trade exchanges grew by 19% in 2021 to top $3.43 billion, up from $2.88 bn in 2020.

Marking the 92nd Saudi National Day, he said the economic ties are fast growing, thanks to the support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

This years Saudi National Day is celebrated amid promising economic shifts for the GCC peoples, which would reflect on the development of societies, he said. Nass extended congratulations to the Saudi leadership and people, hailing long-standing solid fraternal relations binding the two brotherly countries. The BCCI chairman praised the establishment of the Bahrain-Saudi Business Council, hailing the pivotal standing of Saudi Arabia.
So it was only natural for many Japan residents to start traveling back to areas like Okinawa, especially since many people had been staying home the past couple years. In fact, the hotel itself seemed to be at near full capacity so perhaps government initiatives were working well.maybe too well. This is our experience with traveling in Japan as a family including my Japanese in-laws and some of things that other travelers should be aware of. ... continue reading
TOKYO, Sep 25 ( Nikkei ) - Japan's decision to loosen border controls is expected to buoy an economy facing headwinds, as inbound tourism recovers with the aid of a weak yen.

Starting Oct. 11, Japan will open its doors to individual tourists and resume visa-free entry for short-term travelers, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday in New York. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 90% of visitors to Japan came for tourism -- and of these, independent travelers accounted for 80%.

Japan welcomed 169,800 visitors this August in data released Wednesday by the Japan National Tourism Organization, down 93% from the same month in 2019. The U.S. and Europe eased entry restrictions earlier, with the recovery in tourism demand spreading globally.

There were nearly 250 million international tourist arrivals worldwide in the first five months of 2022, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization -- roughly tripling from a year earlier. Arrivals recovered to nearly half of pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

International tourist arrivals in Europe could reach 65% to 80% of 2019 levels in 2022, according to the UNWTO forecast. In the Americas, the figure could reach 63% to 76%.

Thanks to the looser restrictions, Japan could draw approximately 15.3 million international travelers in 2023, or 48% of 2019, according to an estimate by Rino Onodera, an economist at the Mizuho Research Institute. This change is expected to lift gross domestic product by 0.74% in 2023 from annualized GDP for the April-June quarter, before the easing. ...continue reading
TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - Displaying a remarkable period of sustained growth, Toronto-based CRM and 1:1 customer experience agency William Thomas Digital (WTD) has once again been named one of Canada's Top Growing Companies by The Globe and Mail.

"As a purpose-built agency we're always looking forward, pushing to elevate our industry," explains Emma Lyndon, Chief Operating Officer at William Thomas Digital. "To be able to step back and acknowledge our tremendous and sustained growth  we couldn't be more delighted for our team or the clients we're proud to serve."

Canada's Top Growing Companies (CNW Group/William Thomas Digital Inc.)

Purposeful Evolution

Now in its fourth year, Canada's Top Growing Companies ranks Canadian companies on three-year revenue growth. WTD earned its spot with a three-year growth of 261%.

"Our dedicated team of experts show up every day to help our clients drive business results by putting their customers first, and by continually innovating what that looks like across 1:1 channels," explains Managing Director Greg Elliott.

"Our growth is validation that even Canada's largest and best-loved brands can cultivate meaningful customer relationships at-scale by advancing what 1:1 marketing means, and by leading with a human-first perspective.

"This isn't just what we do, it's what we believe. And six years in, we've built a truly unique practice, partnering with incredible brands that inspire us every day."

"As Chief Operating Officer," Emma Lyndon adds, "I see our continued growth as a lever for cultivating growth internally  attracting some of the industry's top talent and funding opportunities for our team to advance, upskill and cross-mentor. Our growth allows our team members to achieve all their career aspirations right here at WTD."

In securing its spot, WTD joins 429 other esteemed Canadian companies that are making their mark on the emerging, post-pandemic economy. The full list of 2022 winners along with editorial coverage is published in the October issue of Report on Business magazine. The list is out now and online here.

"Canada's Top Growing Companies recognizes the tremendous ambition and innovation of entrepreneurs in Canada," says Dawn Calleja, Editor of Report on Business magazine. "The next generation of Canadian businesses can draw inspiration from this ranking."

"In an uncertain world, the success stories of the companies marked in this year's Report on Business magazine's list of Top Growing Companies are a beacon of optimism," says Phillip Crawley, Publisher and CEO of The Globe and Mail. "The Globe and Mail congratulates them on their achievements."

About The Globe and Mail

The Globe and Mail is Canada's foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With our award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, The Globe and Mail newspaper reaches 5.9 million readers every week in our print or digital formats, and Report on Business magazine reaches 2.3 million readers in print and digital every issue. Our investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.

About William Thomas Digital

William Thomas Digital is one of North America's leading Digital Messaging, CRM and 1:1 customer experience agencies. We help organizations develop powerful customer relationships by connecting in the moments that matter across the 1:1 channels their customers turn to  including Email, Mobile Push, SMS, Social, Web, Marketing Automation, Chat and beyond. Some of Canada's most successful brands work with William Thomas Digital to elevate their brand above competitors and drive business results  including Scene+ Loyalty, Loblaw, Rogers, Shopify, Scotiabank and more. Learn more at: www.williamthomasdigital.com.

Related Links

http://www.williamthomasdigital.com

SOURCE William Thomas Digital Inc.

For further information: Greg Elliott, Managing Director, William Thomas Digital, [email protected]
Punjabi Singer Alfaaz Out Of Danger; Rapper...

Alfaaz was admitted to a hospital after he was hit by a f...

3 October, 2022

Read more
The Nigeria Air Force operating in Zamfara State has killed a bandits leader, popularly known as Dogo Rabe and over 45 members of his gang ...





The Nigeria Air Force operating in Zamfara State has killed a bandits leader, popularly known as Dogo Rabe and over 45 members of his gang in Zamfara forests.





The Nigeria Air Force operatives bombed the bandits camps located within communities between the Zurmi and Birnin Magaji areas in Zamfara State, and Jibia in Katsina State, according to a security source.





It was reported that some days before the bombardment, a similar attack was carried out in the camp belonging to another bandits kingpin, Bello Turji in the Fakai community of the State, where no fewer than 22 bandits were neutralized, while Turji escaped.





According to a source in the area, Abdulbaqi Aliyu, the recent attack killed no fewer than 40 bandits in the Birnin Magaji area of the State.





The Nigerian Air force launched an attack at Sabon Birini Dan Ali forest, in Birini Magaji Local Government Area, which resulted in the killing of over 40 of the bandits, he said.





The attack occurred when the gangs were said to be loading rustled cattle.





It was not clear how many people were killed in that operation because the bandits gathered at Dan Karamis house for a meeting. It is unclear if he was among those killed, the source said.





There has been no official statement from Abdul Olaitan, the Air Force spokesman in Katsina State as he didnt pick calls from newsmen.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has filed an appeal to challenge a court ruling which directed the union to call off its n...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has filed an appeal to challenge a court ruling which directed the union to call off its nationwide strike.

The appeal, filed through its legal team led by Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria, is premised on 14 grounds.

The union is, among other things, seeking the leave of the appellate court to file the appeal pursuant to section 243 of the constitution that requires a leave of court to appeal the judgment or ruling of the national industrial court (NIC).

ASUU is also seeking a stay of execution of the orders of the court, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14 to press home the demand for improved funding for universities, a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.

Several meetings between ASUU and the federal government have ended in deadlock.

Consequently, the federal government went to the national industrial court to challenge the strike.

Delivering a ruling on Wednesday, Polycarp Hamman, the judge, granted the federal governments application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike.

The judge also ordered members of the union to resume work pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

He held that the strike is detrimental to public university students who cannot afford to attend private tertiary institutions.
The federal government has told the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to obey the National Industrial Court ruling and call off it...





The federal government has told the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to obey the National Industrial Court ruling and call off its seven-month strike.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, gave the advice while fielding questions from journalists on the margins of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, and the Official Launch of the Nigeria Integrated National Financing Framework Report (NIFF).

The industrial court on Wednesday, ordered ASUU to call off its ongoing nationwide strike, pending the determination of a suit filed by the Federal Government.

The federal government had dragged the lecturers to court in a bid to end the strike.

Im not ASUU but the maximum in law is that when there is a court judgment or ruling or order you must first obey and then we can apply for an appeal if you so desire or apply for stay that is stay of execution.

So the maximum in law, jurisprudence and everything about the law, is that you obey the courts ruling, judgment or order, no matter how bad. The qualifying thing is that no matter how bad and no matter how you disagree with it, you first obey. Like the military people say, obey before complain.

So we expect them to get back to the classrooms but that doesnt foreclose negotiations, the negotiations should be on as a matter of fact, it will be on officially and non officially.

For example, the House of Representatives had invited us to come and brief them. And together, they are stakeholders. You heard Mr President said to the committee of Pro-Chancellors when they visited him, that he would do consultation as per the two request on putting an icing on the cake on the government offer to ASUU members and the issue of resettlement fund to cushion the effect of the no work no pay situation they found themselves in.

So, President will look at it, the House of Reps are stakeholders, Ministers we are not only stakeholders, we are advisers to Mr. President by the provisions of the Constitution, Section 5 of the Constitution and 147, that appoints ministers one from each state of the Federation, and we hold regular meetings with him, so we are his chief advisers.

So, we will interface with the House of Representatives and all of us collectively will advise Mr. President, Ngige said.
A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Bamidele Faparusi, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to reject calls for the outri...





A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Bamidele Faparusi, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to reject calls for the outright banning of the consumption of cow leather, a delicacy called Ponmo, saying such policy will harm the Southwest economy.





The immediate past Ekiti State Commissioner for Public Utilities, reminded that many Nigerians, particularly people of the Southwest didnt only consume the delicacy in large scale, but trade in it, and that such individuals will be sent out of the employment market in brazen fashion, if effected.





In the same fashion, Bamidele warned that such a policy would deal a big blow on the popularity of the All Progressives Congress in the Southwest, being the region known as a major consumer of the delicacy.





The Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, NILEST, Zaria, Muhammad Yakubu, recently made such proposal in Abuja. saying the policy will promote leather production as provided in the Agricultural Research Institute Act of 1975.





But the former federal lawmaker, who gave the advice in Ado Ekiti, on Saturday, during an interactive session with journalists on the issue, warned that the proposed ban will throw many Nigerians back to the unemployment market.





He said the unemployment will be caused through displacement of many traders out of their businesses and means of livelihoods.





Faparusi said: Ponmo is a known delicacy of the people of southwest Nigeria. Ponmo is not a hard drug, it is not harmful to the body. Sugar is harmful to people living with diabetes. Salt is harmful to people living with high blood pressure. Can we now say that this item be banned?





Or what is the nutritional value of salt aside from taste. In fact, Ponmo is recommended to elders instead of red meat. Yes, Ponmo may not have nutritional value, but it is a harmless delicacy.





I see this proposed ban as an attempt to pitch the people of the southwest against one another in order to make APC look bad in the eyes of the masses in the region.





It is a mischievous proposal against APC in the southwest. We reject it and demand that those behind the proposal should forget this ignoble idea.





Some will say what is in Ponmo that is capable of affecting the outcome of the 2023 elections. Ponmo is the only affordable alternative to meat and fish for the masses, who are struggling to cope with the current economic challenges facing the country. Any attempt to take this away from them may cause revolt.





Furthermore, this is not a time to even suggest controversial policies. Campaign or partisanship apart, one of the responsibilities of good governance is to make sure you dont inflict more hardship on the people.





Going down memory lane, Bamidele stated that such policy was once rejected when the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo was vying to be president of Nigeria in 1979.





The southwest in particular will definitely resist the suggestion and its better to bury that idea immediately, he advised.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an arm of The Economist of London, has predicted victory for Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of...

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an arm of The Economist of London, has predicted victory for Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, in the 2023 presidential election.

According to Business Day, EIU made the prediction in a new country report.

The UK-based platform, in the country report, said the controversy of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket will not affect Tinubus chances in the elections.

We expect Tinubu to take the presidency, and recent developments have only reinforced our thinking. It does not appear that a Muslim-Muslim ticket will weigh significantly on Tinubus electoral chances, EIU said.

In the past few weeks, controversy has trailed the decision of the APC and Tinubu to settle for Kashim Shettima, former governor of Borno, who is a Muslim, as vice-presidential candidate.

Many stakeholders, including the Christian Association of Nigeria, have kicked against the decision of the APC.

Political analysts have speculated that the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket may affect the chances of the APC in the elections.

On the chances of Atiku Abubakar at the polls, the EIU country report said the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cause to worry over the feud with Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers.

The report added that Atiku should also be worried about how Peter Obi of the Labour Party will balkanise the traditional votes of the PDP in the south-east.

Atiku has more cause to worry. Not only is Obi eating into the PDPs South-eastern support base, but Governor Wike, who finished second in the primary, does not appear to be interested in endorsing him, the report said.

The report said the Electoral Act 2022 would bring less disputes about the presidential election results and reduce the influence of politicians on the outcome of the election.

Recently, a poll, commissioned by Anap Foundation and conducted by NOI Polls Limited, predicted Obi, LP presidential candidate, as winner of the 2023 presidential election with 21 percent of votes.

The three other leading political parties in the race  APC, PDP and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)  rejected the outcome of the poll.
Umar Sani, a former Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Vice President Namadi Sambo, has revealed the only three ways the Natio...

Umar Sani, a former Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Vice President Namadi Sambo, has revealed the only three ways the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, can be removed.

PDP has been witnessing a crisis since the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as its 2023 presidential candidate.

The crisis worsened when Atiku picked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate for next years election.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been aggrieved with PDPs leadership over Atikus choice of a running mate.

Atiku ignored Wike, who came second during the PDPs presidential primaries a few months ago, a situation tearing the party apart.

Following his action, Wike called for the resignation of Ayu.

Wike noted that the North could not produce PDPs presidential candidate and the National Chairman.

However, speaking on Arise TVs Morning Show on Friday, Sani said that Ayu could be removed as PDP national chairman only if he resigns or the partys NEC passes a vote of no confidence on him or his tenure expires.

Sani said, Ayu will have to leave if Atiku becomes the president. Ayu will leave, and somebody from the Southern extraction will now become the national chairman of the party and the new national convention will be held. As it is now, the process is so cumbersome, so long, and the timing is not right.

We are approaching elections and there are two or three ways where somebody can be removed as a national chairman by the PDP constitution. The first is that he can resign, two is when an allegation is placed before him before the NEC and then he is found wanting and the NEC passes a vote of no confidence against him and removes him and the third is when his tenure expires.

Now, if we have all these types of scenarios and the issue before the party is that the Wike group is asking that Ayu must go because perhaps he has made a promise, that promise is what we have been hearing. I think it is not a promise between the party and the group, it is a promise perhaps done in honour binding. Because if it is down within the party, the party would not go ahead in the last NEC and said that we have passed a vote of confidence for Ayu to continue.
The leadership and members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti chapter, has taken to the street to exp...





The leadership and members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti chapter, has taken to the street to express their displeasure over what they described as illegal detention of their members by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).





The aggrieved lecturers carried placards with various inscriptions.





Trouble started when some members of ASUP were invited to the office of the anti-graft agencies in Ilorin and Akure in Ondo State following a petition received from some persons over some transactions in the institution.





The EFCC through the office of the Rector invited the affected lecturers who traveled to Ilorin only to get detained and quizzed over an alert they received from the institution some months back.





The union said the allegations levelled against their members were unfounded, baseless and that they knew nothing about the matter.





Speaking with journalists during the protest in Ado-Ekiti, the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti chapter, Dr Emmanuel Obafemi Abunbi expressed worry over the situation and called on the management to intervene.





When they came back, we discovered that they were actually arrested because they had to provide surety, and were unjustly detained and profiled as an offender which was unacceptable.





The money was paid as promotion arrears which was deserved, but were told to refund because they were not yet due which they did accordingly, to a designated account that the management provided.





They did not apply and since it was refunded and now for EFCC to call it criminal, is way too far.





We agreed that part of the key functions of the EFCC are to investigate all financial crimes, including advance fee fraud, money laundering, counterfeiting, illegal charge transfers, but we are not satisfied with this particular action hence the protest to show our grievances.





The ASUP chairman said he wants the EFCC to know its members were law abiding citizens and will support any fraud detection but it does not include subjecting members to inhuman treatment that they do not deserve.





We want the management to reach out to EFCC to clarify that we know nothing about these transactions and the money is no longer in our custody, he concluded.





Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the anti-graft agencies, one of the lecturers, Mr Samuel Abereola, the Head of Marketing Department, Federal Poly Ado-Ekiti said he was punished unjustly.





Reacting to the allegations, the Director of Protocols, Information and Public Relations of Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Prince Adeyemi Adejolu, claimed that the petitioners were unknown to the school management.





According to him, Its true that some faceless people styled as concerned old students of this institution wrote a petition to the security agencies, especially the anti-graft agencies, thats EFCC and ICPC which received the petition.





They were calling for an investigation of what is happening in the institution, so the EFCC wrote requesting for documents and since it is still under the law, we obliged them the list of transactions and at the end of the day, some staff were invited.





They are alleging that some staff were colluding with the management to serve as conduit pipes to siphon the resources of the institution.





Adejolu maintained that the Rector held a meeting with all staff regarding the matter and as such lecturers are not the only ones being investigated.
Troops of operation Hadarin Daji have arrested two suspected terrorists collaborators at a branch of a commercial bank in Zaria LGA of Kad...

Troops of operation Hadarin Daji have arrested two suspected terrorists collaborators at a branch of a commercial bank in Zaria LGA of Kaduna.

Musa Danmadami, the defence media operations director in a briefing at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), said the suspects were arrested on September 15 while trying to withdraw the sum of N14 million.

The money, he said, was deposited into the account of one Alhaji Abubakar, a suspected terrorist financier.

Earlier in February, the federal government had said it uncovered 96 financiers of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) between 2020 and 2021.

Danmadami also said 16 suspected terrorists were killed and 10 wanted terrorists were arrested at different locations in Chikun LGA of Kaduna during operational activities.

He said 21 civilians were rescued, and troops recovered 5 AK47 rifles, 10 rounds of 7.62mm special, 17 mobile phones, 2 motorcycles, 3 locally made rifles, 3 pairs of woodland camouflage, 118 rustled sheep, 4 boafeng radio sets and N29,250.00 cash.

The development comes less than 48 hours after the air component of operation Hadarin Daji conducted an airstrike killing a terrorist leader identified as Ibrahim Dangawo and other members of his gang in Katsina, he said.

Danmadami said a similar operation was carried out at at an identified terrorist hideout in Gidan Guga, Faskari LGA of Katsina where a wanted terrorist kingpin known as Babaru was killed.

He added that the air attack led to the elimination of a large number of terrorists at Kawari axis in Dan Musa LGA of Katsina, responsible for the kidnapping and robbing of people in that area.

The military, over the recent months, has continued to intensify efforts in tackling insecurity across the country.
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has vowed that those ganging up against him in the battle to...





The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has vowed that those ganging up against him in the battle to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming election would be defeated.





Atiku, who spoke through the Spokesperson, PDP Presidential Campaign Management Committee, Dino Melaye, also accused the presidential flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of masterminding the crisis rocking the PDP.





Recall that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, lambasted the former vice president, Atiku and the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, and vowed to continue the fight until his demands are met.





Wike, who was defeated by Atiku during the May 29 primary election, had demanded the resignation of Ayu as the only condition to work for Atikus victory come 2023.





But according to a statement by Dino, titled No Shortcut To Victory, the campaign spokesperson said Atiku is currently suffering persecution because he chose to be a democrat by not forcing Ayu to resign.





The statement added that Atiku would continue to support the enthronement of strong institutions that can minimise the excesses of political goliaths, stressing that as it happened to Goliath in the biblical story, strong men get defeated, no matter the length of their domination.





The statement reads, the hawkers of spin in the camp of Ahmed Bola Tinubu are at it again, this time latching on to a debatable forecast to award victory to a delusional candidate who claimed that the presidency of Nigeria is a categorical entitlement.





The Palace jesters are gloating over the orchestrated amplification of the agitation by some members of our Party to sing a dirge, forgetting that advocacy is not only normal in a democracy, their very idol went riotous and danced naked in desperation when he sensed that the ticket of his discredited and failed political party was eluding him.





Through a sheer arrogance, impudence and indiscretion, Bayo Onanuga the mouth piece of the hallucinators and hawkers of illusion took the place of INEC by declaring a loss of election for the most promising flagbearer in the 2023 Presidential election, Atiku Abubakar. May the self-acclaimed rivals of God be reminded that power belongs to God?





In any case, the polemics being celebrated was an indictment against Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who regardless of the status and efforts of APC leaders like Rotimi Amaechi was hawking the Senatorial ticket in an insensitive and indecorous manner. In the end his power excursion lule. This is what Atiku will not do. It is, in fact, for the defence of democracy and respect for due process that Atiku is now being persecuted.





For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku as a long standing democrat will not sacrifice those elected by the Party for his own ambition, just to please autocratic democrats. If by chance he loses the support of some party members on account of adhering to the rules, he would be satisfied that he acted right.





Waiting to benefit from the internal synthesis that may play out in the PDP is a wait in futility. The tears of opposition are only flowing from the demonstrable capacity of Atiku for political sagacity.





This contest will be a long hull. No shortcut, no award and no conferment of entitlement. Kaka eyin ko lokan'.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Mainly sunny. High near 60F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies. Low near 35F. Winds light and variable.
Locally reported news and sports

Stay Current with What's Happening

Get the most of NNY360, register today!

By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com
An appearance by a likely Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra test unit on the 3C certification website has revealed a charging capability that has been met with a mixed response from fans. It seems Samsung wants to continue playing it safe with the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra, by not following lightning-fast-charging trends in the Android smartphone space.

4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other Not Set Default Review Flagship Review Short Review Review Update Ultra Short Review Live Default Review Live Flagship Review First Impression Review Other Review Smartwatch / eBike / Camera Comp. Accessory Review Game Benchmark Review 3D Printer Review Analysis Default News Major Launch News (NDA) Sponsored News Special Topic News Advertorial Article Magazine Article List Article Column "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , Arc , ARM , Audio , Benchmark , Biotech , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , DIY , E-Mobility , Education , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Ice Lake , Intel , Intel Evo , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Leaks / Rumors , Linux / Unix , List , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Raptor Lake , Renoir , Review Snippet , RISC-V , Rocket Lake , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Wi-Fi 7 , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) , Zen 4 Ticker

Just recently, we reported about the possible battery capacities headed to the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, and right on the heels of that information comes an appearance in the 3C database of a probable Galaxy S23 Ultra device, revealing the likely charging speeds for the whole range. The unit in question has the model number SM-S9180, and a noted leaker on Weibo has mentioned that this is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra being tested with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processorand a 25 W charging speed.

Of course, this does not instantly mean that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is limited to a 25 W charging speed, as that would be a very befuddling drop from the Galaxy S22 Ultra and its support for 45 W charging. However, it certainly does indicate that Samsung has remained static in this area and likely intends for the S23 Ultra and S23+ to manage up to 45 W wired charging speeds while the regular Galaxy S23 model would also emulate its predecessor and be limited to 25 W. Another well-known leaker, Ice universe, seems convinced that the Samsung Galaxy S23 will stick to this particular charging speed.

In fact, the tipster made some withering comments about the situation, reminding followers that this is almost the slowest charging in the mobile phone industry and also pointing out that this 25 W charging speed has remained unchanged since 2019s Galaxy S10 5G. Indeed, potential Galaxy S23 Ultra rivals such as the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max do appear to have the charging speed edge here, offering 67 W and 27 W rates, respectively. But there will be very good reasons for Samsung to stick with this apparent charging-speed caution.

Firstly, future owners of the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra can expect slower battery degradation. Secondly, smartphone-charging speeds of 25 W and 45 W are still respectable enough; in our tests with the S22 Ultra the device took 98 minutes to charge from 0 to 100%, and it was at 50% after just 43 minutes. The smartphone showed itself to be very efficient, so it might not need as frequent charging sessions compared to rivals. In addition, Samsung will never want a repeat of the infamous Galaxy Note 7 debacle, even if it means not matching the extreme battery-related specifications of its closest competitors.

Buy a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra on Amazon
BUSAN, South KoreaA U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Friday for the first time in about four years, set to join other military vessels in a show of force intended to send a message to North Korea.

USS Ronald Reagan and ships from its accompanying strike group docked at a naval base in the southern port city of Busan ahead of joint drills with South Korean forces.

Its arrival marks the most significant deployment yet under a new push to have more U.S. strategic assets operate in the area to deter North Korea.

Strike group commander Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly told reporters aboard the ship that the visit was designed to build allied relations and boost interoperability between the navies.

We are leaving messaging to diplomats, he said, when asked about any signal to North Korea, but added that joint drills would ensure the allies were able to respond to all threats.

Its an opportunity for us to practice tactics and operations, Donnelly said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has pushed for more joint exercises and other displays of military power as a warning to North Korea, which this year conducted a record number of missile tests and appears to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.

North Korea has denounced previous U.S. military deployments and joint drills as rehearsals for war and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul. The drills have also sparked protests by peace activists who say they raise regional tensions.

Last week the United States said the carriers visit was a clear demonstration of its commitment to deploy and exercise strategic assets to deter Pyongyang and enhance regional security.

In announcing the visit, however, the U.S. Navy made no mention of North Korea, referring only to a regularly scheduled port visit and emphasizing crew members visiting Busan to volunteer at orphanages and explore the K-pop music scene.

Officials declined to provide details of the upcoming joint drills, but said the carrier would be in port for several days. Just hours after the ship docked, long lines of crewmembers formed as they took COVID-19 tests before being bused into the city.

The visit is the first to South Korea by an American aircraft carrier since 2018. Many drills were since scaled back or cancelled due to diplomatic efforts with North Korea or because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Questions have risen over the role the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea might play if conflict erupts over Taiwan.

Donnelly said such questions are for policymakers above him, but said that operating with like-minded allies such as South Korea is a key part of the U.S. Navys efforts to maintain the regional security and stability that has existed for more than seven decades.
Regional Health Systems has expanded its New Beginnings Clubhouse in Merrillville.

The health care system, which provides mental health care, primary health care and addiction treatment services, will be able to serve more patients in the new clubhouse at 107 W. 79th Ave. in Westfield Commons.

The expanded and renovated building helps New Beginnings Clubhouse increase the number of people it can safely serve and was made possible by the Legacy Foundation and the Indiana Clubhouse Coalition, as well as Regional Health Systems, its fiscal agent, said Regional Care Group CEO Bill Trowbridge.

The New Beginnings Clubhouse allows people with mental illness to "work together to regain self-worth, purpose and dignity." It helps them with recovery, encouraging them to pursue opportunities in employment, education, friendship and family.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last week.

We are happy to support the expansion of the New Beginnings Clubhouse, Legacy Foundation President and CEO Kelly Anoe said. Through this grant, more members will be able to participate in meaningful programming and mental health services, which is vital to our community.

Members manage the New Beginnings Clubhouse like a business and not a treatment center. The idea is to give them work that provides a sense of meaning.

"Expanding the physical size of the building was a necessary first step towards growing our Clubhouse community, New Beginnings Clubhouse Program Director Josh Melko said. It not only brought us closer to financial sustainability, but it also allowed us to reach out to more people in our community who were feeling isolated by their mental illness. We want them to know they are not alone."
Looking for a new career? One in which you can help others and that might get your pulse pounding?

MAAC Foundation and Northwest Health are offering an emergency medical technician basic training course in Valparaiso.

Anyone interested in pursuing a career as an EMT can take the training course at the MAAC training campus at 4203 Montdale Park Drive in Valparaiso. The class starts on Nov. 7 and runs through March 2.

The partnership with Northwest Health to offer EMT courses on the MAAC training campus aligns beautifully with our mission. We look forward to the positive outcomes that will result from this initiative by helping increase the number of EMTs across our region," said Celina Weatherwax, president of the MAAC Foundation.

The classes will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. every Monday and Thursday nights in Valparaiso. Students who sign up will get national certification as a basic EMT and will be eligible to be hired as an EMT anywhere after they successfully complete the course and their final examinations.

Supporting Northwest Indianas first responders through education is important to us and increasing the number of EMTs is a priority," Northwest Health CEO Ashley Dickinson said. "Northwest Healths experienced EMT and paramedic trainers are looking forward to working with the students in this new class.

The course costs $1,200 to complete.

People can register by visiting maacfoundation.org.

For more information, email robert.schroeder@nwhealthin.com or call 219-510-9111.
A new lawsuit with an unexpected plaintiff alleging Indiana's near-total abortion ban violates several provisions of the U.S. Constitution was filed this week at the federal court in Indianapolis.

The Satanic Temple, a Salem, Massachusetts-based religious association that defends personal sovereignty against the dictates of religious authority, claims Senate Enrolled Act 1 infringes on the constitutional rights of its female members in Indiana who are involuntarily pregnant due to the failure of birth control measures.

According to the lawsuit, temple members believe that during the period between conception and viability  or about 24 weeks of pregnancy  a fetus is part of the pregnant woman's body and not imbued with any humanity or existence separate from her.

As such, a pregnant woman is entitled to terminate her pregnancy through abortion in accordance with the temple's Tenet III: "One's body is inviolable, subject to one's own will alone;" and the Satanic Abortion Ritual, which includes the recitation of the tenet and other affirmations, the lawsuit says.

However, the lawsuit claims Indiana's new abortion restrictions unlawfully deny temple members access to abortion and the Satanic Abortion Ritual by criminalizing the procedure, except in time-limited cases of serious health or life risks to the pregnant woman, lethal fetal anomaly or pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

Specifically, the lawsuit says Indiana compelling nearly all women to carry their pregnancies to term infringes on the property right each woman has to her uterus, and the state cannot deny her the ability to exclude or remove a fetus from her uterus without just compensation as required by the Fifth Amendment.

Likewise, the lawsuit notes a pregnant woman unquestionably provides her fetus hormones, oxygen, nutrients, antibodies, body heat and physical protection, all of which have substantial commercial value in Indiana based on the compensation provided to women who act as surrogates.

But the near-total abortion ban provides no compensation or consideration to a pregnant woman for providing the services necessary to sustain the life of a fetus, and is therefore unconstitutional under the 13th Amendment because it puts women into a condition of involuntary servitude, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit also alleges that by allowing abortion in cases of rape or incest, as well as pregnancies commenced through in vitro fertilization, the new Indiana abortion law discriminates against women for no compelling reason in violation of the 14th Amendment by forcing those women unable to legally obtain an abortion to pay the physical and financial costs of carrying a pregnancy to term.

Finally, the lawsuit says a near-total ban on abortion effectively prohibits the exercise of the Satanic Abortion Ritual in violation of Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which mandates government interference in religious exercise be the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling state interest.

The temple is seeking a court order permanently barring Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican originally from Munster, from enforcing the statute.

The attorney general's office, which is tasked with defending Indiana's abortion statute, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on The Satanic Temple lawsuit.

On Thursday, Republican Owen County Judge Kelsey Hanlon put the new abortion law on hold, one week after it took effect, when she determined it likely violates Hoosier liberties protected by the Indiana Constitution.

"Regardless of whether the right is framed as a privacy right, a right to bodily autonomy, a right of self-determination, a bundle of liberty rights, or by some other appellation, there is a reasonable likelihood that decisions about family planning, including decisions about whether to carry a pregnancy to term  are included in (the Constitution's) Article I, Section 1's protections," Hanlon said.

Rokita has since asked the Indiana Supreme Court to consider immediately reviewing Hanlon's decision.

A separate state court lawsuit claiming the near-total abortion ban runs afoul of Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act is scheduled for review next month in Marion County.

Indiana's Republican-controlled General Assembly was first in the country to legislatively impose new abortion restrictions following the U.S. Supreme Court's June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson decision repealing the right to abortion established in 1973 by Roe v. Wade.

As enacted, Senate Enrolled Act 1 prohibited all abortions in the state from the moment of conception, except within 10 weeks of fertilization for pregnancies caused by rape or incest, or 20 weeks if necessary to prevent serious physical impairment or the death of a pregnant woman, or because of a lethal fetal anomaly.

It also attempted to shut down all abortion clinics in the state by requiring every abortion be completed in a hospital or hospital-owned surgical center, and put doctors at risk of losing their medical license if they failed to sufficiently justify the legal basis for an abortion.
MERRILLVILLE  The ongoing speed issues in town have officials contemplating a variety of methods to slow traffic and make streets safer.

Residents have come to several recent Town Council meetings expressing concerns about speeding and reckless driving in their neighborhoods. Police Chief Wiley Luther Cuttino said hes also fielded many calls from residents concerned about reckless driving that continues in town.

Weve been talking quite a bit about an entire traffic-calming program, Council President Rick Bella, D-5th, said.

Councilman Leonard White, D-7th, said many residents have suggested installing speed bumps in different locations as a possible method to slow down vehicles.

We have to do something, he said.

Although speed bumps can be an effective way to force cars to reduce their speeds, they dont work well in the winter because snowplows will hit them and potentially cause damage, Bella said.

He said town officials are reviewing a similar method to calm traffic.

So instead of speed bumps, they actually call them speed humps, Bella said. So, its much wider, it allows a plow to go over it. Its not a definite bounce with the vehicle; the car actually goes up and over the speed hump.

Officials are exploring potential locations for speed humps. When they are installed, they will be painted and there will be signage so motorists are aware they are approaching them.

They will make you slow down, Bella said.

The town has received several complaints of speeding near 76th Avenue and Madison Street. Town Councilman Shawn Pettit, D-6th, said rumble strips were added there to slow down traffic.

It is noticeable when you start to slow down, White said.

Bella said the town also has started installing more speed limit signs in each of Merrillvilles seven wards, and Merrillville will have officers out watching for traffic violations.

Were looking at a variety of things, he said.

Pettit said that if motorists are caught speeding, he would rather see them receive tickets than warnings because that could be more effective in addressing the towns traffic issues.

Youve got kids in the neighborhoods, youve got people driving, Pettit said. No, Im not in favor of giving someone a warning.
RUMANGABO, Democratic Republic of Congo  Emmanuel was over at my house for dinner the other night, Ben Affleck said in an interview, and despite the fact that hes spent most of his life in Virunga, hes been shot, hes seen people hes loved killed, my 16-year-old daughter said: Why is it appropriate you do this? Youre not Congolese.

There were people there and I was trying to raise money, Violet, what are you doing? Mr. Affleck continued, during the interview in Los Angeles. But he answered calmly: Im here in all humility, trying to do my part.

Emmanuel is Emmanuel de Merode, the director of Virunga National Park, Africas oldest protected area and in many ways the front line of human-wildlife conflict. And the source of Violet Afflecks consternation isnt so much Mr. de Merodes mission to save Virungas mountain gorillas and use the park to help bring economic stability to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country plagued by violence and a persistent stripping of its rich natural resources. Instead, Violet was zeroing in on the fact that hes a Belgian prince in a country with a violent colonial past.

If Violets teenage-abetted forthrightness surprised her father, he may want to get used to it. Mr. de Merode, who rose to fame in a 2014 Netflix documentary about the park, is increasingly the apple of a certain kind of celebritys eye  those who are committed to saving the planet, with a nose for a cinematic story along the way.
PARIS  Love, in its first blazing flare of passion, is the subject of Benjamin Millepieds Romeo and Juliet Suite, a tightly crafted chamber work playing to rock concert-size audiences, at La Seine Musicale here. And death is the subject of Alan Lucien Oyens Cri de Coeur, a new work that opened the Paris Opera Ballet season on Tuesday at the Palais Garnier.

Both dances play with ideas of theatricality and reality within their narratives. Both use hand-operated cameras and film footage projected onto huge screens to offer intimate, close-up glimpses of the dancers onstage and off.

But the works could hardly be less alike. For Millepied, a tightly condensed narrative is the motor for an expressive, emotive physicality. For Oyen, movement is just one of many elements informing a diffuse, rambling story.

Romeo and Juliet Suite, performed by Millepieds L.A. Dance Project and set to recorded selections from the Prokofiev score, is a lean account of Shakespeares tale that assumes some knowledge of the plot and uses film to augment and intensify the drama. Twelve of the companys 16 dancers represent the warring families with no overt differentiation; only Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt and Mercutio are identified. Costumes (Camille Assaf) are simple streetwear. There is no scenery, no hostile parents, no Paris (the suitor Juliet rejects) and no Friar Lawrence as the unwitting catalyst of the tragedy.
Together, SMART Transportation Division and the other union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, represent about half of the more than 100,000 freight rail workers covered by the negotiations.

The document circulated by the union said the time off for routine medical visits, in addition to being limited to three instances per year, could be taken only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays and must be scheduled at least 30 days in advance. A single instance may last more than one day, however, if the worker needs time to prepare for or recover from the appointment. In addition, workers wont face a penalty for time spent in the hospital.

The tentative agreement could also lead to changes in the protocol for assigning trips, a move the rail carriers had been seeking. Currently, when conductors and engineers return home from a trip, they fall to the bottom of a list of available crews before working their way up again. If someone ahead of them calls in sick, a worker from a group of substitutes, known as an extra board, can step in so that the other conductors and engineers on the regular list can maintain roughly the same time off between trips. (Workers say cuts to the extra board in recent years have made their schedules more variable.)

Under the pending terms of the contract, the rail carrier could end up relying far less on substitute workers from the extra board. Instead, through a system called a self-supporting pool, engineers and conductors would move up the list more quickly when someone ahead of them is out sick.

The agreement appears to give the unions some say on implementing self-supporting pools, but a spokesman for SMART Transportation Division did not respond to a request for comment on the issue.
A judge on Friday ruled that a near-total abortion ban written before Arizona became a state must be enforced, throwing abortion access into question one day before the start of a 15-week ban that passed the Legislature this year.

The stricter ban, which can be traced to 1864, was blocked by a court injunction in 1973 shortly after the Supreme Court, in Roe v. Wade, determined that there was a constitutional right to abortion.

On Friday, Judge Kellie Johnson of Pima County Superior Court lifted that injunction, noting that Roe had been overruled in June and that Planned Parenthoods request for the court to harmonize the laws in Arizona was flawed.

The 1864 law, first established by the states territorial legislature, mandates a two- to five-year prison sentence for anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. In 1901, the law was updated and codified.
ATLANTA  Brad Raffensperger, Georgias secretary of state, said on Friday that his office would replace voting equipment in Coffee County, where allies of former President Donald J. Trump and contractors working on Mr. Trumps behalf copied software and other data after the 2020 election.

But in a statement, a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit contending that Georgias statewide voting system is fundamentally insecure in the wake of the Trump allies visit to Coffee County called the changes embarrassingly thin and cosmetic. The statement said the server for the countys election management system remained potentially contaminated.

The move by Mr. Raffensperger, a Republican, comes after the plaintiffs complained that he was moving too slowly to address the security breach in Coffee County, which took place in January 2021. The Trump allies, presumably looking for evidence of fraud, copied data and software with the blessing of local elections officials.

One Trump supporter involved in the breach, Scott Hall, said in a recorded phone call that the team that traveled to Coffee County, roughly 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, had scanned all the equipment, imaged all the hard drives and scanned every single ballot.
The divisions over Kherson are only the latest disagreements between Mr. Putin and his top commanders. Senior Russian officers repeatedly questioned the early plans for the war, American officials said, particularly an initial stage that envisioned a quick strike on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. The Russian officers believed Mr. Putin was going to war with insufficient troops and weaponry, American officials said.

The Russian officers concerns proved correct, and after the defeat of the Russian army outside Kyiv, Mr. Putin eased up his control of military planning. He allowed senior generals to create a new strategy focused on massive artillery barrages, American officials said. The new strategy was effectively a grinding war of attrition that played to the Russian militarys strength and succeeded in pushing the army forward in eastern Ukraine.

Since Mr. Putin ordered his commanders to continue fighting in Kherson, the Russian military has tried to halt the Ukrainian advance there. Last week the Russians blew up a dam on the Inhulets River to make the current counteroffensive more difficult.

But Ukrainian strikes have blown up the crossings over the Dnipro River, which has largely cut off Russian troops from their supply lines on the other side. Russians have had to use pontoon bridges to cross the river, only to see them hit by Ukrainian fire, Ukrainian officials said. Theyve got units in there who, if the Ukrainians break through the lines, will be cut off and surrounded, said Seth G. Jones, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. I cannot overstate how dicey the situation is for them.

Pulling back past the Dnipro River would likely allow Russian commanders to hold the line in the south with fewer troops. That would give them more latitude to redeploy forces from Kherson to other areas, either pushing back against the Kharkiv counteroffensive in the northeast, solidifying defensive lines in the eastern Donbas region or opening up a new front in the south.

But Mr. Putin has told commanders he will set the strategy.

In this war there has been a consistent mismatch between Putins political objectives and the military means to attain them, said Michael Kofman, director of Russia studies at CNA, a defense research institute in Arlington, Va. At important decision points Putin has procrastinated, refusing to recognize the reality, until the options turned from bad to worse.

Pulling Russian forces back past the Dnipro River would also be a stark rebuttal to Mr. Putins referendum there on joining the Russian Federation. Holding such sham votes is a key objective of Moscow. Blocking them remains one of Kyivs top priorities.
When the Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina introduced a bill this month to ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks, Democratic fund-raisers expected it to dominate news outlets like MSNBC, bringing small-dollar donations for candidates.

But they did not anticipate that cable news networks, overtaken by the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8, would relegate politics to an afterthought for more than a week in favor of ancient rituals, Grenadier Guards and the monarchs corgis.

Suddenly, the traditional September influx of campaign cash slipped, which Democrats attributed in significant part to the round-the-clock coverage of the 10-day period of mourning for the queen that culminated in her funeral on Monday.

Democrats said that they relied on grass-roots donations  those under $250  to compete with spending by Republican-aligned super PACs on television ads, particularly in battleground states.
Tudor Dixon, the Republican nominee for governor of Michigan, mocked a kidnapping plot against her Democratic opponent, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, at two campaign events on Friday.

The 2020 plot against Ms. Whitmer rattled Michigan and was seen as a sign of the rising threat of political violence and right-wing domestic terrorism. Two men were convicted in a plan to kidnap the governor at her vacation home and instigate a national rebellion. Prosecutors said that the men went on reconnaissance missions to the home, amassed high-powered guns and discussed blowing up a bridge to keep the police from responding. Two other men were acquitted.

The sad thing is Gretchen will tie your hands, put a gun to your head and ask if you are ready to talk. For someone so worried about getting kidnapped, Gretchen Whitmer sure is good at taking business hostage and holding it for ransom, she said at an event in Troy, Mich., provoking laughter and applause in the room.

The remarks drew swift condemnation from Ms. Whitmers campaign and from Democratic groups. At another campaign event later in the day in Muskegon, Ms. Dixon doubled down. She joked that Ms. Whitmer had looked unsure of what was going on as she held President Bidens hand during his recent visit to an auto show in the state.
The balloting coincides with Russias conscription, starting this week, of large numbers of civilians to service in the military  an effort that also appears to be off to a somewhat haphazard start. There are complaints that it is concentrated more in some regions than others, and there has been confusion and contradiction about which people, and how many, are subject to the draft. The Kremlin says it is calling up about 300,000 new troops to fill its battered ranks, but Russian news outlets operating in exile say the real figure could exceed one million.

The United States and its allies are prepared to impose additional sanctions on Russia if it moves forward with annexation of parts of Ukraine, Biden administration officials said. We know that these referenda will be manipulated, said the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre.

Ukrainian officials, who have dismissed the voting as an illegal pantomime, say that people have been threatened with the loss of their jobs if they refuse to vote. It was not clear how occupation authorities would account for communities isolated by damage to roads, power lines and communications, or for the fact that Ukrainian forces control parts of the regions included in the referendums.

The occupied areas have been subject to an intense Russification campaign, where opponents have been punished, teachers have been forced to teach a Russian curriculum in Russian, local officials have been replaced by occupation appointees, the Ukrainian currency has been replaced by the Russian ruble, and Ukrainians have been issued Russian passports. Omnipresent propaganda depicts the occupiers as liberators.
I FEAR MY PAIN INTERESTS YOU, by Stephanie LaCava

Stephanie LaCavas poignant, filler-less second novel begins with Margot Highsmith, an actress in her early 20s, flying from New York to Montana after a vague breakup with a much older man identified only as the Director. Margot is going to stay indefinitely at an unused rural house owned by her friend Lucys parents. In a story full of emotional pain, with family and relationship dynamics ranging from moderately to very dysfunctional, Lucy seems to be the one consistently positive presence in Margots life. She said to beware of casting myself as a victim, Margot reflects. I may have wanted something else, but I stayed for what wasnt offered. It wasnt abuse. Not this time, anyway.

We then turn to vivid scenes from Margots childhood for around half the book. Her parents are extremely famous musicians who were in a punk band together until, some time after Margot was born, her pill-addicted mom, Rose, left with another man and later started her own band. A big withholder, she was never affectionate towards me, Margot recalls, but I sensed her behind my eyes as I fell asleep. Margot was raised full time from age 9 by her moms mom, Josephine, who encouraged her interest in acting but was controlling, manipulative, easily set off and, like Rose, unaffectionate.

Josephine chooses Margots college, Brown, which quickly expels her. Someone had reported me for keeping drug paraphernalia in my room, she explains. I had found that stuff in my mothers pantry, brought it up to school and never even used it. She moves into her dead grandfathers place on 13th Street in Manhattan, where she lives alone for a while. She and the Director see each other intermittently. The relationship seems to end at one point, and then Josephine says Margot cant stay at the 13th Street apartment anymore.

And so, the novel resumes the narrative in the first chapter and continues linearly to the end. In this second half, while living in a small town in western Montana, Margot (1) learns, weeks after it happened, of a tragedy involving her mom, and (2) meets a former trauma surgeon in a cemetery. Though he doesnt practice medicine anymore, Graves, as Margot calls him, diagnoses her with congenital analgesia, a rare condition in which one doesnt feel physical pain. The condition seems to partly explain Margots tendency to stay in hurtful relationships: The circuitry for physical and emotional pain is the same, says Graves. Youre addicted to people who ignore your needs, says Lucy.
In a statement, Linkedin said during the study it had acted consistently with the companys user agreement, privacy policy and member settings. The privacy policy notes that LinkedIn uses members personal data for research purposes. The statement added that the company used the latest, non-invasive social science techniques to answer important research questions without any experimentation on members.

LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft, did not directly answer a question about how the company had considered the potential long-term consequences of its experiments on users employment and economic status. But the company said the research had not disproportionately advantaged some users.

The goal of the research was to help people at scale, said Karthik Rajkumar, an applied research scientist at LinkedIn who was one of the studys co-authors. No one was put at a disadvantage to find a job.

Sinan Aral, a management and data science professor at M.I.T. who was the lead author of the study, said LinkedIns experiments were an effort to ensure that users had equal access to employment opportunities.

To do an experiment on 20 million people and to then roll out a better algorithm for everyones jobs prospects as a result of the knowledge that you learn from that is what they are trying to do, Professor Aral said, rather than anointing some people to have social mobility and others to not. (Professor Aral has conducted data analysis for The New York Times, and he received a research fellowship grant from Microsoft in 2010.)

Experiments on users by big internet companies have a checkered history. Eight years ago, a Facebook study describing how the social network had quietly manipulated what posts appeared in users News Feeds in order to analyze the spread of negative and positive emotions on its platform was published. The weeklong experiment, conducted on 689,003 users, quickly generated a backlash.

The Facebook study, whose authors included a researcher at the company and a professor at Cornell, contended that people had implicitly consented to the emotion manipulation experiment when they had signed up for Facebook. All users agree prior to creating an account on Facebook, the study said, constituting informed consent for this research.
The Times found that the consequences have been stark. Many nonprofit hospitals were ill equipped for a flood of critically sick Covid-19 patients because they had been operating with skeleton staffs in an effort to cut costs and boost profits. Others lacked intensive care units and other resources to weather a pandemic because the nonprofit chains that owned them had focused on investments in rich communities at the expense of poorer ones.

And, as Providence illustrates, some hospital systems have not only reduced their emphasis on providing free care to the poor but also developed elaborate systems to convert needy patients into sources of revenue. The result, in the case of Providence, is that thousands of poor patients were saddled with debts that they never should have owed, The Times found.

Founded by nuns in the 1850s, Providence says its mission is to be steadfast in serving all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. Today, based in Renton, Wash., Providence is one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country, with 51 hospitals and more than 900 clinics. Its revenue last year exceeded $27 billion.

Providence is sitting on $10 billion that it invests, Wall Street-style, alongside top private equity firms. It even runs its own venture capital fund.

In 2018, before the Rev-Up program kicked in, Providence spent 1.24 percent of its expenses on charity care, a standard way of measuring how much free care hospitals provide. That was below the average of 2 percent for nonprofit hospitals nationwide, according to an analysis of hospital financial records by Ge Bai, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

By last year, Providences spending on charity care had fallen below 1 percent of its expenses.

The Affordable Care Act requires nonprofit hospitals to make their financial assistance policies public, such as by posting them in hospital waiting rooms. But the federal law does not dictate who is eligible for free care.
Youre not negotiating with the general counsel, he said. Youre just talking with an administrative clerk doing his or her job, who needs your business. Its a problem if you walk away.

In fact, asked if a resident could strike an arbitration clause, Brookdale responded in an email that whether an individual strikes an arbitration clause is not a deciding factor in determining whether Brookdale can meet that individuals needs.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, an industry group, said that disputes requiring formal resolution arise for fewer than 1 percent of residents.

We support the right of residents and families to pursue legal remedies for poor and inadequate care, but we should not promote a system that attempts to bankrupt a critical aspect of our health care system, the group said in an emailed statement.

Mr. Dishon hopes public pressure will lead Congress to ban arbitration requirements for long-term care, as it did earlier this year in sexual harassment cases. I believe the public has a right to know what happened to Mr. Jinks, he said.

Mr. Jinks now lives in a memory care center in Lake Charles, La. His children, who visit several times a week, are pleased with his care. But, Ms. Young said, We still have a camera in his room.
Louise Fletcher, the imposing, steely-eyed actress who won an Academy Award for her role as the tyrannical Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, died on Friday at her home in the town of Montdurausse, in Southern France. She was 88.

The death was confirmed by her agent, David Shaul, who did not cite a cause. Ms. Fletcher also had a home in Los Angeles.

Ms. Fletcher was 40 and largely unknown to the public when she was cast as the head administrative nurse at an Oregon mental institution in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. The film, directed by Milos Forman and based on a popular novel by Ken Kesey, won a best-actress trophy for Ms. Fletcher and four other Oscars: best picture, best director, best actor (Jack Nicholson, who starred as the rebellious mental patient McMurphy) and best adapted screenplay (Bo Goldman and Lawrence Hauben).

Ms. Fletchers acceptance speech stood out that night  not only because she teasingly thanked voters for hating her, but also because she used American Sign Language in thanking her parents, who were both deaf, for teaching me to have a dream.
The State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany, N.Y., where the terrors of the future are simulated, studied and, perhaps, prevented is part of a vast infrastructure for tragedy. Since 2017, tens of millions have been spent by the federal government on mass shooter training, and states have spent even more.

And while some efforts aim at prevention  a new domestic terror unit inside the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services collates information from social services, schools and police departments to identify threats  most happen only once an attack has begun.

So across the nation, schools teach children how to flee and to hide and to fight, and hospitals prepare for entire classes to be admitted. But as children return to school this month, the memories of the previous bloody year make it clear that such efforts alone cannot stem the tide of violence.

The 1,100-acre facility, which cost more than $50 million, simulates a terrifying set of scenarios, from terrorist attacks to flash flooding. Its crowning glory is the Cityscape, an airplane hangar converted into a small town, complete with a bar, a school and a shopping mall  all built to be bombed out and shot up. There are framed photos on walls, coffee cups on cafe tables and, on a teachers desk, a VHS copy of the Shaquille ONeal throwback Kazaam.

We put a lot of attention into making it as realistic as possible, said Jackie Bray, commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, which oversees training for the states police officers and emergency workers.
Of course, any Republican majority will obstruct and investigate Biden, but the size and composition of a potential Republican caucus still matters. It will determine, among other things, just how many impeachments and government shutdowns were in for, and how often the House uses its power to protect Trump and reify MAGA conspiracy theories. The more candidates like Kent get elected, the less reason Republicans will have to make any concession to a reality that exists outside the Trumpist bubble.

In his speeches, Kent promised to impeach Biden on Day One, and then Vice President Kamala Harris (one of the lead fund-raisers for antifa and B.L.M. during the summer of 2020), Attorney General Merrick Garland and the secretary of homeland security, Alejandro Mayorkas. At the town hall, he emphasized his willingness to shut down the government: I used to work in the federal government, he said. It can shut down. Its really not a big deal.

In this environment, a Gluesenkamp Perez win wouldnt just give Democrats an extra seat, or provide a shining example for how to run in purplish regions: It would be a cautionary tale warning Republicans that theres a price for marching into the fever swamps.

As for Kent, his attempt to distance himself from Fuentes shows that hes capable of modulating his political strategy. Most of the time, it seems, he doesnt think he has to. A Kent victory would signal to other Republicans that even outside of ultra-red districts, theres no need to appeal to moderates, and little price to be paid for courting the hard right.

On the stump, in addition to listing all of those people he would impeach, Kent promised to hold Anthony Fauci accountable for the scam that is Covid. I asked him what holding Fauci accountable means. Criminal charges, said Kent. But what charges, I asked? Murder, he replied, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.
In my Tuesday column on the political incentives within the Republican Party, I made an analogy to the struggle over civil rights in the midcentury Democratic Party. I brought up the Dixiecrats and mentioned their opposition to labor rights as well as civil rights.

Lets talk about that.

Most Americans tend to think of Jim Crow almost exclusively in terms of racist oppression of Black Americans, but the Jim Crow system was as much about the preservation of a particular economic order as it was about the racist subjugation of Black people. In fact, the two were intertwined. By disenfranchising, segregating and terrorizing Black people, Southern elites could fragment and segment the entire working class as well as maintain a large pool of exploited, low-wage labor.

Yes, most ordinary white Southerners were also invested in a racist social order. But the degree of that investment  the extent to which it was either challenged or nurtured  was structured by the reality of institutional white supremacy. Jim Crow helped produce racists (and reproduce racist ideologies) as much as it was produced by them.

But thats a bit of a sidebar. The larger point is that Southern elites were both virulently racist and fanatically opposed to organized labor, especially the broad-based industrial unions that tried to organize across racial lines. By even attempting to organize Black workers alongside white ones, unions like the Industrial Workers of the World in the early part of the 20th century and the Congress of Industrial Organizations during the period of the New Deal threatened to undermine the entire Jim Crow system, which rested on the total domination of the economic order by capital as well as racial segregation. (The C.I.O.s postwar effort to unionize the South, Operation Dixie, failed for many reasons, not the least the ferocious opposition of white business and political elites in the region.)
To the Editor:

Re Can Exceptions to a Ban on Abortion Work?, by Ross Douthat (column, Sept. 15):

Mr. Douthats column misses a few key points. The first is that medical emergencies often arise later in pregnancy, when specialized medical skills (maintained through practice) are required to intervene safely. States that ban abortion are likely to have few, if any, providers left with those skills. So some women in those situations will not have access to an abortion, and will die or be permanently injured as a result.

Second, states that ban abortion tend to do so with criminal penalties. It is hard to imagine any other result than what were seeing now: doctors too afraid of jail and ruined lives to provide necessary emergency care. This is what we know happens in countries that criminalize abortion (see Ireland, formerly). Its an even bigger problem in the U.S., with its lawless prosecutors and politicized judicial system.

These two issues are not bugs in the system that can be worked out or wished away to reduce internal conflict, as Mr. Douthat does in his overly theoretical piece.

Alice Clapman

Washington

The writer is a former reproductive rights litigator.

To the Editor:

Ross Douthats analogy between assisted suicide and abortion of dangerous pregnancies just doesnt work. The pregnant person wants to live, not die, and has decided in favor of abortion.
The closest Cold War parallels might be Fidel Castros desire for Soviet nukes to defend his regime against invasion, or Douglas MacArthurs request for permission to use nuclear weapons to forestall outright defeat in the Korean War. Both were cases like the current one, where the contemplated use was not an overwhelming Strangelovian exchange but a tactical intervention to prevent a conventional defeat.

Except with the added twist in this case that the key decision makers, Putin and his inner circle, are more immediately threatened  in the sense of a danger to their hold on power and ultimately their very lives  by the prospect of conventional defeat in the Ukraine War than the United States was threatened by the prospect of defeat in Korea or the Soviet Union by the prospect of Castro being toppled.

This doesnt mean that we should expect Putin to use nuclear weapons (and its unclear from the Russian chain of command just how singular the decision would be). The world-historical recklessness of such a decision would carry its own potentially regime-destroying consequences  the possibility of escalation to outright war with NATO, the total abandonment of Russia by its remaining quasi-friends and the full collapse of its economy. Its a reasonable-enough bet that even facing defeat, he or his regime would blink.

But you dont bet on nuclear war the way you bet on other outcomes. Suppose there were only a 20 percent chance of the nuclear taboo being busted: That would still be a terrifying rather than a reassuring figure. And while the Wests Ukraine hawks, who are currently inclined to play down the nuclear risk, have gotten a lot right about this war, one of the key things theyve been right about is that the aging Putin is more a reckless, ideologically motivated gambler than a cold-eyed statesman. What does that imply for nuclear peril? Nothing good.

So I return to a point Ive made throughout this war. American support for Ukraine is good and necessary, but there is a point at which Ukraines goals and Americas interests may diverge, and the combination of Ukrainian military breakthroughs and Russian nuclear threats brings that point closer than before  the point where the Ukrainians want to go all the way, and we require negotiation and restraint.

I say this understanding why Kyiv might be willing to accept an unusual degree of nuclear risk, even absorb a nuclear strike, for the sake of its own territorial integrity. In a battle for their very freedom, the Ukrainians, no less than Buckley, want their children to look back and say that in the greatest crisis, the blood of their fathers ran strong.

But just as Reagans horror of nuclear war turned out to be crucial to his legacy, the policies of Joe Biden  so far successful  will be judged not only on what they achieve for the embattled Ukrainians, but for the peace of the entire world.
This session made me think of an article I read last year called Why Are We So Awful to Our Spouses? that quoted a married woman with a young child in the thick of balancing parenting, work and life: If I treated my friends the way I treated my husband, I am not sure Id have all that many friends.

To cultivate more of the friend conversation vibe, it helps to ask questions that come from a place of genuine curiosity and open-mindedness. The ones Ours poses are: How does your philosophy relate to your childhood? If we were able to live by your philosophy, what would that do for your life? In an ideal world, how would we solve this issue? If we dont live by your philosophy, what is your biggest fear or disaster scenario?

One of the questions that Ours is trying to get couples to answer is: What is fundamentally at stake here for each person? For Andrew, it was about rainy-day scenarios like having to burn through our retirement savings, or going into debt, that inspire for him a sense of doomsday. His views on money are also deeply rooted in a childhood spent watching his fathers strong ethos surrounding managing money.

Even though I have very strong feelings about money, I had trouble articulating them in a coherent way. The best I could do is that my philosophy stemmed more from my non-philosophy, imparted to me by my mother: It will all work out.

While life was good, I wanted to live it, something that was reinforced by my fathers sudden death nine years ago, and the last two years, when it has often felt like we were forced to dim our existence.

This was the most difficult session. It took us twice as long to finish. After it was done, I felt a bit deflated and defeated. Andrew would probably never speak my love language of, You only live once, so you might as well spring for it, and I would probably never say Lets put more into our 401(k) this year. (And for the record, Andrew claims that I exaggerate how far apart we are on the issue of money.)
SAN FRANCISCO  Last month, Mark Zuckerberg spent hours touting his love of jiujitsu, wrestling and UFC on Joe Rogans podcast, which is known for its hypermasculinity. Watching TV was not active enough, Mr. Zuckerberg said. Compared with social media, TV was beta.

Elon Musk, who signed a deal to buy Twitter seemingly on a whim and is now headed to court because he wants to back out of the purchase, has lobbed debate me, bro taunts at Twitters chief executive in between doling out advice about intermittent fasting and worrying about population collapse.

And Marc Andreessen, the high-profile tech investor, recently opposed a plan to build multifamily housing in the Silicon Valley town where he lives and then announced his latest and largest deal: a residential real estate start-up led by Adam Neumann, the entrepreneur who notoriously incinerated billions of dollars in value at WeWork.

Their actions seemed designed for maximum outrage. Zuck likes to wrestle with his buddies? Elon thinks hes above the law? Andreessen trusted that entrepreneur with how much money?
Live From NYCs Times Square!

Mr. Depoorter, who is based in Ghent, Belgium, came up with the idea for The Follower just over a month ago, while researching privately installed cameras in public places that he might use for a different art project. While watching a live online feed from Times Square, he saw a woman taking pictures of herself for a long time. Thinking she might be an influencer, he tried to find the product of her extended shoot among Instagram photos recently geo-tagged to Times Square.

He came up empty but that got him thinking.

The 24/7 broadcast that Mr. Depoorter watched  titled Live From NYCs Times Square!  was provided by EarthCam, a New Jersey company that specializes in real-time camera feeds. EarthCam built its network of livestreaming webcams to transport people to interesting and unique locations around the world that may be difficult or impossible to experience in person, according to its website. Founded in 1996, EarthCam monetizes the cameras through advertising and licensing of the footage.

Mr. Depoorter realized that he could come up with an automated way to combine these publicly available cameras with the photos that people had posted on Instagram. So, over a two-week period, he collected EarthCam footage broadcast online from Times Square in New York, Wrigley Field in Chicago and the Temple Bar in Dublin.
Im excited about the class but theres just one problem: I cant draw.

Ms. Link, who lives in McCarthy year-round, discovered field sketching in art school. Its like youre more present and because youre kind of quiet, you can hear peoples conversations and engage with place in a different way, she said.

The town of McCarthy got its start as a turnaround station for the railroad and became the bawdy neighbor  with liquor, gambling and prostitution  to the more serious mine and mill town of Kennecott, five miles up the road, near where copper was discovered in 1900.

McCarthys population has been slowly growing over the last decade. In 2010 the town had just 28 residents. In 2020 that number rose to 107, now with about 300 in summer, still a far cry from the 1,000 or so people who lived between McCarthy and Kennecott in the early 1900s when the mill and mines were running at full tilt.

Now McCarthy is forever in a state of being built up and falling apart. Stacks of fresh lumber sit steps away from wooden buildings being overtaken by nature, sedges and wildflowers poking out between splintered planks. Theres a new side staircase being added to the general store, where you can buy scoops of made-in-Alaska ice cream or some duct tape to fix many of the challenges Alaska throws at travelers.
A big part of this museum is for our officers, and for them to know the lessons of the past, said Robert Byer, the director of the C.I.A. Museum. For that reason, we cannot just be sugarcoating our history or touting our successes. We really have to make sure this is a full history of the C.I.A. so they can understand their history and do a better job because of it.

Among the museums carefully crafted exhibits is the story of Martha Peterson, the first female case officer sent to work in Moscow. Her assignment was to collect and pass information to an operative who was a Soviet diplomat, to whom she would also provide a suicide pill to use if he was captured. The diplomat ultimately was seized and died by suicide, leading to Ms. Petersons arrest while she was placing a message in a dead drop.

While the C.I.A. gathers intelligence, conducts analysis and executes covert operations, the National Security Agency focuses on collecting electronic communications and making and breaking codes. That is the focus of its reimagined showcase at the National Cryptologic Museum in Annapolis Junction, Md.

The museum of the N.S.A., sometimes called No Such Agency in a nod to its secretive practices, was designed to be accessible to the public, a contrast with the C.I.A. Museum.

Its a wonderful paradox that No Such Agency has the only museum in the U.S. intelligence community thats completely open to the public, said Vince Houghton, the museum director.

The cryptological museum closed in 2020 amid the Covid pandemic and Dr. Houghton, a former historian and curator at Washingtons popular International Spy Museum, used the time to renovate the building and meticulously search the National Security Agencys archives of equipment.
The campaign did not comment on the second exemption held from 2018 through this year. Attempts to reach Mrs. LePage directly were unsuccessful.

At campaign events, Mr. LePage has spoken about the couples home in Florida, and has criticized a Maine law requiring residents who split their time between the two states  so-called snowbirds  to spend at least 183 days, or just over half a year, in Florida in order to pay the states lighter tax burden.

We go down to Naples, Fla., to raise money from Mainers because thats where all the money is  and its unfortunate that they have to leave for six months and a day, Mr. LePage said in Bangor last month. I have no problem going to Florida. We go to Florida, we have a home in Florida, but its for January and February, not for six months and a day. Its unfortunate that we have this crazy tax and this is what happens.

But while Mr. LePage said that he and his wife were in Florida for only a couple of months a year, they have painted a different picture for Floridas tax collectors over the years.

In his final months as governor, Mr. LePage told reporters in November 2018 that he had a home in Florida and planned to move there because the state had no income tax. But by that time, records show, he and his wife had already claimed a homestead exemption on their Ormond Beach property  indicating that Florida had been the primary residence of Maines governor and first lady since March 2018, when they bought the home.

That assertion meant that the four-bedroom home, about 15 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, was eligible for a Florida homestead exemption, which shaves $50,000 from the taxable value of qualified primary residences in the state.

After leaving office in 2019 because of Maines prohibition on serving a third consecutive term, Mr. LePage obtained a Florida drivers license and registered to vote in the state. Then, in February 2020, he said he was considering a bid for a third term, and when he announced his run last year he cited criticisms of Ms. Millss response to the pandemic. He switched his voter registration back to Maine in 2020 and publicized pictures of himself putting Maine license plates back on his car.
About half of Puerto Ricos 1.5 million electrical customers remained without electricity on Saturday, nearly a week after Hurricane Fiona, a Category 1 storm, caused widespread flooding and mudslides. At least three people died and two were injured this week in accidents related to the power outage. A candle fire burned down a house in San Juan, killing two and injuring one. Another person died and another was sent to the hospital after being intoxicated with fumes from a generator. (On Saturday, the Puerto Rican government said up to 16 people overall may have died as a direct or indirect result of the storm, though at least a dozen of those cases were still being investigated.)

Restoring power after a hurricane can take time anywhere. But Puerto Rico, with its aged and fragile grid, is especially vulnerable to both outages and extensive recovery time. Having lived through months without electricity after Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that ripped through the island five years ago, weary Puerto Ricans  who pay some of the highest electricity rates in the United States  say they have little patience to accept another prolonged blackout after Hurricane Fiona.

Do you think its fair that you pay so much to not have electricity? said Dennis Rodriguez, 59, one of Ms. Riveras neighbors, who said monthly bills have jumped from $80 to more than $200 over the past year. I can bet you that the power bill will arrive on time.

Hurricane Fiona caused catastrophic floods across Puerto Rico, but the damage on the islands power grid was not as evident as it was after Hurricane Maria, when it seemed as if the wind had knocked over every post and shredded every line. Some residents have started to protest the slow progress of the restoration.
And in perhaps the biggest twist, Mr. Yamagami, far from being reviled, has struck a deep chord among the Japanese public with his story. For weeks, Japans often quiescent news media has dug into the churchs business in Japan and the connections between politicians and a group accused of preying on vulnerable people, including Mr. Yamagamis mother, for its financial gain.

With hundreds of international dignitaries set to land in Tokyo for the state funeral on Tuesday  the first for a Japanese prime minister in 55 years  the backlash has also become a referendum on Mr. Abes nearly eight consecutive years in power. While Mr. Abe was largely lionized on the global stage, he was much more divisive in his home country, and those who opposed his right-leaning policies are now airing myriad grievances about his time in power.

Azumi Tamura, an associate professor of sociology at Shiga University, said that those critical of the state funeral believed it would wrongly elevate a politician who was involved in a number of controversial decisions and scandals, including accusations that his government had improperly granted favors to political friends and mishandled the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now people think why didnt more people get mad at the time? she said. These are the issues that should have dragged his government down, and they didnt.
KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian forces defiantly pushed back against threats by Russia to annex territory it controls on Saturday, while Moscow replaced a top general in charge of logistics after a series of snafus that contributed to recent battlefield losses by Russian troops.

The fighting raged as Russian proxies in four Ukrainian provinces conducted the second day of voting in what Western officials have called sham referendums to become part of Russia. Some residents reported seeing soldiers in ski masks accompanying election workers and going house to house to coerce people to vote.

The referendums  which are expected to culminate in the annexation of an area larger than Portugal  have raised alarm in Western nations, because Russia, the nation with the worlds largest nuclear arsenal, has signaled that after annexation it would consider Ukrainian attacks in the territory violations of its sovereignty and defend it by any means necessary.

But Ukraine is set on trying to block the annexation. As voting in the referendums was underway, its military kept fighting for the area, saying on Saturday that over the last day it had destroyed eight tanks, 11 armored vehicles and six artillery systems. The Ukrainian army does not disclose its own losses, and its claims were impossible to independently verify.
ROME  Giorgia Meloni, Italys hard-right leader, resents having to talk about Fascism. She has publicly, and in multiple languages, said that the Italian right has handed Fascism over to history for decades now. She argued that the problem with Fascism in Italy always begins with the electoral campaign, when the Italian left, she said, wheels out the black wave to smear its opponents.

But none of that matters now, she insisted in an interview this month, because Italians do not care. Italians dont believe anymore in this garbage, she said with a shrug.

Ms. Meloni may be proved right on Sunday, when she is expected to be the top vote-getter in Italian elections, a breakthrough far-right parties in Europe have anticipated for decades.

More than 70 years after Nazis and Fascists nearly destroyed Europe, formerly taboo parties with Nazi or Fascist heritages that were long marginalized have elbowed their way into the mainstream. Some are even winning. A page of European history seems to be turning.
Thousands of Hasidic Jews from Israel and other countries are making their way to Uman, a city in central Ukraine, for a traditional pilgrimage over Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, defying stern travel warnings issued by the Israeli government and the pleas of Ukrainian officials who had asked them to stay away because of the war.

Fewer are expected to make the journey than in a usual year, when tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews  mostly men but also families  travel to Uman to mark the new year, which begins at sundown on Sunday, with a visit to the burial site of a revered 18th-century rabbi, Nachman of Breslav. But about 4,000 pilgrims have already arrived from Israel alone, and the numbers were likely rise to 5,000 or more, according to Alon Lavi, a spokesman for Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Those numbers were only estimates, Mr. Lavi said, adding that it is difficult to determine an exact number because there are no direct flights to Ukraine from Israel and pilgrims are still traveling across the Ukrainian border from neighboring countries such as Poland, Romania and Moldova.

Pilgrims already in Uman told Israeli news media that they hardly felt the effects of the war there, other than more stringent security checks at checkpoints and at the entrance to the rabbis tomb. Israeli and Ukrainian officials have warned that Russian missiles have been fired at the area in recent weeks.
Opponents of Vladimir V. Putins call-up that could sweep 300,000 civilians into military service continued to show their disapproval across Russia on Saturday, with at least 745 people detained, according to OVD-Info, a human rights watchdog that monitors police activity.

Members of the Vesna, or Spring, movement, who called for the protests on Saturday under the slogan No Mobilization to the Grave, had their homes searched in St. Petersburg, as did several activists and journalists working for independent news media outlets. Such protests are effectively criminalized in Russia, and video on social media networks depicted riot police beating demonstrators in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other large cities including Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Tomsk, Chita, Khabarovsk and Saratov.

In the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, riot police moved in on a group of protesters who were holding hands in a circle and singing an antiwar song popularized in the 1960s called May There Always Be Sunshine. About 70 people there were detained. In Tomsk, a man stopped traffic as he screamed, A peaceful life for our children and Dont watch television, a reference to the stream of propaganda on state networks. He was arrested within minutes.

In the Siberian city of Omsk, conscripts brawled with police officers, according to footage that has been widely shared on social networks. Thousands of men already have been mobilized across Russia in a chaotic process that is happening for the first time since World War II. The policy, announced on Wednesday by Mr. Putin, has generated resistance from urban activists and rural ethnic minority communities that had previously tried to stay out of politics.
Russian soldiers, wearing balaclavas and wielding guns, flanked election workers. Ukrainians were forced to vote while Russian officials or their proxies stood guard. Some residents even hid in their homes, terrified that voting against Russias annexation would lead to their being abducted, or worse.

As Russia began orchestrating staged voting in referendums across Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine on Friday, Ukrainians in those areas expressed a mix of anger, defiance and fear that their homeland was being usurped by force in what they called a sham vote.

The aim of the hastily called referendums  supported by pro-Russian residents and their proxies  was apparent: to give President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia a legally bogus pretext to gobble up their country. And they brought back memories of staged votes in 2014 in Crimea that were swiftly followed by Russias annexation of the peninsula.
A top Russian aviation expert and scientist was found to have died this week under suspicious circumstances, his employer said, prompting the authorities to form a commission to investigate his death.

In the latest incident involving a high-profile Russian figure since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Anatoly N. Gerashchenko, the former head of the Moscow Aviation Institute, died in an accident on Wednesday, the institute said in a statement. He was 72.

Mr. Gerashchenko had worked for 45 years at the institute, the countrys most prestigious aviation engineering university, which spearheaded Russias achievements in aerospace technology and the development of cutting-edge jets and whose graduates often work in the Russian military-industrial complex. The university did not give any additional details about the cause of death, but it said that a multi-body government commission would be formed to investigate the incident.

Moskovsky Komsomolets, a popular Russian tabloid, reported that Mr. Gerashchenko had been overseeing the construction of the universitys new building. While visiting the construction site on Wednesday, he fell off a staircase that did not yet have railings installed, the newspaper reported, adding that he had been almost blind in one eye for some time.
I try not to think about who he was, Pirate said.

He spoke from a demolished building near the front lines that has been turned into a base. This is the picture of many southern towns. They have been utterly destroyed: the schools, the homes with blown-out roofs, the power poles lying in the muddy roads, the pine trees split apart, their branches hanging down like broken arms.

Even the earth itself has been gouged by missiles and rockets, leaving moonlike craters everywhere, some with steel fins still sticking out. The smell of dried sunflowers lingers in the air. So many sunflower farms, a major industry, lie burned and deserted.

Ms. Kozyr, who had watched the wounded soldier lying on her kitchen floor, said her village had been destroyed, too. It used to be a hamlet of a few hundred people who tended small farms and raised livestock. Now no one is left. The Russians captured it in March and the Ukrainians fought hard to liberate it at the end of August, when they officially announced the beginning of the offensive. She fled a few days later and now lives in a displaced persons shelter in the city of Zaporizhzhia.

She said that when the commander first arrived with the wounded soldier, she panicked.

I was yelling at him: Why did you bring him here? The Russians will kill us all! she said.

But the commander just stepped through the doorway, desperate to find shelter. The village was on fire, in the middle of two armies blasting each other.

She shrunk back as her husband and the commander pressed bandages to the young mans wounds. Shrapnel had sliced through his back and lungs. Her kitchen floor was soon covered in blood.

That night, she and her husband slept in their cellar. The commander curled up next to the wounded soldier on the kitchen floor.
With Russia laying the groundwork to formally annex areas it is occupying, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine directly asked Ukrainians to help the nations war effort even from within the occupied territory.

Russian-backed officials in eastern and southern Ukraine continued carrying out referendums that began on Friday and that were widely viewed as staged to establish a pretext for Moscow to incorporate those areas into the Russian Federation. That would allow the Kremlin to conscript people from the region for its war effort and frame attacks on the territory as attacks on Russia.

President Biden condemned the referendums as a sham  a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law.

The United States will never recognize Ukrainian territory as anything other than part of Ukraine, he said in a statement on Friday.
The largest anti-government protests in Iran since 2009 gathered strength on Saturday, spreading to as many as 80 cities, even as the authorities escalated a crackdown that has reportedly killed dozens of people and brought the arrests of prominent activists and journalists, according to rights groups and news media reports.

Internet access  especially on cellphone apps widely used for communication  continued to be disrupted or fully blocked, affecting Iranians ability to communicate with one another and the outside world. News from Iran has trickled out with many hours of delay.

While the 2009 protests erupted over an election widely condemned as fraudulent, the current demonstrations seemed focused on the Iranian security forces, with reports of vicious beatings of security officers and firebombings of the local headquarters of the notorious morality police.

In many cities, including Tehran, the capital, security forces responded by opening fire on the crowds. On Boulevard Ferdous and at the Shahrak Ekbatan apartment complex in Tehran, officers fired at windows; in the city of Rasht, they threw tear gas into apartments, according to witnesses and videos on social media.
Many people qualify for need-based financial aid, but most schools cant afford to meet every familys full need. Section H2 of the C.D.S. tells you how much of the need, on average, a school is able to meet. Families often end up filling any gap with student or parent loans.

Parents whose kids get in but find that a school meets even less of their need than average can appeal the financial aid offer. And if the schools average gap seems particularly foreboding before application season begins, you can have a conversation with the financial aid officers. Ask them how they assess your odds of getting a decent amount of aid  and ultimately being able to afford the place at all.

Then there are the higher-income families. Plenty of people with household incomes of, say, $300,000 wont qualify for much need-based aid, if any. Still, they may not have much college savings for their offspring if theyve been repaying their own student debt for decades, and they may not feel able to afford a colleges full price or be willing to borrow a lot of money to do so.

Thats where Section H2A comes in. The technical description of what schools are revealing here is institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. My translation is this: Heres how many discounts we issue to people who have the ability to pay, at least according to our financial aid calculations, but lack the willingness to do so.

This is the so-called merit aid that so many schools give out nowadays. At lots of schools, nearly everyone gets something, and the C.D.S. lists the average amount of merit aid that people with no financial need end up getting.

The next step might be to use the form to find the number of people who get need-based aid and then the number who receive no-need merit. Add those together and subtract the sum from the total number of students, and you can figure out how many  or how few  people are paying the full price.

Maybe you dont want to be among a low number of people paying retail. And perhaps some schools keep the C.D.S. to themselves because they dont want to make it too easy for you to know what that number is  or whether you got a below-average merit aid offer.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in New York this week for the first direct talks since more than 180 people were reported killed last week in fighting between the two countries. The flare-up subsided within days, but the high-level meeting reflects worries that the causes of the conflict  and the full-scale war that preceded it in 2020  are nowhere near resolved.

Those worries are aggravated by the underlying geopolitical tensions. Russia is a longtime protector of Armenia. Turkey, a NATO member, is a key ally for Azerbaijan, and backed it in the 2020 war. And although U.S. diplomats have sought to maintain a mediating role, Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped into the middle of the fray last weekend, visiting Armenia to show support and declaring that the recent violence was initiated by the Azeris.

The trip was widely seen as a political move by Ms. Pelosi ahead of the midterm elections in November. She was accompanied by Representatives Jackie Speier and Anna G. Eshoo, both Armenian Americans from her home state of California, where there is a large Armenian community.

Heres a guide to what happened in the most recent clashes, what lies behind them, and the potential stakes of the dispute.
In August, the Food and Drug Administration authorized updated booster shots for people who are at least two months out from their last Covid shot (whether it was the original vaccine or a booster). You might want to wait longer between shots, though. While an advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to recommend the same interval between doses, several members voiced concerns.

Doctors and immunologists said that, in general, people should wait four to six months after immunization to get a booster. Likewise, if you were recently infected with the coronavirus, you might want to wait that same amount of time before getting another shot.

Thats because your body will probably not generate much of an immune response so soon after a previous encounter with the virus, Aubree Gordon, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, said. Your immunity level is so high that youll just neutralize immediately the antigen thats being produced  you kind of reach a ceiling, she said. You dont have that much higher to go.

And keep in mind that once you do get the new booster, it typically takes around one to two weeks for your antibodies to kick in, Dr. Gordon said.
Train passengers going using the Ballybrophy line to Limerick will have to take a bus instead, for almost the next two months.

Iarnrod Eireann is beginning the final phase of its works on the track between Ballybrophy and Limerick via Nenagh.

"Works on the route will commence from Monday next, 26th September, until Sunday 20th November. During this time, bus transfers will be in operation on all services on the route," the company has stated.

They say it is to improve journey times on the Limerick to Ballybrophy via Nenagh line. It is part of a proposed new rail timetable that the public is being invited to view online and have their say on.

"Iarnrod Eireann, in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, has confirmed that it has proposed journey times to be reduced by 15 minutes on the Limerick to Ballybrophy (via Nenagh) from 11th December this year. The proposal is part of a draft new timetable published today for public consultation, and is the result of track renewal works which have taken place on the line."

Key elements of the proposed new timetables are improved journey times on Limerick/Ballybrophy services via Nenagh due to recent infrastructure works, resulting in a 15-minute time saving. The consultation survey is open until Sunday 2nd October 2022. Full details are available at www.irishrail.ie and at the Iarnrod Eireann app.
Mashable 24 Sep 2022

The Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers go head-to-head in their week 3 clash at the Empire Field at Mile High this..
Newsy 01 Oct 2022

Watch VideoAfter being encircled by Ukrainian forces, Russia pulled troops out Saturday from an eastern Ukrainian city that it had..
Two men have been arrested after an alleged burglary led to the offenders ramming a police car and biting an officer in Melbourne. Officer 'bitten' during ramming of police car after burglary in Melbourne
In Ukraine, entire regions have been contaminated with Russian mines. Germany wants to help clear them, but the task is daunting.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said Friday that there's been a sharp increase in "hate crimes, sectarian violence and anti-India activities in Canada." A news release did not provide data or specifics but said Canadian authorities have been alerted.
 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd.

All rights reserved.

One News is a registered trademark

of One News Page Ltd.
Scenes of panic in Russia, following news that President Vladimir Putin is set to mobilise army reservists, has elicited a joyful response from Ukrainian troops, according one frontline volunteer.
Watch VideoFiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian..

Newsy 24 Sep 2022
A court in the US state of Arizona has upheld a century-old ban on abortions. Arizona's Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich applauded the ruling, which was also condemned by pro-choice group Planned Parenthood.
The chancellor will first meet Saudi Arabia's crown prince before heading to the UAE and Qatar. Europe's largest economy still needs to secure new oil and gas supplies while not being seen as soft on human rights.
Eurasia Review 30 Sep 2022

*T*he ninth general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina will take place on 2 October 2022. At the elections, members of the..
The Iranian president has called for action to be taken against widespread protests following the death of a young woman.
Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow.
Protests over mobilisation have taken place in more than a dozen cities across Russia.
More than 82,000 Maritime Electric customers are without power in P.E.I. as Fiona starts to move north of the Island into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers got head-to-head in the Week 3 clash at the Bank of America Stadium this weekend.



Kickoff time for Panthers vs. Saints is set for 1p.m. ET on September 25.



The Saints will go into Sundays clash having won five of the last six games against The Panthers who average 20.0...
Operation London Bridge has been described as an enormous success by the officer in charge of coordinating policing for the Queens funeral and national mourning period.
Five Britons released from the captivity of Russian-backed separatists were welcomed by Roman Abramovich on their flight out of Russia, with the former Chelsea owner providing them with iPhones to contact their families.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Dublin to protest against the cost-of-living crisis.
The Russian president has rejected requests from commanders in the field that they be allowed to retreat from Kherson, a vital city in Ukraines south.
In mid-September 2022, the nine-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) met in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, for its 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State. Because China, India, and Pakistan are members of the SCO, the organization represents about 40 percent of the worlds population; with the addition of Russia,...
The daughter of the late Desmond Tutu has reportedly been prohibited from leading her godfather's funeral by the Church of England because she is married to a woman.Mpho Tutu van Furth, who is a practising Anglican priest in the...
Eurasia Review 27 Sep 2022

By Ryan McMaken*



Over the past two weeks, Poland and the Baltic states have all closed their borders to most Russians..
Vladimir Putin has fired his most senior general in charge of logistics for the war in Ukraine as he takes an increasingly hands-on role in directing army strategy, reportedly phoning frontline commanders himself and overriding their...
City A.M. 02 Oct 2022

Kwasi Kwarteng will tomorrow defend his tax cuts and declare we must stay the course, after the first day of Tory party..
Hull Daily Mail 01 Oct 2022

East Yorkshire lies in one of the four areas which geologists believe are sitting on top of potentially vast shale gas deposits
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
New York, US (PANA) - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday expressed "serious concern" about the continuing political crisis in Sudan, as well as the rapidly deteriorating security, economic and humanitarian situations
Photo: (Photo : PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP via Getty Images)

According to a report published by the American Association for Cancer Research on Wednesday, September 21, significant strides in treatments, diagnostic tools, and prevention strategies continue to drive down cancer death rates in the United States.

The group's annual Cancer Progress Report found that death rates from cancer have been dropping over the past two decades, particularly sharply in recent years. Because of that, there are more than 18 million cancer survivors in the country, up significantly from 3 million back in 1971.

Dr. Stephen Ansell, the senior deputy director for the Midwest at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Rochester, Minnesota, said that this is a really exciting time in cancer management. Ansell, who was not involved with the report, added that they see the downtrend of cancer deaths to continue.

Biden relaunches Cancer Moonshot initiative

President Joe Biden relaunched his "Cancer Moonshot" initiative this year, which expands funding for cancer research, especially immunotherapies. He outlined new steps last week to expand the program.

Dr. Lisa Coussens, the president of the American Association for Cancer Research, said that you can't stop funding basic science now because the current treatments will be good enough. She added that investing in basic science has a huge payoff to the public.

She highlighted the growing use of immunotherapies as an example of how cancer treatments have improved over the years. She said that their ability to utilize or leverage the power of the immune system to fight cancer is enormous, and it is why you are seeing much more significant survival rates in many cancers, such as kidney and lung cancers and melanoma.

Read Also: Baby Diagnosed With Monkeypox After Mysterious Rash Stumped Florida Doctors for Days

Immunotherapies, an important weapon in the fight against cancer

Immunotherapies use a patient's immune system to fight off cancer. Dr. Larry Norton, the medical director of the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, told NBC News that cancer cells are mavericks, but they are your own cells.

He explained that one's immune system is designed not to attack their own cells, but new drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors allow one's immune system to attack its own cancer cells.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first immune checkpoint inhibitor in 2011. The said drug, called ipilimumab, is used for metastatic melanoma. The agency has approved eight other immune checkpoint inhibitors for 18 types of cancer since then, according to the report.

The FDA approved the first new immune checkpoint inhibitor in eight years last March with the drug called relatlimab, which is used for melanoma.

The agency has also approved seven other cancer therapeutics in the previous year, including the first drug to treat uveal melanoma, the most common form of eye cancer in adults. The FDA also expanded the use of 10 existing drugs to other cancers.

Related Article: Mom Gets Arrested for Murder Charges in Deaths of 3 Kids Found on Coney Island
Photo: (Photo : Pexel/ zhang kaiyv)

Parents are passionate about discovering and developing the passions of their children. However, does it have to get to a point wherein cheering on the child's talents and skills becomes investing in human capital?

Emma Brockes, a mother of two, was once a "tiger mom" and is now, slowly but surely, getting away from that role.

She wrote for The Guardian, narrating her story of once being that tiger mom who over-invests in their children's extra-curricular activities. Jampacking her children's schedule, jumping and rushing from violin training to a dance class to another one, and pushing her children to discover and enhance their "passions."

Now her eyes have been opened, realizing that in those times that she was pushing her children to train, they would rather stay home and rest from the long day they had at school. She realized that the passions she is encouraging them to enhance are actually her passions for them. Her children's passions at their age are "playing Roblox, watching Henry Danger and writing each other spiteful little notes."

Most importantly, she realized that what she's making her children do is her trying to invest in them, expecting results in the near future.

What is a 'Tiger Mom'?

Competitive advantage. That is actually what it is, says the journalist and author of "An Excellent Choice: Panic and Joy On My Solo Path To Motherhood."

Parents can talk about "enabling" the child by helping them discover their passions, enrolling them from one extra-curricular activity to another until they find what they are called for and love to do. Yet, under the age of 10, what parents are really doing is preparing them for competitive advantage. Passions in this age are "largely transient, cultivated and massaged by parents."

Brockes, who has been described as the "Mom Goals," shared the moment that awakened her and made her realize that she has become a tiger mom. "My daughter didn't want to practise violin. I wheedled and pressured. I told her it was supposed to be hard, and she might take a while to improve. To my shame, I reminded her it was costing $75 an hour. On the brink of uttering the immortal line, 'You'll thank me when you're older,' I had a sudden, seditious thought. What if we didn't do this? What was this compulsion to furnish them with a suite of accomplishments like tiny Regency ladies in a Jane Austen novel? Why not needlepoint?"

And so, they quit violin. That became the start of saying goodbye to the tiger mom.

The term "tiger mom" was invented by Americans to describe that overbearing parent who ensures that their children's CV shines with all the talents and skills in the world. It is a dynamic a parent can "drift into without ever fully meaning to."

Read Also: Intrusive Parenting: The Effects Of Perfectionism On Children

Jellyfish Parenting

Being a tiger mom raises the "unhappy spectre" of ROI (Return of Investment). If parents are concurrently bankrupting and killing themselves to make all these extra-curricular activities happen, they would want to see a return on their investments. There should be something to measure the success-badges, certificates, league tables, scholarships, and the like.

Brockes, upon realizing all these things, typed into Google asking the opposite of a tiger, to which Google suggested jellyfish.

Jellyfish parenting is "boneless, diaphanous, endlessly flexible." She likes that, and she said she is almost there.

However, jellyfish parenting can bring a lot of cons instead of pros if used in the extreme as well. Thus, parents should be warned.

It is the opposite of authoritarian parenting. These parents can project high warmth and communication, but since they are flexible and, as described, "boneless," they can take little control of their children, which can result in tolerating their kids and giving in to what they want. Kids under this kind of permissive parenting can grow spoiled and rebellious if not given what they want.

Thus, at the end of the day, parenting should always be a balance of all styles, a balance of expressing what they want for their children and respecting what their children want, and a balance of gentle and tough love.

Related Article: Soft Parenting Won't Work In Today's Harsh World, Parents Should Prepare Kids For Real Life
This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions
On Friday, the Hong Kong Patent Office granted Apple a design patent for their all-new desktop computer branded the 'Mac Studio.' It's the first design patent from Hong Kong for 2022 and likely not the last. There's likely to be a design patent for the iPhone 14 Pro & Pro Max with its unique 'Dynamic Island' in-the-works. Also on Friday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a third new trademark application for Claris (an Apple Inc. Subsidiary) this week.

Note: Unlike "patent applications" that provide the public with an abstract, summary and details of an invention, design patents published around the world are limited to only providing the public with design patent figures. No additional specifics of the design are made available.

Mac Studio Design Patent

Yesterday, the Hong Kong Patent Office Granted (Registered) Apple a Design Patent for their Mac Studio desktop computer that was introduced on March 8, 2022. Apple filed for the Mac Studio design patent ahead of its launch on February 02, 2022.Apple filed their design patent under Locarno Classification number 14-02 which covers "Data processing equipment and computers."

Apple filed their design patent under Locarno Classification number 14-02 which covers "Data processing equipment and computers."





Hong Kong Documentation for Mac Studio Design Patent

(Click on image to Enlarge)

Trademark: Claris WebDirect

U.S. Trademark Application In-Part

(Click on image to Enlarge)

On Wednesday, Patently Apple posted an IP report about Apple's subsidiary 'Claris' filing for 2 new Trademarks 'Claris Go' and 'Claris Server' wherein they officially dropped 'FileMaker' from their trademarks (Claris FileMaker Go and Claris FileMaker Server).

On Friday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a third Claris trademark covering 'Claris WebDirect' which replaces 'Claris FileMaker WebDirect."

Claris, an Apple subsidiary, filed their trademark under International Classes 009 and 042.

Class 009 Covers: "Downloadable computer software, namely, computer software for hosting, managing, and configuring databases; downloadable computer software for managing and providing access to databases via local or global computer networks; downloadable computer software for automating database functions; downloadable database management software; downloadable database synchronization software; downloadable computer programs for accessing, browsing and searching online databases."

Class 042 Covers: "Design and development of computer hardware and software; providing temporary use of on-line non-downloadable software for viewing, annotating, storing, downloading and distributing electronic files, images, audio, video, data, and documents; providing temporary use of on-line non-downloadable software for audio and video conferencing; providing temporary use of on-line non-downloadable software for personal information management, database management, and database synchronization; providing temporary use of on-line non-downloadable software for accessing, browsing and searching online databases; providing temporary use of on-line non-downloadable software for communication and collaboration via computer networks; providing temporary use of on-line non-downloadable software development tools and templates for data management; providing temporary use ofon-line-non-downloadable software for use in managing, organizing and sharing data on a global computer network and on local computer networks; computer services, namely, providing online facilities for viewing, annotating, storing, downloading and distributing electronic files, images, audio, video, data, and documents, and for audio and video conferencing, and for personal information management, database management, and database synchronization, and for accessing, browsing and searching online databases, and for communication and collaboration via computer networks, and for software development, and for managing, organizing and sharing data on a global computer network and on local computer networks; data hosting services; technical support services, namely, troubleshooting computer database problems by telephone and via a global computer information network; application service provider (ASP) featuring software in the field of database management; electronic storage of files, images, audio, video, data, and documents."
Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has told all diasporans, other nationals and Canadian organisations to take charge of the several business opportunities in Ghana and direct their investments into the country.



The Minister who described Ghana as the land of golden opportunities said, there are several opportunities available which makes a better investment destination of choice than its counterparts on the continent.



According to her, organisations in Canada should make it their priority to partner Ghanaian firms, some of whom she said already have footprints on the continent, to export goods and services across Africa and beyond.



The Ablekuma West lawmaker made this known when she was speaking at the Ghana-Canadian Investment Summit (GCIS) in Toronto, Canada, organized by the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) designed specifically to engage the Ghanaian Diaspora in order to attract long-term investments and partnerships for Ghana's development.



Ghana is the second most visited country on the African continent for African diasporans in Canada. This means that there are several investment opportunities in Ghana for the African diaspora, and as it stands, we have just scratched the surface. Ghanas investment climate is favorable, provides for an enabling environment that is suitable for investment in ICT, especially with several companies around the world rushing in to set up their businesses in Ghana. I want to entreat you all diasporans, other nationals and Canadian organisations to come to Ghana and invest in the land of golden opportunities she said.



She reteritated the point for the Ghana-Canada relationship to develop to higher heights for progress and sustainable development to be sustained.



Ghana has had cordial relations with Canada spanning over six decades. Over the years, the bond has been strengthened through our shared values, commonwealth and diplomatic camaraderie and bilateral trade. As fate would have it, the two countries even share a common National Day of July 1. Ghana has been a strategic partner with a substantial number of Ghanaian professionals and businesses in Canada keenly contributing to developing Canadas economy she added.



The GCIS brought together delegates from the international investor community, especially from Canada, venture capitalists, private equity fund managers, among others.



The participants discussed and explored viable investment opportunities within various sectors of the Ghanaian economy.



There were also collaborations with the Diaspora, Canadian investors and local entrepreneurs and the creation of awareness of the potential of Diaspora Direct Investment and the need to increase trade between Ghana and Canada.



Also present at the Summit were a number of state officials, including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shelly Ayorkor Botcwey, the Minister for Tourism and Culture, Dr Awal Ibrahim Mohammed, GIPC boss, Yofi Grant and other well-known dignitaries.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Charles Owusu has called on Ghanaians, especially the youth, to stop seeking quick ways to enrich themselves.



The former Head of the Monitoring Unit at the Forestry Commission was alarmed by recent news of the murder of a 25-year-old trainee nurse at Mankessim in the Central Region.



Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder



According to a Police statement, the two - a self-styled Pastor, Michael Darko alias Nana 1, and Christopher Ekow Clark, Tufuhene (Chief) of Akwakrom - confessed to murdering the victim for money rituals.



During Police interrogation, suspect Michael Darko, who is the alleged boyfriend of the senior sister of the deceased victim and was last seen with her, led police to the location where they had buried her after the murder.



The body has since been exhumed and deposited at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.



The two accused persons were today, 22nd September 2022 arraigned at the District Court II in Cape Coast and have been remanded to reappear before the court on October 4, 2022.



Speaking on "Kokrokoo" programme on Peace FM, Charles Owusu wondered why people would kill to have money.



He charged the citizenry to know that it is good for one to be prosperous but this ambitious desire to be rich at all cost, thus resort to money rituals, is not the right way.



He asked the public to use appropriate means through hardwork to gain riches.



"Money cannot buy life. Let's be careful about our desires for quick riches", he stated.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A United Nations human rights team says incidents of rape have become so common in South Sudan that many women are no longer bothering to report repeated sexual attacks.



Rape victims lack access to medical and trauma care, including those who have been gang-raped multiple times in the ongoing conflict in the country.



Some women have been raped up to five times in the last nine years, the panel said.



Just imagine what it means to be raped by multiple armed men, pick yourself up for the sake of your children and then for it to happen again and again and again, said Yasmin Sooka, the chairperson of the panel.



She added: These women are asking us when it will stop  2013, 2016, 2018, 2021 and now in 2022  they say they keep telling their stories and nothing changes.



In several villages in Western Equatoria State and Unity State - where fighting in ongoing - there is no medical care to rape victims, the panel said.



Women raped by armed forces while collecting firewood are threatened with death if they report it, said Prof Andrew Clapham, a member of the panel.



The experts have been participating in meetings at the UN General Assembly in New York to speak about the situation in South Sudan.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Pollster Ben Ephson has advised former President John Dramani Mahama to desist from throwing his weight behind any candidate in the chairmanship race of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



According to him, the former president risks having a hard time in his bid to lead the party in 2024 if his preferred candidate loses the vote.



Speaking on Metro TV on September 22, the Managing Editor of the Dispatch Newspaper said the NDC in it current state was suffering political bruises after losing both the 2016 and 2020 elections.



He posited that the party will need a chairman who brings confidence to the grassroots as well as a personality who is well respected in the party.



On the reported Chairmanship contest between incumbent Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and current General Secretary Asiedu Nketia, he said both were almost at par in terms of longevity and credibility in the party.



He suggested that how the party treats the race will serve as a litmus test in determining how it will perform in the 2024 elections.



You will need to have a chairman who would be respected across board. You need to have a Chairman who inspires confidence in the grassroots and for the two of them, the nature of their positions, Asiedu Nketia has been General Secretary. He has worked at the various levels in the party.



He used to be a former Member of Parliament. The same with Ofosu Ampofo  former Member of Parliament, National Chairman. So these two come in with credibility and longevity in the partys history.



The partys performance in 2024 will depend on two main things. How whoever is the flagbearer conducts himself because if John Mahama is the flagbearer for example and he supports A and A does not win, you can be sure the relationship between Mahama and the person he doesnt support will not be cordial. I think that for the partys own future towards 2024, Mahama will have to be as neutral as possible, Ben Ephson said.



The Managing Editor of the Dispatch Newspaper added however that even if biases are going to be shown, it should done discreetly.



Even if you are going to support someone you have to do it discreetly because these are leading members with big stature in the party. So the partys unity and coherence towards 2024 will be how the flagbearer or how the party hierarchy is non-partisan in terms of these two leading members, he emphasized.



The NDC is expected to elect it national executives on December 17.







Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A very popular youth group belonging to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Northern Region, BIG-6 has joined the camp of the trade and industries minister, Alan Kojo Kyeremanteng ahead of the partys flagbearership race.



In an interview on Radio Tamale evening political talkshow dubbed  Alan Dundongni last night, some members of the group made the announcement, disclosing that their chairman and one other member are not part of those joining the Alan camp.



They explained that out of a total of 43 members, one member is with the Agric Ministers camp, while the chairman who is their leader is with the Dr. Mahamadu Bawumias.



We have taken this decision to join Alan camp against the will of our chairman. We know he is not happy, but this is good for us. About 40 of our members are all poling station executives. And that makes us delegates, one the members, Alhassan Bawa said.





When asked why the Alan Kyeremanteng team and not any of the persons availing themselves for the position, another member, Choggu Zagban Naa answered, We have done our research and Alan is the right man to lead the NPP to break the 8. And again we have not been treated well as members of the ruling party.



Few weeks ago, Alhaji Abdul Mumin Salifu C.O.P. also declared his support for Mr. Alan, also describing him as the right man for the job.



Jack who was the firsr runner up in the last NPP regional executive elections in the Northern Region in a Facebook post yesterday assured the Alan Kyeremanteng that he shall avail himself to work for his interest 24/7.



I know that change only happens when ordinary NPP people get involved in your team and I have no regret meeting you. I will work with you hand in hand 24/7, Jack wrote on Facebook.









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
Ghanaian music icons, Kuami Eugene & KiDi, have ended their entertaining Europe tour on a very high note.



Completing the final lap of the successful tour in Hamburg, the two acts performed at three shows in one night at the grand Reeperbahn Festival.



KiDi kicked off the night thrilling the European community at the Mojo Club which is underneath the Dancing Towers.



Kuami Eugene made a cameo appearance during KiDis set at the fully packed venue live on NDR, one of Germany's Public Radio & TV Network (ARD).



The fun continued at the exuberant Angies Club where Kuami Eugene awed a diverse crowd with an energetic delivery of hits.



KiDi & Kuami Eugene climaxed the night, and their Europe tour in high spirits at an after-party at Cave Lounge in Hamburg.



DJ Vyrusky used his magic fingers to excite the largely African crowd at Cave Lounge supported by MC Dr. Pounds and ShopsyDoo.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Donald Trump did it, and now Mike Lindell tried to carve out an exception in the law whereby the Trump inner circle is allowed to avoid the FBI and ask for special masters to review everything because the FBI is obviously made up of just horrible people out to get Trump and his inner circle. The team believes they are the only people in the country immune from search warrants signed by judges on the basis of very serious and cautious FBI affidavits. It sort of worked with a mega-MAGA Judge Cannon in Florida (though now reversed in part), but it most certainly didnt work when Mike Lindell sued the FBI in Minnesota in front of a Trump-appointed judge. The judge tossed the motion like a bad burrito. Mike Lindell isnt getting his phone back. He is just like every other American.

From Law and Crime:

A federal judge in Minnesota appointed by Donald Trump on Thursday rejected a motion for a temporary restraining order which was filed just yesterday by local counsel and self-described constitutional consultant Alan Dershowitz on behalf of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

Just yesterday. The judge didnt need a treatise to punt the motion.

U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud noticeably cited a Wednesday ruling by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that significantly tailored another Trump-appointed district judges special master order in the ongoing Mar-a-Lago clash between the former president and the DOJ.

Like the Trump case, the judge noted, plaintiff Lindell is seeking return of property as DOJ conducts an active criminal investigation (Lindell has not been accused of a crime and is considered a subject):

Many MAGAs believe the FBI is out of control, on a mission to destroy Trump, and recklessly roaming the country, grabbing whatever they need to build some giant hoax against Trump. Of course, few of them factor in that the FBI needs a warrant signed by a federal judge to obtain all this stuff. The warrants are based upon affidavits for probable cause. The judges know that these cases will be so controversial that they will want double or triple the evidence they would normally require, just to be sure. In fact, the FBI also likely knows that it better be triple sure over an average case.

After taking all the above into consideration, it is jaw-dropping that Alan Dershowitz helped a Minnesota attorney file the motion. Dershowitz specialized in teaching criminal law and criminal procedure. There are few people in the country that know the system better than he. Dershowitz may be a Trump apologist and willing to stake out ridiculous positions on television. But he is supposed to be one of the sane ones in actual court filings. It is odd. He knows that the motion was ridiculous.

Team Trump is not going to be able to demand special masters in every case, carving out some Trumpy exception. They got away with it in front of Judge Cannon but likely will not find such a friendly forum again.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Utah, one of the most conservative states in the country, might be the state that keeps McConnell out of the position he most covets, Senate Majority Leader. Yes, Utah is very conservative, but the state has resisted the whole Trump movement more so than other conservative states. Smartly, the Utah Democratic Party decided not to run a candidate against MAGA Mike Lee and instead threw its support behind very conservative Evan McMullin, hoping to deny MAGA a majority. It is working, or at least as well as can be expected at this point. McMullin could beat Lee.

From the conservative Deseret News:

Engaged in a fierce battle in the U.S. Senate race in Utah, a new poll shows Republican Sen. Mike Lee and independent challenger Evan McMullin neck and neck with a little over six weeks to Election Day.

The latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics survey found 36% of Utahns would vote for Lee and 34% for McMullin if the election were held today. Another 16% dont know who they would vote for, while 13% would mark the ballot, which includes two third-party candidates, for someone else.

According to the poll, those who identified themselves as very liberal and moderate represent the highest percentages of undecided voters.

Liberals and moderates are not voting for Mike Lee under any circumstances. It would seem that Lee cannot factor in any of those votes. But some of the liberals and moderates may do what the Utah Democratic party did and vote to keep the Senate out of MAGA hands by throwing their support to McMullin.

McMullin is a true conservative of the George Will type. He will not be voting for any Build Back Better anything, nor womens rights. But McMullin has said that he will not caucus with either party. If McMullin wins, a vote that McConnell believed to be in the bag will be missing. Tossing Mike Lee out of the 51 that McConnell needs could be the deciding factor.

As for why Utah has rejected Trump more than any other conservative state? It appears that the large LDS population has stuck to its values while seeing Trump for who and what he is. Trump is a lot of things, but he isnt conservative, nor does Trump live a life that a highly religious population would find tolerable. That is the guess.

Utah may keep the Senate out of Republican hands because of Donald Trump.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Former 1/6 Committee staffer Denver Riggleman said that there is evidence somebody called a rioter during the 1/6 attack from within the White House.

Video:

The White House switchboard connected a call to a rioter while the Capitol was under siege on January 6, 2021, according to former January 6 committee staffer Denver Riggleman. I only know one end of that call, Riggleman said.https://t.co/U5PIrgqDV4 pic.twitter.com/cbkIFuvc6p  60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 23, 2022

Riggleman said in a 60 Minutes interview:

I only know one end of that call. I dont know the White House end, which I believe is more important. But the thing is the American people need to know that there are link connections that need to be explored more.

.

From my perspectivebeing in counterterrorism. If the White House, even if its a short call, and its a connected call, who is making that phone call? Was it an accidental call? When the White House just happened to call numbers that somebody misdialed a rioter that day, on January 6th? Probably not.

Riggleman is a former House Republican with a background in counterterrorism and national security.

His intended audience with these statements is the American people, but it is also the Justice Department. Even if the 1/6 Committee did a deep dive and got the phone numbers and identified who potentially was on the White House end of the call, they dont have the power to do anything about it.

The DOJ does.

There have been reports for years that people in Trumps White House were in communication with insurrectionists before the Capitol attack.

It hasnt been publicly known before that while Trump was in his private residence watching the attack on TV and doing nothing to help Capitol Police and members of Congress, someone in his White House was calling a rioter.

Instead of defending the nation, Trumps White House looks like it was behaving more like a command center for the 1/6 attack.
Could the Soviet military have been using the Chernobyl nuclear plant to produce plutonium or tritium for nuclear weapons?

Brittany Williamson, a senior criticality safety engineer at the Savannah River Site who visited the Chernobyl exclusion zone in October 2021, said Wednesday evening at an American Nuclear Society event in Aiken that it's something of an open secret that the facility was or was planned to be used for weapons production in addition to power generation.

Williamson cited the fact that the Soviet reactors used at Chernobyl, the RBMK, used live fueling, meaning the reactor does not have to be shut down to add fuel into it and, later, she would add that it's easier to collect the plutonium produced.

In 1986, unnamed U.S. and European officials said in a Los Angeles Times story that the Soviet military was involved in the operation of some of the RMBK reactors in other parts of the Soviet Union.

The officials speculated that the reactors operated by the military could be used to produce plutonium or tritium and others added evidence was provided at an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting held after the accident that the Soviets had used RMBKs for weapons production.

Later, the story adds that the military link to Chernobyl was known at least one Soviet theoretic physics institute.

Also, the World Nuclear Association has said that the RBMK was based on a military design that was used to produce plutonium.

However, the Times story also said an unnamed Soviet official with access to information said three of the four reactors online at the Chernobyl facility  two more were being built  were used for military purposes and one, the one that exploded, was used for civilian power.

The story also notes that the Soviets were willing to have the plant inspected by international observers, something they may have not been willing to do for a military production plant.

Whether the Soviet military actually was or was planning to use Chernobyl for weapons production is unknown.

Williamson implied that officials investigating the accident may have never asked for all the information about the plant. She said one of the first things she learned upon arrival in Ukraine was an adage to only ask questions that one wants to know the answer to.

The Chernobyl plant uses the Dnieper River, the river that essentially bisects Ukraine, as a water supply and that it was natural to suspect that some radioactive contamination would have gotten into the river.

But, Williamson said, officials didn't want to know about possible contamination in the river (and the effects on people downstream), so they never tested it.
Leavelle McCampbell Middle School students are going to have their hands full for an upcoming fundraiser.

In February 2023, the school will host an empty bowls fundraiser with bowls made by the students, said LMMS Principal Dr. Tiffany Hall. The bowls will be made from clay, and students plan to create the bowls using a wheel. The wheel is being purchased using a $10,000 grant the school received through the South Carolina Department of Education.

Sandra Weeks, the art teacher at LMMS, said she was involved with the empty bowls in Augusta and wanted to do something similar in Aiken because she saw how it helped kids get involved in the community.

Dr. Hall happened to come to it [empty bowls] and was like, 'that's so cool, we need to do one in the valley,' Weeks said. When this grant came up she was like we can totally do the empty bowl But the grant is going to allow us to purchase wheels and clay

Empty Bowls is a way for people to raise money for food related charities to help feed the hungry, according to their website.

Weeks said the goal is to grow the empty bowls supper in the valley. With this fundraiser, the money raised will stay in the community.

Forty percent of the profit will be donated to ACTS, then 45% will be donated to hold next year's event, and then 10% is going to be donated to UNICEF and I'm going to let my kids decided which UNICEF organization they want to donate to, Weeks said. Five percent will come back to Leavelle.

+17 New champions crowned in Battle of the Books competition There are some new Battle of the Books champions  both in elementary and middle school.

Weeks said they are going to be looking for soup donations for the event, along with donations for the silent auction. Those who wish to donate can call Weeks or Hall at LMMS at 803-663-4300.

The Empty Bowls Supper will be from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 11 at LMMS. When tickets are available they will be sold at LMMS. Students who create a bowl will receive a free ticket and a half price ticket for a parent or guardian, Weeks said.
After a successful debut last year, the Best of the West horse sale is returning to the Aiken Training Track.

The second edition of the auction is set for Saturday, Oct. 1, and will begin at 3 p.m.

It will be open to the public and free to attend.

Covered reserved seating, however, is available for $27.50 per person, and front row covered seating is being offered for $55 per person.

Ike Sankey of Wyoming and his family own and operate a business known as Horse Resource Sales, which will conduct the Best of the West auction.

Most of the 50 animals consigned to the sale are Quarter Horses, but the group also includes a mule named Jasper.

They are very well-trained, calm horses, said Aiken Training Track President Bill Gutfarb, who attended the auction last year. When they (the sellers) show them during the sale, they do tricks on them that are fun to watch. They stand on them, and they have dogs that jump on them. They bounce balls in front of them.

During 2021s inaugural Best of the West sale, the horses also spun around in circles and stood or walked quietly while their riders cracked whips, shot guns and twirled ropes.

On the day of this years auction, a trade show will open at 9 a.m. and there will be a preview of the sale horses at 10 a.m.

On Friday, Sept. 30, the trade show will be open from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Other events on the schedule are a soft preview of the sale horses from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., a buyer's social from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a pitchfork fondue dinner from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Tickets for the pitchfork fondue dinner are $45 each in advance and can be purchased by calling 803-989-0233, ext. 1.

For more information, visit bestofthewesthorses.com.

A Friesian cross gelding named Buckeyes Lakota brought the top price of $190,000 during the 2021 auction, which was held in the Training Tracks infield and attracted a large crowd.

I thought it went really well, Sankey told the Aiken Standard afterward.

More than 40 horses in all were sold.

It was a very nice event for the community, Gutfarb said. All sorts of people were there.

The Aiken Training Track is at 538 Two Notch Road S.E.

The facility is a thoroughbred training center and also the home of the Aiken Trials, which take place in March and are part of the Aiken Triple Crown.

The other Triple Crown events are the Aiken Spring Steeplechase and Pacers and Polo.
Don Kennedy has told us about growing up in Fairfield County, about his five kids and his educator wife who retired last year, about how he was planning to retire this year before the Charleston County School Board suddenly had other ideas. He's talked about working as chief financial officer for the Charleston County School District early in this century, about taking the same job in Seattle and later returning to that position here, about what changed in the decade he was gone  or, actually, what didn't.

The CFO-turned-superintendent slides four charts across the conference table. Each focuses on a different topic, but they all tell the same story: Charleston County students made steady progress from 2005 through 2012, but then their test scores dropped, and then they stabilized for white kids while they kept falling for African American and Hispanic kids. Even at their best, the scores for black and brown kids were never impressive.

Today, he says, the district is still failing the exact same families, different generations, but the same families, the same neighborhoods, the same demographics that we were struggling with to improve education outcomes" when he was here the first time.

We all know that the problem exists, he continues. What we dont know is why we cant resolve it. The three superintendents Ive worked with were all capable people, and school board members all have wanted whats best for the kids. So the question is why we here in Charleston as a community, as a school system cant make progress. We know progress can be made. What were trying to do is probe the system to figure out why it is that we havent made progress.

Temporary permanent?

Its our editorial staff's first meeting with the superintendent whose title no longer includes "interim" but whose future with the district is far from certain, given that the current school board, which is about to evaporate, says it's launching a nationwide search for a permanent superintendent.

Your guess is as good as mine as to how long Mr. Kennedy will remain in this role, but for now, hes making plans like a permanent superintendent. And thanks to the boards decision to force out Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait and the county legislative delegations 2020 decision to turn the board into county council, in the process eliminating at least two-thirds of the current members, Mr. Kennedy looks like the most permanent fixture in the district right now.

Ive been disgusted with the district since it paid Dr. Postlewait half a million dollars to go away and tried to con us into believing she just decided to up and leave. The idea of replacing her with a number cruncher left me even more put off. But Mr. Kennedys passion is the opposite of what I expected. As are his plans.

Yes, we all know he's set what everybodys calling an ambitious goal to have all kids reading on grade level by fifth grade  two years later than state law requires. Whats exciting is how hes going about it.

After consulting with then-Mississippi Education Superintendent Carey Wright  a nationally recognized reformer to whom then-House Speaker Jay Lucas turned when he was trying to revive the massive education reform package that imploded in the Senate  Mr. Kennedy devised a three-part strategy: Teach teachers how to teach reading, which astoundingly most werent taught in college. Train staff in an organizational fad called systems thinking. And, the one I love, work with disadvantaged kids before they ever get to school.

The best option

Kids coming into kindergarten are not prepared to read, to do the work, he says. So what we are as a system requiring our elementary schools to do is to bring them up to grade level. But the principals are saying its close to impossible, and these data would suggest that there may be some truth to that, because theyre constantly trying to catch them up. So we have been told that we need to bring kids into kindergarten ready to learn.

Hes not just planning to make plans about planning to do this, like Im used to watching at the Statehouse. He met this past week with facilities staff to create new classroom space at schools where theres a waiting list for pre-kindergarten programs  either by reclaiming unused space in school buildings or by hauling trailers onto the campus.

He's working on a way  and this might be the toughest part  to convert parents who are reluctant to send their kids to early childhood programs or dont even know such programs exist.

And hes doing something most superintendents would never do, reaching out to private child care providers with a First Steps-style proposal: Let us help train your employees so you can do a better job preparing kids in your programs to graduate into our programs.

Some of these initiatives will be up and running this fall, with more coming online in January. Which is fast.

Theres no such thing as a silver bullet for education, but early childhood education is about as close as it gets. It is the most important thing our state  or any district  can do to close the learning gap; call it racial or income-based, its the same kids who start out behind and stay behind.

The problem of course is that pre-K doesn't yield quick results: The 3-year-olds you enroll in January wont show up on standardized test results until theyre 7 or 8. And given the short timespan this school board traditionally has allowed for miracle-delivery, that doesnt leave much margin for error.

But were about to get a whole new school board. So who knows? Maybe the new single-member-district board members will be so fixated on the hyper-local concerns of their election districts that they wont worry about how the entire county is doing, and theyll give a superintendent time to work a plan. And dont ever believe I cant find a bright side in the most dismal situation.
Service is a highly familiar concept for Vietnam veteran Wayman Johnson, whether halfway around the world or just around the corner.

The hospital volunteer, Knights of Columbus member and longtime Savannah River Site employee is known through a variety of roles around Aiken and Augusta, and Orangeburg is also part of the picture, as he is a member of the South Carolina State University ROTC Hall of Fame.

His university degree was in "physical chemistry, which also covered nuclear chemistry," he recalled.

"He's just a fine gentleman  reliable, honest and trustworthy," said Joan Lacombe, one of Johnson's fellow parishioners at St. Gerard Catholic Church. "Anything you would want in a gentleman, he has it."

Kelli Moore, a recreation therapist with Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Augusta, made similar comments. "He has been the best volunteer. Any time we need anything, he's right there, and I know that I can count on him for whatever our needs may be. One time it was a popcorn machine," she recalled.

Johnson has been on board at Augusta's "uptown" VA facility since November 2006. Pandemic-related restrictions have reduced activity options, so Johnson and his peers "have been consistently providing snacks, and whatever they can do, they do," Moore said.

Johnson and his wife, an Edgefield County native, met in college and wound up having an employer in common years later, as both worked at the massive nuclear reservation for decades.

Chester is another community with a claim to the Army vet. He was born there, and spent most of his childhood in Orangeburg, and Aiken has been his base of operations since 1975, when he launched into a 33-year career at the Savannah River Plant, as the nuclear reservation was known at the time.

"I had generally the same kind of title, but different positions," he recalled. "I started off at the K Reactor as a supervisor ... and I was told I was the first African American to be a certified supervisor of a reactor  K Reactor."

That line of work called on his Army background, he noted. "When I went to the interview, I let them know I had a little bit of radiation safety. I was a chemical officer part of my time in the military, and I was nuclear weapons-qualified, so we had a whole lot of training on the basic nuclear chemistry subject, and then the ... weapons."

He noted that his Army time also included service in what was then known as the North American Air Defense Command  NORAD. "I had responsibility for ... Oklahoma and north Texas, and whenever a bomber with nuclear weapons flew over, we'd get an alert and had a team in case they had an accident, to go survey the area, or mark out where the radiation may be."

By that point, he had reached the Army rank of captain, with leadership experience to his credit, and would go on to retire as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves.

The military years included two tours in Vietnam, with stops  of extremely varying length  along the way in such locales as Malaysia, Japan, the Philippines and Alaska.

"To put it in layman's terms, I was a scout, and to put it in the technical military term, I operated the personnel detector," he said, referring to airborne technology for picking up a human scent  that of enemy troops, in Johnson's case. "My job was to find out where they were located, and back in my day, they called that scouting."

Johnson's first experience with the technology was at ground level. It was "a poor idea," in his assessment, with such problems as wind shifts, and the decision was made to apply the technology at the tree line level.

His work area included the territory involved in "We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young," the 1992 book written in part by one of his military contemporaries: the late Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore and war journalist Joseph L. Galloway. The book, focusing on the Battle of Ia Drang (1965), was the inspiration for "We Were Soldiers," a 2002 movie starring Mel Gibson as Moore.

Johnson's tours were 1966-67 and 1969-70. "I did have a break to go to the U.S. Army Chemical Center and School. I stayed there to get the advanced training and also stayed there to be a course director and instructor," he recalled.

Among his memorabilia is 1967 letter from Sen. Strom Thurmond. It read, in part, "Just a note to congratulate you upon being awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service while serving in Vietnam. All of us in South Carolina are proud of you, and there is no greater work in which a man can engage than the defense of his Country."

The next few years included time in the Lone Star State. "When I was getting out, I looked around several places, and I got an offer with Johnson and Johnson, and also with Mobil Oil and DuPont, and ... my wife is originally from North Augusta, so DuPont was my first choice, but at the time, there was a hiring freeze, so I went ahead and accepted the job with Johnson and Johnson, in Texas."

Johnson worked as a supervisor in quality assurance, "and we did have a little nuclear process there, at Johnson and Johnson," he added. "That gave a little bit more experience. They actually used a nuclear source they called cobalt-60 to sterilize some of their hospital packs, but I was there for about one year. Then DuPont called me."

DuPont  at that time, the major contractor for the Savannah River Plant  no longer had a hiring freeze, and offered the Vietnam vet a job. "I told them that wouldn't be right, that I needed to stay at Johnson and Johnson. I stayed at Johnson and Johnson for a couple of years."

His wife, however, eventually ran into health problems, and all of her family members at the time were still in South Carolina, so the man of the house got back in touch with DuPont to check on job openings. He was enthusiastically welcomed.

"They paid my way to come here, from Texas, right at Christmastime, because I was coming back anyway. I got to DuPont, and they already had my security clearance ready when I got here," he said, with a chuckle. "I was real lucky there."

The lady of the house also secured a position at SRP, becoming a control room operator. "She worked at Pepperidge Farm for a number of years first," he said recalling her role as a technician in quality assurance, followed by a career shift in the 1980s as the nuclear reservation shifted from the hands of DuPont into those of Westinghouse.

"She spent 20 years out there," he recalled. "We retired on the same day. They offered a package, because I was already over 65. Joined Social Security and decided, well, it was a good time to go."

He went, and his attention largely shifted to a familiar area  military service and its aftermath. Johnson learned of opportunities to volunteer at hospitals serving veterans, and has won recognition over the years for his efforts at the Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. "Coffee and doughnuts" are among the simpler gifts, he noted.

"I'm still volunteering out there. It's been real slow, during the pandemic. We'll be picking up ... We entertain the veterans in the nursing home, bring them food, have parties, and also the hospice. We do the same thing. I've got a special feeling for the veterans, because generally veterans are not being treated right for what they've done."

Moore, the hospital's recreation therapist, said contributions from Johnson and his fellow volunteers have included items ranging from margaritas and steaks to toothbrushes and Christmas get-togethers for vets and their families.

"We used to have lots of fun. He's just the best," she said, acknowledging Johnson's roles. "I want to be like him when I grow up."
MONCKS CORNER  More than a year after signing a bill that put Santee Cooper under stricter state oversight, Gov. Henry McMaster said he's pleased with the progress the utility has made.

"I think they are doing well, and people have confidence in them, but there is still the question of that enormous amount of debt," said McMaster, who once had called for the public electric and water provider to be sold after its financially disastrous involvement in the failed expansion of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in the Midlands.

The governor's comments came Sept. 22 on the sidelines of a ribbon cutting for the new $65 million headquarters of Berkeley Electric Cooperative, which is supplied with power from Santee Cooper and other sources.

McMaster and other lawmakers debated whether to sell or reform Santee Cooper for several years after work on two new reactors at V.C. Summer was halted in mid-2017 after numerous delays and cost overruns. The Moncks Corner-based utility was a 45 percent owner of a joint venture with the former South Carolina Electric & Gas that had shoveled more than $9 billion on the Fairfield County construction site.

The idea of selling Santee Cooper followed. When legislators rejected an bid from NextEra Energy, and no other interested buyers emerged, Santee Cooper retained its independence but at the same time was reined in. McMaster signed a bill in June 2021 that gave state officials more say over the utility's operations, such as any plans to issue new debt.

A 10-member S.C. Joint Bond Review Committee, made up of legislators from the House and Senate, was formed to review Santee Cooper's plans to generate power and their forecasts for power. The oversight law also requires public hearings and a watchdog to question utility executives about rate increases.

Santee Cooper is bracing for some questions from the panel as it considers whether to request an exception to the terms of a 2020 lawsuit settlement tied to the V.C. Summer project.

The deal prohibits Santee Cooper from raising customer rates through December 2024, but it allows the utility to ask regulators to collect energy expenses retroactively. The utility has estimated it's spent has spent about $130 million over projections for coal and other fuel sources this year, a jump caused in part by the war in Ukraine.

Santee Cooper isn't the only power company dealing with the price spike. Charlotte-based Duke Energy is seeking to recover $145 million in unanticipated fuel expenses from the 640,000 customers it serves in areas that include Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson counties.

Dominion Energy filed for a rate increase in March to recoup $142 million from its Palmetto state customers, citing unexpected costs.

Unable to raise rates now, Santee Cooper announced $100 million in budget cuts to offset the prices increases.

"That's something the board of Santee Cooper will have to wrestle with," McMaster said. "We need power, but it needs to be power that we can afford."
Oil-rich Norway, oddly, is the worlds leader in electric car adoption.

Last year, nearly 9 out of 10 vehicles sold in this Nordic country of 5.5 million people were electric or plug-in hybrids. Norway plans to phase out sales of new fossil fuel vehicles altogether by 2025. It already has about 500,000 electric vehicles on its roads. And it has about 17,000 public charging stations, the highest density in Europe.

So, I was excited to rent an electric car during a recent vacation. Even so, a question lingered as I made the reservation: Would I have range anxiety?

After a week driving through the countrys famous fjords, I have an answer: Yes, but not in the way I expected.

Range anxiety is the fear of running out of power mid-trip. Its one of the biggest barriers to widespread acceptance of electric vehicles, customer surveys have found. And its a concern even though car manufacturers have steadily packed more miles into battery packs. A decade ago, the median range was about 70 miles for a fully charged vehicle. Today, the median is about 240 miles, with some models exceeding 300 miles per charge.

In Bergen, Norway, I chose a Volkswagen ID.4, which Hertz said had 322 miles of range. Off we went toward the fjords.

The VW performed well on the winding roads, some of which narrowed to one lane and created occasional games of chicken with oncoming cars. I appreciated the ID.4's quiet motors. It was no Tesla, but it was responsive and fun to drive. I loved the freedom of driving past gas stations where a gallon cost more than $8.

That first day we drove about 120 miles from Bergen to the Stalheim Hotel, which overlooks a spectacular fjord. The hotel had three plugs for electric cars. Range anxiety? Not here, I thought, as I plugged the VWs portable charger into the socket.

But nothing happened. The VWs charging light turned red. No juice. The cars display didnt say what was wrong. The hotel receptionist shrugged. Perhaps there was something funky with the hotels electrical system? No matter, I still had a couple hundred miles of range left to find a public charging station.

I found one next morning in the village of Flam, which sits at the end of a fjord that's normally surrounded by waterfalls. It had been dry for a week, and they weren't flowing now. I would experience a similar absence of flow with the village's public chargers. I plugged in but got the same red light. No juice. The charging station had instructions, but they were in Norwegian. Then a light bulb. In my head, not the car. I realized I needed a phone app to connect to that charger.

I downloaded one, but it too was in Norwegian. I spent another half hour trying to register my email and credit card. Still no good. Another company had chargers nearby. Its app required a Norwegian phone number. I gave up and hoped our next hotel would have a working plug.

It didnt. But theres a really fast station a few minutes away, the hotel clerk said.

The battery was hovering just above 30 percent by now. Would we have to leave the car on the side of the road? Find an Uber back to Bergen?

This time, I did my homework. I identified the operator of the charging station, a company called Mer. I downloaded Mer's app and confirmed my registration with an email instead of a phone number. I set off as a full moon rose above Sognefjord, the nation's longest and deepest fjord. At the grocery store, I plugged in and cranked up the Mer app. Boom. It worked! My range anxiety drained as the VWs battery filled.

It took about an hour to top off. As I waited, I thought about the challenges of charging electric vehicles. Imagine if BP, Shell, Exxon, Circle K and other fueling stations required their own dedicated apps to fill up? Well, that's exactly what's happening in Norway and the United States. The U.S. Department of Energy Department lists at least 20 different charging networks here, with some only reserved for Tesla.

So, waiting there by the Norwegian grocery store, I realized that I didnt have range anxiety. I had app anxiety.

I never did figure out the other charging companies apps, so I chose routes where I might find Mer stations. All told, I drove 512 miles and spent about $98 on electricity. Had I had a comparable gas-powered car, I would have forked out at least $150 for gas.

Would I rent an electric car again in a foreign country? Maybe. But first Id do some research on that countrys charging network. Id set up the apps before I left.

Perhaps these are minor speed bumps. But electrification of transportation is one of the key ways human beings can reduce greenhouse gasses that cause global warming. And the fewer speed bumps we have, the faster that will happen.

I had one last app anxiety attack before I turned in the car. Hertz said it wanted the car back with the battery full, just as it typically requires for gas-powered cars. Its usually no big deal to top off your tank with gas. But what about an electric car?

At the airport in Bergen, I was heartened to see a parking lot full of chargers. Then my heart sank when I realized I needed another companys app. The battery was at 86 percent. I thought about the cliche about perfection being the enemy of the good and headed for the Hertz return lot, anxiety levels moving back to normal.
ANDREWS  Mayor Frank McClary announced at the Sept. 22 Andrews Town Council meeting that a new police chief will be named in the coming days.

McClary said four candidates for the job have been interviewed, and he is assessing the candidates individually with the recommendations of a panel of community members who interviewed them.

He plans to announce the new police chief by Sept. 30.

Among other interview questions, candidates were asked to develop a schedule for the department if it were only 50 percent staffed.

"They were interviewed by a panel that consisted of a council member and folks from the community," McClary said. "They were required to do a written and oral interview. We're talking about an essay that was probably a page long that required them to lay out a full plan on how they would address the specific needs of the town with respect to the police department, law enforcement; those kinds of things."

McClary did not respond to a request for comment on whether the employment of previous police chief William Zurcher was terminated.

Zurcher took the helm of the Andrews Police Department in July 2021 after three years with the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office and five years with the Kingstree Police Department.

Zurcher was placed on leave earlier this year amid South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigations into his conduct. SLED confirmed the investigations were undertaken per the request of the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office and the Florence Police Department.

In May, the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office took a report accusing Zurcher of forcible rape north of downtown Andrews in November 2021.

Georgetown and Beyond News reported in August that one complaint against Zurcher dating back to his tenure in the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office was exceptionally cleared by SLED due to lack of cooperation from an accuser.

McClary also said Sept. 22 that two certified officers have expressed interest in joining the Andrews Police Department, but one slot will remain open for an officer currently in the middle of a military deployment.
ISLANDTON  In a ditch opposite the entrance to the Murdaughs' gated rural estate, a smattering of trash speaks to the intense interest the place has inspired.

A Pepsi can, a tall boy, a crushed Wendy's cup, the popped lens from a pair of sunglasses, a broken reflector: all suggest people milling about, taking pictures, looking.

But the spacious estate, which flows between Colleton and Hampton Counties, is hardly visible from the road. Most of what people want to see is tucked away behind pine trees and a few oaks gray with Spanish moss.

Only a pair of brick pillars indicate the entrance to property, the site of a double homicide that brought intrigue and international speculation to South Carolina's sleepy southern corner.

Yet, improbably, the Murdaughs' "Moselle" estate may soon change hands just months after it was placed on the market in February. A buyer has emerged to place the property under contract, undeterred by the property's $3.9 million asking price or its violent past.

The property's new owner, if the deal works out, will claim the spot where 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and her son, Paul, 22, were shot and killed on June 7, 2021. The once-prominent local attorney Alex Murdaugh, whose family held the area's chief prosecutor position for three consecutive generations, stands accused of their murders.

Why would someone be willing to fork over millions for an estate known as a crime scene? What superstitions and stigmas typically come with land deals like this one?

Todd Crosby, whose brokerage firm is handling the sale, said he couldn't discuss the prospective buyer, but the asking price is fair. Stigma wasn't factored into the equation, he said.

His assessment is noteworthy because stigmatized properties tend to stay on the market longer and sell for less.

"Like many other purchases, the purchase of a home is (based on) an emotion," said Deanne Rymarowicz, the associate counsel at the National Association of Realtors.

And if the home has an unsavory history, the emotion someone might feel when they encounter it is the creeps.

Not what the media made it out to be

Crosby, whose brokerage firm specializes in high-end recreational properties, said he focuses instead on a property's highest and best use potential.

In that regard, it's unclear what Moselle could become. The estate encompasses 1,772 acres and features a four-bedroom, 5,275-square-foot house. But most of the property is bottom land, 80 percent in a flood plain, inundated with water, Crosby said.

"The property is not what the media made it out be," he said. "It's not a grand hunting destination."

Sure enough, below the soaring pines, the brick gates look small and out of place, like a relic. The road leading to the lodge is dirt and rutted. Outside most photographers' frames is a falling-down shack.

"Theres nothing special about that property," Crosby said. "Nothing at all. It's an average piece of dirt for what we sell."

The cooties effect

Yet its connection with the Murdaughs makes the place intriguing.

At the gated entrance, an orange butterfly disappearing into a dark stand of trees feels ominous. Buzzing insects sound like an alarm. The flame in one of the gas lamps is out and the other is barely flickering, a fact that seems sinister.

These perceptions are examples of stimulus association, said Barry Markovsky, professor emeritus at the University of South Carolina and an expert on paranormal beliefs.

Or, more familiarly, they show a "cooties effect," in which a negative association seems to jump between owner and object.

"It's deep within our primitive brains to avoid potential danger," Markovsky said. Feeling uneasy in a place connected to violence or death doesn't have anything to do with intelligence. Instead, he said, "It's very innate."

Even the law recognizes a tendency to recoil from real estate with a troubled past.

A few states, including South Dakota, California and Alaska, require sellers to disclose "psychological stigma" associated with a property, although what qualifies is debatable. Murders, sex offenses and running a meth lab out of the house are all candidates.

South Carolina doesn't require disclosure, on the reasoning that a negative association is not a material defect. But agents can't lie about a stigma, either, even if admitting to it reduces the price.

Markovsky said he's not surprised that stigmatized properties often sell below market rate. In a way, he said, how much a buyer is willing to pay reflects a social appraisal: In the collective imagination, tragedy has devalued the property.

Died in house

Roy Condrey said he probably wouldn't be comfortable living in the Murdaughs' house, nor would a lot of his clients.

About 10 years ago, Condrey, who has a day job in the Midlands lake town of Chapin, started a small, web-based company called diedinhouse.com. Customers submit an address, and Condrey and his team find out everything they can about the previous occupants.

Condrey said most of his customers sign up at night. He guesses it's because while they're buying the house they're focused on the positive aspects; however, once they're alone in the new place and start hearing creaks, questions rush in about who else lived there and what happened to them.

Some people believe in ghosts, Condrey said. Others are concerned about negative energy.

The kind of death that occurred on the property can also matter. For example, his wife doesn't want to live in a house even where an old lady died peacefully, he said. "Me, I don't want to live in a house where it was a tragic murder, suicide, something like that."

In any case, why someone wants to learn about a house's past isn't important, Condrey said. The bottom line is: People care.

Cross Swamp Farm

Media reports and websites still track the Los Angeles condo outside of which Nicole Brown Simpson was stabbed in 1994, and the house in Boulder, Colorado, where JonBenet Ramsey was strangled in 1996.

Both these places have gone on and off the market several times, despite the new owners' efforts to rehabilitate them. Simpson's condo was renovated and had an address change. The family who lives in the Ramsey house has tried to make it a place of love.

But the stigma won't really go away until the public either forgets the original issue or moves on from it, Markovsky said.

And some places will never shake their associations. In Newtown, Connecticut, voters decided to tear down Sandy Hook Elementary School, where a shooter murdered 20 children and 6 adults in 2012 before killing himself. In its place the town decided to build a new structure, which looks and feels nothing like the old one.

These are extreme examples, though. For most stigmatized properties, the "psychological impact" has an expiration date, Rymarowicz said.

On the listing page for the Murdaughs' estate, Crosby doesn't mention the word "Moselle." Instead, the property is marketed by the name of one of the other bordering roads, Cross Swamp Farm.

Nobody home

Someone whizzing down Moselle Road today might not even notice the place, except to register the impression that nobody is home. Grass nearly covers a Keep Out sign, and even a pair of slow-growing boxwoods are looking a little shaggy.

The "Sleeping Beauty" quality of the overgrowth underscores the absence of the owners.

Maggie and Paul are interred at Hampton Cemetery; an older son, Buster, seems reluctant to return to the estate; and Alex Murdaugh's once-lavish life has unraveled.

Since his wife and son died, Murdaugh, now 54, has been indicted in a failed suicide plot, tied to a string of financial crimes that siphoned more than $8.7 million from his former law firm and clients, and implicated in a web of civil lawsuits and associated criminal investigations.

He has been treated for an opioid addiction and arrested twice.

Since October, he has been held in the Richland County Detention Center, unable to post a $7 million bail.

Finally, this summer, after 13 months without another suspect named in the case, a grand jury indicted him on charges of killing Maggie and Paul.

Murdaugh now faces the prospect of decades behind bars and legal challenges that threaten to strip away whatever cash he has left.

So, with all that baggage, what could be the appeal of the family's estate?

Crosby imagines that a new owner would value it for its rural setting, away from everything.

Between the last two census counts, the population of the unincorporated community of Islandton dwindled from 70 to 56.

In addition, the air smells pleasant, and the only traffic is the occasional logging truck or pickup.

The neighbor down the road, Vonnie, who declined to give her last name, said she couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

"I like it so much out here that I wouldn't live in town," she said. A gray and white quilt fluttered on the railing of her mobile home as she made her way to the mailbox. Behind her, pine trees brushed a pale sky.

"It's peace and quiet, and everything is just lovely."
SUMMERVILLE  Dorchester Paws is looking to hire for a new position: pet support services coordinator.

The pet support services coordinator would be responsible for helping people with their pets  mainly helping reconnect owners with animals that were brought to the shelter.

The position would include communicating with the public and providing support, such as helping redirect people to other places if they plan on surrendering a pet, or helping provide food or medical care.

Lanea Wilson, community support manager, said animals with collars or tags come into the shelter every day. Sometimes its easy to track down the owners of the pets, but Wilson said its often tricky because some pets dont have tags, and the microchips arent always updated with current information.

Before this position was created, the admissions desk was responsible for looking up owner information, and also received assistance from other staff members who would step up to help, said April Howard, director of shelter operations.

Howard said the new position will be pivotal to keeping up with the changes being made in the world of animal sheltering. Shes noticed more members of the community seeking assistance for basic care of their pet, and sometimes surrendering their pet when they dont know what else to do.

We hope this position not only helps keep pets out of the shelter, but provides the community some sense of relief and assistance, Howard said.

Wilson said it was often overwhelming for the admissions desk to be the ones responsible for finding the owners of pets who were brought in.

Dorchester Paws has been consistently operating over maximum capacity since the beginning of the summer but has been dealing with overcrowding issues since before then. As more animals keep being brought in its becoming more difficult to house them since there isnt any room, said Wilson.

We had 10 dogs come in in just one day, and we didnt have 10 kennels open, Wilson said.

Wilson said it will be helpful to have someone whose job is to dig deeper, investigate to find the owners of pets and go down every avenue to return the animals to their families.
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.
U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings may have had a cordial relationship with the FBI during his four decades in Washington, but one speech agitated longtime Director J. Edgar Hoover.

It was Oct. 19, 1970. Hollings had spoken to University of South Carolina law students. The next day, an FBI field agent reached out, officially, to inquire if Hollings was quoted accurately in the morning newspaper claiming the agency is "more interested in auto thieves than they are in real difficult crimes."

Hollings answered that his words were taken out of context in reply "to a few hippie-type" students.

The agent noted the about-face in his report.

"Senator Hollings offered his full support and cooperation to the Bureau and expressed the hope that this unfortunate incident will in no way mar his previous record on behalf of the Bureau," the agent typed.

Hoover, who had a penchant for scribbling notes on official documents, received the report and penned out a response: "Well handled by SAC Martin. Commend him. Hollings is just a 'political pop-off.'"

He signed the message "H."

The exchange is among stacks of letters, notes and memoranda assembled in 154 pages of Hollings' now-public FBI file provided to The Post and Courier, which sought release of the documents through a federal open records request.

Hollings, who grew up in Charleston, died April 6, 2019, at age 97, some 14 years after retiring from the Senate and a productive career in Washington as one of the body's dwindling cast of Southern Democrats.

Portions of the file, which took more than three years to be cleared by the bureau for public release, are redacted; some cover random threats of harm directed at the senator.

"This is Posse Comitatus, Senator Ernest Hollings of S. Carolina needs to kiss his ass goodbye," reads one entry quoting a man from Dallas in January 1990.

Another threat came from a North Charleston man who said he couldn't get the medical treatments he needed. He threatened Hollings out of desperation, to get someone's attention.

"I want you to do this for me or I am willing to take your life, mine is at stake, so is yours," the report reads.

There are mentions of press reports, letters on budgetary matters involving the bureau along with routine invitations or notes of congratulations on election victories or promotions.

There are also items concerning Hollings' testimony while governor of South Carolina against FBI activity in the state during the early civil rights period regarding church- and school-burning investigations and voter registration matters. Hollings evidently viewed the bureau's interest as federal overreach, as did other Southern state executives at the time.

Little is included about Hollings' run for president in 1984 outside of some monitoring of travel plans, or of any type of probe into criminal activity, further exposing the bureau's habit  at least under Hoover  of leaving no one immune from being watched.

Yale University historian Beverly Gage said the pages sound "pretty typical of a senator's file during Hoover's time."

Hoover largely wanted to keep good relations with politicians, especially ingratiating himself with those from the the South where he had a "love/hate relationship with Southern Democrats," said Gage, whose biography "G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century," will be released in November.

Hoover needed these lawmakers on his side to get behind his anti-communist crusade, she said, while at the same time many Southerners in office had taken a position to reject federal intervention in the South.

As to the seemingly benign subject matter of some of the items in the Hollings file, Gage said it's fair to say the idea of just having knowledge of an FBI file was enough for some to let imaginations run wild.

She doubted any member of the Senate from that time would be surprised to hear Hoover was monitoring them.

It's also clear that after Hoover's death, the information-gathering practice died down.

"Conventional wisdom was that the FBI should not be keeping these sort of political files," Gage said.

The released pages may not be every scintilla mentioning Hollings during his career. The agency does not release information of people on watch lists, those in security programs, those who are confidential informants or other aspects that could be deemed harmful.

What they do show is the FBI did have a paper trail on Hollings, just as it did on thousands of other U.S. politicians, celebrities, political figures and organizations. Alphabetically, Ernest Hollings' report now posted on the FBI's "Vault" webpage sits sandwiched between author Ernest Hemingway and dancer Gene Kelly.

David Rudd, Hollings' former chief of staff, said he never heard Hollings speak ill of the FBI, noting the senator held a key position overseeing a commerce and justice appropriations committee where the senator often dealt with the bureau's budget matters.

As to the feds having a file on him, Rudd said Hollings probably would have been bemused to hear there was one.

"He was not afraid of anything," Rudd said.

Early entries

Two weeks after he was elected to the Senate in November 1966, the FBI generated a biographical memorandum on "Senator-elect" Hollings.

It listed his background, his education (The Citadel, USC Law), and political career path, including his term as South Carolina governor from 1959-63.

There's also mention of the bureau conducting an applicant-type investigation on Hollings for the Atomic Energy Commission shortly after he was elected lieutenant governor in 1954 at age 36.

"No derogatory data was revealed," it said.

Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email

Sign Up!

The bureau's files "reflect that relationships with Hollings were excellent when he was Governor," the memo also states.

Yet the report also includes references to testimony Hollings previously gave to a Senate subcommittee on civil rights in April 1959 where he took the Department of Justice to task as federal efforts expanded to protect minority rights in the South during the post-1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court era.

It was not from original FBI data gathering, but only an inclusion of delivered remarks in the congressional record.

"The Attorney General should start enforcing the laws he now has at hand and quit trying to play politics with minorities and racial groups," one part of Hollings' testimony reads.

"As Governor, I intend to enforce the law in South Carolina. Without the Civil Rights Commission and without these so-called civil rights statutes, law enforcement will be an easy task," it continues.

Hollings wanted charges over embassy breach

During 1987, Hollings became repeatedly frustrated with security at the U.S. embassy in Moscow.

News reports of the time mention Hollings and other senators being horrified that new embassy construction had effectively turned the site into a giant Soviet listening post given that walls and beams were plastered with bugging devices put in by locally hired workmen.

Hollings brought up the embassy during a courtesy call that then-FBI Director William Sessions made to his Capitol Hill office.

"The major area of concern expressed by Senator Hollings was that the Department of State has no concept of security, and he wants to see vigorous investigation by the FBI into the security problems at the Moscow Embassy and elsewhere," the FBI's write up notes.

"He believes that if a regional security officer were indicted, it would certainly get the State Department's attention and lead to improved security."

Hollings was additionally concerned about the U.S. embassy in Bulgaria "but did not provide any further detail," the report said.

Praising Hoover after death

Hoover had long been a controversial figure. He lead the bureau for nearly 50 years through the 1920s and '30s gangster wars, into the communist hunts of the '40s and '50s, and then during the civil rights, counter-culture and anti-Vietnam War movements of the 1960s. Some lionized him as a dedicated crime-fighter, while others demonized him for trampling on liberties through heavy-handed tactics that targeted scores of political opponents.

Following Hoover's death on May 2, 1972, Hollings, who had worked on a Hoover's intelligence task force in 1954, entered a glowing homage in the Senate record titled "J. Edgar Hoover  A Great American."

"When the annals of these troubled times are written, the figure of J. Edgar Hoover will stand out clearly and boldly as a champion of law and integrity and public-spiritedness," Hollings wrote. "To the last he did his job  keenly, fairly, and honestly."

Days later, William Ruckelshaus, the FBI acting director who succeeded Hoover, sent a kindly note thanking Hollings for rebutting the "vicious attacks" against Hoover.

"I want you to know my associates and I are very appreciative of your gracious comments concerning Mr. Hoover and they join me in expressing deep thanks for your continued support," he noted.

Investigating abuse allegation

One redacted memo from June 1987 discusses Hollings' request that the bureau provide a report concerning "alleged FBI mistreatment of the family of (redacted), South Carolina." There is no clue in identifying who might be involved in the concern, though another entry mentions a home town as Columbia.

In its internal response, a FBI source acknowledges Hollings carries great weight as chairman of a subcommittee that includes the Department of Justice requests.

"Senator Hollings is a key figure in the Congressional approval process of FBI budgets," the note reads along with a recommendation the matter "be afforded special attention and that a response be prepared as soon as possible."

No additional reference is included to explain the outcome.

The 'Hooters' threat

There was a mild uproar in 1995 over whether the Hooters restaurant chain  best known for its waitresses dressed in skimpy, tight orange shorts and white tank-tops  should be forced to hire men in the same roles.

In response, the company supplied pre-printed cards for its patrons to write comments on. They were supposed to then mail them  pre-addressed  to Hollings "arguing that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is trying to force Hooters stores to hire men to be 'Hooters Girls' and that excessive government interference threatens the ability of these stores to remain in business."

The "All-American sex appeal (of the Hooters girls) is the reason for the chains' success," the card also read.

A card signed by a North Carolina man was traced to a Myrtle Beach Hooters. It read "Don't we have enough problems in this world today without this insanity! I have a gun and I know how to use it!" it said.

The card went from Hollings' office to the S.C. Law Enforcement Division and then to the FBI, which put its Charlotte branch on the case.

Interviews were done, but the case ended with an uneventful thud.

The man said he filled the card out as a joke "after a few beers," and that it was a waitress who pushed him to fill it out. She was the one who mailed it, he said.

"He assumed the card was going to Hooters home office and did not realize it was going to U.S. Senator Hollings," the agent concluded.
There are rumors that a military coup is taking place in China, with President Xi Jinping ousted and, in one account, under house arrest. At this point no one is sure what is going on, but this seems like a reasonable place to start:

Unsubstantiated speculation swirled Saturday morning that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been locked down in isolation amid a potential coup. Far East expert Gordon Chang said the rumor is likely untrue, but he noted there is something unusual going on in China and there is turbulence among the Chinese Communist Party leadership. The lack of news from #China over the last few hours suggests coup rumors are untrue, but whatever happened inside the #Chinese military during the last three days  evidently something unusual occurred  tells us there is turbulence inside the senior #CCP leadership, Chang tweeted Saturday morning.

***

This video of military vehicles moving to #Beijing comes immediately after the grounding of 59% of the flights in the country and the jailings of senior officials, Chang tweeted. Theres a lot of smoke, which means there is a fire somewhere inside the #CCP. #China is unstable.

Things have not been going well for China lately. Stay tuned.
We have written a number of times about the Feeding Our Future scandal, the worst to emerge from the federal governments feckless distribution of covid dollars. Briefly, Feeding Our Future (FOF) was a fraudulent nonprofit that accessed an astonishing $240 million in federal money, ostensibly to feed needy children in Minnesota. Under the supervision of Minnesotas Department of Education, FOF distributed that money to a network of Minnesota nonprofits who allegedly delivered the actual meals to children. But it turns out that the money mostly went to luxury purchases, fancy cars, overseas vacations, gold and jewels, new houses, and property in places like Kenya and Turkey. FOF kept a slice of the $240 million and added to it by charging kickbacks. The entire fraud has now unraveled in a series of 48 or more indictments announced last week by the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota.

Throughout, the public officials on whose watch this massive fraud occurred have relied mostly on a single defense: in 2021, the Department of Education, having become suspicious, tried to cut off funding to some of FOFs clients. But a state court judge rejected MDEs arguments and ordered the Department to resume funding what turned out to be one of the biggest frauds on record. That was the story.

Minnesotas lazy and ineffective Governor Tim Walz, whose administration oversaw the FOF fraud, has tried to shift blame to the judge who allegedly ordered the criminality to continue. (There are lots of problems with that argument, but let them go for the moment.) Walz told local press that he wanted the judge investigated:

I would hope there would be an investigation into that, Walz told reporters Thursday. I was speechless, unbelievable that this ruling could come down.

Which is not much of a defense, because it means that Walz knew about the fraud in 2021, but kept silent at a time when publicity surely would have brought FOF crashing down.

But that isnt the worst of it. Today, the judge in questionRamsey County District Court Judge John H. Guthmannhad had enough, and unloaded on Walz and other officials, like Attorney General Keith Ellison, who have tried to shift the blame to him. Judge Guthmann released an official statement through the Minnesota court system that I will quote at length because it is so important:

Due to inaccurate statements by the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, and the media regarding the investigation of Feeding Our Future (FOF) and resulting federal indictments, Ramsey County District Court Judge John H. Guthmann has authorized the issuance of this news release. Since the investigation of Feeding Our Future (FOF) by law enforcement became public in January 2022, numerous media outlets have reported on the investigation and the events leading to federal criminal indictments. Many of the reports commented on the civil lawsuit filed in Ramsey County District Court by FOF against the MN Department of Education in November 2020. The original lawsuit was based solely on claims that the Department of Education violated federal regulations and laws prohibiting race discrimination, by failing to act on FOFs applications for new food-distribution sites as part of its administration of the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. Judge Guthmann was initially assigned to the case. The lawsuit included a motion by FOF for an order to require the Department of Education to act on pending site applications. Before the court could rule, the parties reached an agreement in which the Department of Education agreed to handle these federally regulated site applications reasonably promptly. A consent order approving the settlement was issued on December 22, 2020. The Department of Education suspended payments to FOF based on a serious deficiencies letter it issued to FOF on March 30, 2021. As a result, FOF filed a motion asking Judge Guthmann to order the Department of Education to resume payments and to pay sanctions. Judge Guthmann never ordered the Department of Education to resume payments to FOF in April 2021, or at any other time.

I plead guilty here. Relying on a false news report in the Star Tribune, I have said in several radio interviews that a local state court judge ordered that payments to FOF continue. It is one more reminder that you cant trust Democratic Party newspapers on even the most basic questions of fact.

Thereafter, the Department of Education voluntarily resumed making payments to FOF. The Department of Education was not ordered by the court to do so. After the Department resumed voluntary payments, counsel for the Department of Education wrote the court asking that FOFs motion for sanctions based on non-payment be denied as moot because the Department voluntarily resumed payments. In a later court filing related to FOFs separate motion for sanctions based on the failure to approve or deny 144 applications for new food delivery sites, the Department of Education advised the court that FOFs serious deficiencies were resolved as of June 4, 2021.

So it was Tim Walzs minions who told the court that everything was A-OK with Feeding Our Future, and hundreds of millions continued to flow.

On February 26, 2022, the Star Tribune reported on a federal investigation of FOF. The article included the following false statement: In April 2021, Ramsey County District Judge John Guthmann told the department it didnt have the authority to stop payments and ordered the department to resume payments. Since February, that Star Tribune quote has been repeated or paraphrased on many occasions by many other media outlets. The same media sources reported that, in her April 4, 2022, testimony to the Minnesota Senate, the Commissioner of the Education stated that the MN Department of Education tried to stop payments to FOF, only to be ordered by Judge Guthmann to resume payments. That is false. Then, when federal indictments were announced this week, many new reports were published. On September 22, 2022, Governor Tim Walz told the media that the Minnesota Department of Education attempted to end payments to FOF because of possible fraud, but that Judge Guthmann ordered payments to continue in April 2021. That is also false.

You might think there are limits to the lies that desperate politicians will tell, or limits to the laziness (or, usually, complicity) of liberal reporters who repeat those lies. But in fact, if there are such limits, we havent yet found them.

The press release by Minnesotas Judicial Branch concludes:

As the public court record and Judge Guthmanns orders make plain, Judge Guthmann never issued an order requiring the MN Department of Education to resume food reimbursement payments to FOF. The Department of Education voluntarily resumed payments and informed the court that FOF resolved the serious deficiencies that prompted it to suspend payments temporarily. All of the MN Department of Education food reimbursement payments to FOF were made voluntarily, without any court order.

So responsibility for the biggest fraud relating to federal covid payments rests with Governor Tim Walz and his administration. The fraud is more than bad enough, but it is made far worse by Tim Walzs attempts to deflect blame to a judge who did not, in fact, order Walzs administration to do anything.

This dodging of responsibility is typical of the notoriously lazy Tim Walz. Minnesota has declined sadly during his four years as governor. Our economy is failing, our population is so stagnant that we barely held on to a Congressional seat in the last census, many of our most productive citizens are deserting Minnesota for more prosperous states, our serious crime rate, historically low, is now above the national average, we have become an international byword for riots and lawlessness, our state government is driving gasoline prices higher through ridiculous green mandates at a time when families are struggling to pay their bills, and so on. But Lazy Tim Walz takes responsibility for none of the disasters that have occurred on his watch. Instead, he lies in order to deflect them onto innocent parties.

Maybe the $240 million Feeding Our Future scandaland the knowledge that Walz lied about it to save his own skinwill be the impetus for voters to usher in a new administration that will sweep out the corruption of the old.
We got together for this weeks Three Whisky Happy Hour a day early because I was supposed to be traveling again, though another complete airline FUBARthe second in two weeksscratched the trip after all. On top of it all, I was all out of whisky and Lucretia was working from her no alcohol campus office, so this episode lacks a certain fluidity that comes from our favorite libations.

This week the gang revisits the taxonomy of which Star Wars characters map properly onto the domain of the New Rebel Alliance, aka, the national conservatives we discussed in some detail last week, chiefly because John and Steve knew it would annoy Lucretia, who declined to accept the open position as the Princess Leia of the NatCons.

But this was all just preface for her on-the-scene report of seeing Blake Masters in action on the campaign trail in Arizona this week. Her view is we dont need no stinkin labels, or Star Wars characters either! No wonder a faithful listenerone of our charter fourteen & a halfmemed the show this week.

From here we spend a considerable time discussing the latest front in lawfare, that is, politics by other means, looking at the latest legal action brought against Trump, but also how some liberal legal dogmas are turning around against the left, especially in civil rights. Will civil rights law turn out to be the Achilles Heel of campus diversity regimes? (Can we even say Achilles Heel on campus any more, or is that a macroaggression? One can hardly imagine Achilles committing a microaggression. . .) And did President Bidens declaration that the pandemic is over put a number of his policies in legal peril? The precedents here are the court rulings that held Trumps statements against him in several high profile cases such as the supposed Muslim ban and the proposed citizenship question for the 2020 Census.

Stay with us for an update on the continuing weirdness in the polls, with Steve offering some new theories on why they are likely less reliable than ever this cycle. And as always, we end with our Kamala-ism of the week, though Steve promises to roll out soon his new parlor game comparing Harris to Al Gore in an all new Vapid Veepstakes Competition.

So listen here, or jump into hyperspace over to our hosts at Ricochet.

I dunnoI kinda think this could work:
Maryam Abdulrahman, 40, was at her home in Sokoto, preparing to perform ablution for the Muslim prayers that Sunday evening of 20 October, 2019 when two strange men ran into the compound, one chasing the other. In horror, Mrs Abdulrahman tried to run into her room but realised that she could not move her legs. A bullet had penetrated her thigh.

The man chasing the other and who had fired the shot from a rifle was dressed in full military khaki. He is a member of the personnel of the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) attached to the 119 Composite Group in Sokoto.

A bullet also hit Suleiman Aliyu, the man chased into Mrs Abdulrahmans house. He would later notice that he had been hit when he noticed blood gushing from his leg after he got to a safe place.

Soon, the uniformed man who pulled the trigger gave up the pursuit of Mr Aliyu.

As Mrs Abdulrahman lay helplessly in the house, another person was being shot in the community. Abdulsalam Lawan, 20, had just left the mosque when he heard gunshots and noticed a commotion in his street. He joined everyone in scampering for safety. But he was unlucky. A bullet hit him in the back and exited through his stomach as he ran.

At least five other people sustained gunshot injuries in the incident.

The scamper to save a life

Lawan Tijani, Abdulsalams elder brother, was away in Kano when his phone rang. His wife was unusually quick on the phone: Abdulsalam has been shot, she told him.

In the dazed moment, Mr Tijani thought the best option was to reach his doctor friends in Sokoto to offer Abdulsalam urgent medical attention.

Many doctors converged on the trauma unit of the Sokoto Specialist Hospital that night, but they could not save Abdulsalam. The 20-year-old had lost so much blood. He died.

At the same hospital, Mrs Abdulrahman, who had been shot earlier, was on a stretcher struggling for her life. The doctors were preparing her for surgery to extract the bullets, but she died as they wheeled her into the theatre.

They first tested her blood type. One of the doctors said the blood available was frozen and it needed to melt before being transfused to her. I held her hands as the doctor searched for a vein to insert the syringe, Abdulwasiu Abdulrahman, her brother, told PREMIUM TIMES.

When we pushed the stretcher towards the theatre, the person at the theatre requested approval to open the theatre. I left one of her sons there to go call the doctor. By the time I arrived with the doctor, we found the boy crying. We looked at her and she was dead.

Tragic Seduction: Calm before the storm

The tragedy had begun innocuously when some young men tried to seduce a young woman at a tea spot, close to the popular Lukuwa mosque. It soon led to a mild argument between the men and the woman whose identity this reporter could not confirm.

Moments after she left, the woman returned with some Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel, including one said to be her lover. She identified those who allegedly tried to seduce her and they were asked to kneel and were hit with sticks until they obeyed. But some of the young men decided to fight back, some of them pelting the NAF men who were plain-clothed with stones. Overpowered, the air force men fled. But a truckload of them soon returned.

When a NAF Toyota Hilux truck filled with armed men stormed the tea spot, the young men there sensed danger. Many fled but others were trapped.

Suleiman Aliyu was one of those trapped. He was unaware of what had happened earlier, he told the soldiers. But the NAF personnel would not listen. They hurled him and others into the back of their Hilux truck.

As they launched after those who fled. Mr Aliyu saw an opportunity to escape. He sprinted into a house close by. But one NAF officer chased him until they both landed in Mrs Abdulrahmans home.

Justice will be served

A few days after the incident, the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, accompanied by some of his cabinet members, visited the families of the deceased to condole with them. A NAF delegation led by the Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command (AOC TAC), Charles Ohwo, an air vice marshal, also visited the families.

Mr Tambuwal also inaugurated a 10-member committee to investigate the incident. The then Chief of the Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, an air marshal at the time, also constituted a Board of Inquiry (BOI) led by Mr Ohwo to investigate the incident and bring the culprits to book.

Both the visiting NAF officers and the Sokoto State government assured the victims families that justice would be done in the matter. Governor Tambuwal also promised to fund the education of Mrs Abdulrahmans seven children from the basic to the tertiary level.

The committee concluded investigations in November 2019 and submitted its report to the Deputy Governor, Mannir Dan Iya. However, almost three years later, both the Sokoto State government and Nigeria Air Force have failed to make the committees report public.

When approached, two members of the committee set up by the Sokoto State government declined comments, referring this reporter to the government.

A member who did not want to be named because he was not competent to speak to journalists on the report, however, said except for the scholarship to the children of Mrs Abdulrahman, none of the recommendations in the report had been implemented.

He said the committee found both the residents and the NAF personnel that stormed the area culpable in the chain of tragic events.

When contacted, the spokesperson of Mr Dan Iya, Aminu Abdullahi, said the deputy governor had no knowledge of the contents of the report as he only received it on behalf of the governor, Mr Tambuwal.

The spokesperson of Mr Tambuwal, Muhammad Bello, promised to find out the details of the report and get back to the reporter. But two weeks later and after multiple reminders, he failed to respond, ignoring calls and text messages sent to him.

The NAF spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet, an air commodore, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was not aware of the case as it happened before he became the forces spokesperson. He, however, promised to get back to the reporter after making enquiries.

I am sure you are aware I took over last year. And Im not even aware of this alleged shooting that you are talking about, he said. I will have to do some research, ask questions and find out some things. I will call Air Vice Marshal Daramola (former Airforce spokesperson) to find out.

Attempt to cover up

The Nigerian Airforce appears to be trying to cover up the issue. Over 650 kilometres away from Sokoto, the then NAF spokesperson, Ibikunle Daramola, released a statement in Abuja presenting the incident in a totally strange light.

There has been an allegation of the unfortunate killing of two persons at Mabera area of Sokoto as a result of a fracas between NAF personnel and suspected Islamic Movement of Nigeria youths within the community, he wrote. However, details regarding the unfortunate incident, which also led to some NAF personnel sustaining serious injuries, are still sketchy, Mr Daramola said in the statement.

The NAF, aware of the prejudice against the minority Shiites in the community, attempted to leverage it to divert attention from the truth.

It partially worked at the time, as it was a time the Shiites frequently clashed with security agencies whenever they carried out street protests demanding the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Elzakzaky, who was then being detained against court orders.

But the IMN in Sokoto quickly denied the NAFs statement, saying that none of its members was involved in the fracas. The IMN leader in Sokoto, Sidi Maniru, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was unaware of the Nigerian Air Force withdrawing the false statement.

They only lied to protect themselves. We didnt wait for them to withdraw the statement because both residents of the area and the committee set up by the state government are witnesses. None of our members resides around that side where Malam Lukuwas mosque is located. All residents there are Salafis, Mr Maniru said in a telephone conversation.

Although NAF promised to investigate and prosecute the officials involved in the extrajudicial killings, it has not been done.

A human rights lawyer, Mansur Aliyu, wrote to the 119 Composite Group of the Nigerian Air Force in Sokoto and asked them to ensure that justice was served to the victims.

He also wrote to the Commissioner of Police to take over the investigation from the Nigerian Air Force but he never got a response.

We urge you, Sir, to order for a discreet investigation into the matter and do justice to our clients (Both Mrs Abdulrahman and Abdulsalam), he wrote in the letter, a copy of which was made available to this reporter.

Mr Aliyu, who facilitated meetings between the NAF officials and the victims, said the officials who took part in the attack were identified, but there have been no words regarding prosecution.

About six of them who operated (attacked) at the time were identified. But they (NAF) were trying to identify who fired the shots. I dont know whether, in the end, they succeeded in pointing. But from the evidence, they should because all those who testified described him as someone who was fat. I dont know if he was sanctioned, punished or anything.

One killing too many

Allegations of extra-judicial killings dog Nigerian security agencies. For reasons from law enforcement to vengeance and sheer display of power, security agents killed at least 13,241 Nigerians between 2011 and 2021, according to the Democracy Watch Report, a report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).

Nigerians believe that the lack of prosecution of offenders emboldens security agents to carry out even more brutal attacks against civilians.

For Ibrahim Adamu, a Sokoto-based civil rights activist, the refusal to make the activities of the committee public already established fears that the case would be covered up.

He said: In a situation whereby you make a finding and you do not make it known to the public  both the findings and also the recommendations. That (making it public) is the only way we can know whether you implement the recommendations or not. But we are in the picture and we know that nothing happened.

Justice is all we want  Victims families

The families of the victims told this reporter that they were given N1 million each by the state government. The Nigerian Air Force also donated a bag of rice to the family of Mrs Abdulrahman.

All these were done after we told a press conference that the promises made to us have not been fulfilled, said Mr Abdulwasiu.Since then, no one has reached out to us on anything regarding the incident.

The promises of the scholarship for the children have also been largely unfulfilled. He said the children are now being cared for by him and other family members.

At this point; all we are requesting from both the Sokoto State government and the federal government is justice. Justice should be done. The problem is, if you raise the issue, they will say you are after money from the government. And thats why I am careful about this.

We simply want justice. Fish out the people that committed the act and charge them to court for a ruling. Her children need to know that their mother got justice. That way, we would know there is justice in Nigeria.

When we went to their (NAF) office at the time, they showed us the NAF personnel who they claimed shot her. If he is innocent, he should be pronounced innocent. But if hes guilty, he should be tried and sentenced.

**Support for this report was provided by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID Africa) and it is made possible through funding support from The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR).
Ethiopian Airlines is the preferred bidder for Nigeria Air, the Nigerian government said Friday, as it prepares for the commencement of operations of Nigerias new national carrier.

Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said at a press briefing in Abuja that Nigeria Air will launch with a shuttle service between Abuja and Lagos to establish a new comfortable, reliable and affordable travel between the two major airports and that other domestic destinations will follow thereafter.

Ethiopian Airlines will own 49 per cent equity, the federal government will control five per cent equity, while a consortium of three Nigerian investors (MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund) will have 46 per cent.

After a careful, detailed and ICRC governed selection process, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium has been selected as preferred bidder, offering an owner consortium of 3 Nigerian investors MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (46%), FGN owning 5% and ET 49%, the statement quoted Mr Sirika as saying.

National Carrier Nigeria Air

Nigeria Air is the nations proposed national carrier which was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in England on July 18, 2018.

The project was suspended two months after it was announced after critics raised concerns over its relevance and sustainability. The proposed airline was expected to gulp $8.8 million preliminary cost and $300 million as takeoff cost.

Nigerias defunct carrier, Nigeria Airways, collapsed due to corruption and poor management.

But the Nigerian government dismissed all concerns raised, saying the airline would begin operation before the end of 2018, following President Muhammadu Buharis promise to establish a national airline during his 2015 electioneering campaign.

In July, the Federal Executive Council approved the leasing of three aircraft to enable the airline commence operations on a date to be announced soon by the government.

Many Nigerians are still suspicious of the plan to launch a national carrier, partly with public funds, at a time the government is struggling to fund other essential services.

Ongoing preparation

The minister said Nigeria Air is well on its way to being launched with three Boeing 737-800 in a configuration very suitable for the Nigerian market.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) under the PPP act, governed by ICRC, is completed, he added.

He said the consortium has been subject to a due diligence process, after which the contract will be negotiated between the consortium and the FGN, leading to a Full Business Case, which will be expected to be approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

We expect this process to take 6-8 weeks, the statement said.

It said an interim executive team of highly skilled aviation experts has been working since February to set up all the necessary regulatory and industry requirements to launch the national carrier.

All Executives have been approved by NCAA, the Air Transport License has been issued by NCAA, Nigeria Air (after having identified the first three aircraft) will now finalize all necessary Operation Manuals and then go through the inspection and approval process of NCAA, the statement said.

Seed capital

Mr Sirika explained that the money spent for the launch of Nigeria Air, for all the requirements to establish an AOC and be admitted to starting an airline operation, is well within the 5 per cent capital investment of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

This, he said, will be the overall needed to establish the National Carrier initially for the AOC approval and everything else required by stringent national aviation regulations, as prescribed in the FEC approved Outline Business Case (OBC).

This OBC is the milestone for the preferred Bidder Consortium and has been met by the submitted business plan of the preferred bidder, he said.

The Minister said It is the overall share capital of around $300 million provided by the preferred bidder that will launch Nigeria Air to its full size of 30 aircraft and international operation within the next two years.

No further FGN funding will be provided above the 5% share capital of the next national Carrier of Nigeria, which was provided to launch Nigeria Air, Mr Sirika said.

Bidding process

According to the statement, invitation to bid for the ownership of Nigeria Air under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria and overseen by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) was published in the Economist and in several local Nigerian papers on March 5, with a deadline for the Request for Proposal (RFP) set for May 10, but was later extended to June 10.

It said a data room for all the details of Nigeria Air, including the Outline Business Case (OBC) and the financial model, was established by the Transaction Advisor on March 15.

This data room is a reflection of how transparent the PPP process and the RFP procedure were handled, it said.

The statement noted that a bidders conference was held online on March 28, with over 100 participants and that over 60 parties requested access to the data room.

On June 10, it said the Ministry received on time one closed bid by the Ethiopian Airline Consortium.

Few others attempted to submit, but unfortunately could not meet the deadline. Since we did not collect the bids, we are not in a position to say who they are, the statement said.

The Aviation ministry said the evaluation team for the process comprised 11 experts from ICRC, FMFB & NP, FMA and that the TA met on July 20 and 21, and again on August 1.

It said, The Ethiopian Airline Consortium bid was formally opened in the presence of a representative of Ethiopian Airlines, checking that all envelopes were closed and sealed at that point, 11am on 20th July, starting with the Technical Bid.

The Financial Bid was opened, again under the observation of the Ethiopian representative, on July 21, the statement said.

It said all 10 forms, as required by the RFP, were evaluated by the team and that unanimously, the assessment team cleared the Technical Bid, which had a total score of 89 per cent out of 100.

In a further meeting on August 1, the statement said the team assessed the Financial Bid further and graded it with a score of 15 per cent out of 20.

The Ethiopian Airline Consortium got a combined score (Technical and Financial Bid) of 86.7%, it added.

The Minister said the Ethiopian Airline Consortium was declared the preferred bidder and that the evaluation team will proceed with the; Due diligence phase (completed for all consortium partners on 15 Sep. 2022); Contract negotiation between the preferred bidder and FGN; Development of the Full Business Case (FBC); Issuance of compliance certificate for the FBC by ICRC and Approval of FBC by FEC.

We aim to finish this PPP process by mid Nov. 2022, the minister added.
Four bodies have been recovered from the site where a building collapse d in Lagos, a rescue official has said.

The permanent secretary of the Lagos State Management Emergency Agency, Olufemi Osanyintolu-Oke, made this known in an update on Friday.

The incident occurred on Sonuga Street, Palm Avenue, in the Mushin area of Lagos State.

Four bodies recovered (2 males and 2 females) and they have been handed over to SEHMU unit for onward deposit to the mortuary, he said.

Operation ongoing. Updates to follow.

Background

So far, three persons have been rescued in the rubble after the structure crumbled.

Following the building collapse, the state government opened an investigation into the incident.

The investigation is expected to unravel the cause of the collapse.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Omotayo Bamgbose, has directed that the adjoining building be pulled down immediately to forestall further collapse and for safety reasons.

Recently, six bodies were recovered after a seven-storey building under construction collapsed.

Two weeks after the incident, the authorities are yet to identify and arrest the developer and others.

In Lagos, the news of buildings collapsing has become a usual occurrence.

In November, at least 44 people died when a high-rise building crumbled.

In May, eight bodies were recovered after a three-storey building collapsed in Ebute-Metta.

Another building in the Ago Palace Way area of Lagos State collapsed on May 7.

In August, there was another building collapse leading to the death of two children.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has named President Muhammadu Buhari as the chairman of its presidential campaign council.

The presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu, and the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, were named as the deputy chairmen of the council while the vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, will serve as vice chairman.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State will serve as the director general of the campaign council and will be assisted by former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

However, the name of the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, was missing on the list released by the secretary of the council, James Faleke, on Wednesday.

The 422-member council will be inaugurated on Monday in Abuja.
Nigerias ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has drafted some of its presidential aspirants into the presidential campaign council for the 2023 election.

The 422-member Council was released on Wednesday by its secretary, James Faleke, a federal lawmaker.

The party held its special convention between 7 and 8 June, during which former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, was elected as the partys presidential candidate.

Mr Tinubu, who got 1, 271 votes to emerge winner, defeated 13 other aspirants while seven others withdrew for him.

No fewer than 12 of the aspirants were appointed into various positions in the council

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who came fourth in the primary, is the senior adviser on strategic planning to the campaign council.

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who was the runner up, will serve in the council as the adviser on infrastructure.

Mr Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, who came second at the convention with 316 votes, has been credited with some of the milestones achieved in the railway sector under his watch.

However, his political stance in the party has become subject of speculations considering the attempt by Mr Tinubu to court Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

READ ALSO:

Messrs Amaechi and Wike have been in a supremacy battle for the control of Rivers State for about three election cycles.

The only female aspirant, Uju Ohaneye, was appointed as the vice chairperson for the South-east geopolitical zone.

Ms Ohaneye dropped for Mr Tinubu at the convention and directed her supporters to back the former Lagos governor.

Nicholas Felix, the youngest aspirant, is to serve as the deputy national youth coordinator.

Mr Felix was the only aspirant that stepped down for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the convention.

He spoke against a Tinubus candidacy, noting that it would lead to a possible Muslim/Muslim ticket.

In the aftermath of the convention, he complained that Mr Tinubu did not visit him as he had done to others.

Last month, Mr Felix attempted to convene a meeting of the aspirants but all the aspirants shunned the meeting.

A former Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, was named the vice chairman South-south, while Governor David Umahi is the regional coordinator (South) and Ebonyi State coordinator.

Governor Ben Ayade will serve as zonal coordinator South-south and state coordinator for Cross River.

Governor Yahaya Bello, another aspirant, will serve as National Youth Coordinator and Kogi State coordinator.

Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, another aspirant, will coordinate Jigawa State and the entire north.

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State is going to serve as adviser on foreign affairs and coordinator of Ekiti State.

Another aspirant that dropped for Mr Tinubu, Ibikunle Amosun, a senator and former governor of Ogun State, will serve as adviser on contacts and mobilisation.

Tein Jack-Rich, who got zero vote at primary election, will head the directorate for campaign fundraising. Mr Tinubu visited him in after the primary.

Ajayi Borroffice, a senator from Ondo State, is part of the local government directorate.
Some Northern Christian members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who openly opposed the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the party have been excluded from its presidential campaign council.

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and the senator representing Adamawa North, Elisha Abbo, were not on the list of party members that would organise the campaign of its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, for the 2023 election.

The list was released Friday night by the councils secretary, James Faleke, a federal lawmaker.

The council, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, comprises 422 members who will serve in different categories.

It will be inaugurated on Monday in Abuja.

Messrs Lawal, Dogara and Abbo had backed Mr Tinubu in the early period of his presidential bid but parted ways with him after he opted for Kashim Shettima, a Muslim from the North-east and former Borno State governor, as his running mate.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also opposed the same faith ticket.

Earlier in the week, Mr Dogara, during a Christian summit, condemned Mr Tinubu for picking a Muslim as a running mate, stating that Christians must reject the ticket by ensuring its defeat.

Equally, on Thursday, Mr Lawal also spoke against the ticket during an interview on Arise TV, he stated that there is an ongoing coalition to defeat Mr Tinubu and ensure no one dares field a same faith ticket again.

Aregbesola in

Surprisingly, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola made the list.

Mr Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State and known political ally of Mr Tinubu, recently had a frosty relationship with the APC presidential candidate over the last Osun State governorship election.

The minister had opposed the second-term ambition of his successor, Gboyega Oyetola, a relation of Mr Tinubu.

In the course of the tussle, Mr Aregbesola had in a viral video made some unsavoury remarks against Mr Tinubu, whom he served under as works commissioner from 1999 to 2007 when he (Tinubu) was Lagos governor.

He had accused Mr Tinubu of not trying to solve the formers feud with Mr Oyetola.

We exalted him (Tinubu) beyond his status and he turned himself to a god over us and we had sworn to ridicule anyone who compared himself to God, Mr Aregbesola had said during a meeting of the faction of APC he leads.

Some loyalists of Mr Aregbesola reportedly defected to other parties and were believed to have worked against the APC during the governorship election.

Mr Oyetola was defeated by the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke, in the election.

It is unclear if Messrs Tinubu and Aregbesola have resolved their differences.
Residents of Ruwan Jema, a community in Bukkuyum area of Zamfara State said terrorists attacked a Jumat mosque on Friday and killed 18 people.

Multiple local sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack began a few minutes after 1 p.m. and lasted for over an hour.

PREMIUM TIMES learned the attack was suspected to have been carried by terrorists from either the Dogo Gudale gang or Shadari gang, which are based in the nearby Gando forest.

An indigene of Bukkuyum town, Abdullahi Salisu, told this newspaper that the terorrists arrived the mosques in motorcycles just as Jumat prayer was about to start and started shooting at the worshippers indiscriminately.

When the bandits came on their motorcycles, they rode straight to the mosque. When the worshippers, who were already inside the mosque learnt of their arrival, they started running outside but it was too late as the bandits opened fire on the worshippers, he said

Mr Salisu, who was in Bukkuyum town Saturday afternoon, said Ruwan Jema has been deserted.

Those who hid inside their houses and silos later recovered eight dead bodies inside the mosque while ten other corpses were recovered outside the mosque. As of Friday night, 18 dead bodies were counted.

He added that several residents fled into the bush but were later seen in other communities while others trekked to Bukkuyum, the local government area headquarters.

A traditional ruler, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said several residents are receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Bukkuyum.

He said four people who sustained serious injuries were taken to the Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto.

There are more than ten victims with gunshots injuries in Bukkuyum General Hospital . This morning, the medical officer asked that four people should be taken to Sokoto for urgent medical attention. I was there when they left. They sustained serious gunshots and we hope they survive it, the traditional ruler added.

Another resident of Bukkuyum, Abubakar Usman, said the dead bodies had not been buried as of Saturday when PREMIUM TIMES called.

Even those who started gathering the corpses abruptly fled for their lives in the evening when there was a rumour that the bandits were returning. Thats why I told you the figure could be more than 18 because who know how many were killed when even those who started the counting abandoned the dead bodies and run for their lives? he said

He added that he heard that the policemen and soldiers stationed in the area were getting reinforcement to go to the community so that the dead bodies could be buried.

The police spokesperson in the state, Mohammed Shehu, did not reply an SMS sent to him for comments.

Zamfara State, considered the epicentre of terrorism in the North-west, has been witnessing renewed terror, and areas like Bukkuyum and Gummi are among the worse hit since January.
The cost of Africas annual food imports could go from US$50billion to US$110 billion by 2030 if urgent actions to increase food production are not implemented, food experts have said.

Launching the 2022 Africa Agriculture Status Report at the Africa Green Revolution Forum summit in Rwanda last week (6-9 September), experts urged governments, the private sector and development partners to work together to accelerate transformation of agrifood systems which they said were out of step with goals to eliminate hunger and poverty by 2030.

According to the report, Africa needs about US$40  US$70 billion investment from the public sector and another US$80 billion from the private sector annually to sustain food production on the continent.

There is good consensus on where Africa should go to meet food security targets, said Edward Mabaya, a research professor at the US-based Cornell University and a technical editor of the report.

We need accountability from players to unlock the potential of agriculture in Africa.

There is a lot happening to improve agricultural productivity in Africa. However, this is not happening fast enough to meet agrifood system transformation needed on the continent.

According to the report, published by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), African governments need to invest in generating data and evidence to inform their response to the external shocks affecting food production in Africa.

The report adds that the success of the continents food systems transformation efforts is anchored in effective coordination, accountability and financing, designed at a local level.

It explains that rapid population growth is fueling the demand for food.

Between 2017 and 2050, the populations of 26 African countries are predicted to at least double in size, while the rural population of Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to rise by 53 per cent.

Africa faces a dilemma: if it is not able to raise yields sufficiently to satisfy this burgeoning demand from existing farmland, it will need to convert much of its remaining forests and natural grasslands into farmland  and/or become much more dependent on the global market for its food supplies, says the report.

AGRA president Agnes Kalibata said that African food production was increasing, citing the example of maize in southern Africa. But she said the challenge was transporting food to where it is needed.

The food crisis happening is majorly because of the discrepancies in our food systems, said Kalibata.

She believes that the continent has the capacity to produce sufficient food but that this is being underutilised. Wheat production at two to five tonnes per hectare instead of four to seven tonnes per hectare in most African countries means food demands are going unmet, she said.

She urged African countries to ensure regional and continental trade to enhance access to markets, a factor she said accelerates production along with access to farm inputs.

We need accountability from players to unlock the potential of agriculture in Africa, Mabaya told SciDev.Net, adding that African governments should be held to account for commitments such as allocating ten per cent of national budgetary resources to agriculture, as envisaged in the Malabo Declaration.

Malabo Declaration is a commitment made by African heads of state in 2014 to provide effective leadership for specific goals by the year 2025, including ending hunger, tripling intra-African trade in agricultural goods and services, and enhancing the resilience of livelihoods and production systems.

He advocated increased support to smallholder farmers in Africa to access high quality seeds and fertilisers, saying that less than 30 per cent are using improved seeds.

Gerardine Mukeshmana, Rwandas minister for agriculture and animal resources, said: Africa remains poor because we dont invest in the right sectors, [including] education and agriculture.

She called for better transport infrastructure and food storage facilities to enhance access to markets and reduce post-harvest losses.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk. We have permission to republish.
Nigerias Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika has said the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) is not part of the private equity ownership of the Nigeria Air project as the government initially claimed on Friday.

In a statement issued by a Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to the minister, James Odaudu, on Saturday, Mr Sirika said the NSIA is not in any way involved in the Nigeria carrier bidding process.

We wish to clarify that the Authority (NSIA) is not involved, in any way, as part of the private equity ownership of the airline, being a government establishment, the statement partly read.

This is contrary to the brief issued by Mr Odaudu on Friday, which stated that the Ethiopian Airlines is the core investors in Nigeria Air with 49 per cent shareholding and that the NSIA is among the three Nigerian investors with 46 per cent equity.

After a careful, detailed and ICRC governed selection process, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium has been selected as preferred bidder, offering an owner consortium of 3 Nigerian investors MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (46%), FGN owning 5% and ET 49%, the statement quoted Mr Sirika as saying.

The U-turn

However, in less than 24 hours after the aviation minister announced the preferred bidders and investors of the Nigeria carrier, Nigeria Air, Mr Sirika described the NSIA inclusion as an error.

It should be noted that the NSIA was not mentioned in the Honourable Ministers presentation, but only in the general brief given to the media, an error made during its preparation, the statement noted.

It said, For the avoidance of doubt, the equity ownership structure of Nigeria Air stands as : Ethiopian Airlines 49%, Nigerian private investors (SAHCO, MRS and other institutional investors) 46% and the Federal Government 5%.

The public, especially the business community and the media should please take note, the statement said.

National Carrier Nigeria Air

Nigeria Air is the nations proposed national carrier which was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in England on July 18, 2018.

The project was suspended two months after it was announced after critics raised concerns over its relevance and sustainability. The proposed airline was expected to gulp $8.8 million preliminary cost and $300 million as takeoff cost.

Nigerias defunct carrier, Nigeria Airways, collapsed due to corruption and poor management.

But the Nigerian government dismissed all concerns raised, saying the airline would begin operation before the end of 2018, following President Muhammadu Buharis promise to establish a national airline during his 2015 electioneering campaign.

In July, the Federal Executive Council approved the leasing of three aircraft to enable the airline commence operations on a date to be announced soon by the government.

Many Nigerians are still suspicious of the plan to launch a national carrier, partly with public funds, at a time the government is struggling to fund other essential services.
The apex Igbo scio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has said the Igbo tradition of presenting kola nut to guests is a sign of hospitality in the area.

The group stated this in a communique issued at the end of a one-day seminar by the Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Nsukka Local Government Area, Damian Opata, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

It explained that the Igboland attaches some sacredness to the fruit, commonly called oji.

The group stated that the seminar was organised for traditional rulers, president-generals of town unions, scholars and other community stakeholders.

The communique reads: Kola nut remains a symbol of hospitality, which is why the first thing offered to a guest as a sign of welcome by the host in Igboland is kola nut.

In Nsukka area, the kola nut is first broken into lobes before prayers are said to ascertain that it had no bacterial infection, group said.

Mr Opata, a professor, said, It is believed that any kola nut presented must be wholesome.

READ ALSO:

According to him, infected kola nuts are usually thrown away since it is believed that Ezechitoke (God) and our ancestors will not accept it.

Any person assigned to break kola nut among the Nsukka people does it and gives a lobe to the oldest person in the area for prayer.

Kola nut and Ofo (traditional symbol of authority) constitute the two most important ritual symbols in Igboland, he stated.

Mr Opata, a retired lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said the seminar was organised to emphasise the importance of the kola nut-breaking ceremony.

This seminar is anchored on the need to explore the various practices associated with breaking of kola nuts and preserving them for posterity.

In this age of modernity where many young persons have become alienated from their culture, youths should be taught how to break kola nuts in Igboland.

The sacred fruit is an object of ritual and communing with God and our ancestors, he said.

The group expressed appreciation to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and the Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Walter Ozioko, for their continued support for the Ohaneze Ndigbo.

It stated that the duo had shown passion in promoting the Igbo cultures and traditions.

(NAN)
The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) says the gas leak at its facility in Bayelsa State has been brought under control.

This is contained in a statement by a spokesperson of the company, Domenica Spina, on Friday

The company stated that the line had been depressurised and was currently being repaired.

Agip said it was regrettable that the impact of the incident on gas output was significant.

Eni confirms that a third partys interference hacksaw cut caused a gas leak at the Ogbainbiri-OB/OB gas pipeline, the company said.

Speaking on the development, the Director-General, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Idris Musa, said the agency would lead an investigation into the incident.

READ ALSO:

We got the report of the incident in the early hours of Tuesday. We shall ensure a thorough investigation as soon as it is safe to do so.

Our investigation will be transparent. We shall also make our findings public in due course, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that a production data obtained from Agip shows that the leak may cut its gas export by five million standard cubic meters per day.

NAN further reported that the gas pipeline suffered vandalism three times in April 2022.

(NAN)
Some popular Nollywood stars have been appointed into the All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential Campaign Council.

The actors and actresses were listed as members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the ruling party released by the councils secretary, James Faleke, on Friday night.

They were nominated under the Performing and Creative Art Directorate with Zack Orji as the director.

Jide Kosoko is the secretary of the directorate and Saheed Balogun is the assistant spokesperson of the directorate.

Others on the list are Gentle Jack, Benedict Johnson, Funke Daramola, Remi Oshodi, Nuhu Abdulahi, Eberechuckwu Eberechi, Hafsat Saheed, Isa Rabiu, Taiwo Hassan, and others.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that APC released a 422-man list for the prosecution of the campaign and election in February 2023.

The campaign is set to commence on September 28 according to the timetable and schedule of activities set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Criticism for supporting Mr Tinubu

Some of these Nollywood personalities supporting the APC presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Bola Tinubu, have come under heavy criticism on social media of late.

In November 2021, Nollywood actor John Okafor (Mr Ibu), alongside his colleagues like Foluke Daramola, Harry Anyanwu, and Benedict Johnson, visited Mr Tinubu and drummed support for his presidential bid.

READ ALSO:

The visit generated backlash on social media, prompting the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Emeka Rollas, to dissociate the guild from the Nollywood actors visit to Mr Tinubu.

Amidst the criticism, some of them released videos under the theme; My Asiwaju Story.

In the short video clips, some of them narrated reasons for backing the former Lagos State Governor.
Prominent Nigerian and American gospel artists including Nathaniel Bassey, Dunsin Oyekan, Panam Paul, Bob Fitts, Moses Bliss, Victoria Orenze, among others, are billed to raise fund in support of indigent children, orphans and children with special needs in the country.

These popular acts will be taking part in the fifth edition of the Green Worship concert organised by a not-for-profit organisation in Nigeria, Worship4Change.

The concert, which is scheduled to hold on 3 October in Lagos, is expected to kick off a month-long fundraising campaign to continue its support for charity groups in the business of child support projects.

The organisation said it once raised and disbursed more than N75 million to 34 charity institutions, and that it hopes to raise another N75 million for indigent children with special needs.

The concerts Convener and the NGOs Chief Responsibility Officer, Wale Adenuga, announced the development at a pre-concert forum in Lagos.

He said the event is open to interested individuals and corporate organisations.

In addition to taking donations at this years benefit concert, we are making October a month of giving and our hope is that this campaign will enable us to raise robust support for the children we seek to help, he said.

He also called on corporate organisations, individuals and kind-spirited Nigerians to support the cause by attending the concerts and donating generously towards meeting the objectives, adding that we plan to surpass what we raised last year by raising N75 million. This amount will go a long way in meeting the needs of the five selected beneficiaries for the Green Worship 5.

The concert

Speaking further, Mr Adenuga disclosed that this years Concert Benefit will have in attendance leading gospel acts from Nigeria and the United States of America.

Other artists billed for the five-hour long concerts are Gaise Baba, Sinmidele, Psalmos, Mairo Ese, Folake Umosen, King James, Chigozie Wisdom and Laolu Gbenjo, he said.

READ ALSO:

He named the beneficiaries of this years benefit concert to include A.I.M. Special Children Centre, Kaduna, Puresouls Learning Foundation, RECDOT Foundation, the Leprosy Mission Nigeria, and Let Cerebral Palsy Kids Learn Foundation.

In 2021, Leprosy Mission, Farid Centre, Godswill Orphanage and Irede Foundation were beneficiaries of Green Worship concert, receiving N1.8 million each, he noted.

Two of the beneficiaries who were in attendance at the press conference praised the efforts of Worship for Change, noting that its intervention remains the biggest of such support they have received over the years.

Beneficiaries speak

The founder of Puresouls Learning Foundation, Dotun Akande, whose foundation engages and supports indigent children living with autism, took time to appreciate the efforts of Worship4Change, and called for media support through enlightenment and highlighting the challenges faced by children with special needs.

Also, the founder of Let Cerebral Palsy Kids Learn Foundation, Tobiloba Ajayi, who lives with Cerebral Palsy (CP), noted that with the support of Worship4Change, her foundation which has engaged with over 500 families with CP children will be able to make more impacts.

We have been able to get over a hundred children living with CP mainstream into schools and we have also trained teachers and had their capacity to engage with these special children enhanced. We are convinced that with the support of Worship4Change, we will reach more homes, touch more lives and bring smiles to the faces of hundreds of indigent children living with CP, Ms Ajayi said.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, in Delta State, Godfrey Enita, on Thursday expressed concern over the extent of damage wrought by flood on a rice farm in the state.

The commissioner spoke with reporters after inspecting a 100 hectare rice farm taken over by flood at the Benin-Owena River Basin Authority in Ngegwu, Ajaji  Illah, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.

According to Mr Enita, the damage to the rice farm is huge.

In fact, when the report got to me, I did not know that it was of this magnitude.

When I first saw the video, most part of the farm was above the water but as you can see, more than 70 per cent of the entire rice farm land is under water.

That tells you how massive the loss is. But I must commend the farmer, he is a dogged person because of his commitment.

These are people the government should encourage, particularly for someone who had invested much and only to experience this huge loss due to flooding, he said.

Mr Enita said the state government would liaise with the appropriate authorities to give the farmer the necessary support to remain in business.

He said the magnitude of damage was enough to discourage the farmer, if nothing was done to keep him afloat.

The commissioner said how to ensure food security would remain a national discussion.

He said the issues of flooding should occupy the centre stage, if the nation must sustain the policy on food security.

We are aware that dams will be opened and flooding will come but why something tangible has not been done to stem it over the years is what we cannot understand.

The commissioner said there was nothing much the state government could do to stop the flooding.

But we will continue to support our farmers in all ways possible to give them hope and encourage them to stay in their businesses, Mr Enita said.

We didnt envisage this

On his part, the Managing Director, Merrybell Rice Farm, Felix Okonti, who lost 50 hectares (about 250 metric tonnes of rice) farm to the flood, said that his total loss was about N72 million.

According to Mr Okonti, the total hectare under the river basin land development is 100 hectares which was leased to the Delta State Government Ministry of Agriculture Assisted Rice production.

Out of this, I own 50 hectares, and because we are mindful that there will be flood, we first planed planting 44, but due to delay in inputs, we opted for flood resistant variety, called Buga rice variety from Jos which we planted in this field.

We did not envisage that the height of flood will be this high, normally, this variety is supposed to withstand the flood but this is not the situation.

As you can see, it has covered all the plants and going by the average of five to seven tonnes of rice per hectare, the gravity of loss is colossal.

It takes about 120 days (three months) for this variety to mature, and these have reached 72 days when the flood came and as you can see, there is nothing to salvage from the farm.

Mr Okonti, who encouraged himself said that despite the loss he would venture into dry season rice farming from November.

According to him, the farm is insured and give the current market price, the total loss is put at about N72 million.

He, however, advised the federal government, as the manager of river basins and inland waterways, to construct the needed dams along the River Niger/Benue Basin to absorb the waters that cause havoc along the states in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the commissioner in company of the Permanent Secretary, Ben Agamah, and Mr Okonti, among others, paddled on a canoe through the flooded rice farm to check the extent of damage.

(NAN)
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Osun has denied a claim that it had endorsed the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Bola Tinubu.

The caretaker chairperson of the party in the state, Abdussalam Abdullateef, who made the rebuttal at a news conference on Saturday in Osogbo, urged Nigerians to disregard the claim.

Mr Abdullateef said the four members of the party, who purportedly endorsed the APC presidential candidate, are on their own.

According to him, the only presidential candidate known to the NNPP is Rabiu Kwankwaso, who has all it takes to give our dear country a new lease of life come May 29, 2023, and beyond.

We in the Osun NNPP want to reaffirm our support for His Excellency, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the Presidential Candidate of NNPP.

He is the most qualified of all the presidential candidates in Nigeria, in terms of education, work experience, political maturity and closeness to the grassroots, he said.

Mr Abdullateef stated that some past leaders of NNPP in the state were in the habit of using the party to trade for personal interest, which he said led to the change of leadership of the party.

It may interest the world to know that the leadership of NNPP at the National level has decided to put a stop to this betrayal habit, resulting in the change of the State leadership in Osun State.

The after effect of the change was the show of shame by four candidates of the party, who purportedly endorsed another presidential candidate as witnessed.

If candidates of a political party endorse the presidential candidate of another party while still holding on to the mandates of NNPP, their action did not come to us as a surprise.

Once again, we outrightly dissociate Osun NNPP from people of unstable credentials and anti-party characters.

As for the genuine members of the party in the state, we further affirm that all candidates of NNPP in Osun State are working towards success at the 2023 polls, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four candidates of NNPP in the state in the 2023 elections had on Wednesday declared support for the presidential candidate of APC. (NAN)
The police in Ogun have arrested an 84-year-old man, Stephen Jack, for allegedly having unlawful carnal knowledge of an eight-year-old girl.

Police spokesman in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, stated in Abeokuta on Saturday that the suspect resides at Okun Owa area of Ijebu-Ode and was a well-known paedophile.

He added that Jacks latest escapade was reported to the police by the father of the victim who noticed that his daughter was bleeding from her private region.

Mr Oyeyemi stated that upon interrogation, the victim told her father that Jack assaulted her sexually.

ALSO READ: Police arrest two for allegedly raping woman in Lagos

He added that the victim had been taken to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode for treatment.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Lanre Bankole, also directed that Jack be taken to the Criminal Investigation Departments for further investigation and possible prosecution. (NAN)
The police in Lagos have seized a large cache of ammunition in two commercial buses and arrested three persons found with the consignment.

The police spokesperson in the state, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the seizure and arrest in a statement he issued on Saturday.

Mr Hundeyin stated that police operatives from Ikorodu Division who intercepted the ammunition also discovered three dismantled motorcycles and some personal effects in the two buses.

He said the interception was done at Poromope Estate, Ijede Road in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects, Tukur Abdullah, aged 35, Muazu Telim, aged 50 and Dahiru Idris, aged 36, were on their way to Katsina State with the ammunition.

The suspects, the exhibits and the vehicles have been transferred to the Lagos State Command Headquarters, Ikeja for further investigations, Mr Hundeyin stated. (NAN)
The African Union (AU) has reiterated its demand for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council.

It is time to overcome the reluctance and deconstruct the narratives that persist in confining Africa to the margins of decision-making circles, AU chairman Macky Sall said on Wednesday at the United Nations General Assembly.

He said it is time to do justice to Africas just and legitimate demand for Security Council reform, as reflected in the Ezulwini Consensus.

The Ezulwini Consensus is a position on international relations and reform of the United Nations, agreed by the African Union. It calls for a more representative and democratic Security Council, in which Africa, like all other world regions, is represented.

The UN Security Council has only five permanent members: China, Russia, UK, US, and France.

According to the AU chairman, it is time for a fairer, more inclusive global governance, that is more adapted to the realities of our time.

He also said Africa should be granted a seat in the G20, so that it can finally be represented where decisions that affect 1.4 billion Africans are being taken.

Mr Sall, the President of Senegal, also called for the lifting of foreign sanctions on Zimbabwe.

He described them as harsh measures that continue to fuel a sense of injustice against an entire people, and to aggravate their suffering in these times of deep crisis.

READ ALSO:

According to the US, the sanction is targeted at Zimbabwean individuals and entities responsible for committing human rights abuses, undermining democratic processes, or facilitating corruption.

On climate change, Mr Sall said, it is legitimate, fair and equitable that Africa, the continent that pollutes the least and lags furthest behind in the industrialisation process, should exploit its available resources to provide basic energy, improve the competitiveness of its economy and achieve universal access to electricity.

He encouraged countries to work towards mobilising the $100 billion per year to support developing countries adaptation efforts and to finance the African Adaptation Acceleration Program under the auspices of the AfDB and the Global Centre for Adaptation.

He said Africa does not see adaptation funding as aid, but as a contribution by industrialised countries to a global partnership of solidarity, in return for efforts by developing countries to avoid the polluting patterns that have plunged the planet into the current climate emergency.

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.
Air traffic controllers in some African countries have suspended their strike more than 24 hours after the industrial action commenced and grounded air travel.

The Union of Traffic Controllers Unions said it decided to suspend the strike for 10 days to give room for negotiations. The union had earlier vowed to keep up with the strike until its demands were met, saying its members would stop serving all but critical aircraft.

Air traffic services will be provided in all air spaces and airports managed by ASECNA from today Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 1200 GMT, USYCAA said in a statement on Saturday. The controllers work under the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA).

Employees at ASECNA, which oversees air traffic control in 18 countries, stopped work on Friday over issues having to do with working hours and compensation. ASECNA said they had defied a court order and government restrictions to do so.

According to ASECNA, a Senegalese court on Thursday postponed the demand for a strike by air traffic controllers in Senegal and the Ivory Coast.

The strike disrupted flight schedules across the West and Central African regions, leaving hundreds of passengers travelling to Europe, the United States and within the continent stranded at airports till Saturday.

ALSO READ: Nigeria Air begins recruitment ahead of launch

Air Senegal had grounded numerous aircraft. It was not immediately clear how the strike affected air travel from Nigeria with a spokesperson for Air Peace, which flies international routes from the country, telling PREMIUM TIMES the strike had been suspended, without further details.

A spokesperson for the striking Senegalese air traffic controllers, Paul Francois Gomis, claimed that several union members had been detained for taking part in the strike in Cameroon, the Congo, and the Comoros.

The USYCAA has initiated a wildcat strike notwithstanding the prohibition of the strike by all courts, ASECNA said on Friday. The chief of human resources at ASECNA, Ceubah Guelpina, was quoted by Reuters as saying, We have previously used all administrative and institutional remedies in the management of this crisis, but we still have trade unionists in front of us who are obstinate in doing whatever they want.

Airlines and passengers reported that flights within Africa were also disrupted, while customers were advised by ASECNA to monitor airline websites for updates.
WildAid, an environmental NGO, says that Nigerias surviving Cross River Gorillas are threatened by extinction.

This is contained in a statement by Kelechukwu Iruoma, Nigerias WildAid Representative, on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 24 September is World Gorilla Day.

It is an annual event celebrating gorillas and empowering global communities to take action for gorilla conservation.

WildAid said that the Cross River Gorilla, which lives in the mountainous border area of Nigeria and Cameroon, is Africas most threatened ape, with a population estimated at fewer than 300 individuals.

It said that around 100 live in Nigeria and are found only in three protected areas across the Cross River state: Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Mbe Mountains, and the Okwangwo division of Cross River National Park.

In the last two decades, illegal activities such as bushmeat hunting, logging, expansion of settlements, and agricultural encroachment have continued to destroy their habitats and threaten the survival of the rare Cross River gorilla.

Snares intended for other animals as bush meat often trap Cross River Gorillas, injuring or killing the great apes, WildAid said.

The statement quoted Simon Denyer, Africa Programme Manager for WildAid, as saying that Humans have pushed Cross River Gorillas to the brink of extinction.

The few who remain are scattered in small groups in rugged terrain, and any deaths or further habitat loss would threaten their very survival.

It is critically important to protect their remaining sanctuary and protect this important part of Nigeria and Cameroons natural heritage, Denyer added.

WildAid said that the Cross River Gorilla has been listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as Critically Endangered.

The global population of gorillas stands at around 1,063, found in countries such as Nigeria, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda, which is home to over 50 per cent of the Gorillas global population.

Gorillas provide an important draw for Ugandas tourism industry, which contributed 7.75 per cent of its GDP and 6.7 per cent of total national employment in 2018, according to research by the African Nature Based Tourism Platform.

While Uganda makes millions of dollars annually in gorilla tourism and therefore garners more conservation efforts, Nigerias gorillas face extremely serious threats, the statement said.

The environmental NGO said that It was not too late to save Nigerias remaining 100 Cross River Gorillas.

It added that everyone need to act now to protect them.

Individuals and communities need to be enlightened and sensitized on the need to protect our gorillas.

We urge the Nigerian Government to also update its wildlife laws to combat the threats facing our iconic gorillas.

WildAid is also calling on all Nigerians to say No to Illegal Bush meat as a way to ease some of those pressures on Gorillas and other important species who are trapped and killed in snares set for bush meat, WildAid said.
The Federal Government has announced the arrest of 210 suspects in its efforts to combat crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave the figure on Friday in Port-Harcourt after undertaking an aerial assessment of some hotspots along the Right of Way of the Trans-Niger Pipeline.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported the minister, accompanied by some journalists in the surveillance, also covered the Nembe Creek Trunk Line leading up to the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal that has been under force majeure since March 2022.

Briefing the reporters after the 90 minutes-aerial survey, the minister also disclosed that the continued efforts by the security agencies had led to the confiscation of 20.2 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO)

According to the minister, over 461,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol), 843,000 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene DPK, and 383,000 barrels of crude oil were confiscated.

He said an additional 365 illegal refining sites were destroyed, with about 1,054 refining ovens, 1,210 metal storage tanks, 838 dugout pits, and 346 reservoirs also destroyed.

Mr Mohammed said the activities of vandals and economic saboteurs had severely affected Nigerias crude oil and natural gas production.

Since the post-covid pandemic recovery of crude oil prices, Nigeria has been unable to meet its OPEC production quota, hurting the Nigerian economy.

Due to the nefarious activities of vandals, Nigeria has been losing out on producing approximately 700,000 barrels of oil daily.

This volume is split between crude stolen and production deferment (shut-ins) due to legitimate fear of losing substantial volumes in transit.

Terminal receipts have persistently declined, leading to decisions such as the Force Majure declared at the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal in March 2022, he said.

Surveillance of oil pipelines

To check the activities of the saboteurs, the minister said the NNPC had set up a new security architecture to serve as a solid response to detect, deter, and respond to the activities of vandals.

He said the security architecture leveraged collaboration between the upstream operators, industry regulators, government security agencies, and private security contractors.

The minister said, in line with the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari, private security contractors with the required capability were contracted.

He said the security contractors who are to provide community surveillance within the oil-producing regions were identified and engaged after comprehensive vetting by the State Security Service and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

They are also to provide local intelligence on all illegal crude ventures happening within the region and security surveillance services for safe and seamless operations along the nations pipeline networks.

The minister added that NNPCs Command and Control Centre was set up for round-the-clock monitoring of petroleum operations and activities within the Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone.

According to him, all vessel movements within the Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone as well as all ship-to-ship activities within the same zone are monitored.

The command and control centre, according to the minister, has also launched various online tools to enable public participation in the fight against crude theft.

The tools included, a whistle-blowing portal, for Nigerians to report illegal activities and crude sales document validation portal, to validate all crude sales documents.

Mr Mohammed reiterated that the federal government is determined to put an end to the crude oil losses.

NAN reported that the team conveyed on the aerial surveillance in two Sikorsky S76D choppers witnessed first-hand several illegal refineries destroyed by the military.

NAN also reported that in the course of the surveillance, the team also saw first-hand, high level of damage to the environment, as a result of the activities of the economic saboteurs.

(NAN)
The presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has hailed Nigerian youths and others who marched in support of his candidacy in Abuja, on Saturday.

Thousands of supporters, under the aegis of the fast growing Obidient Movement took to the streets of the city in support of Mr Obi.

Many of the supporters who held the posters of the LP candidate and his vice, Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, and had branded vests, marched from the Unity Fountain in the Central Business District to the City Gate leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport road.

Mr Obi, in a tweet, expressed his delight at the action of his supporters and wished a newly wedded couple who participated in the exercise a fruitful union.

From Kano, I am watching the OBIdients gathered in Abuja and exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly. I salute you all. I appreciate you all. God bless you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Salute and congratulations to this newly wedded couple in Abuja, whose special day coincided with the Obidient Family March in Abuja; and they marched too! Wishing you both a blissful and happy married life and children, who will grow up in a united, secure and productive Nigeria, he said in the tweet shared on his wall on Saturday.

Messrs Obi and Baba-Ahmed were on the same day at the palace of the Emir of Gaya, Aliyu Ibrahim, in furtherance of their nationwide consultations.

Before the Abuja leg of the exercise, Mr Obis supporters had held similar rallies on the streets of the capitals of Ebonyi, Anambra, Bayelsa, Plateau, Nasarawa, Rivers, Imo, among others.

The National Chairman of the LP, Julius Abure, said the turnout for the Abuja rally did not come to him as a surprise because his party has a people-oriented candidate in the person of Mr Obi.

He said the people who trooped out in support of the candidate will also fund the process that will see him to power in the 2023 general elections.

Of course, the people must own the process, the people will fund the process because they say he who plays the pipe dictates the tune. And therefore the people are the owners of the party and that is why they are funding these activities.

People are contributing money, N1,000, N10,000, and so on to carry out rallies for themselves. People are donating their buildings and the people of Nigeria are gradually owning the Labour Party, Mr Abure said in a statement.

The party chairman also expressed confidence in the sustainability of the crowd in support of their candidates when the campaign proper starts.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has fixed Wednesday, 28 September, for the official commencement of political campaigns for all political parties.
there were some who saw Elizabeth II in a different light. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), one of the main parties in South Africa, said she reigned for 70 years as the head of an institution built up, sustained, and living off a brutal legacy of dehumanisation of millions of people across the world. We do not mourn the death of Elizabeth, because to us her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in this country and Africas history.

Funerals, official and unofficial, were held in parts of the world this Monday, 19 September to eternally send-off Queen Elizabeth II.

The pre-funeral ceremonies included the Queens coffin, which some mischievous people claimed was empty, lying-in-state in Scotland and London, with some mourners spending a whole day queuing to view it.

In the official funeral, some 2,000-strong congregation included a gatehering of world leaders, royal family members and the richest on earth. There were some angry reactions that African leaders were packed in buses like school children going on a picnic, while American President, Joe Biden, rode with his wife, Jill, in his beast motorcade. To them, it was a display of neo-colonialism.

One Twitter user said: Those saying that this was to avoid congestion of motorcades; in 2005 while Pope John Paul II was being buried in Rome, over 100 presidents attended and each came with their motorcade. Despite such royal treatment for Biden, his immediate predecessor, Donald Trump, mocked him for allegedly allowing himself to be relegated to the 14th row at the funeral service.

Some royal watchers attacked Prince Harry, the Queens grandson, for alleged disrespect because he held hands with his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as they left the funeral. Meanwhile, the Queens demise had provided an opportunity for some Welsh to question why heir-apparent, William, an Englishman, would wield the title of the Prince of Wales.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby painted the former head of his church in saintly colours, claiming she had touched a multitude of lives and had been a joyful figure for many. This belief must have been shared by some in Africa who mourned her and even held noisy funeral processions on dusty roads.

However, there were some who saw Elizabeth II in a different light. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), one of the main parties in South Africa, said she reigned for 70 years as the head of an institution built up, sustained, and living off a brutal legacy of dehumanisation of millions of people across the world. We do not mourn the death of Elizabeth, because to us her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in this country and Africas history.

The Communist Party of Britain declared thus: Elizabeth Windsor has died leaving the kingdom she ruled over poorer, with greater disparities in wealth and income, obscene profiteering and tax evasion

These headlines and interpretations made me go back to re-read Putins address. I recall that at the onset of the war, Russia, having taken out the Ukrainian Navy and Air Force, suddenly withdrew from Kiev and neigbouring cities. To the West, it was a sign that the war was going badly for Russia which was now in retreat. But it turned out that Russia, after bombing Kiev and causing mass population exodus across Ukrainian borders had simply redirected its energy

Six countries, most notably Russia, were not invited to the Queens funeral. This may be due to the fact that the English royalty and the dismantled royals (Tsarists) of Russia, were first cousins. But more likely, because of the War in Ukraine.

Two days after Elizabeth IIs funeral, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a televised address as world leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

The Western media presented the speech as a sign of the Russian military collapsing. The British Guardian newspaper headline was: Putin announces partial mobilisation and threatens nuclear retaliation of Ukranian war. The Reuters headline was: Putin escalates Ukranian war, issues nuclear threat to West.

One interpretation that caught my eyes was by conscientious Nigerian lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, who immediately took to the internet with a screaming headline: PUTIN IS LOSING! He pronounced magisterially that Putin calling up reservists is a clear indication that his deployed regular combatants are not able to subdue Ukraine. Also, his plan to hold a sham referendum in the occupied Ukrainian territories shows that he is panting. He has difficulties in administering and militarily holding and dominating the occupied territory.

These headlines and interpretations made me go back to re-read Putins address. I recall that at the onset of the war, Russia, having taken out the Ukrainian Navy and Air Force, suddenly withdrew from Kiev and neigbouring cities. To the West, it was a sign that the war was going badly for Russia which was now in retreat. But it turned out that Russia, after bombing Kiev and causing mass population exodus across Ukrainian borders had simply redirected its energy to taking the Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, among others.

I think the timing of Putins address was strategic: to let world leaders assembling at the UN appreciate Russias views and position.

I glean five decisions from Putins address. The first is that the legal status of the pro-Russian rebels fighting in Ukraine must be the same as the status of military professionals of the Russian army. This hints at a sort of merger or their recruitment into the Russian military.

I reiterate, as before, that the solution to the war in Ukraine is more of negotiations and diplomacy, not claimed high moral grounds, motivating the Ukrainians to sacrifice more, die more, kill more Russians and endless propaganda.

The second is that there are going to be referendums in the Russian-controlled parts of Ukrainian; Donetsk, Luhansk Kherson and Zaporizhzhia on the future of their territories. This may imply that Russia either wants these areas to become a separate country or countries, or like the Crimea, be merged with Russia as a sort of Greater Russian Federation.

The third decision is a partial mobilisation in the Russian Federation to defend our Motherland and its sovereignty and territorial integrity. This implies that Russia wants to formally put its economy and military on war footing. For this, a seventh of the official Russian military reservists would be called up for service.

This means deploying additional 300,000 troops to join the estimated 190,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine. This is what has been interpreted by some as Russia losing the war in Ukraine. I am not sure about this, but I think such a conclusion may be way off the mark.

The fourth is increasing the production of weapons and military equipment and using additional production facilities for this purpose.

The fifth is an allegation by Putin that some high-ranking representatives of the leading North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO, countries are talking on the possibility and admissibility of using weapons of mass destruction  nuclear weapons  against Russia. He then added that: In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country, and to defend Russia and our people, we will certainly make use of all weapon systems available to us. This is not a bluff. In my analysis, this does not amount to Putin saying he would use nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian war.

Generally, the propaganda oozing out maybe to deaden our sense of reasoning. For instance, the NATO countries think it is alright for them to impose all sorts of sanctions, including financial, on Russia. But when the latter responded by shutting its oil and gas pipes, it is said to be endangering the world.

I reiterate, as before, that the solution to the war in Ukraine is more of negotiations and diplomacy, not claimed high moral grounds, motivating the Ukrainians to sacrifice more, die more, kill more Russians and endless propaganda.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.
Just as was the case during President Jonathans era, oil theft today is at an all time high and instead of adequately equipping the Navy and other related agencies to protect the geese that lays Nigerias golden eggs, a rentier state continues to outsource the protection of its most important source of revenues to criminal elements.

In Nigerias resource-rich but hunger-ravaged communities of the Niger Delta, young men aspire to be one of many things  a militant, pirate, warlord, terrorist or whatever names people like to call them. They dont just care anymore and their role models are never in short supply. Those are careers they believe could easily get one noticed, earn a great deal of respect and recognition from the soceity but most importantly, guarantee an endless supply of the great things of life, big and small.

Ateke Tom, Henry Okah, Brutus Ebipadei Solomon Ndigbara, Tubotamuno Angolia. If those names do not sound familiar to you, dont worry. Trust me, no one can keep up with all of them. Born in the harsh swamps and creeks of the Niger Delta, their vocation is one of the fastest growing sub-sectors in Nigerias burgeoning crime industry.

But even if you have no idea that Ateke Tom, the former leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante is currently the first Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, you cannot in all honesty pretend or feign ignorance of the brash talking and fire-spitting Melford Dokubo Goodhead Jr, aka Mujahid Asari-Dokubo.

Born into a middle class family in Buguma, River State in the year 1964, Asari-Dokubo is one of five children. His father was a judge and mother, a homemaker. The young Melford grew up in Port Harcourt but would later gain admission to study law at the University of Calabar. He didnt graduate though. His activism, which was starting to pick up steam at the time, caused him to drop out in 1990, after a three-year stint in the ivory tower.

Asari went home and became fully involved in regional politics after he dropped out. He spent much of the 1990s contesting for political positions, first in 1992 and later on in 1998, but failed on both occassions. He then joined efforts with other like-minded individuals to form the Ijaw Youth Council and later led the group to pursue an agenda of Resource Control and Self Determination By Every Means Necessary.

In 1998, Tompolo following the path of his Ijaw brother, Asari-Dokubo, joined first the Ijaw Youth Council and later the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), where he quickly rose to become a high commander. Tompolo has in his army, thousands of militants who have proved successful in unleashing a barrage of devastating attacks on government oil assets and that of the multinational oil companies.

By 2004, Asari had retreated from public view and went on to create the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, declared an all out war against the Nigerian state and engaged in oil bunkering, among other vices. As part of the YarAdua amnesty incentives to check the activities of militants in the Niger Delta, Asari allegedly received an annual cash payment of $10 million per year from Abuja, as part of the Federal Governments pipeline security protection fee. Apparently, if you are a Niger-Deltan, it pays to go the hard way.

But despite Asari-Dokubos famed riches and overbearing influence, it pales in comparison to the exploits of the rave of the moment, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.

Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo is truly of the royal stock, his family belonging to the Gbaramatu Kingdom, in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. Not much is known about his professional history or educational background, except that he attended Okepopo Primary School in Warri and likes to be referred to as the chief priest of Egbesu, the Niger-Deltan god of war.

In 1998, Tompolo following the path of his Ijaw brother, Asari-Dokubo, joined first the Ijaw Youth Council and later the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), where he quickly rose to become a high commander. Tompolo has in his army, thousands of militants who have proved successful in unleashing a barrage of devastating attacks on government oil assets and that of the multinational oil companies.

In the deal where Dokubo collected $10 million a year, Government Ekpumopolo netted a princely sum of $22.5 million yearly. Cool right? There has to be something prescient about a parent giving their new borne child a very unconventional name.

At a time Nigeria is paying one militant group (and there are many others) more than a billion dollar a year to protect national assets, Nigeria is unable to meet her daily OPEC production quota, because more than 400,000 barrels a day of crude oil are being frittered away by agents of the state, reportedly. And we are talking about a nation that is neck deep in debt and has continued on an unmatched borrowing spree.

When Buhari came on board, he was not pleased with the terms of the amnesty negotiated during the YarAdua and later Jonathan administrations. This is a president that often compared Niger Delta militants, who even though employ barbaric tactics to their protests, have a legitimate reason to struggle against jihadis-terrorists in the North-east. In fact, under his government, a warrant for Tompolos arrest was issued on charges of theft and money laundering in January 2016. Tompolo and his group simply disappeared from public view and went under. Again. It was not long though before Buhari realised that strong arm tactics is not the answer to a people who have lived out years in perpetual oppression and in August, he renewed a lucrative contract in the amount of $1.08 billion, according to one source, to monitor the Delta region pipelines by Tompolo.

Just as was the case during President Jonathans era, oil theft today is at an all time high and instead of adequately equipping the Navy and other related agencies to protect the geese that lays Nigerias golden eggs, a rentier state continues to outsource the protection of its most important source of revenues to criminal elements.

At a time Nigeria is paying one militant group (and there are many others) more than a billion dollar a year to protect national assets, Nigeria is unable to meet her daily OPEC production quota, because more than 400,000 barrels a day of crude oil are being frittered away by agents of the state, reportedly. And we are talking about a nation that is neck deep in debt and has continued on an unmatched borrowing spree.

The most unfortunate of all is that these militants hardly know what to do with the money. Apart from Asari-Dokubo who used his newfound wealth in 2013 to acquire Benin citizenship, relocated to Cotonou and built schools and colleges there, most spend theirs in feeding human excesses. During President Jonathans time, Government Ekpemupolo used his windfall to buy a warship. Yes, you heard that right, a warship. Go figure! This may not make sense to ordinary humans but ordinary humans dont get rewarded with such a ridiculous amount of money for being an outlaw.

Apart from those over-the-top purchases, what is common among all militants who get paid is to spend a good chunk of the money stockpiling ammunition in order to strengthen their hands in readiness for future battles. It makes sense because their power flow from the barrels of guns. Its exactly the same thing that kidnappers do when they receive ransom payments. These are funds that should have been used to develop the Niger Delta and hopefully prevent the emergence of another Dokubo or Tompolo in the future. More importantly, the money could have provided means of livelihood to the silent majority; the millions who have been trapped in cycles of poverty and abandoned to their fate following years of environmental devastation of their homeland.

What a country!

Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com
There is no doubt that the centerpiece of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, its top draw, so to speak, is its role as a human rights court. In a region notorious for showing scant regard for individual rights and freedoms, the Court became an arbiter of repute for 300 million people who had come to rue the delays in their state courts. In time, the Community Courts reputation began to grow, following landmark rulings on jurisdiction that has jolted Africas jurisprudence

The ECOWAS Court of Justice has become one of the crown jewels of the regional bodys integration process, fielding petitions from plebeians and gentry alike, as former slaves and former presidents go there to seek judicial redress.

In the last 20 years, it has managed to overturn a centuries-old tradition of slavery or wahiya in Niger, struck a decisive blow for press freedom in Gambia, awarded 10 million francs as compensation to a retired school teacher for human rights violation in Benin, and ruled against a sitting president for banning Twitter in Nigeria.

Beyond these highlights, the Court has, during its first 20 years, held 1224 sessions, handed down 303 judgments and 131 rulings from 583 cases lodged before it, the Chief Registrar of the Court, Mr Tony Anene-Maidoh has said.

Five of these cases were from former presidents Laurent Gbagbo of Cote dIvoire; Mamadou Tandja of Niger; Charles Taylor of Liberia; past AU chairperson, Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin and even Hissien Habre of neighbouring Chad. These men, like hundreds of other litigants, had gone to ask the ECOWAS Court to secure their human rights, rights they had themselves denied citizens when they held power for a combined 40 years. Here, the vagaries of fate were compounded by irony, for none of these men cared to fully enforce the rulings of the Court while in office; none of them gave it any real chance.

To be fair, the Court had shown no sign of its shimmering status in those years of humble beginnings. In the first five years, from 2001 to 2005, when the original protocol on the Court was amended, only two cases were filed with the Court, and those were by individuals. For a court established for the interpretation and application of the Revised Treaty, the annexed Protocols and Conventions, as well as to settle disputes between ECOWAS institutions and their officials, not one Member State or institution filed a single case, or even sought for an advisory opinion, in the aforementioned period. To all intents and purposes, the Court was a white elephant in that early period of its evolution.

Everything changed on 19 January, 2005 with the implementation of the now legendary Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/01/05, which gave the Court jurisdiction to determine cases of violations of human rights that occur in any Member State, and confers on the Court the power to hear, inter-alia, cases relating to the violations of human rights.

Suddenly, this paradigm shift in its mandate, which broadly meant that the Court now had jurisdiction to act as a Community Court, an Arbitration Tribunal, an ECOWAS Public Service Court and, more critically as events would show, a Human Rights Court, catapulted it to new heights, and into new hearts.

There is no doubt that the centerpiece of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, its top draw, so to speak, is its role as a human rights court. In a region notorious for showing scant regard for individual rights and freedoms, the Court became an arbiter of repute for 300 million people who had come to rue the delays in their state courts. In time, the Community Courts reputation began to grow, following landmark rulings on jurisdiction that has jolted Africas jurisprudence, an easy accessibility that allows it to consider any case of abuse perpetrated by a Member State  as long as the litigant is not anonymous and is not at the same time pursuing the matter in another international court.

The Courts credibility was further enhanced by the integrity of its judges, whose fair and decorous rulings have expanded the definitions of human rights and established their competence to hear cases of abuse. In Moussa Leo Keita V. Republic of Mali, the Court ruled that simply clothing a claim with an allegation of human rights made it necessary for the Court to act pursuant to Article 9(4) of the Supplementary Protocol.

Crucially, a 2005 amendment implied that you do not have to exhaust domestic remedies before approaching the ECOWAS Court, meaning that the fact that you didnt first go through your local court does not preclude your case from being heard by the Community Court. Suddenly, cases that would have lagged for years in domestic courts, are been timeously seen off by the ECOWAS Court of Justice.

According to the president of the Court, the Honourable Justice Edward Amoako Asante, whose tenure, which began in 2018, oversaw the largest traffic of litigants, the human rights mandate of the court has become the dominant aspect of its judicial functions. We are proud to note that due to its bold decisions on human rights complaints, the international community has recognized the evolving ECOWAS human rights regime. With all humility, the ECOWAS Court of Justice is a source of pride to our community.

Several factors account for the Courts current successes. True, it had always been part of the original institutions planned for the Community in 1975 when ECOWAS was created by the Treaty of Lagos to promote cooperation in all fields of economic activity. However, it was a number of policies and protocols, each deepening the Courts ability to function as an integrative but dynamic organ, that has culminated in its recent reputation as a court of first and last resort. These include its re-designation from a tribunal to an interstate court and principal legal organ of the Community in 1991; and the Revised Treaty which created an ECOWAS Court of Justice in 1993 whose mandate goes beyond settling disputes between states and institutions to include human rights violations and the participation of non-state actors and individuals.

Also, the appointment of seven pioneer judges, who in 2001 drew up the draft rules of procedure of the Court after the European Court of Justice  but with such modifications that it made the West African court a cause celebre. Crucially, a 2005 amendment implied that you do not have to exhaust domestic remedies before approaching the ECOWAS Court, meaning that the fact that you didnt first go through your local court does not preclude your case from being heard by the Community Court. Suddenly, cases that would have lagged for years in domestic courts, are been timeously seen off by the ECOWAS Court of Justice.

In no time, this created a system of competing competences, giving citizens liberty to choose where to take their demands, making the Court both an alternative and a final court for millions who would have suffered to find justice in the notoriously slow chambers of courts all over Africa, due to sundry exigencies.

Moreover, in 2006 ECOWAS began to shift its focus from states to individuals and its institutions de-emphasised broad development goals for more accessible goals that directly target citizens. The whole aim was to endow the community with greater supranational powers, and transform it from an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of People, for more effective integration.

One of the first beneficiaries of these new practices was the Community Court, which became even more important to the realisation of these goals, and more accessible. In 2007, it began to hold external sessions in Member States, outside its Abuja base, in line with Article 26(2) of the 1991 Protocol, which allows that where circumstances or facts of the case so demand, the court may decide to sit in the territory of another member state.

It is perhaps instructive that two of its more famous rulings which changed the face of jurisprudence happened in these external sessions. In the case between Moussa Leo Kaita v the Republic of Mali held in Bamako, Mali, the Court established, for all intents and purposes, its jurisdiction over cases of human rights abuse in any part of West Africa. And in the now world famous case filed by Hadijatou Mani Karaou, sold at the age of 12 and repeatedly sexually abused for years, against the government of Niger, the Court ruled that: Ms. Hadijatou Mani Koraou was a victim of slavery and that the Republic of Niger is responsible because of its administrative and judicial authorities inaction; Accepts Ms. Hadijatou Mani Koraous request for reparation for the harmed suffered and grants an all-inclusive compensation of ten million cfa francs (10.000.000).

It was a landmark decision, which is now binding on Member States, especially nations like Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger where the practice is widespread.

We are law-abiding and will respect this decision, Mossi Boubacar, a legal official for Nigers government, told Reuters.

As the years roll by, there is no doubt that compliance will improve and the influence of the court can only grow bigger with the Courts recent resort to holding virtual sittings to cut down on the inconvenience of litigants traveling all the way to Abuja for court sessions. Such uncommon accessibility has made the Court even more popular amongst the people of West Africa.

Alas, not all judgments of the Court have been as well-received or effective, and ECOWAS Courts judges and human rights lawyers and activists constantly decry the effects of non-compliance with the courts decisions. Member states frequently fail to take necessary measures to ensure compliance, as Femi Falana noted at an International Conference held on the theme: ECOWAS Court: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects hosted by the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Lome, Togo. It is common knowledge that the rate of compliance with the judgments of the court is embarrassingly low, he said and the President of the Court concurred, complaining of the 30 percent unsatisfactory rate of compliance of the Courts decisions.

Still, there is no doubt that the Court has made tremendous inroads in advancing the course of justice on the continent. Some of its decisions over the rights to education (SERAP v Federal Republic of Nigeria); the necessity of due process (Ebrimah Manneh v Republic of The Gambia); the rights of women and children (Amouzou Henry v Republic of Cote dIvoire); the illegality of retroactive penal law (Hissein Habre b. Republic of Senegal) and many others diligently prosecuted by SERAP, have had a telling effect on governance and stoked the desire of states to do better in the face of peer scrutiny from other members of the Community.

As Laurence R. Helfer, distinguished professor of international law at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and a leading expert in international human rights law and institutions, including UN human rights treaty bodies and the design and effectiveness of international and regional human rights court has noted, poor noncompliance does not automatically translate to failure or lack of effectiveness. International rules [or rulings] with high compliance rates may be entirely ineffective, whereas those with low compliance rates may be quite effective if they engender some modification of state behaviour.

Moreover, notes Olisa Agbakoba, a prominent human rights activist and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Article 77 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty empowers the authority of heads of state and government of ECOWAS to impose certain sanctions on any Member State who fails to fulfill its obligations to the Community through suspension of new community loans or assistance, suspension of disbursement on on-going community projects or assistance.

As the years roll by, there is no doubt that compliance will improve and the influence of the court can only grow bigger with the Courts recent resort to holding virtual sittings to cut down on the inconvenience of litigants traveling all the way to Abuja for court sessions. Such uncommon accessibility has made the Court even more popular amongst the people of West Africa.

With all the sessions now being live-streamed, a decision the present college of judges took after COVID-19 held up sittings for whole three months, the president of the Court, Hon Justice Asante said, it is obviously evidence that the Court is making progress in deploying technology towards reaching out to more of the regions citizens.

As he told reporters last year in Ghana, The Court is owned by all of us and therefore everybody must benefit from it.

There is no doubt that his headship of the Court has been invaluable in making those benefits available for millions of people.

Olu Jacobs, a former newspaper editor, wrote in from Abuja.
The Nigeria Army has spoken on a reported recent shooting incident between Nigerian troops and some gunmen at Ebe, Ohafia in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigerias South-east.

Some gunmen and the troops from 14 Brigade were said to have engaged in a shootout in the area on Friday evening.

The shootings reportedly caused panic among residents of the area, forcing them to flee the community.

Other sources claimed that the troops were searching houses and firing sporadic shots in the community, which caused panic among the people.

But the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Innocent Omale, debunked the report.

Mr Omale, a lieutenant, told Vanguard newspaper on Saturday, that the troops were not searching houses as speculated.

READ ALSO:

The spokesperson said some soldiers were on patrol when some hoodlums saw them and engaged them in a shootout.

Our people were going out on patrol and on their way back, these bad boys saw them and started shooting at them, he said.

Reacting to the report that the troops were firing sporadic shots, Mr Omale said, Are our men mad that they will just start shooting like that?

He, however, said the situation had been brought under control and that no life was lost in the incident.

The Nigerian military and officials of other security agencies have been fighting gunmen, believed to be part of the Biafra agitation in South-east Nigeria.

Amnesty International Nigeria and other organisations have accused the military of extrajudicial killings in the region under the guise of fighting the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, which is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Thursday said his utmost desire was for all communities in the state to continue to live in peace and harmony for steady progress and development of the state.

Mr Ugwuanyi stressed that the biggest gift he needed from the people of Enugu State was continuous peace.

The governor disclosed this when the people of Mgbowo Community in Awgu Local Government Area of the state visited him at the Government House, Enugu, to appreciate his good works and peaceful disposition.

The community also appreciated his considerable concern for their well-being and concerted efforts in addressing myriads of their socio-economic challenges.

The residents of Mgbowo, led by the Commissioner for Science and Technology in the state, Obi Kama, were also at the Government House to declare their support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership in the state.

They pledged to support the governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general elections, Peter Mbah, and others fielded by the party.

Thanking them for their solidarity and support for his administration, the PDP governorship candidate and other candidates of the party, Governor Ugwuanyi, who is the senatorial candidate of the PDP for the Enugu North District, urged them to hold on tightly to their belief in the PDP.

He assured them that Mr Mbah and his running mate, Ifeanyi Ossai, would build on the foundation his administration had laid, anchored on peace and good governance.

READ ALSO:

Earlier, the President General of Ekpulambo Mgbowo, Collins Okelu, told Mr Ugwuanyi that Mgbowo Ward has benefited so much from your purposeful and people-oriented leadership in the state in so many areas.

Mr Okelu listed some of the governors achievements in Mgbowo Ward to include the construction of ultramodern classroom blocks at Community Primary School Ezioha Mgbowo, upgrading of Technical and Vocational College, Imama Mgbowo to one of the best in the state.

Others, Mr Okelu said, were the creation of access road from Old Road, Amaiyi Mgbowo to Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, construction of three solid block culverts linking the three villages of Ekpulator Mgbowo, Inyi, Ezioha and Imama, and laying of asphalt on the Amata Mgbowo Road

Appreciating Governor Ugwuanyi for appointing their sons and daughters into sensitive government positions, the president general said: Mgbowo people owe you a huge debt of gratitude and be rest assured that this debt will be paid with our block votes in next years general elections for PDP.

We have neither gold nor silver to give you in return for your continuous magnanimity to our people, therefore, our visit to you today is to pledge our unalloyed support to you and our candidates.

(NAN)
Justice Olalekan Oresanya of the Ikeja High Court, Lagos, on Friday ruled that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) lacks the power to impose fines and tow vehicles impounded by its officers.

In his ruling, the judge noted that there was no part of the Lagos State Traffic Management Law that permits the agency to deprive citizens of their right to freedom of movement.

Public authorities and bodies cannot act in a manner that is inconsistent and incompatible with the fundamental rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is the grundnorm, the judge said.

Lawal Aliyu, whose vehicle was impounded in November 2021 by LASTMA officers, instituted the suit against the agency after he was fined N20,000 for an alleged traffic offence and N10,000 as towing charges.

The judge said that even in countries where parliamentary laws are supreme, such as the United Kingdom, public bodies do not act in a manner incompatible with the rights of citizens as enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights.

READ ALSO:

The judge further said that the Lagos State Traffic Management Law, which LASTMA relied upon to justify its action, stated that the agency cannot impose a fine without arraigning the alleged offender in court, to ensure a fair hearing.

I must add that it is strange and bizarre that the first respondent (LASTMA) towed a serviceable vehicle in good working condition and thereby caused damage to the vehicle in the process when it has not been established that the applicant resisted the arrest of his vehicle, only for the first respondent to subsequently impose a fine on the applicant for a service not solicited by the applicant.

To my mind, this is the height of oppression and impunity, and it is condemnable.

The judge also ordered LASTMA to pay damages to Mr Aliyu.

On the whole, I give judgment for the applicant in the following terms; I make a declaration that the obstruction, towage, seizure, and impoundment of the applicants car with Registration NO. AGL 93 DW on the 23rd November 2021 by the respondents is unlawful, illegal, and unconstitutional as same amounted to gross violation of the applicants fundamental right to freedom of movement enshrined in Section 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), he held.

I make a declaration that the imposition and enforcement of LASTMA fine in the sum of N20,000 and LASTMA Towing fine in the sum of N10,000 on the applicant without an order of a court of competent jurisdiction is unlawful, Illegal and is null and void and the said fines should be paid back by the respondents to the applicant.

The sum of N750,000 compensatory damages is awarded against the respondents for the violation of the applicants fundamental rights.
The former students of Egba Obafemi Grammar School (EOCGS) have offered a free medical outreach to residents and indigenes of Obafemi community in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State

The old students, led by their president, Mutiu Dada, visited the community on Saturday to contribute their quota to the healthcare of the area and environs.

The medical outreach was extended to adjoining villages which include Ategun, Agboro, Apaipai, Itoko, Shilade, and Ajala among others, as a way of giving back to the community where they had lived and studied.

A team of medical officials from Eye Foundation joined the group to attend to the residents whose blood pressure, sugar level, diabetes, and eyes among others were tested and received medications

The residents of the community came out in their hundreds to partake in the exercise, which gave them the opportunity to know their mental and health status, as well as appropriate medications for them.

The former students also visited their alma mater, held a meeting in one of the classrooms, and submitted on the need to rise up to the challenges of the school, which include some dilapidated structures.

The old students, who came from various parts of the country and outside Nigeria to be part of the events, in one of their resolutions agreed on the need for a regular quarterly meetings of the association for the benefit of individuals, community, and school

The group also visited the traditional ruler of the town, Taofeek Owolabi, who was also a former student of the college.

The monarch hosted them in the palace, a gathering described as a reunion, after years of leaving the school.
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 31, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), if they purchased the Company's shares between February 19, 2021 to June 8, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Get Help

Abbott investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-abt-1/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Abbott and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On February 17, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") announced that its inspection of the Company's Sturgis, Michigan facility, prompted by consumer complaints of infant illness, had yielded several positive contamination results for the Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria, linked to infant illnesses and death. On the same day, the Company, without mention of the FDA investigation, recalled certain infant formula products, including the popular brands Similac, Alimentum and EleCare, all manufactured in Sturgis. On this news, shares of Abbott declined by $3.79 per share, or 3.14%.

Then, on March 22, 2022, the FDA reported that, although not "final FDA determinations," its most recent inspection conducted between January 31, 2022 and March 18, 2022 revealed that the Company failed to establish process controls "designed to ensure that infant formula does not become adulterated due to the presence of microorganisms in the formula or in the processing environment" and failed to "ensure that all surfaces that contacted infant formula were maintained to protect infant formula from being contaminated by any source." On this news, shares of Abbott declined by an additional $4.97 per share, or 4%.

Finally, on June 8, 2022, it was reported that a whistleblower complaint identifying numerous serious examples of misconduct at Sturgis related to the above had been filed with the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration ("OSHA") in February 2021, and that OSHA had delivered that complaint to Abbott Laboratories and the FDA during the same month. On this news, shares of Abbott declined by an additional 3.5%, further damaging investors.

The case is Pembroke Pines Firefighters & Police Officers Pension Fund v. Abbott Laboratories, No. 22-cv-04661.

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.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 31, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Azure Power Global Limited ("Azure" or the "Company") (NYSE: AZRE), if they purchased the Company's securities between June 15, 2021 and August 26, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Get Help

Azure investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-azre/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Azure and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On August 29, 2022, the Company disclosed that its Chief Executive Officer had resigned, less than two months after his appointment and that it had "received a whistleblower complaint in May 2022 alleging potential procedural irregularities and misconduct by certain employees at a plant belonging to one of its subsidiaries." During the Company's review of these allegations, Azure "discovered deviations from safety and quality norms" and "also identified evidence of manipulation of project data and information by certain employees."

On this news, shares of Azure declined by $4.61 per share, or approximately 44.07%, from $10.46 per share to close at $5.85 on August 29, 2022.

The case is Gilbert v. Azure Power Global Limited, No. 22-cv-7432.

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.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 Company's shares pursuant and/or traceable to the Company's 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 Company's critical relationships with consumers, merchants, suppliers, and the workforce; and (vi) the Company's 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.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
Announces Commencement of Exchange Offer relating to its outstanding Senior Notes due 2022

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Sept. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte S.A. ("Edenor" or the "Company") hereby announces the commencement of its offer to exchange (the "Offer") any and all of its outstanding 9.75% Senior Notes due 2022 (the "Existing Notes") for the applicable amount of newly issued 9.75% Additional Senior Notes due 2025 (the "Additional New Notes") and cash, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the exchange offer memorandum, dated September 23, 2022 (the "Exchange Offer Memorandum"). Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

The Offer is only available to holders of Existing Notes who are (1) "Qualified Institutional Buyers" ("QIBs") as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), in a private transaction in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(a)(2) thereof, or (2) persons other than "U.S. persons" (as defined in Rule 902 under Regulation S under the Securities Act, "U.S. Persons") outside the United States who are not acquiring Additional New Notes for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person, in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act, and who are non-U.S. Qualified Offerees (as defined in the Exchange Offer Memorandum), in each case, whose receipt and review of the Exchange Offer Memorandum, and participation in the Offer, is otherwise permitted under the laws and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to them. Eligible Holders in Argentina are urged to read, must follow the procedures set forth in, and must rely exclusively on, the Argentine Exchange Offer Memorandum. Holders who desire to obtain and complete an electronic Eligibility Letter should visit the following website: https://projects.morrowsodali.com/EdenorEligibility.

The following table sets forth certain information relating to the Offer:

Existing Notes ISINs and CUSIPs (144A and Reg S) Aggregate Principal Amount of Existing Notes Outstanding Additional New Notes Consideration (2) Cash Consideration(2) 9.75% Senior Notes due 2022(1) ISINs: US29244AAK88 / USP3710FAJ32 CUSIPs: 29244A AK8 / P3710F AJ3 U.S.$26,231,000 U.S.$630 U.S.$400



(1) The Existing Notes are currently listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and traded on its Euro MTF Market, are listed and traded on the BYMA (as defined below), through BCBA (as defined below) acting in accordance with the authority delegated by the BYMA to the BCBA and are traded on the MAE (as defined below).

(2) For each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Existing Notes validly tendered and accepted for exchange on or prior to the Expiration Date, an Eligible Holder shall receive U.S.$630 principal amount of Additional New Notes and U.S.$400 in cash (the "Cash Consideration"). The Exchange Consideration (as defined below) does not include the Accrued Interest Payment (as defined below).

The Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 21, 2022, unless extended by us in our sole discretion (such date and time, as the same may be extended, the "Expiration Date"). Eligible Holders of Existing Notes who validly submit their Tender Orders on or prior to the Expiration Date will be eligible to receive the Exchange Consideration. Tender Orders may be validly revoked at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time on October 21, 2022 unless extended by us in our sole discretion (such date and time, as the same may be extended, the "Withdrawal Date"), but not thereafter. The deadlines set by any intermediary or relevant clearing system may be earlier than these deadlines.

Exchange Consideration

Tender Orders of Existing Notes submitted in the Offer will receive the Cash Consideration plus the Additional New Notes Consideration, which together are referred to herein as "Exchange Consideration".

For each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Existing Notes validly tendered and accepted for exchange on or prior to the Expiration Date, an Eligible Holder shall receive U.S.$630 principal amount of Additional New Notes (the "Additional New Notes Consideration") and U.S.$400 of Cash Consideration.

A separate Tender Order must be submitted on behalf of each beneficial owner.

Accrued Interest

In addition to the Exchange Consideration, Eligible Holders whose Existing Notes are accepted for exchange in the Offer will also receive all accrued and unpaid interest (rounded to the nearest cent U.S.$0.01) from the last interest payment date to, but not including, the Settlement Date (as defined below) (such payment, the "Accrued Interest Payment"), to be paid in cash on the Settlement Date. As to each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Existing Notes validly tendered and accepted for exchange, an amount equal to interest accrued on the Additional New Notes delivered as the Additional New Notes Consideration in exchange therefor from May 12, 2022 to, but not including, the Settlement Date will be deducted from the Accrued Interest Payment.

The Settlement Date is expected to be October 24, 2022.

Additional New Notes

The Additional New Notes are being offered as additional debt securities under the indenture dated May 12, 2022 (the "New Notes Indenture"), pursuant to which we previously issued U.S.$52,706,268 Senior Notes due 2025 (the "Initial New Notes"). The Initial New Notes and the Additional New Notes (together referred to as the "New Notes") are fungible and will constitute a single series of debt securities, provided that the Additional New Notes offered and sold pursuant to Regulation S Notes will have a temporary CUSIP number, ISIN number and Common Code until expiration of the 40-day "distribution compliance period" with respect to the Additional New Notes. Principal of the Additional New Notes will mature on May 12, 2025. The Additional New Notes will bear interest at 9.75% per year, payable semi-annually in arrears on May 12 and November 12 of each year, commencing on November 12, 2022.

The Condition

We will not be required to consummate the Offer, and we may terminate the Offer or, at our option, withdraw, modify, extend or otherwise amend the Offer at any time prior to or concurrently with the expiration of the Offer, as extended for any reason in our sole discretion, including without limitation, if the following condition has not been satisfied or waived (in our sole discretion): no order, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, stay, decree, judgment or injunction shall have been proposed, enacted, entered, issued, promulgated, enforced or deemed applicable by any court or governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or instrumentality, that prohibits, prevents, restricts or delays consummation of the Offer.

If you do not validly submit a Tender Order in the Offer and we consummate the Offer, you will continue to hold Existing Notes and you will not receive the Exchange Consideration. However, if we are unable to consummate the Offer, we may not be able to repay our debt in whole or in part under the Existing Notes at maturity, due to foreign exchange regulations or for other reasons.

If and when issued, the Additional New Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction except that the CNV has authorized the public offering of the Program and the notes issued thereunder, pursuant to Resolution No. 20,503 dated October 23, 2019, and Resolution No. DI-2022-4APN-GE#CNV dated April 8, 2022. The public offering of the Additional New Notes in Argentina is included within the public offering authorization granted by the CNV to the Program, in accordance with Section 41, Title II, Chapter V, Section V of the CNV Rules. Therefore, the Additional New Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws.

Morrow Sodali Limited will act as the Exchange and Information Agent for the Offer. Questions or requests for assistance related to the Offer or for additional copies of the Offer Documents may be directed to the Exchange and Information Agent (email: [email protected]; Tel: +1 203 609 4910 (Stamford); Tel: +44 20 4513 6933 (London). You may also contact your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Offer. The Offer Documents are available for Eligible Holders at the following Eligibility Letter Website: https://projects.morrowsodali.com/EdenorEligibility.

BofA Securities, Inc. is acting as the dealer manager for the Offer outside Argentina.

Global Valores S.A. will act as Argentine Dealer Manager for the Offer in Argentina. Questions or requests for assistance related to the Offer in Argentina may be directed to the Argentine Dealer Manager (email: [email protected]; Tel.: (+54 11) 5235 1200 (Argentina).

Subject to applicable law, the Offer may be amended in any respect, extended or, upon failure of a condition to be satisfied or waived or terminated at any time and for any reason prior to the Expiration Date. We reserve the right to amend, at any time, the terms of the Offer (including, without limitation, the conditions thereto) in accordance with applicable law. We will give Eligible Holders notice of any amendments and will extend the Expiration Date if required by applicable law.

Eligible Holders of Existing Notes are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold Existing Notes as to when such intermediary would need to receive instructions from an Eligible Holder in order for that Eligible Holder to be able to participate in, or withdraw their instruction to participate in, the Offer before the deadlines specified in the Offer Documents. The deadlines set by any such intermediary for the submission of instructions will be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified above.

Important Notice

This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States, and none of the Additional New Notes has been or will be registered under the Securities Act or any state securities law (other than Argentina, where the public offering of the Additional New Notes is included within the public offering authorization granted by the CNV to the Program, in accordance with Section 41, Title II, Chapter V, Section V of the CNV Rules). The CNV's authorization means only that the information requirements of the CNV have been satisfied. The CNV has not rendered any opinion in respect of the accuracy of the information contained in the Exchange Offer Memorandum or the Argentine Exchange Offer Memorandum, and has not issued an opinion about the Exchange Consideration to be received pursuant the terms of the Offer.

The Additional New Notes may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. This press release does not constitute an offer of the Additional New Notes for sale, or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, in any state or other jurisdiction in which any offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. None of the Company, the Dealer Manager, the Argentine Dealer Manager, the Exchange and Information Agent, the Trustee, the representative of the Trustee in Argentina, the Paying Agents, the Registrars, the Transfer Agents, the Luxembourg Listing Agent or their respective directors, employees and affiliates makes any recommendation whatsoever regarding the Offer or any recommendation as to whether Eligible Holders should tender or refrain from tendering their Existing Notes for exchange pursuant to the Offer. Accordingly, any person considering participating in the Offer or making an investment decision relating to the Additional New Notes must inform itself independently based solely on the Exchange Offer Memorandum (and, to the extent applicable, the Argentine Exchange Offer Memorandum and ancillary local offering documents in Argentina) to be provided to Eligible Holders in connection with the Offer before taking any such investment decision.

This announcement is directed only to Eligible Holders. No offer of any kind is being made to any beneficial owner of Existing Notes who does not meet the above criteria or any other beneficial owner located in a jurisdiction where the Offer is not permitted by law.

The distribution of materials relating to the Offer may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The Offer is void in all jurisdictions where they are prohibited. If materials relating to the Offer come into your possession, you are required to inform yourself of and to observe all of these restrictions. The materials relating to the Offer, including this communication, do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer in any place where offers are not permitted by law. If a jurisdiction requires that the Offer be made by a licensed broker or dealer and a dealer manager or any affiliate of a dealer manager is a licensed broker or dealer in that jurisdiction, the Offer shall be deemed to be made by the dealer managers or such affiliate on behalf of the Company in that jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Specifically, the Company cannot assure you that the proposed transactions described above will be consummated on the terms currently contemplated, if at all. These statements are based on expectations and assumptions on the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, and factors over which the Company has no control. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, and does not intend to do so, unless otherwise required by law.

Note to Eligible Holders in the European Economic Area - Prohibition of sales to EEA Retail Investors  The Additional New Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area ("EEA"). For these purposes, 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 (as amended, the "Insurance Distribution Directive"), 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 (as amended, the "Prospectus Regulation"). Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Additional New Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Additional New Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

Note to Eligible Holders in the United Kingdom - Prohibition of sales to UK Retail Investors  The Additional New Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom ("UK"). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("EUWA"); (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, the "FSMA") and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the "UK Prospectus Regulation"). Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the "UK PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Additional New Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Additional New Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation.

In the UK, this Exchange Offer Memorandum and any other material in relation to the Additional New Notes described herein are being distributed only to, and are directed only at, persons who are "qualified investors" (as defined in the UK Prospectus Regulation) who are (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the "Order"), or (ii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order, or (iii) persons to whom it would otherwise be lawful to distribute them, all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons". In the UK, the Additional New Notes are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire the Additional New Notes will be engaged in only with, Relevant Persons. This Exchange Offer Memorandum and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by any recipients to any other person in the UK. Any person in the UK that is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this Exchange Offer Memorandum or its contents.

Media contact: Michael Truscelli +1-203-609-4910

SOURCE Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte S.A. (Edenor)
NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Technavio has been monitoring the ingestible sensors market, operating in the health care industry. The report estimates the market to register an incremental growth of USD 782.49 million, at a CAGR of 19.01% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis of the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

Parent Market Analysis

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Ingestible Sensors Market 2022-2026

Technavio categorizes the global ingestible sensors market as a part of the global healthcare technology market within the global healthcare market. External factors influencing the parent market's growth potential in the coming years have been thoroughly investigated in our research analysis, to know more about the levels of growth of the ingestible sensors market throughout the forecast period. Request the Latest Free sample report.

Ingestible Sensors Market Value Chain Analysis

The end-to-end understanding of the value chain is essential in profit margin optimization and evaluation of business strategies. The data available in our value chain analysis segment can help vendors drive costs and enhance customer services during the forecast period.

The value chain of the internet and direct marketing retail market includes the following core components:

Inputs

Inbound logistics

Operations

Outbound logistics

Marketing and sales

Service

To unlock information about vendor drive costs and customer service, Buy Sample Report.

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Competitors have to focus on differentiating their product offerings with unique value propositions to strengthen their foothold in the market. Market vendors also have to leverage the existing growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

AdhereTech LLC, Atmo Biosciences Ltd, CapsoVision Inc., CheckCap Ltd, etectRx, General Electric Co., HQ Inc, IntroMedic Co. Ltd., Jinshan Science and Technology Group Co. Ltd., KARL STORZ SE and Co. KG, Medidata Solutions Inc., Medtronic Plc, Olympus Corp., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., and RF Co. Ltd. are among some of the major market participants.

The growing prevalence of chronic disorders has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, Stringent government regulations might hamper the market growth. Download Free Sample Report.

Ingestible Sensors Market Segmentation

Based on geographic segmentation, 40% of the market's originated from North America during the forecast period. In addition, the sensor category led the growth under the component segment. This report provides an accurate prediction of the contribution of all the segments to the growth of the superfood powders market size.

Component

Sensors



Data Recorders



Software

Geography

North America



Europe



Asia



Rest Of World (ROW)

Ingestible Sensors Market Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The ingestible sensors market report covers the following areas:

Ingestible Sensors Market Size

Ingestible Sensors Market Trends

Ingestible Sensors Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies the growing demand for sensor-enabled pills as one of the prime reasons driving the Ingestible Sensors Market growth during the next few years.

Related Reports

Medical Device Contract Manufacturing Market by Device and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Hysterometers Market by End-user, Type, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Ingestible Sensors Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 19.01% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 782.49 million Market structure Concentrated YoY growth (%) 18.5 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Performing market contribution North America at 40% Key consumer countries US, Germany, UK, France, and China Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled AdhereTech LLC, Atmo Biosciences Ltd, CapsoVision Inc., CheckCap Ltd, etectRx, General Electric Co., HQ Inc, IntroMedic Co. Ltd., Jinshan Science and Technology Group Co. Ltd., KARL STORZ SE and Co. KG, Medidata Solutions Inc., Medtronic Plc, Olympus Corp., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., and RF Co. Ltd. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, 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:

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 Component



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 Component

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Component - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Component - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Component

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Component



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Component

5.3 Sensors - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Sensors - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Sensors - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Sensors - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Sensors - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Data recorders - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Data recorders - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Data recorders - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Data recorders - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Data recorders - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 36: Chart on Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 38: Chart on Software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.6 Market opportunity by Component

Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by Component ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 41: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 42: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 44: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 47: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 48: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 49: 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 50: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 51: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

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 (%)

7.5 Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 58: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 59: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 60: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 61: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 68: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 70: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 71: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 72: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 73: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 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 Atmo Biosciences Ltd

Exhibit 89: Atmo Biosciences Ltd - Overview



Exhibit 90: Atmo Biosciences Ltd - Product / Service



Exhibit 91: Atmo Biosciences Ltd - Key news



Exhibit 92: Atmo Biosciences Ltd - Key offerings

10.4 CapsoVision Inc.

Exhibit 93: CapsoVision Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 94: CapsoVision Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 95: CapsoVision Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 96: CapsoVision Inc. - Key offerings

10.5 CheckCap Ltd

Exhibit 97: CheckCap Ltd - Overview



Exhibit 98: CheckCap Ltd - Product / Service



Exhibit 99: CheckCap Ltd - Key offerings

10.6 HQ Inc

Exhibit 100: HQ Inc - Overview



Exhibit 101: HQ Inc - Product / Service



Exhibit 102: HQ Inc - Key offerings

10.7 IntroMedic Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 103: IntroMedic Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 104: IntroMedic Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 105: IntroMedic Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.8 Jinshan Science and Technology Group Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 106: Jinshan Science and Technology Group Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 107: Jinshan Science and Technology Group Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 108: Jinshan Science and Technology Group Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.9 Medtronic Plc

Exhibit 109: Medtronic Plc - Overview



Exhibit 110: Medtronic Plc - Business segments



Exhibit 111: Medtronic Plc - Key news



Exhibit 112: Medtronic Plc - Key offerings



Exhibit 113: Medtronic Plc - Segment focus

10.10 Olympus Corp.

Exhibit 114: Olympus Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 115: Olympus Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 116: Olympus Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 117: Olympus Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 118: Olympus Corp. - Segment focus

10.11 Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 119: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 120: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 121: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.12 RF Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 122: RF Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 123: RF Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 124: RF Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 125: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 126: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 127: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 128: Research methodology



Exhibit 129: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 130: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 131: List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 17, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against MINISO Group Holding Limited (NYSE: MNSO), if they purchased or acquired the Company's securities pursuant and/or traceable to the Company's October 2020 initial public offering (the "IPO"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Get Help

MINISO investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-mnso/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

MINISO and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information in its IPO Registration Statement, violating federal securities laws.

On July 26, 2022, market researcher Blue Orca Capital reported on a myriad of issues involving the China-based company, including that "there is overwhelming evidence that MINISO misleads the market about its core business" and that "Chinese corporate filings also indicate, in our view, that the chairman siphoned hundreds of millions from the public company through opaque Caribbean jurisdictions as the middleman in a crooked headquarters deal," among other things.

On this news, the price of MINISO's American Depositary Shares fell $1.08, or 14.98%, to close at $6.13, on unusually heavy trading volume.

The case is Ashraf v. MINISO Group Holding Limited, No. 22-cv-05815.

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.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will host two media briefings Monday, Sept. 26, in preparation for the fifth crew rotation mission with SpaceX as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program.

NASA and SpaceX continue to target 12:46 p.m. EDT, Monday, Oct. 3, for launch of the agency's Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The mission will carry NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, who will serve as mission commander and pilot, respectively, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, who will serve as mission specialists.

These crewmates will travel to the space station for a six-month science and technology research mission. Plans also continue to return NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts following a short handover on the space station with Crew-5.

The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: [email protected].

All media participation in the following news conferences will be remote except where specifically listed below. All times are Eastern and subject to change based on concurrent operations.

Monday, Sept. 26

3:30 p.m. (approximately)  Crew arrival media event at Kennedy on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website with the following participants:

Janet Petro , director, NASA Kennedy

, director, NASA Kennedy Dana Hutcherson , deputy manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy

, deputy manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy NASA astronaut Nicole Mann

NASA astronaut Josh Cassada

JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata

Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina

The event is limited to in-person media only. Follow commercial crew and Kennedy Space Center for the latest arrival updates.

4:30 p.m. (approximately)  Flight Readiness Review media teleconference at Kennedy with the following participants:

Kathryn Lueders , associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters

, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Steve Stich , manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy

, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy Joel Montalbano , manager, International Space Station, NASA's Johnson Space Center

, manager, International Space Station, NASA's Johnson Space Center Emily Nelson , chief flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, NASA Johnson

, chief flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, NASA Johnson William Gerstenmaier , vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX

, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX Junichi Sakai , manager, International Space Station Program, JAXA

, manager, International Space Station Program, JAXA Sergei Krikalev, executive director, Human Space Flight Programs, Roscosmos

Listen to audio of the teleconference streaming at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 3 p.m. on Sept. 26, at: [email protected].

Based on the duration of the readiness review, NASA may adjust the date of this briefing if not able to complete the telecon prior to 6 p.m. when the agency's DART mission coverage begins.

Learn more about the mission and NASA's Commercial Crew Program at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

SOURCE NASA
NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global telehandler market is fragmented in nature. The market is highly competitive and is dominated by vendors such as JC Bamford Excavators, Manitou, and Oshkosh. Most of the prominent vendors in the market have their headquarters in Europe. Established vendors are focused on increasing the lift capacity and height of their existing models. They are also focusing on improving the control systems to enhance safety, which is a major concern and differentiating factor for buyers. Moreover, vendors are developing a wide range of products to expand their portfolio for various end-user applications and increase profitability. Gain deeper insights into the vendor landscape and identify successful growth strategies adopted by key vendors. Buy Report Now

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Telehandler Market 2022-2026

Technavio expects the global telehandlers market size to grow by USD 1.73 billion, accelerating at a CAGR of 5.66% during the forecast period.

Significant investments are being made in the construction of oil and gas pipelines across the world. This is evident in developing countries such as the US and Canada due to the shale gas boom. These countries are also making huge investments in public infrastructure, which is increasing the demand for telehandlers. Besides, the recent crackdown on illegal immigration by the Government of the US has resulted in a shortage of farmworkers in the country. This has driven the farming sector in the US to focus on mechanizing agriculture and livestock farming processes. Many such factors are expected to create significant opportunities for vendors during the forecast period.

Technavio segments the global telehandler market by application (construction, agriculture, industrial, and others) and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and the Middle East and Africa).

The construction industry will have the largest share of the market throughout the forecast period. The growth of the residential and commercial construction market is creating significant demand for telehandlers in the construction industry. The rising use of modular construction will further accelerate the growth of the market in the construction segment.

By region, APAC will emerge as the key market, occupying 45% of the global market share. Increasing investments in infrastructure projects such as transportation and energy in countries China, India, and Japan are driving the growth of the regional market.

The market is driven by the increasing need for bulk material handling in agriculture and livestock farming. The report on the telehandler market provides a holistic update, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis. The report offers an up-to-date analysis of the current global market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Download PDF Sample Report

The telehandler market covers the following areas:

Telehandler Market Sizing

Telehandler Market Forecast

Telehandler Market Analysis

Key vendors in the global telehandler market:

AB Volvo

Caterpillar Inc.

CLAAS Group

CNH Industrial NV

Dieci Srl

Doosan Corp.

Haulotte Group

J C Bamford Excavators Ltd.

Komatsu Ltd.

Liebherr International AG

Linamar Corp.

Magni Telescopic Handlers Srl

Manitou BF SA

Merlo Spa

Oshkosh Corp.

Pettibone Traverse Lift LLC

SANY Group

Terex Corp.

Wacker Neuson SE

Xtreme Manufacturing

Related Reports:

Telehandler Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.66% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 1.73 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 5.52 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 45% Key consumer countries US, China, India, Japan, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled AB Volvo, Caterpillar Inc., CLAAS Group, CNH Industrial NV, Dieci Srl, Doosan Corp., Haulotte Group, J C Bamford Excavators Ltd., Komatsu Ltd., Liebherr International AG, Linamar Corp., Magni Telescopic Handlers Srl, Manitou BF SA, Merlo Spa, Oshkosh Corp., Pettibone Traverse Lift LLC, SANY Group, Terex Corp., Wacker Neuson SE, and Xtreme Manufacturing 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.

Key Topics Covered:

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 between2021 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 Construction - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Construction - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Construction - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Construction - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Construction - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Agriculture - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Agriculture - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Agriculture - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Agriculture - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Agriculture - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Industrial - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 36: Chart on Industrial - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Industrial - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 38: Chart on Industrial - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Industrial - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.6 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 40: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 42: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.7 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 44: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 45: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 46: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 48: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 49: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 50: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 51: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 52: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 53: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 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 (%)

7.5 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 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 63: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 64: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 65: 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 66: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 68: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: 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 70: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 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 (%)

7.10 India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 82: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 83: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 84: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 85: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 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 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 90: 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 91: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 92: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 93: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 94: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 95: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 96: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 Caterpillar Inc.

Exhibit 97: Caterpillar Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 98: Caterpillar Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 99: Caterpillar Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 100: Caterpillar Inc. - Segment focus

10.4 CLAAS Group

Exhibit 101: CLAAS Group - Overview



Exhibit 102: CLAAS Group - Product / Service



Exhibit 103: CLAAS Group - Key news



Exhibit 104: CLAAS Group - Key offerings

10.5 Dieci Srl

Exhibit 105: Dieci Srl - Overview



Exhibit 106: Dieci Srl - Product / Service



Exhibit 107: Dieci Srl - Key offerings

10.6 Doosan Corp.

Exhibit 108: Doosan Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 109: Doosan Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 110: Doosan Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 111: Doosan Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 112: Doosan Corp. - Segment focus

10.7 Haulotte Group

Exhibit 113: Haulotte Group - Overview



Exhibit 114: Haulotte Group - Business segments



Exhibit 115: Haulotte Group - Key offerings



Exhibit 116: Haulotte Group - Segment focus

10.8 J C Bamford Excavators Ltd.

Exhibit 117: J C Bamford Excavators Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 118: J C Bamford Excavators Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 119: J C Bamford Excavators Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 120: J C Bamford Excavators Ltd. - Segment focus

10.9 Komatsu Ltd.

Exhibit 121: Komatsu Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 122: Komatsu Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 123: Komatsu Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 124: Komatsu Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 125: Komatsu Ltd. - Segment focus

10.10 Liebherr International AG

Exhibit 126: Liebherr International AG - Overview



Exhibit 127: Liebherr International AG - Product / Service



Exhibit 128: Liebherr International AG - Key news



Exhibit 129: Liebherr International AG - Key offerings

10.11 Manitou BF SA

Exhibit 130: Manitou BF SA - Overview



Exhibit 131: Manitou BF SA - Product / Service



Exhibit 132: Manitou BF SA - Key offerings

10.12 Oshkosh Corp.

Exhibit 133: Oshkosh Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 134: Oshkosh Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 135: Oshkosh Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 136: Oshkosh Corp. - Segment focus

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 137: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 138: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 139: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 140: Research methodology



Exhibit 141: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 142: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 143: 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
Fisher House Provides Free, Temporary Lodging to Military & Veteran Families

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System (VAAAHS) on Friday held the dedication ceremony for the VA Ann Arbor Fisher House. The Fisher House was dedicated to America's service men and women and their loved ones.

Fisher House Foundation and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System held a dedication ceremony for the first Fisher House in Michigan. Since opening in June 2020, the 16-suite, 13,000+ sq.-ft. comfort home has housed over 6,000 individual guests from more than 11 different states, saving Veteran and Military families over $1.2 million in lodging costs.

The Fisher House provides bedrooms, kitchen, dining and family rooms, laundry and outdoor patio space to Veterans and their families who are receiving extended care at VAAAHS. Since opening in June 2020, the 16-suite, 13,000+ sq.-ft. 'comfort home' has housed over 6,000 individual guests from more than 11 different states, saving Veteran and Military families over $1.2 million in lodging costs.

VAAAHS Medical Center Director Ginny Creasman was joined by U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell and Fisher House Foundation Chairman and CEO Ken Fisher at the Dedication. Medal of Honor Recipient Jim McCloughan also made remarks and presented a plaque from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

"The Fisher House has exceeded all our expectations since it's opening," said Dr. Creasman. "The convenience, healing atmosphere, and proximity to the medical center allows us to meet the needs of our Veterans and caregivers by reducing the overall stress and burden an extended stay at a hospital may bring. It is our honor to be able to provide this 'home away from home' while Veterans receive health care with us."

"Fisher House Foundation is honored to bring this first house to Michigan," said Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation Ken Fisher. "This house, in Ann Arbor, has already shown how critical the need is for our military and veteran community. We are grateful to such a supportive community that helped to make this Fisher House possible."

"Many patients receiving care at the VA are far away from their homes, and we know that the support of loved ones can be the best medicine. I have been working for Ann Arbor and Detroit to have Fisher House since the day I walked into Congress. This fulfills a long-held dream and a lot of hard work by so many, and now we have one down and one to go," said U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell. "Fisher House makes a difference for countless families and patients during some of the most difficult times in their lives, and I will continue to serve as a champion in Congress for their important work."

The Ann Arbor Fisher House was the first to be opened in the state of Michigan. Planning and development of a second Fisher House near the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit is currently underway. Local fundraising efforts to support the construction and operations of both Fisher Houses are organized by Fisher House Michigan.

"Michiganders are pouring their hearts into this mission. We're overwhelmed by the generosity of donors from all 83 Michigan counties," said Fisher House Michigan President Mark Palmucci. "Each family staying in this 'brick-and-mortar support system' heals along with their Veteran. We can't wait to expand access to this invaluable resource for more Veteran families with a Fisher House in Detroit."

Fisher House Foundation proudly recognizes the generosity of the following contributors for their extraordinary support of our military and veteran families: Fisher House Michigan; Anonymous; Masco Corporation; the MacLeod Family; the Weiser Family; American Legion Department of Michigan Family; Brad Keselowski's Checkered Flag Foundation; CAPT Victor & Mrs. Carol Palmucci, USN (Ret); In memory of Scott Freestone & Ron Arenas; Specialist Matthew T. Drake, US Army, Iraq; Steven Tallman; CPT Arthur J. Holst; Patton's 3rd Army, 1943-1946; Erwin Prieskorn American Legion Post 46; First Nation Group; Kerri Childress; Mark Palmucci & Beryl Needham; Members of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor; Members of UAW Local 900; Old National Bank; Richard & Jean Schmidt; Robert W. (Fletch) Fletcher; Spartan Capital Veterans Family Support Fund; Stutzmann-Moore Wealth Management; the Trinity Charitable Fund; University of Michigan - Michigan Medicine; Vehicles for Veterans; Vietnam Veterans of Michigan; and the many gifts of a grateful nation.

About VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System

VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System (VAAAHS) provides state-of-the-art healthcare services to Veterans at eight locations of care in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio. VAAAHS is a major tertiary care national and regional referral center and provides care at the Community-based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) in Toledo, Ohio, and Jackson, Adrian and Flint, Michigan. A CBOC will be opening in Howell, Michigan during Fall 2022. The Medical Center campus includes the hospital, outpatient clinics, community living center, a radiation therapy facility, Fisher House, two research buildings, five administrative outbuildings, two parking garages, and an energy center. The facility includes state-of-the-art ambulatory care clinics, operating rooms, cardiac catheterization suite, intensive care units, laboratory, and diagnostic facilities.

About Fisher House Foundation

Fisher House Foundation is best known for its network of 92 comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital they serve. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veteran families an estimated $547 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation. www.fisherhouse.org

About Fisher House Michigan

Fisher House Michigan is a not-for-profit organization formed to improve the quality of life of US military members, retirees, Veterans, and their families and caregivers. FHM supports the construction and operations of comfort homes built near VA Medical Centers in Michigan, called "Fisher Houses." FHM works to inform the Veteran community, their families, and the general public about Fisher Houses, and provides necessary support to Fisher House operations as needed. Fisher House Michigan presently supports operations at the Fisher House at VAAAHS in Ann Arbor and is raising capital and program funds for the future Fisher House at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit. www.fisherhousemichigan.org

SOURCE Fisher House Foundation
SoCal sportfishing community bands together with more than 50 yachts supporting combat wounded veterans with three-days of world-class angling

Public invited to cheer on our nation's heroes during patriotic boat parade through Newport Harbor  Saturday, September 24

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 125 military veterans from across the country arrived in Newport Beach, Calif. today for War Heroes on Water (WHOW), the transformative sportfishing tournament that helps combat-wounded veterans recover from the physical and emotional wounds of war. In its fifth annual and largest tournament to date, the event will directly serve the veterans on board more than 50 of Southern California's finest sportfishing yachts for a weekend of world-class angling, while raising funds to support thousands more through WHOW's 501c3 partner, Freedom Alliance.

125 military veterans from across the country arrived in Newport Beach, Calif. today for War Heroes on Water (WHOW), the transformative sportfishing tournament that helps combat-wounded veterans recover from the physical and emotional wounds of war.

WHOW Founder Anthony Hsieh said "Our nation's veterans have sacrificed so much for us and for our country, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve them through WHOW every year. We're here to show these heroes how much they mean to us while allowing them to tap into the healing powers of the ocean and forge life-long bonds with fellow veterans who understand and share their experiences. Today marks the start of yet another amazing journey."

WHOW officially kicks off Sat., Sept. 24, when the public is invited to cheer on our veterans during a patriotic and visually stunning community boat parade in Newport Harbor. The parade provides the community an opportunity to share its deep appreciation for the sacrifices of these brave men and women. The festivities kick off at 5pm, a map of pedestrian viewing areas is available here.

Once on the water, the prowess of SoCal's finest anglers will take center stage as each team shares its knowledge of the local waters and expert fishing techniques to get their veterans on fish.

"In addition to the joy of seeing old friends and welcoming new members into the WHOW family, it's incredible to see the community come together to honor our nation's heroes," added Hsieh. "We couldn't do this if it were not for all of our generous sponsors and, of course, the SoCal sportfishing community who so kindly donate their yachts, time and angling expertise to allow our veterans to connect and heal with some competitive fishing over three days at sea."

At the heart of the WHOW tournament are dozens of participants and volunteers, including the owners, captains and crews of the WHOW fleet, who, collectively, represent a monetary donation of hundreds of thousands of dollarsas well as hundreds of hoursto host the veterans for the three-day on-water component of the tournament. These patriots graciously welcome their veteran guests so that they can experience the healing power that comes with being on the open ocean, enable them to form deep and genuine bonds with their fellow team members and establish a long-term support system that extends well beyond the tournament itself.

"WHOW changes lives," said WHOW participant and veteran Michael Spivey. "The military to civilian divide makes it hard to connect with other people, whereas veterans have so much in common, we can connect on a more personal level. The ocean has its own rhythm and frequency that speaks to your soul; it centers you and allows you to open up. Getting out there with other vets makes you feel better about yourself; it helps us continue on and makes everything feel better."

This year's tournament has attracted more than 225 returning and new corporate and private donors and sponsors who care about our veterans and understand how this tournament is saving--and changing lives. The tournament has already raised more than $1 million before its iconic silent auction opens for bidding on Saturday at 12pm PT. Click HERE to register and view items.

Over the first four years of the tournament, the generous support of the WHOW family of sponsors and donors has enabled the tournament to directly serve 200 veterans on the water and raise more than $3.3 million to support thousands more through Freedom Alliance's year-round therapeutic services and scholarships for combat-wounded service members and their families.

About War Heroes on Water

War Heroes on Water (WHOW) is an annual sportfishing tournament of unprecedented scale that supports combat-wounded veterans' programs. It was created by Anthony Hsieh, who is also the owner and leader of Team Bad Company, a world-class, record-holding competitive sportfishing fleet. Through Hsieh's deep connections with the Southern California sportfishing and business communities, WHOW has grown exponentially over five years and is now the largest nonprofit sportfishing tournament in the US.

About Freedom Alliance

Freedom Alliance is a charitable organization which provides help and support to wounded troops and military families. Freedom Alliance has awarded more than $20 million in college scholarships to the children of military heroes killed or disabled in military service and has spent millions more helping injured veterans and military families with outdoor recreational therapy trips, Heroes Vacations, care packages for deployed troops, mortgage-free homes, all-terrain wheelchairs and much more. To learn more, visit www.FreedomAlliance.org or Facebook.com/FreedomAlliance.

Media Contact:

Jonathan Fine

VP, Public Relations

(781) 248-3963

[email protected]

SOURCE War Heroes on Water
Next Open House will Highlight Zero Percent Financing for 48 Months

MAHWAH, N.J., Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark will host several open house events this fall to help Catholics gain knowledge and confidence before a difficult time arises. The timing is apropos given the state of the economy and each family's need to protect their heritage.

The Maryrest Chapel Mausoleum features beautiful stained-glass windows, marble and glass cremation niches, marble crypts, a chapel for committal services, monthly Masses, and prayerful experiences. Our caring and professional Memorial Planning Advisors will answer questions and share information with no obligation. Special 0% interest financing will be available. The open house will be on October 1 & 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"A time of loss is a time of confusion, and final arrangements do not have to add to the uncertainty," says Andrew P. Schafer, Executive Director of the Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark. "The worries of last-minute burial arrangements should not become part of a family's grieving process, especially when experiencing profound sorrow. We reach out regularly to families to inform them about the valuable benefits of preplanning."

Open house weekend will take place Saturday, October 1, and Sunday, October 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the award-winning Maryrest Cemetery and Mausoleum in Mahwah, NJ, in the northwest region of Bergen County, a short distance from the New York state line.

After witnessing the 18-foot bronze statue of Mary at the cemetery entrance, guests can tour the Maryrest Chapel Mausoleum, featuring marble crypts, glass and marble cremation niches, and an Easter-inspired stained-glass window and altar.

Maryrest Cemetery also features New Jersey's first Catholic Natural/Green Burial Section. The wildflowers and naturally occurring flora create a peaceful and serene setting for families who prefer an eco-friendly memorial or an alternative to cremation.

Memorial planning advisors will meet with visitors to share information about burial and cremation options, memorialization, and financial planning options, including 0% financing for 48 months.

Maryrest Cemetery is located at 770 Darlington Avenue, Mahwah, NJ. For more information, stop by or send an email to [email protected]. To learn more, watch the video at www.MaryrestCemetery.org.

About Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark

Catholic Cemeteries assist individuals and families before, during, and after losing a loved one. They also provide Monthly Masses of Remembrance celebrated at archdiocesan Catholic cemeteries throughout the year, typically during the first week of each month and on special days. Contact a caring and professional Memorial Planning Advisor at [email protected] or learn more at www.CatholicJourney.org.

###

SOURCE Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark
NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner of the class action firm Monteverde & Associates PC (the "M&A Class Action Firm"), a national securities firm rated Top 50 in the 2018-2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report and headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating:

Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (VIVO) relating to its proposed acquisition by SD Biosensor, Inc. and SJL Partners LLC. Under the terms of the agreement, VIVO shareholders will receive $34.00 in cash per share they own. Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/meridian-bioscience-inc . It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.





relating to its proposed acquisition by SD Biosensor, Inc. and SJL Partners LLC. Under the terms of the agreement, VIVO shareholders will receive in cash per share they own. Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AERI), relating to its proposed acquisition by Alcon Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, AERI shareholders are expected to receive $15.25 in cash per share they own. Click here for more information: http://monteverdelaw.com/case/aerie-pharmaceuticals-inc. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

CyberOptics Corp. (CYBE), relating to its proposed acquisition by Nordson Corp. Under the terms of the agreement, CYBE shareholders are expected to receive $54.00 in cash per share they own. Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/cyberoptics-corp. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

Gemini Therapeutics, Inc. (GMTX), relating to its proposed merger with Disc Medicine, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, GMTX shareholders are expected to own 28% of the newly combined company. Click here for more information: http://monteverdelaw.com/case/gemini-therapeutics-inc. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.





About Monteverde & Associates PC

We are a national class action securities litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders from corporate wrongdoing. We were listed in the Top 50 in the 2018-2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. Our lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions. Mr. Monteverde is recognized by Super Lawyers in 2013 and 2017-2019 as a Rising Star and in 2022 as a Super Lawyer in Securities Litigation. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017-2021 Top Rated Lawyer. Our firm's recent successes include changing the law in a significant victory that lowered the standard of liability under Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act in the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, our firm successfully preserved this victory by obtaining dismissal of a writ of certiorari as improvidently granted at the United States Supreme Court. Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019). Also, in 2019 we recovered or secured six cash common funds for shareholders in mergers & acquisitions class action cases.

If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2022 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC ( www.monteverdelaw.com ). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC
Conagra Brands Inc., Donald Russell Ltd., and Fanatical Foods Ltd. will emerge as major grass-fed beef market participants during 2021-2025

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Grass-Fed Beef Market Segmented by Product (Fresh grass-fed beef and Processed grass-fed beef) and Geography (North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and MEA) - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025" has been added to Technavio's offering. The market size is expected to grow by USD 39.95 billion from 2020 to 2025.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Grass-fed Beef Market 2021-2025

The grass-fed beef market is driven by new product launches influencing grass-fed beef consumption, various health benefits of grass-fed beef, and the entry of new players. However, factors such as the premium price of grass-fed beef, disease outbreaks in animals, and Product recalls are expected to challenge the grass-fed beef market growth during the forecast period.

Technavio has identified key trends, drivers, and challenges in the market, which will help vendors improve their strategies to stay ahead of their competitors. View our FREE PDF Sample Report

Grass-fed Beef Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

Product

Fresh Grass-fed Beef



Processed Grass-fed Beef

Geography

North America



APAC



Europe



South America



MEA

Learn about the contribution of each segment summarized in concise infographics and thorough descriptions. View a FREE PDF Sample Report

Grass-fed Beef Market 2021-2025: Revenue-generating Product Segments

The fresh grass-fed beef segment will be the largest contributor to market growth during the forecast period. The demand for fresh grass-fed beef is high, as it is considered healthier than processed grass-fed beef. Fresh grass-fed beef has various advantages, such as a high content of omega-3 fatty acids linoleic acid, and antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin E, which is propelling its demand in markets such as the US and Australia.

Grass-fed Beef Market 2021-2025: Key Players and their Offerings

The grass-fed beef market is fragmented, and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as organic and inorganic strategies to compete in the market. Conagra Brands Inc., Donald Russell Ltd., Fanatical Foods Ltd., Hormel Foods Corp., JBS SA, Perdue Farms Inc., Primal Web Ltd., Rain Crow Ranch, Sysco Corp., Verde Farms, among others, are the main players in the market. The key offerings of some of these vendors are listed below:

Conagra Brands Inc. - The company offers grass-fed beef through its brands Slim Jim and Duke's.

The company offers grass-fed beef through its brands Slim Jim and Duke's. Donald Russell Ltd. - The company offers grass-fed beef such as fillet, ribeye, sirloin, and others.

The company offers grass-fed beef such as fillet, ribeye, sirloin, and others. Fanatical Foods Ltd. - The company offers a wide range of grass-fed beef such as rib of beef, boneless rib of beef, beef sirloin, beef fillet, beef mince, beef steak burgers, and others.

The company offers a wide range of grass-fed beef such as rib of beef, boneless rib of beef, beef sirloin, beef fillet, beef mince, beef steak burgers, and others. Hormel Foods Corp. - The company offers grass-fed beef raised without antibiotics and added hormones through its brand Applegate.

The company offers grass-fed beef raised without antibiotics and added hormones through its brand Applegate. JBS SA - The company offers grass-fed beef such as Acres Organic Grass-fed Beef, Great Southern, and King Island Beef.

The company offers grass-fed beef such as Acres Organic Grass-fed Beef, Great Southern, and King Island Beef. Perdue Farms Inc. - The company offers grass-fed and grass-finished certified organic beef through its brand Panorama Meats.

The company offers grass-fed and grass-finished certified organic beef through its brand Panorama Meats. Rain Crow Ranch - The company offers grass-fed beef products with high protein sources, omega-3 fatty acids, high vitamin E, beta-carotene, and others.

This report provides a full list of key vendors, their strategies, and latest developments. Buy Now to gain exclusive access to vendor information

Related Report

Beef Market by Distribution Channel and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The beef market share should rise by USD 43.05 billion from 2021 to 2026.

Wagyu Beef Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The wagyu beef market share is expected to increase by USD 3.57 billion from 2021 to 2026

Grass-fed Beef Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 14.72% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 39.95 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 13.81 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution North America at 27% Key consumer countries US, UK, Canada, Germany, and China Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Conagra Brands Inc., Donald Russell Ltd., Fanatical Foods Ltd., Hormel Foods Corp., JBS SA, Perdue Farms Inc., Primal Web Ltd., Rain Crow Ranch, Sysco Corp., and Verde Farms 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 Consumer Staples Market Reports

Table of Contents

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 01: Parent market



Exhibit 02: Market characteristics

2.2 Value chain analysis

Exhibit 03: Value chain analysis: Packaged Foods and Meats

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 04: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 05: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2020

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Exhibit 06: Global - Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ billion)



Exhibit 07: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2020 - 2025 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 08: Five forces analysis 2020 & 2025

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 09: Bargaining power of buyers

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 10: Bargaining power of suppliers

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 11: Threat of new entrants

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 12: Threat of substitutes

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 13: Threat of rivalry

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 14: Market condition - Five forces 2020

5 Market Segmentation by Product

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 15: Product - Market share 2020-2025 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Product

Exhibit 16: Comparison by Product

5.3 Fresh grass-fed beef - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 17: Fresh grass-fed beef - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)



Exhibit 18: Fresh grass-fed beef - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.4 Processed grass-fed beef - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 19: Processed grass-fed beef - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)



Exhibit 20: Processed grass-fed beef - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Product

Exhibit 21: Market opportunity by Product

6 Customer landscape

6.1 Customer landscape

Exhibit 22: Customer landscape

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 23: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 24: Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 25: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 26: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 27: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)



Exhibit 28: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 29: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 30: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 31: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 32: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.7 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 33: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)



Exhibit 34: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.8 Key leading countries

Exhibit 35: Key leading countries

7.9 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by geography ($ billion)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

Exhibit 37: Impact of drivers and challenges

8.3 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 38: Vendor landscape

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 39: Landscape disruption



Exhibit 40: Industry risks

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 41: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 42: Market positioning of vendors

10.3 Conagra Brands Inc.

Exhibit 43: Conagra Brands Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 44: Conagra Brands Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 45: Conagra Brands Inc.- Key news



Exhibit 46: Conagra Brands Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 47: Conagra Brands Inc. - Segment focus

10.4 Donald Russell Ltd.

Exhibit 48: Donald Russell Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 49: Donald Russell Ltd. - Product and service



Exhibit 50: Donald Russell Ltd. - Key offerings

10.5 Fanatical Foods Ltd. t/a Pipers Farm

Exhibit 51: Fanatical Foods Ltd. t/a Pipers Farm - Overview



Exhibit 52: Fanatical Foods Ltd. t/a Pipers Farm - Product and service



Exhibit 53: Fanatical Foods Ltd. t/a Pipers Farm - Key offerings

10.6 Hormel Foods Corp.

Exhibit 54: Hormel Foods Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 55: Hormel Foods Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 56: Hormel Foods Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 57: Hormel Foods Corp. - Segment focus

10.7 JBS SA

10.8 Perdue Farms Inc.

Exhibit 63: Perdue Farms Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 64: Perdue Farms Inc. - Product and service



Exhibit 65: Perdue Farms Inc. - Key offerings

10.9 Primal Meats

Exhibit 66: Primal Meats - Overview



Exhibit 67: Primal Meats - Product and service



Exhibit 68: Primal Meats - Key offerings

10.10 Rain Crow Ranch

Exhibit 69: Rain Crow Ranch - Overview



Exhibit 70: Rain Crow Ranch - Product and service



Exhibit 71: Rain Crow Ranch - Key offerings

10.11 Sysco Corp.

Exhibit 72: Sysco Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 73: Sysco Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 74: Sysco Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 75: Sysco Corp. - Segment focus

10.12 Verde Farms

Exhibit 76: Verde Farms - Overview



Exhibit 77: Verde Farms - Product and service



Exhibit 78: Verde Farms - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 79: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.3 Research methodology

Exhibit 80: Research Methodology



Exhibit 81: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 82: Information sources

11.4 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 83: 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 provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

Newsroom: newsroom.technavio.org/news/grass-fed-beefmarket

SOURCE Technavio
BERLIN, Sept. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In parallel with InnoTrans 2022, Huawei held the 9th Huawei Global Rail Summit, themed "Driving Digitalization in Future Rail, Create New Value Together". The summit brought together global industry leaders, ecosystem partners, and technical experts to discuss the future of the rail industry.

Launch of Huawei's FRMCS Solution

At the summit, Huawei launched the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) Solution, which aims to help build a more secure, efficient, and smarter railway mobile communications system. Mr. Wang Guoyu, COO of Huawei Aviation & Rail BU, and other guests attended the launch.

"Huawei helps customers go digital. We use innovative technologies  such as FRMCS, Wi-Fi 6, and all-optical networks  to reshape connections, reconstruct digital platforms, and facilitate data sharing and collaboration across multiple service systems in the rail industry. We hope to enable intelligent rail operations and O&M through joint innovation with our partners." said Mr. Xiang Xi, Vice President of Huawei Aviation & Rail BU.

Adhering to the concept of openness and cooperation, Huawei is committed to driving digital transformation along with rail customers and ecosystem partners. We complement each other's strengths, innovate together, explore industry standards, and build an ecosystem for rail digitalization.

At the summit, Jeffrey Sim, CEO of SBS Transit Rail Business, explained the company's digital journey. Vincenzo Bloise, International Sales Director of Almaviva, introduced how modern ICT solutions can boost digitalization in railways and Mr. Li Jie, President of Huawei Enterprise Wireless Domain, demonstrated how Huawei's FRMCS solution enables railway digitalization. In addition, Steven Xiong, CTO for the rail industry of Huawei Aviation & Rail BU, delivered a keynote speech titled "Driving Digitalization in Future Rail, Create New Value Together" and shared industry digitalization cases.

Huawei exhibited its innovative solutions and flagship products for the rail industry at InnoTrans 2022. These include leading ICT infrastructure, green energy, smart urban rail, and smart railway solutions.

Huawei aims to reshape rail connectivity and enable secure, intelligent, green, and sustainable development. We will continue to dive into innovative practices and deploy its leading ICTs to lay a digital foundation for the industry. Huawei will build smart applications in collaboration with our partners, steadily advancing industry digital transformation.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1906457/image_986294_44382169.jpg

SOURCE Huawei
NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The railcar leasing market in Europe is expected to observe an incremental growth of USD 254.04 million between 2020 and 2025, accelerating at a CAGR of 4.21% during the forecast period. The report identifies the market structure to be concentrated and highly consolidated as it is dominated by a few vendors. The market is highly competitive with vendors competing against each other to gain extra market share. They are focusing on strengthening their long-term financial stability by investing in railcar equipment, the expertise of people, and new businesses. Get deeper insights into the vendor landscape, the competitive scenario, new product/service offerings, successful strategies adopted by vendors, and much more. Buy Full Report Now

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Railcar Leasing Market in Europe 2021-2025

The market is driven by the growth in the oil, gas, and mining industry. The growing demand for energy has increased the consumption as well as the production of primary energy, such as oil, natural gas, and nuclear fuel. This has increased the demand for tank wagons to transport oil, natural gas, biofuel, and nuclear fuel such as uranium. All these factors will have a positive influence on the growth of the market in focus during the forecast period.

The report identifies Akiem SAS, Beacon Rail Leasing Ltd., ERMEWA Group, GATX Corp., Mitsui Rail Capital, Porterbrook Leasing Co. Ltd., RAILPOOL GmbH, The Greenbrier Companies Inc., Touax SCA, and VTG Aktiengesellschaft as some of the major 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 railcar leasing market in Europe is segmented as below:

Type

Freight Cars



Tank Wagons



Intermodals

The market growth in the freight cars segment will be significant over the forecast period. The segment includes flat cars, open cars, boxcars, and sliding wall freight cars. The demand for these cars is increasing due to the expansion of manufacturing companies in Eastern Europe. Also, the increase in government funding in the development of rail services will foster the growth of the segment.

Geography

Germany



France



The UK



Poland



Rest Of Europe

Germany will emerge as the major market, occupying 58% of the global market share. The increase in intermodal operations is driving the growth of the regional market. Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our railcar leasing market in Europe report covers the following areas:

Railcar Leasing Market in Europe 2021-2025: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the railcar leasing market in Europe. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research report on the railcar leasing market in Europe is designed to provide entry support, customer profile, and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Railcar Leasing Market in Europe 2021-2025: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2021-2025

Detailed information on factors that will assist railcar leasing market growth in Europe during the next five years

during the next five years Estimation of the railcar leasing market size in Europe and its contribution to the parent market

and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the railcar leasing market in Europe

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of railcar leasing market vendors in Europe

Related Reports:

Railcar Leasing Market In Europe Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.21% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 254.04 million Market structure Concentrated YoY growth (%) 3.55 Regional analysis Germany, France, the UK, Poland, and Rest of Europe Performing market contribution Germany at 58% Key consumer countries Germany, France, UK, Russian Federation, and Poland Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Akiem SAS, Beacon Rail Leasing Ltd., ERMEWA Group, GATX Corp., Mitsui Rail Capital, Porterbrook Leasing Co. Ltd., RAILPOOL GmbH, The Greenbrier Companies Inc., Touax SCA, and VTG Aktiengesellschaft 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

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 01: Parent market



Exhibit 02: Market characteristics

2.2 Value chain analysis

Exhibit 03: Value Chain Analysis: Air freight and logistics market

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 04: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 05: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2020

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Exhibit 06: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 07: Europe market: Year-over-year growth 2020 - 2025 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five Forces Summary

Exhibit 08: Five forces analysis 2020 & 2025

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 09: Bargaining power of buyers

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 10: Bargaining power of suppliers

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 11: Threat of new entrants

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 12: Threat of substitutes

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 13: Threat of rivalry

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 14: Market condition - Five forces 2020

5 Market Segmentation by Type

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 15: Type - Market share 2020-2025 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Type

Exhibit 16: Comparison by Type

5.3 Freight cars - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 17: Freight cars - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 18: Freight cars - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.4 Tank wagons - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 19: Tank wagons - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 20: Tank wagons - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.5 Intermodals - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 21: Intermodals - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 22: Intermodals - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.6 Market opportunity by Type

Exhibit 23: Market opportunity by Type

6 Customer landscape

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 25: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 26: Geographic comparison

7.3 Germany - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 27: Germany - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 28: Germany - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.4 France - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 29: France - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 30: France - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.5 UK - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 31: UK - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)



Exhibit 32: UK - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.6 Poland - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 33: Poland - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 34: Poland - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.7 Rest of Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 35: Rest of Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 36: Rest of Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.8 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 37: Market opportunity by geography

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

Exhibit 38: Impact of drivers and challenges

8.3 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 40: Landscape disruption



Exhibit 41: Industry risks

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 42: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 43: Market positioning of vendors

10.3 Akiem SAS

Exhibit 44: Akiem SAS - Overview



Exhibit 45: Akiem SAS - Product and service



Exhibit 46: Akiem SAS - Key offerings

10.4 Beacon Rail Leasing Ltd.

Exhibit 47: Beacon Rail Leasing Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 48: Beacon Rail Leasing Ltd. - Product and service



Exhibit 49: Beacon Rail Leasing Ltd. - Key offerings

10.5 ERMEWA Group

Exhibit 50: ERMEWA Group - Overview



Exhibit 51: ERMEWA Group - Product and service



Exhibit 52: ERMEWA Group - Key offerings

10.6 GATX Corp.

Exhibit 53: GATX Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 54: GATX Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 55: GATX Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 56: GATX Corp. - Segment focus

10.7 Mitsui Rail Capital

Exhibit 57: Mitsui Rail Capital - Overview



Exhibit 58: Mitsui Rail Capital - Product and service



Exhibit 59: Mitsui Rail Capital - Key offerings

10.8 Porterbrook Leasing Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 60: Porterbrook Leasing Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 61: Porterbrook Leasing Co. Ltd. - Product and service



Exhibit 62: Porterbrook Leasing Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.9 RAILPOOL GmbH

Exhibit 63: RAILPOOL GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 64: RAILPOOL GmbH - Product and service



Exhibit 65: RAILPOOL GmbH - Key offerings

10.10 The Greenbrier Companies Inc.

Exhibit 66: The Greenbrier Companies Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 67: The Greenbrier Companies Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 68: The Greenbrier Companies Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 69: The Greenbrier Companies Inc. - Segment focus

10.11 Touax SCA

Exhibit 70: Touax SCA - Overview



Exhibit 71: Touax SCA - Business segments



Exhibit 72: Touax SCA - Key offerings



Exhibit 73: Touax SCA - Segment focus

10.12 VTG Aktiengesellschaft

Exhibit 74: VTG Aktiengesellschaft - Overview



Exhibit 75: VTG Aktiengesellschaft - Product and service



Exhibit 76: VTG Aktiengesellschaft - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 77: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.3 Research methodology

Exhibit 78: Research Methodology



Exhibit 79: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 80: Information sources

11.4 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 81: List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SpendEdge's procurement report on Polyeco Group, Lamor Corp., and N. R. Chemicals are among the topmost important suppliers for the Oil Spill Solutions market.

The report also explains key category management objectives that should form the base for Oil Spill Solutions's sourcing strategy.
Washington, Sep 24 : Foreign Ministers of the Quad countries -- India, Australia, Japan and the US -- met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings in New York on Friday and said they hoped to make it an annual affair, taking another major step towards further institutionalising the platform focused on keeping the Indo-Pacific free and open from Chinese influence.

The four countries also signed Quad Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Partnership for the Indo-Pacific, which was discussed and agreed upon at the Tokyo summit of the Quad.

The Quad -- which started out in 2004 as the Australia-India-Japan-US Tsunami Core Group and later turned into the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue -- has witnessed intense engagement in recent years after it was resurrected in 2017 by the Trump administration from its 2008 collapse.

US President Joe Biden took it to the summit level with a virtual meeting in 2021, which was quickly followed by one in person. Their four summit -- and second in person -- took place in May this year in Tokyo.

Though the leaders have had two in-person summits in the two years since their first in 2021, there has been no decision for them to meet every year. But Quad Foreign Ministers will meet every year now, as they announced at their meeting on Friday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

"This is the first time that the Foreign Ministers from the Quad countries have gotten together at the United Nations General Assembly, so my hope is that this will become a regular feature of these meetings," said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who called the meeting and hosted it, in public remarks ahead of the signing of the agreement and their meeting.

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar agreed.

"I think it's a great idea that we meet regularly on the sidelines of the UNGA but in our respective countries as well," he said.

The Minister then emphasised the importance of the Friday meeting, saying it has come at a time the world is passing through "a very difficult period" and mentioned the "global repercussions" of the Ukraine conflict and "climate events and emergencies".

"So given the turbulent times, I think it's particularly important that we go further in the constructive agenda that we have set for ourselves, that we work together on the delivery of public goods, that our efforts and particularly what we are signing today, the HDR (humanitarian and disaster relief) Partnership, which we discussed and finalised in Tokyo is I think, extremely timely," he concluded.

Blinken, who called and hosted the meet, said, "We're looking forward to continuing to explore the many ways that the Quad enables us to deepen our cooperation. Our leaders have set out a very significant agenda for us when they met. We are following through on a lot of that work. So are our colleagues today is one more manifestation of that." Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, "We do know our region is being reshaped, economically and strategically. And we are here because we want to work with the countries represented before you to better navigate this period of change together. So this is the heart of the Quad to create the region we all aspire to and it's a great honour and privilege to be here with my counterparts today." Finally, Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said, "Today the world is witnessing direct attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force. The free and open international order based on the rule of law is under threat." He did not name China, but the reference barely concealed who he had meant.

"So it's extremely significant for us to demonstrate together to the international community, our firm commitment to the principles of the UN charter and free and open Indo-Pacific order," he added.

In a joint statement, the four countries welcomed progress in delivering on Quad commitments. In particular, they noted the signing of the disaster relief agreement and they look forward to the "counter-terrorism tabletop exercise" being hosted by Australia later in 2022. They also announced a statement on ransomware, calling on states to take reasonable steps to address ransomware operations emanating from their territory.

"We reiterated the Quad's commitment to supporting regional partners' efforts to improve their maritime security and domain awareness," they said further, and added, "We support the ongoing efforts, in close consultation with regional partners, to take forward the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness."
New York, Sep 24 : The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu has called on other nations to join them in establishing a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, a proposed international mechanism that aims to explicitly address the source of 86 per cent of CO2 emissions that cause climate change: fossil fuels.

Vanuatu President Nikenike Vurobaravu on Friday made the historic call on the floor of the UN General Assembly, making Vanuatu the first nation-state to call for an international mechanism to stop the expansion of all new fossil fuel projects, and manage a global just transition away from coal, oil and gas.

The President will also launch their call for a treaty to phase out fossil fuels on stage at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Central Park.

In his speech, Vurobaravu said: "Every day we are experiencing more debilitating consequences of the climate crisis. Fundamental human rights are being violated, and we are measuring climate change not in degrees of Celsius or tons of carbon, but in human lives. This emergency is of our own making. Our youth are terrified of the future world we are handing to them through expanding fossil fuel dependency, compromising intergenerational trust and equity.

"We call for the development of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to phase down coal, oil and gas production in line with 1.5 degrees Celsius, and enable a global just transition for every worker, community and nation with fossil fuel dependence." The call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty has already been endorsed by more than 65 cities and sub-national governments around the globe, including London, Lima, Los Angeles, Kolkata, Paris and the Hawaii State Legislature.

Recently the proposal has also been supported by the Vatican and the World Health Organization.

Significant momentum has built behind the proposal in recent months and Vanuatu's call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is a pivotal step towards building formal diplomatic support for the proposal.

Similar moments were pivotal in the legal pathway towards treaties to manage the threats of nuclear weapons and landmines.

This historic call doubles down on Vanuatu's commitment to climate action, following their submission earlier this month of one of the world's most comprehensive climate targets under the UN.

Vanuatu has also been leading a campaign to have the International Court of Justice issue an opinion on climate justice and human rights, which paves the way for a new era of international climate policy focused on equity and justice and addressing the biggest drivers of the climate crisis -- coal, oil, and gas.

Vanuatu, an already carbon-negative country that absorbs more emissions than it produces, is rated the country most at risk of natural disasters, according to the UN.

Countries on the frontlines of this crisis have been calling for urgent, tangible action on climate as they face the impacts of climate change and sea level rise in real time.
Washington, Sep 24 : North Korea may well conduct a nuclear test during US Vice President Kamala Harris' upcoming trip to South Korea and Japan as Pyongyang has been preparing for such a test, a senior administration official said here.

The official warned the North will face serious consequences should it choose to conduct a new test, Yonhap News Agency reported on Saturday.

"It is possible and we previously said that the DPRK is preparing to conduct a nuclear test," the official said on Friday when asked about the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test during Harris' trip to next week.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

The official noted Pyongyang has been said to be preparing for a nuclear test for some time.

"We have made clear that such a test would result in additional actions by the US to demonstrate our ironclad commitment to the security of the Republic of Korea and to our Japanese allies," said the official, referring to South Korea by its official name.

"We have made clear how concerned we have been by North Korean provocations and destabilizing behaviour and a nuclear test would certainly be in that category," the official added, also noting the issue of North Korean provocations will "certainly" be discussed when the Vice President meets her South Korean counterparts.

Harris is scheduled to make a four-day visit to Japan from September 26, leading a presidential delegation to the funeral of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

She will arrive in South Korea on September 29 for a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, the official said in a telephonic press briefing.

It will mark her first trip to both Japan and South Korea since taking office early last year.

In addition to Yoon, Harris is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will be leading South Korea's presidential delegation to Abe's funeral.

The Harris-Han meeting will be held in Tokyo on September 26, according to the U.S. administration official.

During her two-day trip to Seoul, the Vice President will also hold a roundtable with a group of what the administration official called "groundbreaking Korean women".
United Nations, Sep 24 : Indian diplomat Mijito Vinito said that peace is possible in the sub-continent only when Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism, "comes clean" and ends persecution of minorities.

Replying to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's attacks on India at the high-level UN General Assembly meeting on Friday, Vinito disputed his claims about wanting peace with New Delhi pointing out that Islamabad's actions do not match his words.

He zoomed in on Islamabad's history of terrorism and said: "A polity that claims it seeks peace with its neighbours would never sponsor cross-border terrorism, nor would it shelter planners of the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, disclosing their existence only under pressure from the international community." Hafiz Saeed, leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba who masterminded the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack in which about 175 people died, is living openly in Pakistan, as is another operative involved in the attack, Sajid Mir.

A country that truly seeks peace "would not make unjustified and untenable territorial claims against neighbours, it would not covet their lands and seek to illegally integrate them with its own", Vinito said referring to Pakistan's continued occupation of parts of Kashmir in violation of Security Council Resolution 47 of 1948, which ordered it to withdraw its troops and nationals from there.

Vinito, who is from the 2010 Indian Foreign Service batch and is a first secretary in India's UN mission, drove his stinging responses home with a calm demeanour.

Exercising India's right of reply, he countered Sharif's claims about the treatment of minorities in India and held a mirror to Pakistan's own record.

"It is not just about the neighbourhood that we have heard false claims today, it is about human rights, about minority rights and about basic decencies.

"When young women in the thousands from the minority community are abducted as an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), what can we conclude about the underlying mindset?" he asked.

According to the Human Rights Council of Pakistan, Hindu and Christian girls are victims of kidnapping and forced marriages.

"The desire for peace, security and progress in the Indian subcontinent is real. It is also widely shared and it can be realized," Vinito said.

"That will surely happen when cross-border terrorism ceases, when governments come clean with the international community and with their own people, when minorities are not persecuted, and not least when we recognize these realities before this Assembly." In his speech at the Assembly, Sharif had claimed that he wanted peace and offered to speak to India's leaders, but only after New Delhi gives in to his demands.

The premier said he wanted to turn the page on the 20th century and take on the challenges of the 21st century but quickly went back 75 years raking up the Kashmir dispute, attacking the withdrawal of special constitutional status for that territory.

He catalogued what he said were India's actions against the Muslim minority.

Saima Saleem, a counsellor in Pakistan's UN mission, who responded to Vinito, repeated almost verbatim a lot from Sharif's speech.

She directed many of her remarks against the RSS and also strung together isolated incidents and remarks by fringe characters to make them appear as state policy.

In a bid to stir up Muslims, she brought up the remarks made in a TV programme about Prophet Mohammed by a former BJP functionary but did not say that she is now facing criminal charges.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at aru.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
Chennai, Sep 24 : The Coimbatore city police are planning to directly communicate with the local population in an effort to curb drug peddling in the community.

A senior police officer told IANS that this is an initiative wherein the police will directly interact with the public or take policing to the doorsteps of the city's residents.

He also said that officers will be deployed in every area of the city to receive information from the general public on anti-social activities taking place in their localities.

The main focus, according to officers, is to curb drug peddling and the police believe that if locals are taken into confidence, then it may lead to directly curbing the menace.

In Kerala, a community policing scheme involving local residential associations has been a major success. Under the 'Janamaithri Policing', the deputed police personnel meets the residential association office bearers once a week and get input on the activities taking place in the area.

The telephone number and contact details of the police personnel are provided to the residential association office bearers who can contact the police personnel.

The Coimbatore city police have 15 stations under four divisions. The city police are planning to divide these areas and then provide one or two officers in charge of each locality.
Ottawa, Sep 24 : Canada confirmed 17,325 new Covid-19 cases for the week ending September 17, health authorities have announced.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said on Friday that the number of total Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country reached 4,233,468 and 44,992 respectively, reports Xinhua news agency.

The daily positive rate during the week averaged at 10.1 per cent, and tests per 100,000 people were 62.

The government is expected to lift the Covid-19 border restrictions at the end of this month with the expiry of a cabinet order affecting mandatory vaccinations, testing and quarantine of international travellers.

Meanwhile, ArriveCan, an app to input international travellers' vaccine status and test results, will become an optional tool for customs and immigration, according to local media reports.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Ramallah, Sep 24 : Dozens of Palestinian protesters were injured during clashes with Israeli soldiers in several West Bank cities and villages.

Among the injured were three shot by live ammunition and nine by rubber bullets, while the others inhaled teargas fired by Israeli soldiers, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement on Friday.

In the village of Beita, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, two Palestinians were injured by rubber-coated metal gunshots, and 28 others inhaled teargas, said the statement, adding Israeli soldiers opened fire at the medical crews in the area, reports Xinhua news agency.

Since May 2021, the village of Beita has been witnessing daily clashes between the two sides over the establishment of Israeli settlement outpost near the village and the confiscation of Palestinian land.

Fierce clashes also broke out in the villages of Beit Dajan and Kafr Qaddum.

Israeli authorities have not commented on the incidents yet.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, both claimed by the Palestinians, in the 1967 Middle East war, and has controlled them ever since.

Official Palestinian reports said more than 700,000 Israeli settlers live in 151 settlements established on Palestinian lands in East Jerusalem and the West Bank since 1967.

Tension in the West Bank has been mounting over the past few days after the Israeli army intensified its military actions against Palestinian militants and activists.
San Francisco, Sep 24 : Elon Musk-run Tesla has countersued California Civil Rights Department (CRD), that alleged racial bias at the electric car-maker's US factory in a lawsuit.

Tesla alleged in its countersuit, filed in state court in Alameda County, saying the CRD adopted "underground regulations" in its investigations of its Fremont, California factory, reports TechCrunch.

The CRD had sued Tesla in February over allegations of Black workers being subjected to "mistreatment, harassment, unequal pay and a hostile work environment".

The electric car-maker had been trying to somehow convince the judge to dismiss the racial bias case but to no avail.

The Musk company alleged that the CRD violated state law by not seeking public comment before adopting procedures for investigating and suing employers.

The automaker has been accused of racial bias at its plants in the past.

In October last year, Tesla was ordered by a federal court to pay nearly $137 million as damages to a former employee who allegedly encountered racist abuse, discrimination and harassment at the company's plant in Fremont, California.

Owen Diaz, an elevator operator who worked for the company between June 2015 and May 2016, sued the carmaker, alleging a hostile work environment and racial harassment.

The jury asked Tesla to pay an additional $6.9 million for causing Diaz emotional distress.

Tesla's vice president of people, Valerie Capers Workman, had downplayed the allegations in the lawsuit.

"Diaz never worked for Tesla. He was a contract employee who worked for Citistaff and nextSource. Diaz worked as an elevator operator at the Fremont factory for nine months, from June 2015 to March 2016," Workman posted in a blog post.
United Nations, Sep 24 : Csaba Korosi, president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), has called for reforming the current financial systems, which, he said, are "uncompromising" and keep developing countries "trapped in a vicious cycle of debt and interest".

"We can no longer tolerate the uncompromising financial systems that keep developing countries trapped in a vicious cycle of debt and interest," the UNGA President told the 46th Annual Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Group of 77 and China on Friday.

Measures will also be taken to reform the systems that "obstruct the opportunities of these nations to boost productive capacities", Xinhua news agency quoted Korosi as saying.

"We need an international financial system, based on inclusion, which inspires full commitment to multilateralism, sustainability and social stability," he added.

Speaking about the role of the G77, the UNGA President said that it "has a key role to play in shaping the solutions that will help us manage, and solve, the 'mega crises' unfolding across our world".

Terming the current era as "a new chapter of history unfolding as we speak", he called on G77 member states to contribute "collective wisdom and sheer strength of diversity" in order to "create enabling environments and implement action-oriented solutions so that we can achieve the 2030 Agenda together".

Pakistan is the current chair of Group of 77 and China, which now has 134 members and is the UNs biggest inter-governmental group of emerging countries.
Mehsana : , Sep 24 (IANS) AAP will announce the name of its chief ministerial candidate at an appropriate time, party leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has said.

Manish Sisodia is campaigning for the party in North Gujarat. After addressing a public rally in Unjha town on Friday night, Sisodia told mediapersons that the party will announce the CM candidate at an appropriate time.

It seems after Uttarakhand experience, where its CM candidate Col Ajay Kothiyal joined BJP, the party is not in a hurry to declare CM candidate name and face any type of embarrassment.

While addressing the public, Sisodia said, "We don't have to be leaders to serve the people of Gujarat, we need to improve the standard and quality of government schools, it should be on a par with private schools. AAP is known for its work in Delhi." In a veiled attack at the BJP, Sisodia said AAP's policy is very clear that public funds should be used for uplifting people and not for a few select friends.

Meanwhile, AAP's MP Raghav Chadha arrived in Rajkot this morning and is scheduled to campaign for the party in Saurashtra region. He has been appointed as co-in-charge of Gujarat elections.

On Sunday, Delhi Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will be visiting the state and campaigning for the party.
Rome, Sep 24 : Italy revised upwards its gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2021 to 6.7 per cent, according to the revised data issued by the country's National Statistics Institute (ISTAT).

Italy's GDP in 2021 was revised upwards to 1.782 trillion euros after a review of an internal audit of national accounts, an increase of 6.61 billion euros from the previous estimates, reports Xinhua news agency citing the Institute as saying.

As a result, the GDP growth in 2021 was revised upwards from the previous 6.6 per cent to 6.7 per cent.

The GDP in 2020 was also raised by 3.66 billion euros, but the country's GDP still shrunk by 9 per cent in the year, when Italy was hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.

ISTAT said an underestimate of domestic demand for Italy-produced products was the main factor behind the upward revisions to the GDP.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Patna, Sep 24 : After Nitish Kumar left NDA in Bihar, Home Minister Amit Shah has reportedly been assigned to achieve "Mission 32" in the Lok Sabha election 2024.

In a closed-door core committee meeting in Kishanganj, Amit Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Seemanchal region of Bihar, directed the party leaders to work whole-heartedly for the 2024 polls.

He has identified the 32 seats where he wants to win and form the government in the centre.

The BJP currently has 303 seats in the Lok Sabha and JD-U and RJD leaders are determined to reduce the number by 40 in Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand to bring it below 260 seats.

On the other hand, Amit Shah wants to gain 32 seats from Bihar to reach 300 seats of Lok Sabha and hence he has assigned some leaders of Bihar BJP to work on it.

According to a senior leader of BJP, after Nitish Kumar left the BJP in Bihar, Amit Shah has made it a prestige issue and is working towards defeating the combination of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. He also said that he will personally monitor the proceedings of BJP leaders in Bihar.

Amit Shah wants to replicate the performance of Uttar Pradesh in 2017. During the run-up to Uttar Pradesh Assembly election 2017, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati joined hands. Despite all the caste and religious equations being in favour of Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, BJP destroyed every caste equation and defeated them.

However, the BJP leader also said that the Narendra Modi government came into power just three years ago in 2014 and people had lots of expectations from him. That would be the reason why people of Uttar Pradesh wholeheartedly supported him then. Now, eight years have gone by and the party is also facing an anti-incumbency of not fulfilling many promises that opposition parties are continuously raising. The Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 also helped in 2017 to polarise voters in Uttar Pradesh. The riots in Bihar seem unlikely under Nitish Kumar government.

The BJP believes that the caste equation of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav can be destroyed in Bihar.

Amit Shah also told party workers that after the Lok Sabha elections, the party will announce the name of chief minister candidate for Bihar in the 2025 Assembly polls.

BJP is likely to not contest the Bihar election in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : Delhi Police have arrested two vehicle thieves who previously worked as painters in the national capital, an official said on Saturday. The accused, identified as Arman Ali and Alam Khan, stole motorcycles from different parts of Delhi and its adjoining areas with the help of a master key.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Esha Pandey said that a tip-off that two auto lifters would come to NTPC park, Arpan Vihar on a stolen motorcycle was received on September 22, after which police laid a trap near NTPC park, Arpan Vihar in south east Delhi." "The two accused, after being spotted on a motorcycle, were immediately apprehended. On asking about the ownership details of their motorcycle, they could not produce any documents," the DCP said.

The recovered motorcycle was found to have been stolen from Kalindi Kunj area. Additionally, two more motorcycles were also recovered from Arpan Vihar which were stolen from Okhla Industrial Area in Delhi and Neemrana in Rajasthan.

The duo has been arrested. Further investigation is under progress.
Kathmandu, Sep 24 : Senior officials from Nepal and India have reached a seven-point understanding on issues related to water resources.

The understanding was reached here on Friday during the ninth meeting of the Joint Committee on Water Resources, co-chaired by Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India; and Sagar Rai, Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.

The meeting decided to extend the term and mandate of an expert group formed to prepare the detailed project report of Pancheshwar Development Authority (PDA).

Pancheshwar is part of the Mahakali Treaty signed between Nepal and India in 1996 that was expected to produce 6,000 megawatts of energy and would irrigate thousands of lands between the two nations but has been failing to go for execution due to several differences between the two sides.

The formation of the PDA is essential to produce the power from the project that has been in limbo for decades.

The meeting also recalled the India-Nepal Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation issued during the visit of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to India in April 2022, where the two premiers directed their concerned officials to expedite the bilateral discussions towards early finalization of the project's DPR, the JCWR extended the tenure of the Team of Experts (ToE) unto March 2023 for the finalization of the DPR of Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project and agreed to hold the 4th ToE meeting at the earliest, according to a statement issued by the Embassy of India on Saturday upon completion of the meeting.

According to another understanding, both sides will dispatch their permanent staff and office bearers within three months in order to carry forward the work undersigned for PDA.

The meeting also reached an understanding on releasing water to Nepal from Tanakpur Barrage. The River Mahakali is known as Sarada in India.

These meetings comprehensively reviewed the bilateral water-sector cooperation between India and Nepal, including the implementation of Mahakali Treaty, Sapta Kosi- Sun Kosi Project and cooperation in areas of flooding and inundation, another statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu reads, the progress of various bilateral committees, including Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood Management (JCIFM) and Joint Committee on Kosi and Gandak Project (JCKGP), was also discussed.

"It was agreed to take forward the Sapta Koshi high dam project through further studies which take into consideration the planned upstream projects, submergence area of the Project as well as other social, environmental and technical aspects. The Joint Team of Experts is expected to meet soon," said the Indian Embassy statement.

Both sides also discussed and reached an understanding regarding the matters related to Sapta Koshi High-Dam that will be located in Nepal, changing the project parameters of the high-dam, formation of joint expert teams within one year and adding more manpowers in the bilateral mechanism formed for data sharing on flood and weather forecasting.

The Nepali side had thanked India for the assistance extended to Nepal regarding irrigation, flood management, inundation control, river embankment works, etc.

The Indian side highlighted the unique relationship between the two countries and the importance of proper management and utilization of water resources for mutual benefit, the Indian Embassy statement reads.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : The Centre has decided to withdraw multiple incentives and allowances given to the All India Service Officers for posting in the North-East states.

As per a letter issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) on Friday, special incentives and allowances being granted to AIS officers posted in North East States be withdrawn with immediate effect. The letter has been addressed to all the State chief secretaries.

It said that the additional monetary incentives given to the All India service officers will be withdrawn. The additional monetary allowance was introduced in 2009.

AIS officers comprise Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS). As per DoPT earlier order, officers belonging to the Assam-Meghalaya joint cadre, Sikkim, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur cadres were entitled to a special allowance of additional 25 per cent basic pay and a few other incentives for posting in the Northeast.

The letter said that the post-retirement housing facility which was introduced in the year 2007 for officers belonging to NE cadres shall be withdrawn.

As per the order, the incentive of reimbursement of payable Income Tax to Tribal All India Service officers belonging to the North-East Cadres while on central deputation has been withdrawn.

Moreover, the order on flexible inter-cadre deputation for officers of NE cadres that was consolidated in 2017 has also been discontinued.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, Sep 24 : Actress and well-known voice artiste Raveena S. R., who has dubbed for a whopping 91 heroines in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi, has spread a message of positivity to others while thanking people for the support they have been according to her on the occasion of completing 10 years in the film industry.

The well known dubbing artiste, who is also an actress, has worked on over 150 films in different languages so far.

In a two-page statement that she released to announce the completion of 10 years, she said: "I wish to mark my milestone... First and foremost thanking the Supreme for everything which I have expressed below. September 2022 marks my 10 years of Voice acting (dubbing) career for heroines.Marks 150+ films (Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi)." "The one and the only one eternal who cheers me up, praises to the moon and lights up my day was my dad, who is not there to see this day. He used to appreciate all my work and was sure proud about it more than anyone else.I miss him a lot." "And my Guru, my mother, who has in her career list more than 2000 films, five state awards, experience of 45+ years. I think till date no one has broken those records she has set. I'm glad I'm able to walk slowly in her straight path and that path she has laid for me." After thanking several others, the dubbing artiste also thanked her directors for the opportunities they had given.

"My directors, 104 directors to be precise, who gave me opportunities and extracted talent and creativity from me, gave me a platform to prove myself as an artist. Right from freshers to the legendary directors that I've worked with, I've been really blessed to be a part of their films. I thank all the Captains." She also thanked the heroines for whom she had dubbed. "My dear and lovely heroines. Ninety one heroines to be precise. I'm super happy and glad to live as their voice on the silverscreen. It is an experience to feel their acting for which I emote my voice to match or improvise the characters. But a big credit is for their talent n beauty." Thanking sound engineers, mixing engineers/soundside technicians, the media, and her fans, the actress had a message of positivity for everyone.

She said: "I love you all my dear social media friends, followers and fans who give their ocean size support and love. By sharing their views about my work, appreciating, expressing their liking for my voice or certain scenes or even certain dialogues and sometimes criticising as well. I'm truly blessed to be at the receiving end. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." "Dubbing - such a soulful profession and I'm blessed to be in this field for which I thank God sincerely. Calling out one and all humans out there to follow your passion! Ten years if I can sustain with all your support, anyone can. With immense hardwork and never ending love and passion!"
Gandhinagar, Sep 24 : The Gujarat Forest Department's 2020-21 report states that in man-animal conflict, 12 people lost their lives and 70 were injured, whereas 3,927 cattle were killed or injured in the Junagadh wildlife circle, which includes the Gir lion sanctuary.

With the increasing population of Asiatic lions in Gir National Sanctuary and its surrounding areas, lions are visible in revenue areas while attacks on humans and domestic cattle have increased.

The Gir Sanctuary is spread over 1412 square kilometres, of which 258 square kms is the core national park. In 1913 there were 20 lions, the numbers have grown to 750 in 2022. Now the lions are seen in Barda, Mitiyala and Pania sanctuary, in revenue areas like the coastal belt of Amreli and Bhavnagar, and as far as Chotila in Surendranagar district.

Lions move out of the sanctuary in search of food, because in the 1990s the government decided to move out pastoralists and Maldhari living in the sanctuary areas for decades because of which the lions lost domestic prey like buffaloes, cows and became totally dependent on wild prey, said environmentalist Mahesh Pandya.

With the increasing population of Asiatic lions and lions roaming in the revenue areas and attacking humans and domestic animals, Rajya Sabha member Parimal Nathwani inquired about the wild prey population in Gir Sanctuary. Union Environment and Forest Minister Ashwini Kumar replied in March 2022 that density of wild prey base in 11,203 per 100 square kms, whereas the lions density is 13.38 per square km.

According to the forest department's statistics wild prey were 1,49,365 in 2018 while in 2019 they were 1,55,659. They included spotted deer, sambar, blue-bull, gazelle, four horned antelope, Hanuman Langur, wild pig, black buck and Indian peafowl in the Gir Sanctuary.

But the moot point is whether the population of wild prey is enough and what should be done to see that lions don't need to enter revenue areas for food. Former Chief Wildlife Warden D M Naik moved a public interest litigation before the Gujarat High Court in which he submitted that with the increasing number of lions in Gir, a long term wildlife policy is required for better conservation. He also submitted that there is a feeling among the villagers to take back the sanctuary areas, so they co-exist with the lions, as they co-existed till the early 1990s.

Image Source: IANS News

The rise in man-animal conflict can be attributed to two reasons -- human interference has increased a lot in the buffer and eco-sensitive zones and wild animals looking for solitude and food are forced to look for alternative places. The second is people in the revenue areas have little knowledge of co-existence with lions like the tribes who lived in Gir for centuries, observed Tushar Pancholi, an activist.

Pancholi has studied co-existence for years. Till the mid 1990s, the original tribes were okay living with the lions, both used to respect each others presence. Even if their domestic cattle were attacked the tribals never confronted the lions. Now tourism has increased in the forests. In 2020-21, 1,09,400 people visited the Gir National Park and 2315 visited the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Human activities have increased in the buffer and eco-sensitive zones with more resorts. This is disturbing the peace of the wildlife and so they are moving out and attacking humans.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Srinagar, Sep 24 : Vehicluar traffic has been disrupted on the Jammu Srinagar National highway at Ramban due to shooting stones, officials said on Saturday.

"Traffic is plying on the Mughal road and SSG road. However, it is disrupted on the Jammu-Srinagar NHW due to continuous shooting stones at Cafeteria morh and Mehad in Ramban area," Jammu and Kashmir Traffic police said.

The highway is the lifeline of the Kashmir valley and the main road link connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country.

Kashmir-bound trucks laden with essentials and other vehicles pass through the highway.

Trucks carrying fruit from Kashmir also head for rest of the country through this road.
Mandi, Sep 24 : Sounding a poll bugle in the poll-bound Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the people, particularly the youth, have made up their mind for the return of the BJP government in the state.

"The youth of Himachal know that with a clear and honest intention if anyone can develop Himachal, that is only BJP," Modi said in a virtual address to a youth rally named Yuva Vijay Sankalp rally, the first of the three rallies planned ahead of the poll announcement, in Mandi, the district with 10 Assembly segments, the state's second highest, with crowds of people below the age of 40.

Modi had to cancel his visit at the last minute owing to rains.

Saying that the world's trust in India's government has grown, Modi said the BJP focused on giving opportunities to the youth. "The BJP government is working to boost tourism in Himachal Pradesh." Expressing gratitude to the youth for assembling at the rally venue despite braving the rainfall, Modi said, "The BJP trusts the youth the most. Now the youth power of the country will fulfill the resolve of making India a developed nation in the 'Azadi ka amrit kaal'," he said.

The phrase 'Azadi ka amrit kaal' means a journey for the next 25 years to improve the lives of the citizens of India, reduce the divide in development between villages and cities and reduce the government's interference in people's lives.

Aiming to woo the voters below 40 years of age, who comprise nearly 45 per cent of the registered electorate, the Prime Minister, who first apologised for communicating with them from Delhi, said the BJP's top priority was always to give maximum opportunities to the youth.

"Be it a Chief Minister, an MP or a Minister, the BJP is a political party in the country in which the youth is represented the most everywhere," said Modi, who hailed Commonwealth Game 2022 winners from the state.

Stating that the people are now understanding the importance of a stable government, he said, "Even in UP and Uttarakhand, governments used to change every five years. But people elected the BJP government again in recent Assembly elections in both states." Just hours before the Yuva Vijay Sankalp Rally, organised by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) at Paddal Maidan in Mandi, the home turf of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Modi tweeted, "Looking forward to being among our energetic Karyakartas at the @BJYM Yuva Vijay Sankalp RallyaThe NDA government has undertaken various initiatives aimed at empowering our Yuva Shakti and ensuring they become self-reliant." The Prime Minister in his 20-minute address in Hindi, which received a great applause from the rally venue, some 500 km from the national capital, said, "In the coming days, I will surely come and will meet the people there." Narrating the benefits of a double-engine government in the state and at the Centre and the speed of development and the implementation of schemes, the Prime Minister said, "We have allocated Rs 14,000 crore for national highways in Himachal Pradesh. We also brought facility of ropeway along with developing villages near the border areas. We also approved the proposal to add Hatti community in the list of STs in the state." He said for decades there were coalition governments with an atmosphere of uncertainty. aceDue to that the people in the world were skeptical about the country. In 2014, a stable government was elected which brought stability to policy-making and governance." After Mandi, Modi is likely to address public meetings in Bilaspur and Chamba town at later dates. BJP leaders Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda will also visit the state separately.

Himachal Pradesh was traditionally dominated by the Congress and saw its first non-Congress Chief Minister, Shanta Kumar, in 1977, when the Janata Party came to power.

The Assembly election in Himachal Pradesh is scheduled in November.

A high-level team of the Election Commission of India led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar is on a three-day visit to the state to review poll preparedness.

The BJP had won a majority in the 2017 Assembly polls with 44 seats in the 68-member Assembly.
Chennai, Sep 24 : Director Ra Karthik, who is all set to release his film 'Nitham Oru Vanam', said that his film featuring actor Ashok Selvan in the lead, will be a good travelogue that has a premise beyond the element of love.

The film, which has three heroines -- Ritu Varma, Aparna Balamurali, and Shivatmika Rajshekar, has led many to believe that it will be a romantic drama.

Talking about it, director Karthik said: "Travelogue movies are rare in our Tamil film industry. 'Nitham Oru Vaanam' will be a feel-good travelogue movie, which has three different landscapes with different emotions.

"Since there are many female lead actors in this movie, NOV might give the impression of being a love story, but it has a premise beyond this element, which is about celebrating life." "Ashok Selvan has excelled as a performer in this movie. All three female lead roles played by Ritu Varma, Aparna Balamurali, and Shivatmika Rajshekar are equally prominent and substantial. All of them have performed respectable roles that will be liked by women from all age groups." The director continued: "Nitham Oru Vaanam is a movie about positivity. Whenever we feel low and depressed, we feel a desire to travel, which will keep our minds positive. Feel-good movies have become a rarity. Having been confined to homes and walls for the past couple of years due to the pandemic, we as a team, wanted to make a movie that would refresh audiences with smiles as they walk out of theatres." 'Nitham Oru Vaanam' is set around three different periods and landscapes. The film has been shot across the beautiful locales of Chennai, Chandigarh, Manali, Gobichettipalayam, and Kolkata.

Gopi Sundar has scored music for the film which has cinematography by Vidhu Ayyanna.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Kochi, Sep 24 : The Enforcement Directorate, investigating the Masala bonds case involving former Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, on Saturday told the High Court that he is running away from the probe.

The ED had served two notices to Isaac to appear before them with regards to the masala bonds taken by the Kerala government when he was the Minister (2016-21).

Isaac, however, failed to appear before it and approached the court which asked the ED to go slow on it and file its affidavit.

In the affidavit, the ED said that he is duty bound to appear before them as this forms part of the probe and his response was "immature".

It further stated that the probe is in its preliminary stage and it is to find out if there were any violation in the FEMA guidelines and the ED has every right to ask questions.

The ED said that Isaac is running away from the probe and requested the court not to consider his plea that he will not appear before them.

Isaac's petition was that the ED had send two summons asking him to appear before it with numerous documents, including personal ones.

He had then contested the probe as one where the ED has now become a tool for the BJP to target political rivals.

The former minister pointed out that the apex court has clearly said ED is to tackle cases under Public Money Laundering Act and not under FEMA. It is the RBI which deals with FEMA.

Now, all eyes are on what position the court will take as the ED is insisting on Isaac appearing before it.
Chitradurga, : Sep 24 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday accused the opposition Congress of playing "dirty politics" in connection with its PayCM campaign in the state.

If at all there is any issue, it should be spoken directly. They should give evidence, records and it has to be investigated. Without anything in their heads they come to the session this shows their moral degradation, he said.

"This campaign is taken without any morality and mudslinging programme," he stated.

"The Congress leaders are in illusion of attaining power through carrying out dirty politics. This is not possible in Karnataka. The government would initiate legal action in this regard," CM Bommai stated.

Reacting to the charge of Health Minister Dr K. Sudhakar that Lingayat chief minister is being targetted, he said he wouldn't want to comment anything over the issue.

When asked about pre-poll surveys suggesting that ruling BJP would only get 95 to 100 assembly seats, way behind attaining majority, CM Bommai stated that each survey will throw up different numbers.

"We have been in politics for 30-35 years. We can feel the pulse of the people. This time BJP is going to attain power," CM Bommai explained.

He maintained that the state cabinet expansion would be taken up once the high command gave consent to it. Talking about the raids on PFI and SDPI leaders, he stated that the action had been initiated by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the state police department.
Chennai, Sep 24 : Social organisations and activists in Tamil Nadu have urged the state government to conduct gram sabhas seriously and properly.

The next gram sabha is scheduled on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti day.

The state government had announced that gram sabha meetings would be held six times from 2022 during which various issues, including developmental and the teething problems faced by the villages, will be discussed.

A study by social action group, an NGO based out at Madurai, found that the last gram sabha held on August 15 had a meek representation. The NGO in the study said that even after local people submitted petitions and memorandums to the respective district authorities, there has been no proper conduct of the gram sabhas leading to very low participation in it.

Sukumar Achary, an activist associated with Social Action Group while speaking to IANS said, "While gram sabha has agenda to discuss local issues as well as pertaining issues related to the development at the local level, without proper publicity how can people attend the sabha. " Interestingly, during the August 15 gram sabha in almost all the districts announcement had come only a day before the date of the programme and this led to a very low participation in the programme.

Sreekala Kumaresan, who attended the grama sabha on August 15th at Chengalpattu while speaking to IANS said, "The participation was less due to very little publicity. Other than this there was not much discussion being held during the session and this makes us feel as to why I attended this programme." However, the state government officials told IANS that the government is planning to conduct a meeting with 100 performing panchayat presidents across the state next week. The inputs received during that meeting would be useful in chalking out programmes for the next gram sabha.

Sukumaran Achary, however, said that the gram sabhas in Tamil Nadu were turning into a farce as even Block Development Officers and Panchayath heads do not have a proper understanding of these.
Chennai, Sep 24 : Actor Ajith Kumar on Saturday left for Bangkok, where the final schedule of shooting of director H. Vinoth's heist thriller 'Thunivu', is to happen.

A picture of the actor, who was seen at the Chennai Airport on Thursday morning, went viral on social media.

Only recently, the unit of director Vinoth's 'Thunivu' had announced the title of the film and its first look.

The film, which was being tentatively referred to as #AK61 until now, has a plot that is believed to revolve around a bank heist.

Interestingly, the unit had erected a giant set resembling Chennai's popular landmark Mount Road in Hyderabad where certain important scenes of the film were shot in its previous schedules.

After the schedule in Bangkok, Ajith is expected to move on to his next project, which is to be directed by Vignesh Shivan.

Manju Warrier plays the female lead in the film and the actress too is expected to join the sets in Bangkok.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested three leaders of a crime syndicate who were allegedly trying to carry out terror activities across the nation.

A senior NIA official said that the accused were identified as Neeraj Sehrawat, alias Neeraj Bawana, Kaushal alias Naresh Chaoudhary, and Bhupinder Singh, alias Bhupi Rana, in a fresh case lodged against them.

The case relates to involvement of criminal gangs in different kinds of criminal activities, including killings, to terrorise the people to extort money for running and promoting their criminal syndicates and activities. These gangs were also raising funds to carry out such criminal activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons.

The case was initially registered by Special Cell, Delhi Police on August 8 and against eight accused and unknown others that members of a criminal syndicate. Later on the probe was taken over by the NIA.

The NIA has said that the gangs based in India and abroad had hatched a conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts in Delhi and other parts of the country.

Further investigations in the matter are on.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 24 : After a brief pause, the dispute between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is likely to resurf with Congress leader Jyothikumar Chamakala approaching the Vigilance Court here seeking registration of case against the former for "misusing" his office.

The standoff between the two heads of the state had ended the other day with the chief minister slamming the Governor for functioning while ignoring the Constitutional powers vested with him.

Recently, Congress leader Chamakala approached the Vigilance Court here with a petition saying that since has openly admitted that Vijayan has misused his powers and sought the appointment of someone as the Kannur University vice-chancellor, it is a clear cut violation of his office and hence a case should be registered.

According to rules, in such cases, if a probe is not sought by the state, then it could be done by the appointing authority of the person against whom the case has been filed and Khan is the appointing authority of Vijayan.

With Vijayan in the dock, there is no way the state government will give the nod for a probe and knowing that, the petitioner Chamakala has now filed his request before Khan seeking his nod to give the sanction to prosecute Vijayan.

While Khan went hammer and tongs against Vijayan for personally requesting him to re-appoint Gopinath Ravindran as the vice-chancellor of Kannur University, Vijayan denied the charges claiming that all the rules and procedures in the appointment were followed. It was Khan himself who had given the sanction for it.

At a press conference held on Monday, Khan had released the letters between him and Vijayan and reiterated that he made the appointment based on Vijayan's request and has realised that it was wrong.

Khan, who is presently on a trip to North India, is expected to return early next month and if he refuses sanction, then the Congress-led opposition will accuse the two leaders of a secret pact and term all the noise "stage managed".

But if he gives the nod, then the ruling CPI-M led Left will be up in arms against him.

Notably, in 2006 , Vijayan encountered a similar situation when the then Governor R.S.Gavai gave the nod to prosecute Vijayan in the SNC Lavalin case.
Bhopal, Sep 24 : The Vyapam scam, which has irregularities in three categories -- impersonation, manipulation and engine- bogie (nexus between government employees and middlemen), came to light in 2013. The CBI in its several chargesheets has listed over 1200 accused in different categories, including forgery, bribery, misuse of government office and others.

However, more than the irregularities in conducting the exams in as many as 13 categories and recruitment of state government employees, including medical and teachers, a number of mysterious deaths of the accused and the witnesses after the scam surfaced shook the nation. And those deaths remain a mystery even today even as 50-55 cases have been disposed off by the special CBI court in Bhopal.

On record, there are more than 40 people associated with the scam who have died since it broke in 2013. A senior Public Prosecutor representing the CBI in the court said, "Over 55 people have died so far, including some during the court proceedings due to which many accused and co-accused were acquitted." Most of the people who were either accused or witnesses in the cover-up have died due to alcohol-related illnesses, suicide or road accidents. At least ten middlemen have died in road accidents since 2010, three years before the scam broke.

The deaths include accused and witnesses as well as a journalist who was investigating the scam, and have largely been under mysterious circumstances. At least five persons died in strange circumstances, within a period of one week in 2015, including the dean of a Jabalpur medical college Dr Arun Sharma, medical student Namrata Damor and TV journalist Akshay Singh, who was probing the scam.

The other persons who died in suspicious circumstances include Shailesh Yadav, who was the son of then Madhya Pradesh Governor (late) Ramnaresh Yadav. Shailesh, who was named as an accused in the multi-crore Vyapam scam, was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his father's official residence in March 2015.

Similarly, a constable Sanjay Yadav, who was a witness in the case was found dead at his house a day before he was to appear in the court. "See, there was a strong nexus of politicians, senior bureaucrats ans even police officials and they wanted to stop witnesses at any cast. People were targeted and killed. Who killed these people and who was behind it is still a mystery and is likely to remain so," said a Bhopal-based activist, who refused to identify himself.
Kolkata, Sep 24 : Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police on Saturday arrested Peer Mohammad, a suspected spy of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), from Kalimpong, the hill resort city in the northern part of Kolkata. The process has started for bringing the accused to Kolkata for interrogation purposes.

STF sources said that they doubt that Peer Mohammad, who had regular links with ISI made the hills in North Bengal its base because of the presence of a number of bases of the Indian army in the region. The STF sleuths have recovered a number of documents including maps of different pockets of West Bengal, multiple mobile SIM cards, laptop and mobile phones from the possession of Peer Mohammad.

"A number of diaries have also been recovered from his possession and we expect to decipher crucial information after properly examining the items seized," said an STF official. Preliminary investigation has revealed that Peer Mohammad used to be in touch with the senior officials of ISI and Pakistan Army using high-end technology.

STF sources further said that they received information about Peer Mohammad hiding somewhere in the state using multiple fake identity proofs, from different central agencies. "We have been hunting him for quite some time and finally our sleuths were able to nab him from Kalimpong," the STF official said.

It is learnt that he used to pose himself as an agent who arranged loans at easy installments to local people and through this, he easily developed his network in the area.

During the last two months, the STF sleuths had arrested six Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) activists, whose main tasks were to look after fresh recruitment and strengthen AQIS's sleeper cell network in the state.
Jammu, Sep 24 : The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) resigned on Saturday after they faced opposition from their party councillors.

Mayor Chander Mohan Gupta and Deputy Mayor Purnima Sharma resigned on Saturday afternoon following opposition from their own BJP councillors for alleged infighting that was creating hurdles in the normal functioning of the civil body.

However, J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina claimed that both Gupta and Sharma want to strengthen the party by working for it.

Raina said that a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor would be elected after consultation with senior party leaders and the core committee members.
Vijayawada, Sep 24 : Amid tension and restrictions imposed by the police, the 'Maha Padyatra' by farmers of Amaravati region entered Gudivada in Krishna district on Saturday.

Apprehending breach of peace, the police tightened security in the constituency represented by former minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLA Kodali Nani.

Leaders of other parties, including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and supporters of Amaravati farmers were stopped from reaching the town.

Krishna district SP Joshua said since the high court has laid down the condition that not more than 600 people can participate in the padyatra, outsiders will not be allowed from joining the march.

Over 300 policemen were deployed in Gudivada town. The police set up barricades and imposed other restrictions to prevent any untoward incident.

The SP said that police would deal firmly with any attempt to create a law and order problem. He also asked the organisers to abide by the conditions laid down by the high court while allowing the padyatra.

The police in other parts of Krishna town stopped leaders and supporters of Amaravati farmers heading towards Gudivada.

TDP leader Chintameneni Prabhakar was stopped at Duggirala. He said though the high court has given permission for the padyatra, the government is trying to project it as a crime.

Farmers and other people from 29 villages of Amaravati region had launched the Maha Padayatra 2.0 on September 12, demanding development of Amaravati as the only state capital.

Organised by Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi (APS) and Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Amaravati farmers, the long march began from Venkatapalem, coinciding with the completion of 1,000 days of their protest against trifurcation of the state capital.

The padyatra with the slogan 'Build Amaravati Save Andhra Pradesh' is proposed to conclude at Arasavalli in Srikakulam district on November 11 after passing through 16 districts and covering nearly 1,000 km.

After coming to power in 2019, the YSRCP government had reversed the decision of the previous TDP government to develop Amaravati as the only state capital. Instead, it decided to develop three state capitals -- Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kurnool.

Under the three-capital formula of the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, Visakhapatnam in north coastal Andhra will be developed as administrative capital, Kurnool in Rayalaseema will be turned into judicial capital while Amaravati in south coastal Andhra will be retained as the legislative capital.

The ruling party defended the move on the ground that this will ensure decentralisation of development.

Last year, the farmers undertook a 45-day long padyatra from Amaravati to Tirupati. The march titled 'Nyayasthanam (High Court) to Devasthanam (Tirumala temple)' had passed through the Rayalaseema region.
Jaipur, Sep 24 : The political dynamics seem to be changing in Rajasthan as the MLAs of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's camp are seen visiting the residence of former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot with some even rooting for Pilot as the next chief ministerial face.

Minister of State for Rural Development, Rajendra Singh Gudha, advocating for making Sachin Pilot the chief minister, has described the latter as the best face for Rajasthan chief minister.

"Ashok Gehlot has now decided to become the Congress president. After Gehlot, I believe there is no better face than Pilot in Congress. He will become the CM in Navratri I think. Sachin is a youth leader and carries out politics in his own way," Gudha said while interacting with the mediapersons in Jaipur.

He further said that the decision on the Chief Minister will now be taken up by the party high command.

"Whatever decision the high command takes, all Congress MLAs, we (six MLAs who came from BSP), independents and all our allies, will agree. This is an assured thing and there should be no contradiction.

"In 2023, we will contest the elections confidently, and the Congress government will again come to power as it has done a good job. If Sachin Pilot is the CM, then the face of the leader will also bring a difference," he added.

Another Congress leader Wajib Ali said: "We are with the party high command and Sachin Pilot. We can fight the current challenges in the country by being together. Congress is the only party which can bring in the difference." It needs to be mentioned here that many leaders have jumped into the race for the new chief ministerial face even as the preparations were underway for the nomination of Chief Minister Gehlot for the post of president of the Indian National Congress.

Pilot has been holding meetings with the MLAs at his bungalow in Jaipur.

On Saturday morning, he met Sheo MLA Ameen Khan and Dhod MLA Parasram Mordia. Both these MLAs are considered to be of the Gehlot camp.

Pilot also met Congress MLAs in Rajasthan Assembly on Friday.

He was seen talking to Congress MLAs of all "factions".

These also include MLAs who have once been considered his "staunch opponents".

After meeting Rahul Gandhi, Pilot is seen quite active and is talking to all MLAs which is also being seen as the former deputy CM of Rajasthan getting a new responsibility.
Bhopal, Sep 24 : An anonymous letter that exposed the multi-crore Vyapam examination and recruitment scam in Madhya Pradesh is missing, while its mastermind is still to be umasked, even after the passage of nine years since the irregularities came to light in 2013.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has reiterated many times that he got an anonymous letter about fake candidates appearing in examinations and on the basis of that he had given directions to the police.

However, right now, nobody seems to know where that anonymous letter is.

During the previous Congress government's tenure, then Home Minister Bala Bachchan had said in the House that the department does not have any anonymous letter connected to the Vyapam scam. The letter was searched at department level, but in vain.

The scam was unearthed on July 7, 2013 during the Pre-Medical Test (PMT) when a gang was caught by Indore Crime Branch.

When the STF was probing the matter, the high court took cognisance of the matter and an SIT led by Justice (retd) Chandresh Bhushan was formed under which STF kept probing the matter.

On July 9, 2015, the matter was handed over to the CBI.

As per information available, in the Pre-Medical Test organised by Vyapam, cases were registered against 1,450 students and their relatives. The total number of accused in the case stood at 3,000.

The status of probe into the scam can be gauged from the fact that of the total 1,355 complaints, 917 have been closed.

On the directions of the Supreme Court, the STF which had handed over 217 cases during 2004-2013 to the CBI, challans have been produced only in half the cases.

Only 12 people have been found guilty in the PMT scam so far, while probe in 150 cases is on.
Chandigarh, Sep 24 : Amid a war of words between the government and the Governor's office, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday said it was condemnable that Governor Banwarilal Purohit has sought details of legislative business for the proposed Assembly session on September 27.

His assertions come in the wake of the Governor seeking details of legislative business to be taken in the Assembly session called by the government on September 27.

Reacting to this, Cheema, who was the Leader of Opposition in the previous state government, said the Governor's office is constantly interfering in the work of Punjab and not allowing an elected AAP government to work freely.

"I want to ask the Governor to check the record of his office and tell the people how many governors have asked the ruling government to provide information about the purpose of summoning an assembly session. Till today, no governor did it. Only he is doing so, because he is working at the behest of the BJP." Responding to the purported "war of words", the Governor in a missive to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, "After reading your statements in today's newspapers, it appears to me that perhaps you are 'too much' angry with me. I think your legal advisors are not briefing you adequately.

"Perhaps your opinion about me will definitely change after reading the provisions of Article 167 and 168 of the Constitution, which I'm quoting for your ready reference." Finance Minister Cheema lashed out at the BJP for trying to stop the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab through the Governor's office and said the BJP "is afraid of growing popularity of AAP in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh ahead of the Assembly elections in the both states".

He said AAP "is dedicatedly working for the welfare of people and after Delhi and Punjab now there is a wave for change in other states".

"The AAP is becoming a major threat to the BJP in the forthcoming elections and that's why they are now scared." Cheema told the media that in many states like Maharashtra, Goa and Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP toppled governments after buying ruling MLAs under its devious "Operation Lotus".

They are intimidating Opposition MLAs with the CBI, the ED and through money. "They are murdering democracy." "But this operation has been stopped by AAP, first in Delhi and now in Punjab. Due to this, the BJP has now opted for another tactic and is using the Governor's office to stop AAP," Cheema added.

He also attacked the opposition and said the Congress, the BJP and the Akali Dal do not have any issue against AAP that's why they were running away for any debate in the Assembly session.

"They don't want the elected government to work for the welfare of Punjabis," he added.

Chief Minister Mann clarified that the Governor or President consent before any session of legislature is a formality.

"In 75 years, no President/Governor ever asked list of Legislative business before calling session. Legislative business is decided by BAC (Business Advisory Council) and speaker. Next Governor will ask for all speeches also to be approved by him. It's too much," Mann tweeted.

Joining the issue, another Cabinet Minister Aman Arora termed it "unfortunate and condemnable".

Arora told the media that in the past 75 years no President or Governor has ever asked for the list of legislative business before calling the session.

"This is happening for the first time because the Punjab Governor is clearly working in cahoots with the BJP and the Congress to weaken the democratic system and stop the Aam Aadmi Party government from working for the welfare of common people," he said.
Kohima, Sep 24 : Amid the uncertainty over solution to the decades-old Naga political issue before the Assembly elections in Nagaland likely to be held early next year, renewed attempts are being made to remove northeast India's one of the major political stumbling blocks.

After the all-important Parliamentary Core Committee headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio met Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on September 12, a delegation of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) went to the national capital on September 19 for holding talks with Centre's representative for the Naga political issue, A.K. Mishra, and other central leaders and officials.

Along with the latest developments in Delhi, in the two-day session of Nagaland Assembly (September 20 and 22), the Naga political issue was once again discussed, seeking to resolve the much-awaited issue at the earliest.

Before the last Assembly elections in 2018, the BJP and its allies had campaigned with the slogan "election for solution" even as several groups had called for boycotting the polls saying "no solution, no election".

After over 80 rounds of talks between the Centre and the Naga groups, dominated by the NSCN-IM, there is still a stalemate over the contentious issues of separate Naga flag and constitution.

The NSCN-IM has been demanding a separate flag and constitution, which the former government interlocutor and then Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi had rejected on a number of occasions.

The Naga groups as part of their pressure tactics hoisted the 'Naga national flag' and held several events in Nagaland and in many villages in the Naga-dominated areas of neighbouring Manipur to celebrate 'Naga Independence Day' on August 14, a day before Independence Day.

On the occasion of the 'Naga Independence Day', NSCN-IM General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah had said: "All Nagas unite with one decision, one faith, and one politics on the principle of Nagalim for Christ." He had said the Nagas have endured 25 years of gruelling ceasefire, living up to "our commitment for a peaceful solution to the Naga political issue".

"We have also waited patiently for seven long years after the historic Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015. We have not left any stone unturned for what it takes to bring a solution that is honourable, inclusive, and acceptable to both the Nagas and the Government of India.

"The ball is now in the court of the government to make the right move and fulfil the commitment made to the Nagas," Muivah had said.

Amid calls for the suspension of Assembly elections and resignation of all 60 MLAs, various organisations, including the Nagaland People's Action Committee, have intensified their campaign in support of their demands.

Political commentator and writer Sushanta Talukdar, who has been closely monitoring the political developments in Nagaland for decades, said that there is remote chance to settle the Naga political issue before the Assembly elections.

"The slogan 'solution after election', which was raised before the 2018 Assembly polls, might be repeated this time too. All the political parties, cutting across party lines, Naga civil society organisations and NGOs are frantically waiting for a lasting solution to the long-awaited Naga political issue.

"However, there is remote chance of resolving the decades-old sensitive issue before the upcoming Assembly elections," Talukdar told IANS.

The NSCN-IM has once again reiterated that the "God given Naga flag is non-negotiable in the name of Naga political solution".

The editorial in the September issue of 'Nagalim Voice', the mouthpiece of the NSCN-IM, said that 25 years of Naga political talks and seven years of Framework Agreement (FA) is a long period of endurance and commitment exhibited by Naga people for the peaceful settlement of Naga issue.

It said that after signing the FA on August 3, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took pride in announcing that he had solved the longest insurgency movement in Southeast Asia.

During his two-day visit (September 15-16) to Nagaland to kick start the party's preparedness for the Assembly polls, BJP's national President J.P. Nadda had said that there are certain issues which Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along Longkumer are trying to resolve.

Nadda had said: "Like we signed accord in Tripura in 2019, Bodo accord in 2020 and Karbi Anglong accord in 2022, we would do the Naga peace process." Recently, the working committee of Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) had decried the seat-sharing formula of BJP and the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) for next year's Assembly polls.

NNPG is a conglomerate of several Naga groups talking to the Centre on Naga political issues.

The influential and traditional Nagaland Gaon Buras (village chief) Federation in a letter to Nadda had demanded that the Assembly elections should be conducted only for the legally constituted legislature as per the settlement reached.

The Federation stated that the 2018 Assembly elections could happen without any hindrance following the assurance of 'election for solution' given by then BJP in-charge for Nagaland, Ram Madhav.

"The five-year term of the Assembly would be over by March 2023. We expect that the commitment made by the BJP would be honoured without any fail before that," the Federation stated.

Earlier this month, the Centre had reportedly asked the 11-member delegation of the Parliamentary Core Committee headed by the Chief Minister to convince NSCN-IM to resolve the remaining core issues that are delaying the Naga peace process.

"We want the solution before the elections. Our desire was conveyed to the government of India and we are grateful to the Union Home Minister for giving us time to express our mind," said Neiba Kronu, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

Highly-placed sources said that the Central government was willing to allow the proposed Naga flag in socio-cultural activities, but the NSCN-IM rejected the proposal.

The Nagaland Chief Minister, however, has requested in a bid to break the stalemate to allow the flag for civil use.

The BJP and the NDPP recently finalised the seat-sharing deal to contest the upcoming Assembly elections. As per the seat-sharing formula, the NDPP will contest 40 seats while the BJP will contest 20 seats. The NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland was formed in 2018.

In 2018, the NDPP had contested 40 seats and the BJP had contested 20 seats, winning 21 and 12 seats, respectively. The Naga People's Front (NPF) was the single largest party with 25 seats.

Last year, 21 MLAS of NPF had joined NDPP to form an all-party opposition-less United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government in the state.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Guwahati/Aizawl, Sep 24 : The decades old Assam-Mizoram inter-state border dispute, which was created mainly due to the erstwhile British government notifications under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) in 1875, seems to be waning following the intervention of the Centre and the Chief Ministers of the two states.

A series of skirmishes have taken place since 1994 along the 164.6-km-long Assam-Mizoram border which became frequent since 2018.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga held a second Chief Minister-level meeting in New Delhi on September 21 and decided to resolve the situation much like the Assam-Meghalaya and Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border disputes have been. It was decided to form a few committees which will visit ground zero and will put up their recommendations for a permanent solution to the vexed border issue.

The worst-ever violence happened on July 26 last year when the police forces of the two states exchanged fire on the disputed area near Vairengte village on the National Highway-306 that left six Assam Police personnel dead.

Around 60 people from both states were injured in the fierce clash, which was followed by a blockade organised by the residents of Assam's Lailapur village on the National Highway-306, the lifeline of mountainous Mizoram for nearly a month forcing the latter to procure medicines, essentials and transport fuels through other routes and alternative arrangements.

The unprecedented tension and various other troubles were resolved after a few weeks with the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Home Ministry officials and Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga.

The first Chief Minister-level meeting was held in New Delhi in November last year in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah while two ministerial-level meetings led by Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana and Assam Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora were held in Aizawl and it was resolved to settle the border disputes amicably.

The border dispute between the two states is a long standing issue, which remains permanently unsettled yet.

With a population of 1.1 million (2011 census), India's second least populous state Mizoram was one of the districts of Assam until 1972, when it was carved out as a Union Territory. After the signing of the Peace Accord, the Memorandum of Settlement in 1986, which ended two decades of strife and insurgency, the mountainous Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on February 20, 1987.

The border dispute mainly came out of two colonial notifications, the inner line reserved forest notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) in 1875 and the boundary indicated in the Survey of India's Map in 1933.

While Mizoram claimed the 509 square miles stretch of the inner line reserved forest as its actual boundary, Assam said the 1933 boundary is its constitutional boundary.

The border has been witnessing skirmishes especially since 1994 and it has become frequent since 2018.

Prior to 2020, though a border dispute existed, the situation along the Assam-Mizoram border had remained relatively calm, barring a few instances in 1994 and in 2007.

Following an incident along the inter-state border in 2007, Mizoram claimed that it does not accept the present boundary with Assam and that the inner line along the Reserved Forest as described in the 1875 notification under the BEFR of 1873 should be the basis for delineating the border and not the 1933 district boundary demarcation which Assam wants to be enforced.

The 164.6-km inter-state border separates Assam and Mizoram, with the three Assam districts of Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj sharing a border with Kolasib, Mamit and Aizawl districts of Mizoram.

Further, the boundary between Mizoram and Assam follows naturally occurring barriers of hills, valleys, rivers and forests, and both sides have attributed border skirmishes to perceptional differences over an imaginary line.

In the Northeast's complex boundary equations, clashes between Assam and Mizoram residents are less frequent than they are between other neighbouring states of Assam, like with Nagaland.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Guwahati, Sep 24 : The overall map of Assam politics today looks remarkably different from what it was in the late 1980s. Even in this era, the politics of the state is marked by factors based on multiple social identities.

However, what catches everyone's attention is the steady decline of the Congress party's dominion in Assam, bringing a striking change in the political fortunes of an influential regional party Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and the meteoric rise of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power as an alternative to the once-dominating Congress or other regional parties of the state.

The previous notion -- with the rise of a regional party in Assam, the national parties have lost their relevance -- had long seemed to have been proven wrong in the state.

Besides, what appears to be more startling is that political issues that were central to the region of Assam even in the pre-partition days such as land, immigration, identity, and language continue to occupy a major chunk of political discourse and scenario of the state even today.

To date, the politics of the state primarily revolves around issues such as unchecked illegal migration across the border.

The Congress party has been a dominant force in Assam for much of the three-and-half decades since 1980.

Even in the post-Congress era, the state of Assam still could be described as one of the "Congress States".

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, however, the dominion of the Congress party crumbled and the party lost its grip.

The political shift that began to occur in the state had four major trends.

1. The dominance of the Congress party was challenged in a resounding manner.

2. AGP, the leading regional party was witnessing stagnation of sorts.

3. The All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had went on to draw much of the dividends in a polarised contest.

4. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was rapidly gaining momentum.

All these developments showed a glimpse of the multiple facets of the political competition that emerged in the state gradually, yet steadily.

From the period of 1985 to 2019, the state has seen the transition of power from AGP to Congress and then to BJP -- this has led to political mobilization and intense contests based on ethnic and religious considerations.

The popular Assam Movement of 1979-1985 managed to strike a chord with the regional aspirations of the Assamese people and energised the formation of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a regional party, as an alternative to the Congress party in the state in 1985.

For nearly two decades, the AGP held potential sway over the electorate.

But the AGP could not capitalise for a long time on the advantage it secured by "uniting the people".

Although the AGP emerged as an alternative to the Indian National Congress, the political stagnation of the party under then Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta marked the revival of the Congress in the state in the late 1990s.

The party then managed to get the majority in all four Lok Sabha elections (1998-2009) and also in the assembly elections for three consecutive terms under the leadership of late former CM Tarun Gogoi.

The Congress party continued its dominant reign since then till 2014 which marked the withering of Congress dominance and the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam.

In the first five legislative elections in Assam, the trends of electoral politics were more or less similar.

The Congress party won 79.56 per cent of the seats in the first election held in 1952.

In the 1957 election, the Congress won 77.42 per cent of total seats against some strong challenge posed by Praja Socialist Party (PSP) and Communist Party of India (CPI); the results varied from the first election as the voters gained better understanding in terms of gauging the political issues.

A total of eight political parties contested the Assam election in 1967; INC secured 61.26 per cent of assembly seats compared with 83.87 per cent in 1962 and 77.425 per cent in 1957.

In 1972, the fifth election to the Assam legislative assembly was held. Nine political parties contested the election. Four key different trends were observed in the fifth assembly elections.

In February 1978, the sixth assembly election in Assam was held. There was a special significance of the sixth state assembly election of Assam in many aspects.

In that election, more than 938 candidates contested in 126 constituencies. The main political forces in this election were the Congress party, Congress (I), and the Janata Party. In this election, the Janata Party became the single largest party by winning 63 seats whereas the INC could only secure 26 seats, and therefore, the 1978 election in the state was a setback for INC.

During 1979-1985, an unprecedented socio-political development took place in Assam in the form of the Assam Movement (Anti- -Foreigners Agitation). Under those circumstances, the 1983 state legislative assembly election was boycotted by many political organisations associated with the movement and contested by Only INC (I) INC(S) and the left parties.

For the first time in the election history of the state, the polling percentage was the lowest ever at 32.74 pe rcent.

In the 1983 election, the Congress party came out as the single largest party securing 91 seats out of 110 assembly constituencies.

The government was formed with Hiteswar Saikia as the Chief Minister.

After the six-year-long Assam Agitation and Assam Accord, the 1985 election was a turning point in the political history of Assam.

Assam Accord was signed to dismiss the erstwhile Government of Assam. The election was announced immediately which led to the formation of a regional party named Asom Gana Parishad by the leaders of the movement. In the election for the state legislative assembly that was held in December 1985, nine political parties participated.

In the 1985 assembly election, the INC was pushed to the second position and the AGP emerged as a leading party. The AGP contested on 105 seats and bagged 63 seats.

In that election, another major development took place and that was the rise of United Minority Front of Assam (UMFA). As significantly strong regional parties AGP and UMFA posed tough challenges to the Congress party. Prafulla Kumar Mahanta took the charge as CM of the state.

In Assam, both the State Legislative Assembly election and the Lok Sabha election were held simultaneously in 1991. The law-and-order situation of the state became unmanageable during the later part of AGP rule in Assam, and the state was under the President's rule from November 1990 to June 1991.

In the 1991 election, the major development was the split of AGP into two fractions namely AGP and NAGP. Both the factions contested the election independently, INC took the advantage of this and captured most of the assembly seats. In this election, AGP and NAGP could retain only 19 and 5 seats; whereas INC secured 67 seats among the 126 constituency seats. Hiteswar Saikia took the charge as Chief Minister.

In the 1996 election, AGP and NAGP reunited and this strengthened the regional political party of the state for the second time. The Congress had faced a tough time over issues such as corruption, uprisings, and indiscriminate use of state machinery such as police, and armed forces for suppressing different anti-state activities.

AGP contested in 96 constituencies and secured 59 seats in the election whereas Congress (I) contested in all 122 seats but won only 34 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contested 117 seats and won with only four seats.

For the first time in the 2001 assembly election of Assam, Asom Gana Parishad and BJP had an alliance. The AGP and BJP alliance presented a tough equation for Congress, and the party for the first time felt the need for electoral adjustment with the minor groups.

INC won 71 seats, whereas the AGP-BJP alliance secured 28 seats altogether in 123 constituencies. Tarun Gogoi took charge as Chief Minister.

In the 2006 election, INC contested in 120 seats, and won 53; AGP contested in 100 seats and won 24; both BJP and AIUDF won 10 seats each. Congress fought the 2006 election on the issue of development and peace.

Further, in the 2011 state assembly election, Congress contested in 126 constituencies and won 78 seats, followed by AIUDF, which secured 18 seats out of 78 constituencies it contested. But Congress could win in the 2011 election because of a lack of viable opposition. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi managed three consecutive terms as CM of the state, the party managed a facile victory.

The 2016 assembly election had seen an increase in the electorate numbers of around 18 lakh from the 2011 election. BJP, which contested in 89 seats for the first time, secured 60 and became the largest party in Assam.

The Congress followed the feat by securing 26 seats by contesting in 122 constituencies.

Despite competition, Congress could manage to retain power in the state for three consecutive terms up to 2016 but failed to take the different socio-political issues into the right direction.

The government led by the party became almost non-functional towards the end of the third term.

The BJP, however, made significant effort to mobilise the people from the grassroot levels and made fruitful alliances with different potential socio-political forces of the state.

BJP's efforts in the state were further augmented when the Narendra Modi-led government came to power in the Centre in 2014.

On the other hand, since independence, Muslims in Assam have remained a vote bank for the Congress. However, a large section of them, especially the immigrant Muslims were increasingly rallying behind the AIUDF.

As a result, the Muslim vote bank of the Congress party had been shrinking gradually.

As a result, since the 2006 assembly elections, the Congress party adopted a soft Hindutva approach to polarise the non-muslim voters and gain benefits against AIUDF.

However, to the non-Muslim voters of the state, the open Hindutva line of the BJP appeared more attractive than the Congress' two-pronged strategy.

The presence of a stalwart leader like Himanta Biswa Sarma in the BJP poses a serious challenge for the Congress to project a dynamic and influential leader in the state to stand up against the chief minister.
Shillong, Sep 24 : After Manipur, the BJP's relations with National Peoples Party (NPP), headed by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, have been souring rapidly in Meghalaya even as the saffron party's central leadership remains silent and NPP leaders ignore the state BJP's threat to withdraw support to the MDA government.

The BJP with two MLAs -- Alexander Laloo Hek and Sanbor Shullai -- has been supporting the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, dominated by the NPP, and including few other local parties.

BJP's state President Ernest Mawrie, former Health and Family Welfare Minister Hek, and national Vice-President and party's Meghalaya in-charge M. Chuba Ao have separately said that the state party leaders unanimously decided to withdraw support from the MDA government but the final decision would be taken by the central leadership.

While Chief Minister Sangma termed the BJP leaders' threat as an "individual decision", NPP state President W.R. Kharlukhi called it a "farce".

BJP's top leadership would communicate with him if it has any concern which was not the case so far, said Sangma, who is also the NPP's national President.

Assembly elections to Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland expected to be held in February after the polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, and political pundits observed that some equations may change after the outcome of the latter two.

The NPP's relation with the BJP is gradually souring over various issues, specially after the arrest of BJP state Vice President Bernard N. Marak, who was arrested from Uttar Pradesh on July 25 for allegedly running a brothel in the West Garo Hills district.

BJP workers and leaders had earlier organised protests in Tura demanding a fair probe in Marak's case. BJP leaders claimed that the farmhouse in the brothel case was been operational since 2019 but the raid was carried out just six months prior to the Assembly elections to malign Marak and to damage his political career.

Talking to IANS, Hek said that the decision of the party's State Executive Committee and the Core Committee has been communicated to the central leaders and this is the right time to withdraw support from the MDA government.

BJP's national General Secretary, Organisation, B.L. Santhosh was also present in the meetings of the State Executive Committee and the Core Committee, held last week.

Replying to a query about the reasons behind the decision to quit the ruling coalition almost at the end of the full five year term, Hek said: "Everything would be disclosed and explained in detail at an appropriate time." Ao had earlier said that there are huge allegations of corruption against the ministers and leaders of the MDA government.

Ahead of the assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress, a few months back, dramatically became the state's principal opposition force overnight and is now looking to grab the space left vacant by the Congress.

After 12 of the 17 Congress MLAs led by former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma (2010-2018) joined the Trinamool in November last year, the latter became the main opposition party in the 60-member Assembly.

The five remaining Congress MLAs, led by Ampareen Lyngdoh, had earlier announced to join the National People's Party-led MDA government.

Mukul Sangma told IANS that the Trinamool is focusing on strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level across the state.

"Lots of political dynamics would obviously unfold in the next few months. We have to see how the political parties, especially the non-BJP parties ally," he said.

Against the backdrop of the changing political situation in the hill state, Conrad Sangma announced that his party will not have any pre-poll alliances and will contest next Assembly elections on its own, leading to confusion among the MDA allies -- UDP, PDF and HSPDP.

Political analyst Toki Blah said that it is too early to make any forecast on the Assembly elections, expected to be held in February next year.

"The voting pattern in Meghalaya is individual-oriented or candidate-centric, not party or organisation-based. Before selection of the candidates by various parties, it is very hard to make any assessment on party lines," he said.

The state has a matrilineal society but in the 2018 polls, only four women lawmakers, three from the Congress and one of the NPP, were elected. Tribal-dominated Meghalaya has 55 out of the total 60 seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes.

The NPP, the estranged ally of the BJP in Manipur, had fielded 38 candidates against the BJP in the February-March Assembly polls and won seven seats, three more than the 2017 assembly polls.

However, the seven NPP MLAs, after the announcement of the election results, submitted a letter to the Governor saying that as the party is a constituent of the North East Democratic Alliance and the National Democratic Alliance, they will support the BJP government.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Agartala, Sep 24 : With less than six months to go for the elections to the 60-member Assembly, the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA), a tribal-based party is fast emerging as a main force in the indigenous people dominated areas to give the ruling BJP and the opposition parties a tough challenge.

As tribals constitute over one third of Tripura's four million population and with 20 tribal reserved seats (in the 60-member Assembly), the indigenous people always played a very vital role in the electoral politics of erstwhile princely ruled Tripura, which before merging with the Indian Union on October 15, 1949 had been governed by 184 tribal kings.

In Tripura's 20 tribal reserved seats and in 10 Scheduled Caste reserved seats, the CPI-M led Left parties had been traditionally the strongholds.

In the 2018 Assembly elections and in the polls to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in April last year, the Left party virtually lost the space to the TIPRA, locally known as TIPRA Motha.

To regain their lost ground among the tribals, the CPI-M has appointed Jitendra Chowdhury, a senior tribal leader and former minister, as the state secretary a year ago.

In over seven decades of the Left movement in Tripura, Chowdhury, 64, has been the second tribal leader to become the state Secretary of CPI-M in Tripura after former Chief Minister late Dasaratha Deb, who along with another former Chief Minister Nripen Chakraborty, were the father figures of the Left movement in Tripura.

When TIPRA, headed by Tripura's former royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, scripted history in the Northeastern state and wrested the 30-member TTAADC in the April 6, 2021 elections, it became the main political force in the tribal areas leaving behind the Left, the Congress and the BJP in Tripura.

Highlighting their demand of "Greater Tipraland" (upliftment of tribals in Tripura and outside), the TIPRA defeated the CPI-M led Left Front, the BJP and the Congress in the elections to the TTAADC, which in terms of political significance is considered as a mini-legislative Assembly after the Tripura Legislative Assembly.

Constituted in 1985 under the sixth schedule of the Constitution, the TTAADC has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq. km. area and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which around 84 per cent are tribals, making the autonomous constitutional body the second important law making legislature after the Tripura assembly.

After the merger of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), one of the state's oldest tribal-based parties, last year with TIPRA, the latter got a further political boost to take on the other local and national parties.

Deb Barman while talking to IANS, said that his party TIPRA would not forge any pre-poll alliance with any political party and put up at least 40 candidates in the next Assembly polls.

Besides the emergence of the TIPRA, which changed the political spectrum of the Northeastern state, the Trinamool Congress entered Tripura politics last year for the second phase.

Though the Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee constituted a full-fledged state committee headed by state President Subal Bhowmik, who was earlier in both the Congress and the BJP.

The Trinamool leadership on August 24 removed Bhowmik from the post of president causing a confusion among the party men and the mind set of the common people.

Trinamool's Rajya Sabha Member Sushmita Dev, who along with party's state in-charge and former West Bengal Minister Rajib Banerjee leading the party, told IANS that they would form district and block committees of the party and then plunge into the political activities after Durga puja festival next month.

"The Trinamool is the only alternative to defeat the BJP and it was already crystal clear among the people that the Congress and the Left parties have no political ability to defeat the BJP," said Dev, who's father and former Union Minister late Santosh Mohan Dev was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tripura twice on a Congress ticket.

In an apparent attempt to tame anti-incumbency and stem any discontent within its organisation in Tripura, the BJP in May adopted its now successfully tested strategy of going in with a new face in the state Assembly polls.

On May 14, Biplab Kumar Deb stepped down from the post of Chief Minister following the directions of the Central leaders.and dental surgeon-turned-politician Manik Saha became Chief Minister on the next day.

The BJP, however, is yet to disclose why Deb was abruptly removed from the top post.

With the strategy of changing the chief minister months ahead of elections working in its favour in Uttarakhand, the BJP's central leaders opted for a similar change in Tripura where polls are expected to be held in February next year.

The BJP has changed five chief ministers since 2019, including Gujarat and Karnataka.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Guwahati, Sep 24 : Soon after switching over to the BJP in 2015, Himanta Biswa Sarma started reading books on Sangh ideologues and even claimed of going to RSS shakhas when he was a child.

That was one of the very early signals of what was cooking in the mind of the former blue-eyed boy of the late Congress stalwart Tarun Gogoi. Before joining the saffron camp, Sarma had started practicing to be more Hindu than those who were already in the BJP.

In the 2011 state elections, the BJP only managed to win five seats in the 126-member Assam assembly. The party's stronghold in the state then was only the Barak Valley, which has a major chunk of Hindu Bengali voters. The seats came from that region only.

The saffron party never enjoyed a good support among the Assamese people in the state and that may be the reason that in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Assamese icon Bhupen Hazarika lost the Guwahati seat. He was at that time welcomed in the city with a large number of black flags.

The Assamese people were seeing BJP as a party of mainly Bengalis and Hindi-speaking communities.

Things started to change in late 2013 after the mammoth rise of Narendra Modi in national politics. In the run-up to the 2014 general elections, Modi at a huge gathering in Guwahati challenged Tarun Gogoi with his Gujarat model of development.

He said that Gogoi could drive a Maruti car through the water pipes in Gujarat whereas despite having the Brahmaputra river, Assam was facing a scarcity of drinking water.

Sarma reacted to Modi's statement with reference to the 2002 riots by saying: "Muslim blood and not water was flowing through pipes in Gujarat." In response, the BJP came down heavily on Sarma, and Election Commission also barred him from campaigning for a few days.

When he joined the BJP, Sarma was asked about his earlier statement, to which he said that it was the Congress party's views and he did that as per the instructions of the leaders.

When in Congress, Sarma was known for his liberal image. He enjoyed quite a good support from the Muslim voters.

Though he started his career with the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), Sarma was never seen as an Assamese hardliner. Rather, he was known to be soft towards the Bengali speaking community in Assam which constitutes the nearly one-third population of the state.

Interestingly, in the run-up to the 2016 Assembly elections in the state, Sarma garnered his image as a hard-core Assamese leader. He openly advocated for 1951 to be the base year for updating the National Registrar of Citizens (NRC) in Assam which was a long pending demand from AASU and other organizations.

His statement created a stir as according to the Assam Accord, NRC updation process started by considering March 25, 1971, as the cut-off date. Congress jumped into criticizing Sarma for his remarks, but the statement gained votes for the BJP as the party did remarkably well in the Upper Assam area.

Sarma also sent a message that they would come down heavily on immigrant Bangladeshi Muslims which helped to consolidate the Hindu vote bank in favour of the BJP.

He further changed his position after the BJP swept to power in Assam. He started to portray himself as a Hindu hardliner leader and took charge of the education department along with various other portfolios in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government.

At that time, in the government-run madrasas of Assam, Friday was considered a holiday. But, Sarma openly said this must be changed as we live in India, not in Pakistan or Bangladesh.

The statement attracted wide-scale criticism from the Muslim community but Sarma was firm on his position and ultimately the holiday was shited to Sunday.

The first draft of the NRC was first published on July 30, 2018. There were 40 lakh people who were missing from the list and the majority were Bengalis.

There was furor among the people and Assam saw protests in many parts. Sarma, however, used to say that the mainly immigrant Muslim population was out of the first draft though it was not the true case as a major chunk of Hindu Bengalis were also missing.

When the final draft of NRC was out on August 31, 2019, it left behind over 19 lakh people out of the 3.3 crore applicants in the state.

The ones, who could not find a place in the updated list, have since been trying to figure out how to get their names enlisted, as uncertainty looms over their future. The Hindu Bengalis constitute a good number in this 19 lakh population who were out of the final NRC.

When the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed in Parliament by the BJP, Assam was rocked by unprecedented protests. Most Assamese were staunchly against the CAA, as it would providing entry to Indian citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Assamese people believed that the law would pave the way for a fresh wave of migration from Bangladesh and demographically swamp Assam.

During the anti-CAA protests in the state, many of the BJP's leaders, including the then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were missing from the spotlight.

It was Sarma, however, who constantly insisted that the CAA would not threaten the Assamese people but liberate them from 'invaders', a jibe directed towards Bengali Muslims.

Sarma's defence of the controversial CAA was a political statement to send a message that Assam's Hindus had to coalesce to preserve its indigenous culture.

He extended it in the run-up of the previous year's Assembly election, describing it as a "civilisational war" in which only the BJP could "save Assam" from immigrant Bangladeshis.

Before the elections, Sarma also termed the NRC as faulty and advocated for a fresh one. The Assam government has already demanded 20 per cent re-verification in the bordering districts and 10 percent in the other districts of the included names in the final NRC list.

Jayanta Malla Baruah, a Minister and Sarma's close confidant said: "As there were a lot of irregularities which happened during the update process, we have demanded to verify the present NRC." The state government had already filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court in this regard.

Baruah further said that they were hoping the Supreme Court will study and analyze the whole situation and may give a nod to their appeal.

It is worth to be mentioned that in bordering districts with Bangladesh in Assam, the Muslim population is quite high and that is why the Sarma sought 20 per cent re-verification of the names there.

Shortly after assuming the office of Chief Minister, in spite of a court order, Sarma's government proceeded with a series of eviction drives to displace hundreds of mainly Bengali Muslim families during the peak of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Darang district's Sipajhar area, when people lost their lives during an eviction drive last year, criticisms heaped on Sarma from every corner. However, the Chief Minister claimed that there was a deep conspiracy of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and some other groups behind the entire incident.

The police were attacked that day. At least 10,000 people had attacked the police. So the police shot under a kind of compulsion. Although the question arose whether it was possible for the poor people of the village to do so.

Ever since Sarma became the Chief Minister, the police have been conducting operations against people occupying government land in various places like Mayang, Kaziranga, Bardoa and Amsai. Incidentally, much like Sipajhar, the Bengali Muslim population is in majority in those places.

After the evictions from the forest area in Patharkandi in Barak Valley, the ruling party MLA Krishnendu Pal said that the Rohingya have established a base there. But no evidence was found in favour of his claim. In fact, the idea that Bangladeshi Muslims are coming and occupying the land of the original inhabitants of Assam is being floated again and again.

The Muslim population has increased in various districts including Srimanta Shankardev's birthplace, Bardowa in Nagaon. Sarma and the BJP alleged that the land belonging to the Assamese people is being dispossessed in many places.

So, the theory that gained currency was that the current government wants to secure land for the original inhabitants of the state. For this reason, even though it is a coincidence, the areas inhabited by the Muslim population are the main targets of the eviction drive.

Senior lawyer of Guwahati High Court, Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Chowdhury, questioned that many people are living on government land in places like Majuli, Dhemaji and Silchar. Why is there no eviction? According to him, the current government is taking steps to target the people of a particular ethnic group.

Residents of Garukhuti village in Sipajhar claimed that their names are in the NRC. They possess other government documents as well.

Hence, it is inappropriate to see them as Bangladeshi suspects.

Many locals claimed that they have been living there for 50 years. But now they are being forcibly evicted from their homes without any provision for rehabilitation. Where will they go in this situation? It has been clearly stated in a judgment of the Guwahati High Court that the administration can carry out the eviction by arranging for rehabilitation first.

AIUDF party MLA Aminul Islam said that those people have been living in Garukhuti village since the 1970s. They used to pay land rent.

According to the MLA, later the state government deliberately stopped taking them. And this time, the local administration evicted all the children and the elderly without arranging any alternative place of residence.

But, Sarma continued to woo the Hindu voters by reacting to the eviction drives and making statement like: "If their population explosion continues, one day even the Kamakhya temple land will be encroached upon." After the alteration of the holiday in Assam Madrasas, Sarma pitched for closing down all government-run madrasas in the state.

His government came up with a bill to shut down the madrasas and convert them to normal schools.

Though it was criticized by the Muslim population, all government-run madrasas in the state now have already transformed into normal schools. The Chief Minister advocated his action by saying that Muslim youth preferred to be doctors and engineers which was not possible by studying in Madrasas.

But, the critics are saying that Sarma's government has an 'evil' eye on private-run madrasas also. Last month, three madrasas were demolished by the administration in the wake of the arrest of 40 people since March over their alleged terror links.

Excavators and bulldozers were deployed to demolish the two-storeyed building of the Markazul Ma Arif Quariayana Madrasa in the Jogighopa area in the Bongaigaon district on August 31. Earlier Jamiul Huda madrasa at Howli and another one by the same name at Moirabari in Morigaon district were destroyed by the police and administration.

However, Sarma claimed that Assam has become a hotbed of 'jihadi activities' as the links to Al Qaida in India Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) terror outfits were busted in the past four months.

He said: "Interestingly, the hub of all these activities, appeared to be madrasas. I am not generalizing, but whoever has been arrested till date have had some connection with madrasas or were acting as preachers in some mosques." Sarma has also announced that police verification and online registration will soon become mandatory for imams and madrasa teachers coming from outside the state. Moreover, he has hinted that all private-run madrasas in Assam are on the government radar for looking into any Jihadi-type activities.

Assam has implemented the cow protection act, however, in the name of cow protection, this law was being enacted in the state to actually stop beef consumption. The rules of the new law were made in such a way that it is almost impossible to eat beef while complying with it. But after Kashmir, Assam is the state with the largest Muslim population in the country.

In Assam, the sale, consumption of beef, etc. is prohibited within 5 km of religious places such as temples and namghars. Eating beef is not allowed even in the residential areas of Hindu-Sikh-Buddhist-Jain people.

As in many places of Assam, the Hindu-Muslim population is almost equal. People of multiple religions are living together in both rural and urban districts. As a result, many have feared disturbing communal harmony at some point in time on this cow protection act.

In the run-up tolast year's Assembly polls, the BJP played the card of radical Hindutva, with Sarma at the forefront. He set the chord to consolidate Hindu votes by making harsh comments against Muslims and he was completely successful in that plan.

Apart from the cow protection law, population control, shutting down of madrasas, financial aid to temples, namghars etc. leaving out the mosques, eviction drive, demolition of madrasas -- the long list has made the Sarma's intentions clear, he wants Assam to be a highly polarised state.

The BJP currently dominates the Hindu votes, on the other hand, the popularity of Badruddin Ajmal is unwavering among Muslims.

Last year's election in Assam has been settled on this line and Sarma wants this trend to continue in the future also.
Chennai, Sep 24 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken into custody Popular Front of India (PFI) national executive committee member A.S. Ismail during a raid at his residence in Coimbatore on Thursday.

The action against Ismail was part of the ongoing raid being carried out in 11 states across the country since early morning, said sources.

The NIA sleuths took Ismail in custody at Karumbakudi in Coimbatore. PFI cadres staged a protest outside his residence, and he was taken to an unknown destination.

It is to be noted that this is the largest raid being carried out across the country against the Popular Front of India.

It is learned that the all-India President of PFI, O.M.A Salam, and its National General Secretary, Nasarudheen Elamaram, have been taken into custody in Kozhikode, North Kerala.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was giving the necessary security to the NIA sleuths during the raids.

A source in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Chennai told IANS that the raids were being undertaken as part of the national-level raids against the organisation.

Sources also told IANS that after the murder of the RSS leader, Sreenivasan at Palakkad in Kerala, the police had seized some incriminating documents, including about the PFI conducting training to cadres and preparing list of RSS workers and leaders to be eliminated.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : To ensure that motorists using electric vehicles get access to real-time data on nearest active charging stations while on the move, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is developing a mobile app as well as a web portal to provide this information.

According to sources privy to developments, the app and web portal will provide real time information to motorists on the move, about the nearest active charging stations available on their route.

BEE is the central nodal agency for developing these softwares and work on this is expected to be completed soon, sources informed further.

Power Ministry had issued guidelines for developing these softwares in January this year.

Sources said that the mobile app and web portal providing live data on charging infrastructure will help in improving mobility services.

The government is also working at installing smart meters on electric poles at dedicated locations and make small charging stations across highways, cities and even villages.

Electric vehicle owners would be given smart cards for charging batteries of their vehicles anywhere.

BEE would be developing these chargers, which would include chargers for charging light electric vehicles like two-wheelers and three-wheelers, sources said.

According to BEE, these chargers will have a built in provision to measure and register electric energy delivered and a provision for electric vehicles' charging upon user authentication through the mobile app.

Such chargers would be mounted on electric poles in public parking spaces, sources informed further.
Faridkot, Sep 24 : Calling the opposition parties "chronic liars", Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Saturday instead of working for the well-being of the people, these leaders are habitual of finding faults in every pro-people initiative of the state government.

The Chief Minister, while addressing a gathering here after paying obeisance at Tilla Baba Sheikh Farid, said these leaders have no other work except criticising the several citizen-centric decisions taken by the government.

He said in dearth of any concrete issue these leaders are criticising the state government only for the sake of criticism. Mann said undeterred by it, the government will continue to work for the well-being of the people and development of the state.

The Chief Minister announced that the government will leave no stone unturned for making Punjab free from corruption, drugs, unemployment and other maladies.

He solicited fulsome support and cooperation of people for this noble cause, adding this work cannot be accomplished without their support.

Mann said the entire government mechanism is with the people of the state to get rid of these maladies, which have made deep inroads during the regimes of previous governments.

The Chief Minister asserted that the previous governments have plundered the public wealth mercilessly. He said the successive governments in the state have even surpassed Britishers in looting the taxpayers' money.

However, Mann said his government will recover every single penny from these corrupt leaders and optimally utilise it for the welfare of the people.

The Chief Minister, while listing several initiatives of his government, said the Aam Aadmi government is providing corruption free governance to the people, adding pilferages in the public money have been plugged and now that money is being used for the state and its people.

He said his government has passed the historic 'One MLA, One Pension' scheme to ensure judicious utilization of public funds.

Likewise, Mann said around 100 Aam Aadmi Clinics have been dedicated across the state to people for imparting quality health services.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that members of Popular Front of India (PFI) had allegedly collected a large amount of cash to the tune of Rs 120 crore to carry out attacks on important personalities.

ED sources claimed that Prime Minister Narender Modi was also on the radar of PFI, which had planned to attack the Prime Minister during a rally in July 2020. However, due to some reason, PFI didn't go ahead with the plan.

The sources claimed that the PFI members had even planned to organise a terror camp to execute an attack on Modi.

The sources said that around Rs 120 crore were collected by the PFI to carry out attacks and create unrest and riot-like situation in the country.

The ED had arrested a PFI member named Shafeequr Payeth from Kerala, who was produced before a special court in Lucknow on Friday. The remand paper of the ED, which has been accessed by IANS, said that the PFI was planning to carry out attacks on important personalities.

"In the past few years, PFI collected around Rs 120 crore, including cash coming from abroad. The cash was deposited in different bank accounts belonging to PFI," the remand paper read.

It added that some part of the money was allegedly used in North-East Delhi riots in 2020. The money was also about to be used to purchase arms and ammunition to create unrest and carry out terror acts in Uttar Pradesh.

The sources also said that PFI has scores of active members in the Gulf countries.
Chandigarh, Sep 24 : Making fourth arrest in the allegations by Chandigarh University hostellers over their alleged 'leaked objectionable videos', Punjab Police on Saturday arrested an Indian Army personnel posted in Arunachal Pradesh.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said here the arrested accused, Sanjeev Singh, is suspected of blackmailing the accused girl student.

The development came days after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a high-level probe into the matter for which a three-member all-woman Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the overall supervision of ADGP Gurpreet Kaur Deo was constituted.

DGP Yadav apprised that based on forensic and digital evidence, the police team from Mohali was dispatched to Arunachal Pradesh to arrest the accused.

He said the army man was arrested from Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh with the support of Arunachal Pradesh Police, Assam Police and Indian Army.

The Mohali Police have obtained a two-day transit remand of the accused from the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Bomdila to produce him before the magistrate in Mohali, he added.

The Mohali Police have already arrested three people, including the girl student and two others from Himachal Pradesh, and some electronic devices were seized from their possession.

Huge protests broke out on the university campus in Mohali district after a girl allegedly leaked private videos of her hostel mates online.

A day after daylong protest, silence returned to the campus as the local administration and the university agreed to investigate the demand of the students over objectionable videos of several girl students were recorded by a hosteller and shared with her friend in Shimla.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : A convict in the Bilkis Bano case has told the Supreme Court that the petition challenging Gujarat government's remission order is "speculative and politically motivated".

The plea filed by Radheysham Bhagwandas Shah said: "This court not only on the ground of locus and maintainability, but also on the ground of such speculative and politically motivated petition, should dismiss the said plea with heavy hand and impose an exemplary cost so that such politically motivated petition by strangers are not encouraged in the future." The plea cited a number of the top court judgments, including Janata Dal vs H.S. Chowdhary (1992), Simranjit Singh Mann vs UOI (1992) and Subramanian Swamy vs Raju (2013), in which it was consistently held in clear terms that a third party who is a total stranger to the prosecution has no 'locus standi' in criminal matters.

The convict also referred to the apex court judgment dated May 13, 2022 on the merits of the case, which after hearing all the parties came out with a categorical judgment that only the Gujarat government's policy of premature release would be applicable, which prevailed at the time of conviction and not a subsequent policy at the time of consideration of remission.

Shah was challenging the plea filed by former CPI-M MP Subhasini Ali, journalist Revati Laul and professor Roop Rekha Verma against the release of 11 men convicted for the gang-rape of Bilkis Bano and multiple murders during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

A similar plea was also filed by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.

On September 9, the apex court had directed the Gujarat government to file all records, which formed the basis for granting remission to all the accused in the case. It directed the state government to file its response within two weeks and also asked advocate Rishi Malhotra, representing some of the accused, to file a response.

Shah's plea contended that if such type of third-party petitions are entertained by the apex court, it would not only unsettle the settled position of law, but would also be an open invitation to any member of the public to jump in any criminal matter before a court of law.

Shah argued that the plea is nothing but a gross abuse of Article 32, as on one hand, the petitioners plead that they do not have the copy of the remission order and yet without ascertaining the reasons for grant of remission, the petitioners have sought quashing of the remission order.

It further argued that the apex court had categorically held that a total stranger in a criminal case cannot be permitted to question the correctness of a decision, and if that was to be permitted, any and every person could challenge a criminal prosecution/proceeding recorded day in and day out by courts even if the person convicted do not desire to do so and are inclined to acquiesce in the decision.

"Interestingly enough, neither the state nor the victim nor even the complainant has approached this court, and thus it is respectfully submitted that if such cases are sought to be entertained by this court, a settled position of law would certainly become an unsettled position of law," Shah's plea added.
Srinagar, Sep 24 : Militants shot and injured a non-local labourer in J&K's Pulwama district on Saturday.

The police said that militants fired at a non-local labourer identified as Shamshad in Ratnipora area of Pulwama district on Saturday evening.

"The victim has been shifted to the hospital in an injured condition. The area has been surrounded for searches," the police said.
Aizawl, Sep 24 : A small section of the 30,401 Myanmar nationals, who have taken shelter in Mizoram in different phases since the military junta seized power in February last year, are trying to purchase lands and conduct petty business, or opening shops forced the state government to issue strict order restraining the migrants from doing so.

Mizoram police officers said that after the starting of the arrival of refugees, the smuggling of varied and highly addictive drugs, arms and ammunition, exotic animals, dried areca nuts, foreign cigarettes, various tobacco products and many other contraband from Myanmar increased to a large extent.

Police and para-military officials on condition of anonymity said that both the nationals of Myanmar and India are involved in the illegal trades.

In the latest such smuggling case on September 21, Assam Rifles troopers seized huge quantities of Myanmar-bound arms, war-like items, air gun, air gun pellets, combat uniforms, radio sets, tactical vests, tactical gloves and boots valued at around Rs 16 lakh from Mizoram's Siaha district and arrested seven people, including five Myanmar nationals.

The alarming increase in smuggling activities involving Myanmar in Mizoram has also prompted the Central committee of Young Mizo Association (CYMA) to form Central Anti-Drug Squad (CADS) recently to deal with the growing illegal trades of contrabands especially drugs.

The Mizoram government has instructed the Myanmar refugees, presently taking shelter in all the 11 districts of the state, not to purchase land, house and run business without prior permission from the state government.

The government order has come after the several reports that the Myanmar migrants are trying to purchase lands, opening up of small shops and running up of small business in the districts along the Myanmar border.

The state government order also barred refugees from any attempt to enroll for Aadhaar card, voter identity card, driving license or any other government documents.

The Mizoram government has provided temporary identity cards to the refugees for identification purposes to differentiate the holder from Indian citizens and the ID card is not valid for availing the government's scheme and outside Mizoram.

As per official records, majority of around 30,400 Myanmar refugees including 11,798 children and 10,047 women are sheltered in Mizoram in over 156 camps in all the 11 districts while a large number of them took shelter in the relatives' houses, community, centers, rented houses, government buildings and shelter houses set up by various NGOs including the CYMA, northeast India's one of the largest NGOs.

There are 14 lawmakers of Myanmar who are also among those who fled the trouble-torn country and took refuge in Mizoram.

The Myanmarese are provided with food, medicines and other relief materials by the state government, NGOs, churches and village authorities.

The government notification also asked the refugees to inform the concerned authority or village level committee on Myanmar refugees about their vehicles, which they have brought from their country.

"All local or village level committees must ensure that the government order is strictly followed and report to the chairman of the district task group on Myanmar refugees in case of violation of the order," the notification said.

Mountainous Mizoram with a population of 1.1 million (2011 census), India's second least populous state shares a 510-km long porous and unfenced border with Myanmar.

The Myanmar nationals, who took shelter in Mizoram, are mostly from Chin communities, who share ethnicity and ancestry with the Mizos.

Since last year, Chief Minister Zoramthanga, two Parliament Members -- C. Lalrosanga (Lok Sabha) and K. Vanlalvena (Rajya Sabha) have been urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, DoNER Minister G. Kishan Reddy and other top central officials to provide humanitarian assistance to the Myanmar nationals.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who also met Union Home Minister on Thursday (Sep 22) and discussed the Myanmar refugee issue, had written several letters to Prime Minister urging him to provide relief, required aid and asylum to the Myanmar nationals as the state government was facing a financial crisis to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and related problems.

The state government had constituted a high level committee headed by Home Minister Lalchamliana to monitor the Myanmar refugees due to a continuous rise in the number of refugees fleeing to the state.

Apart from this, the government also set up a task group on Myanmar refugees, district level committees chaired by Deputy Commissioners and village or local level committees (under the chairmanship of village council president) to oversee the refugee issue.

A fresh wave of refugees from Myanmar crossed into Mizoram earlier this month for shelter after the Myanmar armed forces launched a fresh offensive against civilians and Arakan Army militants.

Officials, quoting the sources across the border, said that the Myanmar Army started attacking different villages of Chin state along the India-Myanmar borders since August 30, and residents of Varang and adjoining villages had started vacating their homes and taking shelter in Mizoram.

The Myanmar villagers used boats to bring all their belongings, rations and livestock into Mizoram.

The hapless men, women and children had crossed the Tiau river by small country boat and were tracking the forested routes before reaching Mizoram.

Around 31,000 Myanmar nationals, including 11,798 children and 10,047 women, have taken shelter in 11 districts of Mizoram since the military junta led by army chief General Min Aung Hlaing seized power in the neighbouring country in February last year.

There are 14 lawmakers of Myanmar who are also among those who fled the trouble-torn country and took refuge in Mizoram, which shares a 510 km unfenced border with the neighbouring country.

The majority of the Myanmarese who have taken shelter belong to the Chin community, also known as the Zo community, who share the same ancestry, ethnicity and culture as the Mizos, who dominate Mizoram.

The Myanmar nationals taking shelter in Mizoram since the military junta led by army chief General Min Aung Hlaing seized power in the neighbouring country in February last year.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Chennai, Sep 24 : As part of the 113th birth anniversary celebrations of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, 75 life convicts, including four women, were released from prison on Saturday.

As part of the amnesty scheme, those who completed 10 years in prison and were reported for good conduct were released.

Earlier in the second week of August, 21 life convicts were released from prison.

It may be noted that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had announced on the floor of the Assembly the release of 750 life convicts as part of the 113 birth anniversary celebrations of former Chief Minister and DMK ideologue Annadurai.

So far, 96 life convicts have been released from prison.
Bhopal, Sep 24 : Whistleblowers have been constantly fighting to get the accused persons in Vyapam scam punished. However, in return, they not only have to face troubles, but also disappointment as they are not satisfied with the attitude of the successive governments.

From politicians to officials, several bigwigs are allegedly involved in the Vyapam scam. The fight of whistleblowers continues, but they regret not getting any of the big guns punished.

Anand Rai, a whistleblower who has constantly fought against Vyapam, says that the guilty cannot be punished until the government discharges its responsibility in a better way.

The same thing happened in the case of Vyapam because after the investigating agencies, the cases went to the high court where the public prosecutor had to present his case in a better way, but that did not happen. This was the reason that the accused got anticipatory bail easily and more than 2,500 people were released.

Rai has also been on the target of the government over the issue, as he and his wife were transferred. He claimed that this situation would not have occured had the government discharged its responsibility properly.

People kept getting bail from the court and there was no opposition from the government; on the contrary, those fighting the case were harassed, he said.

Rai said that he was intimidated from all sides but he did not give up. Temptation came even from the Chief Minister, whose sting operation has been done and presented in the high court, he said.

Another whistleblower, Ashish Chaturvedi, a resident of Gwalior, has also fought a long battle against the Vyapam scam. In return, he was not only harassed, but also had to face difficulties. He was attacked many times and had to fight for his life.

Another whistleblower and former MLA Paras Saklecha said that the CBI investigation is not going on satisfactorily.

At times, it seems that the CBI is also manipulating him, Saklecha said.

"The speed of the investigation is very slow. I handed over 300 pages of documents to the CBI, but the agency, instead of using the documents for investigation, sent them to the Chief Secretary," Saklecha said.

During the 2018 Assembly elections, Saklecha had organised a competition in Ratlam regarding the Vyapam scam, in which questions related to the scam were asked and those who gave correct answers were given Rs 1,000-5,000 as reward. Saklecha also said that the government is busy saving the accused in the Vyapam scam.

After the Vyapam scam was unearthed in 2013, both the BJP and the Congress have ruled the state. The scam was unearthed during the BJP rule. The matter was first probed by an SIT before the CBI took over the probe. The Congress was in power in Madhya Pradesh from December 2018 to February 2020.
Hyderabad, Sep 24 : Telangana's state festival Bathukamma is all set to commence from Sunday.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao extended greetings to the people. He said that the Bathukamma festivities, which are held in the midst of joyous celebrations by women at their birthplaces by decorating Bathukamma with flowers, dance and singing, reflects the uniqueness of the villages.

KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, said that the cultural extravaganza will be on display across the state during the nine-day long festival celebration.

He recalled that the Telangana government recognized Bathukamma as state festival and accorded a big importance to the Telangana culture and the self-respect of the women folk.

The chief minister said the state government is distributing sarees to one crore women at a cost of Rs 350 crore. The government is honoring women by distributing specially made one crore sarees as Bathukamma gift.

He noted that 'Bathukamma' has become a part of people's life and spread to the continents with the Telangana culture proliferating across the world.

KCR said the state government made all arrangements to celebrate the Bathukamma festival. He prayed to the goddess of nature Bathukamma to bless the people of the state with happiness and good health.

The state festival is set to be celebrated in a grand manner across Telangana from September 25 to October 3.

The main celebrations will be held on October 3 which will be celebrated as Saddula Bathukamma.

During the nine-day annual festival, women and girls sing and dance around specially arranged flowers. At the end of the festival, they immerse the specially arranged flowers called Bathukamma in local ponds.

Ever since the formation of Telangana state in 2014, Bathukamma has been celebrated as the state festival.

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar has directed officials to illuminate important traffic islands and buildings during the festival. They have been asked to undertake improvement of roads, barricading of immersion points, provision of uninterrupted power supply and organise cultural programmes.

Swimmers will be deployed near Hussain Sagar and at all the immersion points as a precautionary measure.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : The Congress on Saturday urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to ensure the party as the principal opposition party, it is given the chairmanship of at least one of the four major substantive parliament committees -- Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defence and Finance.

The party also said that at least three of these four have traditionally been chaired by the opposition.

In a letter to Om Birla, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: "Further to my letter of 21st September 2022 on the government's decision to withdraw the only Departmentally-Related Standing Committee assigned to the Congress Party by seizing the chairmanship of the IT Committee for itself, I write to demand honourable treatment for the Indian National Congress, the principal Opposition party in the Lok Sabha, in keeping with well-established parliamentary conventions." "While I am still awaiting a reply to my letter, it has been made orally clear to me that the decision in respect of the IT Committee will not be reversed. I wish to formally lodge my strong protest against this peremptory action, taken without the slightest justification," Chowdhury said.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury further alleged: "The government is reducing Parliamentary Committees to a farce if they are unprepared to deal with a committee Chair doing his work seriously and professionally, and a committee serving as an independent voice expressing views that may not always be to the taste of the government of the day." He claimed the government is unprepared to deal with a committee chair doing his work seriously and professionally, and a committee serving as an independent voice expressing views that may not always be to the taste of the government of the day.

"If the government is determined to retain the IT Committee for the ruling party, the Congress leader said, he would insist that as the principal opposition party, the Congress has every right to ask for one of the major substantive committees -- Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defence or Finance," said Chowdhury in the letter.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : In a painstaking and meticulous 'Operation Megh Chakra', the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted national wide searches at around 59 locations in 21 states including union territories in two cases related to downloading/circulation of CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) which led to the recovery of 50 laptops having pornographic materials.

The raids were conducted at Fatehabad (Haryana), Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Kachh (Gujarat), Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), Murshidabad (West Bengal), Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Thane, Nanded, Solapur, Kolahpur and Nagpur (Maharashtra), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh), Krishna (Andhra Pradesh), Ram Nagar (Karnataka), Kolar (Karnataka), Faridabad (Haryana), Hathras (Uttar Pradesh), Bengaluru, Kodagu (Karnataka), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), and Delhi.

The CBI has registered two cases under relevant provisions of IT Act based on an information received from Crime Against Children (CAC), unit of Interpol, Singapore which had received the same from New Zealand police for sharing with relevant country.

A number of Indian citizens were involved in circulation, downloading, transmission of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) using cloud-based storage.

The said information received in Interpol from Law enforcement authorities of New Zealand was analysed and developed by the CBI, and suspected persons were identified to locate and disrupt further distribution.

"Today's crackdown was follow up of massive operation (Operation Carbon) carried out by the CBI last year against Online Child Sexual Abuse Material," the official said.

During searches, electronic devices including mobiles, laptops belonging to more than 50 suspects were recovered by the CBI.

Preliminary scrutiny of these electronic devices using cyber forensic tools has revealed the presence of huge quantity of CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) in a number of electronic devices.

The suspects are being questioned with regard to the CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) found in their electronic devices so as to identify the child victims and the abusers.

"Operation Megha Chakra is one of the CBI-led global operations in recent times for rapid response to online child sexual exploitation cases having international link. Coordination meetings were organised with Interpol and foreign law enforcement agencies for sharing critical information to dismantle such cybercrime networks," the official said.
Shillong, Sep 24 : In line with other northeastern states, Meghalaya has also waged a war against drugs and during the past four months various drugs valued at more than Rs 18.33 crore have been seized and 134 drug peddlers were arrested, Director General of Police (DGP) Lajja Ram Bishnoi said.

The DGP added that the Meghalaya Police have waged a war against drugs across the state, which shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh.

The state police, anti-narcotic task force and the special branch are jointly working in a coordinated manner to curb the illegal drug trading and menace, he told the media.

According to the police Chief, the seized drugs include 3.62 kg heroin, 4,500 kg ganja and 150 gm opium.

Of the 134 drug traffickers, 123 are from Meghalaya and 11 are from Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, Bishnoi said.

He added that the drug traffickers told the police that they getting the drugs from Manipur and Mizoram, both sharing borders with Myanmar.

The Police also seized 31 vehicles, 90 mobile phones and cash worth Rs 24.22 lakh during the past four months.

The senior IPS officer said that to deal with drug smuggling and their illegal trading, northeastern states along with the central agencies can work in a coordinated manner.

He added that four police constables were arrested for their reported involvement in the supply of drugs.
Jaipur, Sep 24 : As the suspense over the new Rajasthan Chief Minister continues in the desert state, a meeting of Congress MLAs has been convened at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence at 7 pm on Sunday.

With Gehlot being the front-runner to become the next Congress President, hectic parleys are being made to zero in on the next CM face in Rajasthan.

Senior Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken, will be presnt in the crucial meeting on Sunday.

Congress General Secretary (Organisation), K.C. Venugopal, tweeted late on Friday evening, "Hon'ble Congress President has appointed Sh.Mallikarjun Kharge as Observer along with Sh.Ajay Maken, Gen. Secretary AICC, Incharge of Rajasthan, to attend the meeting of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly slated to be held on 25th September at 7 PM." Sources in the Congress said that the views and suggestions of the MLAs will be taken into consideration before finalising on the new CM face.

Meanwhile, Gehlot will be travelling to Jaisalmer on Sunday morning to offer prayers at the Tanot Mata temple. He is expected to return to Jaipur by 4.30 pm.

In a surprise move on Saturday, few staunch supporters of the Gehlot camp spoke in favour of Sachin Pilot, with many going to the latter's residence.

After meeting them, Pilot left for Delhi, triggering further speculation that he is the top runner for the coveted CM's post.
New Delhi, Sep 24 : BJP national President J.P. Nadda will in Kerala on a two-day visit starting Sunday.

The Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, is currently passing through Kerala.

BJP spokesperson Anil Baluni said that Nadda will hold several important party meetings besides inaugurating district offices of the BJP in the southern state.

"During his stay, Nadda will take part in several public programmes and organisational meetings of the party in Tiruchirappalli, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram," the BJP said in a statement.

Nadda is expected to inaugurate the Kottayam BJP district office in Nagampadam and address party workers there. He will inaugurate another district BJP office in Thycaud on Monday.

The BJP President will also interact with the beneficiaries of the Centre's welfare schemes and visit the Sree Narayana Guru Pilgrimage Centre, Baluni said.
Ahmedabad, Sep 25 : Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday that the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra will provide much-needed oxygen to the party.

Attacking the BJP, Ramesh said that those who did not participate in the Quit India movement are now criticising the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Clarifying on not including Gujarat in the route of the yatra, Ramesh said that many routes were discussed, but in some routes the yatra would have had to cross rivers using boats or trains. So the party opted for a straight route from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, he said.

Also, given that the Assembly elections are round the corner, the party functionaries would be busy by the time the yatra arrives in this part of the country, Ramesh clarified.
Patna, Sep 25 : Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday visited the Sashahtra Seema Bal (SSB) camp in Kishanganj in Bihar and inaugurated 5 outposts of the border guarding force.

"In Delhi, we thought that the duties of SSB jawans in the border areas of Bihar are easy as we have friendly relationships with both the neighbouring countries Nepal and Bhutan. But when I came to the borders, I understood the challenges you all face on the border. The borders of Nepal and Bhutan are porous with India and keeping an eye on every person is a tough job," Shah said.

Shah also appreciated the efforts of SSB in the Maoist-affected districts of Bihar and Jharkhand.

"Due to the efforts of SSB jawans along with other armed forces, Maoists are almost wiped out from Bihar," Shah said.

Earlier, Amit Shah went to Budhi Kali Mandir in Kishanganj and offered Puja.

He also broke the security protocol to meet the supporters who were waiting outside the temple. Shah stepped out from his SUV and greeted them.

Shah held a meeting with the BJP leaders of Seemanchal districts including Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar in MGM medical college Kishanganj and gave the target of winning 3 out of 4 Lok Sabha seats of Purnea division in the 2024 general polls.

He also asked the leaders to prepare for the 2025 Vidhan Sabha election and win 19 assembly seats out of 24.

Shah also gave a target to the leaders of Seemanchal to deploy 10 youths on one polling booth in the next 3 months.

He was on a two-day visit to Seemanchal region to kick-off the Lok Sabha 2024 poll campaign. After the end of two-day stay in Bihar, he returned to Delhi in the evening.
Los Angeles, Sep 25 : Even as the world absorbs the saturation coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's death, Netflix has revealed that 'The Crown' Season 5 will premiere on the streamer on November 9. The dramatised series, reports 'Variety', about the British Royal Family, will return with an entirely new cast.

Imelda Staunton ('Harry Potter') takes over from Olivia Colman as the Queen, while Jonathan Pryce ('The Two Popes') will play Prince Philip. Dominic West ('The Affair') will portray Prince Charles, Elizabeth Debicki ('Tenet') will appear as Princess Diana, Lesley Manville ('Maleficent: Mistress of Evil') joins as Princess Margaret, and Jonny Lee Miller ('Elementary') stars as Prime Minister John Major, who was very visible across television channels in the run-up to the Queen's funeral.

The announcement was made at the global fan event of Netflix, Tudum, which was preceded by the rollout of the Indian slate earlier in the day.

Among the several big announcements was that of the arrival of 'Saison Trois' of Darren Starr's binge-worthy rom-com 'Emily in Paris' on December 21.

The new footage shows Emily (Lily Collins) with bangs and Lucas Bravo continuing to be her long-suffering lover, as she finds herself at a crossroads in every aspect of her life, deciding the pathway she will choose regarding her work and love life, reports Variety.

Emily will have to figure out exactly where her loyalties lie and what those decisions mean for her future in France, all while continuing to immerse herself in the adventurous lifestyle that wandering through the city of love provides.

Season 2 had ended with a cliffhanger suggesting that Emily would perhaps leave Paris, but the teaser sees her still living in the French capital, hanging out with her best friend Ashley (Mindy Chen) and romantically involved with Alfie, her British boyfriend (Lucien Laviscount). The teaser also sees Emily having some tension-filled interactions with the chef Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), her on-and-off French romantic interest.
United Nations, Sep 25 : Delivering an implied criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and distancing India, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that India is on "the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles".

"As the Ukraine conflict continues to rage, we are often asked whose side we are on. And our answer, each time, is straight and honest. India is on the side of peace and will remain firmly there," Jaishankar added on Saturday.

But adding clarity to it, he said, "We are on the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles." His speech at the UN General Assembly was closely watched by diplomats for any shift on India's public stance on Ukraine after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had bluntly told Russia's President Vladimir Putin that "this cannot be an era of war" and reiterated that dialgoue and diplomacy are the way to go.

By saying that India is with the side that "respects the UN Charter that outlaws war, he planted India on the side that is not Russia's -- and diplomatically -- if cryptically -- avoided having to name Moscow while making the stance public.

Taking up the cause of the developing countries that have been hit hard by the food shortages and the rising price of energy because of the war, Jaishankar said, "We are on the side of those struggling to make ends meet, even as they stare at escalating costs of food, fuel and fertilisers." "It is therefore in our collective interest to work constructively, both within the UN and outside, in finding an early resolution to this conflict," he added.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
United Nations, Sep 25 : India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called for 'zero tolerance' for terrorism and warned that those who prevent UN sanctions against terrorists "do so at their own peril".

"Having borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a a 'zero tolerance' approach," he said on Saturday at the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly.

Without directly naming Pakistan or its protector China, he added, "Those who politicise the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril." The UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime is the procedure for imposing sanctions based on the Security Council resolution with that number.

China has been blocking sanctions against Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Sajid Mir, involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM) leader Abdul Rauf Azhar, and Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) leader Abdul Rehman Makki.

Before relenting under international pressure, China had blocked sanctions against LeT leader Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack in which nearly 175 people died.

"There is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation. And no rhetoric, however sanctimonious can ever cover-up blood stains," Jaishankar said.

He added, "Believe me, they advance neither their own interests nor indeed their reputation." (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
New Delhi, Sep 25 : Nagaland Congress Chief Kewekhape Therie has said that if BJP and its ally NDPP of Neiphiu Rio do not file their nomination then his party will not file nominations as well.

The Congress wants implementation of a solution to the Naga issue under the President's rule, he added.

In a statement, Therie and one-time compatriot of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, says, "In my view, the core committee (of MLAs and Ministers) has nothing to do with the negotiation. Union Home Minister Amit Shah entrusting the core committee to convince NSCN(IM) is something like asking a child to convince his father." "It is understood that the ruling alliance's leadership lacks courage to mediate between the Indian government and NSCN (IM). UDA (NDPP, BJP, NPF) and NSCN (IM) are hand-in-glove and what NSCN(IM) speaks, the Chief Minister (Neiphiu Rio) also speaks in the same language and tone," the Nagaland Congress Chief added.

Ironically in 1998, Therie was a compatriot of Rio and follower of S.C. Jamir.

Therie himself filed nomination on a Congress ticket in 1998 when other parties, including the BJP, had boycotted and also became a Cabinet Minister under veteran S.C. Jamir.

"Time flies, politics also changes !" he said.

The Nagaland Congress Chief acknowledges the power of time and transformation and thus says in his statement: "We all know, in 1998 NPC (now NPF....and NDPP is only a splinter of NPF but now a more dominant party) did not participate in the election on the same slogan and Congress returned almost unopposed. In 2018, the same slogan was raised again. Some senior Congress leaders trusting the "Solution not Election" slogan prevented All India Congress Committee (AICC) from preparing for elections." He added, "Just before filing nominations, AICC directed us to file nominations in case other political parties filed nominations and we were wiped out." The fact of the matter is Therie is evading/avoiding debate about 'fund crunch' in Nagaland Congress in 2018 and he had developed strong differences then with Congress General Secretary C.P. Joshi on the matter.

Congress could field only 18 candidates and most were non-serious.

But nevertheless, now Therie makes a clearer statement -- and says: "NNPGs decision to prevent "election for solution" is welcome because we also want implementation of solution at the earliest. Congress will stand with them." As Therie mentions NNPG, on September 24, 2022, the NSCN-IM leaders, including V.S. Atem, now negotiating with the Centre, met an allegedly 'friendly group' called 'Naga Hoho' in Delhi's APJ Abdul Kalam Nagaland House.

Now the more creamy part of Therie's statement issued on Saturday in Dimapur, says: "Can NNPGs really prevent election under any circumstance is the question with the future at stake. It will amount to failure of constitutional machineries before the world and will reflect on the BJP government at the Centre. If we do not remove the roadblock to implementation of solution (meaning the Rio government), people will continue to suffer more and even lose our identity and religion." He also said: "If we look carefully at the problem, both sides have agreed that within the Framework Agreement, the details and execution plan are to be worked out shortly, for implementation. This is now the seventh year after signing. The Framework Agreement is a gentlemen's agreement on behalf of the nation and it was signed before the people. No party can turn their back from the agreement." He also says, "If there is any misinterpretation or misunderstanding, it is not the fault of the people." Therefore, Therie said the aspiration of the people is clearly written on the wall -- "that we want the solution to be implemented. People want peace, safety and security, one government, one tax and development".

The phrase 'one tax' is actually aimed at suggesting indiscriminate extortion culture the Naga people are suffering in the state for the last 25 years.

Therie added: "Stakeholders have rejected Pan 'Naga Hoho'. According to Indian government, flag and constitution are not negotiable. If so, there is nothing more to negotiate for Nagaland. The NNPG's agreed position for Nagaland if implemented will lead to other solutions. As such, there is no reason as to why the agreed position should not be implemented in Nagaland." The Naga talks between NSCN-IM and the Centre have revived and a delegation of the ultra leaders are camping in Delhi since September 19. They have numerous rounds of parleys with peace emissary A.K. Mishra, a former Intelligence Bureau official.

Sources said the parleys are moving positively and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is also likely to arrive in the national capital. A delegation of NNPG leaders led by convener N. Kitovi Zhimomi is also expected here soon.

(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. The views expressed are personal)
Patna, Sep 25 : Janata Dal-United (JD-U) National President Lalan Singh has claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah conspired against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in 2017 and framed him in the IRCTC scam in a bid to break the Mahagathbandhan alliance of JD-U and RJD in Bihar.

"It was a mistake that we broke the alliance with RJD and Mahagathbandhan in Bihar in 2017 but the real conspirator was Amit Shah. He conspired against Tejashwi Yadav and dragged his name in the IRCTC scam to break Mahagathbandhan in Bihar," Singh said.

"Amit Shah blamed Nitish Kumar for backstabbing BJP. I want to clarify that Amit Shah conspired against Nitish Kumar in 2017 when the latter was part of the Mahagathbandhan. Shah conspired and dragged the name of Tejashwi Yadav in the IRCTC scam and asked Nitish Kumar to leave Mahagathbandhan as they are facing corruption charges. The name of Tejashwi Yadav came in the IRCTC scam in 2017 and nothing has happened till 2022 when Nitish Kumar was part of an alliance with the BJP. When Nitish Kumar left the BJP, we saw in the newspapers that the bail of Tejashwi Yadav in that alleged scam was cancelled," the JD-U National President added.

"Why has the Narendra Modi government not done anything in this case in the last five years? Why Amit Shah made CBI a caged parrot in the country? Due to the wrongful act of the Central government, CBI has lost its credibility in the country," he said.

"Amit Shah pointed out wrong facts in the Purnia rally and asked people to clap on his speech. He said that the airport in Purnia is completed. The fact is he does not even know that the stone foundation of Purnia airport has not been laid down so far. The people of Purnia are well aware that the airport is not constructed there. Shah should clarify to the people when the Purnia airport was completed. He should stop cheating the people. You could imagine the future of a country whose Home Minister is a 'Jumlebaz'. Now, the people of the country have only one option to make 'BJP-Mukt Bharat' in 2024," Singh added.

Upendra Kushwaha, the JD-U parliamentary board President said: "The two top leaders of BJP -- Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda -- proved that they speak lies and their party is 'Badka Jhootha Party' (BJP).

"Amit Shah in Purnia said that the airport was built there which is a white lie. He should clarify where the airport is in Purnia? J.P. Nadda, the National President of his party said in Madurai that the AIIMS is completed there. The land acquired for the construction of AIIMS in Madurai is just a vacant plot. No construction is there. The statements of Shah and Nadda proved that BJP is a 'Badka Jhootha Party' in the country. Its leaders lie and mislead the people of the country," Kushwaha added.
Oasis Marinas, the Annapolis Maryland-based marina management and experience company, will officially begin operations at Four Fish Marina in Jensen Beach, this week. The marina is the 8th property in the state of Florida and second in Martin County.

We could not be more excited to add Four Fish Marina to our strong contingent of Florida properties. Oasis and Integra Marinas have a tremendous working relationship and we look forward to managing this property with so much potential, said Matt Shipman, President of Oasis Marinas.

Four Fish Marina is directly on the Indian River, between downtown Jensen Beach and Stuart. The marina is a quick three-mile run to the St. Lucie Inlet  one of the most popular inlets for travel to the Bahamas, only 100 miles east! This area of South Florida is the place to be for sport fishing and relaxing family beach vacations. The property also includes an Inn and multiple cottages, which will be taken out of use and repurposed into new upland residential development. The marina currently accommodates 30 in-water vessels in their protected harbor, with the ability to host vessels up to 90ft. Four Fish offers dry storage, trailer storage, and gas and diesel fuel on the dock as well. With the new ownership group, Integra Marians, now at the helm, there are impressive redevelopment plans in the works for the property. Integra Marina's principal, Victor Ballestas, remarked, We are excited to work closely with Martin County and our partner BLG to bring this boating community a world-class marina and waterfront experience while delivering a vision for a unique waterfront community.

In addition to the redevelopment mentioned above, plans include a new indoor dry stack facility, boat lifts, and additional wet slips, aimed at elevating the boater and marina member experience in Martin County and South Florida.

Jensen Beach is known for its laid-back, beach shops, restaurants, and activities on the River. Close to the marina has beautiful parks and beaches that both locals and visitors love and enjoy year-round. Oasis is familiar with the Martin County area and Indian River boaters, as the marina operators at the Marriott Hutchinson Island Marina on the Stuart beachside.

About Oasis Marinas

Oasis Marinas was founded by a group of boaters with executive expertise in hospitality and technology, dedicated to creating a high-quality experience. The Oasis Marinas portfolio has reached nearly 50 amazing properties, over 8,000 wet & dry slips under management, and hundreds of RV pads, spanning from the Northeast, Lake Erie, the Chesapeake Bay, Potomac, Carolinas, and down the coast of Florida. With its customers needs in mind, it has significantly expanded its reach over the past five years; from the Chesapeake Bay to Lake Erie, Florida, and Tennessee.

A privately held marina management company, Oasis Marinas is based out of Annapolis, MD. The company provides marina management services to marina owners that support all aspects of the marina, including boat slips, provisions, fuel docks, and the associated contracts with the vendors running the maintenance services, restaurants, and other business services such as marina redevelopment and construction. Oasis mission is to incorporate a consistent, fun, welcoming, and well-maintained environment in every Oasis-managed marina. Learn more about us at http://www.oasismarinas.com.
Colin Eger, Head of TuneCore Germany and Theo Junior, Hip Hop/ R&B artist at the Keychange Gender Equality Hub sponsored by TuneCore and Believe during the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany "Were inspired by the participation of so many new and important industry leaders and companies joining us to bridge the diversity gap by bringing their expertise to underrepresented groups in the music industry. Andreea Gleeson, CEO, TuneCore

Believe, one of the leading digital music company, and its leading independent artist-direct digital music distributor TuneCore, have assembled a one day program of master classes, designed to give Reeperbahn Festival attendees access to Keychanges career building programming.

Now in its second year, the Gender Equality Hub will again be hosted at the Hamburger Ding in Reeperbahn. The slate of master classes are part of Reeperbahn Festivals official conference schedule and open to all attendees, with priority given to women and gender minorities. The gender inclusive programming is meant to mimic the resources that are an integral part of Keychanges Talent Development Program, made up of 75 music creators and industry innovators from across Europe and Canada.

Said Believe Founder and CEO Denis Ladegaillerie, After supporting its launch in the US, we are extremely proud to partner with Keychange for the second year in a row and bring its educational program to all Reeperbahn attendees at the Gender Equality Hub. This initiative is perfectly aligned with our CSR strategy, Shaping Music for Good, and our commitment to creating a more equitable, respectful and inclusive music industry."

Added TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson, We created the Gender Equality Hub last year as a result of learning our study BE THE CHANGE: Women Making Music, where we learned that women wanted more access to resources and opportunities to help them progress their careers. This year, were inspired by the participation of so many new and important industry leaders and companies joining us to bridge the diversity gap by bringing their expertise to underrepresented groups in the music industry. We all have a role to play to drive change and progress.

Among those presenting master classes are YouTube, Apple Music, SoundCloud, TikTok, RecordJet, and Sentric Music. Also on hand will be leading German music website, Hiphop.DE presenting a workshop on Female Rap - Safe Spaces, Career Strategies, and the Role of Media. Attendees will also have the chance to hear from German HipHop/R&B artist Theo Junior, recently signed to the Believe label Groove Attack, who will share about his journey as an artist as well as navigating his career after going viral with his hit Ups and Downs.

Commented Merle Bremer, Project Lead, Keychange, For the second year in a row, we are happy to have Believe and TuneCore as a strong partner at our side in the Gender Equality Hub during Reeperbahn Festival, pushing the Keychange Movement into broader awareness. With excellent contacts in the industry, the masterclasses, curated by Believe and TuneCore, expand the opportunities for women and non-binary individuals, encouraging them to be seen and become part of Keychange.

Keychange US was launched during Indieweek this past June with a high-profile event at the Swedish Residence in New York City. Plans are currently underway for a US Participant Program as well as a Washington, DC based event.

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).

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.

About Keychange

Keychange is a pioneering international initiative which is transforming the future of music. By encouraging festivals and music organisations to pledge to have at least 50% women and gender minority representation in their programming, staffing and beyond, Keychange is creating a more gender representative, and more inclusive music industry for present and future generations. Alongside the Keychange Pledge, the Keychange Talent Development Programme unites 75 emerging artists and innovators from Europe and Canada each year, to take part in international festivals, showcase events, collaborations and a programme of creative labs.Keychange is led by Reeperbahn Festival, PRS Foundation and Musikcentrum Ost, supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, in partnership with Tallinn Music Week, Iceland Airwaves, BIME, Oslo World, Linecheck/Music Innovation Hub, Ireland Music Week, Different Sounds, SACEM, Sound City, Way Out West, MaMA Festival, MUTEK and Breakout West.Keychange is sponsored by FACTOR, Fundacion SGAE, GEMA, Gorwelion Horizons, IMRO, Italia Music Lab, the Musicians Union, Norsk Tipping, Roskilde Festival, SOCAN Foundation, Songtrust, SoundCloud, STEF, STIM, the Swedish Government, Talent Norge and Ted Baker. http://www.keychange.eu and http://www.keychangeus.com
The Festival de Datos is the apex of our collaboration - where we discuss, train and connect on all aspects of data in our societies. After the disconnection and fragmentation during Covid-19, bringing together the data for development community feels more critical than ever. Claire Melamed, CEO

As the deadline for delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals looms, and as we work to address a devastating set of intersecting climate, health and economic crises, there is an urgent need to reimagine the relationship between data, power, and development. The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE) today announces the next Data for Development festival, convening governments, multilaterals, business and civil society from their global network of 650 partners, to exchange ideas and drive action on the most pressing issues.

The Festival de Datos will be held in Punta del Este, Uruguay from November 7-9 2023, bringing together more than 400 delegates from governments, multilaterals, private sector, academics and civil society, and building on the first Data for Development Festival held in Bristol in 2018.

This gathering will be organized by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and hosted by the Government of Uruguay, spearheaded by the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE).

Beatriz Argimon Cedeira, Vice-President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay commented, Common spirit, dialogue and advocacy are needed to supercharge progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. That is exactly what the Festival de Datos sets out to do, focusing on partnerships aimed at innovating, building and financing inclusive data systems that the world needs now more than ever in this Decade of Action.

Diego Aboal, Director General of the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE), commented: Uruguay is a country that values transparency of information and the generation of quality statistics, as two pillars of democracy. Across the public and private sector there is widespread recognition of the role of data in providing better services and quality of life for our citizens. The 2023 Festival de Datos is a unique opportunity for Uruguay, and an opportunity to bring together data experts and communities from across the globe to celebrate the latest thinking and action.

Claire Melamed, Chief Executive of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, commented: The Festival de Datos is the apex of our collaboration and cooperation - where we discuss, debate, demonstrate, train and connect on all aspects of data in our societies. After the last few years of disconnection and fragmentation during the global Covid-19 pandemic, and amidst a perfect storm of global crises, bringing together the data for development community to discuss and drive practical action feels more critical than ever.

NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information, including requests for interviews with spokespeople, please contact Amy Leach, aleach@data4sdgs.org, +447896960314

About Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE).

The National Statistical Institute (INE) has the mission of generating and providing quality statistical information to society, as well as leading and coordinating the National Statistical System, establishing technical standards and verifying their compliance. INE's vision is to be a leading and benchmark institution in Latin America. INE has begun a process of modernization of management and production of statistics in order to fulfill its strategic plan, based on four fundamental pillars: human resources, quality of statistics, intensive use of technology and statistical use of administrative registers both from the public sector and privately-held data.

About The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (the Global Partnership):

The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data is a fast-growing, dynamic international partnership bringing together over 650 different organizations including governments, UN agencies, private companies, civil society organizations, and many others. The Global Partnership convenes, connects, and catalyzes action to address the problems of poor data use, access, quality, and production, and to work with stakeholders to fully harness the new opportunities of the data revolution in the service of sustainable development. The Global Partnership aims to link and align action, capacities, and resources across geographies, sectors, and data communities.
These two wins demonstrate Greenberg Traurigs wide-ranging capabilities when it comes to representing small business clients in complex and high stakes bid protests, said Mike J. Schaengold.

The Government Contracts Practice of Greenberg Traurig, LLP recently prevailed on two significant bid protests for small business clients.

While the merits of the cases are different, they both showcase the firms ability to navigate a variety of complex legal frameworks for small business clients, whether they are looking to defend or challenge government contract awards.

Greenberg Traurig recently defended client Appddiction Studio in a U.S. Court of Federal Claims protest over a $75 million Blanket Purchase Agreement awarded to the company for technical assistance with application development, sustainment, and integration services for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The courts decision allows Appddiction, a service-disabled veteran owned small business (SDVOSB), to retain this contract business and move forward with providing agile support to FEMA disaster-recovery technology programs. The court denied all grounds of protest and rejected the plaintiffs proposal to supplement the Administrative Record, endorsing Appddictions arguments in those areas.

Greenberg Traurig also recently successfully challenged the award of a $30 million Defense Logistics Agency small business 8(a) set-aside contract on behalf of client Operations Services Inc. (OSI).

After an initial favorable decision in the fall of 2021, on appeal the Small Business Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals upheld the original size determination and agreed with the clients argument that the apparent awardee exceeded the size standard for a small business set-aside award and was therefore ineligible to receive it. The decision opened the door for OSI to secure this significant contract.

These two wins demonstrate Greenberg Traurigs wide-ranging capabilities when it comes to representing small business clients in complex and high stakes bid protests, said Mike J. Schaengold, chair of the firms Government Contracts Practice. Securing certain federal contracts can be a make-or-break moment for small business contractors, which is why we approach these matters not only as legal challenges but also as business opportunities for the client.

The Greenberg Traurig team representing Appddiction Studio included Jeffery M. Chiow, Melissa P. Prusock, and Aaron M. Levin. Click here to view the decision [No. 22-152C].

The team representing OSI included Shomari B. Wade, Aaron M. Levin, and Christopher OBrien. Click here to view the decision [No. SIZ-6159].

About Greenberg Traurigs Government Contracts Practice: Greenberg Traurigs Government Contracts Practice helps companies navigate the highly regulated acquisition and compliance processes of federal, state, local, and foreign governments and their agencies. The firms attorneys and governmental affairs professionals assist both experienced contractors and newcomers with a broad array of issues arising from, for example, sales of commercial off-the-shelf and customized products, services, and managed solutions to governments at all levels. The practice also focuses on meeting the transactional and U.S. regulatory needs of clients in the commercial, defense, aerospace, information technology, telecommunications, medical and health care, space and other high-tech sectors.

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.
"The city has been hard at work to attract new and unique businesses to our community and, more specifically, to our downtown corridor. Traveling Bros. brings just that." - Nathan Brown, Mayor - Brunswick, MD

Two best friends are determined to reignite the flame downtown Brunswick once had by adding a premium cigar lounge to the towns revitalization plans. Owners Brad Zaretsky and Dave Durman see the cigar lounge as an opportunity to connect and build a stronger community while sharing their love for the culture behind cigars.

A single cigar is touched by over 300 hands before it ends up in yours. Just like everyone who smokes a cigar, each cigar comes with its own culture, journey, and story. Thats why we chose Brunswick as our first location to open Traveling Bros. Cigars. From the rich historic culture of the town to the diversity of its residents, a cigar lounge in Brunswick is the perfect place to celebrate that history and share those stories. Most of all, nothing can compare to the life-long friends you meet at a lounge, just like how I met my best friend, Brad, said Durman.

Brunswicks Mayor, Nathan Brown, has given his support of Traveling Bros. Cigars and stated the potential impact it could have on the revitalization of Main Street. Brunswick is very excited to welcome Traveling Bros. Cigars to our community! The city has been hard at work to attract new and unique businesses to our community and, more specifically, to our downtown corridor. Traveling Bros. brings just that. Our hard work at revitalization efforts, coupled with historic investments, is really beginning to pay off and we are starting to see the results downtown. We cant wait to see what comes next, said Mayor Brown.

Traveling Bros. Cigars ribbon cutting ceremony is Friday, September 23rd at 10am. The entire community is invited to join. This has been a dream of mine for forever. I cant believe I finally get to flip over the 'Were Open' sign on September 23rd. We cant wait to be a part of this community and share our passion with everyone, said Zaretsky.
His vast experience and proven track record in hospitality will be an excellent addition to our leadership team, and we look forward to his contributions for both our hotel and restaurant divisions. - Pete Plamondon Jr.

Plamondon Companies is excited to announce the hire of Lou Schaab as the companys new Chief Financial Officer. With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality, financial, and real estate industries, Schaab brings a wealth of knowledge to the new role.

We are so pleased to have Lou join Plamondon Companies, said Pete Plamondon Jr. His vast experience and proven track record in hospitality will be an excellent addition to our leadership team, and we look forward to his contributions for both our hotel and restaurant divisions.

Schaab began his career as a senior manager for KPMG in 1988, managing consulting

engagements for real estate and hospitality clients. A decade later, he joined MeriStar Hospitality and MeriStar Hotels & Resorts as the senior vice president of finance before joining Allied Capital Corporation in 2001 as a principal and operating partner. Most recently, Schaab served as chief financial officer of Chesapeake Hospitality, managing financing, acquisitions, and development of hotels and restaurants.

One of my goals as CFO of Plamondon Companies is to play a key role in future growth

initiatives of both their hotel and restaurant businesses. says Schaab. I look forward to sharing my expertise with the companys established executive leadership team as they continue to makebinvestments to grow their footprint in the hotel and restaurant space.

Located in Frederick, Maryland, Plamondon Companies is comprised of Plamondon Hospitality Partners, a hotel management and business development company, and Plamondon Enterprises/Roy Rogers Franchise Company, which own Roy Rogers Restaurants, the western-themed, quick- service restaurant chain. Plamondon Hospitality Partners includes Marriott and Hilton properties in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Roy Rogers consists of 25 company-owned restaurants and 17 franchised restaurants in six states. For more information, visit http://www.plamondonhospitalitypartners.com and http://www.royrogersrestaurants.com.
The solution to solving the workforce crisis in aviation and aerospace is outreach to underrepresented groups, said DeVivo.

The Youth Access to Aviation Jobs in America Task Force, chaired by Vaughn College President Dr. Sharon DeVivo, voted on and submitted their final report to the Federal Aviation Administration. This national Task Force, comprised of 21 members, delivered 21 recommendations that seek to address the talent shortage in aviation and aerospace.

Task Force members came from across the country and brought a variety of viewpoints from industry, secondary education, workforce associations, training providers and colleges. Over the past two years, the group has talked to youth-serving organizations, industry, aviation journalists, researchers, museum executives and more to understand the programs and pathways that currently exist and how they could be scaled to expand the pipeline.

The solution to solving the workforce crisis in aviation and aerospace is outreach to underrepresented groups, said DeVivo. Our Task Force recommendations are meant to create awareness, provide a central point of information on the web, connect that awareness to deeper engagement and financially support those young people (and the aviation education organizations that serve them) to pursue the needed training and higher education for a successful career in aviation and aerospace.

The report suggests that there are two key times to reach young peoplethe first when they are 10 and the second when they are 18 years old. Between 10 and 18, there is also a connected and collaborative pathway that is needed to provide the incremental next steps. Throughout a young persons journey, there is also a need to support the other influencers in that students life including parents/caregivers, teachers and guidance counselors. The Task Force makes a variety of actionable recommendations tied to supporting those groups with outreach, educational resources and a one-stop shop website that meets students, families and educators where they are with the information to make informed choices.

Providing significant funding to support these efforts is critical to the success of the report. Recommendations are included that assist both individual students with funding to achieve training and education, as well as a sustainable funding stream for youth-serving organizations who can devote more of their efforts to students instead of finding resources.

Central to these recommendations is communication. Communication, both regionally and nationally, will support this work going forward and determine if it is successful. The Task Force provides the outline of Regional Advisory Councils, tied to the FAAs nine current regions. These Councils would consist of all those who are engaged in this work in a particular area of the country including: aviation youth organizations, training and higher education providers, aviation museums, secondary schools, industry and others. These groups would coordinate activities, share information and resources and provide input into the centralized website. The National Advisory Council, comprised of the chairs of the Regional Advisory Councils, would develop goals, measure implementation, and disseminate best practices across the country.

Long-term, this Task Force believes we have presented a plan that is actionable, hopeful and speaks directly to bringing underrepresented groups to our exciting, innovative industry, notes DeVivo. As a leader of an institution that is recognized as the top college in the nation for moving students from the bottom percentages in income to the top, our students know first-hand the power of aviation and aerospace to transform a students, and their families, life. This report allows us to make that a reality for a much greater number of students.

View the recorded presentation here.

VAUGHN COLLEGE: Founded in 1932, Vaughn College is a private, nonprofit four-year college that enrolls more than 1,500 students in masters, bachelors and associate degree programs in engineering, technology, management and aviation on its main campus in New York City and online. The student-faculty ratio of 15 to 1 ensures a highly personalized learning environment. Eighty-eight percent of Vaughn College graduates are placed in professional positions, 75 percent in a related field, or choose to continue their education within one year of graduation. In recent years, outside of the pandemic, Vaughns outcomes for students typically average more than 95 percent and have been 99 percent, 98 percent and 97 percent for the three years prior. The institution serves many first-generation college students and is recognized by the US Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. In a study conducted by The Equality of Opportunity Project, and reported in The New York Times, Vaughn was ranked number one in upward mobility nationwide. For more information on Vaughn College, please visit http://www.vaughn.edu.
Click here for old website
In G-Man (Viking, Nov.), historian Gage examines how FBI director J. Edgar Hoover shaped, and was shaped by, the 20th century.

Among other aspects of Hoovers early life, you highlight his membership in the Kappa Alpha fraternity at George Washington University.

When I sat down with the Kappa Alpha journal and realized it was this deeply Southern, Lost Cause fraternity, it really explained to me how Hoover conceived of himself and the FBI. The other pieces that surprised me were materials about his difficult family life, particularly his parents childhoods and upbringing, the deaths and the suicides and the bank failures and the murders. Hoover tended to describe his childhood as this idyllic experience, when he talked about it at all.

Its shocking nowadays to read that at the height of Hoovers campaign against Martin Luther King Jr. most Americans sided with the FBI director.

Thats what excites me as a historianfinding those moments that upend what we assume, not only about the present but about the ways the past fed into the present. One of the big themes of the bookand in some ways maybe the most surprising thing about itis just how popular, influential, and widely revered Hoover was for most of his life. For the bulk of his career, for better or for worse, he was one of the most universally respected and popular figures in American history. That tells us something incredibly important, both about Hoover himself and our flattering narratives about who we are as a country.

Whats changed about the FBI directors role since Hoover?

The directors role in a formal sense has changed a great dealit is a presidential appointment, it requires Senate approval, its time-limited at least in theory, and there are a lot more mechanisms of accountability. But there are some real ways in which Hoovers institutional stamp is still there, including his sense of the FBI as an apolitical professional investigative force that is supposed to stand outside of all the political drama, and yet also has this cultural conservatism that Hoover put in place. Those two themes, the ideological conservatism and the professional government progressive ethosHoover put them together. The FBI is still an institution that is playing with those things.

You also explore Hoovers intimate relationship with his second-in-command, Clyde Tolson. Am I right in understanding that Hoovers idea of who an FBI man wasa clean-cut white man in a suitwas also his type in men?

His personal life, his sexual desires, all of those things that youre reading between the lines, on the linesI would certainly say that thats true. He had a type of man that he admired and the boundaries between personal admiration and professional admiration were often quite blurry.
Its a Wednesday afternoon in Bala, in mountainous North Wales, near the glacial lake known to locals as Llyn Tegid, and British author Clare Mackintosh is at her 18th-century Georgian manor house, reflecting over Zoom on the pleasures of small-town living. We have a high street, shops, and a supermarket, then not a lot more for an hour or so, says Mackintosh, who impulsively moved from England to Wales in 2016 with her husband and three kids to start a new life and reconnect as a family. If I walk out my front door, Im in town, and if I walk out the back, I pass my chickens and my sheep; say hello to my goat, Pete, whos quite the local celebrity; and then get to the lake across the fields. Its wonderful. And Welsh is spoken everywhere.

Lauded for her novels twisty plots and surprise endings, Mackintosh made her debut with the 2011 psychological thriller I Let You Go, about the hit-and-run of a five-year-old boy; her books have sold more than two million copies worldwide, according to her publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, and have been translated into 40 languages.

Her latest, The Last Party, out in November, is the first installment in a crime series starring spiky Welsh detective Ffion Morgan, who teams up with an English detective to solve the murder of a developer of lakeside vacation homes.

As soon as Ffion walked onto the page, I felt that she was someone who was going to be here for longer than one book, Mackintosh says. Shes the first character Ive had who does stuff I hadnt planned for her to do.

Mackintosh got the idea for the novela Welsh-English cross-border murder investigationwhile taking a wintry New Years Day plunge into Llyn Tegid with friends. We were about to go in the water and it was beautiful, she recalls. The mist was lying on the water, the mountain was in the background, everyone was saying how stunning it was, and I was privately thinking, what if a body floated through the water right now?

Crime has never been far from Mackintoshs mindbefore she was writing about it, she was fighting it as a police officer in England for 12 years. She joined the force by accident after walking into a recruitment lecture during her last year at university. I must be suggestible, because I left with an application, she says. A lot of the crimes I dealt with werent exciting. Criminals can be stupidtheyre not Agatha Christie villains with twirly mustaches committing dastardly deeds. Theyre a bit thick. What I learned was storytelling. As a police officer youre dealing with unreliable narrators or talking to crime victims and trying to find out what happened. It was a good training ground for a writer.

Mackintoshs agent, Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown, says, Clare transports readers to the heart of her stories. You can feel the jeopardy. I know writers who just open their laptops and start writing. Clares a planner. The first time I met her she had flowcharts and spreadsheets explaining what she was going to do with each character, in each chapter. Shes super smart.

Mackintoshs editor, Shana Drehs, says that her ability to keep readers guessing makes her stand out in an increasingly competitive field. Expectations for thrillers have gone way up in recent years, Drehs notes. Writers have to perform at an even higher level than they used to in order to get that same reaction from audiences, and Clare manages to do that. She executes her twists flawlessly. Its brilliant.

Born near Oxford in 1978, Mackintosh says she read constantly under the bedsheets with a torch as a kid, sometimes working through two books in a day, and as a teen wrote stories and bad poetry (as one does). In 2008, she gave birth to twins, one of whom, a son named Alex, suffered from brain damage and died at five weeks old.

I often wonder if I wouldve been a writer if my son hadnt died, Mackintosh says. It unlocked something in me and made me less careful about what people thought, or whether it went well or didnt, because nothing mattered. The worst possible thing had happened and it made me more reckless. I dont think I wouldve left the police if Alex hadnt died. So many things are predicated on that terrible loss.

Mackintosh shares her life with her loyal readers in online postsshes talked about her grief and postpartum depressionand estimates that she spends 20% of her working life writing and the rest on social media and other forms of reader engagement. She runs a popular Facebook book club, sets up meet and greets across the U.K., and sends out newsletters.

It feels disingenuous to have someone else engaging with readers when they think its me, Mackintosh says. I ask myself, if I didnt do social media and wasnt thinking of ideas to promote books, would it make a difference? I dont know. Am I willing to risk it? Probably not.

The author has also made it her mission to visit every bookshop in Wales. I havent managed it yet, but I will, she says. I want to speak to people and say thank youpersonal relationships make a difference.

Fellow British crime writer Ruth Ware, a friend and author of the bestseller The It Girl, praises Mackintosh for her keen eye and authentic voice. As a writer, when you like someone elses book, youre either supposed to love them or hate them because you think, I wish Id written that, Ware says. Clare and I clicked. As a former police officer, she brings an authenticity to her work thats hard to fake. Were women writers working in similar genres. We should be rivals, but were friends. Crime writers are lovely people. Its a nice community to be a part of, and Clare epitomizes that.

Mackintosh hopes to alternate between writing standalone books and her DC Morgan series. I dont know where Ffion will be in five years, and thats exciting, she says.

The Last Party was optioned by 5 Acts Productions after a bidding war (It was a very sought-after title, says film agent Camilla Young) and is being developed for BBC television, and Mackintosh is at work on book two, as well as a nonfiction book about grief. Her move to North Wales is a reminder that the universe is full of opportunities for new beginnings.

Whats great about life is that you can reinvent yourself, she muses. I hate when people feel stuck in a box, either in a relationship or a job. Theres always another life waiting for you.

Elaine Szewczyks writing has appeared in McSweeneys and other publications. Shes the author of the novel Im with Stupid.
Booksellers, publishers, librarians, and agents are encouraged to look at the 55 self-published titles below. Each appears with a list of retailers that are selling the book and a description provided by its author. Some of these writers are waiting to be discovered; others have track records and followings and are doing it on their own. If you are a self-published author interested in listing titles in this section, please visit publishersweekly.com/pw-select for more information.

Fiction

As Time Goes By

W. Royce Adams. RJK Books. $21.99 paper (274p), ISBN 979-89-86488-50-9; $8.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-86488-51-6

Amazon, BN.com, Ingram

Nearing the end with all his loved ones gone, Old decides to examine his lifes worth and meaning by writing his memoir.

Boys in Exile

Richard Duggin. BookLocker Press. $28.95 paper (422p), ISBN 979-88-85312-03-5; $10.99 e-book, ISBN 979-88-85312-04-2

Amazon, BN.com, BookLocker Press

Boys sent to a summer camp to learn lifelong skills must learn to survive running the gauntlet of bullying and hazing that fashions the man from the boy.

A Camp Without FIre

Ignacio Ramirez Bautista. Ignacio Ramirez. $3.99 e-book, ASIN B01MY0SOIL

Amazon

Marlene and Derek barely talked in high school. Seven years after graduating, they come into contact again after both losing their first loves.

Canley

Stella Grosjean. Austin Macauley Publishers. $12.95 paper (216p), ISBN 978-1-398-42011-3; $4.50 e-book, ISBN 978-1-398-42012-0

Amazon, BN.com

An accused and an accuser. Relationships are tested as loyalties are torn, friends betray each other, and emotions run high. All fired by the events in the small town of Canley.

January 6th and the Millennial Horde

Andy Lazris. Andy Lazris. $13.99 paper (309p), ISBN 979-88-380-5942-0; $9.99 e-book, ASIN B0B57THYZX

Amazon

This dystopian novel asks what might have occurred if two very passionate and driven fictional characters were inserted into the national narrative after the January 6 Capitol attacks.

Kittys People: An Irish Family Saga About the Rise of a Generous Woman

Susan Barrett Price. Mad in Pursuit. $16 paper (376p), ISBN 978-0-9841292-6-3; $5.99 e-book, ASIN B0B8LG4NFL

Amazon

A biographical novel and family saga with Irish roots, ill-fated siblings, unconventional love stories, and big hearts, set in the Midwest, 18851934.

Most Famous Short Film of All Time

Tucker Lieberman. tRaum Books. $25 paper (455p), ISBN 978-3-949666-08-7; $11.99 e-book, ISBN 978-3-949666-09-4

Amazon, Ingram, Gumroad, Traumbooks.com

Lev tells campfire stories with his longtime friend Stanley and coworker Aparna. When he receives an anonymous threatening email, he reports it to his boss, but he is not believed.

Silver Bottle

Joan Spilman. Moon Valley Publishing. $16.95 paper (399p), ISBN 979-87-18-82453-7

Amazon

Abandoned by her alcoholic mother, Lorraine learned to survive in her small rural town, until her mother reaches out to her, upsetting everything she knows and loves.

Squeeze Plays

Jeffrey Marshall. Atmosphere Press. $17.99 paper (263p), ISBN 978-1-63988-369-1; $7.99 e-book, ASIN B0B54YFT3R

Jmarshbks.com, Amazon, BN.com

A contemporary tale about money and power that finds the fortunes of three principal characters intersecting in a character-driven narrative about the corrupting influences of wealth.

The Student

John Amos. Austin Macauley Publishers. $13.95 paper (216p), ISBN 978-1-398-44272-6; $4.50 e-book, ISBN 978-1-398-44273-3

Amazon

A semiautobiographical account of the authors experiences as a student at the American University in Cairo immediately following the 1967 Six-Day War.

Poetry

Beauty and the Dark

Chyanne Myers. Austin Macauley Publishers. $22.95 (80p), ISBN 978-1-64536-239-5; $7.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-64536-238-8

Amazon

The inner workings of Myerss mind and life are put on a page for readers to enjoy. Hopefully, theyll find it both relatable and cathartic to read.

Mystery/Thriller

A Death Most Dastardly

Jaris Ash. Austin Macauley Publishers. $8.95 paper (104p), ISBN 978-1-398-45543-6; $4.50 e-book, ISBN 978-1-398-45544-3

Amazon

In the library, Guy trips over the coal scuttle, discovering a secret passageway, and Jeanie identifies knots as being crucial to the murderers identity.

Harrowing Roses

Barbara Cooper. Barbara Cooper. $34.99 (197p), ISBN 978-1-73971-721-6; $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-73971-728-5

Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com

Dana feels the atmosphere of the marsh seeping into her skin each day she spends in the cold, unwelcoming mansion of her fathers family, when her cousin suddenly goes missing.

Lasseters Truth

John Somerset. Austin Macauley Publishers. $27.95 (204p), ISBN 978-1-5289-9419-4; $13.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-5289-9418-7

Amazon

A thriller taking readers through coming-of-age, the greed of the 90s, and an adventure in the Great Australian Desert in a quest for Lasseters legendary gold reef.

The Mirror Man

J.B. Manas. Somerton Press. $12.99 paper (299p), ISBN 979-89-86259-10-9; $4.99 e-book, ASIN B0B9KDPYK5

Amazon

A reclusive writer with the power to read memories is forced by a mysterious stranger to steal government secrets that could send the West back to the Dark Ages.

Old Sins

Lynne Handy. Lynne Handy. $12 paper (295p), ISBN 979-88-390-0390-3; $4.99 e-book, ASIN B0B5HS2YCC

Amazon

Murder, kidnapping, and other crimesold and newweave together in unexpected ways in this standalone sequel with sleuth Maria Pell determined to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Soulstealer

Shane Boulware. Theorybee. $17.25 paper (290p), ISBN 978-1-73470-635-2; $4.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-73470-633-8

Amazon, BN.com, Books-a-Million

A man gathers his allies in a fight against a soul-eating force threatening the world in the second installment of this supernatural thriller series.

Stumble and Fall

Amy Rivers. Compathy Press. $14.99 paper (292p), ISBN 978-1-73451-606-7; $5.99 e-book, ASIN B09YKQZSP6

Amazon, BN.com, Bookshop

In this sequel to Complicit, Kate and Tilly struggle with fear and self-doubt while the lives of the victims they are helping hang in the balance.

The Unraveling (Jeremiah and Susanne Series #1)

Max W. Justus. Newman Springs Publishing. $23.95 paper (360p), ISBN 978-1-63881-827-4; $9.49 e-book, ASIN B0B5FKBQQN

Amazon

A cast of characters joins together to solve a centuries-old mystery.

The Velvet Badge: A New York Noir

Bob Mantel. Jakey Press. $9.95 paper (231p), ISBN 979-88-12-31123-0; $4.95 e-book, ASIN B09Z9M7BRN

Amazon

Lesbian disco-era careerists fall afoul of a New York City revenge murder in this hard-edged neo-noir.

White Wolf

Cary Allen Stone. Fine Line Books. $7.99 paper (190p), ISBN 979-8-8432-7746-8; $4.99 e-book, ASIN B0B86P4JD1

Amazon, Apple iBooks, Google Play

SEAL Zach Kincaid and his Delta team must stop a violent takeover of the government. The survival of the United States of America is at stake.

SF/Horror/Fantasy

Ghosts of Randsburg: The Madames Secrets (Ghost Huntress Diaries)

Marie Mason. Marie Mason. $24.99 paper (136p), ISBN 979-8-8240-6654-8

Amazon

A fictional version of real-life ghost hunter Mason acquires tangible evidence in the ghost town of Randsburg, revealing secrets from the past.

In a Black Tapestry: A Tale Woven in Dread

Daryl K. Hill. KDP. $8.44 paper (195p), ISBN 979-84-244-0694-2; $7.28 e-book, ASIN B09T6XDHKM

Amazon

A horror novel set in a fantasy reimagining of the Livonian crusade, about a village with a dark past threaded in its mysterious tapestry.

The Vessel of Elseland

D.A.N.T.E. Austin Macauley Publishers. $4.50 (66p), ISBN 978-1-398-44027-2; $7.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-398-44026-5

Amazon

Dante is a tormented artist plagued by nightmares of strange creatures. The walls of madness and reality are crumbled by his demons, and he suspects they are linked with his dreams.

Romance/Erotica

Black Switch

D. Van Bui. Austin Macauley Publishers. $30.95 (270p), ISBN 978-1-63829-368-2; $16.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-64750-597-4

Amazon

Sebastian Sinclair wants to come down to earth and live a lifeonly the journey he signed up for ends up being way more than he can handle.

Looking for Love at 82

Alex Gall. Alex Gall Publishing. $9.99 paper (144p), ISBN 978-1-956161-51-9

Amazon

Gall chronicles and summarizes the trials and tribulations of the online dating experience as his characters figure out how to use a computer in order to meet dates, soulmates, and future brides.

Love in Sayre Valley

Dennis Carr and Judi Burton-Carr. Austin Macauley Publishers. $29.95 (240p), ISBN 978-1-64750-648-3; $15.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-64750-649-0

Amazon

When fate draws two musicians from opposite ends of the music spectrum together in West Virginia, can they overcome their many philosophical, cultural, and musical differences to find love?

Nonfiction

Bas-Relief Modeling

Ross Pollard. Mixam. $10 paper (76p), ISBN 979-82-18-04165-6

Alibris, eBay

A concise introduction to the tools and techniques of traditional bas-relief sculpture. It covers the fundamentals of working with clay, wax, plastilina, plaster, and bronze.

Breaking the Spell over America: How to Stop Satans Plan to Destroy America

Scott Wallis. Xulon Press. $26.49 (208p), ISBN 978-1-66284-389-1; $16.49 paper, ISBN 978-1-66284-386-0

Amazon, BN.com

America is on the verge of civil war. Political factions, media pundits, and zealotry have placed America on the precipice. Wallis provides his thoughts on hope, context, and wisdom for America.

Comedy Techniques for Variety Artists (Creativity for Entertainers #4)

Bruce Johnson. Charlies Creative Comedy. $28.99 paper (566p), ISBN 979-89-86277-20-2; $9.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-86277-22-6

Amazon, BN.com

A complete course in creating comedy for variety artists with a discussion of techniques, historical examples, and exercises.

Family: A Family Docs Memoir of Life in Africa and the US

Ed Dodge. Wheatmark. $11.95 paper (226p), ISBN 978-1-62787-571-4; $4.99 e-book, ASIN B07B3V1GT5

Amazon

Dodge sought to share what he learned about life and health with others.

Forget Me Not: A Caregivers Guide to Early-Onset Alzheimers Disease: Tips for Caring for Your Parent While Maintaining Your Peace and Avoiding Burnout

Torri L. Fisher. iTreatMyself. $13.99 paper (168p), ISBN 979-88-372-1110-2; 99 e-book, ASIN B0B6BGMBV7

Amazon

Fisher argues that staying sane while still being able to care for loved ones is possible with the guidance of her work.

Healing Americas Narratives: The Feminine, the Masculine, & Our Collective National Shadow

Reggie Marra. From the Heart Press. $22 paper (526p), ISBN 979-89-86269-00-9; $9.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-86269-01-6

Amazon

A multidisciplinary cautionary tale and love letter that invites Americans to re-vision current and historical narratives in order to heal individually and collectively before its too late.

Hurling Words into Darkness: A Book Doctors Dose of Brain Science for Writers (2nd ed.)

Peter Gelfan. Sargasso Press. $14.99 paper (118p), ISBN 979-89-86345-10-9; $7.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-86345-11-6

Amazon, BN.com, Ingram, Kobo

Veteran editor, novelist, and teacher Gelfan uses cognitive science and unique insights to show writers of all kinds how to create a more effective reading experience.

The Last Stop

Patricia Street. Acorn Publishing. $12.95 paper (400p), ISBN 978-1-952112-55-3

Amazon, BN.com, Books-a-Million, Kobo

A true story about a sons drug use, treatment, and relapse, and about coping and grieving. A read for families immersed in the life-altering aspects of active addiction.

Lost

Barbara Ann Quinlan. Book Reality Experience. $8.95 paper (126p), ISBN 978-0-648-94976-3; $3.99 e-book, ASIN B0964MC6GZ

Amazon

Quinlan was born in the sheltered world of upstate New York in the 1950s. When her family moved to California, she easily slipped into the embodiment of a 1960s wild child.

The Model and Other Critical Knowledge (Life Enabling Enterprise: An Alternative Approach to Commerce, #1)

Raphael L. Vitalo and Christopher J. Bujak. Lowrey Press. $28 paper (614p), ISBN 978-0-9722810-8-9; $15 e-book, ISBN 978-0-9722810-9-6

Vitalentusa.com

The authors claim their book is the first to evaluate capitalisms effects from economic, social, and evolutionary perspectives. They also present a new economic approach, which they claim enriches human life and its ecosystem.

The Monzelli Tales: True Stories of a Film Buff Gone Wild

John Gloske. Gatekeeper Press. $22.95 paper (206p), ISBN 978-1-66291-171-2

Amazon

Join in Monzellis wild, vodka-fueled film buff life. Contains unheard stories and unseen photos of his adventures with Richard Burton, Sam Peckinpah, and many others.

A Parents Guide for Educational Success for Their Children

Joann Falciani. Authors Tranquility Press. $7.99 paper (32p), ISBN 978-1-957208-66-4

Amazon

This is a parents guide for the educational success of their children.

The Prisoners Cross

Peter B. Unger. Wipf and Stock. $19 paper (169p), ISBN 978-1-5326-9613-8; $9 e-book, ISBN 978-1-5326-9615-2

Amazon, BN.com

A survivor of a WWII Japanese POW camp mentors a seminary student traumatized by childhood experiences that have left him doubting his faith.

Purposeful Memoir as a Quest for a Thriving Future: Inspiration for Writers and Seekers

Jennifer Browdy. Green Fire Press. $29 paper (103p), ISBN 978-1-73284-149-9; $9.99 e-book, ASIN B09N9WL7T1

Amazon, BookBaby, Ingram

Browdys book, through the contemplative practice of purposeful memoir, seeks to help readers explore the past, understand the present more fully, and step with greater intention into the thriving future.

A Reason to Live

Chris Wilkins. Chris Wilkins. $14.99 (160p), ISBN 979-88-376-9402-8; $6.99 e-book, ISBN 979-86-87335-98-0

Amazon

A book about people, places, and things that matter in Wilkinss lifein short, his reasons to live.

The Reject Bench: A Memoir

James H. Morgan. James H. Morgan. $13.95 paper (468p), ISBN 979-8-4637-6682-3; $1.99 e-book, ASIN B09DTMGL4X

Amazon

A coming-of-age memoir about a boy whose family moves to a new neighborhood. It follows Jim through six years of his life, from 1961 to 1967.

A Sky of Infinite Blue: A Japanese Immigrants Search for Home and Self

Kyomi OConnor. She Writes Press. $17.95 paper (312p), ISBN 978-1-64742-227-1; $8.99 e-book, ASIN B09NNDM5VQ

Amazon, Bookshop, Diesel Bookstore

After OConnor lost her husband to brain cancer, she began writinga practice that brought light to the dark places inside and helped her reach a place of peace and healing.

Children/YA

Advent 9

T. Alan Horne. Tristellation Media. $9.99 e-book, ISBN 979-89-86496-12-2; $14.99 audio (13 hrs 52 mins), ISBN 979-89-86496-13-9

Amazon, Apple iBooks, BN.com, Google Play, Kobo

The last superhero on Earth teams up with an old-guard supervillain to stop a world-ending threat. Their relationship gets complicated when the villain discovers the heros weakness.

Beyond the Veil

Michael Thursby. Michael Thursby. $5.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-77800-210-6

Amazon, Kobo

A boy is pulled into a world of myths and legends where he must come to terms with who he is if he has any chance of succeeding at the task he was assigned.

Bourgueil Tapestry: How People Really Lived in France from 1003 Through 1975

Douglas Bullis. Atelier Books. Free e-book, ISBN 978-1-998965-01-4

Issuu.com

How did ordinary people live in France through the ages? Walk alongside those people on a single day each century from 1003 through 1975.

The Gate to Htrae

Kerry Gough, illus. by Sheila Fein. BookBaby. $15 paper (285p), ISBN 978-1-66783-303-3; $7.99 e-book, ISBN 978-1-66783-304-0

Amazon, BN.com, BookBaby

Young Alex unlocks a majestic gate, steps through, and disappears onto Htrae, Earths mirror image. Blessed by Pure Light, he joins the Htraeans to battle Natas and his Slegna Nellaf.

Lost in Hanks Hollow (Hanks Hollow #3)

Rachelle Kampen. Rachelle Kampen. $12.99 paper (212p), ISBN 979-89-86075-22-8; $3.99 e-book, ASIN B0B46FY2FQ

Amazon

The Hart pack is left reeling after tragedy strikes right in their backyard.

Love in the Age of Dragons: A Novel

Fatima R. Henson. SparkPress. $17.95 paper (360p), ISBN 978-1-68463-163-6; $9.95 e-book, ISBN 978-1-68463-164-3

Amazon, BN.com, Indiebound

A wormhole opened and vicious dragons entered. Now, Ayanna Grace, a 17-year-old Black girl, must survive in an abandoned subway system where water and medicine are running short.

Muses and Inspirations

Gosta W. Iwasiuk. Cutting Edge Publishing. $20 (92p), ISBN 978-0-9763928-8-0

Gusiwasiuk.com, Amazon

Two Ukrainian artists want to share their inspirations. Iwasiuk and his father have works spanning nearly a century.

Nothing You Cant Do: A Book for Every Girl and Boy

Lindsay J.L. Angus. The Angus Library. $16.95 (24p), ISBN 978-0-9958608-2-7; $12.95 paper, ISBN 978-0-9958608-1-0

Lindsayjlangus.com, Amazon

A picture book for children everywhere about big dreams and endless possibilities.

Painting Joy: The Art and Life of Fernando Llort

Teddi Ahrens. IngramSparks. $17.50 paper (54p), ISBN 979-89-85285-90-1

Storytreeprints.com, Amazon, BN.com

Fernando Llort, national artist of El Salvador, mixed fantasy with pre-Columbian images. He created a community of artisans and reconnected Salvadorans to their ancient past.

Peanut Butter Monster

Melissa Kowalik. Cow Lick Publishing. $10 paper (34p), ISBN 978-0-648-90009-2; $2.99 e-book, ISBN 978-0-648-90010-8

Amazon, BN.com

The Peanut Butter Monster eats jars and jars of peanut butter every day. But what happens when the Peanut Butter Monster runs out of peanut butter?

You Cant Be My Oxygen

T.K. McCann. T.K. McCann. $16.99 (319p), ISBN 979-88-440-3969-0; $2.99 e-book, ASIN B0B8SGMMMW

Amazon

A 16-year-old girl from Detroit is shipped off to her grandmother in Wyoming after suffering violence at the hands of her cousin.
DEAL OF THE WEEK

Random House, Celadon Unveil Editions of the January 6 Report Random House will publish The January 6th Report in fall 2022, featuring a foreword by California congressman Adam Schiff. The work, subtitled The Findings of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, will, Random House said, be the official report of the investigation into the attackperhaps the most vital congressional investigation in American historywith exhibits and witness testimony. The foreword by Schiff, who is chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, offers critical insights into this harrowing chapter in American history. Mark Warren will edit the book. Macmillans Celadon Books imprint will also publish an edition of the report on the events of January 6, in conjunction with the New Yorker and with an epilogue by Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin. Set to be released simultaneously in print and digital formats, the edition will feature an introduction by New Yorker editor David Remnick. Deb Futter acquired world rights from William Morris Endeavors Eric Simonoff, and Celadons Bill Hamilton will edit the book. Celadon is calling its edition the first comprehensive portrait of the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Futter added that it will provide the American people with a full picture of the tragic events of that day.

Hazelwood Re-ups at Berkley

Ali Hazelwood inked a five-book agreement with Berkley, her current publisher. Sarah Blumenstock acquired the titles from Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency following the success of the authors 2021 debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, which Berkley said has become a global bestseller. The deal includes

three adult novels, which Berkley purchased in a world rights agreement, and two YA titles, to be released by Penguin Young Readers, which it bought in a U.S. and Canadian rights agreement. The first YA title contracted, Check & Mate, is a rom-com in which, the publisher said, a young womans life is jump-started when she accidentally defeats the reigning bad boy of chess, inadvertently kicking off a public rivalryand a match for the heart. Berkley published Hazelwoods sophomore novel, Love on the Brain, last month and will be releasing her third novel, Love Theoretically, in August 2023.

Stevenson Trades at Currency

Gary Stevenson sold The Trading Game at auction to Currencys Paul Whitlach in a North American rights agreement. Chris Wellbelove at Aitken Alexander in the U.K. represented Stevenson, a YouTuber and former banker who walked away from the industry to rail against the 1%. The memoir, Currency said, charts the authors unlikely journey from the working-class outskirts of East London to the London School of Economics, after which he became one of Citibanks most successful traders. It also details why Stevenson opted to quit and campaign against the perils of growing global wealth inequality. The publisher said the book was pitched as Anthony Bourdain meets Liars Poker.

Berkley Gets Christmas-y with Winfrey

Berkleys Cindy Hwang and Angela Kim took world English rights to Kerry Winfreys Faking Christmas. The holiday novel, set for fall 2023, was sold by Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management. Barbara said it was inspired by the 1945 film Christmas in Connecticut and follows a woman named Laurel, whos allowed her boss, Gilbert, to believe she owns her sisters local farmwhen in reality she just manages its Instagram account. When Gilbert invites himself to the farm on Christmas Eve, Laurel must figure out how she can trick him into thinking shes basically the Martha Stewart of rural Ohio and keep her job in the process.

Correction: An earlier version of this story referred to Celadon Books as an imprint at Hachette Book Group; it's an imprint at Macmillan.
In fall 1972, when climate concerns were just dawning and the streets were roiling with anti-war demonstrators, Catholic social activist Trina Paulus had an idea to write and illustrate a parable starring two fuzzy insects. Fifty years later, Paulist Press has sold four million copies of Hope for the Flowers: A Tale Partly About Life, Partly About Revolution, and Lots About Hope for Adults and Others (Including Caterpillars Who Can Read). Its Paulists bestselling title for children and among its top three titles for adults, says marketing director Bob Byrns.

Paulus, age 91, is still a social justice and sustainable organic agriculture activist who attends Catholic Mass every day she can. Her theme, drawn from the text of the Mass, is that life is not taken away from us, it is changed and transformed, she says. It begins with two caterpillars frantically striving for some unknown, unseen goal. Even after they give up the fight, they discover one more test, to build a cocoon and surrender to the darkness, before they can emerge as butterflies, carrying seeds and love among the flowers.

Its really a modern book for our times, Paulus says. The anniversary edition includes a new intro from the author, highlighting the book as a rousing call to leave the competitive life, embrace the cocoon, and become our full flying selves so that together we can create the world we all want. May we continue to challenge ourselves and others to heal the personal and systemic wounds of selfishness. Its signed, In hope always, Trina.

In 2007, when there was much less attention being paid to representing a multitude of races, ethnicities, and cultures in childrens books, Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrator Jago presented Jesuswhose name, she writes in The Jesus Storybook Bible, is whispered in every storyas a brown-skinned Middle-eastern Jew. In words and images, their book puts forth that we are all unique by design and Jesus came for everyone, the author says. Zonderkidz has sold more than six million copies of the JSB and its offshoots, including books that retell the Psalms for little ones.

The 15-year-old brand is the leader of the companys backlist, appearing in homes, libraries, and ministries around the world, says publisher Megan Dobson. Dobson says the key to the JSBs power lies in the authors refrain declaring Gods Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

Lloyd-Jones says she included that easily repeatable phrase to express the idea of agapethe love we all strive for, noting, No matter what our age, we never outgrow this longing. I didnt want to present the Bible as a book of rules or filled with stories of people like Daniel whose bravery I could never match. Someone once told me, You are reaching the child

inside the adult. 
At Dundurn Press, were celebrating: its been 50 years since we started publishing books. Though so much has changed in that time, peoples love of a great book remains constantand that simple fact has inspired us more than ever.

Founded in 1972 by publisher Kirk Howard, Dundurn originally focused on Canadian history, and then transformed and expanded over the years to encompass a far broader selection of trade fiction and nonfiction, with particular strengths in mystery, biography, and history. By 2010, Dundurn was publishing more than 100 books a year. In 2019, Howard retired and sold the company. The new owners, a group of tech entrepeneurs, appointed Kwame Scott Fraser publisher.

Fraser has overseen a shift in the approach to acquisitionsincluding reducing the number of books to allow more focus from editorial, design, and marketing on each titleand modernizing the companys branding with a new logo.

Our new logoa series of nested, arched openingsreferences the companys longstanding colophon of a castles facade. (Dundurn Castle, naturally, is a neoclassical mansion completed in 1835 in Hamilton, Ontario.) While a castle could be considered a symbol of authority and exclusivity, the new logo also represents an open doora welcoming place for authors and a reflection of a readers sense of discovery when choosing a book. As the mission statement lays out, Our books will provide a portal into a place not yet known to the reader, where new voices and stories will be discovered. We invite readers and writers into our diverse cultural and literary community.

Since Frasers arrival, Dundurn has weathered the pandemic, obtained its first Giller shortlisting for The Son of the House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia, opened the Dundurn Press Bookshop, and launched the literary imprint Rare Machines. Fraser remains a proponent of forward thinking and staying ahead of the publishing curve.

Weve accomplished so much, but Im determined to keep pushing Dundurn Press forward, Fraser says. While our mainstay is books for the trade, we have so much to offer in the world of audio, including the use of podcasts and audio sharing to help drive interest in books and reading, not to mention the potential for specialized publishing.

We started celebrating our 50th anniversary this past June at Torontos open-air festival of books and magazines, the Word on the Street. It meant a great to deal to the staff and authors to reconnect with readers in person after two years of entirely virtual events. Our booth was busier than ever, with staff spinning our prize wheel and hand-selling discounted books while our authors signed copies and enjoyed a chance to connect with readers in real life.

This August, we took part in Fan Expo, Canadas largest pop cultural celebration, for the first time. At the event, we hosted a series of literary panels highlighting woman-authored sci-fi (including Christina Kilbourne, author of The Unlimited Sky, and K.S. Covert, author of The Petting Zoos); dark and dangerous debut titles (such as Sifton Tracey Anipares Yume and Sumaiya Matins The Shaytan Bride); and true crime in Toronto (featuring Slava Pastuk, author of Bad Trips; Nate Hendley, author of The Beatle Bandit; and Lorna Poplak, author of The Don). The third event has since been developed into a podcast series, Mean Streets of Toronto, produced by Canadian company TalkShoe. Recognizing that the next great book could come from anyone, we used our profile at Fan Expo to launch the Dundurn Press/Fan Expo New Voices Writing Award, which will allow budding Canadian authors the chance to win a book deal with Dundurn.

The Dundurn Summer of Book Love continues into the fall on our social media channels as well, with our authors writing short love letters about their favorite Dundurn books and an upcoming series of authors memories about the press.

To top it all, we had an 50th birthday bash in early September! Industry people, authors, and friends of the press mixed on a wonderful, warm evening under the Toronto night sky. It was a celebration none of us will forget, particularly as the mood was buoyed by news of Andre Forgets In the City of Pigs, from our Rare Machines imprint, having made the Giller longlist!

The marketing teams 50th anniversary efforts have been just stellar, Fraser says. They built excitement around our milestone, encouraging so many to spread the book love. They found ways to elevate titles that had struggled to find their audience due to pandemic release dates and came up with innovative ways to amplify our frontlist, especially with the creative use of audio. When it comes down to it, the reach of TalkShoes innovative approach to audio combined with our direct connection with a community as massive as Fan Expo Canadas builds amazing opportunities for organic growth and sales.

Fifty years of publishing have gone by in a flash. What started as Howards vision to bring our shared history to readers has expanded, developed, and morphed as Canadian culture and the publishing industry have changed and modernized. While we may experiment with new technologies and search for untapped audiences, we will not forget our love for the printed word, whether it be in the form of literary fiction, true crime, or local history. We look forward to another half-century of publishing books by the best authors that enlighten and entertain and spreading our love for them as far as we possibly can.

Kathryn Lane is associate publisher at Dundurn Press.

Back to the main feature.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/23/2022



ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

star Yvette "Yve" Arellano has officially filed for divorce from her estranged husband, Mohamed Abdelhamed."Unfortunately, this is not a surprise," Yve's representative Dominique Enchinton, owner of Dominton Talent House, told In Touch Weekly in a statement."The couple's most recent media exposure regarding their 90-Day, K-1 visa journey was rife with incompatibility, heartache and controversy."Yve, 48, filed the legal separation on Wednesday, September 21, nearly one month after Mohamed was exposed for cheating on his wife during the Tell-All special for 's ninth season.Mohamed allegedly sent a woman flirtatious text messages -- which initially leaked out in the press in late July, before Part 2 of the show's Tell All aired in August -- in which he had said he wanted to divorce Yve shortly after receiving his green card and wished he could be with this other woman instead."Sadly, many of these events unfolded online and on their reality TV series. Arellano's filing for divorce only serves as the next inevitable step in the trajectory of the couple's journey," Yve's rep continued in her statement."She has come to the conclusion that the marriage has suffered irreparable harm and cannot be reconciled. She hopes this will be the final step to close this chapter in her life, put the past behind her and move forward in to the future."Mohamed, 28, filed a police report and pressed domestic violence charges against Yve last month. She's now facing one count of battery and one count of assault against a household member in New Mexico.Yve virtually appeared in Albuquerque Metropolitan court for her arraignment on September 6 and pleaded not guilty , according to her rep.Yve's pre-trial conference is reportedly set for October 4.Mohamed -- who moved from Egypt to the United States and married Yve in January on 's ninth season -- reportedly split from Yve and moved out of her Albuquerque home on August 14, and they've been living apart ever since.Mohamed pressed charges following an alleged incident at Yve's home on August 15 in which he claimed Yve had attacked him while he was trying to gain access to his cell phone.But Yve has denied the abuse claims, saying they were "falsified by Mohamed," and she also accused her estranged husband of "committing immigration fraud" because he had been cheating on her and even discussed how he could qualify for a U-Visa with his mistress, allegedly."Immigration attorney Kathleen Martinez is stepping in to file charges against Mohamed as he is committing immigration fraud," Dominique explained to the magazine earlier this month."Kathleen plans to assist Yve to ensure he does not remain in the U.S. under false pretenses. Mohamed and the woman he has been speaking to have been plotting these allegations since June as a backup plan just in case Yve found out about his many indiscretions."Mohamed and Yve apparently have a long battle ahead of them in court, maybe even years, and Mohamed may be deported from the U.S. -- and possibly even blacklisted -- if he's convicted of immigration fraud.In regards to the August 15 incident, the Albuquerque Police Department had arrived at Yve's home around 2AM in response to the alleged domestic dispute Mohamed eventually cited in his police report obtained by In Touch.Mohamed told Officer Jasmin Romero at the time how he had endured "emotional and physical abuse" from Yve, claiming that she became "very violent and angry" when drinking alcohol.Mohamed said he never called the police on Yve before because he was "afraid." Mohamed proceeded to play an alleged recording of Yve yelling at him and Mohamed asking his wife "not to hit" him again.Officer Romero wrote in the police report that Mohamed "broke it off with Andrea," who may have been the mystery woman he had been texting for months during his marriage to Yve.Mohamed told police that Andrea "extorted him saying she was going to tell his wife about their relationship if he ended things with her.""By this time," Romero continued in the police report, "Yvette had found out about Andrea and confronted him about it and said she was angry and tried fighting him for his phone.""Yvette tried to grab the phone from him and he fell onto the floor," the officer added."He said she sat on top of him and put her knee to his throat to try and force him to release the phone. He was able to get out from under her and said he did not physically hurt her while getting away."Yve, however, recalled a different version of events when sharing her side of the story with police following the altercation."She had been publicly humiliated by the female Andrea and another female from Minnesota with whom Mohamed has engaged in an affair. Due to his infidelity and her stress regarding the loss of a friend, she said she has been worried Mohamed would try to get her in trouble," Romero reportedly wrote.Romero went on to further describe Yve's account, writing, "She said Mohamed had been making plans with Andrea to get Yvette in trouble with the law... She is scared and worried because she does not know what he is capable of doing."Mohamed claimed he had initially left Yve's house in the early morning hours of August 14 because she was allegedly drunk and had placed both of her hands on his face and he was afraid Yve was going to hit him.But, according to the police report, Yve did not hit Mohamed, he left the residence willingly, and there were no visible injuries on either spouse.Mohamed also told police he had split from Yve after seeing text messages between her and another man. Mohamed accused Yve of cheating on him with a guy named Mike and sending pictures to him the evening of August 13.However, Yve's representative quickly shot down Mohamed's cheating allegation."The texts he found after he broke into Yve's apple watch were from someone Yve was looking for protection from as she was scared to go out alone at that point due to Mohamed's erratic behavior," Dominique explained."Yve wanted this to work but due to Mohammed's obsessive and controlling behavior, as seen on the show, it was impossible to get through to him."On the : Tell All for Season 9, Yve was shown crying to producers via Zoom over Mohamed's inappropriate messages to another woman and then Mohamed apologized to Yve for betraying her trust. He wanted a second chance and claimed he'd do better. (Yve discovered Mohamed's cheating texts shortly after the Tell All filmed in New York).Yve called Mohamed's alleged infidelity "shocking, raw, disappointing, [and] saddening.""He chose to spend his time focused on starting other relationships and engaging in activity that a married man should not be engaging in... I asked him if I could see his phone, and that happened, and I saw inappropriate things. I saw pictures and calls, and put the pieces together," Yve told producers.But Mohamed claimed he had asked the woman to stop texting him because he's a married man."I know I did wrong," Mohamed lamented on the show. "All I can do now is say 'sorry' to my wife, and I promised her that will never happen again. I do love Yve, and she doesn't deserve that. I am trying to fix it."Shortly after the episode streamed on Discovery+, Yve took to her Instagram Stories with a statement."Let me be clear. Of course I blame him as well," Yve reportedly wrote, before the episode also aired on TLC."First time I get to say anything though. Everyone was demanding I say something [and I] finally get to, so just take it as facts... [and] one of these women was still married as well."Yve also shared the following quotes on her Instagram Stories: "Queens don't compete with hoes," as well as, "And home wreckers, They, these!!!! Plural were both! #desperado."Yve later wrote, "Thank you ladies for sharing your stories of infidelity, heartaches & pain. Obviously, we are not alone. Why commitment for some isn't a commitment. There's lots of healing that needs to happen in this world on so many levels. If you don't want to be exclusive just say so, so people can make their own informed decisions."Yve also posted an image that read, "Let's be better humans."Later that day, Mohamed posted a message of his own to his followers, insisting "there are two sides to every story."Mohamed added in his Instagram Stories, "There is the truth where everyone will know soon enough... stay tuned."Mohamed subsequently wrote on Instagram, "A lot of people [are] asking why I'm not saying my part of the story. That's because I was trying my best to end my relationship with respect, that's all."When news of Mohamed's cheating scandal first made headlines in July, hundreds of alleged WhatsApp text messages between Mohamed and a woman he had been texting and speaking to on the phone daily for months leaked on social media.The alleged set of incriminating text messages, covering the period from May 2022 to July 2022, were posted by the fan account @MerryPants on Thursday via Instagram.Mohamed allegedly wrote to the woman, "You should visit me in Albuquerque hopefully soon so we can get to know each other... I seriously can't wait to actually meet you. I will go to the attorney right after I get the Green Card."Mohamed allegedly said he couldn't live with Yve for much longer."I would just keep you in bed for days," Mohamed's alleged texts read. "Let's go to Egypt... and apply for a green card from there and come back later."Mohamed appeared to call the woman "the moon," and they talked about kissing each other."The divorce will be tough... Do you agree to be the second [wife]? If yes, come here. I would be so honored... You are the best," the texts read.The woman promised to be there for Mohamed through his divorce, and Mohamed revealed, based on the texts, he had a secret bank account -- hidden from Yve -- to which he had been depositing his earnings from Cameo videos.On the topic of filing taxes, the woman wrote to Mohamed, "By April 15th she can file 'single divorced,'" along with crying-laughing emoticons, and Mohamed allegedly replied, "Exactly."Mohamed also allegedly texted of Yve's son Tharan, who has special needs, "It's her kid. I don't care what she wants to do," adding, "No, [Yve] will never have [my] Egyptian baby."@MerryPants also posted alleged direct messages that Mohamed's girlfriend had sent the Instagram account as proof of their relationship, suggesting the woman was also likely the source of the leaked WhatsApp messages.Mohamed had led fans to believe on 's Tell-All special that he was becoming more accepting and understanding of Yve's culture, allowing her to dress however she wants and be herself.Mohamed insisted that he loved Yve and wanted their marriage to work, and he even buried the hatchet with one of Yve's best friends, Tatiana, who initially disapproved of Mohamed's controlling nature and treatment of Yve.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
"Bros," in theaters on September 30, is a sweet and poignant romantic comedy.

ADVERTISEMENT

Co-writer and star Billy Eichner subversively layers LGBTQ history into the plot so audiences learn something while they laugh.

Bobby Lieber (Eichner) is a podcast host who gets a job running the LGBTQ+ Museum in New York. Bobby hooks up on Grindr but swears off dating.

At a party, Bobby meets Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), another serial bachelor. Despite an abrasive meeting, they meet up again but resist officially dating.

Straight romantic comedies could learn something from "Bros." Two people meeting is enough. You don't need any higher concept shenanigans than that.

But, the whole point of "Bros" is that it's not just the same heteronormative rom-com with two men in the lead. It is unique to the gay male experience, though plenty universal for anyone in love.

Bobby's encounters on Grindr are funny and the frustration is real to anyone using any app to meet people.

"Bros" also has the characters speak their text messages in voiceover, which effectively conveys the insincerity of the format.

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

It's nice to see a rom-com where the straight women are the supporting characters. The gay best friends have certainly paid their dues.

"Bros" allows Bobby and Aaron to be sexual, both comically and genuinely romantically. This is an R-rated comedy and that is for passion as well as F-bombs.

At his museum job, Bobby wants to illuminate the gay love stories that have been erased through history. As such, the film itself tells many of those historical gay stories.

Audiences can laugh at Bobby and Aaron's conversations, or one-off jokes about fake Hallmark Channel movies or podcast sponsors. Along the way, they'll learn about Abraham Lincoln's bisexuality.

A monologue Bobby tells Aaron about the resistance he faced to his gay expression sounds autobiographical.

It's also universal because everybody with a unique point of view gets pressured to maintain the status quo.

And Bobby/Eicher is right that it still took too long for this. It's a win that we're now getting movies like "Bros," "Fire Island," "Happiest Season" and others, but it's also okay to feel a little exhausted fighting for representation and to know there's still more work to do.

To his credit, Eichner lets Bobby be wrong. Not about LGBTQ issues but in his occasional lack of compassion for Aaron. There is room for both of them to grow.

Not everything in "Bros" is quite so organic. It's a little too pat when both Bobby and Aaron are completely self-aware that they're emotionally unavailable, as the emotionally unavailable usually are in much more denial.

Like most movies produced by Judd Apatow, "Bros" is about 20 minutes too long. A rom-com is still a 90-minute tale even if it's boy meets boy instead of boy meets girl.

And the parts that feel the most prolonged are not the comedic parts. As the formula inevitably works itself towards its conclusion, that's the part that warrants a bit more hustle.

Bobby's museum staff has perhaps a few too many supporting characters. However, each of them are fine LGBTQ actors who deserve the spotlight.

The opening introduction to Bobby is a little rough too. He's narrating his podcast and essentially giving all the exposition about his character.

That intro does facilitate one good bit about Bobby refusing to write a gay rom-com, when we're about to watch the rom-com Eichner co-wrote with director Nicholas Stoller.

He makes the astute point that it's not enough just to give LGBTQ people the same stories because their stories are different, and Bros proceeds to prove it.

So "Bros" is not the perfect LGBTQ rom-com but if every rom-com could be "It Happened One Night" (or "Jeffrey") they'd stop trying to make more. "Bros" is a good date movie that can provoke dinner conversation in audiences of any orientation.

Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001 and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012.
Kanye West is apologizing to his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, for "any stress" he's caused since their split.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 45-year-old rapper and fashion designer discussed Kardashian, 41, and their children in an interview with ABC News that aired Thursday on "Good Morning America."

West said he has "new respect" for Kardashian, who filed for divorce in February 2021 after nearly seven years of marriage.

"This is the mother of my children, and I apologize for any stress that I have caused, even in my frustration, because God calls me to be stronger," the star said.

"I need this person to be less stressed and of best sound mind and as calm as possible to be able to raise those children at the end of the day."

West and Kardashian have four children, daughters North, 9, and Chicago, 4, and sons Saint, 6, and Psalm, 3.

When asked if he feels he has a voice in co-parenting his kids, West said he does but had "to fight for it."

"As a dad and as a Christian. And I have a right to have a voice on what my kids are wearing, what they're watching, what they're eating," he added.

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

"I have a platform where I get to say what so many dads can't say out loud."

In addition, West said he "absolutely" wants his children to attend Donda Academy, the "gospel school" he created and named after his late mother, Donda West, and has "to fight" for it.

"I'm their dad. It has to be co-parenting. It's not up to only the woman. Like, men have a choice also. Men's voices matter," he added.

Donda Academy is located in Simi Valley, Calif. West said the school gives "kids practical tools that they need in a world post the iPhone being created" and presently has an enrollment of 82 students.

Kardashian, her mom, Kris Jenner, and her sister Kylie Jenner appeared on Wednesday's episode of "The Late Late Show with James Corden," where they appeared in "The Targashians," a skit spoofing "House of the Dragon."
Peacock has canceled its Queer as Folk revival after one season.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It's a rare gift in these times, and in this country, to be able to make a show as fearless and unapologetic as Queer As Folk. This experience changed our lives forever and we're so grateful to have found this incredible new family," the show's co-creator Stephen Dunn wrote on Instagram Friday.

"But today we received the disappointing news that we're not getting a second season. We know how much it's meant to the fans and while we're heartbroken we won't get to make more episodes, we wanna thank everyone for watching and falling in love with Brodie, Mingus, Ruthie, Noah, Shar, Julian, Daddius, Bussey, Marvin, Judy and Brenda. We're so grateful for the chance to honor our community and are so proud of this show. #QueerAsFamily."

Starring Devin Way, Fin Argus, JesseJames Keitel, CG, Johnny Sibilly and Ryan O'Connell, the series followed a group of survivors who form a community in the aftermath of a mass shooting at a gay nightclub.

Kim Cattrall, Juliette Lewis, Ed Begley Jr. and Nyle DiMarco guest starred on the show.

Queer as Folk started out as a British series in 1999-2000, then was adapted by Showtime in the United States and ran 2000-2005.
By Steven Rogers, 09/23/2022



ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Steven Rogers is a senior entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and been covering the reality TV genre for two decades.

couple Clayton Echard and Susie Evans have split and broken up.Susie announced the end of Season 26 couple's relationship in a statement she posted on Instagram on Friday afternoon."With incredibly heavy hearts, we wanted to share that we have decided to go our separate ways," the statement began. "For anyone who has ever loved, knows this was a painful decision to make and not one taken lightly.""We understand that there will likely be a lot of questions about this decision -- social media is definitely a highlight reel and much of our experiences together we have kept private as I'm sure most can understand. But we will share this -- although this last year together has brought us so much joy and so many laughs, there has also been a significant amount of pain," she continued.According to the statement, "external forces" contributed to the couple's breakup."We know no healthy relationship comes without its struggles, but we've realized that we were not prepared for the external forces that hindered our ability to not only heal as individuals but also as a couple," it stated. "We both are focused on continuing to work on ourselves, so we can be the best version of ourselves.""This is not an easy time for either of us but we stand in support of each other and hope to see the other go on to find happiness and healing. Although Claysie is no more, we hope that our communities can support us individually as we move forward with love and respect for each other."The statement ended by thanking the now-former couple's fans for their support."Thank you to all of you that supported our relationship. It means so much more than you will ever know."While Susie's posting is presented as a joint statement, Clayton and Susie do not appear to have coordinated their breakup announcement as Clayton has not posted a similar announcement on his own Instagram account.Susie's announcement of the couple's split comes only a month after Clayton had revealed they had decided to stop living together and would be moving to separate states."Currently we are in Virginia Beach [living together], but our next step actually is, I'm moving to [Scottsdale, AZ], and she's going to move in the interim to L.A.," star explained on the August 16 episode of Amanda Hirsch's "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast.However Clayton -- who moved to Susie's Virginia Beach, VA hometown to live with her shortly after the finale of his season aired on ABC earlier this year -- had insisted the couple was not splitting up and would continue dating long-distance."[We'll be] only a 50-minute flight apart, but we're both chasing our dreams. And I think location-wise, we both feel that those are the spots that we want to be," said Clayton, who reportedly planned to live with his brother who already lives in Scottsdale.During his interview, Clayton had also suggested Susie was the one who had proposed couple live in separate cities."We see it as I mean, I'm working on my computer 10 to 12 hours a day -- so she was like, 'Clayton, I'll move to L.A. and then we can travel on the weekends to see each other,' he said."And we'll see. I mean, we don't know if we're going to like that long-distance."Clayton had told the podcast host he understood why couple's decision to stop living together had her "worried" about the future of their relationship."Yeah, I get that," Clayton said. "We're aware of that too. People might like at it like, 'Oh, they're separating,' but this past weekend she went to film a wedding and I missed the hell out of her. When she came back, it was like 'Distance makes the heart grow fonder.'""I mean we haven't been able to keep our hands off each other, we've just been like attached to each other's side. And so I think a little distance never hurts. Because we've been sitting -- some days we sit by each other 10 hours a day on our computers."During the interview, Clayton had also said he would either relocate to Los Angeles or Susie would move to Scottsdale if they decided the new long-distance arrangement wasn't working for them."[Susie is a] wedding photographer and videographer but she has her own dreams and aspirations and I think we're gonna give it a shot," star said."I mean, we're not -- if it doesn't work, and we're like, 'We don't like this distance, it's hurting us,' then we'll just, one of us will move to the other person."However earlier in the interview, Clayton had also acknowledged neither he or Susie were fully confident their relationship would last."Susie and I are like any other humans, we can't see into the future," he said. "We've had this conversation many times, like 'Are we each other's person? And what if we're not?'""And ultimately we came to this decision, like we don't need to be in a relationship for anybody other than ourselves. We're not doing this for Bachelor Nation, or anything like that. We both came to the conclusion that we're like, you know what, no matter what happens we'll forever be thankful for being part of each other's live. Because we both made each other better human beings."Clayton had even suggested couple's relationship could possibly end in a month."We don't know if this relationship, we're like, 'We donat know if it's going to be a month-long [more] from here or if it's gonna be lifetime but, like, there's no pressure,'" he said."Like, let's just love each other and be thankful -- and we are thankful we're in each other's lives. So whatever that looks like, we're very, very happy right now and in a really great spot. But yeah, man, we really went through it. Together though, thankfully. Sheas been on my side and that's the only reason why I can sit here with so much positivity is because of her."viewers had heavily scrutinized and criticized Clayton's treatment of his the bachelorettes when his season aired on ABC earlier this year.Clayton faced backlash for telling all of his Final 3 women that he loved them and for sleeping with both Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia before his last Fantasy Suite date with the bachelorette he was supposedly the "most in love" with, Susie.But Clayton's spirit-breaking experience on ultimately had a happy ending.Susie -- who quit after she learned Clayton had slept with Gabby and Rachel before his Fantasy Suite date with her -- ultimately returned to the show and made an appearance at the Final Rose Ceremony, but she dumped the Bachelor instead of accepting his final rose.Susie said at the time that Clayton wasn't her person and they didn't seem meant to be.However, Susie reached out to Clayton post-filming seeking some answers, and the pair reconciled, resulting in Clayton moving to Virginia Beach to live with Susie after : After the Final Rose reunion aired on ABC in March 2022.In July, Clayton told The Virginian-Pilot newspaper he was "disgusted" with how he was portrayed on and "would never, ever" do the show again.Interested in more news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
An attempted robbery of an armored car in Oakland has left one suspect dead and two other people injured Friday, including a Brinks employee
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 52F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 52F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
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.
Of the 41 passengers on board, 19 remain missing. A rights group said they may be trafficking victims.

At least one person is dead and 19 more are missing after a boat carrying 41 Chinese passengers sank in the Gulf of Thailand, authorities said Friday.

The small wooden fishing boat went down Thursday near Cambodias Koh Tang Island en route to Sihanoukville in the countrys southwest, a city that has seen an influx of Chinese expats and a spate of work scam human trafficking cases.

Authorities have not yet said why the 38 men and three women were trying to get to Cambodia by boat.

Rescue workers were able to retrieve 18 people as the boat began to slip below the water but 23 more were initially reported missing.

On Friday, three men who had been on board were found alive, while another woman was found dead, according to an Associated Press report that quoted a Sihanoukville province official.

The passengers began their trip in the Chinese port city of Guangzhou on Sept. 11 aboard a speedboat, before transferring to the Cambodian fishing boat on Sept. 17 in international waters, Sihanoukvilles provincial police chief, Gen. Chuon Narin, told local media, according to the AP report.

After the boat began to sink, another Cambodian boat came to rescue the two Cambodian crewmembers, leaving the Chinese passengers behind, he said. The two have since been arrested for questioning.

Cambodian authorities are still searching for the remaining 19 Chinese nationals, offering a 2 million riel (U.S. $484) reward to anyone who rescues any of them.

Though the purpose of their trip has not been confirmed, they might have been tricked into illegally working in Sihanoukville, Cheap Sotheary, provincial project coordinator for the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, told RFAs Khmer Service.

Ring leaders have distributed [human trafficking victims] to other provinces [across Cambodia], she said. The victims dont fly in, they use cars or boats.

RFA recently reported several other cases of migrants trafficked to Cambodia through Sihanoukville.

Chinese nationals walk down a pier to an island in Preah Sihanouk province, southwestern Cambodia, after being rescued from a sinking boat, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. Credit: Preah Sihanouk province Authority Police via AP

Diaspora reacts

Economic conditions in China may be why the 41 Chinese may have attempted to sneak into Cambodia, a Chinese businessman identified by his surname Fan told RFAs Mandarin Service.

China has been devastated economically by its zero-COVID policy, which has included shutdowns of commerce in many of its cities. People who depend on their jobs for survival have had to get by with little to no income.

"This tragedy happened because there was no job opportunity in China, and they tried their best to escape, Fan said.

The news was shocking to a man from Guangzhou who requested anonymity to speak freely.

Who wants to leave their hometown and go abroad with great language barriers? he said, noting that although Guangzhou is one of the most prosperous regions in China, its economy is very poor and it is not easy to find a job there.

He said the incident was reminiscent of the 1970s when people were smuggled to Hong Kong from Guangzhou.

"It's really miserable right now. People used to be smuggled into the United States, but now they are being smuggled into Cambodia, he said.

Chinas most impoverished citizens are willing to take desperate risks for a better life elsewhere, a tourism expert surnamed Luo, who specializes in Chinese tourism in Vietnam, told RFA.

For Canadian human rights activist and journalist Sheng Xue, the incident brought back memories of the 2000 human smuggling tragedy, where 58 Chinese were found suffocated to death in the back of a freight truck in the U.K.

Why is it that the Americans and the Japanese do not smuggle themselves [to other countries]? Why do the Chinese? she told RFA. Chinas political system limits everyones right to freedom, so that is to blame.

Chinese stowaways are trying to get to any place that will give them freedom, democracy, human rights, dignity, security and a little bit of money, she said.

Additional reporting by Qi Desai for RFA Mandarin. Translated by Samean Yun and Zirong Ye. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Members of the Cambodian diaspora rallied near the U.N. headquarters during the General Assembly.

Protestors hold signs at a demonstration by members of the Cambodian diaspora at United Nations headquarters as Prime Minister Hun Sen was set to give a speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Sept. 23, 2022.

About 300 members of the Cambodian diaspora in the U.S. rallied at United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday, demanding that the Phnom Penh government release political prisoners and implement democratic reforms as Prime Minister Hun Sen was set to address the U.N. General Assembly.

The protesters displayed photos of detained activists from the now-dissolved Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), whose leader Sam Rainsy has been in exile in France, and urged Hun Sen, the countrys long-ruling strongman, to release his grip on power.

Please respect human rights, release political activists to their freedom, and have free and fair elections in which all parties can participate, Sam Vathana of Long Beach, California, told RFA when asked what his message was for Hun Sen.

Chun Sothy, a CNRP activist who recently received asylum in the United States, traveled from North Carolina to attend the New York protest, told RFA that he was persecuted in Cambodia and fled to Thailand for three years before coming to the U.S.

I want Hun Sen to return our positions that he robbed from us. I am a former commune councilor. He robbed 5,007 seats, Chun Sothy said. He robbed the wills of more than 3 million people. If Hun Sen loves peace, why did he rob the wills of the people?

Chun Sothy was referring to Cambodias recent communal elections, which opposition activists and civil society groups said was marred by pressure campaigns from Hun Sens allies.

I want to tell the world that Hun Sen is not a leader who was elected. He stole power and we are living under a dictatorial and corrupt regime, Chun Sothy said.

The prime minister, who has ruled Cambodia for more than three decades, did not schedule any meetings with Cambodians now living in the U.S. while on his trip to the U.S., saying he was too busy. But some of his supporters greeted him at his hotel in New York.

Members of the Cambodian diaspora protest against Prime Minister Hun Sen's authoritarian rule as the long-time strongman was set to address the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Sept. 23, 2022. The protest was organized by the Cambodia-Myanmar Group, in opposition to Hun Sen and his Cambodian Peoples Partys (CPP) decades-long tyrannical rule in the country, the group said.

It called on Cambodia to reverse all wrongful convictions and detentions, including the recent conviction of Cambodian American human rights attorney Seng Theary for conspiracy to commit treason, part of a mass trial largely viewed as part of a broader crackdown on critics of Hun Sen.

Since coming to power in 1985, Hun Sen has consistently targeted opponents to his rule and placed CPP officials in positions of authority nationwide. Parties that challenge his rule are often subjected to investigations, arrests and other forms of harassment by CPP officials and their supporters.

Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Nawar Nemeh.
The number of internally displaced persons more than doubled in the past 19 months.

Nearly 3 million people have fled Myanmar because of armed conflict, nearly half of whom left the country after last years military coup, an independent research group said Friday.

The Myanmar Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies (ISP-Myanmar) said 2,930,201 internally displaced persons (IDPs), or slightly more than 5% of Myanmars population of 54.4 million, have fled violence in the country. It said 1,413,811 of them, or 48%, fled Myanmar amid the conflict that followed the Feb. 1, 2021, putsch.

According to ISP-Myanmar, the number of people in Myanmar who were classified as IDPs due to civil war more than doubled to 1,019,190 after the coup from 497,200 prior to the takeover.

The research group said its list was compiled from data obtained by organizations that assist refugees in conflict zones, international aid groups, ethnic armed groups, and reporting by independent media. It said the data had been checked and confirmed by its researchers.

ISP-Myanmar senior research officer Kyaw Htet Aung told RFA Burmese that all combatants in Myanmar must adopt measures to reduce civilian suffering.

IDPs do not have full access to humanitarian aid at present and their number is rising month by month, he said.

How are we going to solve the problem? All the adversaries must pay more attention to military codes of conduct to minimize harm to civilians. If they can do that, I think civilian suffering would be substantially reduced. Additionally, IDPs must have better access to international aid.

According to ISP-Myanmar, 533,833 people displaced by violence since the coup are from Sagaing region, where the military has encountered some of the fiercest resistance to its rule over the past 19 months.

Aid workers told RFA that fighting between the military and the armed opposition is intensifying and spreading rapidly throughout Myanmar, resulting in a substantial increase in the number of IDPs and civilian casualties.

IDPs from Kyaung Pyar, Kyaukkyi township, Bago region, flee their village after military raids, July 4, 2022. Credit: Citizen journalist No access to international aid

A villager who recently fled fighting in Sagaings Kanbalu township said that IDPs have had to rely on assistance from people in the region because they have not received any international aid.

We have been on the run since the moment the military entered our villages, and weve faced a lot of difficulties moving through the jungle with the elderly, pregnant women and children, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

People are exhausted from running and hiding for so long without food. These days, it's difficult to get even one or two baskets of rice. We have never received any international aid. We all are struggling to stay alive.

In addition to the challenges of obtaining food and medicine, the villager said his group also faces dangers such as snake bites while sheltering in the jungle.

Similar problems have been reported in Chin state, where transportation is difficult due to the regions terrain and lack of infrastructure.

An official with the Mindat Township Refugee Camps Management Committee, who declined to be named, told RFA that basic food items and fuel are getting expensive, leaving IDPs in dire straits.

The price of rice has risen and with the increase in fuel prices, buying rice has become even more difficult, he said.

In the meantime, we are also facing the danger of landslides because it is the rainy season. There are a lot of landslides here as it has been raining non-stop for more than two weeks.

Banya, the director of the ethnic Karenni Human Rights Group, said IDPs also endure psychological suffering when they lack food, shelter and healthcare.

The loss of their family members and homes, and being in the jungle for a long time, leaves them stressed, he said.

When they go from expecting a month or two of displacement, to six months, and finally more than a year, its very difficult to comfort them. Their losses are heavy and it is a difficult situation to bear. Currently, everything  including health conditions  have been quite bad.

At present, he said, only emergency measures for obtaining food and medicine can be offered to the displaced, while long-term planning has been out of the question.

Aid program status unclear

Win Myat Aye, minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management for the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), said efforts are underway to provide aid to the countrys IDPs, but he acknowledged the limitations he faces.

With more than a year and a half of experience, our connection with aid groups has gradually become stronger and we can now provide more effective support, he said.

Access to funding and cash flow is a challenge, but now that the NUG has its own sources of income, it can supplement public donations. We are making special efforts in cooperation with ethnic armed groups to provide international support.

He said he believes humanitarian assistance will soon be able to reach the displaced.

At the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Meeting held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 6, a decision was reached that the ASEAN Humanitarian Coordination Center (AHA) would act under the supervision of Myanmar military authorities to provide aid to the countrys IDPs.

On Sept. 20 pro-junta media reported that the AHA task force held an interim meeting on the aid situation in Myanmar, but more than four months since the ASEAN decision, RFA has been unable to independently confirm the status of the program.

Attempts by RFA to contact the AHA Center went unanswered on Friday.

According to Thailands Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), authorities in Myanmar have killed at least 2,316 civilians and arrested more than 15,600 since the coup, mostly during peaceful anti-junta protests.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Nearly 20 months after the military coup in Myanmar, amid a rapidly intensifying conflict, Peoples Defense Force (PDF) paramilitary groups are turning to drone technology to level the playing field as they engage with better-equipped junta troops.

When the PDF formed in the months following the Feb. 1, 2021, military takeover, its members were forced to fight Southeast Asias second-largest army using only slingshots and the same crude flintlock Tumee rifles their forefathers used to fight off British colonizers in the 1880s. As the network grew, the groups began to use homemade landmines to target their enemys convoys.

The latest addition to the PDF arsenal are civilian drones, refitted to drop explosives on junta troops. PDF sources told RFA Burmese that the drones are safe, accurate, and require little manpower to operate during clashes.

Boh Lin Yaung, leader of the Khin-U Support Organization (KSO) in Sagaing regions Khin-U township, said his group took civilian drones used for shooting video and upgraded them to drop bombs on specific locations.

Drones have lots of advantages, so we started buying them, he said.

Right now, we are working with small drones used for photography, and therefore can only carry small payloads  around half a viss (24 ounces). The main reason we use them is because its the safest way for us to engage the enemy.

Boh Lin Yaung said his group had previously sought to obtain automatic rifles, but decided to use drones instead because of how effective they are for such a low cost point against the juntas advantages in modern military equipment, training, and supplies.

Members of Sagaing Region PDFs also reported success using drones, although they acknowledged that they are susceptible to being shot out of the sky. They noted that the junta has been using reconnaissance drones to determine their locations and engage them with heavy weapons and airstrikes.

At left, a bomb [blue] begins to fall towards a target. At right, a bomb hits a Myanmar army trench. Credit: Yangon Revolution Force Our drones dominate the skies

In Kayin state, where the intensity of fighting rivals that in Sagaing, PDFs are using large-scale drones with six propellers that can carry heavier loads.

Myo Thura Ko, the information officer of the Cobra Regiment, said PDFs have been using combat and patrol drones in Kayin since December 2021.

The enemy can be easily defeated because the drones unnerve them ... They get scared when they hear the sound of the drones flying, he said.

They carry out a lot of airstrikes, but their planes just drop bombs and leave. For the rest of the time, our drones dominate the skies. Our drones also have the ability to scout at night, so they have become a nightmare for the enemy troops.

Myo Thura Ko said a drone can be equipped with up to five bombs and patrol in dangerous areas using less manpower.

PDFs said the junta has recently begun deploying radio frequency jammers to prevent drones from flying near their camps.

Attempts by RFA to contact junta Deputy Information Minister Major General Zaw Min Tun about the military response to PDF drones went unanswered. However, at a Sept. 20 press conference in the capital Naypyidaw, he told reporters that anti-drone guns have been installed in strategic locations to protect against attack.

Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the Thayningha Strategy Studies Group, a group of former military officers, said PDFs are limited in their ability to attack using civilian drones because of their need for technical support.

The drones used for spraying chemicals in agriculture called Hexacopters have six propellers. They can carry a larger payload and are now being used to drop bombs from the air. But if we look at it from a technical standpoint, the triggering mechanism isnt simple to operate, he said.

In order to overcome this problem, they require support. So this is not a normal development. Its not something they can do themselves. It's obvious that someone else is providing the technical know-how.

Members of Federal Wings prepare two munitions for a drone attack. Credit: Federal Wings Shadow govt drone unit

The Ministry of Communications, Information and Technology (MOCIT) under Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG) recently formed a Federal Wings drone unit manned by tech-savvy youth. The Federal Wings social media page claims that the unit has already participated in operations on the battlefield using drones.

The NUG Ministry of Defense also said it is seeking funding to consolidate PDF drone attack forces into an armed force.

Min Zaw Oo, executive director of the Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security, said he expects both sides to increasingly add drones to their arsenals.

Using drones not only for scouting, but also to deploy weapons, is a development that has come about mostly since the coup, he said.

Drones are a widely available technology that can be used by both sides. The role of drones is of growing importance to modern warfare.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob (bottom center) addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2022.

The U.N. Security Council has not taken serious action to remedy the situation in post-coup Myanmar, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Friday, adding that the elite bodys five permanent members make it impossible to resolve conflicts by often misusing their veto power.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ismail Sabri also said that the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN needed to scrap an agreement it made with Myanmar to return that country to democracy because the junta has done nothing to implement the accord.

But the Malaysian PM reserved the most scathing criticism in his 22-minute speech for the U.N. Security Council, which he called the world bodys biggest problem.

It is very saddening when the Security Council does not take any serious action in dealing with this situation. Some even see the Security Council as having washed its hands off and handing the matter over to ASEAN, he said.

The power of veto is often misused to favor the world powers that have it. It is not democratic and violates the principles of human rights. This makes it impossible for conflicts to be resolved by any of the permanent members of the Council.

For any Security Council resolution to be adopted none of its permanent members  Russia, Britain, China, France, and the United States  can veto it. And China and Russia, analysts say, will prevent any strong action, such as broad, binding sanctions, being taken against the violent Burmese junta.

The juntas security forces have killed more than 2,300 people since the generals seized power by toppling an elected government on Feb. 1, 2021. Just last week, junta forces had fired on a village school in Myanmars Sagaing region, killing at least seven children, in what appeared to be the deadliest incident involving children since last years military coup.

Meanwhile, the Burmese junta has also willfully ignored a five-point agreement it reached with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in April last year. The agreement was seen as a roadmap to return Myanmar to democracy, but junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing has not implemented a single point of that agreement, known as the five-point consensus, analysts say.

The Malaysian prime minister, too, said the consensus had gone nowhere.

Malaysia is disappointed that there is no meaningful progress in the implementation of the ASEAN Five Point Consensus especially by the Myanmar junta. In its current form, the ASEAN Five Point Consensus cannot continue any longer, Ismail Sabri said.

Therefore, this consensus needs to be given a new lease of life and refined based on a clearer framework, timeframe and end goal.

Earlier this week Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said that Kuala Lumpur was planning to press the Southeast Asian bloc into deciding the fate of its five-point consensus on Myanmar before the ASEAN summit in November.

If it is not working we have to decide whats next. We cannot go in November and then start talking about it. We have to do the groundwork now, he had told reporters after a meeting with Burmese opposition members in New York.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri also said that the political situation Myanmar had made the situation worse for millions of Myanmar refugees, including the stateless Rohingya, hundreds of thousands of whom fled from a brutal military offensive in Rakhine state in 2017 that the United States has since labeled a genocide.

Although Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol, Malaysia, on humanitarian grounds, accepted nearly 200,000 Rohingya refugees, the Malaysian PM said.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of all countries, including the countries participating in the convention, to take in more refugees to be resettled in their respective countries.

Ismail Sabri said it was important for the world to address the root cause of the Rohingya crisis.

He said: I believe that this issue will not be resolved as long as the crisis in the country continues.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news service.
Uyghurs want full UN follow-up on report, while China vows to fight any action.

The director of information office of Xinjiang, Xu Guixiang (C), deputy director-general of the Xinjiang region public security department Yalqun Yaqup (L) and Li Juan, director of the legislative affairs commission of the Peoples Congress of the Xinjiang region, hold a news conference on the sideline of the U.N Human Rights Council in Geneva, Sept. 22, 2022.

China has vowed to fight any United Nations action on human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang cited in a damning report by the U.N. human rights chief, while Uyghurs are pressing the world body to move forward with investigations and other concrete follow-up measures.

The report issued on Aug. 31 by U.N. High Commissioner of Human Rights Michelle Bachelet concluded that Chinas arbitrary detention and repression of Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in Xinjiang may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.

Uyghurs and their supporters want the U.S. and other Western countries to follow up with a U.N. Human Rights Council resolution condemning the alleged violations, an investigation, and a special envoy on Xinjiang.

China, which rejected the Bachelet report as based on the disinformation and lies fabricated by anti-China forces, sent a large delegation to the rights council in Geneva this week to condemn the report and present its rebuttal.

"The assessment is based on a presumption of guilt, includes mostly disinformation and lies," Xu Guixiang, head of the Xinjiang government's information office, told reporters in Geneva Thursday.

If some forces in the international community  or even anti-China forces  make so-called Xinjiang-related motions or so-called resolutions, we wont be afraid, Xu said. We will take countermeasures resolutely and fight.

Bachelets report puts a U.N. imprimatur on many findings in investigative reports issued by rights groups, researchers, foreign media and think tanks in the five years since Chinese authorities began detaining up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in internment camps in Xinjiang,

The predominantly Muslim groups have also been subjected to torture, forced sterilizations and forced labor, as well as the eradication of their linguistic, cultural and religious traditions, in what the United States and several Western parliaments have called genocide and crimes against humanity.

Beijing has angrily rejected all charges, insisting it is running vocational training facilities in the region to counter extremism. The Chinese delegation in Geneva this week included large numbers of officials who challenged the reports and a group of Uyghurs who claimed to support Chinese policies.

The Chinese mission held a side event at the U.N. yesterday featuring five Uyghurs to promote its propaganda that Uyghurs are free and happy in China, said Zumretay Arkin, program and advocacy manager at the World Uyghur Congress

Some diplomats from Cuba, Venezuela and Zimbabwe came to support China while some Western diplomats came to hear what China had to say, said Arkin, who is campaigning for the U.S.-led democracies to introduce a resolution condemning Chinas genocide against Uyghurs.

Addlet Sabit comforts her daughter as she displays pictures of her father, Ablimit Ablaze whom she has never met, during a hunger strike in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., Sept. 21, 2022. Credit: Gemunu Amarasinghe/RFA 'Put our words into action'

Group of 7 Foreign Ministers met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly and welcomed the report, pledging to address these issues with partners, civil society and the international community.

The G7 ministers remained deeply concerned by the serious human rights violations in Xinjiang and took note of the overall assessment of the report that some of these violations may constitute international crimes in particular crimes against humanity, said a statement by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, chair of the meeting.

The G7 statement Thursday came after U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Sholtz raised rights violations in Xinjiang in their speeches to the U.N. General Assembly.

In Washington this week, the Uyghur American Association has been staging a hunger strike in front of the White House by leaders of the advocacy group and by three internment camp survivors to demand U.S.-led steps to translate the U.N. report into concrete action.

Chris Smith, co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Uyghur Caucus, who visited the hunger strikers outside the White House on Wednesday, introduced a bill calling on the Biden Administration to direct the U.S. mission team in Geneva to sponsor a resolution that would establish a UN commission to investigate the issues raised in the Bachelet report.

The UNs recent report demonstrates that Communist China is guilty of serious human rights violations that at a minimum constitute crimes against humanity in the eyes of the world community, said Smith,

We must speak out forcefully on these atrocities and put our words into action at the United Nations, she added.

Kellie Currie, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Womens Issues, called on Biden to not only introduce a resolution in the Human Rights Council, but you personally need to make sure that it passes by doing everything you can, reaching out to other countries, using political capital and influence that you have with other countries that are on the Human Rights Council to make sure that it passes.

Reporting and translation by Alim Seytoff. Written by Paul Eckert.
The Russian Defense Ministry says it has withdrawn its troops from the strategic eastern Ukrainian town of Lyman, hours after Kyiv said it had surrounded Russian forces there and a day after Moscow said it was annexing the surrounding Donetsk region.

"In connection with the creation of a threat of encirclement, allied troops were withdrawn from the settlement of [Lyman] to more advantageous lines," the ministry said on October 1.

It said, without providing evidence, that it had inflicted heavy casualties on Ukrainian troops in the fight for the town.

But it added that it was forced to withdraw when "the enemy, having a significant superiority in forces and means, introduced reserves and continued the offensive in this direction."

Moments before the Russian withdrawal announcement, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said its forces had entered Lyman, a crucial rail hub that had been the target of Kyiv's counteroffensive in recent days.

"Ukrainian Air Assault Forces are entering Lyman, Donetsk region," the ministry said on Twitter on October 1.

The Twitter post included a video of two soldiers taping a Ukrainian flag up near a sign bearing the name of the town.

"We're unfurling our state flag and establishing it on our land. Lyman will be Ukraine," one of the soldiers says in the video.

Serhiy Cherevatiy, spokesman for the Ukrainian Eastern Group of Forces, said earlier on October 1 that Ukrainian forces had encircled Russian troops near the crucial rail hub northeast of Slovyansk.

"The Russian group in the Lyman area is surrounded," Cherevatiy said. "The settlements of Yampil, Novoselivka, Shandryholove, Drobysheve, and Stavky have been liberated and stabilization measures are being taken there."

Moscow has used Lyman as a logistical hub for operations in the northern part of the Donetsk region. Its fall would mark the most serious setback for Russian forces since a lightning Ukrainian counteroffensive sent Russian troops reeling in the Kharkiv region last month.

Cherevatiy estimated the number of surrounded Russian troops at about 5,000, adding that Russian forces continue to try to break out of the encirclement.

One road, to the Russian-occupied city of Kreminna, appeared to remain open early on October 1, perhaps giving Russian forces one last escape route.

It was not immediately clear how many Russian troops may have escaped the encirclement nor were there any initial reports on casualties from either side in the latest fighting.

Cherevatiy added that the liberation of Lyman would enable Ukrainian forces to push into the Luhansk region "toward Kreminna and Syevyerodonetsk."

Such a move would further embarrass the Kremlin, which declared the Luhansk region fully occupied in early July.

"It is psychologically very important," Cherevatiy said, emphasizing that "the operation is not yet over."

Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 30 illegally proclaimed the partially occupied Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya as Russian territory, a significant political escalation that was broadly condemned by the West.

The four regions together with Crimea, which Moscow grabbed in 2014, make up around 20 percent of Ukraine, including some of its most industrialized territory.

Kyiv has said it will not negotiate with Moscow as long as Putin remains in power.

With reporting by Reuters
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has attacked a militant group's base located in the north of neighboring Iraq, state media reported.

The official government news agency IRNA said the IRGC ground forces fired artillery from positions within Iran's West Azerbaijan Province on September 24, attacking what it described as a "terrorist group" based across the border.

The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency said the attacks targeted the bases of Kurdish separatist groups in the north of Iraq.

The IRGC attacks were in response to the support of the separatist group for the recent unrest in the country, as well as their attempt to import weapons into Iran, the report said.

Iran has faced more than a week of protests and unrest over the death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, who died in custody after being detained by Tehran's morality police.

The protests, which started in Amini's home province of Kurdistan, have spread to dozens of cities across the country.

With reporting by AP
Iran's Foreign Ministry has said Tehran will give "an appropriate" response to Ukraine's decision to downgrade diplomatic ties over the reported supply of Iranian drones to Russia.

Spokesman Nasser Kanaani was quoted by the official government news agency IRNA on September 24 as saying that Ukraine should "refrain from being influenced by third parties who seek to destroy relations between the two countries."

Ukraine said on September 23 that it would reduce Iran's diplomatic presence in the country and withdraw accreditation of the Iranian ambassador over Tehran's decision to supply Russian forces with drones, a move President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called "a collaboration with evil."

Kanaani said Ukraine's decision was "based on unconfirmed reports and resulted from a media hype by foreign parties."

He did not directly refer to drones.

He said that Iran's foreign minister had phone conversations and meetings with his counterparts from Russia and Ukraine over the past few months to help resolve the dispute.

Iran has in the past dismissed accusations by the United States and Ukraine that it is supplying drones to Russia to use in its unprovoked war against its neighbor.

Military authorities in southern Ukraine said on September 24 they had shot down at least seven Iranian drones over the sea near the ports of Odesa and Pivdenniy.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak said on Twitter on September 24 that Iran was supporting Russia "by giving modern drones to (a) backward country for the murders of Ukrainians."

With reporting by Reuters and IRNA
A second day of so-called referendums on joining the Russian Federation has been held in four Ukrainian regions partially occupied by Moscow -- votes dismissed as a sham by Ukraine, the West, and the United Nations because they are illegal under international law.

The vote in Russian-controlled areas of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya regions is being held in the midst of the largest conflict in Europe since the end of World War II runs counter to the UN Charter and takes place amid claims by some local officials that voters were being threatened and intimidated.

There are no independent observers, and many of the prewar inhabitants have fled. The four regions represent around 15 percent of Ukraine, or an area the size of Hungary.

The Ukrainian military General Staff said on September 24 that "employees of the 'election commissions,' accompanied by armed servicemen of the military of the Russian federation" were collecting signatures of local residents directly at their homes.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the world to condemn "pseudo-referendums" meant to annex Ukrainian lands.

"The world will react absolutely justly to pseudo-referendums -- they will be unequivocally condemned," Zelenskiy said in his nightly address to the nation on September 23.

In the Ukrainian capital, about 100 people from the Russia-occupied city of Mariupol, which is part of the Donetsk region, gathered to protest the referendum, covering themselves in Ukrainian flags and carrying posters "Mariupol is Ukraine.

In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden harshly condemned the move and warned that more sanctions will follow for Moscow.

"Russia's referenda are a sham -- a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law," Biden said on September 23.

"We will work with our allies and partners to impose additional swift and severe economic costs on Russia," he added in a statement.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the United States was prepared to level additional economic penalties on Russia, in lockstep with allies, if Moscow attempted to annex more Ukrainian territory.

The vote hastily announced this week as Russia decreed a partial mobilization came as Ukrainian forces said they were clawing back territory from Moscow-backed separatists in the very territories Russia wants to annex.

Ukrainian officials said people were forbidden from leaving some occupied areas until the five-day vote was over.

Polling stations will only operate on the fifth day, September 27, with officials citing security reasons.

The Ukrainian General Staff said in a Facebook post that on the ground, Russia "has not stopped striking the civilian infrastructure and the homes of civilians."

It added that, during the night, the city of Mykolayiv was subjected to rocket fire from Russian occupiers, but information on civilian casualties was not initially available.

Ukraine's presidential office said on September 24 that the latest Russian shelling had killed at least three people and wounded 19. Oleksandr Starukh, the governor of the Zaporizhzhya region, said a Russian missile hit an apartment building in the city of Zaporizhzhya, killing one person and injuring seven others.

Serhiy Hayday, Ukraine's regional governor in Luhansk, said in a post on Telegram that Russian authorities banned people from leaving for several days to ensure votes.

"We have reports from people that the so-called 'voting commissions' coming to residences to record votes are accompanied by people with weapons.... If the doors to the apartments are not opened, they threaten to break them down," he said, adding that anyone voting "No" was written down in a ledger by the commissioners.

In Kherson, Serhiy Khlan, a Ukrainian deputy in the regional council, told RFE/RL on September 23 that the polling stations opened by the Russian-appointed officials in the region had remained mostly empty, prompting them to start going house-to-house to collect votes "at gunpoint."

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

The referendums have been condemned as an illegitimate, choreographed precursor to illegal annexation.

The move comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilization on September 21 amid apparent heavy personnel losses in the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that Moscow started in February.

Zelenskiy urged Ukrainians in occupied regions to undermine the referendums and to share information about the people conducting "this farce" and called on residents to try to avoid Moscow's mobilization.

"Hide from the Russian mobilization by any means," Zelenskiy said. "Avoid conscription letters. Try to get to the free territory of Ukraine."

The mobilization announcement has triggered an exodus of able Russian men scrambling to leave the country to avoid being drafted, with traffic at frontier crossings with Finland and Georgia surging and prices for air tickets from Moscow sky-rocketing.

The Kremlin has also shown little desire to mask its true goal over the balloting, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters in Moscow on September 23 that he was "convinced" Russia will proceed "quite quickly" with taking over the regions if the vote is successful.

The incorporation of the four areas would allow Moscow to portray any moves to retake them as an attack on Russia itself -- potentially using that to justify even a nuclear response.

Ukraine says it will never accept Russian territorial takeovers while NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance will ramp up its help for Kyiv in response to the "sham" referendum.

The Group of Seven industrialized economies on September 23 condemned the referendums as a "sham" with "no legal effect or legitimacy."

"We will never recognize these referenda, which appear to be a step toward Russian annexation, and we will never recognize a purported annexation if it occurs," the G7 leaders said in a statement.

Moscow has deported about 1.6 million Ukrainians from those regions to Russia, according to Western estimates, while also busing Russian citizens into Ukrainian territory.

It has also seized the personal and biometric data of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens at so-called "filtration camps," opening the door, experts say, to ballot manipulation.

Nikolai Bulayev, the deputy chairman of Russias Central Election Commission, said he expected "hundreds of thousands" of Ukrainians currently in Russia to take part in the referendum.

Russia has little history of holding free and fair elections, with ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, outright fraud, and media manipulation common practices. It held a similar illegal vote in 2014 after occupying Ukraine's Crimea region. Very few countries have accepted the results of the vote.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Halyna, a resident of the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region, says her sister and parents have no intention of leaving their home the next few days.

It has nothing to do with the intermittent fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the area, COVID-19, or bad weather.

Rather, they are trying to dodge election workers escorted by gun-toting Russian soldiers who are trying to force them to participate in a vote on joining the Russian Federation that contradicts international law and the UN Charter and that they personally view as illegitimate.

"They are trying to avoid leaving their apartment at all," Halyna told RFE/RL on September 23, as the so-called referendum got under way.

Thousands of Ukrainian families like Halyna's are following suit, refusing to answer when election officials knock on their door in a sign of silent protest, according to videos and personal tales posted online.

In one video from Kherson, election workers sandwiched by two soldiers with automatic rifles enter an apartment building and can later be heard knocking on doors before leaving about a minute later without any success.

In another video from Donetsk, an election official walks down a village road calling on people to come out of their homes to vote but gets no response.

Russian-backed officials in four partially occupied Ukrainian regions decided earlier this week to carry out a hastily organized vote on joining Russia as President Vladimir Putin gambles on escalation to stem his military losses.

The voting in Moscow-controlled parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya are expected to run through September 27, with the results to be announced by early October, days before Putin's 70th birthday.

Russia has reportedly blocked people from leaving parts of the occupied territories to prevent them from dodging the vote.

Posts by Ukrainians on various Telegram channels claimed that Russian officials were randomly stopping people at outdoor locations to get them to vote.

One Ukrainian man in the Kherson region was stopped by soldiers while biking from one village to another and forced to fill out the simple questionnaire on annexation, according to one post.

Officials in the occupied regions set up "polling stations" -- mainly older women behind a stand or desk with voting bulletins, pens, and an urn -- outside apartment buildings or in stores and markets in order to catch more people.

Aside from dodging election officials, Ukrainians have shown their resistance to the illegal vote by plastering blue-and-yellow posters in the hallways of apartment buildings with the words "You can't change [the border of] Ukraine with a referendum," and "Stop the referendum." Blue and yellow are the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

Traditional polling stations set up at schools and other civic buildings appeared to attract few voters, though Russian media claimed to show several that were busy.

Ukrainian officials claimed the people in those videos were rounded up and bused to a few locations as the Kremlin tries to prove to its own citizens that the election is real.

During Putin's nearly 23-year rule, Russia has rarely held free and fair elections, with forced voting, ballot-stuffing, voter intimidation, outright fraud, and media manipulation common practices.

Russia held a similar illegal vote in 2014 after forcibly seizing Ukraine's Crimea region. Very few countries have accepted the results of the vote.

Oleksandr Starukh, the head of Kyiv's military administration in the Zaporizhzhya region, said the Kremlin needed a "pseudo-vote" to justify its recent call for mobilization.

Putin announced a "partial" military mobilization on September 21 amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive that has dealt his invading forces apparent heavy personnel losses.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Ukraine's recent combat successes have raised the specter of a potential Russian defeat, something analysts say could finally undermine Putin's grip on power.

Western officials and experts say Putin plans to use the sham referendums to claim Ukraine is invading territory that is part of Russia, allowing Moscow to saber-rattle.

This week, Putin threatened the use of all of Russia's might -- a thinly veiled reference to his nuclear weapons -- in an attempt to frighten Kyiv and its Western backers from further military action.

Tetyana Ihnatchenko, a spokeswoman for the Donetsk civil-military administration, told Current Time that the will of the Ukrainian people will play no role in the vote.

She said the Russian authorities will simply create a result that they will then announce on TV for their domestic audience. "This needs to be clearly understood by us, and it needs to be clearly understood by the whole world. [The outcome] has already been written in the Kremlin," she said.

Russian authorities have the personal and biometric data of many Ukrainians in the occupied areas, enabling them to manipulate the results of the referendum, says Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, a port city in Donetsk.

Russian forces encircled Mariupol in the early days of the invasion and bombarded it for weeks, turning it into rubble and creating a humanitarian crisis.

As it distributed money and food -- some of its stolen from Ukraine -- to the citizens that remained it Mariupol, the Russian authorities collected all their personal data, including even their health problems, he said.

"All this collected data will now be converted" into votes, Andryushchenko said. "The fewer people in Mariupol, the greater the turnout in reality they can show without having to go anywhere."

While a certain percentage of Ukrainians remaining in the city -- especially those of pension age -- will happily vote for annexation, in part because they have been "brainwashed" by Russian propaganda, the majority are against it, Andryushchenko said.

However, they could buckle under pressure, he said, if forced to vote. "There are no options not to tick a box, given that you are essentially voting at gunpoint," he said.

And ticking "no" could lead to threats down the road, he said.

The best thing, officials said, is to stay at home until the vote is over.

"They shouldn't knock down doors and break into homes -- even this will be too much for [Russians]," Yuriy Sobolevskiy, a senior member of Kherson's regional council, told Current Time.
LVIV, Ukraine -- In a bomb shelter in western Ukraine, a young woman holds her phone in the air, trying to get a WiFi signal, while another sips a matcha latte. Long silences hang between sentences as the small collection of strangers tossed together after the latest air-raid siren start to make small talk.

While it is a real bomb shelter, this is far from a real air-raid alert: Shmata (Rag) is a play, and one of an increasing number of performances being put on underground in Ukrainian bomb shelters since Russia launched a large-scale invasion eight months ago. And it's one that, despite the dramaticism, removes itself somewhat from the war's intensity.

"Someone changes their socks, someone cleans with disinfectant, and someone even brought a window with them to wash," director Yana Tytarenko said.

The phrase "theater of war" has slowly seeped into public discourse in recent years. A fast-moving news cycle, constant fighting, and frequent reports of shelling lend a frenzied tenor to the war in Ukraine. But against the nerve-wracking background of bombardments, air-raid sirens, and evacuations, the need to deal with more mundane matters -- procuring food, stitching together uniforms, or completing paperwork -- is a pervasive facet of the conflict, too.

This summer, director and researcher Kostyantyn Vasyukov took his own play Vona Viyna (She Is War), around the country, and later to a theater festival in Nuremberg, Germany. In Ukraine, one place it was performed was the eastern city of Kharkiv -- Ukraine's second-largest and a frequent target of heavy Russian assaults.

"In the morning in the city center, people were killed by Russian shelling...just a couple of streets away from us," he said, recalling the day of the performance on August 30.

Conversely, Vona Viyna deals with some of the more routine and less bloody aspects of the Russian invasion -- say, the bureaucracy involved in exporting a horse. Focusing specifically on the female experience of wartime, Vasyukov says, he and co-author and actress Svitlana Melnyk collected more than 30 stories from Ukrainian women to channel the various social roles they played.

"Volunteer work in the kitchen in the army," Vasyukov gave as an example. "You peel potatoes, cook soup, somehow communicate with soldiers."

The woman upon whom this particular part of the play was based saw her own story unfold on stage. "I think she could see from the outside how important her work is," Vasyukov said. "It may seem boring and of little significance but it is important for everyone in Ukraine to be able to step back...and realize they are doing everything right."

Theaters and cultural institutions have been targeted by Russia -- especially in the weeks after the invasion was launched on February 24. On March 16, Russian forces bombed the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater in Mariupol, where civilians were sheltering and the word 'Children' had been scrawled on the pavement at both ends of the building. An AP investigation concluded that about 600 people were killed.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said in early August that some 530 "Ukrainian institutions of culture and art," including theaters and religious and cultural centers, had been destroyed in Russian strikes.

Mykolayiv -- a southern city that, unlike Mariupol, remains under Ukrainian control -- has been the target of intense bombardments for months -- including a missile attack early on September 22 that damaged the Mykolayiv Academic Art Drama Theater in the city center and smashed railroad tracks nearby.

"Windows, doors, computers, roof, tables, sewing factory, historical sculptures, iron fence destroyed," the theater's deputy director, Natalya Izbash, told RFE/RL.

The attack came weeks after the theater opened its new season in a bomb shelter at a separate location.

"Nothing is working in our city of Mykolayiv -- no museums, no cinemas, no schools, no kindergartens. There are three theaters in our city, but only ours is functioning," Izbash said earlier in September.

"The people who remained in Mykolayiv have nowhere to go and distract themselves from the war. Every day a rocket arrives, destruction, the city dies," Izbash said.

Like some 12 million Ukrainians who have been displaced by the Russian invasion, many of the theater's former actors have sought refuge abroad or elsewhere in Ukraine. Those that stayed had to learn new roles in a short space of time.

One, Serhiy Hololobov, had his own house destroyed in recent shelling. The following day he nonetheless participated in a classical-music event at the theater, showcasing soloists from the regional philharmonic choir. And they too have been involved in the war effort.

"From the beginning of the war, our actors and workers sewed flags, balaclavas, and raincoats for military personnel," Izbash said.

Adapting to a smaller space and a new location has been challenging for actors in Mykolayiv. But for some productions, the spartan circumstances have contributed to the atmosphere that the play is attempting to create.

In Kyiv, experimental play Zhadayka (Recall) depicts episodes from everyday life under invasion -- utilizing zero electricity or music, because often, at the front lines, there is none.

"Since I was under fire in Irpin, I developed the play in such a way that it could be performed in any room where people are hiding," director Dmytro Khodakivskiy, a territorial-defense volunteer who helped liberate the hard-hit city near Kyiv from Russian forces last spring, told RFE/RL.

The actors themselves create the lighting with hand-held flashlights, and the sound design with their own diaphragms.

"Fighters have complimented us -- 'You completely captured the feeling of this war,'" he said. "We chose a place where it will not be necessary to stop the performance on account of an air-raid siren. Where we and the audience will not be smothered by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's shells."

Tytarenko, in Lviv, developed her play specifically with the setting in mind.

"Shmata is the first performance that was conceived specifically for this auditorium, for this bomb shelter" she said. "For me, this basement space has long been artistically interesting, and in this case, everything was serendipitous."
Several uncertainties are delaying the Electrical Power Plan VIII project for the national development plan for the period 2021 to 2030 with a vision until 2045. There are also very many hurdles and hindrances for the development of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which has been expected to bring about an energy revolution.

Several hurdles

LNG generated electrical power was suggested for national development in Resolution 55 by the Politburo in 2020, but it was not until Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made a commitment at the COP26 conference in Scotland in 2021 for bringing waste emissions down to zero by 2050 that development of this kind of energy was discussed. The draft of the Electrical Power Plan VIII project sets a goal to stop producing 18 GW of electricity at coal-fired power plants and begin to generate 14 GW of electrical power from LNG and 12 to 15 GW from renewable energy.

This is to say that by 2030 Vietnam will produce 23,900 MW of electricity from LNG, which is approximately 16.4% of the electricity produced. In this, 7,900 MW had been mentioned in the revised Electrical Power Plan VII and only about 6,000 MW would be produced by 2030. There will be a focus on this in the North in an effort to ensure electrical power supply for the much-needed area.

As indicated in the Electrical Power Plan VIII, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has estimated that LNG prices would rise by 10%, causing the average cost of electricity production to increase by 1.1% to 1.5%. If LNG prices climb to USD 16.5 per MMBTU, which is a 40% increase, the average cost of electricity production could go up by almost 6%, compared with the costs estimated in the Electrical Power Plan VIII. Analysts say that there are several variables for development of LNG in Vietnam as a result of different hurdles arising from policies, capital resources, and the market, many of which are very hard to surmount.

First of all, the supply and price of LNG depends heavily on imports. The price of this fuel has skyrocketed threefold in the last year, from USD 8.21 per 1 MMBTU in January 2021 to USD 24.71 per 1 MMBTU this year. Worse still, the Russia and Ukraine conflict has caused LNG prices on the global market to rise beyond all predictions. Second, the high prices of imported LNG have hampered the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) from being signed between the investors and the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) because the selling prices are lower than the buying prices.

Therefore, negotiation on the price in PPA has always been the hardest stage before an LNG project can be successful because it is imperative to adhere to all the regulations, based on the annual sold amounts of electricity and the returns on investments and the investment costs. Currently, about 50% of gas-fired electricity plants proposed for research, construction, and implementation of some infrastructure items such as storage tanks, gas pipes and gas import harbors have not been officially started, because PPA related negotiations have not been satisfactorily completed.

For instance, the Bac Lieu gas-fired electricity plant financed by Delta Offshore Energy (DOE) from Singapore, was approved for the Electrical Power Plan VII and a decision on investment was also approved. During the process of negotiation, DOE asked EVN to guarantee consumption of all the electricity produced in this project. DOE also must guarantee payment, such as allowing it to have access to the national foreign currency reserve to pay debts and fuel imports.

Other investors also said that the Law on Investment under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) has abolished the Government's contract implementation guarantee for businesses and the Government's commitment to converting foreign currencies for the projects. This has made it difficult for them to raise the necessary capital by putting the cash flow at risk if any adverse circumstance may occur.

Hydrogen technology

During a recent meeting co-organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Planning and Investment to evaluate investment resources for clean energy, Mr. Dang Hoang An, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, said that hydrogen technology is the trump card on which Vietnam pins the most hopes for the Electrical Power Plan VIII. With an output of about 3.3 million tons of hydrogen from 2030 onwards, Mr. Dang Hoang An said that Vietnam can meet 70% of the domestic electricity consumption demand and ensure better energy security, while being able to guarantee carbon reduction commitments made at the COP26 conference.

The necessary technology and the affordable costs play a pivotal role. Currently, this technology has only been studied and made use of by a few developed countries such as Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Mr An said that they are negotiating with their partners and asking them to transfer this technology. According to him it will not be easy, but they will still try their best because only developed countries have enough resources to do research and put this technology to use. Hydrogen technology remains a mystery until now, but when it is actualized, it will be the technology that will be able to revolutionize the electricity industry in the next ten years or so.

The development of renewable energy sources must also contain and prevent problems so as to ensure the stability and safety of the power system. There is need to eradicate the differences between alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) power sources to satisfy the needs for electricity consumption and energy storage, and provide sufficient electricity, clean fuel, and heat. These knotty problems can be resolved by using hydrogen energy in an attempt to switch from fossil fuel energy to renewable clean energy. This attempt will lead from limited amounts to limitless amounts of renewable energy and from foul energy to cleaner energy. Many experts believe that the price of hydrogen fuel in the future will decrease because of electrolysis technologies, while fuel cell technology will improve, and storage and transportation costs will also become relatively competitive.

Luu Thuy
(Photo : Martin Slavoljubovski/Pixabay) Wearing Contact Lens



New research reveals that wearing reusable contact lenses may result in a rare infection that causes vision loss.

Reusable Contact Lenses Cause Blindness

According to research published in the journal Ophthalmology, people who use multi-use lenses are nearly four times more likely to develop a blind-causing corneal infection than people who use disposables.

The researchers discovered that reusing lenses and wearing them overnight or in the shower increases the risk of acanthamoeba keratitis.

Professor John Dart told Medical News that there was an increase in cases of the rare eye infection, acanthamoeba keratitis, in the UK and Europe. Although it is a rare disease, Dart said that it is preventable and warrants a public health response.

"Contact lenses are generally very safe, but there is a small risk," Dart explained. He said that it is critical that people understand how to reduce their risk of developing keratitis.

There are an estimated 300 million people who wear contact lenses worldwide.

What Is Acanthamoeba Keratitis?

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare infection of the eye. This infection may result in permanent blindness. It is caused by Acanthamoeba- a microscopic, free-living amoeba.

The symptoms can last for several weeks to months and differ from person to person. Eye pain, redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, sensation of something in the eye, and excessive tearing are all symptoms of infection.

Because of the cyst's resilient nature, the infection can be difficult to treat. A topical cationic antiseptic agent such as polyhexamethylene biguanide or chlorhexidine, with or without a diamidine such as propamidine or hexamidine, is usually included in the current treatment. Take note that the dosages of these medications should be determined by a doctor.

Research Findings on Reusable Contact Lenses

Over 200 patients from London's Moorfields Eye Hospital participated in the study. It included 83 people with corneal infections. They were compared to 122 people who visited clinics for other reasons.

The researchers found that people who wore reusable soft contact lenses were found to be 3.8 times more likely to develop acanthamoeba keratitis than those who wore daily disposable lenses.

It was concluded that switching from reusable to daily disposable lenses could prevent 30-62% of eye infections in the UK.

Contact lens use is the leading cause of corneal infection in patients with otherwise healthy eyes who live in the northern part of the globe.

ALSO READ: Genetically Modified 'Super Bananas' Could Prevent Blindness

How To Prevent Acanthamoeba Keratitis

According to the CDC, in developed countries, the disease affects one in every 33 contact lens wearers. Certain practices, such as improper lens storage and handling, can increase the risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis in people who wear contact lenses.

The condition can be avoided by ensuring that your contact lens storage case is always filled with fresh solution and not sleeping with contact lenses.

It is also important to wear and replace contact lenses by following the eye care provider's instructions. Remove contact lenses before engaging in any activity that involves contact with water, such as showering, using a hot tub, or swimming. Before handling contact lenses, wash and dry your hands with soap and water.

RELATED ARTICLE: Gene Therapy Prevents Blindness in Children With Leber Congenital Amaurosis, NPHP5 Deficiency Expained

Check out more news and information on Medicine and Health in Science Times.
These Vietnamese citizens were rescued from illegal businesses in Cambodia by the Consulate General of Vietnam in coordination with the Preah Sihanouk Province in a campaign of inspections of foreigners to crack down on human trafficking launched on September 18-22.



These laborers were lured by fake offers of high-paid work in Cambodia and ended up in the hands of human traffickers and were trapped there.



Competent agencies of Vietnam and Cambodia are completing procedures of the handover.

Most workers have identity papers, including 36 people having passports. Some of them have not got any identification documents that have been lost or kept by businesses. They were handed over to the border guard forces at milestone 313, Ha Tien International Border Gate after their paperwork and investigations were completed by Cambodian competent agencies.



Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Viet, Deputy Chief of Operations of Border Station, Ha Tien International Border Gate Border said that citizens who crossed the border with a passport will be allowed to enter the country in accordance with regulations while people who illegally left the country will be required to write a report and give a statement to the police.



Vietnamese functional units provide breads and mineral water bottles to 226 citizens who returned their homeland after being rescued from illegal businesses in Cambodia.

The functional units will coordinate with the local police and authorities to verify the identities of their residents and issue administrative fines.



As of present, more than 1,200 Vietnamese workers have been rescued.

By Quoc Binh  Translated by Kim Khanh
If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now!

Go to form
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This story is part of the September 25 edition of Sunday Life. See all 12 stories . There is something of the Disney princess about Trinny Woodall as she strides towards me in the shiny Chelsea HQ of Trinny London, her beauty empire that in five scant years has gone from struggling to find investors to being valued at 180 million [$300 million]. Like Belle, she is clad in yellow. Like Rapunzel, she has really good hair. Like Snow White, she has lips as red as a rose. Unlike those hapless three, she doesnt need to be rescued. For Trinny is her own heroine, and the skilled author of her own fairy tale. Back off, Prince Charming. Youll ruin her lipstick. Today, the woman who first found fame in the early 2000s co-hosting the makeover show What Not to Wear is wearing a lipstick hue called Rossy, a poppy-red from her Lip2Cheek range. Launched in 2017, Trinny Londons success is down to an alchemical mix of clever products and innovative tech, all driven by its charismatic founder, whose enthusiastic social media presence (almost two million Facebook followers, one million Instagram followers and 338,000 subscribers on YouTube) is a powerful driver of sales. Her core customer is the midlife woman whose life is beginning to show on her face. Trinny eschews using models on her website in favour of featuring real women aged from their 40s to their 80s. Her fans, known as Trinnys Tribe, lap up her honesty and love that shell talk as openly about her bowel movements as she will about her blusher. One commented: Her clothes are outright strange, her fillers are borderline frightening, but theres something really likeable about her that keeps me watching. Settling down to talk in her office (she in canary-yellow Asos trousers and a silver Dries Van Noten vest), I start by congratulating her on the companys recent sales figures and ask whether she was surprised by them.

Advertisement

I was, because theyre not correct, she says archly. Im not going to correct them, because there are certain figures which we dont publish, but they were ambiguous. But sales did increase. Theyd increased the year before, three times. Between March 2020 and January 2021, the brand grew by 280 per cent, delivering 44 million in gross revenue in the year to March 2021. Not bad during a pandemic. What helped us a lot is that women didnt want to stop buying things. They may not have wanted to buy clothing, so they bought make-up instead. Lockdown might have spelt disaster for many businesses, but not Trinnys. Her theory for this is that, with 95 per cent of sales already online, she didnt have as far to pivot. Hers was among the first beauty brands to offer one-to-one online consultations, launching the service a mere 10 days after lockdown was announced; 3000 appointments were booked in the first 24 hours. Loading What helped us a lot is that women didnt want to stop buying things, she says. They may not have wanted to buy clothing, so they bought make-up instead. They became quite obsessed with developing a skincare routine, and trying new things. Although women were much busier during COVID, we also needed time for ourselves, because we were juggling. If you were looking after the house, working from home, and your kids werent at school, having that time was so very precious. You needed that time just to do something for you.

Advertisement

My own theory is that Trinny is a P, or Perceiving, in the Myers-Briggs personality types; a person whose stellar communication skills were perfectly placed to profit from the pandemic. Like Joe Wicks, who also found huge success during lockdown, Trinny is a born communicator. Just as he got people fit, Trinny got them glowing. As she tells me today, I want women to feel theyve become ageless  that theyre feeling phwoar. At the start of the pandemic, her company employed 68 people; now, it employs 200. It sells 187 products in 200 countries, with a pot of its line-filling Miracle Blur primer selling every 60 seconds. Skincare was only launched in February, but already accounts for almost a third of sales; shes confident that it will soon amount to 50 per cent of her business. And then, at some point, well bring out another vertical. Haircare? Body care? I cant tell you. It will be what it will be. I want women to feel theyve become ageless  that theyre feeling phwoar, says Woodall of her beauty brand. Credit:Anna Martensson/Headpress As the companys main shareholder, with a 42 per cent stake, what Trinny will be is even wealthier than she already is. Which must feel particularly gratifying, given how hard she initially found it to get investment. (Dont imagine that a woman with a clever idea and decades of experience will be able to pluck freely from the money tree: in business, men and women are still judged by different standards. So many discrepancies, Trinny sighs. ) Undeterred, she raised 60,000 by selling off items from her own wardrobe, then hustled for another 7 million, a small but undisclosed amount of which was provided by her partner of nine years, businessman and art collector Charles Saatchi. I couldnt afford to live in the house I was living in, so I rented it out and sold quite a few of my clothes. I then did a small raise, which I used for product development. When that ran out, I sold some more clothes, then sold my house because I couldnt afford the mortgage. It did take balls  it was very scary. But I knew I had no alternative. Nobody becomes a great entrepreneur from a place of comfort. Asked what shes learnt about money along the way, she replies, Ive learnt what you can live without. Until I was 18, I had a very nice, entitled life. Then my dad had some things that went a bit wrong. So I went and earned a salary, working a Saturday job at Partridges [delicatessen], cutting the meat. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do  probably until I was 27. The years before were really difficult.

Advertisement

Thats an understatement. Unlike Cinderella, Woodalls isnt a rags to riches tale, but a riches to rags to riches one. Born Sarah-Jane Woodall (the Trinny nickname came from a friend who likened her to a St Trinians character) in London, her father was a banker, her mother Ann his second wife. The youngest of three children (with three half-siblings from her fathers first marriage), she was sent to boarding school aged six. It did take balls  it was very scary. But I knew I had no alternative. Nobody becomes a great entrepreneur from a place of comfort. At 16, she started experimenting with drugs, with alcohol becoming an addiction in her 20s. Stints in rehab followed until, at 26, having lost close friends to alcoholism, she reached rock bottom and sought treatment for a final time. She has been sober for 32 years. Her next brush with dependency came by proxy, after her marriage to property developer Johnny Elichaoff in 1999. Their 10 years together were marred by his addiction to painkillers, acquired after a motorbike accident in 2006. Trinny went through 16 rounds of IVF and several miscarriages before their daughter, Lyla, was born in 2003. The pair split in 2009, co-parenting amicably until 2014, when Elichaoff

fell to his death from the roof of a shopping centre in London, having lost all his assets due to a string of failed investments. Creditors launched legal action against Trinny, seeking repayment of his debts, despite them having being accrued after their divorce. The case was dismissed in late 2016. Trinny is incredibly close to Lyla, now a cheerful 18-year-old who plans to take a year out before studying film at a university in New York. She got a scholarship, says Trinny proudly.

Advertisement

At the weekend, the pair attended a bat mitzvah together, giving Trinny a rare opportunity to dance with Lyla. That made me happy. There was one guy there, dancing with his three daughters. Those are the moments when I wish Lyla still had a dad. All these people came up and said, Youve brought up such a nice daughter, and I was so proud. Lyla can be very kind. She can also be very covetous of her mothers wardrobe. She sniffs around. She helped herself to my Gabriela Hearst jacket the other day. Lyla has a very eclectic style. I love it. The biggest challenge of raising a teenager is, she says, doing it without her father. Not having the other person in the room to say what I should do. Loading Though Lyla has a half-brother, Zak, 27, Trinny says that not having siblings is the reason she sent her to boarding school. Hardest decision. But she still feels centred with my life because theres only her in it. She knows Id drop everything for her. She does worry about passing on the genes that made her and Elichaoff prone to addiction, but adds, I think the most important thing that you can give a child is a sense of confidence. So whatever path she chooses to take in her life, shes not taking it from fear. Its important to make them feel seen, loved, everything. Flaws and all. Successful as shes been, it wasnt until her 50s that Trinny came to love her own flaws. When you reach 50, you dont care. You dont worry what people think about you, and that gives you a great freedom to say what you feel. Now, what you see is what you get.

Advertisement
Raw sewage is leaking into Sydney Harbour, amid an ongoing dispute over a plan to upgrade Sydneys ageing wastewater system.

Sydney Water wants to construct a pump station at Parsley Bay in Vaucluse as part of a project to stop raw sewage from Sydneys eastern suburbs being dumped into the ocean.

Nicole McMahon (second from right) with residents concerned about Sydney Waters plans to build a pump station at Parsley Bay. Credit:Louise Kennerley

However, residents opposed to the project say it will lead to the loss of green space, and that its environmental impact has not been properly assessed.

And the proposed facility will also not stop raw sewage from leaking into the harbour, Bushcare volunteer Nicole McMahon said.
Perth man arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs into Bali

Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later.

Dismiss
P&O Cruises, historically the cruise line of choice for middle Australia, is making a major play for the pink dollar.

The company is making its first foray into the LGBTQ+ travel market and is promising passengers drag queens, cabaret stars and comedians, as well as what it claims will be the largest ship-board weddings ever staged.

Five Pride Cruises will set sail over the next 15 months.

Australias first Pride Cruise will depart Sydney on November 4 on P&Os Pacific Adventure. Credit:

Ten couples (same-sex, gender-diverse and straight LGBTQ-supportive) will take part in ceremonies before 2500 passengers after winning a competition. The weddings will be hosted by entertainer Bob Downe (performer Mark Trevorrow) aboard the Pacific Adventure, which departs Sydney on November 4, and also the Pacific Explorer, which departs Melbourne on December 9.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size It was in a busy hospital office that newly qualified speech pathologist Charlotte Moore wondered if she had made a big mistake. Sitting at her computer, typing her notes, the 28-year-olds brain could not remain focused on the screen in front of her. She cared about the work  being a speechie was her dream job  but her mind simply could not stay in one spot. It jumped around the room, turning its attention to the conversations between the nurses behind her, tracking the rhythm of medical machines in the background, noting the movements of every person coming in and out the door. Charlotte Moore, a speech pathologist and member of the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Credit:Wolter Peeters Meanwhile, Tania Gricia, 53, had returned to study when she started to experience an overwhelming brain fog. At first, she put it down to perimenopause, only it felt different  and targeted to when she was doing her coursework. I would struggle with the readings, I wasnt meeting deadlines  things that had happened to me in previous periods of life and I would dismiss them, thinking it was just a personality flaw, she says. But I knew that I wasnt lazy. When I was working I could focus. So, why not now? Both Charlotte and Tania are among a growing number of adults, particularly women, being diagnosed with ADHD. For Tania, the diagnosis meant an overhaul of how she scheduled her time. For Charlotte, it triggered a move away from practising in a busy hospital and into community care, as well as relief that she had not completely misread her aptitude in the field. It wasnt that I was bad at my job, the job just wasnt compatible with the way that my brain works  and thats OK. ADHD is an acronym we hear a lot these days, but why? What is it? And how is it diagnosed?

Advertisement

Loading Whats ADHD? In a world where our phones feed us a constant stream of text and social media notifications, being unable to focus can feel like a normal symptom of modern life. But the experiences of people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are more debilitating and severe than just being easily distracted. The key is functional impairment: its not enough to just have difficulty with your memory or with keeping attention, it has to be impacting areas of your life, says Tamara Cavenett, president of the Australian Psychological Society. ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions in children, impacting about one in 20 Australian kids. An early iteration of the condition called hyperkinetic reaction of childhood was first listed in the practitioners standard text, the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM) in 1968, but its definition has been tweaked several times since. The major feature of ADHD is the inability to hold attention when a person is not interested in what they are doing, says the University of Sydneys Professor Adam Guastella. This can manifest in forgetfulness, being unable to focus, or hyperactivity and acting out  even when a person knows they shouldnt. When someone with ADHD is forced to focus on something they do not want to for any period of time, it can become almost painful. This makes ADHD different to autism, which centres on whether someone understands social situations. But most kids with one neurodevelopment disorder will be diagnosed with another, says Guastella, who is also chair in child and youth mental health at Sydney Childrens Hospital Westmead. He notes that 60 per cent of children with autism have ADHD. (Inversely, about 40 per cent of children with ADHD also have autism.)

Advertisement

You may remember the term ADD  once used to describe a non-hyperactive form of the disorder  but that is now obsolete. Since the most recent DSM edition  DSM-5, released in 2013  ADHD has been an umbrella term for three different presentations: predominantly inattentive, which may have previously been diagnosed as ADD, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined (with elements of both). Across all categories, ADHD impacts a persons executive function: their ability to complete tasks through higher-level cognitive skills such as working memory and impulse control. When someone with ADHD is forced to focus on something they do not want to for any period of time, it can become almost painful. While Tania could focus at work, her condition made committing to study impossible. She struggled to explain to family and friends why the tips they would give her for overcoming procrastination or refocusing were not enough. For Charlotte, it was the loud work environment that shattered her concentration. As with many other people diagnosed as an adult, learning the symptoms of ADHD made some longstanding habits make more sense. Ive always been messy, she says. As a kid, my mum just wouldnt understand how I could have such a messy room. And now, as an adult living by myself, its something I really need to watch because I never think to put something away. And when I was in uni, I would be terrible at exams because I just couldnt remember things. Credit:Artwork: Monique Westermann How is the disorder diagnosed?

Advertisement

Like other neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD is more common in people with a family history. And UNSW child psychology researcher Professor Valsamma Eapen says there can be signs from early in development. As babies, they have less need for sleep, want too many things to always keep them occupied, she says. Most diagnoses are in school children, when behaviours such as hyperactivity and inability to focus become apparent, although a growing number of people are being diagnosed as adults (more on that below). Not all children who have ADHD carry it to adulthood but somewhere between half and three-quarters will. Not enough is known about why, says Associate Professor Katherine Johnson, director of the University of Melbournes Attention Dynamics Lab. Some [adults] will only have partial symptoms and some will no longer have the condition altogether. A mental health professional can diagnose the condition  usually a psychiatrist, who can prescribe medication as treatment, or a psychologist  following a GP referral. There is no single test. Assessments usually take place over several appointments, and may include interviews about past incidents and the persons general history, as well as working through checklists of symptoms and situations a person has found themselves in  Do they often lose things? Do they often interrupt others?  and standardised behaviour rating scales. Because of the overlap with symptoms of other mental disorders such as anxiety it is important to receive a formal diagnosis. A huge part of it is differentiating their symptoms from anything else that could cause those symptoms, says Cavenett. Its not uncommon in a child for the symptoms of ADHD to actually be anxiety or trauma. The condition is considered under-diagnosed in girls. Boys can show more externalising behaviour, they are more impulsive and hyperactive, which makes them more likely to attract the attention of a teacher when they are at primary school, Johnson says. But, in girls, it more commonly presents as inattentiveness. They are sitting in a classroom, but their mind is not on what the teacher is saying. That may not always attract the same attention. I would say a lot of things before my brain even processed what I was saying, as its always going a million miles an hour. Stephanie Quaglia, 30, is seeing a psychiatrist who has diagnosed her with ADHD following multiple appointments. She believes her condition was missed by teachers when she was a child.

Advertisement

I looked through all of my school reports and every single one of them from kindergarten to year six says something like, Stephanie is easily distracted, slow to complete tasks, talks too much, she says. Stephanie also completed some cognitive assessments as a child  the WISC intelligence test and Neale literacy test  which said she was within the acceptable range of intelligence but easily distracted and needed encouragement to complete challenging tasks. When I showed the psychiatrist he was pretty shocked nothing came from this, but I guess it just shows how it wasnt really diagnosed in girls back then, she says. When Sarah, a pseudonym, was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager, it came after years of being labelled as having behavioural problems. Her private high school in Sydney said she could continue to attend classes only if she took medication prescribed for her ADHD. The main struggles for me were, and still are, hyperactivity and lack of concentration, the 29-year-old says. Something that I did a lot of, that I now recognise was ADHD, was speaking without thinking. I would say a lot of things before my brain even processed what I was saying, as its always going a million miles an hour. Why are more adults being diagnosed with ADHD? Although mental health professionals had been treating adults with ADHD-type symptoms for decades, adult ADHD was recognised by the DSM as a mental disorder only in 2013. Eapen says this change has likely led to an increase in awareness of adult ADHD among professionals assessing clients, although it does not fully explain the astronomical rise in adults  particularly women  seeking a diagnosis. The mental health professionals interviewed for this story all agreed the popularity of content focused on ADHD on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram had played a role, with this content de-stigmatising a condition once associated with badly behaved children.

Advertisement
Recriminations have continued to flow over the defeat of controversial candidate Katherine Deves at the May election, with Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg telling local members the way they were treated by the party ahead of polling day was a complete disgrace and outrage.

Members of the Liberal Partys Warringah federal electorate conference met on Saturday for their annual general meeting, where they elected PwC consultant and former prominent Young Liberal Alex Dore as their next president.

Katherine Deves controversial opinions on transgender women in sport made Warringah the focal point of a national transgender debate. Credit:Jessica Hromas

Deves delivered the candidates report at the meeting, her first appearance before local party members since her resounding defeat to independent MP Zali Steggall in Tony Abbotts previously safe blue-ribbon seat on Sydneys northern beaches.

The womens sport activist was handpicked by former prime minister Scott Morrison just a week before he called the election.
The border closure to fight the COVID-19 pandemic is over, but the era of stranded Australians is not.

Sydneysider Tristan Ram is one of nearly 9000 permanent residents stuck outside Australia because of the delays choking the immigration system, a situation Home Affairs Minister Clare ONeil has described as an enormous backlog inherited from the previous government.

Ram has been stranded in Canada, and separated from his two children, since July when he made what was intended to be a four-day trip to visit his mother in Toronto. Two months later he is still waiting for a resident return visa, which would allow him to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

Tristan Ram is a permanent resident who has been waiting since July for a resident return visa to return to his home, children and job in Sydney. Credit:Eugen Sakhnenko

Its really tough because Im really close to my children, and Ive not seen them in over two months, Ram said. Ive never missed a birthday before, so it was tough missing my sons 8th birthday. Then we were hoping to see each other for Fathers Day, but I missed that too.
Always be yourself, advises a favourite Millennial saying. Unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman.

Perhaps anticipating the eventual Millennial hegemony, Queen Elizabeth II lived by this advice. On her 21st birthday  a milestone which is fast receding into memory for most Millennials  she promised that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on the balcony at Buckingham Palace following her coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1953. Credit:AP

She carried through on her promise. The tributes to the Queen have centred on her service, her stability, and her unfailing sense of duty. Elizabeth Windsor is celebrated and mourned primarily because, instead of being herself, she chose, as it were, to be Batman.

Queen Elizabeth II defined an era, but the way we mourn her says a lot about the current zeitgeist. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shown that he understands the mood and is aligning with it.
So its a western Sydney shootout. The Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels will meet in an NRL grand final. The powerhouse gunning for two titles in a row meets the club looking to finally end a 36-year premiership drought. Its a scriptwriters dream.

The Panthers were phenomenal against South Sydney tonight and they will head back to Accor Stadium next week as premiership favourites. They outclassed the Eels a fortnight ago, but remember the storyline leading into that game was about how Parramatta had given Penrith so much trouble in recent times. This one hangs in the balance.

Im Caden Helmers, thanks for joining me tonight. Big thanks if you were on the Bledisloe blog with me too, its been a belter of an evening. Now as I sign off, Ill ask you to do something: check in on someone about how theyre really going, open up to someone about how youre really going. Vulnerability is powerful, and youre never alone.

Enjoy grand final week, its the best week of the year.
Washington: President Vladimir Putin of Russia has thrust himself more directly into strategic planning for the war in Ukraine in recent weeks, American officials said, including rejecting requests from his commanders on the ground that they be allowed to retreat from the vital southern city of Kherson.

A withdrawal from Kherson would allow the Russian military to pull back across the Dnieper River in an orderly way, preserving its equipment and saving the lives of soldiers.

Ukrainian soldiers fire in the recently retaken Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine. Credit:AP

But such a retreat would be another humiliating public acknowledgment of Putins failure in the war and would hand a second major victory to Ukraine in one month. Kherson was the first major city to fall to the Russians in the initial invasion and remains the only regional capital under Moscows control. Retaking it would be a major accomplishment for President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.

Focused on victory at all costs, Putin has become a more public face of the war as the Russian military appears increasingly in turmoil, forcing him to announce a call-up this week that could sweep 300,000 Russian civilians into military service. This month, Moscow has demonstrated it has too few troops to continue its offensive, suffers from shortages of high-tech precision weaponry and has been unable to gain dominance of Ukraines skies.
Ukraine's military says Russia has attacked key port city

Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later.

Dismiss
~ Complaint to be filed against Prosecutors Office, Mingo's house sold under value by Prosecutors~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The legal team representing former CEO of Ports St. Maarten Mark Mingo has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the Government of St. Maarten for firing Mingo as the CEO of Ports St. Maarten prematurely.

Mingo was let go by the former Minister of TEATT Ludmilla de Weever after obtaining the green light from the Council of Ministers in July 2020, the decision of the council of minister states that Mingos dismissal went into effect as of April 23rd, 2020, where he was dismissed as the CEO of the Harbor Holding and all its subsidiaries. The dismissal took place six years after Mingo was officially suspended since he was under investigation in the Emerald investigation where he was cleared of all charges in the court of appeals.

The court of First Instance had sentenced Mingo to 46 months of imprisonment, in the dismissal the council of ministers states that the conviction has caused irreparable damages to the government-owned company.

At the time of the dismissal, Mark Mingo was still pursuing the courts to clear his name which was done by the Court of Appeals.

Currently, the legal team for Mark Mingo, who has been represented by Attorney at Law Cor Merx is seeking damages for the damages caused to his character.

Mingo told reporters that he has given the company Ports St. Maarten- Harbor Groups of Companies a lot and has built the company over the years he worked as the Chief Executive Officer. I have built that company from a $7M company to a $50 million dollar company that has a value. He made clear that he is demanding justice and compensation for the five years of hell.

Mingo said a letter was sent to the Government of St. Maarten on August 27th and to date, there has not been any formal response from the government of St. Maarten.

The former CEO said that he wants to move on with his life, and the only way to do that must be able to close part one, he made clear that he is pro-settlement out of court, however, the attorney has set deadlines one of which has passed two days ago.

Merx explained that Mingos legal team believes that there must be a multi-million claim for the damages that Mingo suffered.

He said Mingo was a statutory director of the Harbor Group of Companies, but Mingo has been working at the harbor since 2002. Merx said that the shareholders fired Mingo when they were not allowed to do so since Mingo had a labor agreement. He felt that the Supervisory Board Directors of the Harbor Group of Companies did not advise the shareholder correctly instead they agreed with the former Minister of TEATT and went ahead to illegally fire Mingo.

Along with the multi-million dollar claim against the government of St. Maarten Mingos legal team intends to file a complaint against 7 prosecutors that handled the Mingo case. Merx said that the prosecutor's Office played a game or formed a conspiracy with the harbor when they solicited to see who exactly will chop off Mingos head.

Merx announced that a civil case is still running and in that case, compensation is also requested for all legal fees.

Merx also explained that the prosecutor's Office placed a lien on Mingo's house and a parcel of land and 14 days before the Court of Appeals rendered its verdict they sold the house under market value.

He said other things that have to be dealt with are his pension and loss of income. Another thing that has to be considered is who would hire Mingo after he went through it.

Merx said when the investigation began the Prosecutors office wanted to go after the $10M from the harbor, he also referred to news articles and a report from PriceWaterhouse where it states that there is something going on in the harbor that is not normal, but Mingos name was not mentioned. He said about a year after the investigation the prosecutors office came up with the idea that something was wrong with the local entrepreneurs that got paid for the services they provided, and it is then Mingos name surfaced.

Merx laid out the way the investigation went and even explained that even the court denied the request of the public prosecutor to continue an investigation at the Port of St. Maarten while Mingo is on suspension.

Merx a former prosecutor said that the procedure was not normal even decisions taken by the courts. He said even the prosecutors office recognized that Mingo was a victim and the real bad people are Theodore Heyliger and Ton van Krotten he said all of this is in writing.

He said that Mingo was set free by the appeals court, he described Mingo as the man of the soil whose head was cut off and was allowed to survive while being suspended and the investigation was ongoing.
~ Project Management Team plans to take workers and airlines out of Terminal Building.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Council of Ministers dispatched a letter to the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) seeking clarification on a number of things that have developed.

SMN News learned that the Council of Ministers is seeking information on the planned delay in the finalization of the Terminal Building by Ballas Nedam. They asked who is responsible for the scheduling and when exactly PJIAE management was informed of the planned delay.

The COM wants to know what the financial implications of the delay will be and when exactly the contractor plans to finish the project. They also asked if the World Bank was informed of the delay and when exactly did the management know that there was going to be an extended delay. The COM asks why the Shareholder wasnt informed or the PJIAE Holding Board.

The Council of Ministers expressed their disapproval of the developments at PJIAE and especially how management handled the situation.

Besides the planned delay which is not yet determined the Project Management Team of PJIAE has decided to remove all the airlines and airport staff from the Terminal Building and to now place them in tents so that they could work faster.

SMN News learned that the contractor and its staff are unable to work during the day because the workers of PJIAE have been complaining about the noise made while the construction work is carried out.

PJIAE already rented tents from Miami after the passing of Hurricane Irma, the renting of those tents cost the airport an enormous amount of money.

What is troubling in this situation is that the former chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors Alex Dijkhoffz had warned the management team when they opted to spend thousands of dollars to ship the tents back to Miami Florida instead of purchasing the tents and storing them on St. Maarten for future use. Questions are now being posed as to who will cover the costs to rent tents for the planned move. The planned move will affect all concessionaires that are asked to invest hundreds of thousands to rebuild their stores based on the plans made by PJIAE.

SMN News also learned that PJIAE hired former Member of Parliament Claude Chaco Peterson as a senior consultant. Peterson was recently introduced to the staff of PJIAE.

Efforts made to reach Chief Executive Officer Brian Mingo for a comment proved futile.
HARBOR VIEW:--- From Tuesday, September 20, 2022, until Friday, September 23, 2022, His Excellency Governor Eugene B. Holiday paid a working visit to The Netherlands as part of his farewell as Governor of Sint Maarten. On Tuesday he attended the opening of the Parliamentary Year (Prinsjesdag) in The Hague. Later that day there was a formal Governors meeting with the Governor of Aruba and the State Secretary of Kingdom Relations, Alexandra Van Huffelen. Unfortunately, the Governor of Curacao was not able to join.

On Wednesday the Governor met with Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The Governor expressed his appreciation to the Prime Minister for their years of cooperation. The Prime Minister thanked the Governor for his efforts for Sint Maarten and the Kingdom. Subsequently, Governor Holiday visited the President of the Supreme Court (Hoge Raad), Dineke De Groot, and together with the Governor of Aruba, he had a lunch meeting with the President of the Dutch Human Rights Committee, Jacobine Geel.

Thursday started with a meeting with the State Secretary of Justice and Security, Eric van der Burg. The meeting with the State Secretary was followed by a meeting with the Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten, Rene Violenus. They looked back at the 12-year tenure of the Governor and spoke about the future and the challenges and opportunities for Sint Maarten that lie ahead. On Thursday evening the Minister Plenipotentiary hosted a reception in honor of Governor Holiday. Amongst the invited guests were Sint Maarten students and members of the Sint Maarten diaspora in The Netherlands.

On Friday, the Governor paid a courtesy visit to the Commander of the Armed Forces, Onno Eichelsheim, and had a meeting with State Secretary of Kingdom Relations, Alexandra van Huffelen. State Secretary Van Huffelen.

Friday afternoon State Secretary Van Huffelen hosted a farewell reception for Governor Holiday in the St. Jacob church, better known as Grote Kerk in The Hague. Among the guests present were ministers, state secretaries, former employees of the Cabinet of the Governor as well as family members of Governor Holiday. Also present was former Vice-chair of the Council of State, Herman Tjeenk Willink. He gave a speech looking back at his experiences and memories of working with the Governor. Mr. Tjeenk Willink touched upon a few of the many remarkable moments of the last 12 years such as his handling of the many constitutional crises and his ability to surround himself with the right people for advice and guidance when needed. State Secretary Van Huffelen in her speech noted that Governor Holiday helped Sint Maarten through disasters such as hurricane Irma and the Covid pandemic. Van Huffelen praised his thoroughness, integrity, and always putting Sint Maartens interest first. She also mentioned how the Governor contributed to the development of Sint Maarten as a country by paying special attention to youth. In 2020 he established the Governors Youth Awards for Excellence and every year he invited several elementary schools to visit the Cabinet of the Governor to learn about the work of the Governor and the organization that supports him. The State Secretary referred to the Governors willingness to lend a listening ear to many in the Sint Maarten community. She described him as a father of the people (burgervader). She concluded by emphasizing the wonderful job Governor Holiday did for the past 12 years and his devotion to the development of Sint Maarten. For his contribution and his accomplishments both as Governor but also in other capacities, he received a royal decoration from His Majesty the King through State Secretary Van Huffelen. Governor Holiday is now Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau.
The permanent value of gold

Gold does not stand for quick speculative profits but fulfills the function of a currency.

In the long run, gold maintains the real value of assets. So, it should not matter so much to investors if an ounce of gold sometimes costs more and sometimes less. In times of crisis, the true value inherent in gold becomes apparent. Around 50 percent of the total global demand for gold goes to the jewelry industry. If people are doing well economically, jewelry demand generally increases, which in turn drives the price up. If the price of gold goes down, the supply of gold goes down, because gold mines then operate less profitably. Which in turn is good for the price of the precious metal. And gold is not only in demand in the jewelry sector, but also in industry and in the investment sector, and rightly so.

Today, the risks of stagflation and fears of recession should drive the gold price. From a historical perspective, the gold price has performed well in such times. Even if the summer was rather rainy for the precious metal, gold should not be disregarded by a prudent investor. In August, the strong US dollar in particular caused headwinds for the price of the precious metal. Gold ETFs had to record outflows for the fourth month in a row. Whereby the outflows in August were lower than in July. So there, sentiment seems to be improving. But investors should not be discouraged by this. Low prices are always entry opportunities and over the centuries gold has never disappointed. Gold is also affected by the so-called currency effect. It is not really the value of gold that increases, but the currencies depreciate against the precious metal. So maybe now is the best time to join gold companies like Tarachi Gold or Condor Gold.

In the Sierra Madre gold belt in Mexico, Tarachi Gold  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvnfOE-2hXU  owns the prospective Tarachi project. A second project in Mexico is expected to start gold production early next year.

Condor Gold  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REviBt8eE_4  has just announced the very positive results of a feasibility study for its La India Gold Project in Nicaragua.

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/




Mr. Castillo participated in the ceremony to celebrate the Day of the Peruvian Armed Forces.

Within this framework, the top official indicated that the Peruvian State has the obligation to provide the Armed Forces with all the equipment and requirements for the effectiveness of their actions, as well as to watch over their personnel especially the troops.

"Therefore, I announce that as of October, a Supreme Decree will be signed to increase by a third, from S/8 (US$2.04) to S/12 (US$3.07), the concept of food for every Armed Forces troop member; it will benefit thousands of young people, who are part of the voluntary military service program," he expressed.

The Commander-in-Chief indicated that this decision comes in response to a clamor from the vigilant soldiers of the homeland, who for many years "had been left behind."

Within this framework, he paid tribute to Peru's Army, Navy, and Air Force tutelary institutions that are part of the history and structure of the rule of law, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of Peru's Armed Forces.

President Castillo affirmed that military institutions are trained with a high degree of efficiency and rely on professional skills for national defense. Besides, they are committed to the consolidation of international peace through their increasing participation in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.

Similarly, the top official specified that a multisectoral commission will be set up soon. It will craft a technical report for the efficient use of resources that allow the repowering and modernization of the Armed Forces and the National Police.

Unity and commitment

Moreover, the President specified that Peru is experiencing a decisive moment in its history.

Thus, he said this circumstance should remind the State powers, as well as political and social movements, business groups, workers, and all Peruvians "that the future of the country is in our hands."





"Let's work with unity, commitment, and responsibility; the stability of democracy lies in the ability to dialogue, above our differences, leaving aside confrontations and accusations. (...) No challenge is more important than the Peru Agenda to fight against poverty and inequality," he added.



El presidente del Consejo de Ministros, Anibal Torres, participa en la ceremonia central por el Dia de las Fuerzas Armadas, presidida por el jefe de Estado, Pedro Castillo, en la Plaza a la Bandera. pic.twitter.com/bVM3vMWzVf  Consejo de Ministros (@pcmperu) September 23, 2022

#AHORA | El presidente de la Republica @PedroCastilloTe lidera ceremonia por el Dia de las Fuerzas Armadas del Peru en la Plaza de la Bandera, distrito de Pueblo Libre. pic.twitter.com/73rbnHNPGx  Presidencia del Peru ???? (@presidenciaperu) September 23, 2022

(END) JCC/MVB

The President of the Republic Pedro Castillo on Friday announced the increase in the concept of food for the Armed Forces' troop personnel.Publicado: 23/9/2022
Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (134) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (347) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (440) Jan 2014 (545) Feb 2014 (475) Mar 2014 (525) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (470) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (441) Oct 2014 (471) Nov 2014 (496) Dec 2014 (535) Jan 2015 (535) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (579) Apr 2015 (657) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (921) Nov 2015 (801) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (864) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (966) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (808) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (934) Jul 2019 (949) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (848) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (787) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (811) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (694) Feb 2022 (654) Mar 2022 (740) Apr 2022 (745) May 2022 (748) Jun 2022 (701) Jul 2022 (704) Aug 2022 (702) Sep 2022 (699) Oct 2022 (48)
President Klaus Iohannis stated, on Friday, that the "new evolution of the narrative" of Russia, which is a "more or less direct threat of a nuclear war against Europe, is unacceptable" and must be fought with all determination, yet Romania, as part of NATO, is prepared for any scenario, and Romanians should not panic, told Agerpres.

"No one wants war, except Russia, Russia that attacked Ukraine. And the new evolution of the narrative, which is a more or less direct threat of nuclear war against Europe, is simply unacceptable and must be fought with all determination, the way these referendums that are being held these days in areas of Ukraine that have been occupied by Russia are completely unacceptable and I think they will not be recognized by practically anyone. But we cannot treat these threats lightly. Romania, as part of NATO, is prepared for any scenario, but we don't want any scenario, the scenario we want is Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine and peace negotiations, for that I think everyone must get involved. Romanians should not panic, Romania has no plans to go to war, just as NATO has no plans to go to war with Russia, but de-escalation must exist on both sides, we cannot just say that we want peace and the other side to threaten us with war. It is a very tense situation and we, who have the longest border with Ukraine among all NATO allies, are in a special position, but we are determined to face any scenario," the president said.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, President Klaus Iohannis led the delegation that participated, in New York, in the high-level segment of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly. On Thursday and Friday, the president paid a visit to San Francisco.
The French-Romanian cooperation model can prove auspicious regarding the investment projects foreseen in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) as well, President Klaus Iohannis told a message sent, on Friday, to the Gala of the French Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Romania (CCIFER), presented by Cosmin Marinescu, presidential adviser in the Department of Economic and Social Policies, told Agerpres.

The president congratulated the entire French business community in our country for the performances and for the active involvement in the development of bilateral relations and appreciated the theme of the event - the transition to a green economy - which is one of the main political concerns at the level of the European Union, but also a real challenge for the competitiveness and development premises of the Union's economies.

President Iohannis emphasized that agriculture, trade and financial-banking services have attracted almost 90% of the volume of French investments in Romania in the last 30 years of bilateral relations.

"Representative for French investment interests remains the agricultural sector, whose percentage of total investments significantly exceeds 50%, and this sector stands out through a distinct portfolio at the level of your organization," the president pointed out.

* * *

The strategic partnership between Romania and France has an important economic component for both countries, French investments in our country representing 10% of the total foreign direct investments, with a value of 8.7 billion euros, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca declared on Friday evening, as he attended the Gala of the French Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Romania.

"This year the French Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture celebrates 26 years of activity in Romania. Your importance is found in the activity of the 4,150 companies with majority French capital whose cumulative turnover amounts to 18 billion euros. French capital has created over 125,000 direct jobs on the Romanian market. I particularly appreciate the fact that France is one of the most important commercial partners of Romania, holding the 3rd place in exports and the 7th place in imports. The 3rd place is also held by France in the ranking of investors, with investments of 8.7 billion euros, representing almost 10% of the total foreign direct investments," Nicolae Ciuca said.

"Although we are going through multiple crises, with global implications, we have managed to ensure stability and predictability for fiscal policies. Through the measures we have taken, we have managed to gain the trust of investors, your trust, which has translated into an increase in foreign direct investments by 43.7% in the first 7 months of the year, reaching 5.5 billion euros," Ciuca added.
Perhaps you have some lessons that would use us, surely there are some areas where you can tell us how you think it would have been good for things to work in Romania," President Klaus Iohannis said on Friday at a meeting with Romanian entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, told Agerpres.

"I have only one objective with my visit to the West Coast: to meet people from the Romanian community. I have no political objectives here, nor have I set out to enter into bilateral relations, that is what we do more on the East Coast. (...) I wanted to meet with businessmen, research people from the Romanian community to listen to you. I don't have any lessons to give you, but perhaps you have some lessons that would use us. You are (...) successful people and I am really interested in knowing what should happen so that this success of yours has happened in Romania or happened to others in Romania. I do not want in any way to question your motivations for leaving Romania, but surely there are some areas where you can tell us how you think it would have been good for things to work in Romania," Iohannis said at the meeting with Romanian entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.

He recalled the "Educated Romania" project.

"According to my opinion, without a well-educated and well-prepared youth for the labour market, for education, for research Romania has no chances. We are a country with a serious demographic problem, the population is aging, we are getting less and less and in order to remain in the top we must be more and more efficient, or, more and more efficient can only be better prepared, but obviously the continuation of education is integration into the labour market and it is clear that the purpose of a very good quality education is for every Romanian to find the right place and to be successful in the work that he/she also submits it in the best way to like what he/she does," Iohannis said.

Romania's Ambassador to the U.S., Andrei Muraru, said that Romanian entrepreneurs in the U.S. could play an important role in developing the economic component of the Strategic Partnership.

"This Partnership has been a vector of Romania's integration into the transatlantic security space and of the consolidation of democratic values for 25 years and we intend that in the coming years we will add an important component of economic development and consolidation of prosperity and we believe that you can play a very important role here, because you are important vectors of our bilateral relationship and you have the potential to further boost the dynamics of our cooperation with the US," Muraru stressed.

The event was also attended by the honorary consul of Romania in San Francisco, George Roth.

I hope that the meeting with you will be a starting point for the creation of a body based on a public private partnership that will help entrepreneurs in Romania who have built successful companies, who have developed technologies or who have good research results to come to the Bay Area, in Silicon Valley, with the help of those here to succeed in globalising their companies and having access to substantial financing. Models of this kind have many countries here: Canada, Czech Republic, Israel, Belgium, France, Germany, Bulgaria. Romania has not, unfortunately, George Roth said.

President Klaus Iohannis led on Tuesday and Wednesday the delegation that participated in the high-level segment of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. On Thursday and Friday, the president made a visit to San Francisco.
For the first time since ever the EU Commission has proposed to freeze payments to a member state, in this case Hungary, for violating the rule of law and alleged corruption. Now the member states will have to decide.

The European Commission wants to withhold 7.5 billion euros in payments to Hungary because of alleged corruption and rule of law violations, Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn said on September 18, told Agerpres.

"Today's decision is a clear demonstration of the Commission's resolve to protect the EU budget, and to use all tools at our disposal to ensure this important objective," said Hahn.

Various EU bodies have accused Viktor Orban of dismantling democracy in Hungary as well as overlooking pervasive corruption and disregarding the rule of law. This is the first time the commission has attempted to take the step of cutting off funding due to concerns about rule of law problems in a member state.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen started the process of restricting funding in April of this year by using a rule of law mechanism - also dubbed conditionality mechanism - that was implemented in 2021 to ensure that EU members adhere to the bloc's general principles. A key condition for drawing the mechanism is the conviction that EU funds are being misused.

Hungary has shown some willingness to tackle the problem, including announcing an independent authority to monitor the use of EU funds. Budapest might still avoid the freezing of its funds if it eliminates the reasons that prompted the proposal before the expiration of the deadline. The EU Commission has said this might work, but needs to be implemented properly.

The freezing of funds must now be approved within one month by a qualified majority of the Member States. However, by member states' decision, the deadline can be extended for another two months. In order to block the funds, a majority of 15 EU countries representing 65 percent of the EU's population would have to approve the plan. How did the EU states react?

- Poland supports Hungary -

Warsaw assured on September 18 that it would oppose "any move" by Brussels to deprive Hungary of the 7.5 billion euros of European funding.

"Poland will strongly oppose any move by the European institutions to deprive a member country, in this case Hungary, of funds in an absolutely unauthorized manner," declared Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to the press.

The head of the Polish nationalist-populist government, also in conflict with Brussels, which accuses him of not respecting the rule of law, recalled that his Hungarian counterpart and ally Viktor Orban had already prepared "a plan for agreement with the European Commission."

- Hungary plays role in Italian election campaign -

For Italian far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, tipped for victory in the September 25 general election in Italy, there is an issue of sovereignty here, which sooner or later will have to be addressed. "European decision-making bodies are governing bodies," she explained on September 18. "We say that sovereignty belongs to the people and manifests itself in parliamentary choices. It is a debate that we have to conduct politely, and this does not mean leaving the EU, but giving correctives."

Meloni clarified further, "Orban will make his choices, but I do not do what Orban says, I only have the Italian national interest in mind." However, "I do not agree with what the EU is doing with Hungary. We are in the midst of a war against the West. We are not interested in splitting Europe, but in uniting Europe more strongly against its adversaries. At the UN assembly, Hungary did not vote with Russia, but with Europe. And Poland is in the front line of the clash with Russia, and is taking on refugees from Ukraine."

Meloni is campaigning for the election as part of a right-wing coalition that includes Matteo Salvini's far-right League party and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia. The last polls published before a pre-election blackout put the alliance on course to take 46 percent of the vote, well ahead of its rivals.

The leader of the Democratic Party (Partito Democratico/PD) Enrico Letta sharply emphasized his distance to the center-right alliance. "We do not want an Italy that binds itself to Hungary as Salvini today proposed to do," he explained on. "We do not want an Italy that winks at Orban and Putin, we want an Italy that is in the heart of Europe and is faithful to its alliances."

- Slovakia and Croatia prefer settlement -

The European Commission acts as agreed by the EU member states when it approves the EU budget for seven years, stated Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger on the Commission's proposal. Heger pointed out that, when approving the EU budget, the conditionality of the rule of law was adopted to help combat the abuse of EU funds in member states. "This is, after all, a long-term priority for my government. Slovakia knows very well from its own experience in the days of former governments what it means to steal EU funds," he said.

He also noted that communication between Hungary and the EU Commission on the set of measures that Hungary is prepared to take to strengthen structures for protecting EU funds is very intense at present. Consequently, there is no need to suspend Hungary's drawdown of the funds. "Of course, this is the preferred scenario," he stated.

According to him, the proposal cannot be vetoed. Heger recalled that a qualified majority of EU member states will decide on the final version of the proposal after the expiry of the one-month period. Slovakia is ready to support the extension for another two months in order to give Hungary more time to negotiate, Heger said.

"Croatia supports all mechanisms for the protection of the rule of law, including this one on conditionality," Andreja Metelko Zgombic

Croatia's State Secretray for Europe, said in Brussels, where she attended a meeting of the General Affairs Council on September 20. She would like Brussels and Budapest to settle their dispute through agreement. Budapest could avoid sanctions if it eliminated the reasons that prompted this proposal in due time. "We were glad to hear that the Commission and Hungary have agreed on a time frame to address this matter, which might last two months at most, and that there is room for agreement. We would like to see these preventive mechanisms work and achieve their purpose," Metelko Zgombic said.

- Romanian President Iohannis: "Any drastic measure must be well-discussed and well-founded" -

With regard to the proposal, "Romania's perspective is that any drastic measure must be well-discussed and well-founded," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on September 20.

"My hope is still that communication channels between Brussels and Budapest and solutions to these problems are found, because otherwise fronts are hardening, the dissent increases - and I don't think anyone wants new crises to occur inside the European Union that simply cannot bring anything good. I hope to continue on the path of dialogue on this topic as well," Iohannis said in New York.

- Austria doesn't want compromises on rule of law -

Austrian European Affairs Minister Karoline Edtstadler (Austrian People's Party, OVP) took a wait-and-see approach after the EU Commission's proposal. Budapest has already presented reform steps and a plan, Edtstadler said on September 20 before the meeting with her EU counterparts in Brussels. Now, she said, it is a matter of how the Czech presidency deals with the EU Commission's idea.

"What is important to me is that there must be no compromise on the rule of law," Edtstadler further stressed. There is a "clear procedure", the Austrian People's Party minister said, adding that "everyone should also be given the chance to present their ideas and concepts in this procedure and to return to the path of the rule of law." During the same meeting she said she would also hold talks with Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga.

- And what does Hungary say? -

"The summer was a very constructive and solution-oriented period and that's why Hungary proposed 17 measures, which are capable of remedying all the concerns within the conditionality procedure, and this was also approved by the European Commission on Sunday," Hungarian Minister of Justice, Judit Varga said on September 20 in Brussels. "So Hungary is now fully committed to implement these measures," she added, arriving at the General Affairs Council in Brussels.

Varga said Hungary should have time until mid-November, as the country has "to set up new institutions, for that you have to hire new personnel". She also pointed out that legislation was required and asked the other member states to be tolerant, positive and constructive.

The 17 Hungarian proposals focus mainly on the control of tenders and the use of EU funds, including the creation of an independent authority that would oversee the application of the rules for the use of EU money.

Hungary will also reduce the proportion of tenders with only one bidder, and the government promises to make it easier for SMEs to participate in tenders, and to cooperate more closely with OLAF, the European anti-fraud office.

On September 20, proposed legislation to address some of the EU's allegations of corruption was presented to Hungary's lawmakers.

The proposed measure would set controls on the activities of politicians who have taken seats on foundations' boards of trustees and would require Hungarian officials to cooperate more widely with OLAF.

The new proposals were first announced on the Hungarian Parliament's website late on September 19. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has announced that another legislative proposal is set to be presented on September 23.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, inaugurated, on Friday, at the headquarters of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, the photographic exhibition dedicated to the celebration of 25 years since the launch of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States of America, informs a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The exhibition, which consists of 80 photographs, was organized by ICR New York, with the support of the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AGERPRES, the Permanent Mission of Romania to the UN and the Consulate General of Romania in New York.

The exhibition presents the evolution of the Romania-USA Strategic Partnership, from its launch to the present, going through the most important moments of expansion and consolidation.

The creative concept of the artistic installation that appears in the exhibition was made by Ioana Barac, designer and creator of urban ornaments and public art, member of the community of Romanians in the United States of America.

In his inaugural speech, Minister Bogdan Aurescu pointed out the importance of the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership for Romania's democratic and Euro-Atlantic course, as well as for the security of our country, and reiterated Romania's profound commitment to its deepening, on all dimensions, the MAE says.

He pointed out that the Joint Declaration of Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century is the first bilateral political document regulating the Strategic Partnership with the USA, which later determined the organization of the annual meetings of the Strategic Dialogue in Bucharest and Washington, while the Agreement on the location of the defense system against of US ballistic missiles in Romania is the first bilateral legal document that mentions the Strategic Partnership, told Agerpres.

He also recalled the joint projects in the field of civil nuclear energy, a recent development that comes to strengthen the bilateral strategic cooperation between Romania and the USA, the joint project based on the technology of small modular reactors being also mentioned by President Biden in his recent speech within the segment at the high level of the UN General Assembly.
Tourism rebounded this summer in Europe  and Europe wasnt ready. Pandemic-related staff shortages led to massive lines and flight cancellations at many airports; meanwhile, prices for hotels and taxis soared.

Then there were the record-breaking temperatures that caused roads, airport runways and railroad tracks to buckle, leading to further disruptions.

Our family of three visited Europe this summer  our first trip there in three years  and had a great time despite the challenges. Still, climate change, growing crowds and lingering effects of the pandemic have altered the way we travel. If youre planning a trip to Europe, consider the following tips to save money and have a better experience.

1. Explore alternative locations

Europes capital cities  Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Rome and so on  are hugely popular for good reasons. But often, you can get a better feel for a countrys culture in one of its smaller cities while enjoying lower prices.

For example, Frances third-largest city, Lyon, has a lovely old town, spectacular Roman ruins, world-class museums and amazing restaurants. Even in peak season, I found a three-star hotel room for less than $100 a night and never encountered any long, soul-killing queues for attractions that could make Paris a trial.

Similarly, we enjoyed Austrias second-largest city, Graz, a beautiful, affordable alternative to Vienna, and pretty Delft, a canal city just an hours train ride away from Amsterdam.

Europes capitals are still well worth a visit, but adding some alternative destinations can save you money and stress.

2. Rethink summer travel

Spring and fall are typically cooler, cheaper and far less crowded. If summer travel is your only option, try to go as soon after Memorial Day as possible, as crowds (and prices) soar in July and August. Scotts Cheap Flights, a deal site, recommends booking international travel two to eight months in advance for good deals.

3. Dont assume  ask

Early in our marriage  not realizing that many old European buildings didnt have elevators  we rented a top-floor apartment on Paris Ile Saint-Louis for a week. Our little garret had a great view, but confronting six flights of stairs after walking around Paris all day wasnt fun.

These days, we also ensure theres air conditioning, which still isnt nearly as common in Europe as in the United States. Hotels and apartments with air conditioning usually mention that fact in their online listings, but if theres any doubt about AC or elevators, ask before you book.

4. Treat Europe like a theme park

Hear me out: Disney tip sites such as Undercover Tourist and Mouse Hacking recommend arriving at rope drop  when the parks first open. Then you can retreat to your hotel in the afternoon, when crowds and temperatures peak, and return in the calmer, cooler evening hours.

Consider a similar approach while traveling in Europe in the summer: Get to the most popular attractions when they first open, escape from the heat in the afternoon and go out again when its more pleasant. If youre booking an outdoor activity, schedule it for the morning or after sunset, if possible.

Find refuge from the afternoon heat in cinemas, old stone cathedrals and the many art museums that are air-conditioned to protect the paintings. Dont stand in sweltering lines to buy tickets for anything without first checking to see if admission can be purchased online.

5. Prioritize flexibility

Before the pandemic, we often tried to save money by buying nonrefundable travel. These days, were happy to pay more for flexibility.

For example, we were scheduled to fly out of Amsterdams Schiphol airport a few days after its luggage system malfunctioned, separating thousands of travelers from their bags and causing KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to ban checked baggage on flights within Europe briefly. Even after the luggage issue was fixed, passengers reported hours-long waits to check in and get through security because of staffing shortages.

Rather than endure the chaos, we decided to take the train to Austria instead. We didnt get all of our money back  Austrian Airlines charged a fee of roughly $70 for each ticket, or about one-third of what we originally paid  but the refund offset part of the last-minute train fare.

We could have paid a lot more for completely refundable airfares, but this refundable with a fee option hit the sweet spot of affordability and flexibility.

We also avoided renting apartments or Airbnbs with onerous cancellation policies. Hotels typically have much more flexible policies and staff to help make travel easier. A front desk clerk in Lyon, for instance, recommended a wonderful restaurant that served traditional Lyonnaise cuisine and arranged my taxi to the train station after three Uber drivers in a row canceled.

6. Get travel insurance

We also had  but fortunately didnt need  travel interruption and delay coverage through the credit cards we used. In addition, we had a travel insurance policy that would have paid for hotels, meals and rebooked flights if any of us had to quarantine. The policy added about $100 a week to our travel costs, which seemed like a small price to pay for peace of mind.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Biden administration on Friday ramped up its diplomatic efforts to press China to end provocative actions against Taiwan and warned it about any active support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken made both cases in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Friday in a meeting on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly in New York, according to U.S. officials. The session was one of the few that Blinken kept on his schedule after the death of his father on Thursday.

The officials wouldn't describe the Chinese response, but said Foreign Minister Wang Yi was receptive to the messages and that the two men discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the U.S.-China relationship, especially during times of tension.

The talks between Blinken and Wang come amid a period of intense tensions on both issues and ahead of an expected meeting in November between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping. Biden's recent comments about Taiwan and China's tacit support for the war in Ukraine are just two of the latest irritants in relations between Washington and Beijing.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said Blinken had affirmed to Wang the administration's commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait" despite Biden's assertion earlier this week that the U.S. would send troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

China regards the self-governed island of Taiwan as its sovereign territory, has not ruled out force to reunify it with the mainland and has in recent months stepped up military activity in the area. That activity is at least partially in response to high-level U.S. congressional visits to Taipei, including by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and stepped-up American arms sales.

Blinken stressed that preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is critical to regional and global security and prosperity, Price said in a statement. It added that the U.S. remains committed to its one-China policy which does not support Taiwanese independence.

On Russia, U.S. officials said Blinken underscored the damage that would be done to the Sino-U.S. relationship should Beijing take a more active role in supporting the war in Ukraine. U.S. officials have said they are cautiously optimistic about recent comments from Chinese leaders about their concerns over the war and its consequences, and Blinken wanted to drive the point home.

Blinken highlighted the implications if the PRC were to provide support to Moscows invasion of a sovereign state, Price said in the statement. PRC refers to China's formal name, the People's Republic of China.

The U.S.-China relationship has become increasingly fraught in recent years over multiple issues, including the persecution of Muslims and ethnic minorities in China's western Xinjiang region, clampdowns on dissent in Tibet and Hong Kong, aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea and against Taiwan, and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nonetheless, Price said the U.S. continues to be open to cooperating with the PRC where our interests intersect. One area the U.S. hopes to continue coordination is on climate change.

For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
STOCKTON, Mo.  As the Missouri attorney general urges a judge to close Agape Boarding School, two school staff members have filed paperwork to open group homes on the campus Cedar County property.

That revelation came in a last-minute motion filed by the AGs office Friday afternoon asking the court to delay a hearing scheduled for Monday in the wake of the new developments, which the state says only intensify concerns for student safety. The judge granted the delay late Friday; a new hearing date hasnt been scheduled.

The AGs office is working closely with the Department of Social Services to sift through the new information a child welfare worker learned during a conversation Thursday with Agape director Bryan Clemensen.

Agapes director reported that the program is changing away from a boarding school-type facility, the AGs motion said. Starting Tuesday, September 27, 2022, the boys will be in five group homes on the property with an intention of nine boys per home.

The two staff members  Jennifer and Jason Derksen  filed the paperwork with the Missouri Secretary of State on Sept. 15, describing their new nonprofit, Stone of Help, as a Home for Troubled Youth. The address for Stone of Help and the Derksens is on the Agape property and next to the current unlicensed boarding school.

The State will not allow Agape to escape accountability or continue to present an immediate health and safety concern to children through corporate shell games, the AGs motion said, while employing the same people and methods that originally led the State to bring this action to protect children.

Fridays developments are just the latest in the saga that has unfolded since Sept. 7 when the AGs office and DSS filed a petition to close the school over concerns about the students safety. Child welfare officials had learned that a current staff member had just been placed on the Central Registry for child abuse and neglect, and state law doesnt allow anyone with a substantiated report to work at a residential facility.

Within hours, Judge David Munton signed that order calling for the immediate closure of Agape. But the next morning, as the AGs office and DSS were prepared to execute the order, Munton put it on hold, saying he wanted to confirm that the staffer was still at the school near Stockton.

He sent Cedar County Sheriff James Jimbob McCrary to the school to find out, and Clemensen told McCrary that he had fired that staffer on Sept. 7 and the worker no longer lived on the schools property.

That day, Munton ordered that DSS workers be allowed inside Agape around the clock to ensure the boys there remain safe. Fridays motion asked the court to allow that access to continue.

Since then, there have been two court hearings  on Wednesday and Sept. 12  where recent students were ready to take the stand and the AGs office was prepared to present evidence on why the school should close. Munton refused to let the recent students testify and repeatedly delayed action.

Fridays motion included information that the AGs office became aware of after 10:15 Friday morning  details that a DSS employee gleaned from a conversation with Clemensen Thursday afternoon. The information was also backed up with paperwork filed with the Secretary of States Office more than a week ago.

Attorneys with the AGs office contacted Agapes attorney, John Schultz, about the group home development. According to an email exchange with the AGs Office, Schultz said, that is the first Ive heard of it.

Caitlin Whaley, DSS director of policy and communications, reiterated Friday that the agency wouldnt be taking the court action if it didnt think students were in danger.

As our petitions lay out, theres a clear pattern of abusive behavior at the facility by individuals who have worked there, Whaley said. DSS would assume that individuals would not perpetrate abuse while being actively watched by child welfare investigators.

We are very afraid of whats going to happen if our injunction is denied and those (Childrens Division) workers leave. These kids have limited access to the outside world. If our injunction is denied and these kids are left with these individuals, whos going to look out for them if were not there?

Schultz told The Star he believes the state has another reason for asking for the stay.

They can not prove that the students at Agape face any immediate, irreparable harm  because they dont, Schultz said in an email. In addition to our employees providing line of sight supervision 24/7, two Childrens Division workers have also done so for the last two weeks.

The students at Agape are being safely cared for now and they have been for the past 30 years.

According to Fridays motion, Clemensen reported that Agape will have a max of 45 boys by Tuesday, September 27, 2022.

There were 53 students listed on Thursdays census, it said.

Agapes director further reported that any staff member with a mark beside their name on the census would no longer be working at Agape after Monday, September 26, 2022. The State counted at least 12 names with marks beside them.

2022 The Kansas City Star. Visit kansascity.com.
OFALLON, Mo.  It was June, and Detective Jodi Weber was waiting at a prison in Potosi.

She had been working for 14 years to solve the brutal murders of several St. Louis women, crimes that had gone unsolved for more than three decades.

Shed read folders of investigative notes. She pulled grisly evidence out of storage. She finally had a DNA match.

And steps away was the man shed been trying to find.

Weber, a detective sergeant with the OFallon police department in St. Charles County, took the Post-Dispatch inside the investigation that led her to that prison room and, eventually, to charges filed on Monday against Gary Muehlberg, 73, in the 1990 murders of Robyn Mihan, Brenda Pruitt, Donna Reitmeyer and Sandy Little.

The investigation didnt always seem like it would pay off. Weber had to dig through a room full of evidence, where she discovered none of it had been tested for DNA. She had to wait years for DNA testing to improve. And she had to persuade a killer to admit it all.

That first day in Potosi, Weber hoped Muehlberg, who was already serving a life sentence for a 1993 murder, would quickly come clean. She was hoping hed say: Ive been waiting for you guys for 32 years.

But when the balding, white-bearded man in a gray prison uniform walked through the door, thats not how it went.

A huge disappointment

Weber couldnt get the photos out of her head.

She was a new detective in OFallon in 2003 when she first heard stories about the case of Sandy Little.

In OFallon, a suburban city with a rapidly growing population of about 94,000, Littles death was just about the only cold case homicide in town.

Her body was found in February 1991 off Interstate 70. It had been packed into a dresser and placed in a box five months after Little had disappeared from The Stroll, a stretch of Cherokee Street in St. Louis then known for prostitution.

Investigators had long tied her case to the disappearances of a series of women in 1990, most of whom were sex workers and all with ties to The Stroll. Several turned up, like Little, in packages on the side of the road across the region. All had been strangled.

The case immediately captured Webers attention. She got into police work in part because she was fascinated by the cold cases featured on shows like Dateline. She grew up in St. Charles, went to college, paid her own way through the Eastern Missouri Police Academy, and became a detective just three years after she was hired as a police officer in OFallon.

Thats when she came across the Little crime scene photos.

It was just the grisliness of it that stuck with you, she said. Basically the worst you can think of. I thought: First of all, how could anybody do this to a human being? And second: Why isnt this solved?

In 2008, she learned none of the evidence had been DNA tested, a tool not available to investigators in the 1990s.

To reopen the case, Weber pulled dozens of evidence bags of clothes and other items found with the body, some no longer recognizable. She read through 16 case folders on Littles death, which included information on two other womens cases.

Weber looked into those killings, too.

She pulled evidence from the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office for the case of Robyn Mihan, a sex worker last seen in March 1990 on The Stroll. Mihans body was found four days later stuffed between two mattresses bound together with wires near a highway in Silex, a rural Missouri town about 60 miles northwest of St. Louis.

Weber then went to Maryland Heights to collect all the evidence on Brenda Pruitt, who went missing in 1990, her body found by Maryland Heights city employees 10 months later in a brown plastic 33-gallon trash can.

Between all the cases, Weber sent dozens of evidence bags off to the Missouri Highway Patrol crime lab for DNA testing.

In 2009 she got news: Nothing was found.

That was a huge disappointment, she said.

But she didnt quit: Weber met with other investigators to brainstorm the case, filling a whiteboard with every piece of evidence they could try testing again.

That year, she and two other detectives spent two weeks re-interviewing witnesses, speaking to victims family members and going back to longtime suspects. They found nothing new.

Still, she again sent all the evidence for testing, this time to the St. Charles County crime lab. And she asked for updates regularly over the years, making sure the lab continued the search.

Then this spring, the St. Charles lab called. It found a partial fragment of DNA off of a condom thrown between the mattresses with Mihans body.

The fragment wasnt enough to run through the FBIs Combined DNA Index System. But it could be used to rule out or confirm suspects investigators already had.

Weber checked it against blood police had already collected from other suspects. None were a match.

She got DNA from two more suspects, including one man already in prison for killing a woman and stuffing her body in a luggage container.

Again, neither matched.

Then came big the break.

We got a hit

Weber was at an emergency room in Keystone, Colorado  her 12-year-old son had run into a tree on a ski vacation, spraining his wrist and knocking loose two teeth  when she got a text from the OFallon police evidence specialist: Someone from the crime lab needed to reach her.

I knew this had to be something big, Weber said.

Her family left the ER and found an orthodontist. She called the crime lab in the waiting room.

The DNA specialists were gathered, excited, on speakerphone. They told her they tested the condom again.

We got a hit, one of them told her. We dont have the name yet, but were working on it.

Weber was elated and anxious to dive back into the case.

A few days later, back at home, she got another call. They had a name: Gary Muehlberg.

His name wasnt on anyones radar, she said. So I started researching him immediately.

Weber learned Muehlberg was serving a life sentence in prison for the February 1993 killing of Kenneth Doc Atchison, who he murdered for $6,000 before storing the mans body in a plywood box in Muehlbergs basement. Atchison had gone to Muehlbergs home at 3520 East Edgar Drive in Bel-Ridge in hopes of buying a 1987 Cadillac with the cash.

I just couldnt believe how many connections there were to our case, Weber said. Doc was found in a makeshift coffin. Sandy Little was in a makeshift box. He kept Docs body in the basement for six weeks and we know several of our girls were kept for an extended period of time. It all fit.

Weber pulled the old investigative files and evidence from Atchisons case from St. Louis County police. She spent two hours with a retired homicide detective. She interviewed people who remembered Muehlberg.

I wanted to figure out what type of person Gary was, she said.

Weber pulled a 1973 police report from Salina, Kansas. Muehlberg had been accused of tying up, gagging and threatening a 14-year-old babysitter with a knife in her home. He served some time in prison for the crime.

Associates of Muehlberg told Weber he was a twice-divorced narcissist.

They just said he always thought he was better than everyone, she said. He always thought he was right.

Muehlbergs home in Bel-Ridge was torn down in 2019, but Weber looked at pictures and descriptions of the place from the old police report. It was run down with wires dangling everywhere, she said. The walls were severely damaged after a fire. In the basement, there was a concrete room that had its door hidden from visitors.

I dont know how anyone could live there, she said.

Weber researched Muehlbergs time in prison. He had been close to a model inmate with just one write-up over 27 years.

His only offense in custody? Passing some jellybeans to another inmate.

What are you scared of?

Weber brought Mike Harvey, an investigator for the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney, to help question Muehlberg.

Weber remembers a long, tense wait. Then Muehlberg walked through the door.

Were working a cold case from the early 90s, she remembers telling him. We got your DNA. Thats why were here. We didnt pull your name out of a hat.

Weber showed him the lab report connecting him to Mihans death.

It says homicide, he told the detectives, looking at the paper. Are you gonna charge me with some homicides?

Im not gonna charge you with anything right now, Weber told him. We need to talk about this.

Weber and Harvey described details in the deaths of Mihan, Little and Pruitt. They showed Muehlberg the crime scene photos of Mihans body.

He acted shocked by the picture, Weber recalled. It seemed fake to her.

So they tried different tactics.

Youre 73 years old, Weber told him. You have medical problems.

They told him admitting to the murders could ease his mind. It could help the victims families.

He kept saying: I dont know anything about this type of thing. You got the wrong person.

Eventually, Weber asked: Gary, what are you scared of? What are you worried about?

Weber now clearly recalls his answer: He didnt say being accused of murders I didnt do. He said the death penalty.

When the detectives suggested that an admission would give victims families closure, Muehlberg told them his brother died in Vietnam. He told them he got closure when he buried him.

Wouldnt you want to know, one of the detectives asked, what happened to your brother?

Muehlberg got emotional, but stopped answering questions. He shut down.

Would you be willing to talk to us again in the future? Weber asked.

Yeah, he said. You know where Ill be.

No more running

A little more than a month later, the detectives returned to face Muehlberg a second time, now armed with letters from prosecutors in Lincoln, St. Charles and St. Louis counties promising that they would not seek the death penalty against him.

Weber also got a letter from the warden of the prison, telling Muehlberg his inmate privileges were based on his current behavior and would not be altered if he faced more charges.

OK, Weber remembers Muehlberg saying. Lets get to it.

The detectives then took him through all three cases. He admitted to each.

And he seemed to show remorse. This was a bad time in my life, he said. These girls didnt deserve this.

I cant tell you why I did this because I dont even understand it myself, Weber said he told them.

Muehlberg said he met some victims on the street and others at a bar. He said he never knew many of their real names because they went by aliases. He took them all back to his Bel-Ridge home where he killed them, he told the detectives. He recalled dropping bodies on the sides of highways that matched the accounts in the police reports.

Weber asked if Muehlberg thought differently of sex workers. He said no, telling her he had picked up other prostitutes and let them go without hurting them.

He couldnt really say why he chose to kill these specific women, Weber said.

Two days after that second interview, Muehlberg sent Weber a letter, admitting to two more killings.

The detective quickly identified one as Donna Reitmeyer, a 40-year-old sex worker whose body was found in June 1990 inside a rubber trash can in south St. Louis. Investigators for decades suspected it might be linked with the others.

Weber is still working to identify the second. Muehlberg said he disposed of the body in a metal barrel at a self-serve car wash.

I must live with my past  the good and bad parts, Muehlberg wrote at the end of the letter. No more running.

Are there more?

Area prosecutors pushed to quickly charge Muehlberg because of his failing health.

They gathered at a press conference on Monday in Clayton, the St. Louis County seat, to announce the four new murder charges.

Weber opted not to take center stage. She instead stood most of the time behind the prosecutors, her eyes watching the victims family members in the crowd. She only took the microphone when pressed.

It was a big day for Weber, she said.

Since then, she has fielded calls from more families wondering if Gary Muehlberg is behind the deaths of their loved ones, too.

He claims hes told us about all of the people hes killed, Weber said.

But from my experience, she said, I would guess theres probably more.
ST. LOUIS  A man who claims he was unjustly beaten by Breckenridge Hills police during a 2019 arrest says his case is the latest example of police misconduct in the small north St. Louis County municipality.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court, Kevin R. Moses accuses Breckenridge Hills and several individual officers of kicking and beating him during an arrest in September 2019 and filing a false police report to cover it up, according to the suit.

The complaint says the city of roughly 4,500 people, between St. Ann and St. John along St. Charles Rock Road, has repeatedly hired officers with known histories of violence  a persistent issue in St. Louis County  including one officer who was indicted in federal court for kicking and hitting a man during an arrest at a previous job in Woodson Terrace.

It also cites multiple examples of the department being accused of using excessive force, including an accusation from a pregnant woman in 2019 and a 2012 lawsuit in which a man accused a Breckenridge Hills officer and others of beating a man and kicking his teeth out while he was handcuffed.

Moses is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and attorneys fees.

Breckenridge Hills mayor and police chief did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

The incident with Moses happened around 9 p.m. Sept. 24, 2019, when officers responded to Moses house after the mother of his child reported that he had kicked a door, according to the suit.

When Moses opened the door, officers immediately attacked him and said he was under arrest, the suit says, and they continued to hit and kick him as he was being handcuffed. His teeth, mouth, jaw, face, orbital, eye, neck, shoulder, arm and body were all injured, it said.

The suit argues officers filed false police reports and that Moses was later charged, though those charges were dropped in April 2022. The charge was not on Missouris online courts database. Dismissed charges are often removed.

For many months and/or years after the attack by defendants, (Moses) suffered serious psychological consequences, the suit says. He continues to suffer emotional pain due to this abuse.

The lawsuit accuses the officers of unlawful seizure and excessive force and says the city was liable because of its hiring practices and failure to adequately supervise its officers.

A hearing has not yet been set in the case.
NORTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY  A teenage boy was shot and killed in the Spanish Lake area of north St. Louis County Friday afternoon.

St. Louis County police said they responded to a call for a vehicle accident just before 4 p.m. Tayvion Whitby, 16, of the 4500 block of Morganford Avenue in St. Louis, was one of two occupants in a car that had struck a utility pole in the 12600 block of Spanish Pond Road. Whitby, who had a gunshot wound, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A woman in the car suffered minor injuries related to the traffic accident.

Police said the shooting appeared connected to a nearby robbery in the 1200 block of Edlor Drive about a mile to the north.

Police did not specify whether Whitby was the victim of the robbery.

The investigation is active, police said. Anyone with information can call the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).
ST. LOUIS  Police on Wednesday released the identity of a woman who was shot and killed early Saturday morning in south citys Mount Pleasant neighborhood.

Police said they were called at about 1 a.m. to an area near South Broadway and Itaska Street.

They found Diamond Kennell, 21, with gunshot wounds to her upper body. EMS responded and pronounced her dead at the scene.

Kennell lived about a mile away from where she was shot, in the 3500 block of Itaska Street.
ST. LOUIS  The 97 books banned in schools across St. Louis this fall cover topics like anatomy, photography and the Holocaust. There are books that are also popular TV series, including Game of Thrones, The Handmaids Tale, The Walking Dead and Watchmen.

And as life imitates art, Kirkwood School District banned a comic book adaptation of George Orwells 1984, the cautionary tale about government mind control.

A new state law banning explicit sexual material  defined as any visual depiction of sex acts or genitalia, with exceptions for artistic or scientific significance  went into effect at the end of August and applies to both public and private schools.

Teachers and librarians have scoured their book lists for any applicable content at the direction of lawyers. But interpretation of the law varies by geography, according to a Post-Dispatch analysis of public records:

 Ten school districts in St. Louis city and mostly inner suburbs plan to ignore the law and not change their library collections. University City posted a photo this week of banned books displayed in the middle school library along with a sign reading We Read Banned Books.

 Four suburban districts  Francis Howell in St. Charles County and Kirkwood, Lindbergh and Rockwood in St. Louis County  each removed more than 12 books from their schools.

 Wentzville School District banned one book and pulled 223 others for further review, including dozens of art history books and Childrens Bible Stories.

 Two Jefferson County districts, Fox and Festus, banned no books. A Festus spokesman clarified that materials falling under the law were never in school libraries in the first place.

The number of book bans nationwide this school year is on track to top last years record total, according to the American Library Association. The spike comes amid a culture war over how educators should teach about race, gender and sexuality.

When you dictate what people can read, what people can choose from, thats the mark of an authoritarian society, not a democratic society, said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the associations office for intellectual freedom. We really have to question what we intend for the education of our young people.

The local map of banned books tends to align with political leanings, with districts in conservative areas removing more titles. Suburban school boards in St. Charles County and west St. Louis County have also faced repeated book challenges from residents over the last two years.

The three books most frequently targeted were The Handmaids Tale graphic novel, banned in 10 local school districts; Gender Queer, banned in seven districts and Watchmen, banned in four districts. Half of the 10 books most frequently pulled from classrooms and school libraries feature LGBTQ characters and themes, and several others involve racism.

Of the 97 books that have been banned by schools in the St. Louis area, 86 were targeted by just one district. High-profile examples include:

 Ritenour School District banned Maus by Art Spiegelman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust that depicts Jews as mice and Nazis as cats. When Maus was banned earlier this year by a Tennessee school district, the U.S. Holocaust Museum said the book has played a vital role in educating about the Holocaust through sharing detailed and personal experiences of victims and survivors.

 Lindbergh banned A Dangerous Woman: The Graphic Biography of Emma Goldman, about the radical political activist and anarchist, along with several volumes in the Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead series.

 In addition to 1984: The Graphic Novel, Kirkwood banned Crime and Punishment: A Graphic Novel, Annie Leibovitz at Work about the celebrity photographer, and The Human Body in Action, a 1999 textbook with a chapter called Making Babies.

The ACLU of Missouri issued a statement last month saying school library books are not subject to the new state law because they have already been screened under nationally well-established standards for selecting material that take into account the entire piece.

But some school leaders said the threat of prosecution requires a conservative approach to culling books.

The unfortunate reality of Senate Bill 775 is that, now in effect, it includes criminal penalties for individual educators. We are not willing to risk those potential consequences and will err on the side of caution on behalf of the individuals who serve our students, said Kirkwood spokeswoman Steph Deidrick.

The Missouri Library Association denounced the book bans, saying schools need to protect academic freedom for their students and autonomy for their educators.

In choosing to preemptively remove graphic novels from your collection, you are sending the message to your students that you support (the laws) intent, which is to chill access to information, art, and culturally relevant materials in your collection, reads a Sept. 9 letter from the association to Rockwood administrators. We ask you as leaders in your district to have courage in the face of this law, to support your staff and your students, and to stand with us against censorship.

The bills sponsor state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, tweeted this month that he is proud to have banned these books in school libraries. Its sick that people think this is appropriate for school age children.

Students react to book bans

No private schools have reported pulling books in response to the law. High school students in an AP Literature course at Crossroads College Prep in St. Louis described the book bans as patronizing, insulting and disturbing.

Banning these books weaves another layer onto this blanket of ignorance, said Tre Humphries, 17.

In a recent class, Crossroads students discussed Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison and other books that have been banned. English teacher and co-head of school Sarah Pierson Wolff said a lawyer for Crossroads has advised administrators about the new state law, but that no books have been removed.

The idea of trying to limit what people have access to is something we are fighting against, Wolff said. For somebody to say a book is dangerous is scary.

Book bans are also known to backfire, inspiring students to seek out books that otherwise would sit untouched on the library shelf.

The fact is, if youre an enterprising teenager and you want a copy of Gender Queer youre going to get it, said Linda Johnson, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Public Library in New York. Either the elected officials or parents or school administrators are naive or theres something else at play.

In April, the library launched Books Unbanned, offering free online access to its entire collection for 13- to 21-year-olds. There have been spikes in demand from students living in school districts that banned titles, Johnson said.

Families in Wentzville, where the school district is being sued over book bans, will partner with the ACLU to host a students rights strategy session on Oct. 2 at the local library.

Its important for students to learn how to advocate for themselves, said Zebrina Looney, whose four children attended Wentzville schools. Theyre the ones going off to college and potentially not equipped with the knowledge that their counterparts had.

Graphic novels targeted

Jerry Craft hated reading as a kid and thinks its because the African American protagonists were either enslaved, imprisoned or fighting for civil rights.

As a 12-year-old, why couldnt I have a Harry Potter? Craft said. I write the books I wish I had when I was a kid. Kids just want to be seen.

When Craft heard his book New Kid had been challenged by parents in Texas because of critical race theory, he had to Google the term. The Newbery Award-winning graphic novel is about a Black boy who experiences culture shock when he transfers to a private school.

My goal was to tell a story that was loosely based on my life and the lives of my two sons and the lives of a bunch of my friends, said Craft, who spoke about banned comic books Thursday at St. Louis Central Library. One of the things that most people dont do is actually read the book or ask a kid what they think of the book. Thats one of the biggest problems  the kids are often an afterthought.

Teachers say graphic novels are valuable tools for engaging reluctant readers, English learners and those with learning disabilities. The visuals combined with text can lead to deeper understanding and analysis of a book.

But there is a general misunderstanding of the term graphic novel, which refers to the comic-strip illustrated format of the books and not the content, said Jeff Trexler, interim director of the New York-based Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Federal lawmakers on Thursday marked Banned Books Week by introducing resolutions condemning school book bans, calling them unconstitutional.

The general tragedy of banning books in schools is they are protected classes against discrimination, Trexler said. Youre going to have people thrown into jail for showing material thats protected by the First Amendment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (AP)  A Chicago state senator pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of lying to the FBI and seeking a bribe to oppose legislation that would have required a statewide evaluation of red-light camera systems.

Sen. Emil Jones III, the latest public official implicated in the bribery scheme, entered the plea by telephone before U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood.

I plead not guilty, your honor, he said in a calm voice.

Jones has an unsecured bond of $10,000.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday called for Jones to resign his seat, one day after Jones stepped down from his unpaid post as deputy leader for the Senate Democrats and his $11,098-per-year committee chair position at the request of Senate President Don Harmon.

Jones is running unopposed in the Nov. 8 general election.

Prosecutors allege that Jones, a South Side Democrat, told an individual with an interest in the camera system operator SafeSpeed that he would protect it from legislation in the General Assembly in exchange for $5,000 and a job for an unnamed associate.

Prosecutors have not named the red-light camera company, but SafeSpeed issued a statement Tuesday indicating that a former associate was involved.

Neither SafeSpeed nor its current owners have been charged with any wrongdoing.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  China underscored its commitment Saturday to its claim on Taiwan, telling assembled world leaders that anyone who gets in the way of its determination to reunify with the self-governing island would be crushed by the wheels of history.

The language was forceful but, for Chinese leadership, well within the realm of normal.

Only when China is fully reunified can there be true peace across the Taiwan Strait, Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said at the U.N. General Assembly. He said Beijing would take the most forceful steps to oppose external interference.

China regularly and vehemently defends its claim to Taiwan, which separated from the mainland after a 1949 civil war and now functions with its own government. A visit last month by the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, markedly ratcheted up tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The language, while pointed, reflected China's typical intensity about the island; its claim seldom goes unmentioned in major international speeches. Taiwan is a core issue of China policy, and Wang's appearance at the leaders' meeting  instead of his boss, Chinese leader Xi Jinping  was a signal that the speech was not necessarily a significant one.

The PRC government is the sole government representing all of China, Wang said, referring to China's formal name, the People's Republic of China. The one-China principle has become a basic norm in international relations.

He added: "Any move to obstruct Chinas reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history."

China exercises regular pressure worldwide on any entity  country, corporation, mapmaker  that even implies Taiwan might be a separate nation. At the Olympics, for example, Taiwan must compete as Chinese Taipei. The mainland government's muscle has isolated the island's government, though a few U.N. members continue to have diplomatic relations with Taipei rather than Beijing.

On Saturday at the U.N. meeting, just a few speakers before Wang, the prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, spoke forcefully about allowing Taiwan to raise its profile in international organizations, including the World Health Organization.

How can we stand askance, in relative silence and contented inaction, in disregard of Taiwan's legitimate right to exist in accord with the wishes and will of the Taiwanese people? he asked.

Wang's appearance at the 2022 in-person edition of the U.N. General Assembly came after two years of remote, pandemic-era speeches by China's top leader. Xi did not attend this year's event, which Russian President Vladimir Putin also skipped. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke on Wednesday.

The United States and China have an uneasy diplomacy and are at odds over many core issues. They have sparred for decades over human rights, most recently the mistreatment of ethnic Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region of western China. Beijing views U.S. criticism as hypocritical and an act of interference in its internal affairs.

This is always reflected in remarks from China's leadership. Wang's speech used lightly coded phrases and references that critiqued Washington without coming out and saying so. For example, Wang said, We stand firmly against attempts to politicize human rights, and We must uphold equity and oppose bullying  both references to longtime irritations it has with U.S. policy.

While Taiwan and human rights perennially stand in the way of China-U.S. relations, Wang and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did meet in person on the General Assembly's sidelines Friday.

U.S. officials said Blinken ramped up the Biden administration's efforts to press China to end provocative actions against Taiwan. China's Foreign Ministry, in a summary of the meeting, said Wang told his counterpart that "the current China-U.S. relations are facing grave impacts, and there are lessons that the U.S. side needs to learn from."

It said the two discussed the U.S. sides recent erroneous acts on the Taiwan question. However, it also said: Both sides believe that the meeting was candid, constructive and important, and agreed to maintain communication.

After the takeover of China by Mao Zedong's Communist forces in 1949, Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists decamped to Taiwan and kept their separate government going. It was recognized by the United States until 1979, when Washington established relations with Beijing.

Ted Anthony, director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation at The Associated Press, was APs news editor for China from 2002 to 2004 and Asia-Pacific news director from 2014 to 2018. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tanthony and for more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
WASHINGTON (AP)  World Bank President David Malpass said Friday he won't resign after coming under criticism for his remarks earlier this week regarding climate change.

At an event sponsored by The New York Times on Tuesday, Malpass wouldn't answer directly when asked whether the burning of fossil fuels has contributed to global warming. Instead, he said, I am not a scientist.

In an interview with Politico Friday, Malpass said he wouldnt resign, and that he hasnt been asked to do so by any of the banks member governments. He acknowledged he should have done a better job responding to questions on Tuesday, including from former Vice President Al Gore, who asked if he was a "climate denier."

When asked, Are you a climate denier? I should have said no," he said.

Malpass also said the World Bank is taking a forceful leadership position on climate issues.

It's clear that greenhouse gas emissions from human activity are causing climate change, Malpass said in the Friday interview. "So the task for us, for the world, is to pull together the projects and the funding that actually has an impact.

Malpass was nominated to the position by former President Donald Trump in 2019, under the longstanding tradition that allows the U.S. to choose the head of the World Bank and European governments to pick the head of the International Monetary Fund. His five-year term ends in April 2024.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that the Biden administration disagrees with Malpass comments suggesting climate change is not caused by human activity.

Jean-Pierre did not say whether the administration would seek to remove Malpass, as that would require the approval of other World Bank members.

The Treasury Department will hold Malpass accountable, Jean-Pierre said, and support the many staff working to fight climate change at the World Bank. But again, removal would require a majority of stakeholders.

Environmentalists have urged that Malpass be pushed out if necessary.

Climate denialism has no place in a world where millions of people are suffering from the ravages of this crisis, said Johanna Chao Kreilick, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists. Malpass should be replaced immediately.

___

Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.
TORONTO  Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall before dawn Saturday as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone.

Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injuries.

Ocean waves pounded the town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Mayor Brian Button said Saturday over social media that people were being evacuated to high ground as winds knocked down power lines.

Im seeing homes in the ocean. Im seeing rubble floating all over the place. Its complete and utter destruction. Theres an apartment that is gone, Rene J. Roy, a resident of Channel-Port Aux Basques and chief editor at Wreckhouse Press, said in a phone interview.

Roy estimated between eight to 12 houses and buildings have washed into the sea. Its quite terrifying, he said.

Jolene Garland, a spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland and Labrador, said a woman was safe and in good health after being tossed into the water as her home collapsed in the Channel-Port Aux Basques area. Garland said that an individual who might have been swept away was still reported as missing and that high winds were preventing an aerial search.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the town of 4,000 people was in a state of emergency as authorities dealt with multiple electrical fires and residential flooding.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau canceled his trip to Japan for the funeral for assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trudeau said the federal government would deploy the Canadian Armed Forces to assist.

We are seeing devastating images coming out of Port aux Basques. PEI (Prince Edward Island) has experienced storm damage like theyve never seen. Cape Breton is being hit hard, too, Trudeau said.

Canadians are thinking of all those affected by Hurricane Fiona, which is having devastating effects in the Atlantic provinces and eastern Quebec, particularly in the Magdalen Islands. There are people who see their houses destroyed, people who are very worried  we will be there for you.

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said the roof of an apartment building collapsed and they moved 100 people to an evacuation center. He said no one was seriously hurt or killed. Provincial officials said there are other apartment buildings that are also significantly damaged. Halifax has about 160 people displaced from two apartments, officials said.

More than 415,000 Nova Scotia Power customers  about 80% of the province of almost 1 million  were affected by outages Saturday morning. Over 82,000 customers in the province of Prince Edward Island, about 95%, were also without power, while NB Power in New Brunswick reported 44,329 were without electricity.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre tweeted early Saturday that Fiona had the lowest pressure ever recorded for a storm making landfall in Canada. Forecasters had warned it could be the one of the most powerful storms to hit the country.

Were getting more severe storms more frequently, Trudeau said Saturday.

He said more resilient infrastructure is needed to be able withstand extreme weather events, saying a one in a 100 year storm might start to hit every few years because of climate change.

Things are only getting worse, Trudeau said.

A state of local emergency was also declared by the mayor and council of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

There are homes that have been significantly damaged due to downed trees, big old trees falling down and causing significant damage. Were also seeing houses that their roofs have completely torn off, windows breaking in. There is a huge amount of debris in the roadways," Amanda McDougall, mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality, told The Associated Press

There is a lot of damage to belongings and structures but no injuries to people as of this point. Again were still in the midst of this, she said. Its still terrifying. Im just sitting here in my living room and it feels like the patio doors are going to break in with those big gusts.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said roads were washed out, including his own, and said an incredible amount of trees were down.

It is pretty devastating. The sad reality is the people who need information are unable to hear it. Their phones are not working, they dont have power or access to the internet, Houston said.

Peter Gregg, president and CEO of Nova Scotia Power, said unprecedented peak winds caused severe damage. In many areas, weather conditions are still too dangerous for our crews to get up in our bucket trucks, Gregg said. He said about 380,000 customers remain without power as of Saturday afternoon.

Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King said they had no reports of any significant injuries or deaths. But he said few communities were spared damage, with the devastation looking to be beyond anything they had seen previously in the province. He said over 95% of islanders remained without power.

Federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said there was very extensive damage at the airport in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He said other airports also were hit, but that damage at the Halifax facility, Nova Scotias largest airport, was minor.

Fiona had weakened to tropical storm strength late Saturday afternoon as it moved across the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The U.S. hurricane center said Fiona had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph). It was centered about 80 miles (130 kilomters) northwest of Port aux Basques and moving northeast at 8 mph (13 kph).

Tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 550 miles (890 kilometers).

Hurricanes in Canada are somewhat rare, in part because once the storms reach colder waters, they lose their main source of energy. But post-tropical cyclones still can have hurricane-strength winds, although they have a cold core and no visible eye. They also often lose their symmetric form and more resemble a comma.

In Sydney, Nova Scotia, the largest city in Cape Breton, about 20 people took refuge at the Centre 200 sports and entertainment facility, said Christina Lamey, a spokeswoman for the region. Lamey said there were hundreds of people displaced in the province.

Arlene and Robert Grafilo fled to Centre 200 with their children, ages 3 and 10, after a huge tree fell on their duplex apartment.

We were trapped and we couldnt open the doors and the windows, so thats when we decided to call 911, Arlene Grafilo said. She said firefighters eventually rescued them.

Peter MacKay, a former foreign minister and defense minister who lives in Nova Scotia, said he and his family had a long night and said the winds were still raging in the afternoon.

We had put everything we could out of harms way, but the house got hammered pretty hard. Lost lots of shingles, heavy water damage in ceilings, walls, our deck is destroyed. A garage that I was building blew away, MacKay said in an email to The Associated Press.

Never seen anything like it. Lived through some crazy weather, he added.

He called the images from Newfoundland heartbreaking.

Fiona so far has been blamed for at least five deaths  two in Puerto Rico, two in the Dominican Republic and one in the French island of Guadeloupe.

In the Caribbean, Tropical Storm Ian was predicted to rapidly strengthen and hit Cuba early Tuesday as a hurricane and then hit southern Florida on Wednesday or Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Ian was centered about 255 miles (410 kilometers) south of Kingston, Jamaica, late Saturday afternoon. It had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and was moving west at 16 mph (26 kph). A hurricane watch was issued for the Cayman Islands.

Associated Press writer Morgan Lee in Ventura, California, contributed to this report.

Updated at 6:46 p.m.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  Attorneys argued in court Friday over two lawsuits challenging a new Missouri law on voter photo identification and civic engagement rules.

The hearing over how and whether the lawsuits should proceed was held before a judge in Cole County.

The lawsuits, filed by the ACLU of Missouri and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, target a sweeping law enacted last month that primarily requires voters to show government-issued photo ID at the polls to cast a regular ballot. Voters without proper ID can cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted if they return with valid ID that same day or if their signature is verified by local election officials.

Plaintiffs include the Missouri NAACP and the Missouri League of Women Voters.

Lawyers for Missouri's Attorney General's Office, which is defending the law in court, asked Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem to dismiss the lawsuit on photo ID requirements.

Solicitor General John Sauer said the concern that some voters won't be able to obtain proper identification in order to cast regular ballots amounts to speculation at its finest. And he said Boone County and St. Louis County election officials rarely decline to verify voter signatures on provisional ballots.

They havent identified a single voter who can't vote in November, Sauer told Beetem during the hearing.

Tony Rothert, of the Missouri ACLU, asked for a trial on the case before the upcoming Nov. 8 elections.

He said the photo ID requirement puts unconstitutional burdens on the right to vote and serves no purpose.

There's still no evidence of voter-impersonation fraud at the polls," Rothert said, referring to the type of fraud the photo ID is intended to prevent.

Republican Missouri lawmakers passed the law in May after a nearly two-decade push for stricter voting requirements to ensure election integrity.

Seventeen states besides Missouri had voter photo identification laws in effect as of this spring, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, and 19 states had identification laws that accepted proof other than photos.

A lesser known provision in the Missouri measure bans payment for anyone who works to help register voters and requires those volunteers to be registered Missouri voters themselves. Anyone who helps register more than 10 voters would need to sign up with the Secretary of States Office.

The law also bans groups and individuals from soliciting voters to request absentee ballots. Violations are punishable by up to five years imprisonment, the loss of the right to vote, and a fine of between $10,000 and $250,000.

The plaintiffs want Beetem to pause that portion of the law as the lawsuit continues.

Campaign Legal Center attorney Danielle Lang said the League of Women Voters of Missouri threw out blank stacks of absentee ballot applications that volunteers had planned to distribute before the law took effect. She said the Missouri NAACP is opting not to talk about absentee voting at all this election cycle over fear of possible prosecution.

The State of Missouri has made it a felony to approach your neighbor and say, Hey, I would really encourage you to apply to vote absentee, Lang said during Friday's court hearing.

Beetem asked that attorneys file proposed orders on the civic engagement lawsuit within the next week. He did not indicate when he might rule on the photo identification requirement.
Regarding " Tax cut debate moves to Missouri House after Senate approves bill " (Sept. 21): So the GOP continues to suffer from its addiction to tax cuts. The Missouri Legislature is currently proposing cuts to state income taxes even. Though Missouri ranks near the bottom in education and health care funding.

Missouri lawmakers claim that can't afford Medicaid expansion, job training and infrastructure fixes. But their solution is tax cuts. This addiction started in the 1980s with Ronald Reagans supply-side, trickle-down theory. Income taxes on the rich went from 70% to 28%. Years later, this theory has met reality as we have the greatest wealth disparity since the Gilded Age. This decrease in government revenue starved programs that are designed for the societal collective good. Things like education, health care, infrastructure, social safety nets etc. Tax cuts are simply not the answer for everything and an incorrect tax policy can be very damaging.
The U.S. Navy has finally come up with a replacement, DDG(X), for the highly successful Burke class destroyers. The replacement destroyer design uses a lot of the tech in the latest (Flight III) Burkes plus some tech that worked in the Zumwalt-class that was supposed to replace the Burkes but was too expensive. Zumwalt also depended on some tech that had not been perfected. DDG(X) only uses existing, proven tech. DDG(X) will not only replace the Burkes but also the 9600-ton CG Ticonderoga class cruisers. Like the Burkes, the CG were developed from the preceding Spruance -class destroyers. Construction of the 30 CGs took place between 1980 and 1994. Construction of as many as 82 Burkes began in 1988. The first Burkes displaced 8,200 tons but that grew and the current Burkes displaced 9,600-tons. That is the minimum for DDG(X), which may displace up to 12,000 tons initially. Two things that are not yet set for the DDG(X) are displacement and hull form. Design details are supposed to be finalized and construction started by 2028 with the first one entering service in the early 2030s. In other words, the new destroyer wont begin to replace Burkes and Ticonderogas for at least a decade.

Initially each DDG(X) will cost $2.2 billion. For this the navy gets a destroyer with 50 percent more range than the Burges and Ticonderogas as well as 120 percent more time on station and a 25 percent reduction in fuel use. There are larger versions of the current 6(V1) version of Aegis radar and combat system used in Burkes. There is a larger hangar for the two helicopters carried. Electronics in general are much improved versions of what is currently on the Burkes. DDG(X) uses a more efficient IPES (Integrated Power and Energy Systems) to distribute electrical power to propulsion, weapons and sensors. The gun will still be a 127mm (5 inch) cannon used on Burkes and torpedoes carried will likewise remain the same.

DDG (X) will have 32 VLS (Vertical Launch System) sealed launch tubes used for a wide variety of anti-ship/aircraft/missile/satellite/land target missiles on its ships. The U.S. Navy has about 9,000 VLS cells on 90 ships. Mechanical and electronic improvement are needed to accommodate or get the most out of new versions of missiles used in the VLS. One of the planned DDG(X) upgrades is the addition of twelve larger VLS cells that can handle larger missiles, like the new hypersonic missile. A VLS is a square cell that can accommodate the sealed canisters missiles are shipped, stored and fired from. These canisters have a standard electrical and mechanical interface which meshes with the ship's VLS fire control systems. This makes it easy to install, store, maintain and fire missiles from VLS cells.

Since the 1980s the United States and later several other nations have adopted the VLS system. That means missiles are launched directly from the vertical launch tubes (cells) just beneath the decks of warships. The launch tubes also contain electronic connections that enable the crew to monitor the condition and readiness of the missiles. Most cells contain only one missile, although the smaller Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile can fit four to a VLS cell. Since 1982, over 12,000 VLS cells have been installed in over 200 American and foreign warships. The most common VLS user is the American Burke class destroyer, with 90 VLS cells. A smaller number of cruisers have 122 VLS cells each. Some of the older Spruance class destroyers got 61 VLS cells.

The need for the DDG(X) became urgent after the 2020 navy announcement that it could not afford to refurbish dozens of older destroyers. This refurb plan was needed to maintain the size of the destroyer fleet until a new destroyer design could be developed and put into production. The navy budget could not handle the refurb plan and still take care of more urgent shipbuilding requirements.

The canceled refurb plan got started in 2017, as the last of the three U.S. Navy Burke class restart ships entered service. The navy began working on a plan to extend the life of all Burkes to 45 years and continue to build Burkes. That meant the existing and future Burkes would have their planned service life extended five to ten years. This is not difficult because the Burkes were a good design that performed well since the first of them entered service in 1991. At the same time, new Burkes were under construction and the last of these wont enter service until the late 2020s.

On the other hand, the first Burkes will have to retire in 2036 and 30 will be gone by 2046. The navy is hustling to come up with a replacement design that will be affordable and can be built soon enough to replace the retiring Burkes. The destroyer shortage is particularly acute because destroyers are literally the hardest working ships of the navy. They spend more time at sea (90 days a year on average) and, while built for that sort of heavy use, all that time at sea makes it difficult to extend the lives of these ships with a major refurbishment.

The Burkes were a Cold War era design that was supposed to have been replaced by a radical new design, the Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class. That did not work out because it took too long and cost too much to build the new Zumwalts. Meanwhile, it was noted that the Burkes remained a very effective design and a popular model for similar designs elsewhere, especially in East Asia where South Korea, Japan and China have built similar ships. Because of that, in 2009, the U.S. Navy decided to resume Burke production. Up until that point, the Burke class was to end building when the 61st one entered service in 2012. But then the U.S. Navy decided to build only three of the new Zumwalt class ships and resume (actually continue) production of the older DDG-51 Arleigh Burke class destroyers instead. Currently, there are 70 Burkes in service with more being built or on order. Ultimately 82 Burkes will be built but some will be retired before the last of the restart Burkes enter service.

Since 2014 the navy has been working on a more affordable (than the Zumwalts) replacement for the Burkes. This new destroyer was called the FSC (Future Surface Combatant) and the first of these is not expected to enter service until after 2030. No final design has been completed but much tech from the Zumwalts will be used and errors of the over-budget Zumwalts avoided. It looks like the FSC will probably be based on the last of the restart Burkes. These proposed Flight III destroyers will max out the Burke hull but new propulsion systems and redesign of what goes in the hull would do it.

The navy is also considering designs for a new FFG(X) frigate, to replace the LCS ships. There were four candidates and the Italian FREMM was selected. These are successful existing ships designed to be easily modified to suit a large number of different requirements. The FFG(X) will have a modified Aegis radar and 32 VLS cells. FFG(X) could also provide BMD (ballistic missile defense) using the Aegis BMD capabilities many Burkes already have. The first of these new frigates could be in service by 2026. These frigates will cost about a billion dollars each, three times what the last frigates, the Perrys, cost. The LCS was supposed to replace the 71 Perrys, built between 1975 and 2004.

Continued production of Burkes and extension of their service life to 45 (or more) years was a matter of cost and bad politics. Reviving Burke production is only a stopgap because the latest Chinese DDG design is basically a Burke and the Chinese are already making some interesting upgrades. In one or two decades China will also have to decide what the next generation of DDGs should be and that will be when China has a chance to replace the United States as the leader in warship design and production. China can develop new designs more quickly and build them for less than the United States. The Burke situation is about more than replacing worn-out warships.

The DDG-1000 destroyers, and slightly larger versions designated as cruisers, cost more than $4 billion each if built in large quantities. The Burkes cost $1.9 billion each. The last of the original Burkes was ordered in 2002 and entered service in 2012. But now another 14 are on order with the first three basically the same as the last of the original 62 Burkes. But most of the restart Burkes will be Flight III types that incorporate more of the DDG-1000 technologies and take the Burke hull as far as possible.

While DDG-51 is less than half the cost of DDG-1000, some navy officials believe that, in the long run, the larger and more expensive DDG-1000 would be a better investment. The key problem here is the inability of the Navy to control building costs and the inability of the DDG-51s to provide space for some of the new technologies. This is basically a political problem because Congress provides the money and guidance for how the Navy should spend it. That has led to inefficient shipyards building warships that are nearly all over budget, late and suffering from increasingly poor quality control.

There are other problems as well, such as the costs of upgrades. Because of budget cuts (actual or expected), the Navy planned to buy some time (about a decade) by upgrading dozens of existing destroyers and cruisers. This is a bitter pill to swallow, as the navy was so sure about the new DDG-1000 that it accelerated the retirement of a dozen of the 31 Spruance class destroyers, in order to save the $28 million a year it would cost to keep each one of them in service after 2005. These ships were not just retired, they were all either broken up or sunk in training exercises. The dozen that entered service in 1979-83 could have been refurbished and been available until 2019. That's a lost opportunity. Refurbing older Burkes was thought to be an opportunity that would not be lost. Once crunching all the numbers was completed the refurb plan was found to be untenable. The primary cost problem is the finite size of the navy procurement budget and the urgency of getting the new Columbia class of SSBNs (ballistic missile carrying nuclear subs) into service on time. The current 18 Ohio class SSBNs entered service between 1981 and 1997 and the first of them will retire by 2029. The final design of the Columbias is expected by 2021 which will enable the first of twelve to enter service by 2030.

The Burke class destroyers were expected to evolve over decades. The first one entered service in 1991. This was called the Flight I design. It was an 8,200-ton ship and 21 were built, the last one entering service in 1997. There were then seven 8,400-ton Flight II ships with the last of them entering service in 1999. The rest were 9,800-ton Flight IIA ships with the first one entering service in 2000. Because over half the original Burkes were Flight IIA, this group evolved a lot during the 17 years they were being built. Then came the three restart Flight IIAs to be followed by over 30 Flight IIIs. These got more of the DDG-1000 technology. In particular, the Navy wanted to install the "smart ship" type automation (found in civilian ships for decades) that will enable crew size to be reduced. The "smart ship" gear also includes better networking and power distribution. In effect, the ship would be rewired. This could reduce the crew size by 20-30 percent (current destroyers have a crew of 320, with the cruisers carrying 350). In addition to considerable cost savings (over $100,000 a year per sailor), a smaller crew takes up less space, enabling the smaller crew to have more comfortable living quarters. This is a big deal as far as morale and retention (getting people to stay in the navy) goes. Most other new items are not space-dependent, except for some of the power-based ones (like the rail gun). But these technologies are receding farther into the future or, like the railgun, fading away.

The navy has discovered that a lot of the desired new DDG-1000 tech wont fit into a Burke, even the larger Flight III ones. The Burke extension program is also supposed to stay away from the overambitious (and often unworkable and over budget) new tech. Stick with what is already known and dont give the shipyards an opportunity to delay work and jack up the cost. Concentrate on quality control and dont let the refurbished Burkes return to service less reliable than before.

Above all the navy does not want yet another ship design and construction disaster. There have been too many of those in the last few decades including the Seawolf SSN, the LCS frigate and the new Ford class CVN. There were several other near-disasters and some successes. But too many U.S. Navy ship design and construction projects were like the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class. Also known as DD-21 or DD-X this design was too large and too ambitious to be a successful destroyer, The Zumwalts had a stealthy superstructure and were as big as a battleship, at least a state-of-the-art battleship from a century earlier. The DDG 1000 is a 14,000-ton ship, 194 meters (600 feet) long, and 25.5 meters (79 feet) wide. The crew of 150 sailors operates a variety of weapons, including two 155mm guns, two 40mm automatic cannons for close-in defense, 80 Vertical Launch Tubes (containing either anti-ship, cruise or anti-aircraft missiles), six torpedo tubes, a helicopter, and three helicopter UAVs. The cruiser version (CGN, as Congress has mandated that these be nuclear powered) would drop one of the 155mm guns, as well as the torpedo tubes, but carry more vertical cells for missiles (especially anti-ballistic missile missiles). These would be 20-25,000-ton ships.

Many other nations do not have the procurement problems the U.S. Navy is suffering from. But attempts to fix the procurement mess constantly run into political opposition. Now the United States is faced with the embarrassing example of China building similar ships more quickly, at much less cost and apparently up to world-class quality standards. There are lessons to be learned here and the navy is still trying to do that in a timely and cost-effective fashion.
***10:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 27, 8101 FM 2738, Burleson, TX 76028 ***

BURLESON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ciera Bank will join the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) to award $4,000 in Partnership Grant Program (PGP) matching-grant funding to Natures Open Door Outreach Services Inc. on Tuesday, September 27. The media is welcome to attend this event.

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 Community-based organizations (CBOs) and FHLB Dallas members. The PGP also compliments the development activities fostered by FHLB Dallas Affordable Housing and Community Investment programs.

Natures Open Door Outreach Services works closely with farms in the Fort Worth area to provide nutritious meals and access to educational services and resources to low-income residents of the area. Since 2019, the 501 (c)3 nonprofit has been providing these resources specifically to children and senior citizens and to those struggling with access to grocery stores and food.

WHAT: Check presentation for Nature's Open Door Outreach Services Inc. WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 27, 2022 WHO: Lacy Bond, First Vice President, Compliance Officer, NBT Financial Bank Tina Stivers, CRA Lending Compliance Officer, Ciera Bank Joveta Kanion, Nature's Open Door Outreach Services, Inc. Melanie Dill, Community and Economic Development Product Manager, FHLB Dallas WHERE: 8101 FM 2738, Burleson, TX 76028

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220923005533/en/

Corporate Communications

Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

fhlb.com

(214) 441-8445

Source: Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
Programs will support Rhode Island-based renewables while offering community-wide access to competitively priced electricity

PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Six Rhode Island cities and towns have joined together to launch aggregation programs that leverage community-wide buying power to provide their residents and businesses with new options for electricity supply. These Community Electricity Aggregation (CEA) programs will focus on providing competitively priced rates while also including additional clean energy from Rhode Island.

The new programs, set to launch in May 2023, are the culmination of a multi-year effort involving the communities of Barrington, Central Falls, Newport, Portsmouth, Providence and South Kingstown working with electricity aggregator Good Energy. By working together, these communities can harness significant buying power, collectively representing over 100,000 eligible electricity users.

Each municipality developed its own aggregation plan, customized to reflect its community priorities. These were then approved by votes of its City or Town Council, as well as by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission.

The primary electricity offering in each CEA program will exceed State renewable energy standards while maintaining focus on competitive pricing. With a combined load of roughly 15% of the States electric utility, the group will benefit from substantial economies of scale while also providing significant demand for new renewable energy in the region.

The municipalities have committed to sourcing their renewable energy from within New England. This will include specific Rhode Island-based projects such as solar power facilities built on brownfields in North Providence and Johnston, as well as wind turbines located in Providence, Coventry and Narragansett.

Providing cleaner energy options, and making those options more accessible and affordable, is a key strategy of Providences Climate Justice Plan, said Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. We are proud to join these fellow cities and towns in beginning this program and excited to offer new options for energy supply in our community.

"As cost of living expenses continue to skyrocket, like rent and energy, too many of our families in Central Falls are left struggling to meet their most basic needs. Energy aggregation is an opportunity for our city to work to address this growing challenge," said Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera. "This program aims to help residents with electricity price stability and potential monthly cost savings, all while Central Falls moves toward a cleaner energy future."

Aggregation is a step toward reducing not only the impact of rising energy costs, but also our carbon footprint through a cleaner supply of electricity, Barrington Town Manager Philip Hervey said.

We are happy to be joining with five other communities in Rhode Island in an initiative to bring green and low cost energy options to our residents, noted Portsmouth Town Administrator Rich Rainer.

We are excited to help communities combat climate change while also looking out for the energy spend of their residents and businesses, said Philip Carr, New England Regional Director of Good Energy. Community electricity aggregation programs are rapidly transforming the electricity sector in many states, and we are thrilled to bring this program to Rhode Island consumers.

Providence-based non-profit Green Energy Consumers Alliance will provide a significant portion of the voluntary renewable energy from Rhode Island-based projects. Our organizations mission is to speed the transition to clean energy. And thats exactly what this program does. Were going to bring more wind and solar onto the grid and the best part is that it will be from projects located right here in the Ocean State, said Larry Chretien, Executive Director of GECA.

After a competitive bidding process, the group selected NextEra Energy Services, LLC as its electricity supplier. Final pricing will be announced about two months in advance of the launch, in March 2023, via community-wide outreach and education initiatives.

When each program launches, any electricity customer using Last Resort Service supply from the utility, RI Energy (formerly National Grid), will be eligible for automatic enrollment in the new CEA program. Customers will be provided with an opportunity to opt-out before the program starts and, if enrolled, will be able to leave the program at any time without penalty.

RI Energy will continue to deliver electricity, respond to outages and manage all billing. Customers who participate in the programs will continue to receive a single electricity bill, but will see a change in the bills Supply section. Utility discount programs, budget billing, and solar or net-metering benefits will not be affected by participating in the CEA programs. To learn more, visit goodenergy.com/rhode-island/.

About Good Energy: Good Energy is a national leader in the design, development, implementation and ongoing management of community electricity aggregation programs, serving cities and towns in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Illinois. goodenergy.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220922005697/en/

Jamie Rhodes, Good Energy Sales Manager, Rhode Island, 401-225-3441 [email protected]

Source: Good Energy
OTTAWA, Sept. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Red Cross has launched the Hurricane Fiona in Canada Appeal to support people across eastern Canada who have been impacted by this devastating hurricane. Money raised will enable the Red Cross to carry out relief, recovery, resiliency and risk reduction activities in and beyond the impacted region at the individual and community levels.

Hurricane Fiona made landfall on the morning of September 24 and has caused widespread flooding, travel disruptions, and damage to homes, buildings and infrastructure, with hundreds of thousands of people experiencing power outages.

Hurricane Fiona has caused unprecedented damage across eastern Canada, impacting hundreds of thousands of people, said Conrad Sauve, President and CEO at the Canadian Red Cross. While the full impacts of the hurricane are not yet known, the needs will be immense. The Red Cross will be there to support those impacted as they recover from this devastating storm in the days, weeks and months ahead.

In preparation for the hurricane, the Canadian Red Cross prepositioned stocks around Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec. Red Cross teams are currently providing support in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec. The Red Cross is working closely with local, provincial and Indigenous governments to determine how to best support those affected.

People in Canada wishing to help are encouraged to make a financial donation to the Hurricane Fiona in Canada Appeal online at www.redcross.ca or by calling 1-800-418-1111. A $10 donation can also be made by texting FIONA to 20222.

Additional Resources@RedCrossCanada | facebook.com/CanadianRedCross | redcross.ca/blog Red Cross donor inquiries: [email protected] or 1-800-418-1111

About the Canadian Red Cross Here in Canada and overseas, the Red Cross stands ready to help people before, during and after a disaster. As a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement  which is made up of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and 192 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies  the Canadian Red Cross is dedicated to helping people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need, and supporting them in strengthening their resilience.

MEDIA CONTACTSEnglish Media: 1-877-599-9602French Media: 1-888-418-9111

Source: Canadian Red Cross / Croix-Rouge canadienne
Warsaw, Poland, Sept. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Riding on the immense success of its global Ambassador Program launched in May earlier this year, a creator of innovations for e-commerce exeno releases the next phase of the program. For its Ambassadors, exeno has prepared an increased prize pool of USD 15,000 worth of exeno coins (EXN).

The Ambassador Program was created to help exeno reach a wider audience and create a buzz in the community about exeno coin. In phase 1, the program saw great success, with 10,000 ambassadors connecting and joining the platform.

In phase 2, which will be bigger and more rewarding than the previous phase, the initiative is now searching for even more ambassadors to help them grow and expand further.

The unique program invites blockchain geeks, shopping, and lifestyle enthusiasts to join their vision of "bringing crypto to life" and get rewarded in exeno coin. Anyone with experience and an interest in crypto and expanding the exeno brand online is welcome to apply.

Ambassadors may choose one of the following roles for themselves: Content Creator, Moderator, Translator, Product Feedback, Fundraiser, Promotional Ambassador, Writer, and Forum Writer. For more details about the roles of Ambassadors, visit: https://ambassador.exeno.com/

With the efforts of its team of Ambassadors, the native cryptocurrency EXN gained a lot of popularity and visibility in the crypto circles. With the coin going strong, the project team plans to launch the Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) of EXN in October this year. An Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) is a coin sale supervised by a cryptocurrency exchange. IEOs, like ICOs, provide investors with new coins while raising funding. IEOs are only open to exchange users, albeit some IEOs may take place on several exchanges. The growing coin utility and the potential listing gains encourage crypto enthusiasts to make the most of the opportunity - get on board and take exeno to the moon!

If you are interested in becoming an exeno Ambassador, please visit their website to learn more and apply.

About exeno

exeno is merging the e-commerce world with blockchain technology and has become a leader within the crypto commerce (c-commerce) space. It uses the untapped potential of cryptocurrencies to lead e-commerce to a Web3-based reality. As a result, exeno offers innovative tools and solutions that make online shopping and crypto payments faster, more secure, and more adaptable. By joining the exeno ecosystem you and your company can keep up with the changing world and benefit from the best of technology.

To learn more about Exeno visit: Website | Whitepaper Twitter | Discord | Instagram | Telegram

Divya Bhatia Project Manager, Luna PR [email protected]

Source: exeno
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- K92 Mining Inc. (K92 or the Company) (TSX: KNT; OTCQX: KNTNF) announces that it has filed a technical report (the Technical Report) containing a maiden resource estimate on the Blue Lake gold-copper porphyry deposit in Papua New Guinea. The Technical Report, titled, Independent Technical Report, Mineral Resource Estimate Blue Lake Porphyry Deposit, Kainantu, Papua New Guinea dated September 20, 2022, with an effective date of August 1, 2022, was prepared by Simon Tear BSc (Hons), EurGeol, PGeo IGI, EurGeol, and Anthony Woodward BSc (Hons), M.Sc., MAIG. Refer to the Companys news release dated August 9, 2022, for a summary of the key results, assumptions and estimates contained in the Technical Report. The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and is available under the Companys SEDAR profile (www.sedar.com) and on the K92 website at www.k92mining.com.

The Blue Lake project is located approximately 4 km southwest of the Companys producing high-grade gold-copper Kora and Judd intrusion-related deposits at the Kainantu Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea. Blue Lake was discovered by K92 after mineralized lithocap was identified in 2017. K92 has completed two diamond drill programs at Blue Lake for a total of 26 holes and 16,474.8 metres.

About K92

K92 Mining Inc. is engaged in the production of gold, copper and silver at the Kainantu Gold Mine in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea, as well as exploration and development of mineral deposits in the immediate vicinity of the mine. The Company declared commercial production from Kainantu in February 2018, is in a strong financial position. A maiden resource estimate on the Blue Lake porphyry project was completed in August 2022. K92 is operated by a team of mining company professionals with extensive international mine-building and operational experience.

On Behalf of the Company,

John Lewins, Chief Executive Officer and Director

For further information, please contact David Medilek, P.Eng., CFA at +1-604-416-4445

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as expect, plan, anticipate, project, target, potential, schedule, forecast, budget, estimate, intend or believe and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could, should or might occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our ability to control, that may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, without limitation, Public Health Crises, including the COVID-19 Pandemic; changes in the price of gold, silver, copper and other metals in the world markets; fluctuations in the price and availability of infrastructure and energy and other commodities; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; volatility in price of our Common Shares; inherent risks associated with the mining industry, including problems related to weather and climate in remote areas in which certain of the Companys operations are located; failure to achieve production, cost and other estimates; risks and uncertainties associated with exploration and development; the fact that a feasibility studying of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability has not been prepared for the Kainantu Mine; uncertainties relating to estimates of mineral resources including uncertainty that mineral resources may never be converted into mineral reserves; the Companys ability to carry on current and future operations, including development and exploration activities; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; the Companys ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold, silver and copper; inability of the Company to identify appropriate acquisition targets or complete desirable acquisitions; failures of information systems or information security threats; political, economic and other risks associated with the Companys foreign operations; geopolitical events and other uncertainties, such as the conflict in Ukraine; compliance with various laws and regulatory requirements to which the Company is subject to, including taxation; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions, including relationship with the communities in jurisdictions it operates; other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry; and the risks, uncertainties and other factors referred to in the Companys Annual Information Form under the heading Risk Factors. Estimates of mineral resources are also forward-looking statements because they constitute projections, based on certain estimates and assumptions, regarding the amount of minerals that may be encountered in the future and/or the anticipated economics of production, should mining occur. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actual results to differ materially from those that are anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Source: K92 Mining Inc.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clear Sky Lithium Corp. (CSE: POWR) (FRA: K4A / WKN: A3DM2W) (OTC: CSKYF) (Clear Sky or the Company), a mineral exploration and development company focused on American lithium deposits to support domestic demand, is pleased to announce, and welcomes industry-acclaimed mine building expert, Mr. Jean Depatie, B.Sc., M.Sc., as Head Advisor of Project Development and Acquisitions.

Mr. Depatie is a well-known expert around the world in mineral exploration and development, and minerals and mining corporate finance including mergers and acquisitions. He is an economic geologist with a BA in math and physics, and holds both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Geology. He has enjoyed a distinguished international career spanning over 45 years of national and international experience in economic geology, having acted, directly or indirectly, as a consultant for organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Canadian International Development Agency.

In the mining industry, he was a director of Glamis Gold Ltd. (which sold to Goldcorp Inc which eventually became a US $21.3 billion market cap company), a director of Novicourt Inc. (acquired by Xtrata plc), and a director of Consolidated Thomson Iron Mines Limited (acquired by Cliff Natural Resources Inc. in a $4.9+ billion acquisition transaction). Mr. Depatie has also served public companies at the highest levels in the acquisition of strategic, international mines. In addition to his role in the acquisition and reactivation of the Cobre San Juan base metal mine in Peru, he was involved in the discovery of the Louvicourt base metal mine and the development of the Beaufor gold mine in Quebec. In Quebec, he served as President and CEO of Louvem Mines Inc. He staked the ground and initiated the drilling that led to the discovery by SOQUEM of the Seleine salt mine in the Magdalen Islands, Quebec. This mine is still in production today.

In 1990, Mr. Depatie received the Prix d'Excellence from the Quebec Ministry of Mines and Energy for having financed and put into production the Stratmin mine, believed to be the largest graphite mine in the world at the time. In 1991, he served as President of the Association Professionnelle des Geologues et des Geophysiciens du Quebec. In 2021, he was awarded the Hector-Authier prize by the Quebec Association of Mining Exploration for outstanding contribution to the development of mining entrepreneurship in Quebec.

Company CEO, Patrick Morris notes, We are truly grateful to make todays announcement. Mr. Depatie brings a whole new level of expertise, knowledge, leadership, and global recognition to our venture. He is a consummate professional, and we believe that with his contribution of advice and guidance, we can look forward to continued growth of the Company and in creating value for its shareholders.

The Company announces that it has granted 200,000 restricted share units (RSUs) to Mr. Depatie. Twenty percent (20%) of the RSUs vest immediately and 20% the RSUs vest on the dates that are 6, 12, 18 and 24 months following the date of grant. The RSUs are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day and may not be exercised until the Companys RSU plan has received the approval of its shareholders.

Clear Sky Lithium advises the public that as part of its disclosure obligations as a public issuer, all material and regulatory filings can be found on www.sedar.com. We also invite the public to visit our website at www.clearskylithium.com and to sign up to our news alerts to be advised of future news releases and related company information. Please also ensure you watch our video which is available on the website.

On Behalf of The Board of Directors,Sincerely,

~Patrick Morris~

Patrick MorrisChief Executive Officer Clear Sky Lithium Corp.www.clearskylithium.com

About Clear Sky Lithium Corp. (CSE: POWR) (FRA: K4A / WKN: A3DM2W) (OTC: CSKYF)Clear Sky Lithium is an exploration and development company dedicated to the advancement of North American lithium deposits to support domestic demand. The Company holds interests on the Halo and Eli properties in Nevada. The Company is also focusing on the development of claystone extraction and processing technologies aimed at delivering scalable efficiencies across the value chain in a sustainable manner. Find out more visit www.clearskylithium.com and watch our video.

Forward Looking Information Disclaimer

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information may include financial and other projections, as well as statements regarding future plans, objectives, or economic performance, or the assumption underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as may, would, could, will, likely, except, anticipate, believe, intend, plan, forecast, project, estimate, outlook, or the negative thereof or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the services to be provided by Mr. Depatie and the benefits to the Company therefrom.

Forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis, and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. The material factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking information contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, key personnel and qualified employees continuing their involvement with the Company; the Companys ability to secure additional financing on reasonable terms; the competitive conditions of the sector in which the Company operates; and laws and any amendments thereto applicable to the Company.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks relating to the future business plans of the Company; risks that the Company will not be able to retain its key personnel; risks that the Company will not be able to secure financing on reasonable terms or at all, as well as all of the other risks as described in the Companys final long form prospectus dated May 31, 2022, under the heading Risks Factors. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Companys management to predict all such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Companys 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 information. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information or events after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law, including securities laws.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Clear Sky Lithium Corp. Investor RelationsEmail: [email protected] Telephone: +1 (778) 383-7240

Source: Clear Sky Lithium Corp.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. On September 23, at around 19:30, one of the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces resorted to provocation, attempting to infiltrate into the rear of one of the Armenian combat positions located in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the Defense Ministry of Armenia said.

Thanks to the skillful actions of the units of the Armenian Armed Forces, the adversary was pushed back to the initial positions.

There are no casualties on the Armenian side.

No other incidents have been registered overnight, the ministry said, adding that as of 10:00, September 24, the situation on the border is relatively stable.
YEAR 11 ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After presenting more than 500 shows across 34 venues in 12 days, the annual Rochester Fringe Festival will close its eleventh year with the return of vertical dance company BANDALOOP. After delighting Fringe-goers in 2012 and 2013, BANDALOOP danced on the side of the 21-story Five Star Plaza building wowing crowds in downtown Rochester on Friday night. Two more FREE, family-friendly shows take place at 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM on Saturday night, September 24 (best viewed from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, 353 Court Street).

11TH ANNUAL ROCHESTER FRINGE ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE WITH BANDALOOP

An innovator of vertical performance, California-based BANDALOOP seamlessly weaves dynamic physicality and intricate choreography to turn the dance floor on its side.

"We are thrilled to welcome the innovative, powerful BANDALOOP back to Rochester! Experiences like BANDALOOP have put Fringe on the map and captivated the hearts of our community," said Erica Fee, Festival Producer.

Between performances of BANDALOOP, festival-goers can enjoy the highly anticipated, seventh annual Fringe Street Beat, an all-styles dance and breakdancing competition at Dr. MLK Jr. Park. Fresh talent from Rochester and beyond participate in 3-on-3 team battles for a chance to win the title of Fringe Street Beat Champions and a cash prize. Ithaca's DJ ha-MEEN will MC, with Toronto's DJ Victorious on the decks, and judges TEIN (last year's champion from Buffalo), Bgirl Mantis (New York City), and Mai Le Ho (New York City).

Saturday, September 24 is also KIDS DAY, featuring family-friendly activities including: pumpkin painting, kids chalk art, a kids' version of Cirque du Fringe: Afterglow, the Guinness World Record Attempt for Largest-Ever Juggling Lesson (held at The Strong National Museum of Play), and many other shows.

More About Rochester Fringe Festival: The Rochester Fringe Festival is the largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival in New York State and one of the top three attended Fringe Festivals in the United States. More than 500,000 people have attended nearly 4,000 performances and events since its inception in 2012. The non-profit organization's mission is to offer a platform for artists to share their creativity and develop their skills, while also providing unparalleled public access to the arts. It strives to be diverse and inclusive, and stimulate downtown Rochester both culturally and economically. It showcases the work of regional, national, and international artists from emerging to superstar.

SOURCE Rochester Fringe Festival, Inc.
On the southwestern coast of Thailand, limestone cliffs tower over seawater against the backdrop of swaying trees. Long-tail boats -- the only means of transportation to Railay Beach -- sit parked in the distance, neon-pink-and-green flags swaying at the bow. Sand bubbler crabs dip above and below the surface, leaving their intricate designs at the mercy of high tide and flip-flops. I'm sitting in a bar on the beach, watching water droplets fall down my ice-cold Singha beer, looking at the sunset glimmer on the water. Picturesque doesn't even begin to describe this. There's just one question on my mind: How did I end up here?

A few weeks earlier, I was fantasizing about going somewhere -- anywhere -- far away. I craved the feeling of being lost in an unfamiliar city, soaking in its sounds, smells, energy. This led to casually browsing plane tickets to Southeast Asia, when a reasonably priced ticket to Bangkok popped up. Later that month, I boarded the plane with a friend who booked her trip a few days after mine.

While jetting across the world on a whim admittedly made me feel pretty cocky, it turns out I'm part of a larger trend.

According to data from the online travel company Skyscanner, demand focused on the Asia-Pacific region -- and Thailand in particular -- has taken off since coronavirus restrictions began to ease in April. During May and June, for example, it was the third most popular long-haul destination from France, where I live.

Beyond the uptick in trips to the region, Matt Bradford, who analyzes trends and insights for Skyscanner, has identified short booking horizons -- a window of 30 days or less between booking and takeoff -- as a new behavior. He explained by phone that, in France during May and June, 39 percent of bookings made on the site were for departures within one month. (In the United States, that figure was 35 percent.)

When the doors slide open at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, it hits you: wet, sweltering heat. Within one minute, my skin was covered in a slick film of humidity and sweat, dripping down the back of my neck as we hopped into a cab. We drove past roadside dumpling joints, skyscrapers and a seemingly endless string of stalls selling sex toy souvenirs.

The next afternoon, after a delicious lunch at Rung Reung Pork Noodle -- a bare-bones, plastic-stool, fan-blasting haven for pork meatballs, noodles and broth -- we set off toward Wat Arun, a temple built during the Ayutthaya era on the bank of the Chao Phraya River. Its "prang" towers more than 200 feet overhead, intricately decorated with porcelain pieces and walkways that snake up and around it. As we were strolling through the grounds, a lady approached us offering a boat ride around a nearby floating market.

Our boat driver soon led us through Thonburi's network of klongs, or canals, lined with worn wooden houses, many tilting on the stilts holding them above water. A woman wearing a straw hat with bows clipped onto the band slowly approached us on her long-tail boat, offering bracelets, key chains and flowery hair clips. After we politely declined, she reached into her cooler, emerging with a grin. "Beer?" While this normally wouldn't send me over the edge with excitement, Bangkok had banned alcohol sales for 24 hours during its election, and a cold Chang sounded pretty good in that heat. I bought one for myself and our driver, and we continued to drift through the canals.

I'm no floating-market expert, but let's just say this one was slightly underwhelming; after a quick snack of fried quail eggs with soy sauce and sugar, we set off back toward Bangkok and spent the evening on a rooftop paying for drinks with crypto, the bar's only payment option.

The next two days would see endless heaps of sausages splattering into hot oil on street food carts, 3 a.m. massages on Khaosan Road and walks down the side streets of Sukhumvit. Then, after being seduced by travelers and locals raving about the south - they generally urged us to avoid Phuket, the notorious destination for tourists looking to get lost in the black hole of its nightlife - we hopped on a plane.

After the intense, electric urban energy of Bangkok, Krabi -- a southern province on Thailand's Andaman Sea -- was a literal breath of fresh air. We hopped into a shuttle that made various drop-offs in towns throughout the area. The driver played American country music as we drove past lush greenery on winding roads, passing a shooting range on the way into Ao Nang. A tourist, probably in her 20s, was talking to the woman next to her. "We don't really have a plan," she said.

They weren't the only ones.

In Krabi, we set off by long-tail boat to explore the Ko Poda, Ko Thap and Ko Khai (or "Chicken") islands off the coast, within the Phi Phi Islands national park. To say our first stop looked like a postcard would be a vast understatement. If you've ever imagined yourself on a deserted island, gazing out into crystal-clear waters under the shade of a mangrove tree on a white-sand beach, this was that.

There was no one else in sight as we dived into the calm water, splashing around gleefully with silly grins on our faces. I soon started to notice some stinging on my upper arm. Thinking I was being a hypochondriac, I ignored it. A couple of minutes later, back onshore, my friend mentioned that her arm was stinging but reasoned that it was probably because of the saltwater-and-sunburn combination.

When we finally connected the dots about our ailments, we strolled back to inspect the water. As it turns out, the deserted white-sand beach wasn't deserted at all, but was instead full of massive translucent jellyfish, in the water and washed ashore, a small detail we didn't register on our walk from the boat. Our driver didn't seem too concerned, though. When asked whether the stings were dangerous, he laughed, shook his head and said, "No dead, no dead," still chuckling as he returned to the stern.

On our last night, we returned to Railay Beach via long-tail boat, tilting dramatically against the waves, water splashing into the boat through the open sides. After wading through the water to get to shore, we dropped off our stuff and hit the beach bar. "Hotel California" played in the background as the sun disappeared over the horizon, revealing stars and the vast surrounding cliffs shining in the moonlight.

Then, the power went out.

After a few minutes, the bartender created a makeshift glowing lantern by putting his phone flashlight under a bottle of Curacao. Candles were lit. We asked for another round. "Why not?" he replied.

A wander through the pitch-black town revealed shadows of massage ladies, chatting quietly while huddled together, looking out onto the pathway. Bartenders hung out outside, just their silhouettes visible in the darkness. In one bar, candles cast a glowing light over a pool table beyond the open windowsills, an acoustic guitar player singing behind it. We spent a few hours in that bar as rains flooded the road outside.

Behind us, the bartender kept laughing to himself, repeating, "Why not?" - seemingly the town's unofficial catchphrase - every couple of minutes. We couldn't make out the faces of the people opposite us, just their shadows. Reality felt conflated with a sort of dream world - in a good way.

Suddenly, the lights came on. Almost immediately, the place that couldn't have felt farther away from home made me think of the bars on Rue de Lappe, the notoriously rowdy party street in my Paris neighborhood, characterized by neon lights and flaming shots. Acoustic music quickly faded behind the Top 40 songs blasting on the stereo, and fairy lights blinked aggressively on the walls. It was time to go. The next morning, I left Krabi, already feeling nostalgic as that night shifted from reality into memory on the journey back to Paris.

I'm not advocating for always traveling without a plan. We missed a lot. The one thing we really wanted to do -- travel by train from north to south -- wasn't possible without booking ahead. Our floating-market experience could have benefited from better research. We could have seen more sights. But if someone had asked me, "Would you like to take a rickety long-tail boat in high swells to this isolated beach town that will lose power, where you'll be essentially stranded until morning?"

I'd say, "Why not?"
TOKYO  Residents of an Air Force base in northeastern Japan were told to shelter in place Friday after an airman reported finding what turned out to be a Japanese grenade from World War II.

Out of an abundance of caution the acting Misawa Air Base installation commander issued a shelter in place warning notification for north base housing after a community member discovered an unexploded ordnance 23 Sept, a message on Misawas official Facebook page stated that day.

Misawas Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel immediately responded to the scene and determined the object was not a threat, it added.

Senior Airman Layne Ring, 28, whose job involves testing jet engines at Misawa, told Stars and Stripes he found a strange object while he and his wife were snorkeling at Mutsu Bay last weekend. The bay is about 45 minutes drive north of the base.

My wife and I love to look for sea glass/glass floats/sea marbles, he said via Facebook Messenger on Friday evening. While we were there, I pulled out my snorkel gear and started snorkeling near the shore and found a ton of glass, and then I stumbled upon what I thought was a ceramic pot at first but to my knowledge assumed it was a ceramic fishing weight or something.

On Wednesday, while cleaning out a bag full of objects he collected, Ring noticed what looked like a fuse, prompting him to do some research, he said.

I realized I found a Japanese imperial navy Type 4 ceramic grenade  created from 1944-1945 as a last ditch effort to defend Japans citizens from the Americans if they invaded, Ring wrote.

The grenades, also issued to the military, werent very effective and were known to break on impact and have no effect if broken, he added.

Upon stumbling across this crazy info, I decided the next day to remove the relic from my house, Ring said. I called [explosive ordnance disposal] who then brought the whole emergency response force to my house to remove the grenade.

Ring said he put the object in a safe location outside until the bomb squad arrived.

The grenade to my knowledge still had the fuse and rubber seal intact despite being underwater for 75+ years, he wrote.

A Misawa spokesman, Tech. Sgt. Chris Jacobs, confirmed in an email Friday evening that the object was a grenade from World War II.

After the object was deemed a non-threat, residents were released from the shelter in place order, he said.
BANGKOK  A Chinese scientific ship bristling with surveillance equipment docked in a Sri Lankan port. Hundreds of fishing boats anchored for months at a time among disputed islands in the South China Sea. And ocean-going ferries, built to be capable of carrying heavy vehicles and large loads of people.

All are ostensibly civilian ships, but experts and uneasy regional governments say they are part of a Chinese civil-military fusion strategy, little concealed by Beijing, that enhances its maritime capabilities.

Chinas navy is already the worlds largest by ship count, and has been rapidly building new warships as part of a wider military expansion. It launched its first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier in June, and at least five new destroyers are on the way soon.

The buildup comes as Beijing attempts to exert broader influence in the region. It is increasing its military activities around the self-governing island of Taiwan, seeking new security agreements with Pacific islands and building artificial islands in disputed waters to fortify its territorial claims in the South China Sea, which the U.S. and its allies have challenged.

The civilian vessels do more than just augment the raw numbers of ships, performing tasks that would be difficult for the military to carry out.

In the South China Sea's Spratly Islands, for example, China pays commercial trawlers more than they can make by fishing simply to drop anchor for a minimum of 280 days a year to support Beijings claim to the disputed archipelago, said Gregory Poling, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

China is able to use nominally civilian vessels that are clearly state directed, state paid to eat away the sovereignty of its neighbors, but then plausibly deny that the state is responsible, he said.

China has been using civilian fishing trawlers for military purposes for decades, but has significantly increased the numbers recently with the creation of a Spratly Backbone Fleet out of a government subsidy program begun under President Xi Jinping, which helps cover building new vessels, among other things.

Those ships largely appeared almost overnight after China constructed port infrastructure a few years ago on the artificial islands it built in the Spratlys that could be used for resupply, Poling said.

Now there are about 300 to 400 vessels deployed there at any given time, he said.

The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and others also have claims to the Spratly Islands, which sit in a productive fishing area and important shipping lane, and are thought to hold untapped reserves of natural gas and oil.

But the Chinese ships deter other trawlers from fishing in the area, and have been slowly displacing them from the grounds, with little that governments can do, said Jay Batongbacal, who heads the University of the Philippines' Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.

Because they are ostensibly civilian fishing vessels, navies' ships are unable to deal with them lest China accuse the Philippines of provoking an incident and using force against civilians, he said. They take advantage of perceived grey zones below the threshold for triggering a self-defense response.

In one highly publicized incident, a steel Chinese trawler in 2019 rammed and sank a wooden-hulled Filipino boat at anchor northeast of the Spratly Islands, abandoning its crew to be rescued later by a Vietnamese fishing boat. Despite a diplomatic protest from the Philippines, China denied the incident was intentional, calling it an accidental collision.

In addition to about 800 to 1,000 commercial fishing boats in the Spratly fleet, China has approximately 200 other vessels as part of a professional maritime militia, according to a November study co-authored by Poling based on an analysis of official Chinese reports, satellite imagery and other sources.

The professional militia is better equipped, with trained crews and under direct state control, and is used for more aggressive operations such as harassing foreign oil and gas operations, Poling said.

In the event of a conflict, Chinas use of civilian vessels would complicate the rules of engagement, he said.

You don't want to treat every Chinese fishing boat as if it were an armed combatant, but, in fact, some of them may well be armed combatants, Poling said.

China has also been deploying civilian research vessels for military-related tasks in areas where its navy would be unable to operate without provoking a response, said Ridzwan Rahmat, a Singapore-based analyst with the defense intelligence company Janes.

If you deploy grey hull vessels, your adversary may also deploy a grey hull vessel as a reciprocal measure, so that makes it more dangerous for everyone, he said, referring to the typical color of military ships. So to avoid this, China has been deploying white hull vessels  to reinforce its presence without escalating things.

There are also many Western export controls prohibiting sensitive technology from being sent to China for military use, which China is able to bypass by building such civilian ships, even though in everything but name theyre military, Rahmat said.

The autonomously piloted Zhu Hai Yun is believed to be one such ship, capable of launching airborne, surface and underwater drones to carry out marine scientific research, according to the Chinese state-run Global Times.

The ship, which completed its first autonomous sea trial in June, could also create military maps of the South China Sea floor, including important submarine lanes around Taiwan, Rahmat said.

China has been increasing its submarine deterrent patrols, and in order to ensure it can do this it needs to map the underwater terrain, he said.

Chinas methods drew the ire of regional rival India last month when it sought to dock the Yuan Wang 5 in Sri Lankas Hambantota Port, not far from Indias southeast coast, for refueling at a time that New Delhi was preparing to test a new missile.

The vessel is officially a scientific research ship equipped with sensors that can be used to track satellites, but the same equipment can be used to gather data on a missile launch.

Sri Lanka, in the midst of an economic crisis and heavily reliant on aid from India, initially declined to allow the ship to dock over India's concerns.

But China operates the Hambantota Port, having been granted a 99-year lease on the facility  built with Chinese money  after Sri Lanka defaulted on loans in 2017. After high-level consultations with Beijing, Sri Lankan authorities backtracked and allowed the Yuan Wang 5 to dock from Aug. 16 to Aug. 22.

On Aug. 23, India successfully tested its new surface-to-air missile designed to defend a ship from close-range aerial threats.

I suspect the launch was delayed until the Chinese spy ship was gone, Rahmat said.

China hasn't tried to disguise its military use of civilian ocean-going ferries, which have had to meet defense standards since 2016 allowing them to accommodate military vehicles like tanks, said Mike Dahm, a retired U.S. Navy intelligence officer who has written on the topic for the U.S. Naval War College China Maritime Studies Institute.

Slickly produced state television videos showing trainloads of military vehicles and troops boarding the vessels and heading to sea, stating openly they are testing how to use civilian transportation resources to execute military tasks. The latest such exercise wrapped up earlier this month.

This could be meant to intimidate Taiwan, which China claims as its own and has not ruled out attempting to take by force, and also dovetails with the Chinese governments message that the public is contributing to national security, Dahm said.

China at the moment does not possess enough amphibious craft to transport the number of troops needed 160 kilometers (100 miles) across the Taiwan Strait for a potential beach landing on the island, and the ferries could be a stopgap measure should a crisis prompt China to decide to invade, Rahmat said.

China also may not want to take on the expense of building and maintaining a huge amphibious armada for an indeterminate period of time, Dahm said.

Military amphibious craft are built to land troops and vehicles on a beach, whereas ferries provide port-to-port movement, which would mean they would only be effective if China can capture Taiwanese ports in serviceable condition, Dahm said.

Still, in a crisis, China's People's Liberation Army could attempt a chancy gambit like offloading amphibious vehicles from the ferries at sea or using floating causeways, Dahm said.

There is always the possibility that the PLA could commit to a high-risk operation against Taiwan with the possibility of losing a large number of civilian ships, he said.

Associated Press writers Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, and Ashok Sharma in New Delhi contributed to this story.
UNITED NATIONS  China underscored its commitment Saturday to its claim to Taiwan, telling world leaders that anyone who gets in the way of its determination to reunify with the self-governing island would be "crushed by the wheels of history."

The language was forceful but, for Chinese leadership, well within the realm of normal.

"Only when China is fully reunified can there be true peace across the Taiwan Strait," Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said at the U.N. General Assembly. He said Beijing would "take the most forceful steps to oppose external interference."

China vehemently defends its claim on Taiwan, which separated from the mainland after a 1949 civil war and now functions with its own government. A recent visit by the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, markedly ratcheted up tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The language, while pointed, reflected China's usual vehemence about the island; it's claim rarely goes unmentioned in major international speeches. Taiwan is a core issue of China policy, and Wang's appearance  instead of his boss, Chinese leader Xi Jinping  was a signal that the speech was not necessarily a major one.

"The PRC government is the sole government representing all of China," Wang said, referring to China's formal name, the People's Republic of China. "The one-China principle has become a basic norm in international relations."

China exercises regular pressure worldwide on any entity  country, corporation, mapmaker  that even implies Taiwan might be a separate country. Its muscle has isolated the island's government, though a few U.N. members continue to have diplomatic relations with Taipei rather than Beijing.

On Saturday at the U.N. meeting, just a few speakers before Wang, the prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, spoke forcefully about allowing Taiwan to raise its profile in international organizations, including the World Health Organization.

"How can we stand askance, in relative silence and contented inaction, in disregard of Taiwan's legitimate right to exist in accord with the wishes and will of the Taiwanese people?" he asked.

Wang's appearance at the 2022 in-person edition of the U.N. General Assembly comes after two years of remote, pandemic-era speeches by China's top leader. Xi did not attend this year's general assembly, which Russian President Vladimir Putin also skipped. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke on Wednesday.

Ted Anthony, director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation at The Associated Press, was AP's news editor for China from 2002 to 2004 and Asia-Pacific news director from 2014 to 2018.
North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile near its northwestern border Sunday morning, its 18th round of missile tests so far this year, according to South Koreas military.

The missile was launched around 6:53 a.m. from North Pyongan Province, north of the capital city of Pyongyang, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message to reporters.

It flew roughly 372 miles at a peak altitude of 37 miles toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, according to Seoul. The missile is believed to have flown at Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.

The Joint Chiefs said U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials were analyzing the launch and Army Gen. Paul LaCamera, the U.S. Forces Korea commander, reaffirmed their defenses would be strengthened.

The launch is a grave provocation that undermines peace and security on the Korean Peninsula as well as the international community, the Joint Chiefs said.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement it was aware of the launch and was consulting closely with our allies and partners.

While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of [North Koreas]  ballistic missile programs, the statement said. "The U.S. commitments to the defense of [South Korea] and Japan remain ironclad.

The Japanese Prime Ministers Office in a statement on its website called for the government to take all possible measures for precaution, including readiness for contingencies.

The launch comes two days after a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, steamed into South Koreas largest port for the first time in five years ahead of joint maritime drills.

The Ronald Reagan was joined in Busan by the USS Barry, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the USS Chancellorsville, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser. The USS Benfold, another destroyer, ported roughly 25 miles west of Busan.

U.S. and South Korean forces wrapped up a large-scale, 11-day military exercise on Sept. 1 after a five-year suspension. The exercise was lambasted by North Korean officials through its state-run media outlets and described as a rehearsal of an invasion.

In August, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered North Korea substantial financial assistance if it chose to denuclearize. Yoon unveiled a self-described audacious initiative that would boost the Norths agricultural productivity and modernize hospitals and medical infrastructure in exchange for concrete evidence towards denuclearization.

North Korea has so far rejected Yoons overtures and continues to issue fierce statements against the South.

So far this year, Pyongyang has carried out more than 30 launches, including its first intercontinental ballistic missile test since 2017. The latest launch is North Koreas first since Aug. 17, when the communist regime fired two cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea.

North Korea is also suspected by U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials to have fully prepared to conduct its seventh nuclear test, its first in five years. Pyongyang on Sept. 8 reaffirmed its development of nuclear weapons and said it would automatically attack hostile forces if its leadership was in danger, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

That threat is expected to be on the docket when Vice President Kamala Harris visits South Korea after attending the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday in Tokyo.
KHARKIV, Ukraine  A group of Sri Lankans held captive by Russian forces in an agricultural factory in eastern Ukraine said Saturday that they were beaten and abused for months before escaping on foot as the Russians withdrew from the Kharkiv region this month.

Recounting their ordeal to reporters in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, one of the seven Sri Lankans said he was shot in the foot; another had his toenail ripped off and was slammed in the head with the butt of a rifle.

Ukrainian officials described their treatment as torture.

"Every day we were cleaning toilets and bathrooms," Dilukshan Robertclive, one of the former captives, said in English. "Some days Russians came and beat our people, our Sri Lanka people."

Four of the seven were medical students in the city of Kupiansk and three were working there when Russian forces poured across the border in late February and occupied large swaths of eastern and southern Ukraine.

The group said they were captured at the first checkpoint out of Kupiansk and then taken to Vovchansk, near the border with Russia, where they were held in the factory with around 20 Ukrainians.

"They took our passports, other documents, phones, clothes, and locked us up in a room," said Sharujan Gianeswaran, speaking in Tamil to an Associated Press journalist by phone. "There were also Ukrainian people with us, and they were questioned and sent away in 10 days, 15 days or one month. With us they never spoke, because they could not understand our language."

Police said the factory housed a Russian "torture center"  one of 18 in the Kharkiv region.

"They were bound and blindfolded. After that they were captured and then taken to the city of Vovchansk," said Serhiy Bolvinov, head of the investigative department of the National Police in Kharkiv.

Six among the group said they were held in a large upstairs room. The seventh, the only woman, was kept in a dark cell by herself, her companions said. The woman wept silently and did not speak as the group told their story Saturday.

One man said he was shot in the foot by the Russian captors. Another had a toenail ripped off after the soldiers repeatedly bashed it with the butt of a rifle. The men showed their injuries to journalists.

"Most of the time we could not understand what they told us and we were beaten for that," Gianeswaran said.

It dawned upon the Sri Lankans that the battle lines were shifting only when Russian soldiers ordered them to help load trucks with food and weapons.

As the last trucks raced away, the group asked fruitlessly for their passports and papers back, knowing that to move around without them would be impossible in a country filled with checkpoints.

Russian troops captured several cities and towns in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region early in the war. Ukrainian troops retook the area during a swift counteroffensive earlier this month.

When the Sri Lankans realized the Russians were gone, on Sept. 10, the group left the factory and started walking toward the city of Kharkiv, having no real idea how to get to the regional capital which had remained in Ukrainian hands.

"We walked on that road for two days and were exhausted and hungry. We had no food or money to buy food," Gianeswaran said.

They slept on the side of the road and walked until they reached a river. But with so many bridges in the region destroyed by one side or the other in months of fighting, they could find no way to cross.

Finally someone noticed their plight, gave them shelter and called for a ride from security forces.

Police said the group was picked up in the Chuhuiv area, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) from where they started. They are in Kharkiv now, with no idea of what the future holds. Robertclive said they are psychologically damaged by their months in captivity.

But the men smiled when asked how they felt when they realized the worst of their ordeal was at an end.

"They (Ukrainians) have given us food and clothing," Gianeswaran said. "We thought we were going to die but we are saved and are being well looked after."
The rules laid out in federal court were clear: Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian defense contractor who admitted bribing dozens of Navy officers as part of a $35 million fraud scheme, would remain in home confinement under tight, 24-7 security while he provided evidence against corrupt Navy personnel. Only approved visitors could enter the home. An ankle monitor would alert authorities should he somehow slip away.

"He's not going anywhere," one of his defense attorneys, Devin Burstein, assured the judge in late 2020.

But the criminal mastermind known as "Fat Leonard" because of his 6-2, 350-pound frame eventually did go somewhere, cutting off his ankle monitor this past Labor Day weekend and fleeing the San Diego mansion where he had been living with private security staff that he paid for under a court-approved deal meant to prevent his escape.

He was captured after 16 days on the run, caught Tuesday at an airport in Venezuela from which he was headed to Russia after earlier stops in Mexico and Cuba, according to Interpol. Interpol's Venezuela director general, Carlos Garate Rondon, said the 57-year-old Francis would be handed over to judicial authorities to begin the paperwork for extradition.

The international manhunt for Francis renewed interest in his long-running case and the way he outmaneuvered federal authorities in escaping weeks before his sentencing. His flight also triggered new calls from attorneys representing Navy officers in related cases for more details about the health issues that caused Francis to be released from prison on a medical furlough that the court repeatedly extended without objection from prosecutors.

Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 and became a cooperating witness. He spent a couple of years in prison before a diagnosis of kidney cancer led to his initial furlough in 2018 for medical treatment, and then multiple extensions, court files show. With Francis's help, prosecutors secured convictions of 33 of 34 defendants.

Francis increasingly took advantage of his confinement rules, according to new records on his household arrangements obtained by The Washington Post and interviews with people who knew or worked for him during his years in home detention. He hired servants to meet his family's every need and undermined the court's security requirements aimed at keeping him from fleeing by stationing his personal security guards in windowless garages, with no night patrols and no visitor's logs. He seemed able to anticipate when federal officers were headed to check on him, the interviews showed, and allowed a video crew to film him days before he fled.

During his years on medical furlough, Francis stayed at three private homes, where his comforts and liberties grew. Most recently he, his family and an English bulldog lived in a five-bedroom, seven-bath home with a $7,000-a-month rent in a gated community, court filings and interviews show.

At his first stay outside a cell, in an apartment near his doctor's office, Francis's staff prepared so much food for him that uneaten meals filled two to three trash bags each day that would have to be placed in a commercial dumpster nearby, according to Ricardo Buhain, a live-in, around-the-clock security guard who said that he had been hired via an introduction from a doctor treating Francis and that Leonard paid him $10,000 a month.

"He is kind of one of those Crazy Rich Asian kind of people," said Buhain, who said he was Francis's first security guard during his home confinement, referring to the novel and romantic comedy about a fabulously wealthy Singapore family. "The servants really served him. They bathed all of his kids. They fed them 24-7."

A guard hired as Buhain's successor at the apartment, Anthony Galvan, earned about $7,500 a month and said he worked a 12-hour daylight shift and never saw signs of overnight security.

Galvan said that there was never anyone on duty when he arrived or left and that he spent much of his time opening Amazon boxes.

"It's crazy how much stuff he ordered," he said. "He had packages coming from Amazon all day long. He had so much deliveries happening every single day. Sometimes it would be couches, all kinds of furniture, books. Every morning I would show back up at the garage and there would just be boxes in there."

In the days before he went on the lam, Francis paid for U-Haul trucks to carry his family's belongings out of his home and brought in a film crew to interview him, according to Perla Nation, who said she met Francis through an attorney and worked during his final month of home confinement handling administrative tasks.

Nation said she asked Francis about the film crew but didn't get an explanation. "He said it was 'just something that I'm doing,'" she said.

Despite working in the home two or three days a week, Nation said she never met the security guard who she said stayed in the property's garage. She said she never saw a log of visitors to the house.

Nation said the U-Hauls were there to clear the house of belongings from Francis's children as they moved out in anticipation of his sentencing.

"He is a very smart man, and you are seeing the fallout now," she said while Francis was still at large. "Because even within those confines he always had options."

Francis's escape has drawn additional scrutiny to the federal judge, the U.S. attorney's office, Pretrial Services and the U.S. Marshals Service for their roles in his unusual confinement. And whether Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will allow his extradition is unknown. The United States doesn't recognize Maduro's government as legitimate. The countries cut diplomatic relations in 2019.

Beginning in 2018, U.S. District Judge Janis Lynn Sammartino of the Southern District of California granted Francis the medical furlough for treatment of cancer, which she and attorneys for both sides worried could prove fatal, according to court transcripts.

From that time on, court transcripts show, fears that Francis would bolt from home detention nagged the judge and prosecutors, alongside anxiety about how best to care for a critical witness in proceedings that were stretching for years.

"I even went so far as to wonder if he is still in this country," Sammartino commented at a 2020 hearing after Francis was discharged from a doctor's care.

Court transcripts at other times show the judge and attorneys discussing the need to take a deposition with Francis to preserve his testimony should he not survive to help at trials.

Details of his health had been shielded in closed-door hearings conducted since 2018. Redacted transcripts were made public recently only after defense attorneys for Navy personnel on trial pressed for information that they argued could help defense teams probe Francis's credibility and learn more about the terms of his home detention.

Because of the redactions, the full extent of Francis's medical condition and response to treatment still are difficult to discern.

As the government prepared to release him on furlough, Sammartino said paying for constant security over months or years was too pricey for the government, leading to Francis's hiring his own security staff.

"It's private security, which probably wouldn't have been the court's preference," Sammartino said in February 2018. "But I don't think the Marshals are going to put somebody out there 24-7." Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Pletcher said at the same hearing that he agreed with the court's assessment that security at the time "seems like the least of our concerns."

The judge, the U.S. attorney's office and Pretrial Services did not respond to interview requests. The U.S. Marshal's Service responded to an interview request with a statement that said, "The U.S. Department of Justice generally does not comment on extradition-related matters until a defendant is in the United States."

Francis was only three weeks shy of his sentencing date, scheduled for Sept. 22, when he fled, aided by the fact that no one knocked on his door until six hours after his ankle monitor registered a problem.

Until then, former staff and others who knew him said, he lived a life of opulence.

A Navy veteran, Buhain said he met Francis through one of Francis's doctors. Buhain said he wired the apartment to which Francis was released with video cameras and motion detectors, then stayed in a separate residence on the property where he could monitor Francis through a window overlooking the front gate. Buhain provided The Washington Post a document outlining "standard operating procedure" that he said he was given when he started the job. It identifies only lawyers, paralegals and Francis's five children as approved visitors.

Within the first six months, Buhain said, most of Francis's children and his mother moved in with him. When security guard Galvan took over the job in the fall of 2018, he said that Francis gave him a 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift and a chair in a windowless garage where he could monitor security cameras of the apartment and grounds.

Pretrial Services staff members repeatedly told the court that they made unannounced visits to check on Francis, according to court transcripts.

Buhain and Galvan said Francis seemed to know when someone from the agency was about to arrive. "Me, personally, I feel like he knew when they were coming," Galvan said. "I don't know how, but he would always text me, 'So and so is here.' He would always text me a minute or two before they were here."

In December 2020, a Pretrial Services official arrived in late morning at Francis's home, found no security present and alerted the judge, who called a hearing.

"Maybe I can make it simple for everybody," the judge said. "Security means security. It's a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week situation. It doesn't conform to somebody's schedule, and that was the court's concern in setting this manner."

"I was so surprised to learn that this was being handled in the way it was," Sammartino added, according to the transcript. "So that's the only thing. It's not a super big deal. But it needs to be taken care of."

Sammartino got another unwelcome surprise a year later when a podcast series featuring interviews with Francis boasting of how he reeled in the Navy was posted online. The leader of the project, Tom Wright, said he had podcast equipment delivered to Francis through one of his staffers.

Joseph Mancano, a defense attorney for a retired Navy captain convicted in Francis's scheme, said the episode illustrated how the government should have been more careful in its handling of Francis, particularly given how many people he had hoodwinked as part of his fraudulent business. He noted that Francis still owes the government $30 million in restitution.

"Leonard Francis is a guy who will do whatever it takes to help himself," Mancano said. "That's how he's lived his life. So he's going to do whatever he can to try to get what he needs, and it wouldn't surprise me, in fact, if he wasn't planning [his escape] for a long time."

Nation, 33, who started in August helping Francis with administrative tasks, said he may have lulled authorities into complacency because, in her experience, he very seldom left except to take short walks, go to church, or attend legal and medical appointments.

"I think that's why the system became so lax around him," she said, "because he really was a model of house arrest in that way."

The security system met its ultimate test about 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 4, according to a timeline provided by a U.S. Marshals spokesman in response to questions sent by The Post before Francis's capture.

The Pretrial Services office received an automatic notification that there was a problem with Francis's anklet. Pretrial Services staff and members of his defense team tried and failed to reach him by text and phone that morning.

A member of the defense team knocked on his door at about 1:30 in the afternoon and, finding the house quiet, called the San Diego Police, who arrived an hour later and discovered the severed monitor in a portable cooler filled with water in an otherwise mostly empty home, the Marshals Service said.

Francis's escape became public when it was first reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune the following day. The Marshals Service and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service offered a $40,000 award for information leading to his capture.

Nation said she saw Francis the day before his departure and was deeply disappointed by his decision to flee. During his final days in San Diego, after his family left the rented home, Francis grew deeply melancholy as his sentencing approached, she said.

"He became more and more morose as time went on, but it was natural to see him that way because you're coming up against this thing that is going to change the course of your life," she said. "You don't know what's going to happen. I remember the last time I saw him, and I could just see his face and it was so sad."

She said, "It's probably the biggest disappointment in my life to learn that Leo had fled. You want to believe the best in someone."

Nation said law enforcement investigators interviewed her for four to five hours after Francis's disappearance.

Her attorney, Stephen P. White, told The Post that Nation had no advance knowledge of Francis's flight even as she helped him dispose of his remaining belongings.

"He used her kindness and sensitivity to his advantage," White said.

Left with Nation was an English bulldog named Puteri, which belonged to the Francis family. Nation has boarded the dog and hopes to be able to return the pet to the Francis children.

Sandra Jenney, another former house staff member for Francis, faces a lawsuit brought by the landlord of Francis's last home. The landlord claims to be due back rent and damages as a result of Francis's escape.

Jenney worked for Francis as early as 2018, according to the standard operating procedure document.

In a lawsuit filed Sept. 13 in California Superior Court, San Diego County, homeowner Mitesh Kalthia says Jenney and one of Francis's sons, Leonardo Francis, signed the lease to the five-bedroom home where Francis and his family stayed. Kalthia alleges he has not been paid the final month's rent of $7,000 and is seeking a total of more than $25,000 for the unpaid rent and other damages, according to the suit. Jenney and her attorney declined to comment. Leonardo Francis could not be located to seek comment.

Kalthia's attorney, Michael Wright, said Kalthia "didn't even know Leonard was the tenant" because Jenney paid the bills: "He was dealing with her."

The Washington Post's Craig Whitlock, Alice Crites and Samuel Oakford in Washington and Tony Perry in San Diego contributed to this report.
MIAMI (Tribune News Service)  The gurus of the psychedelic era of American pop culture extolled the experience of the acid trip. But the U.S. government and much of the public remained leery of LSD, with President Richard Nixon declaring it and assorted other drugs public enemy No. 1.

Now, half a century after Nixon launched the War on Drugs, a Miami-area private research clinic has kicked off a federally approved clinical trial to test LSD as a possible treatment for generalized anxiety disorder.

The milestone trial  billed by the drug developer as the largest study of LSD for potential commercial use ever conducted in the United States  reflects a growing body of research that suggests those hippies were maybe on to something: That the mind-altering power of LSD, mushrooms and a host of other hallucinogens  if administered in controlled amounts under medical supervision  might have some beneficial properties, particularly in treating psychological problems.

The inaugural dose of the latest trial was administered to a patient on Aug. 24 by Segal Trials, at its Center for Psychedelic and Cannabis Research in Miami Lakes.

The proprietary pharmaceutically optimized form of LSD is named MM-120 and owned by MindMed, a small psychedelic biotechnology company based in New York. MindMeds study could be a significant step in the long process of potentially bringing a new treatment for generalized anxiety disorder to the market. The study spans 20 clinics nationwide, including Segal Trials.

Rishi Kakar, medical director and chief scientific officer at Segal, said Miami-Dades large population and diverse demographic make the county a perfect site for the medical trial.

There are more patients here who have anxiety and dont have enough access to treatment, or the treatment is not meeting their goals, he said. We as a geography are uniquely positioned for that in Miami. We have a breadth of diverse patient populations.

The study, kicking off a second phase, is designed to monitor both the drugs effects and to find the most effective dosage. Patients will receive one of four different dose strengths while others will get a placebo. Segal Trials will likely contribute 10 to 20 patients out of the 200 MindMed is testing in this second phase.

Patients who receive doses will be monitored in a room designed to feel more like home than a sterilized clinic. The first patient in Miami Lakes, Kakar said, reclined on a couch while under the influence of the drug  headset, eye mask and blanket provided. Two guides with experience overseeing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy monitored the patient for the entire duration of its psychoactive effects, which Kakar estimated to be about 12 hours.

Psychedelics  like LSD or acid, Psilocybin or magic mushrooms, among others  are not new, not in a recreational nor a therapeutic context. The psychoactive drugs were widely studied and administered to curb alcohol addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression in the United States until they became criminalized in 1968. Now, after steadily increasing community demand, theyre reentering psychiatric research in a big way.

The past decade has been fruitful for research. Promising studies on Psilocybin as a treatment for anxiety, depression and addiction have multiplied alongside research into MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)  club drugs more commonly called ecstasy or molly  as a potential treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction.

LSD was also widely studied, though mostly before the 1968 ban. The National Institutes of Health funded more than a hundred grants for the drugs study prior to its prohibition. Some of those studies also found use for the compound in quelling anxiety and addiction. Bill Wilson, founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, famously credits LSD for helping him on his road to sobriety.

Those studies and breakthroughs ran largely dry following the ban. But studies like MindMeds are sparking renewed interest in LSD, and a broad umbrella of possible psychedelic treatments.

Joseph Lichter, a chemist who teaches a Psychedelic Renaissance course at Florida International Universitys honors college, believes that such research could prove promising for the future of American psychiatry. The mind-altering substances have been feared or considered dangerous for decades, but are powerful non-toxic compounds that have captivated scientists and researchers since long before they were outlawed.

We definitely need to see more science before we start putting these things into healthcare professionals hands to use with clients, but its really a good thing for us to work toward destigmatizing LSD, Lichter said. He believes theres no better place to kick start a psychedelic renaissance  a resurgence of research on the taboo substances  than Miami-Dade County.

Anytime something is happening here in Miami-Dade County, Im excited by it because were a big metropolis, Lichter said. I think the psychedelic renaissance right now is in a research-heavy period, and things like the trials at Segal are the correct steps forward.

Clinics offering Ketamine, a psychoactive sedative, already exist across the county. Psilocybin has also gained medical traction; Segal Trials conducted its own trials of Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of depression at its Miami Lakes center last summer.

There is such a renewed interest, there is such a large unmet need in our community in that particular area, Kakar said. And psychedelics look like they are getting more normalized in the minds of patients and communities versus being on the fringes of recreational use.

What sets MM-120 and other psychedelic treatments apart from more traditionally prescribed treatments for anxiety and depression is the length of effect. Rather than daily use, the drug candidate is being studied as a one-time treatment that promises  at least potentially  lasting benefits.

Unlike current medications that have to be taken on a daily basis for a very long time and hopefully have a realized effect many weeks down the line, we believe if this medication is taken once under structured conditions, it can have a potential effect on anxiety that lasts for a very long time, Kakar said. So we believe it works in a very different way pharmacologically than any other drug that has to be taken on a daily basis.

Robert Barrow, CEO of MindMed, has touted the potential in company press releases, pointing to one recent research paper from a partner in the MM-120 study.

MindMed, he wrote, is working with the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland, which is the worlds top research center for LSD in medical applications. Earlier this month, the University Hospital of Basel published a paper with results from its own study on how well LSD curbs anxiety.

This paper further reinforces the positive preliminary evidence for LSD in patients who suffer from anxiety disorders, Barrow said. Acute administration of LSD produced long-lasting and notable reductions of anxiety and co-morbid depression symptoms for up to 16 weeks. These results are encouraging.

Its unclear how long the second phase of the trial will last. Once there is enough data across all participating sites, MindMed will approve a specific dose of MM-120 to be studied in phase three. The third and final phase will test a larger pool of patients with only the approved dose. It will be the last step before MindMed can submit the drug to the Food and Drug Administration for approval and possible future prescription usage. The company estimates the entire process will be complete by November of next year, but that could be subject to change if the phases drag on longer than expected.

But despite the promising research, LSD still arguably gets the worst rap out of all the psychedelics. The drug has a tarnished reputation for being associated with counterculture, anti-war protests and bad trips. Its powerful even in small amounts and, when taken in too high a dose or in an unstructured environment, can cause extreme stress or unsafe conditions for the user.

The stigma attached to LSD is why Lichter teaches his students a phrase coined by Humphrey Osmond, a British psychiatrist who coined the word psychedelic.

To fathom hell or go angelic, just take a pinch of psychedelic is the phrase Osmond came up with, Lichter said. Theres a risk of going into a hellish place with this compound or a potential to go into an angelic place. We all have to have that recognition that there is a huge risk.

But, he said, there is a lot of room in between those extremes and the potential benefits are too enticing for some scientists not to support.

In reality its just a chemical compound that binds to a serotonin receptor and causes changes to the way people think or feel, Lichter said. And if that change can actually help them, which is what some of these studies are showing, we need to destigmatize it and give it hope, give it the attention it deserves.

2022 Miami Herald.

Visit miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WASHINGTON - Five members of the Oath Keepers group, including leader Stewart Rhodes, face trial for seditious conspiracy next week, in which U.S. prosecutors will try to convince jurors that Rhodes's call for an armed "civil war" to keep Donald Trump in power on Jan. 6, 2021, was literal - and criminal.

Starting with jury selection Tuesday and opening statements as early as Thursday, Rhodes's trial could reveal new information about the quest to subvert the 2020 presidential election results, as prosecutors continue to probe Trump's conduct and that of his inner circle.

Prosecutors' challenge will be to prove that Rhodes, one of the most visible figures of the far-right anti-government movement, and his group intentionally conspired to use force to prevent President Biden's swearing-in. Whether the government tips its hand in court about the Oath Keepers' ties to other political figures, the trial is an important step in the wider probe, analysts said.

Investigators continue to ask cooperating members of the Oath Keepers who have pleaded guilty about their knowledge of any coordination with others, according to defense attorneys. And they would welcome cooperation from those on trial, even if it came after convictions and the prospect of prison, former prosecutors said.

"I don't think that the investigation is by any means over," said Barbara L. McQuade, a former federal prosecutor who teaches law at the University of Michigan. "I think they may have important lines of investigation, and we just don't know it yet. . . . and it will take many more months before they feel they have tapped all those veins of information."

Prosecutors plan to call as many as 40 witnesses over a projected five-week trial, draw from 800 statements by those charged and summarize tens of thousands of messages, hundreds of hours of video footage and hundreds of phone call, location and financial records, according to pretrial proceedings. Three Oath Keepers members have pleaded guilty to the seditious conspiracy charge and are among more than a dozen potential informants in the case, according to government filings.

In previous court proceedings, Rhodes and his co-defendants have said their actions were defensive, taken in anticipation of what they believed would be a lawful order from Trump deputizing militias under the Insurrection Act to stop Biden from becoming president. They are prepared to argue they relied on advice from their attorney, Oath Keepers general counsel Kellye SoRelle, to delete their communications when Trump did not act.

"What the Government contends was a conspiracy to oppose United States laws was actually lobbying and preparation for the President to utilize a United States law to take lawful action," Rhodes attorneys Phillip A. Linder and James Lee Bright argued.

Prosecutors said the Oath Keepers were using the Insurrection Act as legal cover for actions they were prepared to and did take, regardless of what Trump did. And even if those on trial sincerely believed Trump could have invoked the act, he never did, and lacked the authority to authorize a conspiracy to attack Congress or the presidential transition, prosecutors said.

A federal defender for SoRelle, who has been charged separately in the attack and pleaded not guilty, did not respond to a request for comment.

The trial also poses a test for the Justice Department as it confronts rising domestic extremism and politically motivated violence. Convictions for seditious conspiracy would deliver a public condemnation of political violence and could mark the end of the Oath Keepers as an organization, if not as a movement, extremism experts said. According to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland, about 35 percent of the more than 860 people federally charged in the Capitol riot were associated with extremist groups or conspiratorial movements.

Charging groups that see themselves as victims of government tyranny with seditious conspiracy is not without risk, senior consortium researcher Michael Jensen said.

If Rhodes and the Oath Keepers are found guilty, anti-government extremists could treat them as martyrs and use them to attract recruits. Acquittals would deliver a bigger boost, allowing private militant organizations to claim a victory over the government "enemy," he said. Still, successful prosecution could deter elected leaders and law enforcement officials from supporting radical anti-government groups that try to present a more moderate face to the mainstream public.

"While the Oath Keepers might struggle to keep going, the people supporting its causes are still there, and the ideas that motivated them are still there," Jensen said, adding, "This prosecution isn't going to end anti-government militias in the United States."

The trial is the first of three seditious conspiracy trials set this fall accusing members of the Oath Keepers and a second far-right group, the Proud Boys, of plotting to use force to oppose the lawful transition of power by attacking Congress as it met to confirm President Biden's 2020 election victory.

Prosecutors depict the Oath Keepers convergence that day on the East Capitol steps as a milestone, where political polarization tipped into plotting insurgency and violence. The Oath Keepers group came in combat-style tactical gear with an "arsenal" of weapons staged at nearby hotels, prosecutors have said. The Oath Keepers on trial are not charged with assaulting police, though the indictment describes them as joining mobs that fought with law enforcement.

The 44-page indictment against Rhodes and eight co-defendants is unusual in that it alleges a seditious conspiracy that came to fruition with an actual attack, and was not just "aspirational," legal analysts said. The nine indicted have been split into two trial groups, with Rhodes and four others going first and the rest in November.

"Defendants can use the argument, 'This was just tough talk, we're a group of blowhards who like to talk and make stuff up.' But when plans are written out in text messages and something actually comes to pass, it's much easier for the government to prove to a jury they intended to do it," McQuade said. "That's a real treasure trove that can be powerful evidence that someone has entered into an agreement, and that's what makes this case different from others."

The Justice Department failed the last time it brought such a case in 2010, when a federal judge dismissed seditious conspiracy charges against members of the self-described Hutaree militia in Michigan, citing a lack of proof that the group had firm plans to launch attacks. McQuade, then the U.S. attorney for eastern Michigan, defended the arrests at the time, saying investigators believed the group was on the verge of carrying out a deadly plot.

Rhodes, a Yale Law School graduate and former Army paratrooper and aide to libertarian congressman Ron Paul (R-Tex.), founded the Oath Keepers in 2009, saying its mission was to prevent "a full-blown totalitarian dictatorship" from arising in the United States. His group took off amid anti-government fervor after the election of President Barack Obama. It later aligned itself with Trump and promoted his claims of widespread voting fraud

Charging papers say Rhodes made a string of incriminating statements, starting two days after the 2020 election. On Nov. 5, Rhodes privately repeated to an invitation-only message group of Oath Keepers leaders: "We aren't getting through this without a civil war. Too late for that. Prepare your mind, body, spirit," according to his indictment. Five days later, Rhodes published a plan of action under the headline, "WHAT WE THE PEOPLE MUST DO." He cited the example of an anti-government uprising in Serbia that stormed parliament, prosecutors say.

That same day, Rhodes announced publicly on Alex Jones' Infowars web show that he had armed men stationed outside Washington "prepared to go in" to prevent Trump from being removed illegally from office, adding that he should declassify materials to expose the "deep state" and "who all the pedophiles are."

After Trump called supporters to Washington for a "wild" rally on Jan. 6, Rhodes honed his message. If Biden assumed the presidency, he told an Oath Keepers regional leader on Dec. 22, "We will have to do a bloody, massively bloody revolution against them," according to his indictment. In an open letter Dec. 23, Rhodes urged Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act if Congress certified the election, saying that on Jan. 6, "Tens of thousands of patriotic Americans, both veterans and nonveterans, will already be in Washington, D.C., and many of us will have our mission-critical gear stowed nearby just outside D.C." He said the group was ready to "take to arms in defense of our God given liberty."

Prosecutors are expected to present new testimony from cooperating witnesses. But it remains unclear whether they will expand on suggestions in court filings, public reports and congressional hearings of the defendants' ties to political figures.

Cooperating Oath Keepers defendant William Todd Wilson in April told a court that he heard Rhodes repeatedly implore someone over the phone the evening of Jan. 6 "to tell President Trump to call upon groups like the Oath Keepers to forcibly oppose a transfer of power," but whoever was on the other end denied Rhodes' request to speak with Trump directly. Earlier, SoRelle briefed Oath Keepers about efforts to overturn the election by representatives of the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, QAnon conspiracy supporters and the legal team of Rudy Giuliani, according to a transcript of a Nov. 9 GoToMeeting call released in another defendant's court filing this spring.

Florida and national leaders of the Oath Keepers were in contact with Proud Boys leaders and also with Trump political confidant Roger Stone and former Trump national security adviser adviser Michael Flynn, providing security around the latter two. Prosecutors have noted that Trump attorney Sidney Powell also has helped raise money through her nonprofit group for some of the Oath Keepers' legal defense.

Attorneys for Powell and Defending the Republic did not respond to requests for comment.

Prosecutors said Rhodes and at least 10 co-conspirators brought firearms, ammunition and related items to the Washington area - with Rhodes spending $40,000 on such gear just before and after Jan. 6. They staged the weapons across the Potomac River at a Ballston hotel with rooms assigned to armed "Quick Reaction Force" teams from North Carolina, Arizona and Florida, prosecutors said.

That day, charging papers say that Rhodes exchanged numerous calls with a deputy and directed co-defendants' movements outside the Capitol by text, then spoke with them before several breached the building. On the east side of the Capitol, prosecutors say, a "stack" of five Oath Keepers in tactical gear moved to the front of the mob attacking police outside the Rotunda doors and then forced their way inside, where some of them joined a group pushing against a police line at the hallway to the Senate chamber and searched in vain for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). A second "stack" of Oath Keepers, also in tactical gear, entered through the same doors about 30 minutes later, according to the indictment, and at least one battled with police near the Rotunda and was eventually repelled by officers using chemical spray.

Afterward, prosecutors alleged Rhodes said, "Patriots entering their own Capitol to send a message to the traitors is NOTHING compared to what's coming," and called for local extremist groups to organize to oppose the Biden administration.

Standing trial with Rhodes are Kelly Meggs, 53, an auto dealership manager from Dunnellon, Fla., who prosecutors described as the "Florida state lead" on Jan. 6; Kenneth Harrelson, 42, a medically discharged former Army sergeant and father of two from Titusville, Fla., who prosecutors called the "ground team lead"; Jessica Watkins, 39, another Army veteran and former bar owner and militia organizer from Woodstock, Ohio; and Thomas Caldwell, 68, a retired Navy intelligence officer from Berryville, Va.

Rhodes's defense has been hampered by the indictments in June and August of two of his key aides - deputy Michael Greene and attorney SoRelle, respectively - whose ability to testify may be limited without jeopardizing themselves.

Linder and Bright, Rhodes attorneys, have also quarreled with Rhodes, who sought to replace them three weeks before trial. Edward T. Tarpley Jr. for now has joined Rhodes's team, injecting another dose of uncertainty into the proceedings.
Empire State Development's tourism office is posting weekly fall foliage reports. Below is the report posted Sept. 21, 2022:

This is the second 2022 I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report for New York State. Reports are obtained from volunteer field observers and reflect expected color conditions for the coming weekend. Reports are issued every Wednesday afternoon.

Beautiful fall foliage continues to appear across New York State, with some significant early color changes expected in the higher elevations of the Adirondacks and Catskills, according to field reports from volunteer observers for the Empire State Development Division of Tourisms I LOVE NY program.

In the Adirondacks, Franklin County foliage spotters in the Mt. Arab and Tupper Lake areas note that color change there is underway with vigor and intensity, with as much as 35-40% leaf transition expected this weekend, and featuring fantastic hues of rhubarb, cerise, maize, saffron, russet, and tangerine. Spotters in Saranac Lake expect 25-30% color change with muted hues of yellow and red emerging. In the northern portion of the county, spotters from Malone predict 15% color change this weekend with muted red and orange leaves appearing over the mostly green backdrop.

In Essex County, Wilmington spotters at Whiteface Mountain Ski Area predict 15-20% or more color change this weekend, with some bright red leaves beginning to appear. Lake Placid spotters expect about 15% change, with touches of oranges and reds of average brilliance. While some leaves are changing quickly, the majority are still green. Spotters reporting from Newcomb expect up to 15% transition with increasing shades of orange and red. In Crown Point, spotters are predicting more than 10% color change with a sprinkling of muted golds and rusts, along with occasional bright shades of yellow. Reports from Ticonderoga are predicting 10% color change with average shades of yellow, red, and orange beginning to peak.

Herkimer County spotters in Old Forge are predicting at least 30% foliage change with muted shades of yellow and burgundy, along with some early reds. After some early color, leaf change has become more gradual, with shades of rust and dark red emerging. Look for some brilliant pops of reds and deep reds along Adirondack waterways. In Hamilton County, Long Lake spotters expect 30% foliage change with touches of orange and purple, along with muted reds. Reporters from Lake Pleasant are predicting 20% foliage change, with average to bright shades of yellow and orange starting to pop.

In Warren County, Lake George foliage spotters are predicting 15% color change, highlighted by vivid oranges, sunny yellows, and the occasional deep reds scattered amongst lush green foliage. Queensbury observers are also expecting 15% color change with muted purple, red, and orange leaves. In Clinton County, reports from Plattsburgh predict 10% color change with some muted yellow leaves.

In the Catskills, Delaware County spotters reporting from the Delhi area are expecting up to 25% foliage change by the weekend, with varying shades of red and yellow, along with some bright pops of vibrant leaves. Spotters reporting from Bloomville and Walton predict 15% color change with muted yellow leaves. In Greene County, spotters reporting from the upper elevations of the towns of Hunter and Windham predict up to 35% color change, with green, yellow, and red leaves of average brilliance. Spotters in Catskill expect 15% foliage change featuring orange and red leaves of average brilliance.

In Sullivan County, foliage spotters in Liberty are expecting 15% change with muted green, yellow, and brown leaves, while spotters to the south in Forestburgh expect about 10% color change. Ulster County spotters at Belleayre Mountain Ski Area in Highmount are predicting at least 10% color change this weekend, with red and orange leaves of average brilliance appearing over the mostly green backdrop. In New Paltz, spotters expect foliage to be just about 5% changed with some yellow shades beginning to appear.

In the Thousand Islands-Seaway region, Jefferson County spotters in Alexandria Bay are predicting at least 30% color change this weekend, especially inland from the St. Lawrence River where the countryside and wetlands have some vibrant pops of color. Overall, look for yellow and orange leaves of average brilliance, along with pockets of red. St. Lawrence County spotters reporting from Southville State Forest along the St. Regis River in Stockholm predict 10% color change, with average shades of yellow and orange beginning to appear. Spotters reporting from Red Sandstone Trail in Potsdam predict 10% transition, with mostly muted oranges as sugar maples begin their changes. Foliage change will still be minimal in Oswego County, according to spotters in Oswego who predict about 5% color transition and mostly green leaves.

In the Chautauqua-Allegheny region, Chautauqua County spotters predict up to 25% foliage color change this weekend, with red, yellow, and orange dotting the landscape around Chautauqua Lake and Jamestown. Northern Chautauqua County along Lake Erie has been slower to change, but observers expect the colors there to accelerate with cooler temperatures. In Cattaraugus County, Little Valley spotters are predicting up to 15% foliage change with a sporadic spots of red leaves and hints of yellow, all of average brilliance. Foliage spotters at Allegany State Park also anticipate around 15% foliage change, with maples starting to show a little muted color.

In Central New York, Oneida County spotters in Utica are predicting 20% foliage change with average to bright shades of yellow, red, and orange. In Broome County, foliage spotters in Binghamton predict 10% color change this weekend with bright pops of red and orange. Herkimer County spotters in Mohawk predict 10% color change and shades of rust, red, and yellow. In Montgomery County, around the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, reports predict 10% color change and mostly green leaves. Otsego County foliage spotters in Cooperstown predict about 10% color change and mostly muted yellow leaves. Schoharie County spotters in Sharon Springs spotters are also expecting at least 10% transition with subdued shades of red and some green-yellow leaves.

Chenango County spotters reporting from Norwich expect around 5% foliage change with muted yellow leaves. Madison County spotters in Hamilton also predict up to 5% foliage change with hints of orange beginning to appear.

In the Capital-Saratoga region, reports predict 10% color change in Saratoga County around Saratoga Springs, where yellows, ambers and some bright reds are beginning to appear. In Albany County, reports from Thacher State Park in Voorheesville predict up to 10% color change with some reds and yellows mostly orange leaves. Spotters at Cohoes Falls in Cohoes predict up to 10% transition with muted to average burnt orange, green-yellow, and yellow leaves. In Downtown Albany, reports predict 5% color change with mostly green leaves, highlighted by some muted to average shades of yellow and red.

In Fulton County, spotters reporting from Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center in Northville expect just about 10% color change this weekend, as muted fall shades begin to emerge from the predominantly green landscape. Rensselaer County observers reporting from the Troy-Waterford Bridge in Troy predict nearly 10% color change with average shades of burnt orange, green-yellow, and yellow, while spotters in East Greenbush expect just a little more than 5% color change this weekend, with some of the mostly green leaves changing to yellow and joined by some pops of bright red leaves.

In the Finger Lakes, spotters reporting from the Rochester suburb of Brighton in Monroe County are expecting more than 15% color change with yellow leaves beginning to appear, along with touches of red, orange, and dark red. Spotters reporting from Greece expect a little less than 10% foliage change this weekend. Yellow and yellow-green leaves are appearing on a small number of trees, and a small amount of red is showing on a few higher branches. In Chemung County, Elmira spotters are calling for 5-10% leaf change with a mix of fall shades just beginning to appear.

Onondaga County spotters reporting from Onondaga Lake predict up to 10% color change this weekend, with some average shades of red and yellow beginning to appear. Several areas are expecting 5% or less transition, including the City of Syracuse, and the Cayuga County communities of Auburn and Fair Haven. Cortland County spotters in downtown Cortland report 5% change, with some muted fall shades emerging.

Ontario County spotters in Farmington and Canandaigua expect up to 15% color change with some yellow leaves of average brilliance, while spotters in Rushville are predicting less than 5% change and mostly green leaves. Fall colors are just beginning to appear in Steuben County, according to spotters in Corning who expect about 10% color change this weekend. Seneca County spotters from Seneca Falls are seeing 5-10% change and some muted fall hues just beginning to appear. In Schuyler County, spotters reporting from Watkins Glen, Burdett, and Rock Stream expect about 5% color change .

In Tioga County, reports from Owego expect about 5% foliage change with emerging red and yellow leaves of average brilliance. Color change will also be around 5% in Tompkins County, with muted to average red and yellow leaves in Ithaca. Other spotters in Tompkins County reporting from Buttermilk Falls State Park and Taughannock Falls State Park are predicting 5% transition. In Wayne County, spotters in Lyons are predicting a little more than 5% leaf change by the weekend with yellow and red leaves of average brilliance emerging.

In the Greater Niagara region, Erie County spotters in East Aurora predict almost 10% color change this weekend, with emerging touches of yellow and orange. Genesee County spotters in Batavia expect nearly 10% change and a mix of fall colors of average brilliance. In Niagara County, spotters in Niagara Falls expect about 10% foliage change, with average to bright touches of yellow and red leaves. In Wyoming County, spotters in Warsaw predict about 10% color change, with red, orange, and yellow leaves appearing.

In the Hudson Valley, Columbia County foliage spotters in Hudson expect just about 10% change this weekend and mostly yellow leaves, while Dutchess County spotters reporting from Hopewell Junction expect up to 10-15% color change and red leaves of average brilliance. Spotters in Beacon are predicting up to 10% transition with some yellow leaves of average brilliance appearing.

In Orange County, spotters reporting from Middletown and Goshen expect up to 15% color change by the weekend, with yellow leaves of average brilliance emerging. Newburgh spotters expect about 10% change with muted shades of orange, yellow, and brown, while spotters in Cornwall are predicting less than 5% change and some burnt brown leaves among mostly green shades. No significant color change is expected in Putnam County, according to observers in Cold Spring.

Color change in Westchester County is expected to be less than 10% this weekend, according to spotters in White Plains, with a mix of brown and mostly green leaves. In Rockland County, color changes is hovering around 5% at Bear Mountain State Park.

On Long Island, in Nassau County, foliage at Hempstead Lake State Park in West Hempstead may be as much as 15% changed by the weekend. Visitors can look for Kelly green leaves with spots of rust, cranberry, mustard, and chocolate brown. In Suffolk County, spotters at The Nature Conservancy in Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island expect 5-10% color change, with some dogwoods starting to show their purple foliage, and a few spots of yellow leaves beginning to appear.

Spotters along the North Shore in Nassau County predict about 5% color change this weekend with yellow beginning to appear on sycamore trees, while the oak and maple trees remain green. Spotters at Montauk Point predict about 5% color change with a few emerging fall hues.

Color change is expected to be minimal this weekend in New York City. In the southern portion of Brooklyn, spotters reporting from Owls Head Park predict little change in color, while observers in Crown Heights predict a little more than 5% color change with some green leaves changing to yellow, along with occasional reds. Spotters on the Upper East Side of Manhattan predict little foliage change, with 5% or less color transition and hints of red and gold leaves.
UNITED NATIONS  The fate of Belarus and Ukraine are "interconnected," and both countries must fight together to safeguard their very existence because Russia doesn't view them as independent sovereign states, Belarus' opposition leader said Friday.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after Russian ally Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in disputed August 2020 elections that many thought she won, said in an interview with The Associated Press that "there will be no free Belarus without free Ukraine."

As long as Russian President Vladimir Putin is in power, she said on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, there will be constant security threats to Ukraine  and to Belarus' western border.

Tsikhanouskaya said neither country wants to be part of another Russian empire.

"So Belarus is part of this problem and this problem, this crisis, has to be solved in this context," said.

Lukashenko had to support Russia after its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, she said, because Putin supported him after the mass protests against the official 2020 election results that gave the Belarus president a sixth term with 80% of the vote.

Since its invasion, Russia has used Belarus as a staging ground to send troops into Ukraine, and Moscow and Minsk have maintained close military ties.

Lukashenko, who has been president since 1994, said last month that Belarus' warplanes have been modified to carry nuclear weapons in line with its agreement with Russia. And he warned the United States and its allies against carrying out a "provocation" against Belarus, saying "targets have been selected" for retaliation.

Tsikhanouskaya said the war in Ukraine was "extremely unexpected" and some Belarusians are especially opposed to the war "against Ukrainians, our brothers and sisters."

Tsikhanouskaya said that more than two years since fleeing to Lithuania, the opposition has notched "a lot of achievements"  first and foremost that "people are not giving up" despite the Lukashenko regime's "terror and repression" and its imprisonment of more than a thousand political prisoners, including her own husband.

The opposition "managed to build a coalition of democratic countries who are fighting alongside with us, fighting this regime, creating multiple points of pressure," she said.

There are now six packages of sanctions, pushed for by the opposition, against the Lukashenko regime. The sanctions have put stress and pressure on the president, making him focus solely on remaining in power instead of what's best for the country, she said.

Tsikhanouskaya said Lukashenko and his followers are adept at circumventing sanctions, using third parties. One way to prevent this is having the European Union follow the United States and impose secondary sanctions, she said.

She urged the international community to both keep up pressure against Lukashenko  suggesting new sanctions on Belarus' exports of wood, potash and steel  and help Belarusian civil society, including human rights defenders, "people of culture, politicians who are fighting with this regime so as to have the energy to continue."

Thousands of people have been imprisoned since Feb. 24 for opposing the war in Ukraine, she said, praising saboteurs who disrupted rail traffic heading from Russia to Ukraine through Belarus and who sent information about shipments to the Ukrainian military, an act that risked the death penalty.

"People are scared, of course," Tsikhanouskaya said. "We live like in a gulag actually in Belarus, but people have this energy to continue."

The opposition has organized something like a government in exile, Tsikhanouskaya said. Thanks to technology, she said she can communicate with people in Belarus, and now they are staying "in safe mode," ready for a "new wave of revolution when the moment comes."

She predicted that there will be a "window of opportunity" for the Belarus people, likely connected with victory in Ukraine, but nobody knows how long it will take.

"Our task is not to be exhausted when the time comes, to have this energy, to continue to have this mobilization plan, transitional plan," Tsikhanouskaya said, "and we hope it will not take too long because time is very important for Ukrainians, time is very important for our political prisoners, and time is important actually for the world," she said.

Tsikhanouskaya stepped in after her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, was arrested two days after he declared his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election. The popular video blogger and activist known for his anti-Lukashenko slogan "Stop the cockroach" was sentenced last December to 18 years in prison on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

She said her husband has been in a tiny punishment cell for more than a month, adding that conditions for political prisoners are far worse than for ordinary criminals. She fears for him and for thousands of other political prisoners as winter approaches as the temperature inside their cells is no warmer than the outdoors.

Tsikhanouskaya said she came to the annual meeting of world leaders to give voice to the people "who are fighting the dictatorship" and to urge that Lukashenko be held accountable for his crimes.

She said she really understands the importance of focusing on Ukraine, "but we don't have to forget the role of Belarus in this regional crisis, and we don't have to forget about the people in Belarus who are also fighting and are also suffering because of the war and because of the dictator ruling our country."
(Tribune News Service)  People flocked to Terre Hautean Charlie Fox.

Several got choked up.

He drew attention at every stage of this months Indy Honor Flight 36 journey to transport military veterans to Washington, D.C., to see its national war memorials. Fox was one of 86 veterans who made the trip from Indianapolis to the nations capital on Sept. 10. Most served in Vietnam. Some served in Korea. A few served in World War II.

Fox served in the U.S. Navy in World War II and the Korean War, and served stateside as commander of Navy Reserve units in Terre Haute and Danville, Illinois.

On the Honor Flight, Fox wore a hat labeled WWII Veteran  a rarity in 2022.

All 86 of the participating veterans got rousing receptions at Plainfield High School for the Friday night send-off dinner and breakfast the next morning; their departure from Indianapolis International Airport; their arrival at Reagan National Airport in Washington; their tours of the Vietnam, Korea and World War II war memorials and Arlington National Cemetery; and their return stops.

They were showered with cheers, photo requests, handshakes, hugs and at least a few kisses. Police escorted their buses to and from the airports. Runway marshallers guided their planes with American flags instead of lights. Signs greeted their arrival.

Its all about the vet, Gary Dickison, Foxs guardian on the trip, said of the Honor Flight process. Each veteran flies with one guardian, someone other than their spouse  a no-cost trip for each veteran.

As a 98-year-old World War II vet, Fox got a big share of heartfelt thank-yous from younger generations.

Charlie was like a rock star, Dickison said Wednesday, reminiscing about the Honor Flight with Fox and Foxs wife Maryella in the couples Terre Haute home.

Fox was the second-oldest veteran on Honor Flight 36, exceeded only by a 100-year-old vet from Indianapolis. They represent a core element of the Greatest Generation  Americans born in the 1920s. Sixteen million of them served in uniform in World War II. A total of 416,800 were killed in the war from 1941 to 45, the National World War II Museum says. Fewer than 200,000 who served are still living, according to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs projections.

Fittingly, the reaction of people who met Fox and the other World War II veterans was powerful.

Maryella and other spouses couldnt travel with the veterans to Washington. Shes known Charlie for 40 years, and their blended family include his son and daughter and their families, and her son and daughter and their families. Maryella and the other Honor Flight spouses did experience the festive send-off celebration at Plainfield High School, though. There, she saw kids and adults walk up to thank her husband and others. Some well-wishers were overcome. A few vets were, too.

You couldnt help but cry, Maryella said, choking up at the memory. It was emotional, very emotional.

That happened in Washington, too. As the veterans toured the Lincoln Memorial  with its vast, rectangular Reflection Pool and the Washington Monument in the background  a British soldier approached Fox and asked if hed pose for a photo with him. The soldiers father served in World War II.

He wanted to thank him, Dickison said. A few minutes later, an Italian soldier also thanked Fox for his service.

Honor Flights began nationally in 2005, shortly after the opening of the World War II Memorial in Washington. That year, 126 World War II veterans were flown to D.C. to see it. Seventeen years later, Honor Flights bring veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam to Washington from 131 hubs in 45 states, including Indianapolis, according to the organizations website. Most travelers are Vietnam vets now, Dickison explained.

Fox describes his World War II service humbly and matter-of-factly. It began in 1944, right after he graduated from Rose Polytechnic Institute (now Rose-Hulman) with a civil engineering degree. Many of his fellow members of Glenn High Schools Class of 1941 entered the service right after their graduation. A few went on to Rose. Foxs studies got fast-tracked from the usual four-year plan, allowing him to graduate in 1944 after less than three years at the school.

Thats when he and three other brand-new Rose grads enlisted in the Navy. Fox was 20 years old then. After officer training at Hollywood, Florida, they were sent to various places. Fox served on a tank-landing ship  the Evansville-made USS LST-532  in 1944 and 45.

I spent my time on the East Coast out in the Atlantic and never saw a torpedo, Fox said Wednesday. In the Korean War, it was a different game. I got into a lot of skirmishes then.

Fox paused his job at a mining company to serve in the Navy in the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 53. In that war, Fox served aboard a medium landing ship (known as a rocket)  the USS LSM(R)-535  in the northern and western Pacific region and Asia. He returned home and continued his career, which spanned 40 years until his retirement in 1987 from AMAX coal as its chief surveyor. During that time, Fox still served as commander of Navy Reserve units in Terre Haute and Danville.

His longevity and record of service, including through World War II, impressed people involved and watching the Honor Flight to Washington this month. Two women in 1940s-era dresses and lipstick stood on each side of the vets and kissed them. So they all had big lipstick marks on their cheeks, Maryella said chuckling.

Fox said that moment blurred in with many others on the trek. There was lots of people there, he said. Things were happening fast.

The veterans also got a mail call on the flight home, similar to those deliveries in war time, getting called out by last names, one by one. Many of the Honor Flight letters were written by school children and volunteers. Fox received a bundle of 90 cards and letters. So that was a neat experience for them, said Dickison, who met Charlie and Maryella at gatherings of Terre Hautes Ernie Pyle Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America.

Fox smiled as Dickison and Maryella recalled the Honor Flight events. Well, it was another experience, Fox said, sitting in a chair in his living room Wednesday as they sifted through photos of the trip. It was a good deal. You get to go places and see things.

Hes seen a lot since growing up near Seelyville with his father, a dentist, mother and sister. It was a time when Fox would walk, bicycle, hitchhike or ride his horse to Rose Poly. Holding a slide rule tended to entice motorists to give him a ride. He liked riding his horse, but Rose classmates often rode the animal when Fox left it tied up during class. So he was worn out by the end of the day, he recalled, laughing.

On Wednesday, Fox glanced at a larger-than-life photograph of himself in formal Navy uniform during the Korean War, provided as a gift for the Honor Flight.

I ended up with white hair. I didnt always have white hair, he said, grinning widely. It was brown.

On the Honor Flight, lots of younger people showed appreciation to that white-haired fellow for what he and his generation did back when his hair was brown.

(c)2022 The Tribune-Star (Terre Haute, Ind.)

Visit The Tribune-Star at tribstar.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
AN elderly shop owner was left in fear when a man brandished a three-pronged piece of metal fencing during a brawl in her store.

The frightened 78-year-old shopkeeper managed to wrestle the weapon from David Farrell and tried to lock the shop door to keep him out, but he forced his way back in, a court heard.

Farrell (34) was spared a prison sentence after he paid 500 in compensation to the woman.

Judge John Hughes suspended a 10-month sentence for two years on condition he stays away from the street and has no contact with the shopkeeper.

Farrell, from Nephin Road, Navan Road, Dublin 7, admitted producing a weapon in the course of a dispute.

Dublin District court heard the incident happened at 9.45pm at Maureens Shop, Manor Place, Stoneybatter on December 18, 2019.

The accused had a fight with another man on the street that spilled into the shop.

Farrell was carrying a three-pronged piece of fencing and the owner managed to close the door, but as she tried to keep it shut, Farrell pushed his way back in, causing her fear and distress, a garda said.

The owner managed to wrestle the weapon from the accused, the court heard.

There was no suggestion the weapon was directed at the woman at any time but she was very shook.

Asked what caused the fight, defence barrister Lydia Daly said the other man came at Farrell first, he did not react well and it ended up in a fight.

Farrell did not deal with what happened in an appropriate manner, Ms Daly said.

The accused did not make a complaint to gardai himself, but he made admissions about his role in the incident when he was arrested. He apologised for his behaviour.

Farrell had a forklift licence and had worked at carpentry but was suffering from epilepsy, the court heard. He only had one previous conviction for a minor offence
Jeffrey Bangu was charged with drug offences in connection with the operation.

GARDAI recovered a homemade shotgun known as a "slam-bang" during a drug search of a house in north Co. Dublin, a court has heard.

Jeffrey Bangu, 19, with an address at Cardy Rock Crescent, Balbriggan, was charged with drug offences in connection with the operation.

He was refused bail after appearing at Dublin District Court on Saturday.

Garda Eoin OReilly charged him with possessing cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply at his home on August 31, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act.

He has not yet indicated a plea and "made no reply" when gardai charged him following his arrest on Friday afternoon.

Objecting to bail, Garda OReilly told Judge Marie Quirke the local drugs unit obtained a warrant to search the accused's residence.

The court heard that during the operation, gardai found an "improvised slam-bang" shotgun in a bag with six 12-gauge cartridges on the floor. He said the homemade gun was "capable of causing serious harm or death".

Under cross-examination, he conceded the designated firearms officer was not at the hearing.

It was alleged they also recovered about 1,800 worth of cocaine and cannabis valued at 2,100 in the room.

The garda added that the seizure of Mr Bangu's wallet there supported the belief it was his bedroom.

The court heard gardai found a further 1,400 worth of cocaine and 2,100 of cannabis in another room and an imitation gun described as an air pistol underneath a bathtub.

The contested bail hearing was also told that there was paraphernalia, including bags and weighing scales.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has yet to decide if the case will remain in the District Court or go forward to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

Defence solicitor Michael Byrne argued that there was no evidence the items were in his client's bedroom.

He submitted that the teenager would abide by a range of conditions, including a nightly curfew, providing gardai with his mobile phone number and being contactable at all times.

Pleading for bail, the solicitor described the allegations as vague.

Judge Quirke stressed that Mr Bangu had the presumption of innocence; however, noting the garda evidence, she refused bail.

Mr Bangu was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday pending directions from the DPP.

Legal aid was granted to the part-time worker, who provided a statement of his means, but remained silent during the hearing.
Garda Kelly said it was a "restricted firearm", adding that "it could cause serious harm".

John Byrne, 48, of Collins Close, Collins Avenue, Dublin 9, appeared before Judge Marie Quirke at Dublin District Court on Saturday.

He was charged with possessing 2,522 worth of cannabis and cocaine valued at 1,030 for sale or supply at Malahide Road in Dublin on November 1, 2021, and an offence under the Firearms Act for unlawful possession of a stun gun at his home two days later.

Garda Karl Kelly told Judge Quirke that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed that the case be dealt with at the District Court level.

However, after hearing an outline of the allegations, Judge Quirke refused jurisdiction and held the case should go forward to the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing options.

The judge heard that following the alleged drug seizure, gardai searched Mr Byrne's home and recovered the stun gun.

Garda Kelly said it was a "restricted firearm", adding that "it could cause serious harm". He also informed the court that it had been forensically examined and a ballistics certificate was available.

However, there was no objection to bail.

Judge Quirke told the garda to notify the DPP that she had not accepted jurisdiction and ordered the preparation of a book of evidence. Unemployed Mr Byrne, who has not yet indicated a plea, was granted legal aid and ordered to appear again on October 21.
A contingent of 50 New York State Troopers departed Saturday for Puerto Rico to help the island nation as it recovers from the devastation left behind in the wake of Hurricane Fiona.

According to a news release, the first wave of 50 troopers, along with 69 New Jersey State Troopers, flew out of JFK airport at about 10 a.m. bound for Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The flight was donated by Jet Blue Airlines.

The troopers will be assisting the Puerto Rico Police Department with traffic control and other law enforcement missions as needed, primarily in Aguadilla and Arecibo. A second group of 50 troopers will also be deployed in the coming weeks.

New York State Troopers have always answered the call for assistance wherever its needed, from Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, to our first assistance mission in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria," State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said in a statement. "Our Troopers will be on the ground assisting our partners with the Puerto Rico Police Department with public safety and recovery efforts as long as necessary.

We are grateful to the team of State Troopers deploying to Puerto Rico to help keep the public safe in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. As New Yorkers, we are always available to support others in their times of need," Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said. "DHSES and our state agency partners stand ready to assist with additional requests, as we are committed to helping Puerto Rico recover from the devastating impacts of this hurricane.
"No arrests were made in this phase of the investigation.

Officers investigating the ramming of a Garda car in Cherry Orchard last week have carried out more searches.

Six homes were searched in the west Dublin suburb during the operation this morning.

"A further search operation was conducted this morning by Gardai investigating the Endangerment of Gardai and related incidents in the Cherry Orchard area on the 19th of September, 2022, Gardai said.

"A number of mobile phones and items of clothing were seized for examination and analysis, the statement added.

"No arrests were made in this phase of the investigation.

Gardai continue to appeal to anyone with information to contact the incident room at Ballyfermot Garda Station on 01 666 7200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

Last weeks incident in Cherry Orchard led to a garda who was in the patrol car that was rammed by joyriders describe it as daunting to see a mob baying for our car to be rammed.

Two female gardai were responding to reports of danger last week's incident driving in the Cherry Orchard area of Dublin on Monday evening when their car was twice rammed by a stolen car.

Video footage of the incident showed crowds of onlookers watching two cars race up and down a residential street before the ramming incident took place.

One of the gardai in the patrol car said in statement, released through the Garda Representative Association (GRA): Im alive, thats the main thing.

"It was so daunting to see a mob baying for our car to be rammed.

This mornings action follows Thursdays operation during which Gardai raided six homes across Ballyfermot.

Gardai said the searches at domestic residences in the wider Ballyfermot area were aimed at gathering evidence.

A number of items, including electronic devices, were seized, gardai revealed

The force said the operation was carried out by gardai in Ballyfermot investigating the endangerment of Garda members and related incidents in the Cherry Orchard Area on September 19.

Shortly after 7.30pm gardai responded to reports of dangerous driving in the Cherry Orchard area, gardai said in a statement.

Upon arrival gardai observed two vehicles driving erratically. The Official Garda vehicle was deliberated rammed on a number of occasions during the incident.

The searches this morning were focused on evidential gathering, and a number of items including electronic devices were seized.

"No arrests have been made, investigations are ongoing.

Gardai added that both Garda members did not report injuries at the time, but have subsequently reported unfit for duty.
He said Ireland has been deeply frustrated by the UN Security Councils failures on climate change during his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York.

However, Mr Martin confirmed he and some of his staff were in business class while his press secretary travelled in economy class.

Im working flat out, back to back, 24/7 in terms of working prior to getting on the plane and working after getting on a plane and getting straight to work when I get to the other side, Mr Martin said in New York.

So Im very clear on that.

Theres other ways we can offset [carbon emissions].

Mr Martin is the only Fianna Fail member of Cabinet to use business class flights.

A recent study by the International Council on Clean Transport found premium seats can emit 2.6 to 4.3 times more CO2 per kilometre than a passenger in economy class, depending on the aircraft class.

The same research revealed premium seats (business and first class) are responsible for almost a fifth (19pc) of all emissions from the aviation industry.

Mr Martin used his speech at the General Assembly to hit out at the UN, hitting out at the Security Councils failure to act and criticised the lack of political will by the UN to play its part on the impact climate change has on peace.

He has previously defended his use of business class flights, saying he works a full day before he gets on any plane.

Ill be very straight with you, I work a full day before I go on any plane. I work on the plane and I work when I get off the plane. Full on. That's what I should do. That is my obligation and thats it, he said this summer.

The Government was embroiled in controversy earlier this year after it emerged Fianna Fail ministers flew economy while Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin travelled in business class to attend the same conference in Dubai.
Thousands of people are expected to protest over the cost of living crisis in Dublin city centre this afternoon.

The march has been organised by the Cost of Living Coalition, and will kick off on Parnell Square at 2.30pm. It will finish outside Leinster House, and traffic disruption is likely in the area during the afternoon as the protesters make their way through the city centre.

The coalition said the demonstration has been organised before Budget 2023 on Tuesday with an aim to put pressure on the Government to take action regarding the rising cost of energy, food, and other essentials.

This morning, the coalition wrote on Twitter: Today is your chance to do what we did on water charges- people power forced the establishment to retreat.

Let's repeat that on cost of living crisis. We can win measures that help ordinary people survive.

Political parties and organisations that will attend the march include Sinn Fein, People Before Profit, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Senior Citizens Parliament, the Union of Students in Ireland and the Mica Action Group.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barett said he believes its set to be one of the biggest protests seen in Ireland since the campaign against water charges.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, a member of the coalition group, said people are living in a nightmare over rising bills and day-to-day living costs.

There is no way you could exaggerate the kind of pressure that people are under and theres a real sense that Government hasnt listened, Ms McDonald said on Tuesday.

(Government) have said a lot. They theyve done a lot of kite flying but actually, when it came down to it, there was a lot of delay and dither.

So the evidence will be on budget day as to whether or not the real gravity of this situation has landed with a Government that, frankly, is completely out of touch so far with realities on the ground.

Last week, a similar protest took place in Cork where hundreds of people demanded a cap on energy prices and rents, as well as price controls on food.

Speaking before the protest, Cork People Before Profit TD Mick Barry told Corks Red FM that the Government is not doing enough about the massive profiteering of energy companies and other industries.

"Ordinary people are being hammered by this cost of living crisis", he said.

"People are choosing between heating or eating this winter."
The demonstration was taking place before Budget 2023 on Tuesday to put pressure on the Government to take action

Part of the crowd at the Cost of Living protest this afternoon. PHOTO: Gerry Mooney

Tens of thousands of people marched through Dublin city centre this afternoon in a massive protest over the cost of living crisis.

There was major disruption to traffic as the march set off from Parnell Square at 2.30pm and made its way past the GPO on OConnell Street on its way to the gates at Leinster House.

Along the way, marchers chanted, prices are rising and so are we, and Micheal in your ivory tower this is called people power.

There, a large demonstration was staged by the Cost of Living Coalition which included Sinn Fein, People Before Profit, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Senior Citizens Parliament, the Union of Students in Ireland and the Mica Action Group.

Speaking to the massive crowd gathered at Merrion Square, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald accused the Government of dithering.

Protesters on the march today. PHOTO: Gerry Mooney   RollingNews.ie

They said these problems could not be solved overnight, well they had over a decade in power to solve them, she said to cheers.

"They need to act and they need to act now, with a sense of urgency.

There were loud boos when McDonald referred to the three lads in power, who she said had proved time and again that they do not listen to ordinary people.

She said: Today we say that every worker, every family, every young person, every older person deserves a good and secure life. We will not settle for anything less.

If the government didnt hear you before today, let me tell you something folks, theyll hear you now. But will they listen?

She also said that Tanaiste Leo Varadkar retaking office of Taoiseach from Micheal Martin was a joke

Deputy Paul Murphy of People Before Profit, described the turn out, which some estimates put close to 20,000, as immense.

"This is the biggest protest since the water charges, he said.

This is a very strong message to the Government that they have to deliver protection for people in the Budget from the cost of living crisis and the obscene profiteering that is taking place.

"It is also a message to other people who couldnt come out today that we are building a very powerful movement, like we did with the water charges.

"This isnt going to be the end of it. Were about to announce a day of regional, local protests on November 12 as the next step to keep the pressure on.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett told protesters that the government have a choice to make on Tuesday.

If the government choose not to cap energy prices, protect peoples right to a war home, ensure peoples incomes, address the scandal of homelessness, we will be back on the streets again very soon, in even bigger numbers.

The protest was taking place before Budget 2023 on Tuesday to put pressure on the Government to take action regarding the rising cost of energy, food, and other essentials.

In a call to arms the coalition tweeted: Today is your chance to do what we did on water charges - people power forced the establishment to retreat.

Let's repeat that on cost of living crisis. We can win measures that help ordinary people survive.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barett said he believes its set to be one of the biggest protests seen in Ireland since the campaign against water charges.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, a member of the coalition group, said people are living in a nightmare over rising bills and day-to-day living costs.

There is no way you could exaggerate the kind of pressure that people are under and theres a real sense that Government hasnt listened, Ms McDonald said on Tuesday.

(Government) have said a lot. They theyve done a lot of kite flying but actually, when it came down to it, there was a lot of delay and dither.

So the evidence will be on budget day as to whether or not the real gravity of this situation has landed with a Government that, frankly, is completely out of touch so far with realities on the ground.

Last week, hundreds of people took part in a similar protest in Cork where they demanded a cap on energy prices and rents, as well as price controls on food.

Cork People Before Profit TD Mick Barry had told Corks Red FM that the Government is not doing enough about the massive profiteering of energy companies and other industries.

"Ordinary people are being hammered by this cost of living crisis", he said.

"People are choosing between heating or eating this winter."
Regulator probes usage tariffs set-up amid wave of energy hikes

It has emerged some of the smart meter time-of-use tariffs work out more expensive over a year than conventional energy rates. Photo: Alamy   Alamy Stock Photo

The energy regulator is carrying out a probe into smart meter tariffs after it emerged that some of the plans offered are more expensive than traditional ones.

This is despite the fact that smart meter rates are being marketed as a way for customers to save money.

But it has emerged that some of the smart meter time-of-use tariffs work out more expensive a year than conventional energy rates.

Close to one million smart meters have been installed in homes, but just 37,900 customers have activated them and signed up for the time-of-use or smart tariffs which they were designed to facilitate.

Some smart meter unit rates are far higher than standard day/night meter rates.

The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU), the energy regulator, said it was working with ESB Networks to find out why some of the tariffs are so expensive.

It comes as householders were hit with an eighth price rise in the latest wave of hikes, when Flogas Energy announced its third price rise this year.

Electricity bills are going up by 17pc, and gas bills by 23pc from October 26.

It is the seventh price rise from Flogas Energy since the start of last year.

There is no rise in the standing charge this time. Flogas has some of the highest standing charges at up to 600 a year for electricity.

The latest price rise will add around 340 a year to electricity bills and around 395 to gas bills, Daragh Cassidy of price-comparison site Bonkers.ie said.

In total, two million electricity users are set to be hit with huge energy price rises from next month.

Meanwhile, the CRU confirmed it is probing tariffs for electricity customers who are on smart meters.

The CRU admitted: In some cases, customers who have a day/night meter and tariff do not compare favourably to the smart meter tariffs that some suppliers are currently offering.

It said this was down to how the individual suppliers price their products.

There is ongoing work with ESB Networks and suppliers to understand the reason for some of the higher tariffs or if there are any other barriers that may be influencing the scope of tariffs suppliers are currently offering.

The CRU urged customers to compare the tariffs available as other suppliers may offer better value.

As the market continues to evolve and there is a greater amount of data from smart meters, we expect to see an increase in smart tariff offerings to customers that better suit their usage.

Mr Cassidy said many of the smart tariffs on offer at present in Ireland do not seem to offer great value.

Depending on the type of meter you currently have (a day/night meter or a standard meter, for example) and when you use your electricity, you could end up paying more for your electricity on a smart tariff if youre not careful. This is the last thing youd want when prices are at record levels.

He said smart tariffs are great for penalising those who use their energy at peak times between 5pm and 7pm. Theyre not so great at offering value outside of these times.

A smart meter continually records electricity use in the home or premises where it is installed and automatically transmits updated information every 30 minutes to a central database held by ESB Networks.

A smart tariff means higher prices at peak times when there is high demand on the electricity system and cheaper electricity outside peak usage times.

Meanwhile, those who do not have smart meters have been advised by Bonkers.ie to submit a meter reading this week.

This is due to the fact that around two million electricity customers and half a million gas customers are due to be hit with huge price rises next month.

Those who do not submit a meter reading could end up paying for units used before the October price rise at the new higher rate.
Deputy Shanahan says the Statement of Registerable Interest was filled out by his office and he should have looked at it in more detail before signing it

A report by the Journal.ie last week found that the Independent Deputy was among eight TDs who listed rental properties but did not specify that they were landlords.

Deputy Shanahan says the Statement of Registerable Interest was filled out by his office and he should have looked at it in more detail before signing it.

Speaking on Deise Today, he explained that it was just a mistake and that while the property had been listed twice on the form under the 'land' section, under profession he did not put down landlord.

"I wouldn't have thought to put down any other trade but obviously that's what I should have done," he said.

The journal.ie report found that eight TDS with letting property interests have no rental income listed from them on the Dail record.

A section of the Oireachtas Declaration of Interests says that TDs must state if they own a property from which they receive more than 2,600 annually, while another section also asks them to state when they have any land interests.

According to the journal,ie, in a section of the register requiring TDs to declare any additional incomes above 2,600, seven TDs who had declared ownership of rental properties elsewhere on the register did not mention if they had received any rental income.

An eighth told The Journal that he had declared rental income correctly in his submission, though this is not reflected in the published list.

The eight TDs who had listed property in their forms, but said they did not receive any rental income listed are the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly (FF), the Minister for Education, Norma Foley (FF), the Ceann Comhairle of Dail Eireann, Sean O Fearghail (FF), Sean Canney (Ind), Alan Dillon (FG), Johnny Guirke (SF), Michael Healy-Rae (Ind), Matt Shanahan (Ind).

Under guidelines set out by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) and The Committees on Members Interests, which oversee compliance with disclosure of interests, TDs must declare any income from a remunerated trade, profession, [or] employment, including rental income, exceeding 2,600.

Deputy Shanahan admitted to thejournal.ie that his declaration was in error and he would be submitting a correction.

Matt Shanahan (an independent TD for Waterford) listed one property that he was letting in his return, but marked as nil the section of his declaration that referred to additional income, thejournal.ie stated.

A representative told The Journal that this was a mistake and that it would be corrected.

Landlord, as an occupation was omitted from Part 1(i) in error, and will be amended accordingly, an assistant to Shanahan wrote.

Last month Robert Troy resigned his position as minister of state.

The Fianna Fail TD was facing growing criticism over his failure to fully declare his property interests in the Dail register.

The Longford-Westmeath representative owns of part-owns 11 properties around the country  nine of which are rented out.

In his resignation letter, he insisted he is not a person of privilege and I have not been brought up with a silver spoon in my mouth.

He said he bought his first house at the age of 20 and claimed he has worked for all I have.

It was also revealed that Sinn Fein had warned Meath-West TD Johnny Guirke that any further lapses with the registration of his rental properties will result in disciplinary action from the party.

The Irish Independent reported how Mr Guirkes rental property in Co Galway was not registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).

Mr Guirke said the house in Cois na hAbhainn was previously registered but the letting agent handling the rental had not renewed it.

Three other rental properties owned by Mr Guirke in Co Longford and Co Meath are registered with the RTB.

In a statement, Sinn Fein said: All rental properties should be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board - no ifs, buts or maybes.

It isnt acceptable that a rental property was not registered, even for a short period.

Mr Guirke said this property was managed by a letting agency that had taken on responsibility for registration with the RTB.

This property was initially registered. However, it has come to my attention that this registration lapsed due to an error on behalf of the letting agent, he said.

As soon as I became aware of this, I immediately rectified this and the property is registered again with the RTB.

I take my responsibilities very seriously and regret that this error occurred.
Denise Mullen is a candidate for Aontu and is running in the Fermanagh South Tyrone for an Assembly seat. Ms Mullen, recently received a letter of intimidation which police believe was sent by Garfield Beattie from jail. Beattie a member of loyalist gang which murdered Ms Mullen's father 1975 was jailed in November for sending Denise a letter signed "East Tyrone UVF" .

Keen Archer Glenanne Gang killer Garfield Beattie found guilty of intimidation of victim's daughter.

The 66-year-old former UVF man walked free from Maghaberry Prison last month.

His release came after he served a 15-month sentence for sending a sinister and threatening letter to Aontu Councillor Denise Mullen, the daughter of one of his victims. And now its emerged that the killer himself has received a threatening letter.

Denises ambulance controller dad, Denis (35)  an SDLP activist and a father of two  was machine-gunned to death by Beattie outside the family home at Collegelands near the Moy, Co Tyrone, on September 1 1976.

A former member of the Territorial Army, Beattie later pleaded guilty to murdering three innocent Catholics, including Mr Mullen. He served 16 years before being released on licence in March 1993.

From Moss Road, Annaghmore, near Portadown, Beattie once told theSunday World: I was in jail with Lenny Murphy and other members of the Shankill Butchers. They were the best years of my life.

Denise Mullen at her fathers grave.

But in an anonymous letter sent to Denise on September 28 2020  which purported to come from the mid-Ulster UVF  Beattie advised her that if she failed to drop a legal action against him, her health would suffer.

When quizzed by police, Beattie admitted writing the letter, but insisted it wasnt threatening. And when the case called in court, a judge tore strips off Beattie before sending him to jail for 15 moths.

Hours after his release last month, an agitated Beattie refused to speak with our reporters. He told them: I cant talk to you. If I do, Ill get a bullet in the head.

And we can reveal that Beattie will be back in court next Thursday to fight an application by lawyers acting for Denise to have his release licence revoked.

And we have also learned that Beattie is now claiming he recently received a threatening letter.

Garfield Beattie (64) was questioned after Mid Ulster Aontu councillor Denise Mullen made a complaint to police

A loyalist source told us Beattie is extremely concerned about the contents of the letter.

It is understood the anonymous communication lists a string of serious UVF crimes including murder. And it alleges Beattie had a hand in them all, but wasnt interviewed by police.

And it is believed the mystery writer also warned Beattie not to speak to the press about any matters relating to his past UVF activities.

Garfield is extremely concerned about this. He now accepts he did wrong by sending the letter to Denise Mullen.

But after receiving a threatening letter himself, he knows how frightening it can be, said our source.

Recent Sunday World investigations have revealed, however, that police are believed to be probing the possibility that handwriting contained in the letter received by Beattie has similar characteristics to a second letter sent to Denise Mullen.

The note, written on the outside of a plain white envelope, states: I worked with the ambulance man your father. I am RC. He was an IRA man. We all knew it.

Yesterday, Denise said she was unable to comment on the matter in case it prejudices next weeks court case. We also tried to contact Beattie several times, but he was unavailable.
When we heard he had got four and a half years we were surprised but delighted.

Reporter Steven Moore, comforts former Eucharistic Minister Bernard McNamee, who was recently found guilty of historic sexual abuse of a friends child

A child of prague statue, sits in the front window of former Eucharistic Minister Bernard McNamee, home address. McNamee 62, was recently found guilty of historic sexual abuse of a friends child.

Reporter Steven Moore, conforts former Eucharistic Minister Bernard McNamee, who was recently found guilty of historic sexual abuse of a friends child

Former Eucharistic Minister Bernard McNamee is beginning a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence after he groomed and sexually abused a young boy several times in the 1990s.

In July, a remorseless McNamee, when confronted by the Sunday World, boasted he had no fear of going to jail, whining that he was already a prisoner because he couldnt go anywhere since hed been convicted.

Days before he spoke to us at his front door in the Victoria Bridge area of Strabane, he had been convicted of three counts of indecently assaulting a boy on dates between August 1991 and January 1993.

The 62-year-old creep put his victim through a trial at Dungannon Crown Court and during sentencing last week a judge described the former church helpers behaviour as disgraceful, despicable activity.

Residents and parents of St Eugenes Primary School, just a few metres away from where McNamee was living, contacted us to complain about his presence in the area.

But having been banged up for more than four years, they rejoiced at the pervert being removed from their midst.

Everyone was worried he was going to get off lightly because you read so many stories where they only get a suspended sentence or community service, said one dad whose child goes to the nearby primary school.

When we heard he had got four and a half years we were surprised but delighted. We are still not happy he was allowed to live right beside a school and we are concerned about what happens when he gets out but well worry about that then.

I know some parents have complained to the school and to the police about him living around here. For the meantime its just good riddance.

At his sentence hearing last week, Dungannon Crown Court heard McNamee would visit the boys parents, bringing sweets for the children clearly grooming him.

Judge Peter Irvine QC told him: You set out to groom the victim to ingratiate yourself. You were in a position of trust as a family friend. You took advantage of a vulnerable young boy.

Reporter Steven Moore, comforts former Eucharistic Minister Bernard McNamee, who was recently found guilty of historic sexual abuse of a friends child

These offences were clearly planned. You were a mature adult and you abused a child. You have no remorse.

The victim provided an impact statement which read: A man I trusted and looked up to stripped me of my childhood innocence. I went from being outgoing and social to a recluse.

I find it difficult to trust people outside my family. I suffer nightmares thinking Bernard McNamee is in my home.

McNamee will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely and will be subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for 10 years.

When we called at McNamees door after he was convicted he disturbingly answered wearing a red fleeced top with a local community association badge depicting two young kids playing together.

He also had a statue of the Child Jesus, better known as the Child of Prague, on display in his front window. Pope Benedict XVI said of the famous statue that adorns many homes across the world: The figure of the Child Jesus, the tender infant, brings home to us Gods closeness and his love.

We asked McNamee if he had anything to say to his victim now hed been found guilty by a jury but he replied: No comment, I dont want to comment on the case, its not finished.

When asked if he was worried about going to prison when he is sentenced he replied: No, Im not worried about going to jail because Im already in jail. I cant go out anywhere or do anything.

Im already serving a prison sentence and its not right.

A child of prague statue, sits in the front window of former Eucharistic Minister Bernard McNamee, home address. McNamee 62, was recently found guilty of historic sexual abuse of a friends child.

The victim told the trial earlier this year he felt special as McNamee paid him particular attention, buying him comics and leaving chocolate bars beside his bed.

McNamee proceeded to ask the victim to stay overnight at his home, but his mother refused.

However, having been groomed by sweets and comics, the victim pleaded with his mother, who eventually agreed.

McNamee collected the boy and drove to the home he shared with his mother and brother.

The boy was taken to a room with both a single and double bed.

McNamee told the victim to sleep in the double bed and later got in beside him.

The boy woke around 2am with an uncomfortable feeling and discovered McNamee fondling his genitals.

Upset, the victim ran to the bathroom which woke McNamees mother.

She checked on the victim who said he had a sore head and wanted to go home, but she told him it was too late and sent him back to bed.

Following this incident, McNamee continued to call with the family, always leaving a chocolate bar by the victims bed.

On one visit McNamee consumed alcohol, and unable to drive, stayed the night, sleeping in a spare bed in the victims room.

During the early hours the victim again woke to find McNamee fondling his genitals while kneeling by his bed.

A third incident occurred when McNamee again spent the night and despite sleeping in a spare room, crept into the victims bedroom and sexually abused him.
The paramilitary group has adopted a wait and see strategy as Truss takes up the reins at Number 10

The UVF is warning of a winter of discontent if Liz Truss fails to deliver on her Protocol promise.

Terror chiefs have made it clear the removal of the controversial Irish Sea border is a minimal requirement  and if not met they will take to the streets.

The paramilitary group has adopted a wait and see strategy as Truss takes up the reins at Number 10, but alarm bells have sounded in the days after her arrival in Downing Street.

EU negotiators have offered fresh talks but insist there is little prospect of the Protocol being removed, similarly Joe Bidens White House administration has warned prospects of a US/UK trade deal would be damaged should Truss move unilaterally on the Protocol.

The Sunday World understands there has been a series of meetings in recent weeks which have addressed a number of concerns including the Protocol but also the UVFs continued involvement in drugs.

The terror group orchestrated civic unrest last year which saw vehicles hijacked and the appearance of armed men on the streets of Belfast.

It is now understood they are losing faith in Trusss repeated promises and are prepared respond with fresh disturbances.

DUP chief Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has made it clear his party will not return to the power sharing Executive until the Protocol is gone.

The UVF has made it clear they will not tolerate any compromise. Any indication of a weakening of the DUP position will set in motion a planned campaign of disruption.

Sources have told us action will involve disruption to public services and possibly, as previously threatened, targeting Irish companies operating in the North.

The Sunday World understands Commander in Chief John `Bunter Graham was left in no doubt as to the mood among his Brigade staff.

There are risks too for Donaldson. Well placed UVF sources have told the Sunday world the organisation will ``turn on him should the DUP leader return to Stormont with Protocol, in any form, still in place.

Graham has come under increased pressure from British security services over the last few years but is being increasingly seen as a leader in name only.

He is understood to be desperate to avoid street violence but has been constantly overruled by this Brigade staff.

His failure to deliver on repeated promises to wean the UVF away from crime has landed him in hot water with the British while unsuccessful attempts to bring the breakaway East Belfast into line has brought him into conflict with his membership.

East Belfast continues to be one of the foremost organised crime gangs in the North.

Their refusal to toe the line from the Shankill and their connections with the Kinahan cartel has left many veteran members uncomfortable.

Were coming up to another Remembrance Sunday where well be on parade carrying poppy wreaths,  a UVF veteran told us.

The only poppies were associated these days are the ones grown in Pakistan, the UVF has become a byword for drugs.

There are no suspicions that a long standing UVF member may have provided information that resulted in a 30,000 cannabis seizure this week.

A 43-year-old man was arrested after cannabis with a street value of an estimated 30,000 was seized as part of an investigation into the east Belfast UVF.

The PSNI have said the arrest was made by Northern Ireland's Paramilitary Crime Task Force on Thursday after the drugs and a sum of cash were seized.

The 43-year-old was arrested on suspicion of possession of a Class B controlled drug, possession of a Class B controlled drug with intent to supply and possessing criminal property.

A police spokesperson said This is a significant seizure of Class B drugs which have now been safely removed from our streets and community.

It demonstrates the PCTFs ongoing commitment to safeguard local people, and to tackle the supply, use and harrowing consequences of illegal drugs.

The PSNI also said that those involved with illicit drugs are putting money straight into the hands of paramilitaries, whose only concern is financial gain and control.

They care nothing about those lives and relationships that get ruined along the way.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Im keen to thank local people for their continued support, and would encourage anyone with information, or concerns, to contact us on 101. Information can also be provided, anonymously, to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Bishop said he didnt want to worry about how our wedding is put out while wife-to-be Hannah Berner argued that media outlets were going to cover it anyway.

Des Bishop (46) and his wife Hannah Berner (30) had a fight about their weddings photographs appearing in The New York Times.

The two comedians tied the knot back in May and Bishop spoke about the clash on The Des Bishop Podcast.

"There was options to have some like presence at the wedding, and we said no to that,

Bishop told his podcast guest Stephen Mullan  who attended the big day as wedding guest.

The couple even refused to invite The New York Times  a decision they ending up having a fight about.

"They have a section and they wanted to feature our wedding. Bishop explained, but to do that, they have their own photographer at the wedding and like you have to do like an interview.

"Each of you have to do an interview and they like talk to like your parents.

Bishop said he didnt want to worry about how our wedding is put out while wife-to-be Hannah argued that media outlets were going to cover it anyway.

The bride thought the couple might as well be in charge.

Bishop, who has been in stand-up comedy since the 1990s and is well used to the spotlight, said he didnt want his own wedding to feel like work.

The Irish-American also revealed how he stayed off his phone on the big day.

"I sort of made a conscious decision of just like, Im going to just experience this in its entirety without any concern for my phone, he said,

"I didnt take a single photo the entire night because, first of all, people were employed to take photos and other people were taking photos.

The podcast episode is the first time Bishop has opened up about his wedding day to Hannah, who shot to fame on American reality show Summer House.

Hannah told ELLE Magazine that people sometimes asked if Bishop is her dad when they first met but that she didnt care.

I was 29 and he was 45, and it felt just right.

The couple met during the pandemic and announced their engagement just seven months later.
BUDAPESTThe European arm of Talent Testing Service made the following announcement Friday:

"In response to the current situation in Europe, Talent Testing Service (TTS) will be offering free Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) and Treponema Pallidum Antibody IgC by Elisa (TREP-SURE) screening at its location in Budapest, Hungary. The test will be free for all members of the adult industry starting Monday, 26 September 2022. The talents second test will be free as well as long as it is at least two weeks after the first test.

"In order to receive their free RPR and TREP-SURE Syphilis tests talent can come to TTS located at 3 Baross Utca, Budapest Hungary 1085. TTS is conveniently located off the Blue Metro Line at the Kalvin Ter stop. Please ring doorbell 14 and go up the stairs to the first floor. The hours TTS is open are from 8 am until 16 00 aka 4 pm."
Joelle Rich represented the actor when he took a defamation case in the UK against ex-wife Amber Heard.

File photo dated 11/10/2015 of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp attending the premiere of Black Mass during the 59th BFI London Film Festival at the Odeon Leicester Square, London. Johnny Depp has said he "feels at peace" and is "truly humbled" after winning his multimillion-dollar US defamation lawsuit against former wife Heard. Mr Depp sued the Aquaman star for 50 million dollars over the piece, titled: "I spoke up against sexual violence - and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change." Issue date: Wednesday June 1, 2022.   PA

Johnny Depp is dating his lawyer from the defamation case he took against ex-wife Amber Heard in the UK, according to Us Weekly.

Joelle Rich was part of the legal team that represented the actor when he sued the Sun newspaper over an article that called him a wife beater.

Depp lost the case in 2018.

Rich, who the Pirates of the Caribbean star is now rumoured to be dating, was present in court to support Depp in the recent defamation case he took against Heard in the US.

"Their chemistry is off the charts, a source told Us Weekly. Its serious between them. They are the real deal.

The case was televised and took the internet by storm as internet users chose sides in the trial.

Heard described herself as a victim of domestic violence when she wrote an article for The Washington Post in 2018.

Depp said the statement damaged his reputation and took Heard to court in a whirlwind celebrity trial this year.

The jury ruled in favour of Depp. His ex-wife was ordered to pay the actor $10.35 million in damages. Heard herself received $2 million.

During the trial, rumours emerged that Depp was dating his US lawyer Camille Vasquez who called the allegations sexist.
Sporty Spice Mel C said she is doing everything in her power to make a Spice Girls reunion happen.

Speaking to Ryan Tubridy on RTEs The Late Late Show on Friday night, she hinted that the iconic 90s group could be getting back together.

"We do [owe it to the people], she said.

"I am doing everything within my power to make it happen."

The popstar joined Tubridy on the show to discuss her new memoir Who Am I.

The book outlines her life as a megastar, and how she struggled with some elements of being famous when Spice Girls were at their peak.

She opened up on the show about how tough it was to constantly be criticised in the media, and how she was often pitted against other members of the group.

"One of the biggest things for us was the tabloid media, she told Tubridy.

"The '90s were brutal in the way women were talked about. Nothing can prepare you for that.

"People commenting and criticising us all the time.

"We all got it in different ways. We were pitted against each other.

"It was always like 'Who's your favourite', 'Who's the best', 'Who's the worst', 'Who's the prettiest', 'Who's the ugliest'. And it's just like to read that as a young person, it's really cruel."

When The Late Late Show host asked the 49-year-old what narrative was made up about her in the media, she said she was seen as unloveable.

"I had my own issues and vulnerabilities, she said.

"I was never dating anyone and if I did it was very short-lived and it was always like 'They've gone with someone hotter' and it was me that got dumped.

"They were just creating this narrative of a bit of a sad, lonely, unlovable [person] and if you're told that enough you're going to start thinking it."

Mel C is signing copies of her memoir Who I Am at Eason on OConnell Street at 12pm today, September 24.
'Professional hit' | Murder probe launched after man shot in front of horrified onlookers in Belfast
Protecting what you play in is at the heart of these environmentally conscious backpackers, who decided to band together for a harbourside clean up this week.

Backpackers Mickael Martins, Luisa Schuler, Alice Messim and Simone Mecklenburg teamed up with a local "nature ambassador" and gathered any rubbish they could find in Tauranga's harbour.

The group says the purpose of the clean-up effort is to "look after and respect" the very thing they came to New Zealand for; mother nature and the outdoors.

"We met Mark and he asked us if we would like to do a habourside clean-up with him. It's a beautiful country, and this is our way of giving back," says Luisa Schuler.

"We have been in Tauranga for a few weeks, so it is our responsibility to look after this place we are visiting," says Alice Messin.

Fellow backpacker Mickael Martins says looking after a country you are visiting is very important.

"We are here to be part of the community and help as much as we can," says Mickeal.

"We are not here to make more work for people who's job it is to clean up the water. We contribute to pollution coming here, so we have to recognise that and do something."

Mickael and Alice are from France, while Luisa and Simone hail from Germany. The group met in a local Tauranga hostel, and say New Zealand is a "far cleaner" country than their own.

"People in New Zealand are seeing nature more day to day, in Paris it is easy to forget about nature. I think that's a big reason why it is so clean here," says Alice.

"In Germany there are more than 80 million people," says Simone.

"In New Zealand there's around 5 million people, so people are much more engaged with nature and thoughtful about the environment around them."

Photo: Taylor Rice/SunLive.

The travellers add they have been in Tauranga for "a few weeks" and have thoroughly enjoyed their time in the city so far.

"It's very cool, there are lots of things to do here and the nature is beautiful," says Luisa.

After the clean-up the travellers say they are looking forward to further exploring what New Zealand has to offer, and spending more time in the great Aotearoa outdoors.
Much-loved community events are coming to Waihi Beach, Katikati, and Matakana Island soon, thanks to a new community funding grant.

The new Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund - TWBCEF - is a collaboration between Acorn Foundation, Bay Trust, Tauranga City Council, TECT, and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

The fund aims to streamline the application process for community events taking place in the region that enrich our communities through active participation and inclusion. Instead of applying to multiple funders to meet their funding requirement, community event organisers can now apply to a single joint fund.

Five events securing funding are in the Western Bay of Plenty District.

The five events are the Anzac Bay Summer Kick Off at Waihi Beach, $4269, Festival of Cultures, Katikati, $12,000, Fiji Independence Day, $10,000, Katikati Community Christmas Meal, $4000 and Matakana Island, Opureora Marae, Rangatahi Creative Art & Design Event, $10,000.

The Matakana Island, Opureora Marae, Rangatahi Creative Art & Design Event brings the marae and hapu together on Matakana Island to create flag designs with rangatahi and whanau for four marae.

Tracey Tawhiao, from the Opureora Marae Committee, says funding received through the TWBCEF means this event can go ahead without significant costs to the artists being shown.

Its a real highlight to come together under a common goal that requires our creativity. Its also an awesome opportunity to hear stories from kaumatua to help with the designs.

Creativity is a healing tool and while design and creativity at the marae may seem very simple, the multi-dimensional relationships we have with each other hapu to hapu and the importance of our whakapapa, gets to shine through in the art we create.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council Community and Strategic Relationships Manager Jodie Rickard says the fund has been well received across the rohe so far.

Its so exciting to have had such a positive reception to this fund, and to be able to support some amazing community events in the process.

It has been a difficult few years for the events industry, so were excited to help bring our Western Bay whanau and others together to celebrate, to make new memories, and to have some fun too.

Another event that received funding is an inaugural event at Waihi Beach, the Anzac Bay Summer Kick Off Festival, taking place on November 19.

Waihi Beach Community Events & Promotion Manager Vicki Lambert says the free family event has live music, food trucks, and workshops on offer in a significant location.

The collaboration between Waihi Beach Events and Promotions and Te Whanau a Tauwhao enables the community to come together in a beautiful spot here at Waipaopao, to learn more of the history and celebrate the start of the summer season.

We are also working with environmental teams to ensure this is a low-waste event as part of our commitment towards low or zero-waste operations.

Twenty-six community events planned for Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty this year, and 2023, secured funding.

A total of $700,000 is available in the fund. The maximum an event in the Western Bay of Plenty can receive is $15,000.

Applications are considered on a bi-monthly basis, event organisers are encouraged to submit their applications at least four months in advance. The next funding round is open until Sunday, November 20, with funding decisions released on Tuesday, December 20 2022.
The Ohauiti community is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its settlers hall today Saturday, September 24.

The Ohauiti Settlers Hall opened on May 31, 1947, with a social evening  and has remained the hub of the community ever since.

The hall building was originally Ohauiti School, according to hall association member Geraldine Hunter, who has lived in Ohauiti since 1976.

The original school building was dismantled and moved to the new site of land donated by Stan Kirk, where it is today and was reassembled under the supervision of Horace Taylor by about 25 volunteers.

The Ohauiti Settlers Hall was first established in 1947. Photo: John Borren.

Geraldine says although the hall has been around for 75 years, it has evolved to keep up with the times since the 1970s.

Weve done some amazing things to it  weve got a really good kitchen and a really good sound system...back in the day there was a piano on the stage and that was about it!

Over the years the hall has been host to an abundance of community activities from pet days, barn dances, indoor bowling, birthday parties to weddings and more.

The free community event today, Saturday September 24, to celebrate the hall, will be open to all to join in. Photo: John Borren.

Containing all of these memories, one of Geraldines highlights from the hall is a locals centenary celebrations.

We had one of our locals turn 100 and that was an amazing event, says Geraldine.

This Saturday, September 24, the Ohauiti Settlers Hall, 459 Upper Ohauiti Rd, will open its doors again to its community  all are welcome  from 10am-3pm to celebrate 75 years existence with free music, a sausage sizzle, family fun and more.

For more information, visit the Ohauiti Settlers Facebook page.
Come on  its springtime  clear out your cupboards, dust off your coffee tables and blow the cobwebs from your bookshelf!

Tauranga Harbour City Lions Club need books, books and more books for its upcoming annual booksale on November 4-6.

Booksale convenor Christine Currie says while the sale is two months away she has 23 helpers coming to the book-sorting depot to sort books  and she doesnt want them twiddling their thumbs.

They have nearly ran out of books to sort for the booksale  this week all I did was give them a cup of tea, says Christine.

So we need residents of the Western Bay of Plenty to spring clean their homes of books and donate them to our booksale by dropping them off now.

Winter is leaving us  people usually have a pile of books that theyve chewed through during winter  please donate them to our booksale!

Book donation drop-off points are at Harvey Norman Cameron Rd, Wet and Forget Chapel St Centre, Countdown Bethlehem Town Centre, 4 Seasons Tauranga Crossing, and Bunnings Jean Batten Drive.

Christine says any type of books can be donated  except for magazines, Readers Digest and encyclopaedias.

We need good quality, clean, readable books. The sort of books you think other people might like to read, and jigsaws.

The Tauranga club needs thousands of books to make the November 4-6 sale a success and raise as much money as possible, with every dollar going back to the community, says Christine.

The book fair started in 2007 and Christine says every year it gets bigger and bigger.

We put out about 1000 banana boxes of really good books for sale at the event in November  so were asking the community to donate their good condition reads they no longer need or want.

For more book donation details, phone 579 2204 or 543 4418 or 027 270 5292.
In a recent closed-door meeting of the Payson Tea Party, Arizona State Sen. Wendy Rogers encouraged her supporters to attempt disruption of mail-in voting by making false claims of identity theft at the polls.

According to Coconino County officials, the election process in the county is secure from such disruption. They said obedience to Rogers directions would likely have little impact on the accuracy of vote tabulation, and could result in criminal charges.

Rogers, who is running for a seat in Arizona's 7th Legislative District, heavily promoted claims of fraud in the 2020 elections. Her claims have played into her most recent plan to shut down mail-in ballots. The scheme was first reported by the Payson Roundup after a reporter acquired a recording of her speech to the Payson Tea Party.

In the recording, Rogers detailed her plan, as transcribed below:

"You're going to get a vote in the mail like I will. About 83% vote by mail. Keep it sealed. Put it in your pocket. Wait until election day. Then go in and say, 'Hi, I'm Nancy Cox.' They'll say, 'Oh, you've voted already.' You say, 'I haven't voted. I'll take a provisional ballot.' And Nancy Cox votes. Then you call the sheriff's office. Call and say, 'I have an identity theft problem. Please come up and document it.' Why do this? This just shuts down one of the avenues of deceit. Are they going to steal this election? Oh yeah -- they're going to try to steal it."

There are multiple reasons this plan would not be effective in disrupting mail-in voting, said Patty Hansen, Coconino County recorder.

I dont think she knows how it works to begin with, Hansen said.

She explained that unreturned early ballots would not be processed and thus provide no indication that someone had already voted.

If you were mailed an early ballot and haven't returned it, you would not be forced to vote a provisional ballot, Hansen said.

In such a scenario, Hansen explained that a voter could simply submit a regular ballot at the polling location -- which would then supersede and negate any following return of a mail-in ballot.

If a voter had returned their early mail-in ballot before election day, and it had been accepted, this would be reflected in the poll records, Hansen explained. If said voter then showed up to the polls trying to vote a second time, they would be informed that their vote had already been accepted. At that point, they could request a provisional ballot, but they shouldnt, Hansen said.

And they wouldn't call the sheriff about that, she explained. They would call us, because we would pull the ballot envelope and show it to them. So I dont understand the identity theft part.

In any case, Hansen said, a provisional ballot submitted in these circumstances would be rejected.

That's why provisional ballots are put in an envelope and kept separate, because we want to verify the information on it, that the person casting it is eligible to actually vote, Hansen said. You don't get to vote twice.

She also noted that someone who attempts to vote twice by submitting a mail-in ballot and requesting a provisional ballot could be turned over to possible prosecutions for voter fraud.

There could also be legal consequences for making a false claim of identity theft in the manner Rogers has suggested, said Jon Paxton, public information officer for the Coconino County Sheriffs office.

A person knowingly filing a false police report or giving false information to a law enforcement agency can be charged with a class 1 misdemeanor, Paxton said. A call about identity theft at a poll would be investigated like any other call, he added.

If somebody calls us and files a false police report, we take that report, we follow up on it, we do our investigation, Paxton said. If we find that they are lying to us, or giving us false information, then we will make the determination at that point whether we're going to charge them with false information.

Paxton also noted that the sheriffs department had no intention of responding to polling places on claims of identity theft.

We're not going to interfere with the election at that time, he said. We will gather the information and then we will proceed just like a crime. If there's some kind of voter fraud going on, that's going to be followed up on by the elections department.

According to Hansen, there were no charges of voter fraud in Coconino County during the 2020 elections. Of the 61,445 mail-in ballots collected and counted, 156 were rejected. Of those, 31 were missing a signature, 26 had a signature different than the one on file, 23 were erroneous double-votes received from voters who requested replacements for a ballot believed to be lost, 36 were mail-in ballots negated by the submission of a vote at the polls, and 40 were rejected because they were submitted after the 7 p.m. deadline on election day.

There are multiple measures of security to ensure safe and accurate voting, Hansen said. They include party representatives from Republicans, Democrats, and independents that oversee the election tabulation. Voting machines are also kept tightly under lock and key, never connected to the internet, and are completely air-gapped standalone pieces of equipment.

I can't tell you all the security there is because then it makes it less secure, Hansen said, assuring that Coconino County elections are very secure.

Everyone that works in elections takes this very seriously and has bent over backwards to make sure everything is fair and honest," she stressed.

She said any effort to encourage disruption of the election process is shameful.

False accusations are really frustrating and disappointing, Hansen said. Especially when they're coming from an elected official or candidate.

The Coconino County 2022 general election is on Nov. 8. Here are some other important dates to keep in mind:

Oct. 11 - Voter registration deadline

Oct. 12 - Early voting begins and ballots mailed

Oct. 28 - Last day to request a ballot to be mailed

Nov. 4 - Last day to vote early in person

For more information on Coconino County elections, visit flagstaff.az.gov/2105/Elections.
Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription.

Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service.
Blue Montana and his family just moved into their first apartment in Flagstaff at the beginning of June after arriving in the city in August of 2021.

During their yearlong search for housing in Flagstaff, Montana's family was turned away from multiple apartments and spent nine months living out of a hotel room.

He had been living in Phoenix for the past year with his husband and child, who is now 5. It wasnt an especially safe area, Montana said, and their rent was about to go up from $895 to $1,400, so they decided to move to Flagstaff.

The rent in Phoenix was getting to where we couldnt afford to live anywhere safe, so we said, If were paying $1,700 for a two-bedroom there, we might as well pay $1,700 for a two-bedroom where we want to be -- which is up in Flagstaff. ... If Im going to be struggling to pay, I might as well be up here where its safe so my kid can at least play outside.

Before moving, he had spent about two months searching online and was approved for an apartment that cost around $1,600 per month. It required a huge security deposit, however, so he had to look elsewhere.

Montana came to Flagstaff that August and started working at Dennys and driving for DoorDash while he searched for apartments. Rents were higher than he had expected, he said.

I knew that two bedrooms was going to run me about $1,600, $1,700 a month, but when I actually started looking around, it was more like two grand a month, he said. That was not doable.

The family was also turned away a few times from potential apartments.

Montana said he had pulled out his phone at a showing to make the security deposit when it clicked for the landlord that he and husband were a couple and the offer was pulled. A place in Winslow turned them down because the DoorDash income wasnt included in their qualifications (too fluctuating was the reason given), placing them below the income limit even though they could have easily afforded rent.

Some, he said, told them they didn't allow children or pets (Montana has a service dog) or had a high-income requirement. Another place didnt respond to two applications, leaving the family out $140 in application fees. They were also approved for a mortgage, but nothing in the area was within their price range.

It was like one thing after another, he said.

The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to deny housing opportunities based on sex, including gender identity and sexual orientation. Montana didnt make a discrimination complaint, however, as he felt that it wouldnt have any results.

Im like, 'Yeah, I can file a complaint about that, but those are just going to take forever and theyre not really going to go anywhere,' he said. Its just throwing it in the wind and hoping someone will pick it up and take it seriously, but they never really do, so the landlords dont really have any oversight. 

The high-demand market hadnt helped either.

They have such a pool of tenants, they can be as picky as they want. Thats the frustrating part. ... If you have one apartment available and you have 30, 40, 50, 60 applicants, you can weed out who you want really easily for any reason you want and not get caught.

He said he had spent 20 years as a social worker for LGBTQIA+ people, and thought this would only change if there are both policies in place and the local government is dedicated to enforcing them. He gave Nevadas equal housing commission as an example and said Flagstaff should be tighter on both landlords and Airbnbs.

You can scream and kick and fight all you want, but at the end of the day theres really nothing you can do unless the state or the city specifically has discrimination laws in place and they hold the landlords accountable, he said.

After their lease in Phoenix was up in early October 2021, the rest of the family moved to Flagstaff. They rented a room weekly at the Motel 6, where they lived for nine months. Montana worked there, so they got a discount -- which was better than the increased rent a renewal on their Phoenix apartment would bring.

Montana kept searching and in May found a lead on Facebook Marketplace. When he originally contacted the person looking for someone to take over their lease on an affordable unit, he was told they had already heard from other applicants. A month later, he got a message saying the other applicants had dropped out and asking if the family was still interested.

I was like, 'Absolutely.' We came over to the office on that Friday, filled out the application, paid the rental fees and moved in, Montana said.

After almost a year of searching, the family moved into their new apartment in June.

They are paying around $1,600 a month for a two-bed, two-bathroom apartment, including utilities and a pet fee for the service dog. Its over the recommended third of their combined earnings (both work the front desk at different hotels) after his husbands recent layoff, but Montana said were going to struggle to make it work, because we cant continue to live in a hotel.

All in all, I love Flagstaff, he said. Im a little sour about the whole housing situation, but thats -- again, theres little oversight.

The familys plan is to stay in the city, but the recent Supreme Court decision has them worried about LGBTQIA+ rights.

While Flagstaff is very inclusive Montana said, Arizonas still a red state, so if national law changes, the family will likely move. They want to stay in the city, however.

If they go after gay marriage, then Im not going to have my marriage attacked. Then Ill go to California, but that will probably be the only [reason]. Other than that, we plan on staying in Flagstaff; we love it here," he said.

Montanas advice for people looking for a home in Flagstaff was to stay diligent.

Just keep looking, looking, looking, he said. Thats really all you can do. Start looking before you move.
Why it matters: Earlier this week, Nvidia pulled back the curtain on the much-anticipated RTX 40-series graphics card lineup. To no one's surprise, the new additions to the RTX family bring consumers significant increases in capability, power draw, and, unfortunately, overall cost. According to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the trend of chips and other components going down in price "is a story of the past."

"Moore's Law is dead," Huang declared during a Q&A session with the media when asked about the rising GPU prices.

According to Huang, a 12-inch wafer is "a lot more expensive today" and insisted that the price increases were justified when compared to the performance levels offered by previous generations. The statements support Nvidia's already uncomfortable pricing narrative, which has thus far been ill-received and instead viewed as a justification for inflated prices.

"The idea that the chip is going to go down in price is a story of the past."  Jensen Huang

It's not the first time Nvidia's leather-clad leader called Moore's Law dead. In 2017, Huang challenged the validity of the long-standing technical observation during a speech at the GPU Technology Conference in Beijing. During the speech, he also said that the continued increase in GPU technology would someday lead to GPUs completely replacing some CPUs.

Fast forward to 2018, Nvidia and Huang went as far as to posit a new observation, stating that advancements in GPU technology far exceeded traditional CPU advancements. The outlook, aptly named Huang's Law, says that where Moore's law is no longer applicable to CPUs, GPU performance will more than double every two years.

Nvidia's views on Moore's Law and technological observation don't stop there. In 2019, Huang continued to pound nails into Moore's coffin at that year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Nvidia CEO elaborated on the slowing rate of technological advancement, stating that "Moore's Law isn't possible anymore."

Industry experts, including the man himself, Gordan Moore, have hypothesized that the law cannot persist forever. In 2005 Moore stated that the industry could not sustain the projection indefinitely and that transistors would eventually reach the limits of miniaturization.

He later clarified his forecast, predicting the law could remain a viable observation through 2025. With the current string of architectural advancements, such as Intel's big.LITTLE design approach and AMD's 3D V-Cache, there's always the possibility of CPU manufacturers breathing new life into Moore's 58-year-old law.
A leak has revealed what the upcoming Nord Watch might look like. On top of its design, other details, including specs and price, have also been leaked as well.

OnePlus Only Shows a Glimpse of What the Upcoming OnePlus Nord Watch will Look Like

When it comes to leaks, although they are sometimes correct and sometimes off target. The most recent leak, however, is a render showing what the smartwatch might look like in its black variant.

OnePlus is teasing the upcoming OnePlus Nord Watch's arrival. As seen on the OnePlus India website's landing page, only a glimpse of the upcoming smartwatch can be seen.

Tipster Shares Renders of What the Complete Smartwatch Should Look Like

This, however, is not the whole picture since Mukul Sharma, a tipster, shared renders of the complete smartwatch on Twitter. The interesting thing about the leak is that it wasn't just limited to what the smartwatch would look like but also other specs for the gadget.

Here's your first look at the OnePlus Nord Watch Midnight Black colour variant

1.78-inch AMOLED 60Hz

105 Fitness modes

10 days Battery

SPO2

Heart Rate

Stress monitoring

Women Health Tracking

Multiple Watch Faces support

Feel free to retweet #OnePlus #OnePlusNordWatch pic.twitter.com/4MgGy7a8N2  Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) September 21, 2022

Image Shows a Crown Located at the Right Edge of the Smartwatch

According to the story by Gizmo China, which shared the findings of Mukul Sharma, the OnePlus Nord Watch was seen in the Midnight Black variant. The image reportedly shows the square-shaped display along with a crown located at the smartwatch's right edge.

The publication notes that as per the render, the device looks to be fitted with a silicone strap and the image shows that the smartwatch will come with other features like health tracking, heart rate sensors, step counter, calorie burner, and others.

Confirmed OnePlus Nord Watch Specs

So far, OnePlus has officially confirmed that the upcoming Nord Watch will be using a 1.78-inch AMOLED display capable of offering 368 x 448-pixel resolution. When it comes to the smartwatch's brightness, it will reportedly be able to reach 500 nits.

The company also said that more details regarding the smartwatch will be revealed on September 22, 24, 26, and 28. The additional details will be revealed via the smartwatch's landing page.

Other Nord Watch Specs that have Yet to be Confirmed

Despite the lack of detail, Sharma reportedly tipped off some of the important features that buyers might be able to expect from the smartwatch. These features include potential 105 fitness modes, a heart rate tracker, a SpO2 tracker, stress monitoring, and health tracking for women.

To top everything off, the upcoming OnePlus Nord Watch is also expected to come with multiple different watch faces. When it comes to connectivity, the smartwatch will be functioning on Bluetooth 5.2 connection.

Read Also: Google Reveals the Pixel Watch on YouTube-Here's a Deep Look on its Features and Specs

OnePlus Nord Watch Price Estimations

There is still no news regarding the smartwatch's battery size but so far, the article by Giz China notes that it is expected to last up to 10 days.

When it comes to the variations and price, the smartwatch could come in options of black, white, and gold. The OnePlus Nord Watch could cost buyers anywhere between $62 to $102 as per the publication.

Related Article: Apple Watch Ultra, AirPods Pro 2 Now Launches in Australia, Soon in the US

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Health experts suggest bringing back the use of COVID-19 face masks.

(Photo : Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

A child is seen wearing a facemask, as public fear over China's Wuhan Coronavirus grows, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on February 3, 2020 in Manila, Philippines.

Ever since efficient vaccines were developed and mass-produced, infection cases, as well as hospitalizations slowly declined.

Based on the official data of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent, COVID-19 cases in the United States continuously dropped from July until September.

CDC explained that people are now becoming less vulnerable to the novel coronavirus because of vaccines and vaccine booster shots.

If this is the case, why do health experts want people to wear face masks again?

Health Experts Suggest Bringing Back COVID-19 Face Masks

ABC News reported that certain health experts told them that some people may still need to wear face masks.

(Photo : JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)

A woman in a face mask walks by a sign posted on a boarded up restaurant in San Francisco, California on April, 1, 2020, during the novel coronavirus outbreak. - The US death toll from the coronavirus pandemic topped 5,000 late on April 1, according to a running tally from Johns Hopkins University.

Also Read: Free At-Home COVID-19 Test Orders To Be Suspended? US Government Explains Why and How To Get Tests For Free

"My recommendation to people would be to mask when in indoor crowded space," said Johns Hopkins University Professor Dr. Stuart Ray.

Aside from Dr. Ray, Dr. Shira Doron from Tufts Medical Center in Boston explained that masks greatly lessened COVID-19 transmissions in hospitals and other health facilities.

She added that although she was working with infected patients, she didn't contract the deadly virus.

Because of this, Dr. Doron believed that face masks and other PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) can really prevent COVID-19 infections.

Will US Residents Accept This Suggestion?

Of course, health experts already know that it will be hard to convince U.S. residents to wear face masks again.

This will be difficult, especially since many states and cities in the U.S. already lifted their face mask mandates.

But, there are still some cities that require people to put on their face coverings. These include Denver, San Francisco, as well as Los Angeles.

On WHO's official website, the health agency said that face masks can still protect healthy individuals from COVID-19.

The World Health Organization also explained that these face coverings can reduce onward COVID-19 transmissions.

In other stories, a new COVID-19 wearable detection device can spot the novel coronavirus before symptoms appear.

We also reported that China's new COVID-19 outbreak could lead to another lockdown.

For more news updates about COVID-19 and other health topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Khosta-2: New Virus Similar to COVID Can Resist Vaccines; Is It A New Threat to Humans?

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by Griffin Davis

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
FLAGSTAFF  An environmental review for a proposed copper mine in eastern Arizona did not adequately analyze the potential impacts of climate change and the strain that drought and demand have put on water resources in the region, a U.S. Bureau of Land Management report has found.

The U.S. Forest Service asked the Bureau of Land Management earlier this year to quality check its review for the Resolution Copper mine in Superior, about an hour east of Phoenix. The project is vehemently opposed by Native American tribes who hold the land sacred.

Resolution Copper, a joint venture of global mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP, was set to receive a parcel of land in the Tonto National Forest for mining in March 2021. Then, the Biden administration pulled back an environmental review to further consult with tribes. The move prevented the land exchange from moving forward.

As part of that consultation, the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community asked the Forest Service to have a third party look at the environmental review, with a focus on water. The Bureau of Land Management provided the report to tribes last month, and credited the Forest Service for its work on the massive document.

But the bureau said the document was hard to follow at times and suffered from insufficient evaluation or unsupported conclusions. It focused its own review on broader topics that it found deficient, under-developed or improperly analyzed, it said.

The environmental review fell short on information on water rights in Arizona, whether the mine would pull from a basin where groundwater is regulated in Arizona and the potential for catastrophic weather events that have become hallmarks of climate change, the Bureau of Land Management said.

Higher average temperatures, less overall precipitation, and an increase in wildfires and more groundwater pumping as surface supplies drop weren't thoroughly addressed, the bureau said.

Impacts from climate change will have significant ramifications on hydrologic conditions in the project area during both mine operation and the extended recovery period, the agencys report read.

Water has long been a concern in a region thats been mired in drought.

The Bureau of Land Management said the environmental review should do more to help the public understand the permit that allows Resolution Copper to pump groundwater now and into the future  even if mining isnt green-lit  and how that will affect water sources in the region.

The agency also noted some options for storing mine waste were too quickly dismissed.

Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community President Martin Harvier said he still wants to see an entity independent of the federal government study whether operations at the mine could impact the water sources his community relies on.

That's the big concern that we have in the whole state of Arizona with the drought conditions that we've been going through for years, he said. We're talking about cutbacks on surface water ... our next option is getting water from our aquifers.

Another tribe, the San Carlos Apache, asked the Forest Service earlier this month to shelve the environmental review and start over.

The BLM report validates what we have been saying for years, San Carlos Apache Chairman Terry Rambler said in a statement. The Resolution mines destruction far outweighs its benefits and must not be built.

Resolution Copper spokesperson Simon Letendre said Tuesday that the Forest Service's environmental review was rigorous and thorough, and the company is committed to working closely with with government agencies, tribes, community groups and others to ensure the project moves forward safely, respectfully and sustainably.

The U.S. Forest Service said some of the topics raised by the Bureau of Land Management's report merit further consideration. The agency hasn't decided whether to re-do or supplement the environmental review, said Forest Service spokeswoman Michelle Burnett.

The release of the environmental review is key to the project. Under federal land, the publication of it starts a 60-day clock for the land to be transferred to Resolution Copper.

Mining wouldn't happen for at least 10 years even if the Forest Service land ultimately is exchanged for private land elsewhere in the forest, a move made possible by a provision slipped into a must-pass U.S. defense bill in 2014. More than two dozen permits still would be needed.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, the mayor of Superior and others have touted the copper mining project for the 3,700 direct and indirect jobs it's expected to bring to the state and $1 billion annually to the economy for 60 years. Resolution Copper said the project also could be vital to the transition to clean energy in the U.S. because copper is used in the production of electric vehicles, and wind and solar systems.

Native American tribes have been at the forefront of legal challenges to the project at Oak Flat, largely over religious freedom. The Apaches call the mountainous area Chichil Bildagoteel in their language. It has ancient groves, spiritual deities and traditional plants that tribal members say are essential to their religion and culture.

Resolution Copper said it would not deny Apaches access to Oak Flat if it receives the land as long as it's safe to have people there. Eventually, the mine will swallow the site, using a new process where copper is accessed through deep shafts. Resolution Copper maintains it's safe and environmentally sound.

Companion bills in the House and Senate aim to overturn the land exchange.

While federal agencies often work together on environmental reviews for projects on federal land, environmental law experts say its not common for one federal agency to grade anothers work.

It seems pretty unusual but not a bad idea to have a quality check and a good thing for the tribes to have asked for, said Kym Meyer, senior staff attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, which is not connected to the project.
General Motors (GM) has closed its GMC Hummer electric vehicle (EV) reservations, the renowned automaker has confirmed.

But why did GM stop accepting new orders for the Hummer EV? The American automaker explained the reason behind it as it closed reservations for now.

(Photo : Scott Olson/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 10: GMC displays the Hummer EV at the Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place convention center on February 10, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. The show, the nation's largest and longest-running, is open to the public February 12-21.

GM Hummer EV Reservations Have Been Closed

As per the latest news by Teslarati, the renowned carmaker is no longer welcoming new reservations for its upcoming Hummer EV pickup and the all-electric Hummer SUV.

It is worth noting that GM debuted its 2023 Hummer EV way back in 2020, resurrecting the iconic nameplate, which has been known for decades as an excessive gas-guzzler.

The new electric Hummer comes in two forms, a pickup truck, and an SUV.

Teslarati notes that the Edition 1 pickup retails for $110,295, whereas the SUV version starts at $105,595.

And since the reservation started in 2021, nearly a year after it first saw the light of day, it now has thousands of reservation holders.

Read Also: Four Hummer EVs Were Sold In Auction For a FORTUNE - How Much Did Each Cost?

Why GM Stopped Hummer EV Reservations

It turns out that the impressive number of reservations for the upcoming Hummer EV has forced the carmaker to stop accepting new orders.

(Photo : MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images )

US President Joe Biden test drives a GMC Hummer EV as he tours the General Motors Factory ZERO electric vehicle assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan on November 17, 2021.

According to a report by CNBC, GM revealed that its GMC Hummer SUV and pickup reservations have already reached a cool 90,000.

And as such, the giant automaker has decided to stop accepting new reservations from potential Hummer EV customers. CNBC notes that the move should help GM fulfill the orders of these thousands of reservation holders.

The news outlet reports that the fulfillment for these orders has already been extended until 2024.

Teslarati adds that the American carmaker admits to its customers that some reservation holders would have to wait longer before their Hummer EV reaches their garage.

So current Hummer EV reservations might need to equip themselves with a bit of patience.

However, the giant firm notes that Hummer SUV EV would start hitting the roads sometime in early 2023.

It is worth noting that a recent report disclosed that GM production only makes roughly 12 Hummer EVs in a day. And during that time the reservations had already reached around 77,000.

Elsewhere, Ford also stopped accepting new orders for its electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning late last year. And similar to GM, the Blue Oval also blames its strong demand, which, at that time, peaked at 200,000 reservations.

Related Article: GM Hummer EV: Early Reviews Say the Car is Not Efficient Despite 329 Miles for Premium Trim

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) aims to educate the world with "The Langley Files," a newly-launched podcast series that centers on explaining the agency's core mission and existence within the US government. The CIA is known for its classified missions and focuses to learn information from many events or people in the country or the world, centering on the country's safety and improvement.

However, there already are misconceptions and wild theories about it in the general public, and it is this podcast that will help everyone understand it more.

CIA Debuts 'The Langley Files' Podcast

(Photo : SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The United States CIA launched its latest podcast series to "bring the agency out from the shadows" of conspiracy and deep webs of endless inaccurate information regarding its purpose and existence. "The Langley Files" aims to deliver a new informative audio show that will debunk misconceptions and educate the public on who the agency is as a counterintelligence entity.

Its goal is to effectively communicate what the agency's purpose is, especially during this time when Hollywood representation centers on espionage and action narratives which is not entirely accurate. "The Langley Files" aims to deliver an experience that will take its listeners inside the agency, with its hosts and guests telling the stories they may disclose to the public.

Each episode will feature different guests, and the first drop featured CIA's Director, Bill Burns.

Read Also: [Confirmed] Twitter will Add Podcasts to Its Platforms Through Spaces

Where to Listen to CIA's Podcast

"The Langley Files" is available on different platforms to learn more about the agency and understand what it is about, arriving in a format that the world is used to consuming daily. It also comes on known platforms including Transistor via an RSS Feed, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pocket Casts, Deezer, and more.

Podcasts and its Experience

The multimedia world presents many experiences to the public, but it sometimes gets overwhelming for some, especially for those who want an entirely new way to consume media without putting all their attention into it. This is where podcasts come in, especially as it centers on an audio immersion to a certain story or topic, with hosts presenting the narrative.

Anybody can center on podcasting in the present, and they only need a mic, a good script, several edits, and a platform to which they wish to upload their media to for public availability.

Many companies are already bringing in podcasting features on their platforms, and some of the most famous include Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. For the CIA to create a podcast is something that will present a new point of view to the public regarding the agency, especially as it is shrouded by conspiracies and allegations from many.

The famed United States counterintelligence agency is no longer hiding behind the shadows of what its organization is all about, aiming to deliver an entirely new experience aimed towards explaining what the agency is and its purpose. It will deliver on more executives and guests to join the podcast series, with more to come in the future.

Related Article: Ex-CIA Engineer Joshua Schulte Convicted for Leaking Classified Hacking Tools in WikiLeaks

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, announced on Friday that the company's Starlink satellite internet service would be activated in Iran.

The announcement comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States had taken steps "to advance internet freedom and the free flow of information" to Iranians, as reported first by Interesting Engineering.

Even though Iran has been imposed sanctions, the US Treasury Department released guidelines on increasing Iranians' access to internet services.

This comes at the heels of the death of the 22-year-old Masha Amini in the custody of Iranian authorities, which has sparked widespread protests in the country.

Read also: Elon Musk's Starlink Shows Impressive Airline Speeds of About 100Mbps; Is This The Best WiFi in Cosmos?

Starlink Broadband Services for Iran

A treasury official told reporters earlier on Friday, Sept. 23 that the general license would not apply to Starlink's commercial-grade system, which would require delivering hardware to Iran.

Musk has previously announced SpaceX's plan to offer Starlink broadband services, similar to the ones given to Ukraine to fend itself against Russia's invasion.

The Starlink constellation of satellites promises to provide worldwide internet connectivity. The technology aims to offer internet broadband access to remote, rural locations where internet connectivity is nonexistent or unstable.

The satellite internet service technology used by Starlink has been around for a while. A satellite system essentially sends radio signals to transfer data instead of using cable technology like fiber optics.

Starlink users on Earth receive data from the satellites in orbit after receiving signals from ground stations. Each satellite in the Starlink constellation, which consists of several satellites, weighs 573 kg and has a flat body.

The Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX alone has room for up to 60 satellites.

Musk requests exceptions to the sanctions that have been put in place since the Nuclear Arms Deal was broken to provide this technology to the Iranian people.

Using tweets from Iranians who wanted the service enabled, Musk said on Twitter that he would be looking for exceptions to the restrictions and authorization to deploy the Starlink service in Iran. This also responds to the demonstrations that have broken out against the morality police.

Related Article: Elon Musk: Tesla AI Team Works on FSD Beta, Other EV Features, and Optimus-Coming Next Month?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The United States is currently in talks to construct Australia's first nuclear-powered submarines by the middle of the 2030s as a response to China's expanding military.

The Wall Street Journal exclusively reported on Saturday, citing "Western officials," that the proposed plan, which has not yet been formally approved, intends to offer Australia an initial fleet while longer-term initiatives will give Australia the potential to create its own.

Senior officials from the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom have discussed the arrangement, according to WSJ's report, and a decision would likely be made in March 2023.

However, the report also noted that to implement the plan, the US would need to increase its capacity for producing submarines, and Australia would be expected to make a financial contribution as well.

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison launched a historic alliance called AUKUS in September of last year to support Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.

The declaration followed Australia's cancellation of a $90 billion deal with France to manufacture 12 attack-class submarines.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in June that the government and French shipbuilder Naval Group had come to a settlement over the canceled contract.

The overall cost of the discarded policy, according to him, would be $3.4 billion if Australia paid the Naval Group 555 million euros.

Later that month, Penny Wong, the Australian foreign minister, stated during a news conference that Australia's new generation of submarines would only have nuclear propulsion and no nuclear capabilities.

Read also: New Nuclear Fusion Experiment Produces 59 Megajoules of Energy-Leading To New World Record

China Doesn't Approve

However, some of Australia's neighbors have criticized the Aukus accord, with China, in particular, taking its objections to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Beijing claimed that the deal granting Australia access to nuclear submarine technology violated international non-proliferation treaties.

IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed satisfaction with the Aukus partners' cooperation thus far, while Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning claimed that the organization was "turning a blind eye" to the issue.

The Albanese administration has also pledged A$15 billion (US$10.1 billion) as part of a National Reconstruction Fund to reinvigorate Australia's manufacturing sector as part of its policy goal.

The partnership's choice of nuclear submarine model is still unknown, and Australia's defense minister Richard Marles has set the announcement date for early 2023.

Related Article: US Navy Engineer Arrested After Trying to Sell Nuclear Submarine Secrets to Another Country

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A 17-year-old boy in Oxfordshire was arrested on suspicion of hacking by the City of London Police on Thursday, as part of an investigation supported by the UKs National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU). The suspect remains in police custody.

The news about the arrest was released by the City of London Police through their official Twitter handle.

On the evening of Thursday 22 September 2022, the City of London Police arrested a 17-year-old in Oxfordshire on suspicion of hacking, as part of an investigation supported by the @NCA_UKs National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU). He remains in police custody. pic.twitter.com/Zfa3OlDR6J  City of London Police (@CityPolice) September 23, 2022

While the city police department has not released any further information about the person in custody, popular ex-Reuters journalist Matthew Keys wrote based on unknown sources that the 17-year-olds arrest was related to intrusion on Rockstar Games and possibly Uber Technologies and was done in concert with an investigation conducted by the FBI, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

The arrested teenager is believed to be connected to a group identifying itself as Lapsus$, a group that organizes primarily via Telegram channels. He is the same teenager who was arrested in March 2022 by the City of London Police for generating some $14 million (10.6m) from cybercrime.

UPDATE: The 17-year-old hacking suspect was arrested in Oxfordshire and is believed to be connected to a group identifying itself as "Lapsus$," a group that organizes primarily via Telegram channels.  Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) September 23, 2022

The news of the arrest follows after Rockstar Games confirmed last week that an unauthorised third party illegally accessed and downloaded confidential information from its systems.

Shortly after the GTA 6 leak, Uber too released a statement regarding a recent cybersecurity incident of its own and acknowledged that the potential links leaked could be valid, adding that Lapsus$ (though this is not confirmed) may have been behind both hacks.

We believe that this attacker or attackers are affiliated with a hacking group called Lapsus which has been increasingly active over the last year or so. This group typically uses similar techniques to target technology companies, and in 2022 alone has breached Microsoft, Cisco, Samsung, Nvidia, and Okta, among others, Uber explained in a security update.

Uber said that it is working in close coordination with the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice on this matter.
Chinese short-form video app TikTok on Friday announced that it is rolling out the Dislike button for comments around the world. The social media platform started testing the feature in April 2022 to support the safety of its community and to foster kindness on TikTok.

Announcing the Dislike feature in a tweet, TikTok Communications Team explained that it will help users flag comments that they think are irrelevant or inappropriate without the dislike being visible to others.

TikTok claims that the dislike button will allow users to send feedback and help enhance the comment sections of the posted content.

New feature incoming. Earlier this year, we started to test a new way people could identify comments they believe to be irrelevant or inappropriate. After some testing, were releasing it globally, TikToks Communications Team wrote in a tweet.

? New feature incoming. Earlier this year, we started to test a new way people could identify comments they believe to be irrelevant or inappropriate. After some testing, we're releasing it globally. ? Read on for 3 fast facts  TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) September 23, 2022

According to TikTok, the dislike button has been created to listen to the community and to foster a comment section for genuine and authentic interactions.

Weve created it as a new way to hear feedback directly from our community. This allows us to better identify irrelevant or inappropriate comments, which helps us foster a comment section for genuine and authentic interactions, it added.

Our main priority with this feature is to create a better experience for our community. With this in mind, the total number of dislikes a comment has will not be shown and people can take back their feedback by tapping again whenever they like.

Once you click the dislike button on a comment, the dislike does not become public. Only you will be notified. Neither the author of the comment nor other users will be notified that the comment has been disliked. Further, you can withdraw your dislike by tapping the button again. Also, you wont be able to see how many dislikes a comment has received.

The new dislike button is the thumbs down icon, which will appear to the right of the heart-shaped like button next to each comment on TikTok. This button will appear in addition to the option to report a comment for community guideline violations.

TikTok said the dislike button isnt seen as a way to report comments, but rather a way to serve to express that a comment has not been to the users liking. Users should use the standard process to report comments about harassment, hate speech, bullying, etc.

Besides TikTok, YouTube already offers a thumbs down button for comments. However, the dislike count is private. Reddit, a social news website and forum, also offers a similar upvote and downvote button for comments, which is public. Additionally, the microblogging platform Twitter is too testing a private downvote button for replies to tweets.
Beth Lewis, executive director of Save Our Schools Arizona, speaks during a news conference on the Capitol grounds on Sept. 23, 2022, after her group collected 141,714 signatures from voters who want to see the expansion of the state's school voucher program put to a voter referendum. Photo by Caitlin Sievers | Arizona Mirror

Teachers and public school advocates on Friday submitted nearly 142,000 petition signatures to block the new universal school voucher program that was set to go into effect on Friday and let voters decide its fate in 2024.

Save Our Schools Arizona PAC said it gathered 141,714 signatures to give voters the chance to weigh in on the expansion of the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, the formal name of the voucher system.

Whether voters will get that chance remains to be seen. The signatures represent almost 23,000 more than needed to refer the matter to the ballot, but state and county elections officials will inevitably whittle that number down when they verify the petitions comply with legal requirements and that the signers are registered voters.

And then there will be a legal challenge from school-choice backers. Arizona law allows opponents of citizen initiatives or referendums, like this one, to challenge the signatures in court. In the past decade, GOP lawmakers  with backing from big corporate interests upset that voters have approved minimum wage hikes and tax increases  have made it easier for challengers to disqualify large swaths of petition signatures.

If, after all that, the referendum has at least 118,823 valid signatures, the ESA expansion will be blocked and voters will have their say in November 2024. If the effort has too few signatures, the expansion will immediately go into effect.

Until all that happens, the law will remain blocked.

School voucher history

The ESA program was created in 2011, and had previously been available to a limited number of students in specific situations. But in July, Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill that would allow every one of the more than 1.1. million K-12 students in Arizona to receive about $7,000 to pay for private school, homeschooling or other educational options  and it can be socked away to pay for college in the future.

Before now, the ESA program had only been available to students who attend failing public schools, those with parents in the military, kids in foster care and students living on Native American reservations. Before the expansion, around 11,800 students were enrolled.

Legislative budget analysts have estimated that 25,000 students would likely take advantage of the expanded program, though they concede its virtually impossible to accurately assess the potential demand.

In the first two weeks that the expanded program accepted applications, around 75% of students who applied had never attended an Arizona public school.

Thats a departure from how the program was initially designed, as it was meant to provide options to students attending struggling public schools and to special education students who couldnt get the services they needed at their public schools.

If you want to do private school, you pay for it, said Save Our Schools volunteer Patrick Brown. You dont pay for it with our money.

Will there be a repeat of 2018?

Save Our Schools Arizona successfully blocked a previous ESA expansion that was passed in 2017 that also would have provided vouchers to most Arizona students. After gathering enough signatures to put it on the 2018 ballot, 64% of voters rejected the expansion.

But this year has been different, with outside groups throwing money at the ESA campaign, and an organized group of parents promoting the expansion of government-funded school choice.

But Save Our Schools still counted the day a win as members gathered Friday afternoon near a stack of boxes full of signature sheets on the Capitol grounds in Phoenix, before the boxes were delivered to the Secretary of States Office.

These voters have repudiated the schemes of Governor Ducey and the Republican-led legislature that continually work to defund our public schools in service to special interests, Beth Lewis, executive director of Save Our Schools, said during a news conference.

Ducey and others who supported the voucher expansion claimed that it made Arizona the gold standard for education choice.

Our kids will no longer be stuck in under-performing schools, Ducey said in a press statement touting the ESA expansion. Were unlocking their educational potential and advancing a bold new era of learning opportunities.

School choice advocates denounced the referendum effort.

Anti-school choice activists have taken the first step in stripping Arizona parents of the many educational options available to them, Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy Action, said in a written statement Friday. Earlier this year, Arizona lawmakers fought to extend opportunities to all Arizona families but, just a day before the new law was to take effect, leftist activists pulled the rug out from under parents and students.

I am confident Arizona voters will see through the false claims of the activists and repudiate their efforts to make decisions for parents and children who do not necessarily thrive in the one and only educational setting activists choose for them.

But volunteers for Save Our Schools who gathered at the Capitol Friday said that strong public schools help build a strong economy, strong communities and a better society.

Save Our Schools Outreach Coordinator Nicky Indicavitch was proud that the group gathered signatures from all 15 Arizona counties who recognized that the expansion will create winners and losers instead of equitable public education.

This is what democracy looks like, said Save Our Schools board member Raquel Mamani. We will not stop fighting for our public schools in communities because we know that quality public schools for everyone help our economy, help our neighborhoods and help our students.

What happens next?

The Secretary of States Office will begin processing the petitions, beginning with a check to ensure all petitions have the text and title of the bill attached, according to Secretary of State, Katie Hobbs. Then the petitions will be scanned.

Next, every petition will be reviewed to ensure it meets various statutory requirements.

If the petition still has the minimum number of required signatures, a random 5% sample of signatures will be sent to each county recorders office, and each county recorder will check those signatures against the voter registration rolls to confirm that the voter is eligible to sign. The number of valid sampled signatures will be used to extrapolate how many total signatures from each county are valid.

Because all of the verifications take time, the state might not know if the petitions have definitively reached the threshold until after the General Election in November, Hobbs said in a tweet.
Both ministers will address issues related to the opening of the border between Venezuela and Colombia once again.

The ministers of Defense of Venezuela, Vladimir Padrino, and Colombia, Ivan Velazquez, respectively, are meeting in Tachira prior to the opening of the border between both nations, in an event scheduled for Monday, September 26.

On his Twitter account, Padrino reported that he was at the Simon Bolivar International Bridge, in the border area, where a large border flow was registered.

The minister made a tour to inspect the area in the framework of the preparations for the reopening, while he announced that they would hold a meeting with his Colombian counterpart, Ivan Velazquez.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denounced on Thursday that the United States continues to threaten his country and also seeks to manipulate the citizens of this Caribbean nation. #Venezuela #USA https://t.co/RtUPero3EW  teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) September 23, 2022

"In minutes I will meet with the Minister of Defense of Colombia, for the construction of relations of trust and a border of peace," he said in a video he posted on his social networks.

"Good morning Venezuela! From the Simon Bolivar International Bridge we tell our people: good news is coming for the Patria Grande!",Minister Padrino Lopez added in his post message.
[Character of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China] Li Shengli: Fighting on the front line of fire fighting and rescue for more than 30 years-Chinanews.com video
Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that koalas are on the verge of extinction? What is being done to help this species survive?

-- May Jenkins, Chicago, IL

Despite their status as icons of biodiversity, koalas have been in steady decline for two decades. Yet the conservation status of this Australian native has only just changed from threatened to endangered in recent months following a series of bushfires that raged across Down Under during the summer of 2019 (later termed Black Summer).

Prior to Black Summer, disease and climate change were the primary determinants of the size of koala populations. Habitat loss has also contributed to the koalas plight in recent years, including deforestation, urbanization and ecological fragmentation. Indirect factors range from animal grazing to agricultural and mining practices. However, Black Summer presented the ultimate tipping point for koalas.

According to Anne Kerle of the New South Wales (NSW) Threatened Species Scientific Committee, koala populations have declined some 50% across Australia due to Black Summer. To combat this, state governments such as NSW announced a commitment of AUS$193.3 million, representing the largest financial promise by a government, to conserve koalas. The majority of funding will go toward habitat conservation and research on koalas, with the remainder dedicated to garnering community support and establishing a koala safety program.

In addition, the Queensland state government has promised more than AUS$24 million will go beyond saving the koalas to inspire remediation efforts for other threatened species. Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon states that Queensland promotes one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, emphasizing the critical need to protect threatened species (especially in an area that also upholds the highest number of threatened species due to anthropogenic  i.e. human-caused  habitat loss). According to the Wilderness Society, 90,000 hectares of land was cleared for beef production alone in the span of a single year. This initiative indicates a commitment funding, researching, and creating environmental laws that restrict habitat clearing, according to Queensland Conservation Council Director Dave Copeman.

A large part of koala recovery efforts will be community-based. Along with encouraging activism that holds Australian decision-makers accountable for their actions that destroy koala habitats, education of young people will promote awareness of the need to save koalas, especially because they tend to be inconspicuous in their habitats and thus out of sight and out of mind.

Just like any threatened species, koalas are worth saving, not just because they are beloved but also for the sake of protecting the biodiversity of Australias flora and fauna.
The Postil Magazine (Excerpt: read on "Our latest interview with Jacques Baud"

We are pleased to bring you this fresh interview with Jacques Baud, in which we cover what is now happening in the geopolitical struggle that is the Ukraine-Russia war. As always, Mr. Baud brings deep insight and clear analysis to the conversation.

The Postil (TP): You have just published your latest book on the war in UkraineOperation Z, published by Max Milo. Please tell us a little about itwhat led you to write this book and what do you wish to convey to readers?

Jacques Baud (JB): The aim of this book is to show how the misinformation propagated by our media has contributed to push Ukraine in the wrong direction. I wrote it under the motto from the way we understand crises derives the way we solve them.

By hiding many aspects of this conflict, the Western media has presented us with a caricatural and artificial image of the situation, which has resulted in the polarization of minds. This has led to a widespread mindset that makes any attempt to negotiate virtually impossible.

The one-sided and biased representation provided by mainstream media is not intended to help us solve the problem, but to promote hatred of Russia. Thus, the exclusion of disabled athletes, cats, even Russian trees from competitions, the dismissal of conductors, the de-platforming of Russian artists, such as Dostoyevsky, or even the renaming of paintings aims at excluding the Russian population from society! In France, bank accounts of individuals with Russian-sounding names were even blocked. Social networks Facebook and Twitter have systematically blocked the disclosure of Ukrainian crimes under the pretext of hate speech but allow the call for violence against Russians.

None of these actions had any effect on the conflict, except to stimulate hatred and violence against the Russians in our countries. This manipulation is so bad that we would rather see Ukrainians die than to seek a diplomatic solution. As Republican Senator Lindsey Graham recently said, it is a matter of letting the Ukrainians fight to the last man.

It is commonly assumed that journalists work according to standards of quality and ethics to inform us in the most honest way possible. These standards are set by the Munich Charter of 1971. While writing my book I found out that no French-speaking mainstream media in Europe respects this charter as far as Russia and China are concerned. In fact, they shamelessly support an immoral policy towards Ukraine, described by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, president of Mexico, as We provide the weapons, you provide the corpses!

To highlight this misinformation, I wanted to show that information allowing to provide a realistic picture of the situation was available as early as February, but that our media did not relay it to the public. My goal was to show this contradiction.

In order to avoid becoming a propagandist myself in favor of one side or the other, I have relied exclusively on Western, Ukrainian (from Kiev) and Russian opposition sources. I have not taken any information from the Russian media.

TP: It is commonly said in the West that this war has proven that the Russian army is feeble and that its equipment is useless. Are these assertions true?

JB: No. After more than six months of war, it can be said that the Russian army is effective and efficient, and that the quality of its command & control far exceeds what we see in the West. But our perception is influenced by a reporting that is focused on the Ukrainian side, and by distortions of reality.

Firstly, there is the reality on the ground. It should be remembered that what the media call Russians is in fact a Russian-speaking coalition, composed of professional Russian fighters and soldiers of the popular militias of Donbass. The operations in the Donbass are mainly carried out by these militias, who fight on their terrain, in towns and villages they know and where they have friends and family. They are therefore advancing cautiously for themselves, but also to avoid civilian casualties. Thus, despite the claims of western propaganda, the coalition enjoys a very good popular support in the areas it occupies.

Then, just looking at a map, you can see that the Donbass is a region with a lot of built-up and inhabited areas, which means an advantage for the defender and a reduced speed of progress for the attacker in all circumstances.

Secondly, there is the way our media portray the evolution of the conflict. Ukraine is a huge country and small-scale maps hardly show the differences from one day to another. Moreover, each side has its own perception of the progress of the enemy. If we take the example of the situation on March 25, 2022, we can see that the map of the French daily newspaper Ouest-France (a) shows almost no advance of Russia, as does the Swiss RTS site (b). The map of the Russian website RIAFAN (c) may be propaganda, but if we compare it with the map of the French Military Intelligence Directorate (DRM) (d), we see that the Russian media is probably closer to the truth. All these maps were published on the same day, but the French newspaper and the Swiss state media did not choose to use the DRM map and preferred to use a Ukrainian map. This illustrates that our media work like propaganda outlets.

Figure 1  Comparison of the maps presented in our media on 25 March 2022. It is this way of presenting the Russian offensive that has led to the assertion that the Russian army is weak. It also shows that the information provided by the Russian media seems closer

Thirdly, our experts have themselves determined the objectives of the Russian offensive. By claiming that Russia wanted to take over Ukraine and its resources, to take over Kiev in two days, etc., our experts have literally invented and attributed to the Russians objectives that Putin never mentioned. In May 2022, Claude Wild, the Swiss ambassador in Kiev, declared on RTS that the Russians had lost the battle for Kiev. But in reality, there was never a battle for Kiev. It is obviously easy to claim that the Russians did not reach their objectivesif they never tried to reach them!

Fourthly, the West and Ukraine have created a misleading picture of their adversary. In France, Switzerland and Belgium, none of the military experts on television have any knowledge of military operations and how the Russians conduct theirs. Their expertise comes from the rumours from the war in Afghanistan or Syria, which are often merely Western propaganda. These experts have literally falsified the presentation of Russian operations.

Thus, the objectives announced as early as February 24 by Russia were the demilitarization and denazification of the threat to the populations of Donbass. These objectives are related to the neutralization of capabilities, not the seizure of land or resources. To put it bluntly, in theory, to achieve their goals the Russians do not need to advanceit would be enough if Ukrainians themselves would come and get killed.

In other words, our politicians and media have pushed Ukraine to defend the terrain like in France during the First World War. They pushed Ukrainian troops to defend every square meter of ground in last stand situations. Ironically, the West has only made the Russians job easier.

In fact, as with the war on terror, Westerners see the enemy as they would like him to be, not as he is. As Sun Tzu said 2,500 years ago, this is the best recipe for losing a war.

One example is the so-called hybrid war that Russia is allegedly waging against the West. In June 2014, as the West tried to explain Russias (imaginary) intervention in the Donbass conflict, Russia expert Mark Galeotti revealed the existence of a doctrine that would illustrate the Russian concept of hybrid warfare. Known as the Gerasimov Doctrine, it has never really been defined by the West as to what it consists of and how it could ensure military success. But it is used to explain how Russia wages war in Donbass without sending troops there and why Ukraine consistently loses its battles against the rebels. In 2018, realizing that he was wrong, Galeotti apologizedcourageously and intelligentlyin an article titled, Im Sorry for Creating the Gerasimov Doctrine published in Foreign Policy magazine.

Despite this, and without knowing what it meant, our media and politicians continued to pretend that Russia was waging a hybrid war against Ukraine and the West. In other words, we imagined a type of war that does not exist and we prepared Ukraine for it. This is also what explains the challenge for Ukraine to have a coherent strategy to counter Russian operations.

The West does not want to see the situation as it really is. The Russian-speaking coalition has launched its offensive with an overall strength inferior to that of the Ukrainians in a ratio of 1-2:1. To be successful when you are outnumbered, you must create local and temporary superiorities by quickly moving your forces on the battlefield.

This is what the Russians call operational art (operativnoe iskoustvo). This notion is poorly understood in the West. The term operational used in NATO has two translations in Russian: operative (which refers to a command level) and operational (which defines a condition). It is the art of maneuvering military formations, much like a chess game, in order to defeat a superior opponent.

For example, the operation around Kiev was not intended to deceive the Ukrainians (and the West) about their intentions, but to force the Ukrainian army to keep large forces around the capital and thus pin them down. In technical terms, this is what is called a shaping operation. Contrary to the analysis of some experts, it was not a deception operation, which would have been conceived very differently and would have involved much larger forces. The aim was to prevent a reinforcement of the main body of the Ukrainian forces in the Donbass.

The main lesson of this war at this stage confirms what we know since the Second World War: the Russians master the operational art.

TP: Questions about Russias military raises the obvious questionhow good is Ukraines military today? And more importantly, why do we not hear so much about the Ukrainian army?

JB: The Ukrainian servicemen are certainly brave soldiers who perform their duty conscientiously and courageously. But my personal experience shows that in almost every crisis, the problem is at the head. The inability to understand the opponent and his logic and to have a clear picture of the actual situation is the main reason for failures.

Since the beginning of the Russian offensive, we can distinguish two ways of conducting the war. On the Ukrainian side, the war is waged in the political and informational spaces, while on the Russian side the war is waged in the physical and operational space. The two sides are not fighting in the same spaces. This is a situation that I described in 2003 in my book, La guerre asymetrique ou la defaite du vainqueur (Asymmetric War, or the Defeat of the Winner). The trouble is that at the end of the day, the reality of the terrain prevails.

On the Russian side, decisions are made by the military, while on the Ukrainian side, Zelensky is omnipresent and the central element in the conduct of the war. He makes operational decisions, apparently often against the militarys advice. This explains the rising tensions between Zelensky and the military. According to Ukrainian media, Zelensky could dismiss General Valery Zoluzhny by appointing him Minister of Defence.

The Ukrainian army has been extensively trained by American, British and Canadian officers since 2014. The trouble is that for over 20 years, Westerners have been fighting armed groups and scattered adversaries and engaged entire armies against individuals. They fight wars at the tactical level and somehow have lost the ability to fight at the strategic and operative levels. This explains partly why Ukraine is waging its war at this level.

But there is a more conceptual dimension. Zelensky and the West see war as a numerical and technological balance of forces. This is why, since 2014, the Ukrainians have never tried to seduce the rebels and they now think that the solution will come from the weapons supplied by the West. The West provided Ukraine with a few dozen M777 guns and HIMARS and MLRS missile launchers, while Ukraine had several thousand equivalent artillery pieces in February. The Russian concept of correlation of forces, takes into account many more factors and is more holistic than the Western approach. That is why the Russians are winning.
After her hit TV show ended, Trinny Woodall faced the dramatic death of her ex-husband and financial worries. Now, her beauty brand is worth $300 million. How did she turn it all around?

September 25, 2022

by Laura Craik
A 17-year-old boy has been charged after the car he was driving crashed into a power pole in Sydneys south-west on Sunday morning, killing his 17-year-old passenger.

The driver has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death - drive speed dangerous, and negligent driving occasioning death. His licence has also been suspended.

Emergency services were called to Hoxton Park Road in Hoxton Park just after 3.30am on Sunday where they found the wreckage of a white Toyota Camry.

Specialists from the NSW Police Crash Investigation Unit are on the scene. Credit:Edwina Pickles

The 17-year-old male passenger, who is yet to be formally identified, died at the scene.
Prescriptions for ADHD medications have more than doubled within a decade and scripts for adults now outnumber those for children, as rising numbers of adult women are diagnosed with the disorder.

People seeking treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, are facing months- long waiting lists to see a psychiatrist, with some clinicians attributing the increase in adult cases to historical under-diagnosis, particularly in young girls.

Annual data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme showed prescriptions for the two most commonly used ADHD medications, methylphenidate (Ritalin) and dexamphetamine, passed 1 million last year.

The greatest increase was seen in adults on Ritalin, which increased almost three-fold to 160,000 scripts in 2021. The number of adult scripts for dexamphetamine roughly doubled to close to 390,000.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Some day, one of Australias biggest-ever infrastructure projects will wend through the Queensland countryside on an alignment yet to be determined, to an endpoint or two somewhere near the coast, for a cost still unknown or secret. Seldom in the national conversation, it is the nation-building Inland Rail, a 1700-kilometre snarl of track, money and politics still posing more questions than answers 15 years since the first serious study. The national freight network between Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria will span almost 2000 kilometres. It proposes to move double-stacked trains, eventually 3.6 kilometres long, between Melbourne and Brisbane within 24 hours through the eastern interior, streamlining Australias freight network, unlocking commerce and reducing the emissions and congestion of trucks. It could add $16 billion to national GDP over the next half a century, according to the most recent business case, from 2015. Thousands of jobs are tied to its success. But even as construction edges closer to Queensland, and the mountainous tangle of bureaucracy from three tiers of government in three states unfurls toward a 2027 completion target, the puzzle of how it all fits together at the northern and southern bookends remains unsolved. When it comes to the fine details ... the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government has let down Australians, said Anthony Albanese in 2019, drawing on a well of Inland Rail attack lines through nine years of opposition.

Advertisement

Now, these details have landed with his government, which has promised Inland Rail frankness and fixes while committing to belt-tightening with such zeal that on Tuesday Treasurer Jim Chalmers used a positive announcement of a $50 billion improvement to the national bottom line to warn of difficult decisions in next months budget. Where does this leave Inland Rail? The new government is not yet letting on, though it flagged a rethink weeks out from the election. The planning challenge is particularly fraught on the Queensland side, where the Commonwealth, state and local governments are yet to figure out the best way to move rail freight through the congested suburbs of Australias fastest-growing capital city to (and from) the Port of Brisbane. Loading Costs have ballooned. Inland Rail was originally stated to cost about $5 billion end to end. By the completion of the 2015 business case, this had swollen to close to $10 billion. The Australian government has now invested $14.5 billion in equity through the developer, the Australian Rail Track Corporation.

Advertisement

Responding to a 2021 Senate inquiry discussion about the price tag potentially topping $20 billion, National Trunk Rail chair Martin Albrecht remarked, I think that might be on the low side. In opposition, Labors Catherine King called on the Coalition to demonstrate leadership and tell Australians exactly how [Inland Rail] will be delivered, when it will be completed and how much it will actually end up costing. Then, as the newly minted Infrastructure Minister, she told the Guardian in July that progressing the Inland Rail was among her priorities. Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen However, she declined to answer questions posed by Brisbane Times, including the mysteries for which she lambasted the previous government: how, when, cost. The governments once-prolific Inland Rail website has not posted any news since before the election, while a business study announced more than a year ago about an additional leg to Gladstone has only just begun its work. A Labor-chaired Senate inquiry, which reported last year under the title Inland Rail: Derailed from the start, recommended the Coalition review and refresh the 2015 business case. This was rejected.

Advertisement

Kings office said the details about a Labor review would come soon. The Inland Rail dream, cheered most fervently by the Nationals, would cleave properties and forge through floodplains with a mix of new tracks and upgrades. Intermodal terminals, essentially places where freight from one type of transport could be loaded to another, would dot the route. Farmers in three states could anticipate moving goods more efficiently, possibly leading to lower supermarket prices. Mining companies, too, would be expected to piggyback on the infrastructure and open new operations, including coal. From Melbourne sites at Truganina or Beveridge (or both), the rail would traverse regional Victoria and NSW and reach the Queensland border near Goondiwindi. The first section, a 100-kilometre stretch from Parkes to Narromine, was completed in 2020.

Advertisement

From Toowoomba, where the wealthy Wagner family will build an intermodal hub, the rail would notionally pass through a new 6.4 kilometre tunnel under the mountains and terminate south of Brisbane at Acacia Ridge, where trucks would pick up freight for urban warehouses and supermarkets. It is expensive and divisive work. The Queensland section of Inland Rail includes five different legs, each valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, or more. Consensus is scarce, and communities are desperate for information. But one of the most problematic questions for governments is how to move freight through 38 kilometres of Brisbane suburbs between Acacia Ridge and the port. Trucks could do it. So could a multibillion-dollar freight line, complete with tunnels and a years-long lead time. The present proposal involves moving the colossal trains through southern Brisbane neighbourhoods on existing rail infrastructure. The Senate inquiry heard of alternative proposals, including a new freight line and tunnels from Ebenezer, about 50 kilometres west of Acacia Ridge, to the port. Another idea involved a dedicated truckway all the way from Toowoomba. Port of Brisbane chief executive Roy Cummins told senators that without a fit-for-purpose connection from Acacia Ridge to the sea, there would be a flood of trucks on Brisbanes roads, which would speak to congestion ... safety ... [and] emissions. Despite all the planning, reports and feasibility studies, nothing in the south-east Queensland plan is certain. The inquiry even found the Infrastructure department and the ARTC were not in lockstep about a terminus at Acacia Ridge at all.

Advertisement
A new monkeypox case has been identified in Queensland.

Queensland Health confirmed on Saturday the person had recently travelled through south-east and central Queensland.

It is the fifth known case of monkeypox detected across the state, and Queensland Health said they were aware of a small number of close contacts linked to the positive case.

Where possible, close contacts have been contacted directly, as per standard contact tracing protocols, the health department said in a statement.

Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness spread person-to-person via close contact.
One of the worlds leading voices against lockdowns during the COVID-19 crisis has declared Melbourne ground zero for understanding the social harms caused by protracted absences from school, economic disruptions and forced isolation of older people.

Dr Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University health policy expert and a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter which challenged the ethics and efficacy of lockdowns, says policymakers must do more to mitigate the likely, long-term impacts of Melbournes unique pandemic experience.

Dr Jay Bhattacharya, co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, in Melbourne this week. Credit:Aaron Francis

If Im looking for a place where Im likely to see the psychological harms from lockdowns, I would look here, he said during a visit to Melbourne this week. If Im looking to see what effect the lockdowns and extended closures of schools had on children, I would look here.

I think that the people of Melbourne have lived through an absolutely extraordinary time. It is unique on the face of the Earth.
Peace said the Chinese market only accounted for about 5 per cent of business for his company. But an oversupply of wine had driven down prices, he said, which was hurting local winemakers and grape growers even if they had limited exposure to the Chinese market. Were competing against other countries, where their wages and cost of doing business is a lot lower, he said. The fall in sales of Victorian shiraz  favoured by Chinese consumers  has been particularly precipitous, down from about $32 million over the year to 2020, to about $336,000 in the year to 2022. To some extent, the loss has been made up by increased sales to other markets, but not entirely. Victorias total wine exports have dropped by almost half (48 per cent) over the last two years, to about $60 million.

Barley growers have also lost trade. Victoria sold no barley to China, data from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences shows  down from $550 million in 2019-20. But unlike the situation for wine producers, their losses have been more than offset by booming sales to the rest of the world. According to the bureau, last financial year, Victoria exported $2.98 billion worth of barley to the world, up 189 per cent since 2019-20. Rabobank agricultural analyst Dennis Voznesenski said the economic blow of Chinese sanctions on barley had been softened by high demand for the grain across the globe.

Because of COVID and the war in Ukraine, its been quite insulated, he said. However, grain farmer Brett Hosking, who is based in Quambatook in northern Victoria, said he had cut back on his barley production. He said China had been a major buyer of premium barley, making it an important trading partner for Victorian farmers. Theyve lost that premium opportunity in the market, he said. Quambatook grain farmer Brett Hosking has cut his barley production. Credit:Erin Jonasson

Rock lobster producers, on the other hand, have not been so lucky. Sales to China, which accounted for almost all of Victorias rock lobster exports two years ago, collapsed by 99.8 per cent, falling from $94 million in 2019-22 to just $225,000 last financial year. Although some new markets have been found, the industry has not fully recovered. According to the economics bureau, total exports of Victorian rock lobsters have fallen by 41.2 per cent over the past two years to $58 million. Nolle said Chinas trade sanctions were still biting, and some fishers had sought work in other industries. Its a bit disheartening, he said.

Southern Rocklobster Limited board director Wayne Dredge said Australias live export market had been almost entirely dependent on China. You cant set that level of infrastructure up overnight in new markets, he said. It takes time. Trade Minister Tim Pallas said major exports to Vietnam traditionally include wheat, barley and aluminium, although there is now increased demand for Victorian dairy, meat, consumer goods and professional services and education. The state government recently opened a Victorian Government Trade and Investment office in Ho Chi Minh City.
Australia would buy nuclear submarines from the United States by the middle of the next decade to give it more time to be able to build the boats onshore under a plan being considered by the Albanese government.

There has been growing concern that Australia will not be able to build nuclear-powered submarines until the 2040s, despite the previous government insisting it could do it by 2036 under the AUKUS defence pact with the US and Britain.

Australia plans to build nuclear-powered submarines like the American Virginia-class boats.

At a time when China is rapidly growing its military might, Australia would face a major capability gap if it doesnt get the first nuclear submarine in the water by 2038, which is when the current Collins-class submarines will begin getting decommissioned.

The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that the Biden administration was exploring an arrangement to expedite Australias acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines by producing the first few in the US.
That is all we have from this AFL grand final day as Geelong continues to celebrate its premiership win.

Thanks so much to everyone who logged on and checked out the blog today, once again it has been a great thrill to bring the game and the post-game reactions to our readers via our live blogs.

Scores of people are involved behind the scenes to make sure all those stories and posts were written, edited and published on our blog while our video team and photographers also illustrated all that happened beautifully.

I thank all of them and I am grateful for your comments and interactions both today and throughout the 2022 season.

While our AFL blogs will end, we will have plenty more sport to cover in the days and weeks to come plus we still have the AFL Draft and AFL trade period to come.

So please keep checking in with our sport sections.

Bye for now.
Authorities are investigating the authenticity of a threat to allegedly sell millions of customers personal information online unless telecommunications company Optus pays $US1 million ($1.53 million) in cryptocurrency to the hackers.

The post, made on a hacking forum where stolen data is advertised for sale, gives Optus one week to comply before the alleged data will be put up for sale for $US300,000 to other criminals. The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald have chosen not to publicise the hacking forum by naming it.

Optus said it had shut down the cyberattack and is working with authorities to mitigate customer risk and find the culprit. Credit:

Federal police are aware of reports of the alleged threats and have warned Australians that it is illegal to buy stolen data online, with penalties of up to 10 years in jail.

Optus has not confirmed if the poster actually possesses stolen company data. The company revealed on Thursday it had been hit with a massive cyberattack during the week that could have affected up to 9.8 million customers.
New York: China has accused the United States of sending very wrong, dangerous signals on Taiwan after the US secretary of state told his Chinese counterpart that the maintenance of peace and stability over Taiwan was vitally important.

Taiwan was the focus of the 90-minute, direct and honest talks between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York, a US official told reporters.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier this year. Credit:AP

For our part, the secretary made crystal clear that, in accordance with our long-standing one-China policy, which again has not changed, the maintenance of peace and stability across the Strait is absolutely, vitally important, the senior US administration official said.

Chinas foreign ministry, in a statement on the meeting, said the United States was sending very wrong, dangerous signals on Taiwan, and the more rampant Taiwans independence activity, the less likely there would be a peaceful settlement.
Dubai: State-organised rallies took place in several Iranian cities to counter nationwide anti-government unrest triggered by the death of a woman in police custody, with marchers calling for the execution of rioters.

The pro-government marches followed the strongest warning yet from authorities when the army said it would confront the enemies behind the unrest - a move that could signal the kind of crackdown that has crushed protests in the past.

Iranian pro-government demonstrators attend a rally after their Friday prayers to condemn recent anti-government protests over the death of a young woman in police custody Credit:AP

The crowds condemned the anti-government protesters as Israels soldiers, live state television coverage showed.

Offenders of the Koran must be executed, they chanted.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size New York: On a dusty sidewalk in midtown Manhattan, hours after Vladimir Putin threatened to unleash a nuclear strike in his war against Ukraine, a young man with a thick hipster beard is holding up a handmade sign emblazoned with the words: Putin Is A War Criminal Killer. A few meters away in the throng of New Yorks gridlocked traffic, a mobile billboard truck crawls along Third Avenue, filled with images of 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, whose death after being arrested by Tehrans notorious morality police sparked a wave of angry protests over the countrys repression. And two blocks east, huddled next to one of the many police barricades surrounding the United Nations headquarters, a group of climate activists wave banners and chant in unison: The earth, the earth, the earth is on fire; the Amazon is dying, politicians are all liars As global leaders descended on the US this week for the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, the signs of the challenges they faced were impossible to ignore. In any given year, this is the marquee event of international diplomacy: a spirited talkfest where presidents and prime ministers, community leaders and captains of industry gather along New Yorks East River in an attempt to solve the problems of the world. Protesters make a fire and block the street during a protest over the death of a woman who was detained by the morality police, in downtown Tehran, Iran. Credit:AP But this years event - set in the shadows of the brutal war in Ukraine, Chinas aggression over Taiwan, the existential threat of climate change, food insecurity and economic uncertainty - was also a potent reminder that the global dynamics have been upended.

Advertisement

The broader question now is whether the UN, a 193-member institution created after World War II to preserve peace, can tackle the multitude of crises confronting it and uphold the bedrock principles it was set up to defend. As UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres put it earlier this week, nations have a duty to act and yet we are gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction. The scale of the challenge was not lost on Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong when she arrived at the UN to represent Australia in the absence of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who stayed in the country for Queen Elizabeths national day of mourning. Victims of flooding from monsoon rains carry belongings salvaged from their flooded home in Sehwan, Sindh province, Pakistan. Credit:AP The UN General Assembly had just officially kicked off on Tuesday morning when Wong met with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the green and gold circular General Assembly Hall around 9.30am. Australia had already provided military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including bushmasters and drones, but Kuleba urged Wong for more support. His sense of urgency was palpable. No words of condemnation can stop the Russian army, Kuleba later explained. What can stop them is the Ukrainian army equipped with modern weapons coming from our partners - and this is the topic of virtually every conversation Im having here in New York. It didnt take long for the rest of the world to be reminded why.

Advertisement

In a national address on Wednesday morning in Moscow, Putin declared a partial military mobilisation to call up as many as 300,000 reservists, resulting in angry protests and a rush of would-be conscripts fleeing the country. The Russian president also voiced his support for staged referendums being planned as a precursor to the annexation of occupied areas of Ukraine and signalled that he was prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during the United Nations General Assembly. Credit:Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg In the face of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal, Putin warned. This is not a bluff. The condemnation among world leaders was swift and severe. UKs new Prime Minister Liz Truss accused Putin of making yet more bogus claims and sabre-rattling threats. French President Emmanuel Macron called on the international community to put maximum pressure on Russia. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the UN by video link, calling for a special tribunal to impose just punishment on Russia. And US president Joe Biden accused Putin of showing reckless disregard for Russias responsibilities as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, telling UN members: This is a war about extinguishing Ukraines right to exist as a state, plain and simple, and Ukraines right to exist as a people. Wherever you are, wherever you live, whatever you believe, that should make your blood run cold.

Advertisement

Outside the fortified walls of the UN there were also potent signs of rage. As videos emerged on social media showing Russian men called up by the government to fight Putins war, Fedor Poliakov, a Russian-born New Yorker, feared for the safety of his loved ones back home. Loading My friends and family are now waiting to learn if they will be sent to the army when they dont want to be, he tells me. Today or tomorrow some military forces will come for them and take them for Ukraine. From our country, Sergey Lavrov (Russias foreign minister) is here, and people around the world must know that he and the Kremlin are criminals. Bloody criminals. Lavrov, however, was as defiant as ever. When the UN Security Council met on Thursday for a special meeting to discuss the need for Russian accountability, the diplomat arrived about 90 minutes late and used his allocated speaking time defending Moscows actions and accusing Ukraine and its allies of attempting to impose on us a completely different narrative about Russian aggression. He then walked out almost immediately, refusing to listen to other nations as they stepped up their condemnation of Moscows latest threats. The snub highlighted a longstanding problem with the UNs structure and renewed calls to reform the 15-member Security Council. While the group has met about 20 times this year to discuss Ukraine, it has been unable to take any meaningful action because Russia is one of the P5 permanent veto-wielding members, along with the US, France, Britain and China.

Advertisement

Indeed, one of the most notable examples of the councils impotence took place on February 24, when Putin appeared on national TV at 6am in the shadow of darkness in Moscow, announcing he would be launching an invasion of Ukraine - at the same time that council members had convened a special meeting urging the Russian strongman not to attack. Russian-born Fedor Poliakov, in New York, protesting against Putins war. Stewart Patrick, a senior fellow and director of the Global Order and Institutions Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says despite calls for reform, it is unlikely the veto provision would be removed, as none of the permanent members favours doing so. However, an open question, he says, is if you could create a norm where the veto is used only in exceptional circumstances - something that Biden himself suggested this week. But Patrick also notes that while the UN has its flaws, it still remains the worlds premier multilateral body and a bedrock for world order by virtue of its membership and charter. Loading This has been the most challenging year for the UN, but there are still so many functional things that the UN does that are indispensable, he says, citing its incredible humanitarian relief work as an example. Its not as if everything has fallen apart. While the war in Europe set the tone for this years gathering, it was by no means the only issue at the fore.

Advertisement
New York: The prime minister of the Solomon Islands has complained that his country had been subjected to a barrage of unwarranted and misplaced criticisms, misinformation and intimidation since formalising diplomatic relations with China in 2019.

In an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Manasseh Damukana Sogavare said the Solomons had been unfairly targeted and vilified in the media. He said such treatment threatens our democracy and sovereignty.

Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare addresses United Nations General Assembly. Credit:AP

The Solomons formerly had diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed, self-governed Taiwan, but switched recognition to Beijing in 2019. It has since appeared to move ever closer into Chinas orbit, to the alarm of the United States and other Western countries concerned about Beijings security designs in the Pacific.

This decision was reached through democratic processes by a democratically elected government, Sogavare said of the recognition of China. I reiterate the call for all to respect our sovereignty and democracy.
Today is Bruce's 73rd birthday. All week I've been posting Bruce videos on Facebook ... here they are, all in one place:

In 2006, Springsteen released We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, consisting of songs associated with Pete Seeger. The subsequent tour kicked off at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The Backstreets website writes

Quite an important night for Springsteen -- when's the last time he really had to prove himself to an audience? Closing out the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, following Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, it was to a decidedly non-partisan crowd; Bruce wasn't preaching to the choir for the first time in a long time, he had a brand new band to boot, and this their first non-rehearsal show.

The Ghost of Tom Joad was a mostly-acoustic album Bruce released in 1995. Rage Against the Machine released a hard rap/rock version. In 2008, Rage guitarist Tom Morello joined Bruce and the E Street Band for an electric version. As Morello tells it, during the rehearsal, he played a very straightforward guitar solo, so none of the band was prepared for what he unleashed in front of an audience. Morello later joined the band as a temporary replacement for Steven Van Zandt on tours in 2013-4, and an electric version of "The Ghost of Tom Joad" featuring Morello's guitar finally appeared on the 2014 studio album High Hopes.

In 2012, Bruce played at the legendary Apollo Theater. It was the first full E Street Band show without Clarence Clemons, who had died less than a year before. (In what now feels inevitable, filling those Big Man shoes was Clarence's nephew, Jake Clemons, who has been with the band ever since.) Celebrity watchers can look for Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Elvis Costello in the audience. Trivia note: Bruce was 62 years old when this concert occurred.

Australia, 2017. Bruce sees a fan in the audience with a sign that reads "Missed school, in the shit now. Can I play Growin Up with you".

Still my favorite Bruce song. He's coming to liberate us, confiscate us:
A Billings man has been charged with raping and assaulting a woman in December of last year.

Jeremy Carl Wolff, 51, faces felony counts of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent and assault with a weapon, along with two misdemeanor charges of violating an order of protection.

Investigators spoke with the victim in April 2022, according to charging documents. In December 2021, prosecutors allege Wolff brutally raped her to the extent she needed hospital treatment for a prolapsed bladder and torn muscles and ligaments to her pelvic floor.

Prior to that, Wolff allegedly pressured the victim into sex by threatening self-harm several times. He kept firearms in plain view, according to charging documents, and would point them at his head when threatening to hurt himself. When the victim would try to pull the gun away from Wolff, most recently in January 2022, he would allegedly point it at her. It was after several months of therapy that the victim decided to contact police, court documents said.

In April, after she reported the abuse to Billings police, a Yellowstone County district judge issued an order of protection against Wolff. The order barred Wolff from having any contact with the victim. He allegedly tried to reach the victim through the mail and over the phone in May and July, respectively.

County prosecutors filed charges against Wolff on Sept. 15, and Yellowstone County District Judge Jessica Fehr signed a $25,000 warrant for his arrest the same day. As of Friday afternoon, the warrant remained active.

Wolff is scheduled to make his first appearance in Yellowstone County District Court on Sept. 26. A conviction for aggravated sexual intercourse without consent comes with the possibility of 10 years to life in prison. If convicted of assault with a weapon, Wolff could be sentenced to prison for up to 20 years and face a $50,000 fine.

In June of this year, a Laurel man was sentenced to 80 years in prison for raping a child several times. His sentencing came after the survivor, now an adult, told investigators about the abuse about a decade after it occurred.
Billings Police investigate the scene of a shooting at the 1900 block of Burnstead Drive after multiple reports of gunshots and a physical altercation between two males resulted in the men fleeing the scene. Billings Police have detained the two persons of interest. A third person of interest is described as an African American male in his 40s or 50s, approximately 6'3" and 200 lbs, with dreadlock hair, and a white shirt with blood on it. The extent of the injuries is unknown, according to a social media post by Billings Police Department.
4 Die in Domestic Disturbance Where House Caught Fire

OAK FOREST, Ill.Police in suburban Chicago responding to a domestic incident early Friday found three gunshot victims who were mortally wounded outside a house and later the body of another person believed to have shot them inside the home a short time later.

In a news release, the Oak Forest Police Department said that officers arrived at the house after reports of gunfire and established a perimeter outside. After a child emerged from inside the home, officers saw smoke coming from the house and flames appearing in the front window.

After firefighters extinguished the blaze, police found the body of a fourth person who police believe had shot the others, who were all pronounced dead after being rushed to area hospitals.

No information about the victims or the person believed to have killed them was released, with the Cook County Medical Examiners office saying that next of kin had not been notified and that autopsies would likely be conducted on Saturday. Police have not said if the person found inside the house had been shot like the others.

During what police described a fluid situation with the person inside the burning house, the department issued a community alert to area residents and schools to shelter in place. That alert was later rescinded.

Oak Forest is about 25 miles south of Chicago.
Wong: History is written by those who do not give up

Wong Yat-chin, the former convener of the student political group Student Politicism, was accused of conspiring to incite others to subvert state power under the National Security Law (NSL). He will plead for leniency and could be sentenced when in court on Sept. 24. He wrote earlier,  Although I have no expectations for the outcome, I have neither complaints nor regrets.

The 21-year-old, who was born in Suining, Sichuan Province, in mainland China, went to Hong Kong when he was a grade 5 school pupil. He participated in a parade for the first time on June 9, 2019, and began to join the subsequent social movement. He had been arrested many times for placing street stands and other activities organized by Student Politicism and had also been followed many times.

On Jan. 23, 2021, Wongs mainland relatives and friends were interviewed by the police at their homes, and Wong himself was also followed in Hong Kong by unknown persons. To provide peace of mind and safety to his relatives, he issued a public statement declaring he had cut his ties with all his mainland relatives and friends.

On Sept. 20, 2021, officers from the National Security Division of the HK police force arrested Wong for conspiracy to incite subversion of state power. Wong twice applied for bail but was refused at both attempts. As a result, he was detained for more than a year before the latest court verdict.

While in prison, Wong wrote an article on Sept. 10, released on Sept. 20, on his Instagram account managed by his friends and relatives. He published an article of around 600 words titled The 365th day of remand in custody.

He started by first sharing his daily routines in prison. This includes reading, exercises, listening to songs, and writing letters during his spare time. For the sake of maintaining peace of mind, he had also developed the habit of practicing meditation. He also thanked those who have subscribed to his Patreon account, which helps alleviate some financial pressure off my family members.

He said that the case will be concluded soon. Although he has no expectations for the result, he also has no complaints or regrets. At least I tried to pursue that seemingly unreachable but beautiful ideal, and I am willing to suffer all the pain from it.

He also expressed his gratitude to the relatives and friends who have worked tirelessly to encourage him during his time in prison. Whether it was you who wrote me the letters, or were present at the court hearings, or saw me off in the prison car, you deserve all my heartfelt gratitude. All of you provided me the kindness and courage to move on through all the long dark nights.

He shared that when he found out he was going to be remanded at Mid-Autumn Festival 2021, he was able to face it calmly. But when he saw the many lights shining from peoples mobile phones through the window of the prison car on its way out of the courthouse, The scene outside the car window simply made me cry, and that is the scene I will live with, and remember forever.

Feel Fortunate to be Born in These Turbulent Times

Wong also said that he was fortunate to be born in this turbulent era, to have an excellent opportunity, a wonderful opportunity to effect change. He said that there may be some people who think that everything is now in vain, but no one can be sure of the final outcome. History is written by those who will not give up, he said.

He said that he understands that those who love Hong Kong deeply will feel helpless when they see such a declining state now, but if you really look around, you will find there are many brave and kind people who are still working hard in their respective fields. So, everyone, please dont underestimate the power of individuals. How we choose to live will affect how the world will become.

Wong continued, Actually, perceived fear itself is far more terrifying than reality. Reality is not just despair but also has hope on the reverse side. If we can embrace hope and move on, even if we live in hardship, for now, we can still find purpose in our perseverance.

In conclusion, he wrote: Please remember everything you have experienced, breathe well, think well, live well, continue to speak out and do the right thing, and walk the unfinished road together with your head held high. He ended with two hashtags, # Please remember the feeling while traversing the sea of people and #I remember the passion in full bloom, both lyrics from a popular song written by Terrence Lam Remember.

Wong Yat-chin and other organizers of Student Politicism set up street booths and distributed leaflets in Mong Kok to ask the public to remember the Hong Kong Protest demonstration and to stand for continuous resistance, on June 16, 2021. (Sung Pi-Lung/The Epoch Times

Wong Yat-chin was questioned by the police for his activities on June 16, 2021. (Sung Pi-Lung/The Epoch Times

Wong Yat-chin and organizers of Student Politicism set up a street booth in Mong Kok and urged the public not to use the LeaveHomeSafe app, in Hong Kong on Feb. 21, 2021. (Sung Pi-Lung/The Epoch Times

Wong Yat-chin, 21, and four former members of Student Politicism, including former secretary Chan Chi-sum, 20, former spokesperson Alice Wong, 19, and Jessica Chu, 18, were charged, on dates from Oct. 25, 2020, to June 16, 2021, for conspiring with others in Hong Kong to incite others to organize, plan, carry out or participate in the implementation with force, or threat to use force, or other illegal means to achieve the aim of subverting state power. As indicated in the particulars of the case, the defendants had, on many occasions, called on the public to rise up in arms and fight bravely until the regime is overthrown. At the same time, they had set up street stations to chant slogans such as Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our times.

The four pleaded guilty in District Court in July and will plead for leniency at the hearing on Sept. 24 and could be sentenced on the same day.
Raphaels feelings were undoubtedly mixed as he received his first commission from the powerful patron of the arts, Pope Julius II. At 25 years of age, Raffaello Sanzio was known throughout Italy as a rapidly rising star artist. Now he had been chosen to fresco four rooms in the Apostolic Palace, the popes official residence. It was a high honor and sure to solidify his professional status.

Yet more prestigious frescoes, paintings of pigment mixed with wet plaster, were being simultaneously painted a few hundred yards away in the Sistine Chapel. Paradoxically, Raphael was in the shadow of a more established artist with less experience for that job. Though still a rising painter, Raphael was an accomplished one. His rival was already at the top of the artistic world as a sculptor but had never painted a major work.

Nobody knew what the secretive Michelangelo had planned for the Sistine ceiling. Raphael was determined to surpass whatever it might be. To do so, he turned his attention to the room now named for the law court that used it in later times, the Stanza della Segnatura (Signature Room).

Room of the Segnatura

In Raphaels day the Stanza della Segnatura was Pope Juliuss library. That made it perfect for displaying artistic virtuosity while symbolizing Renaissance ideals: A synthesis of ancient ideals with Christian faith. The room could be devoted to the true, the good, and the beautiful manifested in art and learning, faith and reason, and upright living.

The Parnassus, 1511, by Raphael. Fresco in the Stanza della Segnatura. Apostolic Palace, Vatican City. (Public Domain)

On the north wall The Parnassus celebrated literature. Homer, Virgil, and Dantethe greatest epic poets of Greece, Rome, and Christian Europeare placed together as a trio. Dozens of writers and fictional characters join them on all sides.

Across the room is The Cardinal and Theological Virtues, qualities the ancients shared with Christians. At the top of this work, the three cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, and temperance, are depicted in human form together with the theological virtues as cherubs. The fourth cardinal virtue, justice, was painted on the ceiling above. At the bottom left and right, respectively, are Emperor Justinian and Pope Gregory IX with their codes of civil and canon law.

The Cardinal and Theological Virtues, 1511, by Raphael. Fresco in the Stanza della Segnatura. Apostolic Palace, Vatican City. (Public Domain)

The west walls Disputation of the Blessed Sacrament symbolizes Christian belief and theological scholarship with numerous Biblical figures, saints, and popes surrounding an altar.

Disputation of Holy Sacrament, 1509, by Raphael. Fresco in the Stanza della Segnatura. Apostolic Palace, Vatican City. (Public Domain)

The School of Athens

Each of these paintings would have solidified Raphaels reputation. But the fresco on the fourth wall became one of the most definitive works of the High Renaissance: The School of Athens (1509-1511).

The School of Athens, 1509-1511 by Raphael. Fresco in the Stanza della Segnatura (Raphael Rooms). Apostolic Palace, Vatican City. (Public Domain)

At the center of that work stand Plato and Aristotle, framed by arches and statues. Surrounding them is a plethora of ancient thinkers: Socrates, the mathematicians Euclid and Pythagoras, the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria, and many others.

The scene mixes history and symbolism, as a tribute to great minds of the past. Many figures in the fresco capture the spirit of ancient intellectual life. Plato did start a school in Athens. For 300 years it was a center of intellectual life for the entire Mediterranean world. Aristotle was his student and friend. Many other figures in the painting wrote works studied at the Platos school, were associated with it later in history, or were contemporaries of its founder.

Plato (L) and Aristotle (R) in Raphaels fresco The School of Athens. (Public domain)

Another level of symbolism is found in Raphaels models who were eminent figures of his own day. Using them implied that they were grounded in classical tradition and worthy successors of the ancients.

Use of artistic patrons was standard practice and was not pure flattery. Many patrons devotion to Renaissance humanism was deep and genuine. Their financial support made the work of the geniuses possible. But their presence in The School of Athens is notably subtle. The only one we know was included was Duke Federico II of Mantua, and he modeled for a minor character in the painting whose identity is unknown. Pope Julius II ordinarily would have been included as patron of the work. But since he served as a model for Pope Gregory IX in The Disputation of the Blessed Sacrament, it was possible to leave him out.

To make a deliberate statement, Raphael used other artists as models for the works philosophers and intellectuals. In the Middle Ages, artists had been viewed as workmen analogous to builders, stonemasons, and carpenters. Renaissance artists insisted their work was analogous to such higher pursuits as poetry and philosophy.

No less a figure than Leonardo da Vinci was the model for Plato. Other artist-models included Raphaels teacher Bramante and his good friend Timoteo Viti. In a particularly touching tribute to his rival, whom he admired greatly, Michelangelo was included front and center as Heraclitus.

Detail of Raphaels self portrait (L) representing Apelles, the renowned fourth century B.C. Greek painter, in his fresco The School of Athens. (Public Domain)

He reserved the figure of the ancient worlds greatest artist, Apelles, as his self-portrait. This may have signified only a desire to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor. Bold self-assertion would not, however, have been meant as derogatory to the other artist-models. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael had the same respect for Apelles as we have for the Three Greats of the Renaissance. If Raphael intended to imply that he was a new Apelles, he would also have been implying that only a new Apelles could rise above his greatest contemporaries.

Renaissance artists saw no conflict between intense competition and profound mutual respect. Striving to outdo men whose genius they admired spurred them onbringing art to greater and greater heights.

The paintings of Stanza della Segnatura were not just one of the greatest products of that rivalry but also the supreme artistic celebration of it. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo would have recognized in them the spirit they shared with their creator. It was the spirit of men who were fully conscious of their dependence on lessons learned from the giants of the past and of their own age yet also had full confidence in their own ability to stand beside them.
The HPV vaccine has failed to live up to its promise to protect against cancer

A new study from researchers at the University of California Los Angeles found that cervical cancer cases are on the rise in younger women. Specifically, the study discovered that the number of women with late-stage (stage 4) cervical cancer, which has a death rate of 83 percent within five years, has increased.

Their peer-reviewed original research, which was published in the International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer, found that advanced stage cervical cancer is rising at a rate of 1.3 percent per year. The greatest increases are among white women living in Southern states between the ages of 40 and 44. For this subgroup, stage 4 cervical cancer is rising at a rate of 4.5 percent annually.

Worse for Women of Color

However, more generally, women of color have more than 50 percent higher rates of end-stage cervical cancer than white women: 1.55 per 100,000 compared to .92 per 100,000, according to the researchers.

This research follows on the coattails of another study (pdf) on cervical cancer published in the same journal in November of 2021. That study, disturbingly, found that women between the ages of 30 and 34 were experiencing a particularly high increase of aggressive cervical cancer, at a rate of 3.39 percent per year.

Using data submitted to the United States Cancer Statistics program, as well as national survey findings about cancer screening and vaccination collected over 18 years (from 2001 to 2018), the UCLA scientists found that 29,715 women were diagnosed with late-stage cervical cancer.

Their analysis of the underlying causes of this worrisome upward trend included rising rates of obesity among women, women delaying childbirth, and lack of early screening in the form of pap smears for early detection of adenocarcinoma and others reproductive cancers.

However, pointing to advanced maternal age as a possible factor does not take into account the studies that have found that women who have children later in life seem to actually live longer than women who give birth at younger ages.

Lack of early detection, on the other hand, may partly explain the increase in end-stage cervical cancers.

If I can sample some cervical cancer cells, I can find cancer early before it is symptomatic, or even pre-cancer, Dr. James Alexander, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Nevada Reno Medical School, told an ABC TV journalist.

Indeed, one small study from Sweden, published in 2012, found that women who have had their cancer detected by way of pap smears have had a 92 percent cure rate, compared to only 66 percent among women diagnosed with cancer because of symptoms.

A larger study published in 2020, also out of Sweden, showed that regular cervical cancer screenings were associated with reduced risk of developing more serious disease. Our findings emphasize the importance of routine participation in cervical screening, the authors wrote.

The human papilloma virus, or HPV, is a group of over 150 viruses, some which have been associated with genital warts, and others which have been associated with cervical and other cancers.

HPV Vaccines

Because HPV is associated with cancer, a vaccine against HPV was approved for women by the FDA in 2006 and for men in 2011. There was a lot of industry-sponsored excitement about this new vaccine against cancer, but one of the earliest concerns about the HPV vaccine was that its widespread use might lead women to skip getting pap smears for early detection.

Another concern was that there are more than 40 subtypes of HPV that may cause cancer, but of the three vaccines that have been licensed in the United States, the broadest only covers nine types of HPV.

Finally, doctors and scientistsincluding Paul Thomas, M.D., an integrative physician based in Portland, Oregon (who has co-authored two books with Jennifer Margulis)have expressed concerns about the high rates of adverse events and even deaths recorded in the data from the original HPV vaccine trials.

In 2008, Charlotte Haug, M.D./Ph.D., wrote an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine urging caution. Despite great expectations, Haug wrote, we still lack sufficient evidence of an effective vaccine against cervical cancer. The real impact, Haug insisted, will not be observable for several decades.

False Promises of HPV Vaccine

More than a decade later, however, since the widespread use of the HPV vaccines by both men and women, HPV-related cancers have not declined.

Indeed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPV-related cancers have significantly increased in the past 15 years: in 2015, 43,000 Americans were diagnosed with an HPV-related cancer compared to only 30,000 in 1999. That CDC briefing showed that, while in that time period some HPV-related cancers rates seemed to decrease, rates of oropharyngeal and anal HPV-related cancers rose quite a bit.

The UCLA research, however, shows no declines in cervical cancer rates. Even with screening and vaccination, there is not one racial/ethnic group, region in the USA, or age group where distant stage cervical cancer has been decreasing over the last 18 years, the scientists wrote.

Only 17 percent of the people diagnosed with advanced stage cervical cancer will be alive in five years. But in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), the studys first author, Dr. Alex Francoeur, said she was concerned that the most recent rates of aggressive cancers are likely much higher than her research, which only presented data through 2018, showed.

I worry that the last two years, people have had a lot of barriers of accessing health care, Francoeur told NPR. I think we might see this trend get a little worse before it gets better.

The National Cancer Institute asserts that the vaccines greatly reduce the rise of precancers and cancers of the cervix, vagina, and vulva in vaccinated women. If the statement is true, given that the vaccination rate rose from 40 percent to 70 percent over the 18 years covered by this UCLA study, why did the scientists find an increase in aggressive cervical cancer?

Under the Skin

A new film, Under the Skin: What Does Aluminum Do in Vaccines? explores how aluminum adjuvants in the HPV vaccines may be the cause of serious autoimmune conditions in girls and young women who received the vaccines. Now available exclusively on EpochTV, the film was directed by Austrian science writer and filmmaker Bert Ehgartner. This new documentary is both eye-opening and deeply disturbing, giving the viewer a glimpse into the lives of several young women whose health has been devastated. But for what? If the HPV vaccines have not been effective at preventing cancer, as this new research from UCLA shows, it seems that our public health officials and the CDC have lied to us yet again.

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.
This article is part of a series on personality and diseases. There are many personality typing systems, and those various types generally fall into these four categories. We explore the emotional pitfalls of each type and explained their causative relationship with disease; it is possible to identify with traits across types, as well as the respective ailments. Read on for an in-depth explanation of this particular type.

In 1985, Lydia Temshok and her colleagues made a surprising discoverysome facets of personality were found to be related to cancer prognosis.

In a study on the relationship between personality and skin cancer, Temoshok and colleagues recruited 59 adult participants with stage I or stage II cutaneous malignant melanomaa potentially lethal form of skin cancerfrom around northern California.

The study was intended to study if there are any potential psychosocial factors to cancer severity. Malignant melanoma was selected because of the fact that it presents several advantages for this investigation, especially because there are precise and reliable staging systems for defining the extent of disease.

The research team took two measures of the skin cancer tumors: the thickness as measured by Breslows thickness criterion and the level on Clarks scale. They also conducted structured interviews and issued self-report questionnaires as a way of identifying personality traits.

Unsurprisingly, patient delay in seeking medical attention for suspicious lesions was found to contribute the best prognostic indicator for variance to tumor thickness.

Separate from delay behavior, it was surprising for the physicians to find that there were positive correlations between several personality traits as part of a Type C personalitypassive, appeasing, helpless, placing faith in external authorityand lesion thickness. Individuals who had these traits tended to have thicker lesions than those who didnt.

Temshok and her colleagues work was novel because it was one of the first to connect psychosocial factors like personality and behavior patterns with cancer prognosis.

Personality Typology in the Health Field

Temshoks work was built on a robust body of literature connecting personality traits with health outcomes.

Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman were some of the first to make the connection.

They were cardiologists, and they came to the conclusion that personality could affect health outcomes in one of those happy accidents that we find throughout the history of health discoveries: they noticed a strange pattern of wear on the chairs in their office. Only the front edge of the chairs seemed to be used.

Their patients apparently tended to sit on the edge of their seats.

Friedman and Rosenman began a research program that eventually demonstrated that people with what they called Type A behavior patterns were more likely than otherspeople with Type B and Type C behavior patternsto develop heart disease and high blood pressure.

People with Type A behavior patterns are characterized as ambitious, rigid, high achieving, and impatient. They are very concerned with time management and are often considered workaholics. They often experience more stress than Type Bs and Type Cs.

In contrast, people with Type B behavior patterns are considered to be people who lack those traits. They typically work more steadily, are not as ambitious, are more patient, and are more flexible. They typically live with less stress and higher job satisfaction. And, theyre less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases.

Friedman and Rosenman also proposed that people with Type C behavior patterns are often similar to Type As, but the people who had them also experienced chronic anxiety and insecurity. Another distinct trait is that they do not easily express or process their negative emotions but rather accumulate a lot of negative emotions inside themselves.

It was this Type C behavior pattern that Temshok and their contemporaries eventually connected with the risk of developing cancer.

Sharpening the Definition of Type C Personalities

Temoshok and her colleagues expanded on Friedman and Rosenmans idea of a Type C behavior pattern. Whereas Type B is the absence of Type A characteristics, they proposed that the Type C behavior pattern was constructed to be the polar opposite of Type A. These were hypothesized to exist on a spectrum, with Type A on one end, and Type C on the other.

According to Temsok and her colleagues, people conforming to a Type C behavior pattern are characterized as cooperative, patient, and unassertive. They suppress negative emotions, including anger, and comply with authorities. They may also feel helpless, hopeless, and with tendencies toward depression.

People with Type C personalities have a number of strengths. They are typically calm with a consistent and controlled demeanor. They tend to be creative and cooperate easily with others. They can be dedicated to their projects, helpful, and thoughtful about planning for the future.

However, they can also be resistant to conflict, which can sometimes turn into emotional repression. They can also be prone to perfectionism, anxiety, pessimism, or even depression. They have a tendency to defer their own needs to the needs of others.

While theres nothing inherently wrong with having a Type C personality, it may come with an increased risk of some health issues.

And one of them could be cancer.

Repressed Emotions and Cancer

In a study in the European Journal of Personality, Hans Eysenck and colleagues sought to determine whether personality types might predict deaths from heart disease and cancer. They gave 3,235 European subjects interviews and personality assessments to determine various personality traits. Then they tracked these subjects over the course of 10 years.

At the end of the 10-year period, the subjects were contacted again. If they had died, the researchers reviewed the cause of their death from their death certificates. In that way, the research team was able to connect personality traits with the ultimate cause of death.

At the 10-year follow-up, they found that 1,341 individuals from their original sample had died. These they categorized into different personality types based on their earlier personality assessments.

They found that 45 percent of those with what these researchers called Type I personality traits (similar to Temshoks Type C behavior pattern in that they inhibit emotions) died of cancer. This group was much less likely to die of other causes, like heart disease.

Similarly, people that Eysenck categorized as Type II (which is similar to Temshoks Type A behavior pattern of people with high stress) were much more likely to die of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. They also found that people with other patterns of personality were less likely to die from either cancer or cardiovascular diseases.

Eysencks study suggests that the only relevant personality characteristics for cancer risk are repressing feelings or inhibiting closeness with loved ones.

Other research suggests its a tendency towards depressive symptoms that matter most.

For example, one systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 studies that together included over 1.4 million participants found a significant association between depression and overall cancer risk. Tendencies toward depression make up an important part of what we call the Type C personality.

Similarly, another review of 70 longitudinal prospective studies on personality research found that helplessness and repression of emotions are perhaps the most promising in explaining a potential contribution of personality on cancer prognosis.

People with Type C personalities also tend to be cooperative. Social supporthaving a strong network of family and close friendswas found to be a protective factor against this type of Cancer. Some aspects of Type C personality may actually foster health.

So rather than it being a Type C behavior pattern thats associated with cancer, it may actually be a few traits within that pattern that matter most.

Does Personality Influence Cancer Risk?

If there really is an influence of personality on cancer risk, how would that work? Whats the physical mechanism?

One explanation is that people who often feel depressed have decreased lymphocyte proliferation and an overall decreased function in the bodys anti-cancer and anti-viral immunity. This may create greater susceptibility to cancer.

Indeed, in one prospective case-control study out of Finland, researchers found that patients with breast cancer were significantly more likely to have a high commitmenta feature of Type C personalities.

They suggest that it could be that the Type C pattern could contribute to cancer risk through immune and hormonal pathways. In other words, it may not be the personality traits themselves that affect cancer risk, but that patterns of thinking and behavior could impact the bodys immune system and hormones, and those changes may influence cancer risk.

So what does that mean for people with Type C personalities? Are they doomed to a life of increased cancer risk?

No, not necessarily.

First, lets remember that were talking about risk. No one is ever guaranteed to get cancer, even if they engage in high-risk activities, like smoking. Its simply that particular patterns of thinking or behaving may put you at greater risk.

Its the same here with personalities: it appears that some characteristics may increase the risk of developing cancer, but no personality characteristics guarantee youll develop it.

Not all Traits of Type C Personalities Are Harmful

Another important thing to remember is that not all the traits within Type C personalities are problematic. Indeed, many of the traits, like being calm, creative, and cooperative, are quite positive. They can help you develop relationships with others, increase your circle of social support, and in so doing, may contribute to greater health and happiness.

Its just some tendencieslike being prone to repressing feelings and depressive symptomsthat may be more harmful. Depressive states could result in a suppressive function of anti-tumor immunity, thus increasing the chance of tumor progression.

In other words, if you see yourself represented in the description of Type C behavior pattern, its not that your personality is necessarily a problem.

Instead, there may simply be an opportunity for self-reflection about patterns of thinking that may not be serving you. And you may therefore work to shift those habits of thinking and behaving to be more healthy.

Helpful Habit 1: Learn New Patterns of Expressing and Dealing With Emotions

We all feel a range of emotions: sadness, disappointment, anger, joy, frustration, disgust, fear, and many more.

The question is how we deal with those emotions.

Exploding with anger, hostility, and aggression isnt the answer. Not only do you put yourself at risk for heart disease (as research on Type A behavior patterns suggests), but you also put your relationships at risk. On the other hand, repressing your emotions isnt the answer, either. Weve seen how this tendency for repressing emotions in Type C personalities can also be harmful.

Instead, it may be more useful to practice expressing and communicating our feelings in a way thats honest but not aggressive.

Alternatively, we may try to learn to change our mindset first so as to have a more calm attitude to deal with interpersonal relationships. The more inner peace we have, the less likely that we would have conflicts or interpersonal stress.

Helpful Habit 2: Develop a Meditation Practice

Mindfulness and meditation have consistently shown themselves to be powerful ways to cultivate well-being. For example, some researchers have found that meditation practice can prevent relapse of depression and anxiety. Others have found that it may play a role in supporting the bodys immune system.

In a meta-analysis of 29 studies on meditation for cancer patients, meditation was found to reduce fatigue, stress, anxiety, and depression, and ultimately contribute to greater quality of life.

Mindfulness and other forms of meditation can contribute to health for anyone, but it may be especially useful for those who want to improve their emotion regulation.

Helpful Habit 3: Improve Our Character and Be Happier

The most harmful components of Type C traits are being prone to repressing feelings and depressive symptoms. One strategy for better health may simply be to change our lifestyles to improve our character and be happier.

For example, one doctor shared an example of a patienta bright, young professionalin her 30s who was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer. Two years after cancer treatment, her cancer was back. She followed her doctors advice and took up a less stressful job. But, unfortunately, her tumor markers started to rise again, suggesting yet another relapse.

This time around, her doctor did not prescribe any treatment but simply advised her to take a holiday. She toured around France for a whole month, visited friends, drank lots of French wine, and enjoyed herself. When she came back to see her doctor, she not only looked rejuvenated, but her tumor markers were also normal. It was remarkable.

It is very likely due to the fact that her positive and happy attitude made her depressed immune cells start to function again till they killed the cancer cells.

There are a number of methods to be happier, including but not limited to:

Learn to smile more often and be more grateful to others

Think positively, turn negative situations into unique opportunities

Go to bed on time and get up early in the morning

Enjoy sunlight and outdoor activities

Take time for a vacation in natural scenic places, turn off the wireless network

Do regular, slow, relaxing aerobic exercises

Reduce the amount of time working and take more time for hobbies

Cultivate flowers, try forest bathing or mountain climbing

The Mind and the Body Are Intertwined

We like to distinguish between our mind and our body, but the truth is that theyre connected. And that insight came in part thanks to an upholsterer in a cardiologists office.

The big idea is this: the way that we take care of our body has very clear implications for our mental health. And its becoming increasingly evident that our patterns of thought can influence our physical health.

Some of our patterns of thinking may be particularly unhelpful, and some of those in the Type C constellation of traits may even have connections with cancer.

But we can shift those through careful practice.

References

Allport, G. W. (1961). Pattern and growth in personality. Oxford, England: Holt, Reinhart & Winston.

Chambers, R., Gullone, E., & Allen, N. B. (2009). Mindful emotion regulation: An integrative review. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(6), 560-572.

Chandran, V., Bermudez, M. L., Koka, M., Chandran, B., Pawale, D., Vishnubhotla, R.,  & Sadhasivam, S. (2021). Large-scale genomic study reveals robust activation of the immune system following advanced Inner Engineering meditation retreat. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(51), e2110455118.

Department of Psychology, Harvard University (n.d.). Gordon W. Allport.

Diamond, E. L. (1982). The role of anger and hostility in essential hypertension and coronary heart disease. Psychological Bulletin, 92(2), 410.

Dong, Y. (2022). 60-80% of Disease Is Related to This, and Your Personality Type Shows it. Epoch Times.

Evans, S. (2016). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. In Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (pp. 145-154). Springer, Cham.

Eskelinen, M., & Ollonen, P. (2011). Assessment of Cancer-prone Personality Characteristics in Healthy Study Subjects and in Patients with Breast Disease and Breast Cancer Using the Commitment Questionnaire: A Prospective CaseControl Study in Finland. Anticancer Research, 31(11), 4013-4017.

Eysenck, H. J. (1991). Personality as a risk factor in coronary heart disease. European Journal of Personality, 5(2), 81-92.

Friedman, M., & Rosenman, R. H. (1959). Association of specific overt behavior patterns with blood and cardiovascular findings: blood cholesterol level, blood clotting time, the incidence of arcus senilis, and clinical coronary artery disease. Journal of the American Medical Association, 169(12), 1286-1296. [Full text]

Garssen, B. (2004). Psychological factors and cancer development: evidence after 30 years of research. Clinical Psychology Review, 24(3), 315-338.

Jia, Y., Li, F., Liu, Y. F., Zhao, J. P., Leng, M. M., & Chen, L. (2017). Depression and cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Health, 149, 138-148.

Li, Q. Z., Li, P., Garcia, G. E., Johnson, R. J., & Feng, L. (2005). Genomic profiling of neutrophil transcripts in Asian Qigong practitioners: A pilot study in gene regulation by mindbody interaction. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 11(1), 29-39.

Ma, S. H., & Teasdale, J. D. (2004). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: replication and exploration of differential relapse prevention effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(1), 31.

McLeod, S. (2021). What It Means to Have Type A Personality Traits. Simple Psychology.

Temoshok, L., Heller, B. W., Sagebiel, R. W., Blois, M. S., Sweet, D. M., DiClemente, R. J., & Gold, M. L. (1985). The relationship of psychosocial factors to prognostic indicators in cutaneous malignant melanoma. Journal of psychosomatic research, 29(2), 139-153.

Xunlin, N. G., Lau, Y., & Klainin-Yobas, P. (2020). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions among cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer, 28(4), 1563-1578.
Pro-life activists demonstrate outside the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, U.S., June 13, 2022. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

Arizona Judge Vacates 1973 Injunction, Restores Outright Abortion Ban

An Arizona judge has lifted a 1973 injunction placed on the states abortion statute, restoring a law that effectively bans the practice outright.

Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson ruled on Sept. 23 that a judgment and injunction signed nearly 50 years ago against statute ARS 13-3603 no longer has any prospective application in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

Under the restored statute, its now only legal to perform an abortion in Arizona if it is necessary to save the womans life. This statute goes back to about 1901 and was the law of the land until the Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who after the Supreme Courts Roe ruling in June vowed to ask the court to vacate the injunction and restore the ban, hailed Johnsons decision.

We applaud the court for upholding the will of the legislature and providing clarity and uniformity on this important issue. I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans, he wrote on Twitter.

In her ruling (pdf) on the case, Planned Parenthood v. Brnovich, Johnson said Planned Parenthood had agreed that significant change in the law had occurred since the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization in June that the U.S. Constitution doesnt confer a right to abortion, and also overturned Roe in a separate vote. But she noted that the abortion provider didnt agree on the scope of the relief that should be granted to the government as a result.

Johnson ultimately sided with Brnovich, finding that the 1973 judgment should be entirely vacated because it was based solely on Roe, which has since been overturned.

Court Rejects Request to Modify Injunction

Planned Parenthood argued that lifting the injunction entirely could conflict with other abortion laws that the Arizona legislature had enacted since 1973including a law in May that banned abortions after 15 weeks gestation.

The abortion provider argued that the court needed to harmonize all of the statutes enacted since 1973 with the original 1901 law.

Planned Parenthood also asked Johnson to modify the injunction so that the outright ban doesnt apply to doctors performing abortions up to 15 weeks gestation, as per the May law, but that it does apply to everyone else.

She wouldnt modify the injunction to harmonize several laws, saying her role was only to decide on the matter of the injunction placed on the original law in 1973, not the laws enacted since.

The judge said it would be procedurally improper to attempt to reconcile fifty years of legislative activity in the context of the motion before the court.

Ultimately, Johnson sided with Brnovichs arguments, finding that because the legal basis for the judgment entered in 1973 has now been overruled, it must vacate the judgment in its entirety.

While there may be legal questions the parties seek to resolve regarding Arizona statutes on abortion, those questions are not for this Court to decide here, she wrote.

A question remains about whether the restored ARS 13-3603 takes precedence over the 15-week abortion ban enacted by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey in May, which is due to take effect on Sept. 24. That question is expected to go to the state Supreme Court for guidance.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong (L) bumps elbows with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Nusa Dua on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on July 8, 2022. (Johannes P. Christo/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Australias Foreign Minister Says Long Road Ahead to Stabilize Relations With China

Australia wants to stabilize relations with China but expects this to be a gradual process, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said after a meeting with her Chinese counterpart on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Wong said that she had a constructive meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about a range of issues on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

She told Wang that Australias government will continue to speak on those issues we believe are necessary and engage with China to stabilize relations that had been strained under the previous government.

I think it is a long road on which many steps will have to be taken by both parties to a more stable relationship, Wong said, according to a transcript issued by her office.

China articulates their position. We articulate ours. In terms of issues of difference, obviously first amongst them is the issue of trade blockages and thats the issue that I focused on at the outset, she added.

Wong also urged the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to use its influence to help end the Russia-Ukraine war, citing Chinas status as one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council (P5).

We encourage China as a P5 member with a special responsibility to uphold the U.N. charter to use its influence to end the war, she said.

In terms of Chinas military drills surrounding Taiwan, Wong said that Australia adheres to the One China Policy, which includes economic and people-to-people ties with Taiwan, and urged the CCP to exercise restraint.

China signed a no limits agreement with Russia in February, which stipulates that Russia recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China, while Beijing backs Russias opposition to NATO expansion.

Australia-China Relations

China is Australias major trading partner but relations have deteriorated since Australia called for an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, and China imposed trade bans on Australian exports.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said Wednesday that his government was working to mend relations with the CCP, but added that Australia would not sacrifice its national interests for that cause.

We always advocate strongly in respect of our national interest, particularly when that differs from other countries, and that includes China, Marles said, Sky News reported.

Advancing our national interest is done by making sure that we are engaging with the world in a professional sober diplomatic war and that means stabilizing our relationship with China, he added.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had previously called on China to drop its coercive trade restrictions, which swept up eight major Australian exportsbeef, seafood, wine, honey, lamb, wheat, coal, and timber.

It is China that has imposed sanctions on Australia, Albanese told reporters on June 13. They need to remove those sanctions in order to improve relations between Australia and China.

Victoria Kelly-Clark contributed to this report.
Does the dryness in autumn cause your skin to become uncomfortably dry? In this article, Wong Kwok-wai, a registered Chinese medicine practitioner in Hong Kong, gives some food recommendations that nourish your body and offset the dry air conditions.



According to the traditional Chinese calendar, Sept. 23 is the Autumn Equinox, referring to the day on which day and night are equal in length. After that, the days get shorter and the nights get longer in the northern hemisphere. Autumn Equinox is a significant indicator of the change of seasons. After the Autumn Equinox, the weather turns cooler and drier.

Wong said that autumn dryness could easily damage our lungs and cause skin and gastrointestinal discomfort. The key to wellness is promoting the production of fluids to moisten dryness and reduce the dryness with humidity to restore our energy.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners believe that taking good care of our health means we should adapt to natural laws.

Wong explained that during springtime and summertime, as the external environment is hotter than our body, we have to exhaust our yang energy (positive force in our body) to strike a balance between our internal body and the external environment, thus, the yang energy needs to be restored.

On the other hand, during autumn and winter, as the weather turns drier, we have to exhaust our yin energy (restorative power in our body) to resist the dryness and maintain the internal moisture levels, thus, we need humidity to restore our yin energy. All of these are quoted from the ancient Chinese medical doctrine Yellow Emperors Inner Canon, a saint maintains his Shine (yang) in spring and summer and his Shade (yin) in autumn and winter.

Wong pointed out that autumn dryness can easily damage the lungs, commonly causing respiratory problems such as colds, coughs, and nasal allergies. TCM believes that the lungs control the skin, so skin rashes, eczema, dry skin, and hair loss are more common in autumn and winter. TCM also believes that The lungs affect the large intestine in the digestive system, so constipation and abdominal pain are more common in autumn as well.

To prevent common diseases in autumn, one can nourish yin energy as much as possible, so that our body contains enough water to nourish the lungs, skin, and large intestine; and we should adopt good living habits, such as drinking enough water and going to bed and getting up early.

Wong recommends eating more foods that nourish yin energy, nourishes body fluids, and moistens dryness:

(1) Foods that nourish yin energy are usually rich in gelatin and have a sticky texture, such as snow fungus, milk, pear, lily, honey, and egg yolk, among others.

(2) Foods that produce body fluids and moisten dryness are usually foods with a sour taste, such as strawberry, apple, orange, grape, blueberry, lemon, plum, and hawthorn.

Wong also reminded us that the elderly and young children should not eat too much due to their poor spleen and stomach, and they should receive a light amount of Chinese medication or herbs.

Hawthorn tea. (Shutterstock
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks in the press theatre at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on March 10, 2022. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press)

BC Doctors Fundraising for Legal Fight Over Vaccine Mandate for Health Workers

B.C. doctors out of work for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine are crowdfunding to raise financial support for a court battle against the provincial government in November.

Vascular surgeon Dr. York Hsiang, psychiatrist Dr. David William Morgan, and clinical resource nurse Hilary VanderGugten filed a request for judicial review on June 10 to challenge the ban on unvaccinated doctors instituted by B.C. Provincial Health Officer (PHO) Dr. Bonnie Henry in November 2021.

On Sept. 15 this year, the PHO submitted an affidavit of rebuttal which, according to the website of the Canadian Society for Science and Ethics in Medicine (CSSEM), consists of 2,500 pages and stacks five inches high.

The taxpayers of BC have had to pay for this superfluous ream of paper, CSSEM writes on its front page. Our lawyers have only a few weeks to submit our rebuttal  but its going to be good. We just continue to follow the science and the truth.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Dr. Hsiang said he would have preferred Henry make the submission rather than Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Brian Emerson.

I think the reason is that the government does not want [Henry] to get up on the stand to be cross-examined.  You can cross-examine if you can convince the judge that cross-examination is essential for your case, and so thats what the lawyers are preparing to convince a judge of, Hsiang said.

We have essentially asked for the judge to review the reasonableness of what the PHO is doing.  Were really requesting them to come up with the science that is the basis of their ongoing orders.

Hsiang said their argument to Justice Simon Coval, who is hearing the case, will be straightforward.

All the other provinces with the exception of Nova Scotia are bringing back their health-care workers. Is it still reasonable to keep the health-care workers on the sidelines, given the new evidence? Because theres been a change in the severity of the virus, given the fact that for Omicron the vaccines didnt work particularly well in terms of preventing someone from getting ill, or preventing transmission, he said.

He notes that very little of the government affidavit addresses the scientific arguments in the case.

Most of their response, it was really just government information, things like their policy.

The Epoch Times contacted the B.C. Ministry of Health and Dr. Brian Emerson but received no comments.

Previous Cases

Constitutional challenges against the mandates by other groups have been set back at the B.C. Supreme Court. On Aug. 29, a challenge by Rocco Galati on behalf of Action4Canada was deemed too long a submission. Despite a motion by the defendants to have the case dismissed, the judge said Galati could reapply under an amended submission.

On Sept. 12, a challenge against the mandate on behalf of B.C. citizens denied medical exemptions for vaccines was thrown out by B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson.

The Canadian Constitution Foundation, which launched the challenge, expressed frustration with the decision.

The court dismissed the case as premature, finding that the three individuals who brought the case around medical exemptions had not exhausted their opportunity to apply to the PHO for a medical exemption. As a result of that finding, Justice Hinkson did not resolve the three petitioners arguments regarding Charter breaches, the group said in a press release.

Hsiang said CSSEMs case is different because it does not include a constitutional challenge. He adds that the mandate forced him into early retirement, but thats not an acceptable option for some of the 40-plus doctors who are at the core of involvement in the legal battle.

Some of our members have left the country and gone to the States, some to Alberta, and I anticipate that if we lose, these [remaining] people will leave, he said.

About 100 doctors lost work due to the order requiring all medical staff to be vaccinated for COVID, Hsiang said, with thousands of nurses also sidelined.

A Lot of Money to Put Together

Ten days of court proceedings will start on Nov. 28, which Hsiang said will be expensive for litigants. Charissa, a charity fundraiser in Surrey who requested her last name be withheld, decided to lend her skills to the cause.

The retainer for the doctors was $150,000, but now its been doubled to $300,000. A lot of the doctors have already put in as much as they can, and a lot of them are not working, so its a lot of money for them to put together, Charissa said in a phone interview.

Charissa said she decided to help after she received a group text that asked if anyone knew how to fundraise.

I know people who have lost their jobs because of this particular mandate. They havent been able to find jobs. Its difficult to make ends meet, she said.

The CSSEM has made a donation page on its website to fight the legal case that Hsiang said should not have been necessary.

 I think its a very dangerous draconian measure that the government is doing.  I dont know why they just keep digging in their heels. Its very unusual that they want to go down this adversarial route to continue to deny us,Hsiang said.

What we want to do is basically just serve the people of British Columbia. Were not out to fight the government over this. We simply just want to go back to work.
Though it said Monday it intends to comply with an order from a Billings judge to let transgender Montanans update their birth certificates using a form, lawyers representing the state health department late Friday evening asked the Montana Supreme Court to void that order.

In the filing, lawyers from the state Department of Justice representing the Department of Public Health and Human Services wrote that Judge Michael Moses lacked the authority to block them from enacting an administrative rule saying birth certificates could only be updated in the case of a clerical error.

Thats because, the lawyers including Attorney General Austin Knudsen wrote, the lawsuit that led Moses to issue an April preliminary injunction was only about a 2021 law titled Senate Bill 280 that said Montanans needed to have gender-affirming surgery and petition a court to update their vital records. The states administrative rulemaking, the lawyers argued, was a separate process not touched by that case.

Plaintiffs challenged only a law passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor. They now seek relief from a rule duly promulgated by an executive agency, the lawyers including Knudsen, Solicitor General David Dewhirst and Assistant Solicitor General Kathleen Smithgall, in addition to Emily Jones, a private attorney on contract for the state, wrote.

The district court was limited to deciding the case or controversy before it: the constitutional challenge to the legislative act.

In an order from the bench Sept. 15 that the health department initially indicated it would defy, Moses said he was clear in the spring that the state was blocked from enforcing any aspect of SB 280 and clearly told the state to follow the 2017 rule.

The state had previously claimed Moses initial order was unclear, something Moses chided lawyers from the DOJ for in court earlier this month.

"The department was enjoined in all aspects from (enforcing the law) and decided to pass rules anyway, claiming that they have the power to do whatever they want, notwithstanding an order. That really is unacceptable," Moses said then. "And so my order was not unclear. It was clear as a bell. It said 'all aspects.'"

Transgender Montanans have said that having incorrect birth certificates can put them at risk of being unwantedly outed, creating dangerous stations. Transgender people face a higher risk of violence. The 2017 rule was enacted under a past Democratic administration.

The health department tried to issue a rule in 2021 implementing Senate Bill 280. Then after Moses April order, the department held a June hearing on another emergency rule to block all avenues to make change unless there was an error in the original document. Though opposition dramatically outweighed support of the rule, the department made it permanent in early September.

The DOJ lawyers in Fridays order shot back at Moses criticism of them in court earlier this month.

Throughout the argument, the district court accused (the health department) of thumbing their nose at, circumventing, and sneak[ing] around the district courts preliminary injunction order. Of course, the court had no basis for these accusations other than the fact that DPHHS promulgated the 2022 rule, the lawyers wrote.

In Fridays filing, the health department and DOJ also argued that by requiring the 2017 rule be in place, Moses was cutting off their ability to ever enforce SB 280 if the state were to win the overall court case.

DPHHS will not be able to enforce SB 280 against plaintiffs, or the others who changed their birth certificate, even if DPHHS ultimately succeeds on the merits, the lawyers wrote.   A courts preliminary injunction simply cannot have the effect of freezing all of the government on a particular issue.

Moses' order from the bench is part of a lawsuit filed last year where the ACLU of Montana sued the state on behalf of two transgender Montanans over the 2021 law. The lawsuit is on behalf of Amelia Marquez, a Billings resident, and a trans man identified as John Doe in court proceedings. It is against the state of Montana; Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte; the state Department of Public Health and Human Services, which handles birth certificates; and department Director Adam Meier. Meier has since left the position and was replaced by Charlie Brereton.

Friday's filing said that Marquez and Doe are now free to amend their birth certificates and that the state has no recourse to correct the birth certificates for any individual who is permitted to change their birth certificate while the preliminary injunction is in place.

At a minimum, the lawyers wrote, they want the Supreme Court to clarify the order only applied to Marquez and Doe.

Moses frustration was clear in court when he issued his clarifying order last week, saying "If we are simply going to circumvent orders of the court where the court finds, preliminarily, a violation of the Constitution, that's not what justice is all about. That's not what our government is all about."

Representatives for the DOJ, health department and ALCU of Montana were not able to be reached late Friday.
Forensics experts comb through the dirt for debris at the crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, at Hama Quntushele village in Oromia region, on March 14, 2019. (Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images)

Boeing to Pay SEC $200 Million Fine for Misleading Investors on 737 MAX Safety Inspections

Boeing announced that it had reached a $200 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after allegations that it deceived its own investors and the public about the safety of its best-selling 737 MAX jetliner.

The Boeing 737 MAX killed 346 people in two separate fatal crashes, forcing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground the airplane for 20 months and only allowing it to fly again in November 2020.

The deadly crashes occurred in the waters off of Indonesia and in Ethiopia in late 2018 and early 2019.

In times of crisis and tragedy, it is especially important that public companies and executives provide full, fair, and truthful disclosures to the markets, said SEC Chairman Gary Gensler in a Sept. 22 statement.

Boeing shares have gone down 68 percent from their record high after the second crash in March 2019.

Boeing and [former CEO Dennis] Muilenburg put profits over people by misleading investors about the safety of the 737 MAX all in an effort to rehabilitate Boeings image following two tragic accidents that resulted in the loss of 346 lives and incalculable grief to so many families, said Gurbir S. Grewal, director of the SECs Enforcement Division.

The SEC alleged that after the first fatal crash of the jetliner, Muilenburg covered up the fact that a flight control function called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) was an ongoing safety hazard, but continued to assure that the 737 was still airworthy.

After the second crash, the former CEO and his colleagues at Boeing were found to have misled the public about lapses in the aircrafts certification process concerning the MCAS automated flight control system, despite the fact that there was plenty of internal information acknowledging a problem, according to the SEC.

Boeing and Muilenburg assured the public that there were no slips or gaps in the certification process with respect to MCAS, despite being aware of contrary information, said an initial statement by the SEC in 2019.

Misleading Regulators and Investors

The SEC soon heard of an alleged internal coverup by company management and of the investigation by the FAA, after the false statements made by the former CEO and Boeing executives to investors and the agency.

In response to the investigation, Muilenberg called the 737 MAX as safe as any airplane that has ever flown the skies, which immediately received a public rebuke from the FAA, causing strain on Boeings relationship with the regulator and humiliating the company.

Boeing fired its then-CEO in December 2019, after news of the inspection scandal broke and partially due to his comments regarding the 737s clearance status by air safety regulators.

The SEC chair said that Muilenburg and Boeing failed in this most basic obligation to be full, fair, and truthful in disclosures to the markets and that they misled investors by providing assurances about the safety of the 737 MAX, despite knowing about serious safety concerns.

Neither the former CEO nor the aerospace manufacturer have challenged the agencys findings, which accused them of putting profits over people by misleading investors about the safety of the 737 Max all in an effort to rehabilitate Boeings image.

Muilenburg was forced to pay a separate $1 million in a settlement with the SEC.

However, he will not face charges and the settlement does not require him to admit to any wrongdoing.

Todays settlement is part of the companys broader effort to responsibly resolve outstanding legal matters related to the 737 MAX accidents in a manner that serves the best interests of our shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders, Boeing said in a statement to CNBC.

Settling the Scandal

The airline manufacturer had previously agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle a separate criminal probe by the Justice Department, after two congressional hearings uncovered serious lapses in the 737s manufacturing and approval process.

As part of that settlement, $500 million would be allocated to the families of victims who died in the two 737 crashes.

Current and former company directors reached an additional $237.5 million settlement with shareholders in 2021 over the boards lack of oversight of the 737.

A few more trials are expected to be held in court in 2023 to resolve further claims.

Congress has since passed the Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act to reform aircraft certification, giving the FAA more power to oversee the process.

The bills sponsor, House Aviation Subcommittee Vice-Chair Sharice Davids (D-Kans.) said in a statement, The 346 victims of the Boeing 737 MAX crashes and their families expect and deserve Congress to act to make sure the mistakes that led to those tragedies never happen again.

This bipartisan bill will strengthen aviation safety and accountability and help pilots and flight crews do their jobs safely and efficiently. I was glad to see my House colleagues come together today to pass this critical legislation, and I urge the Senate to do the same, she added in the Nov. 18, 2020, statement.

American, United, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines are the only U.S. carriers that fly the 737 MAX, while Delta, which ordered 100 of the 737 MAX 10 model of the plane, has yet to receive delivery.

Boeing shares fell about 7.45 percent at the end of the weeks trading.
Californias Prop. 30 Will Not Save the Forests

Commentary

The television ads are impossible to ignore. A stern man in a firefighters uniform stands beside the wasted ashes of an immolated forest. As a harrowing montage of towering flames, skies filled with smoke, and CO2 belching cars on freeways slide across the screen, exuding masculine authority, he explains we are in a crisis. His message is compelling. To save our forests, clean our air, and address the climate emergency, we must vote yes on Proposition 30.

Despite the vociferous opposition of the California Teachers Association, and their reliable surrogate, Governor Gavin Newsom, Prop. 30 looks headed for victory in November. This is proof, once again, that you can convince Californias electorate to approve anything so long as you claim it will address the climate crisis.

Prop. 30 is clever (pdf). Its popularity relies on the understandable frustration Californians have over worsening wildfires, which most Californians have been convinced are caused by climate change. Its solution? Slap a 1.75 percent tax on all personal income over $2.0 million per year and use the money to fund Zero-Emissions Vehicles and Wildfire Prevention.

The devil is in the details. Of the estimated up to $4.5 billion annual proceeds, 80 percent will subsidize ZEV (zero-emissions vehicle) or EV (electric vehicle) charging stations and rebates, and 20 percent will pay for wildfire response and prevention. But of that 20 percent, 75 percent will go to wildfire response, and 25 percent will go to wildfire prevention. Which is to say that out of $4.5 billion per year, five percent will be spent to thin forests, and the other 95 percent will be to either hire more firefighters or to subsidize the EV industry.

To be clear: If every car in California were an EV, it would do nothing to prevent catastrophic wildfires. Even assuming that the planet is experiencing a permanent warming trend, and even assuming cars and other uses of fossil fuels are the reason for that warming, California, at roughly 350 million metric tons of CO2 emissions per year, only contributes one percent of the 35 billion metric tons of CO2 emitted globally each year.

As for using 20 percent of Prop. 30s funds to pay for fire suppression and fire prevention, the priorities are flipped. Californians are already spending over a billion dollars per year to put out wildfires. Fire suppression is the primary reason forest fires have gotten so bad in California, and climate change, for all the hype it attracts, is a secondary cause. Cataclysmic wildfires will never be stopped merely by extinguishing them, at least not until every one of Californias 33 million acres of magnificent forests are burnt down to the dirt. To solve the problem of super-fires, Californias forests need to be thinned back to historical norms.

Overcrowded Trees

For over 100 years, and with increasing effectiveness, Californias firefighters have suppressed forest fires that, for millennia, were sparked by lightening and would burn away smaller trees and brush. Up until about thirty years ago, despite suppression of natural fires, commercial logging, cattle grazing, mechanical thinning, and controlled burns kept forest growth in check. As recently as the 1990s, over 6 billion board feet were being harvested every year out of Californias forests. Today that total is down to barely 1.25 billion board feet, and the regulatory process to graze, thin, or burn off undergrowth has become prohibitively expensive and protracted. As a result, Californias forests are tinderboxes.

If you care about such things, every year theres a super-fire in California, around 100 million tons of CO2 enter the atmosphere. Less abstract and of more universal relevance is the filthy smoke and soot that hangs in the air for weeks and the ash laden silt that fouls the rivers after the first rain. Anyone concerned for the environment might also recognize that trees in Californias forests are stressed and dying not because were having heat waves and droughts, but because wherever the root systems of just one tree used to compete for water, now there are seven trees. This unnatural reality is also the reason less of our precious rain percolates into aquifers, replenishes springs, or runs off into streams. The desperately overcrowded tree roots suck up every drop.

A research paper published in March of 2022 by the California Fire Science Consortium (pdf) concluded the following: Overall, between 1911 and 2011, tree densities on average increased by six to seven fold while average tree size was reduced by 50%. This shift in contemporary forest conditions resulted from ingrowth with very high densities. Got that? Californias forests are seven times as dense as they were 100 years ago.

This is the truth that firefighters ought to be proclaiming in front of television cameras, and this is the catastrophe that responsible politicians and public servants ought to be urgently trying to fix, instead of endlessly preening and bloviating about the climate crisis. Restoring the timber industry ought to be a top priority. It has been decimated thanks to relentless and misguided assaults by environmentalists. Private investment in logging and milling operations could then finance much of the necessary forest thinning. Encouraging the adoption of mass timbercross laminated structural beams that are stronger and weigh less than reinforced concretecould make harvesting the unwanted and overcrowded smaller trees profitable, since manufacturing this innovative new wood product does not require large diameter trees.

Environmental Reform

Reforming the environmentalist edicts and bureaucratic obstructions that prevent property owners from thinning and conducting controlled burns, or ranchers from grazing their cattle, would attract additional private investment that would help restore Californias forests.

Without private investment as described, thinning Californias forests is impossible. As it is, Prop. 30 will allocate, at most, $225 million per year to forest thinning. Cost estimates to do thinning vary, but the best we may expect on average is around 1,000 per acre. That means these funds, even if most of them arent first skimmed to placate armies of ESG commissars, would restore 225,000 acres per year. That sounds like a lot, but it isnt. With 33 million acres of forest in California, and with that budget, it would take 150 years to finish a job that has to be repeated every 20 years unless private logging, grazing, controlled burns, and mechanical thinning are once again permitted.

Californias firefighters should be using their substantial political clout in Sacramento to publicly confront an inconvenient truth: environmentalists and state bureaucrats have inspired and implemented policies that are destroying Californias forests. Until those policies are reversed, forests will continue to burn like hell.

Newsom, who has the advantage of being politically unassailable merely because he is slightly less lunatic than every other major politician in Californias ruling party, has decided, just this once, to defy the will of the climate crisis industry. Instead hes lining up with the CTA in opposition, preserving their apparent determination to make sure they remain first in line to pickpocket Californias wealthiest taxpayers.

But Newsom, along with every other special interest that opposes Prop. 30 in order to make sure their own place at the public trough is undiminished, are lying in a bed of their own making. When the forests burned, Newsom didnt call for meaningful reforms to forest management. He announced a plan to ban gasoline powered vehicles. Now he is going to get what he wanted. The results will be expensive and mostly symbolic, if not counterproductive.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Volunteer rescuers search in the sea for survivors close to the location where a boat carrying Chinese nationals sank off the coastal town of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Sept. 23, 2022. (Cindy Liu/Reuters)

Cambodia Searches for 23 Missing Chinese After Boat Sinks

PHNOM PENHCambodian rescue teams searched on Friday for 23 Chinese nationals missing after their boat sank near islands off a coastal town popular with tourists and gamblers.

Authorities rescued 18 people after the boat went down early on Thursday off the town of Sihanoukville, the provincial government said in a statement.

It was not clear what caused the boat to sink. Authorities are questioning survivors, who were taken to a nearby island.

The provincial government gave no details about the identity of the Chinese nationals and it was not clear if any Cambodians were among those rescued or the missing.

Cambodia is popular with tourists and business people from China but many Chinese people have been unable to travel over the past couple of years because of Chinese COVID-19 restrictions.

One of the survivors, 27-year-old Chengui Sheng from Chinas Fujian province, told authorities the boat had been carrying 41 people, including three women, the provincial government said.

Border police conducted an initial search and authorities have asked fishermen to join the effort, offering a reward of 2 million riel (about $480) for every rescue.

Sihanoukville is home to several casinos and the town has in recent years also seen police raids on suspected cybercrime operators, some with links to China, police have said.
Military delegates stand in formation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 9, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinas Military Shares Key Weakness With Russia: Report

Chinas military shares a similar weakness to that of Russias armed forces which may hamper its efforts to conquer Taiwan should the regime move forward with an invasion, according to a new report.

The report (pdf), published by the National Defense University Press earlier this month, analyzed the biographies of more than 300 senior officers in Chinas military before and after Chinese communist leader Xi Jinpings sweeping military reforms in 2015.

Notably, it found that many of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) senior military officers lacked joint service experience, and would thus be less able to work with their counterparts in other services.

Officers in the CCPs military branch, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), were effectively siloed in their services, with those in the Navy never working with ground forces or air forces, and vice versa.

Senior PLA officers tend to stay not only within their own services but also in their assigned functional areas, the report stated. Operational commanders, for instance, rarely have career-broadening experience in logistics, and vice versa.

Future PLA operations could be hampered by officers with narrow perspectives.

By comparing the top echelon of PLA leaders in 2015 and 2021, the report found that Xis reforms had no impact on the average age, experience, or education of senior leaders.

That failure comes even though a central goal of the reforms was aimed at developing a more robust joint service, according to the report.

A cornerstone of PLA reforms in the Xi era was the development of a joint command structure in which theater commanders have peacetime authority over ground, naval, and air forces, the report stated.

Nevertheless, this progress does not extend to the assignment system.

Simply put, senior PLA officers were largely not assigned to joint service commands. Moreover, there was little remedy for this problem as the PLA had no rule to ensure such training took place.

The United States, by comparison, has since 1986 mandated that senior officers become joint-duty qualified through education at Joint Professional Military Education schools and through service in joint-duty assignments.

Rather than enforce interoperability between the services, however, Xi has focused on enforcing ideological conformity and Party loyalty.

All PLA officers are members of the Chinese Communist Party and must have enough political acumen to demonstrate loyalty to Xi and his agenda, the report stated.

Xi has been personally involved in selections through his position as CMC [Central Military Commission] chairman and has increased his control through anti-corruption investigations.

This course of action had the effect of actually decreasing the number of senior officers with joint experience between 2015 and 2021.

As of last year, the report found, only 56 percent of PLA senior officers had held any joint assignment in the previous decade. A five percent decrease from 2015.

This meant that officers in the PLA were far less likely than their American counterparts to also have developed an expertise in related fields such as logistics, the report found.

Continued specialization in particular career tracks means that [officers] have relatively deep expertise in particular areas but likely limited awareness of other functional skills, the report stated, for instance, operational commanders tend not to have a background in logistics or acquisition.

In all, the report highlighted that PLA senior officers limited engagement and training in joint domain work could have negative effects on military readiness.

PLA cohesiveness could be very low in a complex fighting situation, the report stated, and could mimic the repeated failures from similar weaknesses present in the Russian military during its invasion of Ukraine.

[F]or militaries to be operationally effective, modernization and reform must be complemented by skilled leaders, the report stated. For years, the PLA has complained that its officers suffer from mediocre leadership abilities.

Rigidity in PLA assignments could reduce Chinas effectiveness in future conflictsespecially those requiring a high level of jointness and adaptability, like the war that Russia launched against Ukraine in 2022if Chinese military leaders lack perspectives beyond their own service, specialty, and department.
Planting These Seeds Can Change All of Us for the Better
Conservative Party May Lose Next Election Over Immigration, Experts say

The UKs Conservative Party may be on course to lose the next general election unless it reduces the net migration number, political experts said.

Prof. Eric Kaufmann, who has authored a number of books on subjects including political and religious demography, said Brexit voters who voted for the Conservative Party in 2019 wont show up in 2024 if the government keep[s] on doing what theyre doing now.

It comes after a record-high number of visas were granted in the year ending June 2022.

The size of post-Brexit net migration is unknown, due to an interruption of survey data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Office for National Statisticss (ONS) ongoing process of changing its estimation methods.

Points-Based System

Ditching the previous Conservative governments pledge to reduce migration from hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson campaigned on an Australian-style points-based immigration system in 2019 before winning a landslide majority, which he saw as a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done.

Under the policy his government introduced, E.U. citizens could no longer move to the UK without visas since Jan. 1, 2021, but there was a liberalisation of immigration policies for skilled non-E.U. workers.

The cap on the number of non-E.U. skilled migrant workers was discarded, and applicants in some occupations can be granted visas with salaries lower than previously required, while some occupations require higher salaries, according to The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.

Post-study work visa, which was introduced in 2008 and scrapped in 2012, has been re-introduced, and employers no longer need to advertise a job in the UK for at least four weeks before hiring from overseas so they can save on administrative costs.

Brexit Vote Re-Interpreted

Alp Mehmet, Chairman of think tank and campaign group Migration Watch UK, said the reason why the points-based system went down well in focus groups and on the doorsteps ahead of the 2019 election was that it alluded to the sort of tough immigration policies that Australia had.

The former diplomat told The Epoch Times that he believes it was a slightly underhand way to persuade people that the proposed system was going to not only control but reduce immigration in the way that the Australians had done, and in the way that the Australians had stopped the trafficking of illegal immigrants in boats.

The recent wave of visas granted included those issued under programmes tailored for Hongkongers wishing to escape communist rule and Ukrainian women and children fleeing Russias invasion. Mehmet said the British people generally do support these special programmes because they wanted to help, although if the overall immigration number continues to increase, there is the risk of a reaction towards immigration as pressures mount on housing and healthcare.

London Mayor Boris Johnson delivers a speech at a Vote Leave rally at the Centre for Life in Newcastle, England, on April 16, 2016. (Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

Kaufmann also said the government didnt address the concerns of Brexit voters who then voted for the Conservatives in 2019.

They tried to essentially reinterpret the Brexit vote as a vote for control only, but a green light for continued high levels of immigration, and thats not what the survey data really shows, he told The Epoch Times.

Kaufmann said he believes a group of liberal globalist Brexiteers, who emphasize free trade and economic growth, took over the Brexit movement and took that into the Conservative Party in 2019 under Johnson.

Noting that net migration is usually seen as the best indicator, Kaufmann said visa data suggested immigration had remained either increased or remained unchanged, albeit the source shifted from Europe to predominantly South Asia and East Asia.

I think it is slowly dawning on [the Brexit voters] and will dawn on them evermore that theyve kind of not gotten what they voted for, he said. So you see disillusionment now in terms of the dropping support for the Conservative Party, which is concentrated more among those who were Brexit voters who want less immigration.

Issue of Immigration Gaining Salience

According to the weekly YouGov survey on the most important issues facing the country, the salience of immigration and asylum declined from a peak in 2015 before rising again over the last two years.

On Sept. 12, around a quarter of adults (24 percent) said immigration was one of the top three issues on their minds.

But among Conservative Party voters and Brexit voters, the number jumped up to 46 percent and 44 percent, respectively. Immigration was also the second most salient issue after the economy among the two groups.

Trust in the UKs major political parties regarding immigration is also low, separate surveys suggested.

On Sept. 12, more than three quarters (76 percent) of adults, 79 percent of Conservative Party voters, and 83 percent of leave voters thought the government had handled the issue badly; and half of the respondents to another survey didnt pick any of the major parties when asked which was the best at handling asylum and immigration.

This may be related to the increase of migrants smuggled into the UK on small boats.

A group of illegal immigrants are brought into Dover, England, by the RNLI, on Aug. 25, 2022. (Gareth Fuller/PA Media)

According to an article published in 2018 by Prof. Andrew Geddes and Prof. James Dennison at the Migration Policy Centre of the European University Institute, there had been a strong correlation over the years between the salience of immigration and the polling of anti-immigration parties in most western European countries.

Pressure Mounting On Conservative Party

In an article published earlier this month, Matthew Goodwin, a politics professor and author who specialises in Brexit and right-wing populism, warned that the pre-Brexit era anti-immigration populism will come back with a vengeance if the future governmentsbe it Conservative, Labour, or the Liberal Democratsfail to take back control and reduce migration to sustainable levels.

Both Kaufmann and Mehmet agreed with Goodwins assessment.

If the ruling Conservative Party stays on its current course regarding immigration, I just think a lot of the Brexit voters who have voted for the Tories in 2019 wont show up in 2024. That will simply cost the Tories the election, Kaufmann said, adding that a potential boost in the economy wont make much of a difference.

I think thatll only give them a few points. I think that if they dont do something on the cultural issues, which is really why people voted Conservative. If they dont do anything on that, theyre gonna lose in my opinion.

Kaufmann said if the Conservative Party remains a business Conservative Party, a UKIP-style populist right-wing party that focuses on immigration and culture war issues such as freedom of speech, protection of national heritage, and education, is likely to emerge.

While the question remains on whether any new party can win seats in an election, what they will do is certainly stop the Conservatives winning those seats in swing constituencies, Mehmet said.

A Vote to Leave campaigner holds a placard as Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), Nigel Farage, campaigns for votes to leave the European Union in the June 23rd referendum in Bolton, England, on May 25, 2016. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

On whether there is a risk of increased radical populism if the government does not address the immigration issue, Mehmet said dissatisfaction can only grow in that case, but he hopes it would not manifest in people turning against each other.

Clearly cohesion and stability in our society are dependent on the government actually getting its policies right, he said.

Mehmet said banning all immigration would be crazy and not in the UKs best interest, but there needs to be a reduction in numbers.

Currently, there are around a quarter of a million a year, and when Tony Blair was first elected in 1997, at that time, we were talking about net migration of 40,000 [to] 50,000, he said.

Weve added in 20 years, 8 million people to our population. And something like 7 million of that was the result of direct and indirect immigration, Mehmet added, referring to ONS census data for England and Wales.

Asked about the UKs seemingly tight labour market, Mehmet argued there are ample capabilities including among the economically inactive if training, pay, and working conditions are improved.

Kaufmann suggested the government should set a target for reducing net migration, ideally  around 100,000 a year, and work to move to that target.

Attitude Toward Immigration

Asked whether voters who want to reduce immigration are more concerned about jobs and resources or cultural differences, Mehmet said these elements can not be separated.

Citing a recent clash between Hindus and Muslims in Leicester as an example, Mehmet said there had been arguments saying such historical rifts were imported as a result of legacy government policies that led to the exponential rise in migration with the aim of increasing diversity and multiculturalism for its own sake.

If we are serious about integrating those who come here, then we should limit numbers to the sort of levels that allows us to cope so that we do provide the facilities, the housing, the services that people expect to have in this country, he said.

Many voters also want commitment to what this country is and stands for, rather than coming and immediately turning against the country that is effectively providing refuge. That is the way a lot of people do see it, he said, adding, I think its a combination of all these things that prompts people to want reduced immigration.

A poster featuring a Brexit vote ballot with out tagged is on display at a bookshop window in Berlin on June 24, 2016. (John Macdougall/AFP/Getty Images)

Kaufmann said according to relevant studies, anti-immigration sentiment is really not about economics.

I would say that your attitude to immigration comes first and then once you have that attitude, you see problems like pressure on public services or employment through that lens. So its primarily psychological and cultural, he said. People who notice difference and change more and they see it more negatively, that sort of psychology would tend to predict someone who would vote for Brexit, for example.

Speaking of the issue of assimilation in Western countries, Kaufmann said he does believe immigrants are assimilating, but they may be assimilated to the official high culture that has a left modernist leaning or the vernacular culture that is closer to the historic culture, depending on where their interactions are.

Net Migration Number Unclear

According to an analysis of Home Office data by Migration Watch UK, 1.1 million visas were granted for people to work, study, join their families, or resettle in the UK during the year ending June 2022, almost doubling the pre-pandemic number (year ending June 2019).

Part of the increase can be explained by E.U. citizens being required to obtain visas for the first time in many years, but the group argued the number of visas given to E.U. citizens (64,700) does not nearly account for the large increases we have seen since the system was introduced last year.

The figures also included visas given to Hongkongers, Ukrainians, and Afghans who were at risk under the Taliban.

People who were granted visas may not have moved to the UK. Its also unclear how many people emigrated from the UK or what the net migration number was during the period.

The latest ONS estimate said net migration in the year ending June 2021 was around 239,000, slightly down from the year ending June 2020 (260,000), but these estimates were based on experimental methods and are subject to uncertainty.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Conservative Party and the Home Office for comment.
DeSantis Declares Emergency as Florida Braces for Hurricane

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 24 counties as the National Weather Service told Floridians to brace for the impacts of Tropical Storm Ian, which is expected to bring heavy rain, hurricane-force winds, and flooding.

DeSantis issued the order on Sept. 23, urging residents and local governments to prepare as the storm gathers strength over the Caribbean before potentially hitting Florida next week.

This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations, DeSantis said in a statement. We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm.

The governor encouraged Florida residents to ensure they have emergency supply kits ready and stocked with food, water, and medicine.

DeSantiss emergency declaration applies to Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and St. Lucie counties.

Remain Vigilant

The governor said in a separate statement on Twitter that, while the storms track is uncertain, Floridians should remain vigilant and ensure their households are prepared for a potential impact.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said in a statement on Sept. 24 that the storm is expected to rapidly strengthen over the weekend and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula early next week.

There is increasing confidence in multiple life-threatening hazards: storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and flooding, NWS said.

In an 11 a.m. Sept. 24 advisory, NWS Miami said it was still too soon to determine the exact path of the storm and the magnitude of its impacts, but Floridians should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place and monitor weather forecasts.

Tropical Storm Ian is on track to hit Cuba as a Category 2 hurricane or stronger, according to AccuWeather forecasters.

The terrain in parts of Cuba over which the storm is expected to pass is relatively flat so the weather system is likely to continue to get stronger, according to AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

Because of very warm waters and a forecast minimal amount of disruptive winds, there is the potential for the system to undergo rapid strengthening anytime from this weekend to midweek, Pastelok said.

The rapid pace of the weather systems development means it will tend to track more to the east, according to AccuWeather forecasters, who said that the storm could strike either the east or west coast of Florida, though a track into Texas or Louisiana is highly unlikely.

As part of their hurricane preparedness, Floridians living in hurricane evacuation zones should develop evacuation plans, which include multiple options for where to go and how to get there, NWS Miami said.

Be prepared to leave immediately if ordered to evacuate, the agency said.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk walks on stage during a T-Mobile and SpaceX joint event in Boca Chica Beach, Texas, on Aug. 25, 2022. (Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images)

Elon Musk Says Starlink Satellites Now Connecting Schools in Worlds Biggest Rainforest

Tesla Inc and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Thursday that his space companys Starlink service is connecting schools in the Amazon region.

What Happened

Musks comments were made on Twitter in response to a tweet from Fabio Faria, Brazils Minister of Communications.

The Brazilian official, belonging to President Jair Bolsonaros administration, had showcased a school connected with Starlink in the countrys Amazon region.

In a photo that Faria shared, Musk can be seen appearing on a screen in front of excited school children.

Starlink connecting schools in the Amazon https://t.co/Xy70D0sk8N  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 23, 2022

Why It Matters

This week, Musk said Starlink had expanded its footprint across all continents, including Antarctica.

The SpaceX CEO said the company would ask for an exemption to Iranian sanctions to provide internet to the Middle Eastern nation.

Starlink is a purveyor of low-latency internet beamed via satellite to underserved regions, which includes nations suffering from natural calamities and war.

By Shivdeep Dhaliwal

 2022 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
A man looks out behind a barrier of a sealed area, amid new lockdown measures in parts of the city in Shanghai on July 11, 2022. (Aly Song/Reuters)

European Business Group Warns of Loss of Confidence in China

SHANGHAIA top European industry group warned on Wednesday that firms were losing confidence in China and that its standing as an investment destination was being eroded, citing its inflexible and inconsistently implemented COVID-19 policy as a key factor.

The European Chamber of Commerce published the warnings in a paper it said had input from 1,800 member companies, which also contained 967 recommendations for China, the European Union, and European companies related to doing business in the country.

The report, which touched on issues from Taiwan to trade, said, for example, that the Chinese regime should refrain from erratic policy shifts, deepen cooperation with the European Union and increase international flights.

The European Union should proactively engage with China and reject calls for disengagement, it added.

A stark contrast has emerged between China and the rest of the world over the past year, as other countries remain committed to globalization while China continues to turn inward, the chambers president, Joerg Wuttke, told a media briefing.

The world lives with herd immunity, and China waits until the world gets rid of Omicron, which is of course unlikely, he said, referring to the Chinese regimes rigid zero-COVID stance, which has led to frequent lockdowns and kept borders mostly shut to international travel.

Besides COVID-19, the chamber said stalled reforms of Chinas state-owned enterprises, an exodus of European nationals from China coupled with travel restrictions for Chinese staff to go abroad as well as increased politicization of business were also harming Chinas attractiveness.

The report said record numbers of businesses looked to shift current or planned investments to other markets.

Last month, a U.S. business lobby said Chinas strict COVID-19 control measures had overtaken sour U.S.China relations as the top concern of U.S. companies in the country.

China is one of the few countries still requiring travelers to quarantine on arrival, and Wuttke said the chamber remained hopeful that restrictions could loosen after the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) five-yearly meeting, which starts Oct. 16.

While Xi Jinping is expected to secure a historic third leadership term, it is not yet clear who will join him on the Politburo Standing Committee and who will replace Premier Li Keqiang, who is set to retire in March from his role whose main remit is managing the worlds second-largest economy.

Wuttke said that Vice Premier Liu He, who is expected to retire from his current position, always stood for reform and would be hard to replace.

We have to see what the line-up is in the economic decision-making, and that might give us some indications of where this country is heading, he said.

By Josh Horwitz
Montgomery County Sheriffs deputies and emergency personnel respond to a suspected drug overdose in a gas station carpark in the Harrison Township of Dayton, Ohio, on Nov. 1, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Even More Than the Economy, 2022 Is the Fentanyl Election

Commentary

The other night, I attended a fundraiser for Andy Ogles, whos running for Congress in Tennessees newly redistricted 5th. That was the district, some readers will recall, for which The Epoch Times, in conjunction with the Nashville Republican women, staged a unique primary debate with domain (subject matter) experts, rather than journalists, asking the questions.

Ogles won that debate (at least in the straw poll) and the primary election that followed by a solid margin.

The fundraiser was held at the home of Lulu and John ElamLulu Elam herself having recently been elected to the Tennessee Republican Partys State Executive Committee.

The atmosphere at the event could be described as worried for the country but optimistic for Ogless election that would make him a member of the House Freedom Caucus where he was anointed by none other than Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

But during his speech and the question period afterward, it became clear that the greatest concern of this Republican activist crowdeven more than the rapidly escalating global economic calamity, China and Russia on the march, the recent local child abuse-by-transgenderism scandal at Vanderbilt University Hospital, and the devastating crime wave in our big cities (including Nashville)was the open southern border with its unprecedentedly massive illegal immigration leading to even more massive deadly consequences.

The source of the deadliest of all those deadly consequences is, of course, that drug now on everyones lips and, unfortunately, in the mouths of far too manyfentanyl.

Tracked from China into Mexico and the Mexican cartels, which have virtually taken over that country and become more powerful than the mafia in its wildest dreams, fentanyl is now being called by many a weapon of mass destruction.

And it surely is.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who has been sounding the alarm on fentanyl for some time, reminds us of just how bad it is in an op-ed for The Washington Times:

Fentanyl is an especially dangerous drug. Just two milligramsthe equivalent of a few grains of sandcan kill an adult male. The Mexican cartels have built super labs to mass produce this extremely deadly drug. Last year alone, authorities seized around 2.5 billion deadly doses of fentanyl at our border. Fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.

Each drug death and severe case of addiction is like a bomb going off in a community. Families are shattered, children are orphaned, promising young Americans are psychologically destroyed, and neighborhoods physically deteriorate. Its little surprise that some parts of this country look and feel like warzones.

The Biden administration allowed this horrendous crimewe can easily call it mass murder since more of us are dying annually from fentanyl than did U.S. troops in the Vietnam Warvia the open border. Its time for all of us to channel Emile Zola and say JAccuse  ! No more of this crime against our nations citizens.

We can do so at the ballot box in November, obviously, but also this may well be the best issue with which to wake up those who hide behind the terms liberal and progressive and think of themselves as good people.

How can you be good and countenance this?

Its incumbent on all of us to publicize this expanding catastrophe as widely as we can, not just through articles and postings on social media, but even more potently one-on-one, where people are often more prone to listen.

This isnt just an epidemic in red America. Its everywhere and growing.

Is it a conspiracy of communist China? You decide. But whatever it is, those pills, dressed up and repackaged as they are by the cartels in pretty, inviting colors, are killing our children as nothing has in the past.

COVID-19 is a piffle by comparison. Fentanyl is destroying our younger population and therefore our future. As Cotton noted, its the leading cause of death for those between 18 and 45.

Michael Anton, writing under the name Publius Decius Mus, called the 2016 election the Flight 93 election.

I think we can comfortably call the 2022 election the fentanyl election.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Mandan police have identified a man found slain Friday night and are asking for the public's help in tracking his whereabouts in the days before he was killed.

Officers responded about 7 p.m. Friday to a report of an unresponsive male in the 1900 block of Third Street Southeast in the area of the trolley bridge. The man was identified as 65-year-old Kevin Greybull, who had no permanent address but spent time in Bismarck and Mandan.

Police are treating his death as a homicide. It wasn't immediately clear if they had identified a suspect.

Greybull was frequently seen in the area of the Sitting Bull Bridge over the Heart River on Sixth Avenue Southeast in Mandan, and he was known to spend time in the area of the trolley bridge.

Police are asking for help in tracing his movements in recent days, notably from Thursday morning to Friday evening. He was last seen around 7:15 p.m. Thursday in the area of the 700 block of Third Street Southeast in Mandan.

He was wearing an orange Philadelphia Flyers shirt, khaki pants and gray shoes.

Police statements on Saturday did not include information about a potential suspect or a manner of death. But Deputy Chief Lori Flaten said police "have no information at this time that would lead us to believe the public is in any danger."

People with information about Greybull or his movements can contact Mandan police at 701-667-3250.
EXCLUSIVE: The Story of Aiko Kawasaki, a Korean Japanese Who Escaped North Korea

She finally made her escape after enduring 43 years in a hellish environment

A 17-year-old Aiko Kawasaki went aboard the ship leaving for North Korea from the harbor of Niigata, Japan. As her parents begged her in tears not to leave, she insisted on going and promised them that they would see each other a year later in an earthly paradiseNorth Korea.

Kawasaki told The Epoch Times that at the time, she was full of hope, believing that she would live a better life in North Korea than in Japan, without poverty and discrimination. However, as soon as she arrived at North Koreas Chongjin Port, she immediately felt deceived. But it was too late.

She soon realized she had been fooled by the false advertising of the Chongryon (The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan), an organization with close ties to North Korea, which had been promoted as a heaven on earth.

Since no diplomatic relations existed between the two states, the Chongryon has functioned as North Koreas de facto embassy in Japan.

As a result, Kawasaki was stuck in the isolated country for 43 years, separated from her family in Japan.

In 2003, she finally escaped North Korea. However, since then, she has been missing her children and grandchildren, who are still in North Korea.

Kawasaki is now in her 80s. Despite gaining back her freedom, Kawasaki often does not sleep well. When days turn dark, she is always reminded of the miserable days she experienced in North Korea.

Kawasaki is a 2nd-generation Korean Japanese born in Kyoto, Japan. In 2014, she established the NGO group Lets Get Together, a Japan-based nonprofit organization dedicated to North Koreas human rights issues.

She authored The Stories of People Who Had Gone to North Korea from Japan, published in 2007 in Japan. The Korean version of the book was published in July 2021.

Kawasaki is actively engaged in various activities to have the world understand the realities of North Korea. She was one of three NK defectors invited to the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland, to aid with investigating human rights violations in North Korea.

She is among the North Korean escapees and Korean Japanese that filed a petition for human rights remedies to the Japanese Bar Association. The petition demanded that the North Korean government, Japanese government, Chongryon, NK Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, all of which were involved in the NK project of repatriation in the past, admit wrongdoing and reveal its details to the world. In addition, it asked them to guarantee free travel, at least to Japan, for the second and third generations of the people repatriated to North Korea.

Aiko Kawasaki was among the five plaintiffs that filed a suit for deceit and human rights violations against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the head of Chongryon Ho Jong-man at the International Criminal Court in Hague, the Netherlands, in 2018. (Courtesy of Aiko Kawasaki)

Alone in North Korea at the Age of 17

Kawasaki was doing well in school, but she was in a situation where she had to give up advancing to high school due to poverty within her family. One day, an executive from Chongryon visited her house and tried to persuade her to attend a Chongryon-established high school. She was offered the Kim Il-sung scholarship applicable only to Korean Japanese.

Kim Il-sung is the founder of North Korea, a dictator, and the grandfather of Kim Jong-un.

After agreeing, she passed the entrance exam of Kyoto Korean Junior High-High School with a top score and attended the school for free.

The school would teach the students Hymns for General Kim Il-sung, but Kawasaki had never once sung those songs. She instinctively knew that worshipping a person was not right, even when she was just a young girl.

Decision to Board the Ship

The school teachers constantly taught us that North Korea was a paradise on earth, saying there were no taxes, free medical service, free housing, and free education. And students were used as tools of propaganda after school. They would visit the houses where Korean Japanese were living and say to them, North Korea is heaven on earth, so we all should go to the country, Kawasaki said.

Many Korean Japanese, like Kawasaki, were preparing to embark on a journey to what they called Paradise on EarthNorth Korea, a socialist country at Japans Port of Niigata, on Dec. 14, 1959. (Courtesy of Aiko Kawasaki)

Kawasaki didnt participate in propaganda activities. She was proud of herself for not engaging in those propaganda campaigns. She has seen others who had gotten seriously depressed or had even committed suicide after misleading people into moving to North Korea when knowing that their lives had become miserable.

My father was from Gyeongsang Province, and my mother from Jeolla Province in Korea. Therefore, I had no reason to go to North Korea because I had no connection with it. However, as time passed, I became more curious about the country because I wondered how a socialist country could provide everything for free, even without collecting taxes. So I finally decided to see the country with my own eyes and experience it first hand, Kawasaki explained, marking the beginning of her nightmare.

Korean Japanese boarding the ship bound for North Korea on Dec. 14, 1959. (Courtesy of Aiko Kawasaki)

Arrival

I wasnt afraid at all, no doubt, due to the brainwashing education. Since entering high school, I had been constantly brainwashed into believing North Korea was a paradise on earth. As a result, I wasnt worried about anything when I decided to move to North Korea alone, Kawasaki said.

However, Kawasakis father desperately tried to dissuade her from going. Her family eventually agreed that theyd meet up with her in North Korea after one year.

However, the reality of North Korea was utterly different from what she had heard in Japan.

When people on the ship saw the land of North Korea from a distance, they poured out onto the deck and shed tears of joy. But when we actually reached the Chongjin Port, we began to murmur among ourselves. The scenes were completely different from what we had heard in Japan. Instantly, we knew that we were fooled.

The whole city was shrouded in darkness, and the residents who came to the port to welcome us with flowers in their hands kept singing. Their faces were dark and gaunt due to malnutrition. They didnt even wear socks, and their grayish clothes were all tattered. Besides, nobody was wearing leather shoes. Most of them were wearing shoes made of cloth, with toes protruding from them. In short, they were starving beggars.

Somebody on the ship shouted in Japanese so that North Korean soldiers couldnt understand, Hey, students from the Korean high schools in Japan! Dont get off the ship! Go back to Japan with this ship, Kawasaki described.

After learning the truth, to prevent her family from coming to North Korea, Kawasaki sent them a letter postponing the plan for them to join up with her.

Kawasaki suggested in the letter that they should wait until her younger brotheran elementary schooler at the timegets married before they join up with her in North Korea.

That letter separated Kawasaki from her family for more than 40 years.

Life in Japan Before North Korea

My family was poor, and Korean Japanese were discriminated against in Japan. It was before Japan entered a period of an economic boom. Therefore, Korean Japanese especially had a hard time living. Japanese people wouldnt hire us, so only manual labor was available to us at the time, Kawasaki said.

After the liberation [of Korea] from Japan in 1945, over two million Korean Japanese living in Japan returned to Korea. But about 600,000 Korean Japanese chose to stay in Japan for one reason or another. In the 1960s, North Korea actively sought to bring as many Korean Japanese as possible from Japan to make up for the labor force shortage lost in the Korean War. Japanese economy at the time was still in bad shape after the loss of World War II. Therefore, the Japanese government at the time welcomed North Koreas endeavor because they were having a hard time dealing with the issues of Korean Japanese in Japan.

As a result of the Agreement on Repatriation of Korean Japanese reached by both countries, the North Korean project of repatriation called A Large-scale Ethnic Movement from Capitalism to Socialism began in earnest. From 1959 to 1984, for 25 years, a total of 187 trips of ships from Niigata Port in Japan to Chongjin Port in North Korea were made. During that period, a total of 93,340 Korean Japanese migrated to North Korea. Among them were 6,800 Japanese, such as wives of those Korean Japanese. And ninety-eight percent of those Korean Japanese were from South Korea, Kawasaki explained.

She gave the two main reasons why so many Korean Japanese, about 100,000, decided to go to North Korea.

First, they were deceived by the cunning propaganda of Chongryon, which described NK as heaven on earth.

Second, people hesitant about migrating to North Korea decided to do so when the International Committee of the Red Cross intervened in this project. She added that many people felt reassured because they thought they could trust such a reputable organization.

Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun reported at the time that Korean Japanese left by boat to North Korea. (Courtesy of Aiko Kawasaki)

That place Was a Living Hell

I supposed many people failed to adapt to North Korean life, Kawasaki said.

Many people suffered from various forms of mental disorder. And because the economic situation was awful, virtually everyone was sick in one form or another. On top of those hardships, we were branded as potential subversives and thus were under constant surveillance and discrimination because we were from Japan, a capitalist country.

Kawasaki described her experience and observation of her time in North Korea in eight chapters of the book The Stories of People Who Had Gone to North Korea from Japan.

Snippets from the book provide graphic descriptions of the living conditions in North Korea, such that it was common for starving children to chew bone char mixed with charcoal and clay, like chewing gum.

Windowless trains would always be full of passengers, so packed that one simply cannot make their way to the toilet. So they are forced to urinate and defecate on their seats.

Even suicide was not allowed because it was considered an act of insult and betrayal against [the] socialist country.

43 Years in Hell

Students who attended high schools founded by Chongryon in Japan were allowed to attend North Korean high schools. I graduated from Hamhung College of Chemical Industry in Hamhung, North Korea, and worked at a machinery factory as an engineer. They would give me a smattering of money for my monthly wage, barely enough to survive. The rest of the pay was taken by the government. Then I knew what it meant to be a socialist country with no taxes, Kawasaki said.

In stark contrast to the teachings of Chongryon that said all forms of freedom were guaranteed in North Korea, the country had no freedom and human rights. It was a harsh, traumatic 43 years of life in North Korea.

Kawasaki said that North Korean people had no real experience of freedom. Because they had only gone through feudalism of the Joseon Dynasty, followed by Japanese colonialism, and after it was communism which the Soviet Union forced via its puppet, Kim Il-sung.

Due to this history, North Korean people have taken the hierarchical structure of the ruler and the ruled for granted. Consequently, they have accepted the Kim familys hereditary power succession as natural, she explained.

The Escape

It was not too difficult to defect from North Korea because many people were going to and coming from China on a daily basis, she said.

But Kawasaki added that she was lucky. She said she dressed herself up as a Japanese and paid double the price to a broker to cross the border between North Korea and China safely. After successfully arriving in China in March 2003, she moved to Japan the following year.

I thought it was best to let the realities of North Korea be known to the outside world, especially to Japanese people, and then get their support and cooperation with my effort. Before I actually carried out my plan to escape from North Korea, I didnt tell anyone about it. I decided I would go out to the free world first and then bring my children to Japan afterward.

Kawasaki said she hadnt heard anything from her family members in North Korea since she left.

But I do know they are constantly monitored by the authorities ever since I left the country. I promised myself that I would bring my children to the free world when I defected, but now theres no way I can do that. The only way to do that is to break down the North Korean regime. I will live to see the demise of the North Korean regime and see my family again, she said.

Kawasaki said for the remainder of her life, she would like to see the two Koreas reunified and that the world would be much more peaceful if that happened.

I have lived separately from family for most of my life. But sadly for people like me, the Korean government does not consider including the separated families of Korean Japanese [as] separated families of Korea.

Dont Get Rosy Ideas About Communism

When asked about the takeaways from her experience, Kawasaki said she wanted to warn people not to believe in the ideals of communism and socialism and not to trust anything the regimes say.

I want to say to them that they must wake up from the illusion that communist societies are egalitarian ones. As I know from my agonizing experience of the horrible realities in North Korea, a planned economy cannot be prosperous, and the ideals of communism and socialism cannot be realized. The North Korean regime of three Kims has only starved and killed people, never making them prosper.

Similar to China, North Korea also has many cases of organ harvesting. And nobody knows what is happening to the prisoners locked in the concentration camps in North Korea. These savage practices cannot occur in human societies. I firmly believe that the world will be a genuinely peaceful place when communist regimes and communism itself disappear from the world, Kawasaki stressed.
Family: Man Killed in Crash Never Got Air Bag Recall Notice

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.When Florida Highway Patrol troopers arrived at a crash scene in the Panhandle this summer, they found a 23-year-old Navy officer dead at the wheel with neck wounds that initially looked like a possible shooting.

A trooper later messaged the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that injuries were from the deployment of an air bag in the 2006 Ford Ranger pickup in the July accident in Pensacola.

Though the NHTSA is investigating and hasnt made a final determination yet, the family of Hayden Jones Jr. says theres ample evidence the death was caused by an exploding Takata air bag. It would be the 20th such death in the United Statesand would come six years after the start of a recall of that vehicle model.

The NHTSA recall notices for the 2006 Ford Ranger underline the urgency, saying owners shouldnt drive these vehicles unless you are going straight to a dealer to have them repaired.

Ford says it notified the vehicle owner of the recalleven going to the owners home to try to schedule repairsbut the Jones family says it never received any recall notice from the manufacturer and has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Cases like this, in which needed repairs never happen, show the system is broken, said William Wallace, safety advocate for Consumer Reports. He said the recall system is weak in part because it relies heavily on owners keeping up to date with recall notices.

Some states, such as New York, require notices of pending recalls to be given to car owners as part of annual vehicle inspections. Florida does not require any annual inspections.

Hayden Jones Sr. originally bought the vehicle in Tennessee from Dobbs Ford of Memphis, Inc., according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday against Ford, the dealershipwhich is now AutoNation Ford Wolfchaseand the owner and driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash.

The elder Jones now lives in Brandon, Mississippi, and the younger Jones was using the vehicle in Florida, where he was stationed in Pensacola.

Ford spokesman Said Deep told The Associated Press last month that the company had notified the owner of the recall and went to the house, but he did not confirm the address visited. Ford declined further comment after the lawsuit was filed.

Orlando-based attorney Andrew Parker Felix said that no one in the Jones family was visited by Ford representatives nor received recall notices. The Jones family declined to comment, except through Felix.

These things are literally the stuff of nightmares, Felix said. It is an airbag that shoots metal at you.

Felixs firm, Morgan & Morgan, has prosecuted more than 100 individual Takata air bag claims. The firm contends that the dealer in Tennessee was allegedly notified of Fords safety recall of the 2006 Ranger at least 12 times between 2018 and 2020, but also did nothing to warn Mr. Jones about his vehicles deadly airbag.

Changes of address can sometimes complicate recalls, said Gabe Knight, another safety advocate for Consumer Reports.

Moving introduces a potential break in the ability of the automaker to reach car owners, Knight said. Unless the owner notifies the automaker [which isnt likely], then the automaker is dependent on the address they have on file and registration records, which can significantly lag behind moves.

Troopers who arrived at the scene on July 7 found Jones dead of neck wounds and shrapnel in the trucks floorboards. The other driver walked away from the minor collision with no injuries, according to the accident report.

I think we initially began our investigation as a possible homicide by gunfire because we werent sure, Lt. Jason King of the Highway Patrol told news outlets at the time. The Highway Patrol, when contacted by the AP, would give no further details and referred the matter to the NHTSA.

A document posted on the NHTSAs database said a Florida Highway Patrol trooper filed a report with the agency saying that the driver suffered fatal injuries due to the drivers side air bag deployment.

At least 28 deaths worldwide have been attributed to Takata air bags.

The company used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical can become more volatile over time when exposed to moisture and repeated high temperaturesparticularly a problem in warmer, more humid climates. The explosion can blow apart a metal canister and hurl shrapnel through the passenger compartment.

About 67 million vehicles with Takata air bags in the United States have been subject to a recall, according to the NHTSA.

The last previous death caused by a Takata air bag occurred in a Honda in Lancaster County, South Carolina, in January 2021.

By Freida Frisaro
TV-MA | Documentary | 1hr 18min | 2022

Anyone one still believes there was any degree of planning ahead of the American militarys withdrawal from Afghanistan will be disillusioned by this documentary. There are indeed those stomach-churning images of desperate Afghans falling from planes as they lifted-off from Kabul airport, but viewers will also get a sense of the sheer chaos on the ground in Jamie Robertss Escape from Kabul.

Poster for the documentary of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan Escape From Kabul. (HBO Max)

Admittedly, nobody expected Kabul to fall so quickly, but it did and there was no contingency plan in place. Only a small, recently-arrived deployment of American troops were charged with holding Kabul airport. They were not anticipating the volume of asylum-seekers who streamed across the airfields porous fences and they were not equipped for potential fire-fights, with either the Taliban or Daesh (ISIS) terrorists.

A Difficult Position

Several American officers and enlisted soldiers talk frankly about their difficult duty. They had compassion for the frightened Afghan people, but they had to keep them off the runaway, so reinforcements and supplies could come in and transports planes could leave. Clearly, the deaths of innocent Afghans still haunt them and they bitterly resent the triumph of the Taliban.

An American soldier greets a local Afghan in Kabul, Afghanistan. During the withdrawal in 2021, soldiers had compassion for the frightened Afghan people, but they had to keep them off the runaway, so reinforcements and supplies could come in and transports planes could leave. (Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images)

If you want to pretend this was not a victory for the Taliban and a defeat for America, do not watch this documentary, because the Taliban commanders Roberts interviews say so in exactly those terms, over and over again. Whereas the Americans who appear on-camera only speak to the events as they happened, the Taliban often make value judgements that go unchallenged. For instance, they are never asked why so many of their fellow countrymen and co-religionists were so terrified of living under their rule.

Arguably, former news anchor Shabnam Dawran serves as the conscience of Escape from Kabul when she directly contradicts the Talibans claims they would respect the rights of women to fully participate in Afghan society, as she did in the viral social media video that made her a prime target for retribution.

Hearing the day-by-day, hour-by-hour timeline of events is grim but fascinating. Although it was not widely reported in the establishment media, the Taliban themselves claimed to have a ring of suicide bombers surrounding the airport. Yet, it was ultimately the Daesh suicide attack that murdered 13 American military personnel. It also captures scenes of a coordinated American effort to disable, destroy, and completely smash-up all military equipment that was left behind, which was also under-reported at the time.

Throughout the film Bagram Airfield (which critics argue was prematurely de-commissioned and thus not able to relieve some of the pressure on the Kabul airport) is never mentioned. President Biden is never directly addressed either, but he is seen describing the American intervention in Afghanistan as a success, for obvious ironic effect.

In some ways, Escape from Kabul is a flawed film, but it vividly illustrates how much we ask of our uniformed men and women in the military. We under-equip them and send them out into the field without a workable plan, but then expect them to perform perfectly.

Some Truthful Media

For a while, there was a bumper crop of documentaries shot by filmmakers embedded with American troops, of which perhaps the most prominent was Tim Hethrington and Sebastian Jungers Restrepo. Some hoped to boost support for the troops, while others sought to undermine support for the wars they fought, by capturing the dangers they faced, but they all helped us understand what it was like to be deployed in harms way.

If nothing else, Escape from Kabul puts viewers right there with the troops securing the airport. It also leaves no doubt that a great many at-risk coalition allies were left behind.

Unfortunately, Roberts passive approach to the Taliban interviews is questionable, but there is value in hearing the American soldiers accounts and perspectives.

For now, it is one of the clearest chronicles we have of those terrible days in late August, 2021, until a better documentary comes along. It currently streams on HBO Max.

U.S. soldiers arrive to board a U.S. Air Force aircraft at the airport in Kabul on Aug. 30, 2021. Rockets were fired at Kabuls airport on Aug. 30, where U.S. troops were racing to complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan and evacuate allies under the threat of Islamic State group attacks. (Aamir Quereshi/AFP via Getty Images)

Escape From Kabul

Director: Jamie Roberts

Documentary

Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hours, 18 minutes

Release Date: Sept. 21, 2022

Rated: 3 stars out of 5
Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie and Michael Wilson, an adviser to Pierre Poilievre's leadership campaign, participate in the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times)

Get Involved at All Levels to Displace Woke Influence, Poilievre Tells Conservatives

RED DEER, AlbertaConservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre says Canadians on the right of the political spectrum should start getting involved locally and in different spheres of society to displace what he calls the woke left.

We need conservatives on school boards, local governments, business leadership, the law, academia and other places where the woke left has been dominating for far too long, Poilievre said in a short speech delivered by video during the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24.

Our countrys at a crossroads, the new Tory leader said, and encouraged the conference attendees to build the conservative movement not only within the party but at all levels.

Are we going to continue to concentrate power in the hands of fewer and fewer politicians, bureaucrats, and elites, or are we going to disperse that power and put it back in the hands of the people by making Canada the freest country on Earth, he said.

So make your plans, carry them out, work together, build on ideas, and most of all, dont back down.

Tory MP Stephanie Kusie, who represents a Calgary riding and supported Poilievres leadership bid, delivered the keynote address at the conference. She was joined by Michael Wilson, a Toronto lawyer who served as adviser to Poilievres campaign.

The two discussed what they thought made Poilievres leadership run such a runaway success.

Wilson said Poilievre didnt run focus groups to know what to think about certain topics, and instead ran on issues he knows about and has been consistent on in the past.

His message that hes been saying for 20 years just met the moment of a whole broad coalition of people, he said.

Wilson also discussed Poilievres initial social media post made in early February to announce his leadership bid, which contained a link to a web sheet where supporters could leave their contact information.

He said that within two hours, 115,000 people had signed on.

The campaign then cross-referenced the sheet with the lists of current and former party members and found that 92 percent of people who filled out the web sheet had not been involved in Conservative activism in the last five years.

The list was then used to send invitations to campaign rallies, which typically drew large crowds.

Wilson discussed how pundits initially doubted those crowds would translate into new party memberships, but Poilievres campaign signed up over 300,000 new members.

He said restrictive COVID-19 policies of the past years had an impact on growing the party.

Theres a whole swath of Canadians that were so negatively impacted by COVID policy that I think theres a whole movement and a whole sort of remaking of the conservative base.

Wokeism

Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus, whos been appointed as Quebec lieutenant on Poilievres leadership team, brought up the topic of wokeism in the House of Commons on the first day of the fall session on Sept. 20.

He said at first the term woke meant someone who was aware of and offended by the injustices and discrimination experienced by minority groups.

Today, however, this once-positive idea has been appropriated by a movement that is using it for political gain. Nowadays, wokeism is a culture that shuns, boycotts, or cancels anyone who dares to disagree with its virtuous proponents.

Paul-Hus said hes been called a racist for some of his opinions, but noted that Quebeckers defend their heritage, culture, and language and make no apologies for it. The Quebec nation is bucking wokeism, and we will too.

American author and political commentator James Lindsay defines wokeism as an evolution of Marxism that focuses on social and racial justice instead of the traditional dichotomy between bourgeoisie and proletariat.

Now we have the attempt to apply Leninism to the American context, using corporations as part of the toolset, for example. And so we call this movement the woke movement. We talked about woke capital with all the corporations  the woke movement is Leninism 4.0, Lindsay previously told The Epoch Times.
The new GM logo on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit on March 16, 2021. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters)

GM to Invest $760 Million to Shift Ohio Plant to EV-part Production

TOLEDO, Ohio/WASHINGTONGeneral Motors Co. said on Friday it will invest $760 million at its Toledo, Ohio factory to build drive units for electric trucks, the automakers first U.S. powertrain facility repurposed for EV-related production.

Th largest U.S. automaker currently builds GMs six-speed, eight-speed, and 10-speed rear-wheel drive and nine-speed front-wheel drive transmissions in a variety of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac at its 2.82-million square foot Toledo, Ohio, transmission plan that it has renamed Toledo Propulsion Systems.

Congress in August approved significant financial incentives for automakers to convert plants producing parts for gasoline-pore vehicles to electric models.

An auto trade group noted the bill sets aside more than $15.5 billion in incentives and grants to ensure the United States is building automotive supply chains and a globally competitive battery manufacturing platform.

Once the plant is converted, it will produce GMs family of EV drive units, which convert electric power from the battery pack to mechanical motion at the wheels, GM said, adding the plant will produce transmission products while building drive units simultaneously during GMs EV transition.

The Toledo facility currently employs approximately 1,500 people. Many autoworkers have expressed concerns about the shift to EVs and if it would impact current auto employment.

GM executive vice president Gerald Johnson said GM is looking for ways to increase electric vehicle capacity beyond its current goal of being able to build 1 million EVs in North America by 2025.

But hitting that target would be outstanding. To do better would be astronomical, Johnson said.

GM said last year it would increase its EV and autonomous vehicle investments from 2020 through 2025 to $35 billion, a 75 percent increase as it vows to stop selling gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

GM and LG Energy Solution said last month they are considering a site in Indiana for a fourth U.S. battery cell manufacturing plant for the companies Ultium joint venture expected to cost about $2.4 billion.

The U.S. Energy Department said in July said it plans to loan Ultium $2.5 billion to help finance construction of new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities.

Last week, GM said it would invest $491 million at its Marion, Indiana, metal stamping operations to prepare the facility to produce a variety of steel and aluminum stamped parts for future products, including electric vehicles.

By Joseph White and David Shepardson
Riot police drove away reporters with violence in Mong Kok and one of them shot a sponge grenade at a reporter in the early morning of Nov. 16, 2019. The grenade shattered the masks in the reporter's backpack. (Screenshot via the Editorial Board of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

Hong Kong Police Shot at Journalist, Case Deemed Unsubstantiated

The case of a Hong Kong reporter who was shot by a sponge grenade during the 2019 anti-extradition movement in Hong Kong, was recently categorized as unsubstantiated.

The reporter, from the Commercial Radio Hong Kong (CRHK), launched an allegation and a complaint about the police officer who fired the shot after the incident.

On Sept. 18, the Hong Kong Complaints Against Police Force (CAPO) released the result of its investigation, claiming the allegation was not supported by evidence and would be classified as unsubstantiated.

After being informed of the results of the complaint, CRHK said the reporter, who had left the company, felt disappointed about the investigation result and that CAPOs findings did not match the facts.

CRHK reiterated that the police investigation results are not accurate, and will ask the police force to review the investigation and CAPOs response.

Background

During the 2019 anti-extradition movement in the early morning of Nov. 16, riot police drove away protesters and stopped passers-by at an intersection as they cleared the demonstration site in Mong Kok.

Some riot police approached the media, who were interviewing people at the scene, shoved the reporters, tried to forcibly drive them away, and shouted, [If] you continue to shoot I will sue you for assaulting the police! Meanwhile, the riot police at the scene kept shining a bright light on the reporters.

A reporter wearing a reflective vest, press pass, and helmet bearing the logo of CRHK, stepped forward to take a photo and was immediately pushed aside by the police.

A hole left in the backpack of a CRHK reporter that looks like it was hit by a sponge grenade. (CRHKs News)

The officer shouted, Arrest him! As the CRHK reporter ran backwards, a riot police officer with a gun immediately rushed up, raised his gun, and fired a shot at the reporters back, hitting the reporters backpack.

The reporters personal belongings in the backpack were smashed. The riot police pushed the reporters cell phone away and forcibly pulled down his gas mask..

The CRHK reporter said later that he heard a gunshot from behind and felt the impact on his backpack. He found that the backpack had been pierced, and the tear gas mask and other items in the backpack were destroyed. A sponge grenade was found at the scene. Fortunately, the reporter was not injured.

A sponge grenade is a non-lethal projectile shot from a 40 mm grenade launcher that can reach a target 135 feet away.

On the same day, CRHK issued a statement strongly condemning the dangerous and violent behavior of the police, asking them to conduct a complete investigation and explain the incident, and urging the authorities to restrain the police irregularities, ensure that journalists are not interfered with during normal interviews, and ensure the rights and safety of journalists.

No Supporting Video

CAPO replied that the officers involved had denied the allegations and there was no relevant video to support the allegations, so the incidents were classified as unsubstantiated.

The police officer involved claimed that he asked the reporter to leave many times but was ignored. Then the reporter touched the police officers hand and fled. Therefore, CAPO believed that the police chasing and firing sponge grenades was not unreasonable behavior.

Attitude of Chris Tang Ping-keung

In an interview in early 2020, Chris Tang Ping-keung, Secretary of Security of Hong Kong, who was the Commissioner of Police in 2019, agreed that the CRHK reporter who was hit by the sponge grenade was just doing his duty, and said that the police officer who fired the shot should be reprimanded.

However, when he was questioned by reporters about the results of this case, he said that he respected the findings of the investigation.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban looks on during the EU-Western Balkans leaders' meeting in Brussels on June 23, 2022. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)

Hungary Appeals for Time as EU Weighs Hefty Fund Freeze

BRUSSELSHungary needs time and is urging its European Union partners to be tolerant, the countrys justice minister said Tuesday, after the blocs executive branch recommended suspending billions of euros in funding over concerns about democratic backsliding and the possible mismanagement of EU money.

Justice Minister Judit Varga said that Hungary has proposed 17 measures which are capable of remedying all the concerns expressed by European Commission. EU Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn recommended over the weekend that 7.5 billion euros (dollars) from Hungarys EU funds be frozen.

Time is needed, because even if there are accelerated procedures to adopt laws and amend legislation, you need to set up new institutions. For that, you have to hire new personnel, Varga told reporters in Brussels. She said she expects Hungary to have until mid-November to show its on the right track.

The commission on Sunday took the unprecedented action of recommending that Hungarys 26 EU partners vote to suspend the payments to ensure the protection of the EU budget and the financial interests of the EU against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary.

The commissions fears focus on public procurementpurchases by the state of goods and services or for the execution of projects using EU fundsin particular that around half of the tender procedures have only involved one bidder.

Critics say the awarding of such contracts have allowed Prime Minister Viktor Orbans nationalist government to channel large sums of EU money into the businesses of politically connected insiders.

The commission also has serious concerns regarding the detection, prevention, and correction of conflicts of interest, and is reluctant to see EU money put into some public interest trusts which manage significant funds, notably in the area of education.

Despite the concerns, Hahn welcomed Hungarys offer to fix the problem, saying that its proposed remedial action goes in the right direction. EU member countries have one month to decide whether to freeze the funds, but can in exceptional circumstances extend that period to two months.

Varga called on Hungarys EU partners to be tolerant, to be positive, to be constructive and forward-looking because ultimately the main aim of the commissions so-called rule of law action is prevention not sanctioning.

There is no danger, she said.

EU lawmakers see it differently.

It is fatal that Viktor Orban can still avert these sanctions before the end of the year with a few pseudo-reforms, said German Green Daniel Freund, a lead lawmaker on the rule of law. A decisive stance is needed, not just a few improvements in Hungarian public procurement law.

In contrast, officials in Orbans government have depicted the commissions decision as a victory, and emphasized their commitment to carrying out reforms they believe will unlock the funds.

In a tweet Sunday, the premiers political director, Balazs Orban, called the decision good news. He wrote that Budapest will fulfill 100% of its commitments & submit the necessary bills to Parliament, so there will be no obstacles to close the discussions in 3 months and to receive EU funds.

By Lorne Cook
Douglas Jensen (C) speaks to U.S. Capitol Police officers inside the building in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Iowa Man Found Guilty on All Charges Related to Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

A 41-year-old Iowa man has been found guilty by a Washington jury late on Sept. 23 on all seven charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the Capitol building.

The seven counts that Douglas Jensen of Des Moines, Iowa, was found guilty of include five felonies. They are: obstruction of an official proceeding; assaulting, resisting, or impeding a law enforcement officer; obstructing a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon; and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon. The dangerous weapon was a knife in Jensens pocket.

The other two counts the jury determined Jensen was guilty of are misdemeanor offenses: disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

He is due to be sentenced on Dec. 16.

Jensen was reportedly a member of the group that chased U.S. Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman near the Senate Chamber.

He was first arrested in Des Moines on Jan. 8, 2021, and had pleaded not guilty to all counts related to the Jan. 6 breach.

Douglas Jensen is seen in a file mugshot. (Polk County Jail via AP)

Disobeyed Orders From Police Officer

Prosecutors said Jensen was among the first 10 people who breached the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after he had scaled the outer walls of the Capitol and climbed through a broken window to enter the building.

At the time, Jensen was at the front of a crowd that was advancing further into a building in the Capitol complex, and repeatedly refused to comply with a lone Capitol Police officer on the day, who had ordered Jensen to stop, put his hands up, and back up, prosecutors said.

The officer retreated and eventually reached a staircase where he turned and ran up the flight of stairs in an attempt to get to back up, while Jensen advanced along with the crowd. The crowd stopped advancing after reaching an area where several more Capitol Police officers were present.

Jensens attorney, Christopher Davis, said during the jury trial that began Sept. 20 that no evidence, including video footage of Jensen on the day, shows the Jan. 6 defendant engaging in any violence or property damage.

You will not see this man lay a hand on anyone, Davis said of Jensen.

A federal judge in July 2021 had ordered that Jensen be freed from jail pending trial, as he was not facing charges related to violence. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump nominee, said at the time that while Jensen clearly disobeyed the Capitol police officer, he was not accused of toppling any barricades, damaging any property, or fighting with anybody at the Capitol.

But at the start of September 2021, Jensen was ordered back to jail after he was caught using the internet, which violated one of the conditions of his release from jail.

Douglas Jensen stands with other protesters, facing Capitol police officers as they try to stop people from entering the Capitol building in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

On the day of the Capitol breach, Jensen donned a T-shirt that featured a large Q. Prosecutors said in a court document (pdf) that Jensen stated that he intentionally positioned himself to be among the first people inside the United States Capitol because he was wearing his Q t-shirt and he wanted to have his t-shirt seen on video so that Q could get the credit.'

The Q movement, commonly referred to as QAnon, started on 4chan and 8chan message boards. Posts attributed to an anonymous figure named Q often alluded to government efforts to suppress individual freedoms and advance globalist agendas.

The Q posts attracted attention from a growing number of people with varying interpretations of the posts. Some people began to claim and believe that the posts suggested that certain members of the worlds social, economic, and political elites have engaged in egregious crimes, including child sex trafficking, abuse, and cannibalism.

Another notion that people who attribute their beliefs to Q promulgate is that former President Donald Trump was or is secretly fighting certain elite figures during his time in the White House, and that a so-called Storm that involved mass arrests was coming.

In June 2021, in arguing for Jensen to be released on bond pending trial, Davis said in a court filing that his client became a victim of numerous conspiracy theories that were being fed to him over the internet by a number of very clever people.

Jensen had traveled to the Capitol to observe what he thought was going to be The Storm,' which Davis described as the moment all those with ideologies at odds with what he was hearing and reading on the internet were going to be arrested. Davis emphasized that Jensen went to observe.

[Jensen] was at the front of the crowd [on Jan. 6], but in no way leading anyone. He was in front of everyone for the now disclosed silly reason to get Q recognized for The Storm that was about to take place, Davis wrote in the court filing in June 2021.

Six months later, languishing in a DC Jail cell, locked down most of the time, he feels deceived, recognizing that he bought into a pack of lies, Davis wrote.

Amid widespread concerns related to election integrity, people demonstrate on the National Mall in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

On Jan. 6, 2021, lawmakers gathered for a joint session of Congress to count and certify the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election. It was temporarily interrupted when a sizable group of protesters entered the building and its surrounds. Outside were thousands of other mostly peaceful protesters who had gathered in Washington on the day to express concerns about election integrity.

A total of five deaths were recorded in the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021 incident. Of the deaths, Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt was determined to have died from homicide on Jan. 6, having been shot and killed by Lt. Michael L. Byrd, a Capitol Police officer.

Another death involved a woman in her 30s, Rosanne Boyland. The D.C. medical examiner ruled her death as an accident from a drug overdose. But video unsealed in December 2021 showed that Boyland was crushed and trampled when the crowd of protesters was pushed out of a tunnel in the Capitol building. She was then repeatedly struck by a police officer as she lay unconscious.

Another three people died of what were ultimately determined to be natural causes. One of them was Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick who died on Jan. 7; he was initially believed to have died due to injuries caused by protesters, but was ultimately determined to have died due to a stroke. The other two people were men in their 50s who died on Jan. 6 due to hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

As of September, more than 870 people have been dealt charges accusing them of having committed federal crimes on Jan. 6, 2021. About 400 of them have pleaded guilty. Juries have convicted eight Jan. 6 defendants after trials. None of the defendants who had jury trials was acquitted of any charges.

Tom Ozimek, Zachary Stieber, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Then-Arizona GOP senate candidate Kelli Ward concedes the primary in a speech to supporters at an election night event in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Aug. 28, 2018. (Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

Judge Dismisses Bid to Quash Jan. 6 Panel Subpoena of Arizona GOP Party Chairs Phone Records

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit to quash a subpoena issued by the House January 6 committee for the phone records of Arizona GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward.

U.S. District Court Judge Diane J. Humetewa, an Obama appointee, rejected Wards arguments that handing over the records would infringe her constitutional rights and violate medical privacy laws.

This comes after the committee earlier this year issued subpoenas to people with knowledge of efforts to send alternative Republican electors to Washington in support of then-President Donald Trump in the 2020 general elections.

In December 2020, Republican electors in seven states, including Arizona, cast alternative Electoral College votes for Trump. Ward has previously said that from their perspective, they represented the legitimately cast votes in those elections, which she said were marred by irregularities and allegations of fraud.

Ward and her husband were among 14 of 84 of these alternative electors who disputed the results of the general elections.

The committee investigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol sought Wards and her husbands phone records for the three months leading up to January 2021.

That three-month period is plainly relevant to its investigation into the causes of the January 6th attack. The Court therefore has little doubt concluding these records may aid the Select Committees valid legislative purpose, Humetewa said in her ruling (pdf).

Subpoena

T-Mobile contacted Wards medical practice on Jan. 25 to inform them that the House committee sent a subpoena for their phone records for the three-month period from Nov. 1, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021.

The committee requested information about, among other things, the name, address, email, contact information, authorized users, length of the service, device serial, and ID numbers associated with the account.

Additionally, the committee sought all call, message, IP, and data-connected detail records associated with Wards phone number, including all the same information about the phone numbers that communicated with Wards phone.

Ward pushed back on this, arguing that would violate their rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, as well as patient confidentiality and other related laws, but the judge dismissed those claims.

She argued that the committee was acting beyond its power. Lawyers for the committee sought to have Wards motion dismissed.

Humetewa, in her ruling, noted that the court had limited power in reviewing Congresss investigative power.

Although Congress has no enumerated investigative power, the Supreme Court has recognized that each house of Congress has the power to secure needed information to legislate, she wrote.

Congressional subpoenas, issued in furtherance of Congresss investigative power, must have a valid legislative purpose.  This means the subpoena must be related to, and in furtherance of, a legitimate task of the Congress such as pursuing a subject on which legislation could be had.'

The judge said that because the committees subpoena was in furtherance of its legislated purpose to investigate and report back on the events surrounding Jan. 6, 2021, it was allowed to issue the subpoena.

Ward Says Subpoena Is Overreach

The committee has sued to obtain testimony from a number of reluctant witnesses, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, attorney John Eastman, and Trump himself.

Ward has argued that the committee lacks legislative authority to carry out its investigations and describes it as a witch hunt targeting supporters of Trump who exercised their First Amendments rights to question the results of the 2020 general elections.

In her lawsuit, Ward had argued that it was public knowledge that Republicans sent a competing slate of electors from Arizona to Washington, D.C., and that no investigation is necessary to confirm this. Therefore, according to Ward, the committees subpoena was issued to harass her for exercising her First Amendment rights.

But the judge dismissed these arguments, citing and agreeing with a D.C. Circuit Court which had already ruled in another case that the committee has a valid legislative purpose.

Humetewa said the committee accords with its purpose to use the findings of its investigation to propose legislative measures.

Indeed, the Select Committees purpose is to issue a final report to the House containing such findings, conclusions, and recommendations for such changes in law, policy, procedures, rules, or regulations as the Committee may deem necessary,' she wrote.

The judges ruling stated that while Congress need only set a low bar to establish a valid purpose for the committee, that to impeach that committee Ward must overcome a formidable bar, which the ruling stated Ward did not.

Court documents reveal Wards attorneys filed a notice to appeal on Friday.
Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Traditionally, Lhasa is the seat of the Dalai Lama, the capital of Tibet and is the highest capital in the world. The Potala Palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India, in 1959. (Feng Li/Getty Images)

Lhasa Residents: Isolated for Over 40 Days, With No Income, We Cant Hold on Any Longer!

COVID-19 Lockdown Causes Mass Suffering in Tibetan Capital

Lhasa, the capital of western Chinas Tibetan region, is drawing worldwide attention after a recent COVID-19 flare-up. The citywith population estimates ranging from 300,000 to around 900,000has suffered chaotic pandemic management during a lockdown that has lasted over a month.

Local authorities closed off parts of the city and mass-tested residents under the zero-COVID policies of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) when the outbreak was first announced Aug. 8.

Even low-risk districts remain locked down, according to an official announcement on Sept. 20. The city reported five symptomatic and 58 asymptomatic cases, said CCP mouthpiece China Daily on Sept. 22.

We cant subsist any longer. Help the people of Tibet! Save the land of Tibet! read a post by a netizen using the name Renjian Xiaoxiaoxian, who is no longer found on Chinas social media platforms.

Long Lines of Night Transfer Buses

Zhang Qing (pseudonym) is a resident of Chengguan District, the seat of Lhasa municipal government. She told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times on Sept. 16 that she had been locked down in her companys living quarters since Aug. 2.

She said that all the people in the same residential compound were sent to isolation sites even if only one or two people tested positive for COVID-19.

The transfer buses came at 9.30 p.m. Our clients and many of my colleagues were taken away in these buses, Zhang said, the government staffers would call residents in the day, notifying them that someone tested positive for COVID, ordering them to pack, and telling them to wait for the buses at the compound gate.

In the evening, buses transferred large numbers of residents to makeshift hospitals or central isolation sites, where there is a shortage of food, water, and medicine. Some of the makeshift hospitals are unfinished apartment buildings or large parking lots, which lack proper sanitary facilities, as revealed by online posts and videos before they were removed.

Online footage obtained by The Epoch Times shows long lines of buses taking busloads of people with luggage away from residential areas. The publication was not able to verify the authenticity of the footage.

It is really horrible to see so many buses coming to take people away late at night, Zhang said. The buses would come every day, and in five or six days, the whole compound would be empty.

It is more torturous that people wait with panic at home, not knowing when it is their turn to be taken away and where they are heading, or how long they have to stay in those places, Zhang said.

Zhang told the publication that since Sept. 15, the new isolation facilities are tents, as all the established isolation facilities, including construction sites and schools, have been used up.

Lhasa City is 3,656 m (almost 2.5 miles) above sea level. The average temperature at night in September is 8 (about 46).

200,000 People Allegedly Locked Down

Authorities have isolated Lhasa residents who tested positive for COVID-19 alongside those who tested negative, causing the virus to spread quickly among those quarantined, residents told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times.

Now in Lhasa alone, 200,000 people have been infected [by COVID-19] and are locked down, said Ms. Zhao (pseudonym), who is a resident of Chengguan District.

She told the publication on Sept. 16 that, with the increasing number of infections, there arent enough isolation facilities, so the government has requisitioned schools, construction sites, unfinished apartments, and even tents, as makeshift isolation sites.

Ms. Liang (pseudonym) told the publication in an interview on Sept. 17 that she was isolated in a makeshift hospital in Liuwu village on the southwestern outskirts of Lhasa.

Screenshots of makeshift isolation sites in Lhasa. (The Epoch Times)

There are altogether four buildings used as isolation sites in our place, all tall buildings, over a dozen stories high, full of people, Liang said. She was taken to the isolation site together with other residents in her apartment building, in which one positive case was reported.

A friend of Zhaos came to Lhasa for sightseeing, but the whole tour group was locked down in a hostel.

All they have got is a box of flu medicines, and they are told to drink a certain quantity of water, a lot of water. They have to rely on their own immunity to recover, Zhao said. Her friend tested negative after seven days of isolation and was about to be released from the hostel when another tourist staying in the same room tested positive for COVID.

Then when they all tested negative for COVID-19, they were told that their hostel was in a high-risk area. They couldnt leave, Zhao said, The governments policies are just disgusting.

As of Sept. 19, state mouthpiece China News reported that 58,863 close contacts were released from centralized isolation and observation, while 66,675 were still under isolation.

Cant Hold On Any Longer

It has been over 40 days since the city was put in lockdown. Residents have no income, and many are running out of food. They receive few supplies from the government.

I have been locked down at home for over a month and cant go out, Lhasa resident Ms. Liu (pseudonym) told the publication on Sept. 17.

The whole city is in complete shutdown. Most of us low-income people are very sad. We have no income, no savings, and no money in our hands. Our life is very difficult. Some of us have to pay mortgages and car loans, but we have no money. We can barely survive, Liu said.

Zhao said that, for the past month, she and her neighbors shared the little vegetables they had and that they only ate one meal a day. The government said it had distributed vegetables to us. Well, we only received a bag of vegetables on Sept. 2, which had in it a dozen potatoes and a cucumber. This is for all the households on our floor! Zhao said angrily.

The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet on June 2, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

How is it possible to divide the vegetables among so many people? A potato for each one? Cutting the cucumber into pieces and giving one piece to each of us? Zhao said she felt helpless.

To save food, residents sleep during the day and eat only one simple meal a day, Zhao said. She said that their stock can only last for a week, even with one meal a day.

Ms. Dong also lives in Chengguan District. She said that the government has not allowed any delivery of food since Sept. 12.

The government officials have locked our company and locked us in, and then pasted a seal on our door. Who dares to tear down a seal pasted by the government? Dong said, I now just wish I can stay alive.

We have been locked down for over a month. We are worse alive than dead. There is no help from anywhere. There is no income, and we cannot pay our mortgages or loans. Prices of food are soaring, one netizen wrote on Chinese social media.

Netizens are banned from posting about the lockdown online and are warned by local authorities not to spread rumors, according to Mr. Li (pseudonym), a Lhasa resident, when speaking with the publication on Sept. 17.

Apparently it is the authorities that are spreading rumors, but they claim its us! Li said, The official news is all fake!

The Epoch Times reached out to the pandemic prevention and control centers of the Chengguan District, Lhasa municipal authorities, and Tibetan regional authorities for comment.

Gu Xiaohua, Xiao Lyusheng, Zhao Fenghua, Hong Ning, and Lin Cenxin contributed to the article.
Court documents say a driver charged with fatally striking an 18-year-old in North Dakota allegedly told investigators he purposely hit the teen with his SUV after they had a political argument. Cayler Ellingson was struck and killed following a street dance in McHenry early Sunday. The driver accused of striking Ellingson in an alley, 41-year-old Shannon Brandt, is charged in Foster County with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death. A probable cause affidavit says Brandt told investigators he had been drinking alcohol before striking Ellingson and thought the teen was calling people to do him harm after they argued and that he felt threatened. Brandt was released from jail Tuesday after posting $50,000 bond.
Fire crews respond to the scene of an explosion inside a building on Sept. 20, 2022, in Chicago. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

Man Who Was 1 of 8 Injured in Chicago Apartment Blast Dies

CHICAGOA man who was one of eight people injured in an explosion that tore through the top floor of a Chicago apartment building has died, and authorities have determined the blast resulted from an ignition of natural gas.

Chicago fire officials said Friday that the most seriously injured person had succumbed to injuries. The fire department did not release the name of that person, who had been taken to Loyola Medical Center after Tuesdays explosion.

The Cook County Medical Examiners office identified the dead man as Shabron Robinson, 29, of Chicago. Department spokeswoman Brittany Hill said Friday afternoon that an autopsy had not yet been performed on Robinson.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford told the Chicago Tribune that the blast victim had burns over 90 percent of his body and the department had learned Thursday that he had died.

The fire department said Friday its investigators have determined the source of the explosion to be the ignition of natural gas. But the cause of that ignition remains under investigation.

The local natural gas utility, Peoples Gas, said in a statement that its service at the apartment was working properly. The company added that the natural gas piping and appliances inside the building are the responsibility of building management and/or residents.

There remains no reason to believe any of our equipmentor any other part of our systemwas responsible for the incident, the utility said.

The explosion about 9 a.m. Tuesday tore through the top floor of the 36-unit, four-story apartment building in Chicagos South Austin neighborhood, leading to the structures partial collapse.

The explosion is believed to have originated in an apartment on an upper floor, destroying most of the buildings windows. City building inspectors stabilized the building Wednesday.

The buildings owner, Roman Viere, told the Chicago Tribune that at the time of the blast, 31 of the buildings 36 units were occupied.

Chicago police bomb squad and agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives also responded to the explosion.
A veiw of the Hume Weir at sunrise on February 23, 2007 in Albury, Australia. The Hume Weir is the largest dam on the River Murray. (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

NSW Seeks Water Delivery Exemption as Basin Deadline Looms

New South Waless (NSW) water minister has said that his state will not be able to meet its June 2024 deadline to deliver the water savings it had agreed to, and has instead called for an exemption.

Victorias water minister has also joined NSW in calling for an exemption following a review by the states productivity commission that said 2024 is not a realistic deadline for all aspects of the [Murray Darling] basin plan, reported The Guardian.

NSW has been working hard to achieve as much as possible by 2024, however the reality is more time and funding is needed to deliver the outcomes intended under the basin plan, NSW states water minister Kevin Anderson said.

I will be raising this issue at [next months] ministerial council where I will call for more time and flexibility and will be arguing strongly to represent the interest of regional communities in NSW.

This comes a day after federal Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, approved the first water resource plan from New South Wales. This plan states that NSW is responsible for 20 of the 33 Basin water resource plans, which were originally due to be in place in 2019.

Every other jurisdiction has accredited plans in place. Weve been waiting for NSW, who are responsible for the bulk of the water resource plans, Plibersek said in a statement.

However, states that fail to deliver the water by the legislated deadline may trigger buybacks of entitlement from the agricultural sector.

Buybacks would run the risk of collapsing food and fibre production in South Australia, Victoria, and southern NSW, Anderson said. This is why NSW has been calling for the basin plan to focus on outcomes, not numbers.

Meanwhile, the NSW Government is developing a Landholder Negotiation Framework to protect the interests of farmers and landholders impacted by increased river flows as a result of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

NSW water minister Kevin Anderson said that landholders rights need to be protected, starting with no compulsory acquisitions.

The framework is designed to put the interests of landholders front and centre and ensure all negotiations are open, transparent, fair and equitable, Anderson said.

Basin Plan Needs to be Reviewed

In 2017, the basin states and the federal government agreed to recover 605 gigalitres of water each year through 36 Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) projects across the southern connected Murray-Darling Basin.

NSW is responsible for 21 Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) projects.

But many projects have either not begun or been altered significantly such that the promised water to be delivered by NSW would not be achieved by the deadline.

For example, NSWs Better Baaka program, has proposed changes to the Menindee Lakes Sustainable Diversion Limits Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) project, and instead investigated options that might be supported by the community.

What I think we need to take into consideration here is the broader concept of water recovery and making our rivers healthy right across the basin, from the north right through to the south, Anderson said in an estimates hearing (pdf) on Sept. 2.

Im asking for the basin plan to be reviewed. I think that the volumetric number that was set 10 years ago doesnt reflect the environment that we are now in.

Currently, only seven of the 20 plans have been submitted by NSW.

The NSW government has had nearly 10 years to deliver on the Murray Darling Basin Plan and the commitments it signed up for, Plibersek said.

Additionally, under the plan, an additional 450 gigalitres of water is to be recovered through efficiency measures, which is also expected to be completed by 2024.

But only 2 gigalitres of water have been recovered under this measure.

Moreover, South Australias water minister Susan Close has urged Plibersek to take a hard stance against NSW.

If basin states are not able to meet their commitments, then Id urge the commonwealth to intervene to recover the remaining water through whatever means required, Close said.

In July, Plibersek admitted that delivering a key component to the Murray Darling Basin Plan before the 2024 deadline would be next to impossible.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is expected to produce a progress report on SDLAM projects in November.
Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III has said the group did not attack the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Real Story of Jan. 6/Epoch TV)

Oath Keepers File 11th-Hour Motion for New Trial Venue, Citing DC Bias

Four Oath Keepers and an associate accused of seditious conspiracy on Jan. 6, 2021, filed an emergency motion for a change of trial venue, citing new research that nearly 70 percent of Washington respondents hold a negative view of the Oath Keepers, much higher than those in three other federal court districts.

Attorneys for Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Thomas Caldwell, and Kelly Meggs filed the motion (pdf) on Sept. 23 before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta. They renewed an earlier recommendation to move the trial to the Eastern District of Virginia.

Mehta has repeatedly denied requests for a change of venue in the case. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Sept. 27 in Washington.

The latent bias in this jurisdiction is now supported by sworn written responses by a jury panel and the latest targeting of these defendants in the news and action by the Select Committee, reads the motion, which was filed by attorney David Fischer. The effect on D.C. has been profound and a jury, even if they honestly tried, could not be fair and impartial.

Negative News Coverage

The House Jan. 6 Select Committee published a highly misleading post on Twitter on Sept. 15 that included audio from the walkie-talkie app Zello. The post said the voices were those of the Oath Keepers, but incendiary remarks on the Jan. 6, 2021, recording came from other individuals in the public audio chat.

Mehta ruled that many of those remarks wont be allowed at trial.

President Joe Biden, in a recent speech, described the Jan. 6, 2021, protesters as a mob of insurrectionists who placed a dagger to the throat of our democracy.

The motion states that of the 151 juror candidates for the Sept. 27 Oath Keepers trial, 51 percent admitted under oath to having prejudgment bias. Nearly 30 of those candidates were stricken from the list before jury selection for a variety of reasons.

Defendants seek to avoid prejudgment bias where arguably, based on written responses, if you removed everyone who answered under oath that they were biased, plus everyone who reported knowing of the Oath Keepers, that would only leave about 41 arguably eligible jurors out of 151 based on sworn responses to an agreed-upon joint questionnaire issued by the court, the motion reads.

Two Oath Keepers inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The first Oath Keepers criminal trial is scheduled for Sept. 27, 2022. (U.S. DOJ/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Fischer said new survey research commissioned by defense attorneys shows substantial bias in Washington compared to the Middle District of FloridaOcala Division, the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the Eastern District of Virginia.

A total of 68 percent in Washington hold a negative view of the Oath Keepers, compared to 36 percent in Florida, 45 percent in North Carolina, and 51 percent in Virginia, the survey found. Those with no opinion included 25 percent in Washington, 53 percent in Florida, 48 percent in North Carolina, and 40 percent in Virginia.

The supplemental survey is the fourth recent study that alleged bias among potential jurors for Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach cases in Washington.

A study earlier submitted to Mehta by the Oath Keepers defense found that 72 percent of Washington respondents said they would be likely to find the defendants guilty, even when given the choice, It is too early to decide. The figure was 37 percent in Florida and 48 percent in North Carolina and Virginia.

Nearly 85 percent in Washington characterized the events of Jan. 6, 2021, as an insurrection, attack, or riot, compared to 40 percent in Florida, 52 percent in North Carolina, and 57 percent in Virginia, according to the survey.

More than 70 percent of Washington respondents said protesters who entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, planned in advance to do so. That opinion was held by 39 percent in Florida, 49 percent in North Carolina, and 48 percent in Virginia.

A total of 40 percent of Washington respondents said they believe all of the Jan. 6, 2021, events were racially motivated, compared to 11 percent in Florida and 20 percent in North Carolina and Virginia.

Taken together, the surveys show that a fair and impartial jury is not an option, according to the motion.
Some of the damage in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, caused by post tropical storm Fiona is shown in this handout photo provided by Wreckhouse Press on Sept. 24, 2022. (HO-Wreckhouse Press-Rosalyn Roy/The Canadian Press)

One Woman Rescued, Second Missing After Fiona Washes Homes to Sea: RCMP

Two women were swept out to sea after their residences collapsed from the destructive force of post-tropical storm Fiona, police in Newfoundland and Labrador said.

RCMP Cpl. Jolene Garland said the first woman was rescued by local residents in Port aux Basques and is believed to be fine after receiving medical attention.

The whereabouts of the second woman, who was swept into the Gulf of St. Lawrence under similar circumstances, is still unknown.

We have a report about another woman who was believed to be swept out into the ocean as her residence was damaged as wellapparently swept out from the basement, said Garland in an interview with The Canadian Press.

The media officer said the high winds and surging water levels are making it too risky for officers to conduct a search.

Its too dangerous for us to enter into a search for that woman at this point, she said. We cant substantiate her current location.

Both incidents were reported between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time, when a storm surge raised water levels at Port aux Basques to a record level. At the time, two peak gusts were recorded at 133 kilometres per hour, according to the weather office in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The town had declared a state of emergency earlier in the day.

In a Facebook Live broadcast in the morning, Brian Button, the mayor of Port aux Basques, pleaded with residents to stop roaming around the streets and to seek higher ground if their residences are at risk from the storm.

So anybody thats being told to leave their homes, you need to leave, Button said. There are no ifs, ands, or buts, you need to leave.

He warned that if they dont leave, the evacuation team will not be able to get them out of there when theres a need to.

A house can be replaced but you cant be, so you need to go and  weve already had houses and things that have been washed away, so we need you to go now, the mayor said.

Meanwhile, Nova Scotia officials updated in a briefing in the afternoon that the province has reached out to the federal government for military and disaster financial assistance.

This storm is on the magnitude or maybe larger than Dorian, and we know we will need [the assistance] now to help get power to connect it back up to everyone, said John Lohr, minister responsible for the Office of Emergency Management.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government stands ready to support the affected provinces with additional resources after he convened a meeting with the Incident Response Group on Hurricane Fiona in the morning.

Im thinking of everyone affected by Hurricane FionaI want you to know that were here for you, he said on Twitter.

Other Nova Scotia officials described the impact of Fiona that snapped power poles and trees, leaving three-quarters of their residents without power as of the afternoon.

Erica Fleck, assistant chief of emergency management at Halifax regional municipality, said 160 people were evacuated from two apartment buildings that were severely damaged. Halifax Mayor Mike Savage added that one of the buildings had its roof collapsed due to the storm.

Bob Robichaud, a warning preparedness meteorologist with the Canadian Hurricane Centre, said in the briefing that wind speeds are still strong in northern parts of the province as of this afternoon.

Were still seeing gusts into warning criteria, which is over 90 km/h in parts of northern mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, he said, adding that conditions should improve gradually but its still going to be fairly gusty in the evening.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, had said Fiona set an unofficial record for the lowest-ever barometric pressure for a tropical storm making landfall in Canada. The recorded pressure at Hart Island was 931.6 millibars.

The pressure of a storm is a very good indication of its intensityhow strong and intense the winds will be, said meteorologist Ian Hubbard. The deeper the pressure, the more intense its going to be.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
British Home Secretary Suella Braverman leaves Downing Street following the first cabinet meeting after Prime Minister Liz Truss took office, in London, on Sept. 7, 2022. (Carl Court/Getty Images)

Police Must Focus on Fighting Criminals, Not Symbolic Gestures: UK Home Secretary

The police should focus on fighting real crimes rather than making symbolic gestures, the UKs new home secretary has told police chiefs.

In an open letter dated Sept. 23, Suella Braverman said she was dismayed by the perceived deterioration of public confidence in the police and said that culture and standards in the police have to change, particularly in London.

The public have a right to expect that the police get the basics right: driving down anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime which can so easily rip through our communities, she wrote.

Police officers wear face masks as they patrol the city centre in Manchester, England, on Oct. 20, 2020. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Braverman noted that there is a perception that the police have had to spend too much time on symbolic gestures, than actually fighting criminals.

Drugs, vehicle theft, vandalism, and graffiti are not being treated seriously enough, she added.

She said this situation must change, and that initiatives on diversity and inclusion should not take precedence over common sense policing.

She said she expects the police to cut homicide, serious violence, and neighbourhood crime by 20 percent, in line with the pledge Prime Minister Liz Truss made during her campaign to become Conservative Party leader.

Get Back to Basics

In an article she wrote during the campaign, Truss said its now time for the police to get back to basics and spend their time investigating real crimesmurder, burglary, and serious violence, not Twitter rows and hurt feelings.

Truss said free speech would be protected in the code of practice governing so-called hate incidents.

Truss also promised that police and crime commissioners will have more powers to veto training that focuses on identity politics.

Earlier this year, it was reported that 30 police forces were among more than 100 public bodies that spent thousands of pounds on training programmes run by Stonewall, an LGBT charity.

More Interested in Being Woke

Last month, the conservative think tank Policy Exchange said in a report that British policing has lost its way, as the public believe that the police are more interested in being woke than solving crimes.

The report, written by former Metropolitan Police officer David Spencer, said police should avoid behaviour such as taking the knee, which can easily be interpreted by others as an expression of a partisan political view.

In August, Stephen Watson of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said that officers have ended up being involved in stuff which is just not a policing matter, and that it is undermining confidence in the forces.

In May, the UKs chief inspector Andy Cooke said officers should stay away from the different thoughts that people have and focus on serious criminality.

Owen Evans, Lily Zhou, and PA Media contributed to this report.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Chris Philp arrives at the Treasury office in central London on Sept. 7, 2022. (Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)

Politics of Envy Wont Deter UK Government as It Cuts Taxes to Spur Growth: Minister

The UK government will not worry about the politics of envy as it tries to spur economic growth with the biggest tax cuts in 50 years, a minister has said.

Prime Minister Liz Trusss new government on Friday unveiled the biggest package of tax cuts in half a century, which will cost 45 billion ($49 billion) annually, aimed at spurring growth in the UK economy.

Using more than 70 billion ($76 billion) of increased borrowing, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng cancelled a planned increase of corporation tax, abolished the top rate of income tax for the highest earners, brought forward a planned cut to the basic rate of income tax, and reduced stamp duty for homebuyers.

UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng visit Berkeley Modular, in Northfleet, England, on Sept. 23, 2022. (Dylan Martinez  WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The main opposition Labour Party said the tax cuts will only benefit the richest 1 percent and make the next generation worse off.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer wrote on Twitter: Tory casino economics is gambling the mortgages and finances of every family in the country.

Talking to supporters in Liverpool ahead of the partys annual conference, he said the Conservative Partys driving ideology is to make the rich richer and do nothing for working people.

His deputy Angela Rayner told the BBC that the governments approach of trickle-down economics is a dangerous gamble.

Cutting Taxes For Everybody

Chris Philp, chief secretary to the Treasury, dismissed the criticism as politics of envy.

He told Times Radio on Saturday: Were going to do whats right for the whole country. That means reducing taxes for everybody, low earners but also high earners.

Were going to do whats right, were going to get growth delivered. And were not going to worry about the politics of envy, or the optics of it.

Philp also said the tax-slashing programme is not a gamble, its a necessity.

His comments echoed Kwartengs, who told reporters on Friday: Its not a gamble. What is a gamble is thinking that you can keep raising taxes and getting prosperity, which was clearly not working.

Controversial Plan

The tax-cutting programme has been welcomed by business leaders, with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) calling it a turning point for our economy.

The Adam Smith Institute, a free market think tank, said it is incredibly encouraged to see so many pro-growth policies. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) also called it refreshing and a very encouraging start.

But the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) economic think tank has expressed reservations.

IFS director Paul Johnson said: The scale of these tax cuts, along with the slowing of the economy, means that unless something remarkable happens, were going to be on an unsustainable path in terms of borrowing and, at some point, were likely to have to have tax rises to offset some of these cuts, or some cuts in spending.

PA Media contributed to this report.
President Joe Biden participates in a conference call with the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, on Sept. 17, 2021. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

President Bidens Green Initiatives Empower China: Republican Lawmakers

President Joe Bidens decision to put off new tariffs on solar imports from Southeast Asian countries benefits China, according to Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)

Joe Bidens religious experience with the Green New Deal is that it actually empowers and helps those countries like China [and] Southeast Asia. Whenever youre just pouring out billions of dollars of American cash, of course these foreign countries are going to find ways to take advantage of it, Marshall said Sept. 23, in an interview with NTD news, The Epoch Times sister media.

According to the White Houses announcement on June 6, the tariff suspension applies to imports that supply about 80 percent of photovoltaic cells and modules used in the United States from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and will be effective for two years.

The move was made despite the ongoing probe launched by the Commerce Department to examine whether Chinese solar manufacturers had been improperly funneling parts through those four Asian countries.

The Epoch Times reached out to the White House for comment.

Threats

The lawmaker also sounded the alarm about the threats that the regime poses to America.

My biggest national security concerns about China come more from bioterrorism concerns, he said, pointing to the National Institutes of Healths funding of gain-of-function research in Wuhan where the virus was first reported at the end of 2019.

Weve lost over a million Americans from COVID, which is really gain-of-function research  and were continuing to do that, he stressed.

Ninety-five percent of the counterfeits that come in this country come through China. Ninety percent of the fentanyl coming in across our southern border is made in China, Marshall said.

The challenges include $500 billion of intellectual property stolen by the regime every year and the everyday cyber threats coming from the country.

[China is] absolutely the number one concern we have from a threat to America, he commented.

Pumping Up China

Marshalls opinion echoed that of Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who called the regime a number one adversary.

Theyre buying things all over the world, including in our country, land here, Tuberville said on the same day.

Weve got a lot of corporations that are pumping up China and giving them the opportunity to finance what they need to in their military to possibly one day go into Taiwan, the Alaskan lawmaker pointed out.

He singled out the fact that investment and advisory groups have worked to pour United States pensions, retirement, and investment funds into the Chinese economy.

Almost hundreds of billions of dollars of the militarys retirement funds [are] being invested in China stock, in propping up their economy, Tuberville underlined.

Tuberville further urged that America curb its dependence on China.

We just found out through this pandemic, we had better start becoming self-sufficient in this country. If we dont, were gonna regret it, Tuberville said.

The lawmaker hopes that more people take this issue seriously.

Because if at the end of the day, if they dont start making adjustments, theyre gonna be left out in the cold, our supply chain is going to really be affected, he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking to Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept. 16, 2022. (Sergei Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Putins Sudden Turning Point

Commentary

Russian President Vladimir Putin finally abandoned hope in mid-September that he could rebuild a bridge to the West.

With that realization, he committed Russia to the new anti-Western pact.

The turning point was the signal Putin received from the United Kingdom over the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. It had little to do with the military setbacks in the Ukraine war, for which he had already begun planning.

Russias new, harder-line, anti-Western policy was essential for building a new strategic bloc with China, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, and, de facto but integrally, NATO member Turkey.

This is the new Warsaw Pact. It signaled that the Russian bid to regain control of Central Asiawhich Russia had controlled from the late 19th century until 1991was now also in full swing. It also meant that the U.S. plan to revive the Iran nuclear deal was, in reality, dead.

Moscow has now walked away from any thought that it could negotiate with the two countries at the core of its problems: the United States and the United Kingdom. On its first day in office on Jan. 20, 2021, the Biden administration had already committed to an irrevocable policy of alienatingand possibly breaking upRussia, so Putins hopes were probably always in vain.

Then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also committed fully to the Biden agenda toward Russia. Putin hoped that the incoming UK Prime Minister Liz Truss could soften the Johnson stance.

Significantly, Putin had pushed one final endeavor to open a strategic dialogue with the UK on Sept. 8. He sent a warm statement of condolence to the family of Queen Elizabeth II, who died that day, and paid unqualified tribute to the late queen. The communique implied a clear call for an equally humane response from the UK.

Members of the public mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth II with flowers and candles outside the British Consulate General in Hong Kong on Sept. 19, 2022. (Sung Pi-lung/The Epoch Times)

The desired British response didnt come. Moreover, when the British Crown and government issued invitations to foreign heads-of-state to attend Queen Elizabeths state funeral on Sept. 19, Russia was explicitly excluded, one of the few states to be singled out. Even North Korea received an invitation, and China, albeit not at the head-of-state level.

Putins gesture had been rejected with venom. The UK wouldnt be split from the United States in its strenuous proxy war through Ukraine, against Russia.

Within a week, Putin had clearly resigned himself to the reality that the future of Russia was never likelyin the foreseeable futureto include any degree of economic integration with the West. He then used the opportunity of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept. 1516 to cement the new, anti-Western bloc, and with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to begin gradually prying India away from its close relationship with the United States and the Quad alliance (India, Japan, the United States, and Australia), which had been designed to contain China.

By Sept. 15, when Putin met with Xi at the SCO summit, China and Russia significantly strengthened the interpretation of their mutual cooperation treaty, with the statement that both countries would support each others core interests. Beijing would support Moscow on Ukraine; Moscow would support Beijing on Taiwan. This was a major hardening of the new bloc and a sign that Russia wouldnt compromise on its determination to retain its gains in Ukraine.

Teenagers cross a street in front of destroyed buildings amid Russias invasion of Ukraine, in the town of Borodianka, in Kyiv region, Ukraine, on Aug. 26, 2022. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters)

Events surrounding the RussiaUkraine war had already seen Russia pushed by the United States, and particularly the UK, into isolation that forced Moscow into an inevitable and growing interdependence on China. The ever-increasing political, economic, and resource costs of the RussiaUkraine war have also meant that Putin faced hard choices and the prospect that the negative aspects of the war would soon have a significant impact on his governance.

On Sept. 15, Putin sent his own message back to the UK by causing Russian state TV to run movie footage allegedly showing a young Queen Elizabeth throwing food to the children of the enslaved people in Africa, and indicating that the queen was racist. The footage, however, was fake and filmed in French Indo-China by the famous Lumiere brothers in 1899 or 1900, decades before the queen was even born. It actually showed a woman tossing coins to children.

It was meant to be the kind of reactive insult from which there was no going back. London got the point. It lost, without caring, a strategic opportunity.

On Sept. 21, Putin announced a partial military mobilization in Russia, reportedly activating 300,000 reserve troops for the Ukraine war. He said that he wasnt at this time considering introducing military conscription. At the same time, he committed extra funds to increase Russian defense-related production. Russian armor and aircraft producers had, in fact, been delivering significant new stocks of Su-35 fighters, T-90 main battle tanks, and other materiel in September.

Media reporting in the West, Ukraine, and Russia cant be relied upon for a long-term view of events. History demonstrates that Russia, after accepting an adversarys thrusts, regroups and relies on significant geographic, human, and resource depth to respond. Stalin, the ultimate Marxist-globalist, when facing the German Operation Barbarossas 3 million invading troops in 1941, fell back in disarray before appealing to Russian nationalism, abandoning the globalist Soviet ideology until Germany was defeated.

Russia has far greater strategic depth than Ukraine.

Xi, as he saw China under growing threat after 2012, has revived nationalism as a motivating force for the Chinese Communist Party.

History is the best intelligence.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
13+ | 5h 56min | Documentary | March 28, 2010

Even before the Uyghur genocide currently underway, Xinjiang was the site of terrible human suffering. On Dec. 8, 1994, 323 people died when fire broke out in the crowded Friendship Hall, where school children were entertaining visiting officials.

The citys Communist Party cadres escaped with only minimal injuries, but 288 children died. In contrast to recent Party crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, roughly 80 percent of those victims were Mandarin-speaking Han.

Since then, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has heavily censored news of the incident and vigorously cracked down on protests. However, Xu Xin fully documented the tragic events and the Partys efforts to whitewash the resulting suffering, in his nearly six-hour documentary Karamay.

The city of Karamay in Xinjiang was founded to service the nearby oil fields. Ever since, the local Party officials often hold dual positions in the city government and in the state petroleum company. As a result, they were doubly privileged.

The Friendship Hall (ironically, built with money from the USSR, before the Sino-Soviet split) had recently been renovated, naturally by contractors closely linked to the Party. Groups of model students had been assembled there to perform for the city cadres and a group of visiting regional officials, but the assembly started two hours late, when the visibly drunken dignitaries finally arrived.

A parent featured in the documentary Karamay, which is about the disastrous fire that killed 288 children in China. (dGenerate Films)

A Preventable Tragedy

By that time, the heat of the stage lights ignited the highly combustible drop curtains. As the fire spread to the substandard ceiling material, the local cadres were ushered out, while the principal at the podium instructed the children to remain seated.

What followed was a horror story of preventable errors. The steel-shuttered doors to the hall were all closed and locked, except for one, which became unpassable as the panic ensued. Firefighters arrived without adequate material to mount any rescue operations, so they had to return to their station to resupply.

Kuang Li, the deputy secretary of Karamay, locked herself in the fireproof ladies room and Zhang Huatang, the vice chair of the Karamay Party Conference, did likewise in the mens facilities, where both refused to open up for anyone else.

In the aftermath, the Karamay cadres strong-armed parents to consent to funerals two days after the tragedy. They moved quickly to demolish the Friendship Hall, keeping only the facade for posterity. In subsequent weeks, whenever news reports mentioned the fire, it was only to admonish parents to be compliant and not make trouble.

An Indictment of the CCP

That all sounds bad, but the full ramifications were even worse, as Xu patiently reveals through extended interviews with the surviving parents. In long, unedited takes, he gets their testimony regarding the pain of losing a child and the CCPs unkept promises.

Parents who lost their children were living in the age of Chinas one-child policy. (dGenerate Films)

It is important to remember that this occurred while Chinas one-child policy was still in full effect. Although the Karamay parents were granted special dispensation for a replacement child, many were too old to conceive again by that time.

Regardless, their testimony is absolutely damning and painful to witness. These are not sound bites. Xu immerses the audience in their homes, letting them pour out their raw emotions in clearly unscripted monologues. He also incorporates all of the immediate news coverage and amateur film shot on the scene, much of which confirms the parents accounts.

The archival video is sometimes horrifying, but it is the plain-spoken indictments of the grief-stricken parents (and one survivor, who remains permanently scarred by her burns) that make Karamay such a threat to the CCP. The oral history that Xu assembles is just too consistent and too anguished to dismiss on any remotely reasonable pretext.

Arguably, Karamay is one of the most important documentaries ever produced. It directly compares with Claude Lanzmanns nine-and-a-half-hour Holocaust documentary Shoah in terms of length, scope, authority, and meticulousness. Yet, Lanzmann was documenting crimes that are now accepted by all people of good conscience, whereas Xu exposed an incident that the CCP is still actively covering up.

Many of the parents Xu interviewed in 2007 were indeed CCP members. Consequently, they often took pains to narrow their criticism very specifically to the local cadres. Nevertheless, when parents make statements like Without question, we have no legal tradition, just imperial orders and Only cadres can commit gross negligence or dereliction of duty, it is easy to see why the film is considered metaphorically radioactive in the Peoples Republic of China.

Admittedly, Xus documentary is an exhausting viewing experience because it is so quietly devastating. Streamers might need a few sittings to work through it, but it is worth the time commitment. It is a courageous expose of the CCPs moral rot and a heartfelt elegy to the victims of the Dec. 8 fire.

Very highly recommended, Karamay starts streaming on Sept. 26 on OVID.tv

A poster for Karamay about the disastrous fire that killed hundreds of children in China. (dGenerate Films)

Karamay

Documentary

Director: Xu Xin

Amazon: 13+

Running Time: 5 hours, 56 minutes

Release Date: March 28, 2010

Rated: 5 stars out of 5
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speak at the start of a meeting in his office on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Sept. 23, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

South Korea President Yoon Seeks More Canada Trade as China Looms Over Ottawa Visit

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says Canada is a natural match for boosting the production of electric vehicles, as both countries try to contain the risk of a more aggressive China.

On his one-day visit to Ottawa Friday, the president praised Canadas natural resources and research into artificial intelligence, saying they could complement his countrys work in digital technology and semiconductors.

If we co-operate in this area, (Koreas) digital and data technology and Canadas A.I. technology can work together, I think, and in synergy, Yoon said in Korean during a press conference on Parliament Hill.

Yoon already met this month with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the queens funeral in London and at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. From there, he had short flights for his one-day visits to Toronto and Ottawa.

But analysts said Yoons visit was more than a matter of convenience, noting it was his first formal bilateral visit since he took office in March.

Robert Huish, an international development professor at Dalhousie University, said Canadians often dont realize how deep their cultural and economic ties have been with South Korea for decades.

Canada sometimes forgets that it is a Pacific nation, and its very much committed to engaging in the South Korean market, said Huish, who researches security in the Korean Peninsula.

Going forward, there is a want to make that stronger.

Huish said planeloads of Nova Scotia seafood used to arrive in SouthKorea multiple times a week before the COVID-19 pandemic and a network of Canada-Korea friendship groups has fostered strong industrial links.

Canada is finding itself as a very strategic market to South Korea, from seafood exports to now getting into electric-vehicle components.

Both could be on the agenda next month when Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne will be among a delegation heading to Seoul.

Yoon also thanked Canada for its support in containing the threat posed by North Korea.

Canada recently deployed a frigate as part of an ongoing, multinational surveillance operation that tracks whether the Communist regime is trying to evade sanctions. That includes monitoring for ships transferring fuel or commodities.

Fridays meeting comes after months of anticipation for Canadas Indo-Pacific strategy, a document that industry groups hope will clarify which countries Ottawa wants to grow closer to, and which countries should be lower priorities due to trade barriers or human-rights concerns.

Countries like Britain and France have already published such documents, and the Liberals promised Canada would outline its Indo-Pacific strategy months ago. On Friday, Trudeau pointed out twice that South Korea is also working on its own strategy for the region.

Also Friday, Trudeau announced Canadas ambassador to China, a post that had been left vacant since last December.

He has tasked Jennifer May, a career diplomat with three decades of experience in foreign service, with advancing both trade and democratic values.

China is certainly a real challenging actor in the region, Trudeau said Friday. A nuanced approach that is looking out for the interests of Canadians, the interests of citizens across our democracies, is essential.

For too long, China and other autocracies have been able to play off neighbours and friends against each other, by offering bits of access to their market.

At multiple points in his visit, Yoon mentioned Canadas sacrifice in the Korean War, including after laying a wreath at the National War Memorial.

Earlier in the day, during a visit to Trudeaus office in the West Block, Yoon praised his policies and support for multiculturalism.

You are such an attractive leader; you brought unity to Canadian society, a translator for Yoon said in English.

By Dylan Robertson
Gov. Doug Burgums proposal for child care deserves serious consideration by the Legislature. Its in draft form so many of the details havent been made public.

Child care can be expensive and difficult to find in North Dakota. Burgum was right last week when announcing his plan that the lack of available and affordable child care contributes to workforce shortages.

For some low-wage earners it makes as much sense to stay home than go to work. In Burleigh County, the annual cost of care for a child up to 17 months of age averages $10,579 with a high of $13,138, according to Child Care Aware of North Dakota. As a child gets older the cost of care declines somewhat.

The state has an economic interest in helping create more child care at an affordable cost. Burgum argues it will help the state recruit and retain companies in the state.

The governor did release some details of the plan being developed. North Dakota would tap up to $80 million in state savings in the next two years under the bill. It 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.

Burgum outlined the proposal at a Fargo press conference with some Republican legislators in attendance to support it. Some Democratic-NPL lawmakers expressed support for it, noting that in the past Republicans have failed to support child care legislation.

At the moment the states financial reserves are strong and can handle the $80 million Burgum proposes to spend. Some conservative Republicans will question the sustainability of the plan. They also will remind their colleagues that the oil market can take some surprising downturns, putting the squeeze on state revenues.

However, the Tribune editorial board believes child care assistance is overdue. Burgum cited statistics to support the need for legislation. There are more than 64,000 children under the age of 5 in some 45,000 households across the state.

North Dakota has more than 800 licensed child care providers employing more than 6,000 people. But the providers cant keep up with the demand. Companies considering locating in the state often have child care high on their lists of needs.

The general outline of Burgums proposal seem sound. Legislators no doubt have ideas of their own and will want to tinker with the governor's plan. If members of both parties support it, there should be an opportunity to develop a workable compromise. There must be a way to make it sustainable.

Its time the Legislature acted on child care. Burgum is taking a good first step.
A People's Liberation Army member looks through binoculars during military exercises as Taiwan's frigate Lan Yang is seen in the background on Aug. 5, 2022. (Lin Jian/Xinhua via AP)

Taiwanese Academic Warns Australia About Beijings Dangerous Expansion

The recently assassinated former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe once said A Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency, and therefore an emergency for the JapanU.S. alliance. Australia should adopt the same stance now, according to a Taiwanese expert.

Dr. David Yeau-Tarn Lee called on Australia to play a stronger role in combating the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in his speech Democratization and Peace in the Taiwan Strait at the Culture Centre of Overseas Community Affairs Council in Sydney on Sept. 23.

Lee is an adjunct professor at the Graduate Institute of Development Studies of National Chengchi University (NCCU). He served as the vice president of NCCUs Academy of Social Sciences and the director of Taiwans Graduate Institute of National Development. His research topics include political thought, democracy, liberalism, democratization, human rights, and ecologism.

Dr. David Yeau-Tarn Lee giving a speech at the Culture Centre of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney on Sept. 23, 2022. (The Epoch Times)

Lees visit comes at a time when tensions are rising across the Taiwan Strait. Last month, the CCP launched live-fire military drills in the seas surrounding Taiwan, which was widely seen as a retaliation against the self-ruled island for U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) visit on Aug. 2.

Xiao Qian, the Chinese ambassador to Australia, said during an address to the Australian National Press Club on Aug. 10 that secessionists who sought to move Taiwan toward independence would be punished when the island was reunified with the mainland.

Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949 with its own military, democratically elected government, and constitution, despite the CCPs claim that it is a renegade province and must be united with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Australias Role in Combating CCP in Indo-Pacific

The Australian government has already realized the threat of the CCP and has been doing well in addressing it in recent years, Lee told The Epoch Times.

Recent events in the Solomon Islands have been a wake-up call for many in Australia with the Pacific islands nations leader Manasseh Sogavare signing a security pact with Beijing and allowing Chinese security forces to start training courses for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force. Sogavare has also delayed the countrys national elections.

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)

What a good relationship the Solomon Islands [used to] have with Australia! But no matter how good you treat it, the CCP would bribe [its officials], Lee said.

In addition to the government, there is also a stronger awareness of Beijings threat among the Australian people. According to a recent survey, one in 10 Australians believes China will attack Australia soon, while just one in 20 Taiwanese think that China will attack Taiwan soon.

In response to Beijings behavior in the Indo-Pacific, Australia formed AUKUS, a historical trilateral security partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom in 2021, in which the U.S. and U.K. governments will assist Australia with acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.

Australias awakening is like, the U.S. and the U.K., talking to Australia at the same time about its importance, Lee said, talking about AUKUS.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called out Beijing on Aug. 5 for its disproportionate and destabilizing live-fire drills near Taiwan and urged restraint and de-escalation in the area.

A Navy Force helicopter under the Eastern Theatre Command of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) takes part in military exercises in the waters around Taiwan on Aug. 8, 2022. (Eastern Theatre Command/Handout via Reuters)

Future Potentials of Australia-Taiwan Relations

Asked about what more Australia can do to support Taiwan, Lee said that other than retired politicians, incumbent Australian policymakers can also visit Taiwan, as their counterparts in the United States and Europe have already done.

Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who supported Taiwans joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) regional trade bloc, visited the island in 2021.

Lee also suggests that governments, including the United States and Australia, may have diplomatic relations with China and Taiwan at the same time, as the historical examples of South and North Korea and East and West Germany.

Australia currently doesnt have diplomatic relations with Taiwan and acknowledges Beijings One-China policy.

An H-6 bomber of the Chinese PLA Air Force flies near a Taiwan F-16 in this Feb. 10, 2020 handout photo provided by the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense. (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense/Handout via Reuters)

Threat of Autocratic Regimes

The conflicts between democracy and autocracy are inevitable for human beings, and they may eventually influence the whole world, Lee said.

There has never been a war between democracies, and the democratic system best respects individual freedom and human rights. However, countries in the process of democratization are also relatively less stable and are even more likely to wage wars to deflect internal pressure, he said.

If China can promote democratization and smoothly transform into a liberal democracy, a great revolution and a world war can be avoided; if democratization does not occur or democratic transformation does not go smoothly, the fourth great revolution or another world war may occur.

Lee said he believes that if a third world war ever happens, Australia will be heavily involved.

Itd be inevitable for Australia to face the consequence of [the CCPs] dangerous expansion, he said.

So I think Australia needs to awaken further, he said.

It plays an important role in the confrontation between liberal democracy and autocracy.
A warning from the past

NEW YORKPolish immigrant and Holocaust survivor Jan Karski (David Strathairn) may have thought of himself as an insignificant little man, but as Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski makes clear, he was far more.

Written by Clark Young and Derek Goldman, who also doubles as the director, this one-person show at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center examines Karskis experiences in the time leading up to and during World War II, and his attempts to tell of the horrors the Nazis inflicted upon the Jews of Europe.

Born into a Catholic family in Lodz, Poland, at the time a center of culture and politics, Karski (19142000) trained to be a diplomat, a career path drastically altered by the invasion of Poland in September of 1939. His life of order and protocol which, in an ironic twist, had once caused him to be invited to a rally in Germany where Hermann Goring was the speaker, was becoming one of suffering, captivity, and more than one daring escape.

Due to his diplomatic background, and because he was blessed with a photographic memory, Karski was recruited into the Polish underground to carry messages to the Polish government in exile, while reporting on everything he saw.

David Strathairn stars as Jan Karski in a one-man theater production of Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski. (Hollis King)

It is in this latter capacity that he is taken to a Jewish ghetto and later a death camp, in order to attest that he saw the Nazi atrocities with his own eyes. Yet, when presented with these reports, those with the ability to act on this information, failed to do so. Karski was haunted for the rest of his life by what he saw as the failure of his efforts.

Not For Naught

More than a story about one man trying to make a difference, the show points out how, too often, governments have no souls, something Karski would often tell his students during his 40 years as a professor at Georgetown University. In the same vein, the play stresses the importance of the individual and the responsibilities we all have to watch out for one another.

David Strathairn stars as Jan Karski in a one-man production of Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski. The show points at issues that seem to grow more out of control every day, and millions of people suffer because of them. (Rich Hein)

The show also carries a warning about the dangers of larger-than-life personalities and how easy it is to fall under their sway. Karski recalls how captivated he was by Gorings magnetism and how, at that instant, he wished he could have been born a German. For then he, too, would be a superior man, one with a place in Germanys new world order, an order which seemed, for at least that second, perfectly logical.

Some of the most poignant moments of Remember This occur at the very beginning when Strathairn talks about the continuing troubles of the world. There are issues that seem to grow more out of control every day, and millions of people suffer because of them.

One can literally hear the mournfulness in the actors voice as he speaks, leaving the audience to insert, with the bitter knowledge that comes from hindsight, the names of global hot spots to which the story about to unfold can apply.

The creative team take pains to put the personal elements of Karskis tale front and center, something Karski himself was loathe to do. He rarely spoke of his war experiences and only allowed his part in it to be told when tracked down by a documentary filmmaker.

A nice touch was the decision to balance the seriousness of the subject matter with moments of humor, as when Karski recalls first seeing the woman who would become his wife, and what happened later when he first tried to talk to her.

Strathairn gives a masterful performance, bringing forth both the quiet determination and resolve of the title character as someone exposed to unspeakable horrors yet bound by his mission and the diplomatic rule to observe and report objectively.

The only fault with the show is that it could easily have been expanded. Indeed, there is more information about Karski in the program notes than the show itself, although the play certainly succeeds in making one want to learn more about him.

Most telling of all is Karskis incredulity when he realizes that, despite everything he has been through, his efforts have come to naught. Those who ignored him may have seen their response as politically convenient, while others may have thought Karskis reports simply couldnt be true. Yet as the title demands, Remember This shows quite clearly how the best way for would-be conquerors to succeed is for those with the power to act against them to do nothing.

David Strathairn stars as Jan Karski in a one-man theater production of Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski. (Rich Hein)

Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski

Polonsky Shakespeare Center

Presented by Theatre for a New Audience

262 Ashland Pl., Brooklyn, New York

Tickets: tfana.org

Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes (no intermission)

Closes: Oct. 16, 2022
Trump Supporters Launching MAGA Inc. Super PAC Amid Mainstream Vilification

Allies of former President Donald Trump are creating a new super political action committee (PAC), MAGA Inc., that is expected to act as the key vehicle for his midterm spending on candidates he endorses.

The paperwork for the PAC was filed with the Federal Election Commission on Sept. 23. The PAC is designed to distribute collected funds to key races that could boost Trumps chances if he chooses once more to run for the White House. So far this year, Trump has only spent minimal amounts on Republican candidates. Trumps existing Save America PAC reportedly has roughly $100 million in cash reserves, which might potentially be transferred to MAGA Inc., according to Politico.

Save America has restrictions on the amount of money it can spend on political activitiesa limitation that does not apply to MAGA Inc.

Democrats have so far raised more funds than Republicans as the election campaign stretches into the final legs, according to AP. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has asked GOP candidates to request Trump for financial support for their races.

President Trump is committed to saving America, and Make America Great Again, Inc. will ensure that is achieved at the ballot box in November and beyond, said Taylor Budowich, who will serve as the groups executive director, according to Politico.

Tony Fabrizio, who worked on Trumps 2016 and 2020 campaigns, is expected to oversee polling at MAGA Inc. Chris LaCivita, who ran a pro-Trump super PAC during the 2020 presidential election, will act as the chief strategist. Meredith ORourke will run the finance team.

Vilification of MAGA

The establishment of the new MAGA Inc. super PAC comes as President Joe Biden has attacked the term in recent months. In a Sept. 1 address, Biden said MAGA Republicans hold an extreme ideology and said that they threaten the very foundations of our republic.

On Sept. 18, an 18-year-old teenager was murdered by a man who said the young man belonged to a Republican extremist group.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Adam Hardage, a disabled veteran and small business owner, warned that there is a coordinated weaponization of federal agencies aimed at destroying the MAGA movement.

Frankly, its unbelievable where we are. It is very dangerous language for a sitting president to vilify half of the American population. The statements he is making are very inciteful and irresponsible. It was the most inciteful and dangerous political event Ive seen in my 47 years. I dont know how else to phrase it, Hardage said.

Now that the Biden administration has called MAGA Republicans a threat to democracy and is marshaling federal law enforcement to focus on them, a new type of submerged voters has been created that is harder to poll or even estimate, Robert C. Cahaly, chief pollster at The Trafalgar Group, said in a Sept. 17 tweet.

Such submerged voters dont answer polls, post their opinions, or post stickers on their cars. The 2022 Republican turnout will likely be higher than any of the polls or models are showing, he said.
By Emma Patch

From Kiplingers Personal Finance

Want a vacation for the whole family that doesnt bust your budget? Consider a trip to a national park.

National parks stretch from Denali National Park in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida, and from Acadia in Maine to Haleakala in Hawaii. Nearly every national park, nearly every day, has free ranger-led programs. They include everything from arts and crafts and living history presentations to lessons in campfire cooking, musket fire, canoeing, paddling or snowshoeing, depending on the park and time of year. Families with young children can also take advantage of the junior ranger programs in almost every national park.

Of the 423 U.S. national parks, only about 100 have an entrance fee (typically about $15 to $30). All passes are good not only for the passholders but also for everyone traveling with them; you only need one pass per vehicle when visiting a park. Children younger than 15 are admitted free, and fourth graders get an Every Kid Outdoors Pass, which grants them and their families free access to all of the National Parks.

If you are planning to visit a few national parks with fees, you can purchase an America the Beautiful Pass, which grants access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, for $80 per year. If youre 62 or older, you can also buy a lifetime senior pass for $80. Active-duty military, military veterans and people with permanent disabilities can get free lifetime passes.

Planning ahead is crucial to secure reservations at campgrounds. One workaround you might try if all campsites are booked up: Visit WanderingLabs.com, a platform that lists campsite cancelations.

Use NPS.gov and its trip-planning tools, or make an effort to speak with a park ranger and ask for advice ahead of your trip, says Wesley Trimble, communications director of the American Hiking Society. Try calling the park youre planning to visit to speak with one; youll find the phone number for each park at NPS.gov.

Value trip? Acadia National Park along the coast of Maine. The 47,000-acre park has sand beaches, rocky shores, granite peaks and huge expanses of forest. Besides hiking on the 150 miles of trails, families enjoy drives along Park Loop Road and visits to Sand Beach. For an activity a little more off the beaten path, consider a scenic harbor cruise run by the Isle Au Haut boat service.

Make campsite reservations for Acadia at Recreation.gov well in advance or try Wandering Labs or HipCamp for more options.

The current fee per vehicle at Acadia is $30, valid for seven days from the purchase date. Average round-trip airfare within the United States to Bangor, Maine, which is about an hour from the park, is $334 this fall and $459 next spring, says Hayley Berg, economist for the travel app Hopper. The average hotel rate near the park is $152 per night this fall and will be about $135 next spring, Berg says.

Families looking to make the most of a visit to Acadia at affordable prices should consider a trip in the early fall when crowds disperse. Peak leaf-peeping season is sometimes as early as late September, but it typically arrives the first couple of weeks of October.

(Emma Patch is a staff writer at Kiplingers Personal Finance magazine. For more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com.)

2022 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Epoch Times Copyright  2022 The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.
US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo (L) listens as US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden, CEOs, and labor leaders regarding the Chips Act, in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next to the White House, in Washington, DC, on July 25, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

USChina Strategic Rivalry Escalates Over Chips, Foreign Businesses Caution Investing in China

The United States has ramped up efforts to deny China access to advanced semiconductors and chipmaking technologies, thus, escalating the U.S.China strategic competition.

Following the passage of the U.S. CHIPS Act, on Sept. 6, the U.S. Department of Commerce released its Strategy for the CHIPS for America Fund (pdf), a $50 billion investment to catalyze long-term growth in the domestic semiconductor industry in support of the U.S. national and economic security.

In the White House press briefing on Sept. 6, U.S. Secretary of Commence Gina Raimondo highlighted that technology companies that receive funds from the CHIPS program are not allowed to build leading-edge or advanced technology facilities in China for ten years. These guardrails further limit China from obtaining cutting-edge technologies from the chipmakers.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo speaks about semiconductor chips subsidies during a press briefing at the White House in Washington on Sept. 6, 2022. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

The U.S. efforts to restrict Chinese access to advanced semiconductor technologies started with the Trump administration sanctioning Chinese telecom giant Huawei out of concern for U.S. national security.

U.S. Sanctions Significantly Slowed Chinas High-Tech Industry

Huaweis financial report for the first half of 2022 showed its net profit margin plummeted from 9.8 percent to 5.0 percent, indicating a significant drop in net income.

The companys founder Ren Zhengfei reportedly told employees in late August to brace for survival amid the grim global economic outlook in a leaked internal memo.

The next ten years will come down as a painful period in history, as the world economy goes into recession  Huawei needs to tone down on any over-optimistic forecast and make survival its most important creed in the next three years, Ren wrote in the leaked memo, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei speaks during a press briefing in Taiyuan, in Chinas northern Shanxi Province on Feb. 9, 2021. (Jessica Yang/AFP via Getty Images)

In May 2019, the United States placed Huawei on its entity sanctions list, preventing U.S. companies from supplying products to Huawei without permission from the U.S. Department of Commerce. As a result, Google ceased working with Huawei, and Huawei devices were denied access to Android updates.

In May 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce offered new regulations requiring that any chip produced using U.S. technology and equipment first be approved by the United States before it can be sold to Huawei.

Since China is incapable of producing advanced chips domestically, increased U.S. sanctions have created a bottleneck at outsourced chip factories for Huawei.

The shortage of chips has also impacted Huaweis growing auto component business.

In May 2021, Huaweis Executive Director Yu Chengdong said on the Chinese social platform WeChat that a 20 yuan (about $3) chip would now cost around 2,500 yuan (about $375) for Huawei to obtain.

A car needs nine such chips, and the price surge is too much [for the company] to accept, Yu said.

Corerain, a leading Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company, said on its website that Chinas chip R&D is now in a rapid development stage but still has a clear gap in manufacturing compared to the advanced foundries in the world.

Chip manufacturing requires high-end equipment such as photolithography, and China has insurmountable difficulties in [acquiring] equipment and materials, Corerain said in the report.

Washington Tightens The Reins

China has become the largest chip consumer in the world due to the size of its domestic electronics markets and being a global production base for entire industries.

To hinder its growth, Washington has ramped up its efforts to limit Beijings access to pioneering chip technology.

U.S.-based chipmakers NVIDIA Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) were reportedly told by Washington not to sell specific leading-edge chips to China (including Hong Kong) and Russia to reduce the likelihood of the technologies being used for weapons.

The logo on Nvidia headquarters in Santa Clara, CA. on May 10, 2018. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The U.S. government, on Aug. 26, imposed a new license requirement for the Companys A100 and forthcoming H100 integrated circuits to be exported to China and Russia, NVIDIA said in a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The ban was effective immediately.

The escalated chip tension reflects the deterioration in U.S.-China relations. As a result, an increasing number of U.S. companies operating in China have become more hesitant and cautious about further investing in China.

However, to counter the grim economic outlook, the Chinese regime reportedly published misleading foreign investment data to create an illusion of increased foreign capital inflow.

Chinese Data Displays False Market Sentiments

In August, the U.S.-China Business Council, a U.S.-based nonprofit, released its 2022 Member Survey (pdf). The report is based on responses from 117 member companies.

Most respondents are large, U.S.-headquartered multinational firms that have operated in China for more than 20 years.

The report revealed that over half of respondents paused, delayed, or canceled investment plans in China due to the countrys draconian COVID-19 response.

Similar market sentiment was also picked up by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (European Chamber), based on its 2022 Business Confidence Survey, released on June 20.

Increasing numbers of European businesses are putting China investments on hold and re-evaluating their positions in the market as they wait to see how long this uncertainty will continue, Bettina Schoen-Behanzin, the vice president of the European Chamber, said in the report.

She added that many are looking towards other destinations for future projects.

Despite both the U.S. and Europe showing considerably declined market sentiments in China, the data released by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Aug. 18 showed otherwise.

It showed the countrys actual use of foreign investment in the seven months of this year had increased 17.3 percent compared to the same period last year.

However, according to a Bloomberg analysis released on Sept. 6, Hong Kong was the source of 76 percent of Chinas claim of actually utilized foreign investment. The foreign capital first went to Hong Kong and was then re-directed into mainland China.

Moreover, 75 percent of the new investment went to the service sector rather than the high-end manufacturing sector as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had claimed.

The Chinese regime has long been accused of routinely providing false or misleading data.

Even domestically, Chinas National Bureau of Statistics in May identified at least 116 enterprises in three provinces involved in data violations.

Beijing offers incentives to foreign investments, and some people [in China] find ways to benefit from it. [They] transfer money overseas, transforming it into foreign capital and resending it back into the Chinese market. It is equivalent to laundering money, Frank Xie, John M. Olin Palmetto Chair Professor in Business at University Of South Carolina Aiken, told The Epoch Times.
Avril Haines, head of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), testifies during a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing about worldwide threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 14, 2021. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

US Intelligence Officials Resume National Security Risk Assessment of Documents Trump Kept at Home

U.S. intelligence officials have resumed a national security risk assessment of potential disclosure of documents former President Donald Trump kept at his home in Florida, a spokesperson with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has confirmed to The Epoch Times.

In consultation with the Department of Justice, ODNI is resuming the classification review of relevant materials and assessment of the potential risk to national security that would result from the disclosure of the relevant documents, the spokesperson said via email.

The ODNI declined to say why the risk assessment was paused.

U.S. authorities have been battling with Trump in court after FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in August and seized over 12,000 records, including approximately 100 with classified markings.

Trump asked for a special master to be inserted in the case and an order halting the ability of U.S. officials to analyze the records; U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, granted both requests

The Court hereby authorizes the appointment of a special master to review the seized property for personal items and documents and potentially privileged material subject to claims of attorney-client and/or executive privilege. Furthermore, in natural conjunction with that appointment, and consistent with the value and sequence of special master procedures, the Court also temporarily enjoins the Government from reviewing and using the seized materials for investigative purposes pending completion of the special masters review or further Court order, she wrote in an order on Sept. 5.

But she also made clear that her order did not apply to the risk assessment, which the ODNI announced in August.

This Order shall not impede the classification review and/or intelligence assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Cannon said.

Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers argued after the ruling that the order, as structured, did affect the risk assessment, claiming that the process cannot be readily segregated from the DOJ and FBI activities in connection with their ongoing criminal investigation into Trump.

The lawyers added that uncertainty regarding the bounds of the Courts order and its implications for the activities of the FBI has caused the Intelligence Community, in consultation with DOJ, to pause temporarily this critically important work.

The DOJ won a partial stay of Cannons order on Sept. 21 from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, which found that Cannon likely erred both in blocking U.S. officials from accessing the records marked classified for purposes of the Trump investigation and letting the special master, U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie, a Reagan appointee, review the same records.

That ruling enabled the government to resume using the records for the investigation and led to a new order from Cannon, which said that Dearie cannot review the records in question.
A man holds an iPhone 14 as Apple Inc.'s new models go on sale at an Apple store in Beijing on Sept. 16, 2022. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

US Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Apples Plan to Use Chinese Memory Chips

Some U.S. senators have urged the intelligence community to review the risks of a possible deal between Apple and a state-owned Chinese chipmaker, citing threats to privacy and national security.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Senate Intelligence Committee vice chairman, wrote to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines following reports that Apple Inc. was considering procuring NAND memory chips from the Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC).

Bloomberg first reported that Apple was testing sample NAND flash memory chips by YMTC and that the companies had been discussing the tie-up for months.

In the letter posted on Thursday, the senators said the potential deal would cause significant privacy and security vulnerabilities to the global chain, citing YMTCs ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

YMTC also appears to have strong ties to the PRCs military-civil fusion program, as shown through its investors and partnerships; its parent company, Tsinghua Unigroup, allegedly supplies the PRC military, they said, using Chinas official name, the Peoples Republic of China.

The letter says that any decision to partner with YMTC would affirm and reward the PRCs distortive and unfair trade practices, which undermine U.S. companies globally.

A partnership between Apple and YMTC would endanger this critical sector and risk nullifying efforts to support it, jeopardizing the health of chipmakers in the U.S. and allied countries and advancing Beijings goal of controlling the global semiconductor market, it states.

The lawmakers cited reports alleging that YMTC violated the U.S. foreign direct product restriction by supplying smartphone and electronic components to Huawei, the Chinese telecom equipment group.

They requested Haines to undertake a public analysis and review the risks that the YMTC-Apple partnership would pose to U.S. national and economic security, as well as YMTCs role in assisting other Chinese firms.

Meanwhile, Apple told the Financial Times that it was evaluating sourcing from YMTC for NAND chips to be used in some iPhones sold in China, but that the chips would not be used in phones sold outside of China.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Apple for comments.

If the partnership arrangement goes through, this will be the first time a Chinese company has joined Apples roster of suppliers of NAND flash memory, which already includes Samsung Electronics Co., SK Hynix, and Kioxia Holdings Corp.

Apple began exploring new suppliers for memory chips after Japan-based Kioxia Holdings Corpa key supplier of flash memory chips to Applereported a contamination at two of its manufacturing facilities, which it said will result in reduced production.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Vaccine Mandate Ruled Invalid for Police Association Members in New York

New York police officers have scored a big win in their fight against the citys COVID-19 vaccine mandate that cost some their jobs, with a New York Supreme Court judge ruling that the mandateas it applies to members of the Police Benevolent Association (PBA)is invalid and that fired cops must be given back their jobs.

Judge Lyle Frank said in the Sept. 23 ruling (pdf) that PBA members who lost their jobs for refusing the jab must be reinstated to the status they were as of the date of the wrongful action.

While its unclear how many PBA members lost their jobs due to the mandate, a City Hall spokesperson told CBS News that more than 1,750 city employees have been fired for refusing to get the shot.

Frank said in the ruling that a key reason why the mandate was illegal is because the city didnt collectively bargain with the PBA, which represents some 24,000 members of the New York Police Department.

While there were a multitude of cases where courts have ruled against challenges to vaccines being a condition of employment, in those instances, the city and the respective union collectively bargained to include the vaccination mandate as a new condition of employment, the judge said, adding that that was not the case here.

Improper Infringement

PBA President Patrick Lynch hailed the decision in a statement, calling the ruling a victory for the freedom of members to make their own medical decisions.

This decision confirms what we have said from the start: the vaccine mandate was an improper infringement on our members right to make personal medical decisions in consultation with their own health care professionals, Lynch said.

We will continue to fight to protect those rights, he added, saying that the PBAs fight against the mandate isnt finished, as city authorities filed an immediate notice of appeal, effectively putting the judges decision on ice.

It is at odds with every other court decision upholding the mandate as a condition of employment, a spokesperson for the New York City Law Department told CBS News.

The ruling was also praised by two New York City Fire Department (FDNY) union chiefsUniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro and Uniformed Fire Officers Association President James McCarthywho said in a statement on Sept. 23 that they would fight to win back firefighters jobs lost for refusing to get the vaccine.

It was only a matter of time before a common sense Judge concluded that the COVID-19 vaccination mandate was never a condition of employment, the two union heads wrote.

The union chiefs added that they will ask Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh to reinstate FDNY members who were fired or placed on unpaid leave for refusing the jab and for the members to receive back pay.

It wasnt immediately clear how soon the citys appeal would be heard, with enforcement of the Manhattan Supreme Courts decision remaining frozen for now.
Reports of precognition and other kinds of extrasensory perception are common around major events in human history, the ones that really resound through the collective psychetwo world wars, 9/11, natural disasters.

Oftentimes the visions foretelling the future disaster come in dreams; other times phenomena can manifest while the person is awake at the exact time the event occurs.

It seems soldiers were able to send telepathic messages from the battlefield to their loved ones during World War I.

French astronomer and author Camille Flammarion collected accounts during World War I of seemingly precognitive or telepathic phenomena. He wrote in his book Death and Its Mystery (1921): I received a great number of letters telling of telepathic transmissions sent from the battlefields.

One of the examples he gave was that of Madame D. She was worried about her husband away at war because she hadnt heard from him in a long time. She finally received a letter from him on Aug. 25, 1914, putting her mind at ease.

Later that day, at precisely 3 p.m., while she was listening to her sister play the piano, she suddenly stood up, uttered a terrible cry, and fainted. When revived, she said she had seen horrible slaughter on the battlefield and watched her husband fall dead.

As it turns out, her husband was killed at 3 p.m. on Aug. 25.

She collapsed with a vision of her husband dying on the battlefield at the precise time of his death.

Flammarion wrote: Objections might be raised. In the course of continuous warfare it is not surprising that a young woman who worshiped her husband should have feared for his safety. The worth of the facts related does not lie in this intuition, but in the precise coincidence of the day and of the hour with the moment of the catastrophe, a catastrophe which happened on the exact day when this poor woman had attained peace of mind.

The strength of the vision and shock also sets this case apart from vague dreams or intuitions, Flammarion said.

He had already written in the past about similar cases: One of them even indicated death on a date differing from that given by the army bureaus; a date which, when verified, was found to be exact. The official date was not.

It is common for people to feel the distress of a loved one at a distancethis is called simulpathity.

Dr. Bernard Beitman, a Yale-educated psychiatrist who studies coincidences, calls this kind of experience simulpathityfeeling the distress of a loved one at a distance. He started studying coincidences because of a personal simulpathity experience.

One day, he inexplicably felt himself choking. He wasnt eating anything at the time, there seemed to be no reason for the sensation. He later found out that at the exact time he felt himself choking, his father had died by choking. He has found many others with similar experiences.

In the days and weeks leading up to 9/11, many people reportedly had precognitive dreams or sensed a pending disaster.

A monument at the site of the World Trade Center towers.

On September 9, 2001, 29-year-old Andrew Bailey woke up screaming. He had a nightmare that the Grim Reaper had come for him.

Andrew always told me he would die before he was 30, his wife, Miosotys Fernandez, told the Birmingham Mail. Bailey died in the World Trade Center two days after his Grim Reaper dream.

When his wife later looked in his cupboard, she was shocked. All of his things were laid out in there, his wallet, credit cards, and watchitems he would normally have taken with him to work, she said. It was as if he knew he was leaving me that morning and never coming back.

Bonnie McEneaney, whose husband also died in the 9/11 attack, recalled a similar experience. She spoke to many other families affected by the attack and found precognition to have been a common experience. She published a book titled Messages: Signs, Visits and Premonitions from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11 about this phenomenon.

As September approached, her husband became tense and was sure he was going to die soon.

Her husband, Eamon McEneaney, had always told her he would die young, that he wouldnt survive long past the year 2000. In the weeks before 9/11, he was more tense, she said in an article she wrote for the Daily Mail. He talked about the possibility of another attack on the World Trade Center (the North Tower had been bombed in 1993).

He told her, Youd better start applying more discipline to the children because when Im gone youre going to have a hard time.

Taken singly, many of these things could be dismissed as coincidence or a side-effect of immense grief, but the fact that so many 9/11 families were experiencing similar phenomena made it all more difficult to dismiss, she wrote.

The American Society for Psychical Research is collecting accounts of dreams and premonitions about 9/11, though it has not yet published any findings.

Many people reported precognitive dreams about a mining disaster in Wales that killed more than 100 school children.

Rescue workers at the scene of the wrecked Pantglas Junior School at Aberfan, South Wales, where a coal tip collapsed killing more than 190 children and their teachers. (Keystone/Getty Images)

Inhabitants of the Welsh mining village of Aberfan attend the mass funeral for children and adults who perished when a landslide engulfed the junior school. (George Freston/Getty Images)

In the 1960s, British psychiatrist Dr. J.C. Barker collected accounts of dreams that seemed to predict the famous Aberfan disaster. A coal mine collapsed in the Welsh village of Aberfan, killing more than 100 school children.

Barker requested through the media that people contact him if they had dreamed about the disaster beforehand. He received 76 accounts, 24 of which he was able to corroborate.

In the dream, a woman saw an avalanche of coal tumbling down the mountain.

Rescue workers clearing debris and sludge on Oct. 22, 1966, near the wrecked Pantglas Junior School at Aberfan, South Wales, where a coal tip collapsed killing many children. (Keystone/Getty Images)

For example, the dream with the strongest evidence for precognition was that of a 47-year-old woman from Plymouth, England. In the dream, she saw an avalanche of coal tumbling down the mountain. She knew it was in Wales. At the bottom of the mountain was a boy who looked scared, but she saw that he was rescued. The boy stood near a rescue worker with a strange pointed hat.

After the disaster, a British newscast showed this boy and the same rescue worker with the unusual hat. Barker spoke to several of the womans acquaintances whom shed told about the dream before the mine collapsed. They confirmed she had told them the details before it happened.

A 17-year scientific study measured the telekinetic power of global consciousness during major events.

The Global Consciousness Project, led by Dr. Roger Nelson, set out in 1998 to test the hypothesis that heightened global emotion during major events has a physical impact. The ability to physically impact things with your mind is called telekinesis.

Heres how he tested global telekinetic power during worldwide events: Previous experiments at Princeton University had suggested that the human mind can have a physical impact on random number generators. These generators are like electronic coin flippers. Theres a 50 percent chance of either heads or tails. If a person focuses her mind on tails and tails come up 80 percent of the time (above what chance alone would dictate), it could mean her mind telekinetically made it happen. Thats a simplified illustration of how it works.

The idea of the Global Consciousness Project was to set up random number generators and, over the course of many years, see if they deviated from chance during major events. They did.

Nelson wrote in a Global Consciousness Project (GCP) blog post announcing the results last year: The result is a definite confirmation of the general hypothesis  that great events on the world stage which bring people together in shared thoughts and synchronized emotions will be correlated with changes in the behavior of our network of random sources.

We shouldnt blame ourselves if we intuitively know something bad will happen but we dont prevent it.

Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Julia Mossbridge studies precognitive dreams. She said that sometimes when she gives talks on the subject, someone in the audience who has lost a child will become upset and say, Youre saying I should have known or I could have known and I could have prevented it.

Thats not the case. The premonitions are often unclear and its understandable if people think their dreams are just dreams.

Do you know how bad memory is? Mossbridge said. Memory is already bad, but this is weaker than memory. This precognition stuff, most people are not even aware that they have some aspect of this. Its like blaming yourself if you cant run a four-minute mile.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Im really tired of:

- Governor Burgums meaningless proclamations of North Dakota becoming carbon neutral. Is he still indebted to his billion-dollar benefactor, Bill Gates?

- Senator Hoevens pontificating about carbon sequestration credits that will be harvested by large corporations to reduce corporate income taxes; there will be no climate effect.

- The Bismarck Tribunes ridiculous opinion climate cartoons (7/25; 8/5) and the Editorial Boards disgusting Editorial (7/9) attacking the U.S. Supreme Courts EPA decision (The Opinion page cartoon of July 8 displays the Tribunes disrespect for the Supreme Court). The Tribunes management/reporters blindly accept climate activists lies based on modeling with forced results rather than researching the real climate change causes -- Mother Nature (Solar, volcanic and oceanic activity).

- Bill Patries insulting/erroneous columns (3/24; 6/9; 8/18). Willfully blind? Mr. Patries one of many Democrats drinking the climate change Kool-Aid of presidential rejects, Al Gore and John Kerry (World ending 2030? NOT!) and not bothering with critical thinking/research. His June 9 column states that coal usage is disfiguring biological life without any substantiation. He owes the directors, management and employees of Rural Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperatives (Basin Electric Power, Minnkota Power, and Great River Energy) an apology. These cooperatives with their visionary directors spent billions of dollars on pollution control equipment that significantly reduces or eliminates real pollution (Sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide, mercury). These farmers and ranchers/business owners are exceptional stewards of the land. China is building coal plants with no pollution controls  period!

- Lillian Bachmeiers many nonsensical letters (8/31 the latest). She has documented her complete lack of knowledge of climate, capitalism and morality (the world is not all shades of gray; there is right and wrong) issues.

THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT MAN-MADE CARBON DIOXIDE INFLUENCES CLIMATE (Go to icecap.us for real studies)!

Time for a retiree nap!

Rod Kuhn, Bismarck
Ngozi "Erica" Nlewedim is an actress and commercial model from London, England. She received a scornful remark from fan who disagreed with her position on the current Nigeria political issue.

Erica took to her social media to encourage people to participate in politics because the people suffer the most as a consequence of their indifference.

Erica: "the advice to celebrities is to stay away from politics becos we are the one who will be used as scapegoats but we have been staying away and the situation has been getting worse so I am no longer staying away . Still making up my mind on who's the best job"

This statement got the attention of social media users which promted mixed remarks.

Gift Uba: "Still making up your mind abi you're looking for who'll pay you to support them. Join your colleagues in atiku camp"
One of Nigeria famous media personality, Ebuka, has been accused by one of his followers as a new member of the great illuminati.

The follower whose name is identified as Phemolino disclosed that he just learnt that Ebuka just joined the great illuminati. He therefore admonished Ebuka to have a rethink on his decision because to him fame doesn't last long.

His message reads: Phemolino1313: @ebuka we all know that you just got signed in unto the great illuminati controlled by likes of bill gates so no need giving us the HANDSIGN before we affirm it... Just know fame don't last long... 2pac got signed but got dropped , MJ got signed but got dropped and many more"

Nevertheless, Ebuka, upon getting the message, instantly reacted to it in a mild manner.

Ebuka said: " you mean i joined illuminati and I still haven't gotten my $100m welcome alert???"
The Federal Government is reported to be planning to sell off the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

According to Saturday Punch, the fresh move comes on the heels of stalled negotiations between the Federal Government and the National Union of Electricity Employees as the workers threaten to shut down the economy.

A reliable source who preferred anonymity in the news, disclosed that talks to resolve pending disputes between the workers and the Federal Government has hit the rocks, and was currently not yielding the desired results.

The Federal Government is quietly negotiating with buyers to sell the TCN. The process will be announced soon, the source added.

The workers were said to have, again, threatened to shut down the national grid over unmet demands by the Federal Government.

The Zonal Organising Secretary, North-West, NUEE, Comrade Dukat Ayuba, also told the press in Kaduna that although negotiation was still ongoing, the group would embark on a fresh strike.

He, however, described the privatisation process as a scam.

In his words, That was why we kicked against privitasing the distribution sector, because the investors dont have the capacity and expertise. As committed Nigerians, we advised the government against it. But the government was hellbent on doing so.

He said investors were still operating with obsolete equipment dating back to 35, 40, and 50 years.

He continued that one would expect that with their coming, they would replace the obsolete equipment but nothing had been done.

He lamented that the nation still generated 5,000 megawatts of electricity, saying that it was the same old 5,000 megawatts, with no benefit from privatisation.

Similarly, the General Secretary, NUEE, Joe Ajaero, who confirmed the finding, said no agreement had been reached.

No agreement yet. They are playing pranks. To compute the money they owe, they said their database is corrupted. Even the meeting of today has been put off, he said.
The Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo has lauded the National Automotive Design and Development Council for their efforts in promoting local contents and automobile industry in Nigeria.

Governor Soludo made this remark during a courtesy visit to Mr Jelani Aliyu, Director-General/CEO of the Council, which is a subsidiary under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce.

"I am a promoter, advocate for Made-In-Nigeria contents and already championing this cause by making Innoson Vehicle my official car," said Soludo.

Mr Governor mentioned that the drive and creativity he has seen in the past speaks of the great potential that exists in Nigeria. He advised on the continuous need to look inwards to see how the abundant potentials in the country can be harnessed and improved upon.

He assured of his support towards the automotive industry policy document which is being updated and would go live soon.

Governor Soludo also gave his assurances of unalloyed commitment to promoting the adoption of the policy to ensure that Nigerians and public officers patronize their local industry and Made-In-Nigeria cars are mainstreamed.

The Council made a presentation on progress recorded since inception in 2013, where they are right now and how Anambra have been pivotal in the drive towards the industrialization of the automotive industry.

The plan for Anambra industrial park is ready, some pre-work have started and the administrative office is 90 percent complete.

Few weeks from now, a proposal will be sent for the implementation of the Anambra Industrial Park Plan.

Anambra has been pivotal in the drive towards the industrialization of the automotive industry

On its part, Anambra Government is required to construct connecting roads, provide solar lights, construct drainage systems, conduct geo-contour and geo-technical survey on the land.

Governor Soludo during the meeting requested the Council to setup an Automotive Training Centre in the State. The DG in his response requested the State to make available one hectare of land for the training facility.

Governor Soludo promised to swing into action to ensure the Anambra Automotive Industrial Park becomes a reality in the nearest future.
Labour Party, LP, presidential election has hailed Nigerian youths who are currently holding a mass rally in Abuja, the nations capital.

Obi who is currently in Kano to visit the Emir, sent in a message o Facebook, saying the youths were exercising their constitutional rights and he appreciates them.

According to him:

From Kano, I am watching the #OBIdients gathered in Abuja and exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly.

I salute you all. I appreciate you all. God bless you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service has disclosed how its operatives seized 81,425 liters of Petroleum Motor Spirit at Badagry area of Lagos State in the early hours of Thursday.

The unit also said its officers were shot several times by the suspected smugglers in an attempt to smuggle the product out of the country.

This disclosure was contained in a statement by the unit who quoted the acting Customs Area Controller in charge of the unit, Deputy Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu.

Ejibunnu said that the PMS was parked in jerrycans and sacks, adding that the officers were attacked by the smugglers using Dane guns.

He further stated that the seizures were as a results of painstaking intelligence and perseverance on the part of officers of the unit who are committed to protecting the national economy.

When my men got there at exactly 1:30 pm, we were shot at with Dane guns. And you know that there is a difference between Dane guns, pump action guns and assault rifles like AK-47.

They fired their Dane guns a few times and ran away, and since it was their terrain, they knew all the nooks and crannies to use for escape. We took possession. I moved in with 18 Hilux vehicles loaded with officers who were armed to the teeth because I was ready and knew what could come up,' he said.

Ejibunu noted that the perpetrators of trans border fuel smuggling were saboteurs that must be stopped as they dont mean well for the country.

He lamented a situation where the Federal Government spends huge amount of money to subsidise fuel for the benefit of Nigerians only for a few persons to be smuggling the subsidised fuel out of Nigeria for selfish gains.

The seizure is a result of serious intelligence. We have been monitoring them since last week, and the information came to me that some people are using sacks to smuggle petroleum products out of Nigeria.

We put a close tab on them and their cup became full. What baffled me is the manner of loading, which I consider highly ingenious.

For someone to think that instead of carrying drums like the ones we intercepted a few days ago from Ayegun border where they brought in about 60 drums containing PMS about to be moved from Nigeria and hid them in a bush, it was where they went to secure trucks that we swooped on them.

The only difference in this new one is that they used sacks to conceal the product and put them close to a creek, from where they will be ferried out.

He continued, The implications to the economy are multifaceted. Firstly, our country subsidized petroleum products for us for our own use, yet some recalcitrant people who believe that that is the way they can always survive still believe it is to shortchange the nation as well. And it is criminal, because it is our collective patrimony, yet some people now believe that they can smuggle it to make gains.
Something weird is going on with American Airlines' in-flight announcement system. Multiple passengers say they've heard people making unusual moaning and grunting sounds, and the airline's explanation of what's going on seems to be bogus at best.

The weirdest flight ever. These sounds started over the intercom before takeoff and continued throughout the flight. They couldn't stop it, and after landing still had no idea what it was. pic.twitter.com/F8lJlZHJ63

From Waxy:

View from the Wing's Gary Leff asked American Airlines about the issue, and their official response is that it's a mechanical issue:

American Airlines inspected the Boeing 737-800 as well as the P.A. system itself after these reports. They tell me that maintenance "determined the sounds were caused by an issue with the PA amplifier. There was no external access to the system."

This explanation feels woefully incomplete to me. How can an amplifier malfunction broadcast a human voice without external access? This isn't audio feedback, it's clearly the vocalizations of a human.

Professional reverse engineer/hardware hacker/security analyst Andrew Tierney (aka Cybergibbons) dug up the Airbus 321 documents in this thread, and is stumped too.

"And on the A321 documents we have, the passenger announcement system and interphone even have their own handsets. Can't see how IFE or WiFi would bridge," Tierney wrote. "Also struggling to see how anyone could pull a prank like this."
Australian filmmaker leverages shark fear in latest Reef outing

Are any other fearsome creatures from the deep as universally feared as sharks? It seems wherever you go in the world you will always find someone that has such a fear of these creatures that they will never venture far into the water at the beach. Certainly cinema has played a big part in that with the master himself, Steven Spielberg, scaring the pants off swimmers and surfers forever with the cinematic classic Jaws.

World-Entertainment

By David Griffiths

Saturday 24 September 2022, 11:00AM

The Reef: Stalked. Image: IMDb

Well, if you thought now was the right time to head back into the water Australian filmmaker Andrew Traucki (Black Water) is about to reignite that fear with The Reef: Stalked.

Traucki himself is one of the most underrated filmmakers in the world he has been for perhaps the better half of the last two decades. His debut feature Black Water was a classic film that more people should know about and his follow up in the franchise more than a decade later with Black Water: Abyss once again should make a generation fear crocodiles.

Of course in-between those films Traucki also made the sensational The Reef which eerily mirrored a real case where scuba divers were left to fend for themselves after a tour boat operator forgot them, while his film The Jungle took a more supernatural feel but again used the elements around the characters to further the suspense and horror.

Now Traucki returns to The Reef franchise with a film that follows the events of what happens when Nic (Teressa Liane  The Vampire Diaries) is left shattered when her sister Cath (Bridget Burt  Camp Off) is murdered by her boyfriend Greg (Tim Ross  Wonderland).

Emotionally destroyed by the event, it is suggested to Nic by her friends that she should try to repair her life by going on the scuba diving holiday that they have always dreamed about. So Nic, her friends Lisa (Kate Lister  Clickbait) and Jodie (Ann Truong  Cowboy Bebop), and her sister Annie (Saskia Archer  Bali 2002) head off on a dream trip that soon becomes a nightmare due to a menacing shark.

As you can probably tell from the plot this is a pretty basic film but where it comes into its own is the realism that Andrew Traucki is able to generate through his filmmaking style. The key to his previous films, The Reef and Black Water, working has been that they make the audience feel like they are right there trapped with the victims in the film. Traucki does that by not allowing the horror overcome the general story at hand. He captures realism by showing every single emotion that the characters at hand are going through it is truly an art that many filmmakers could learn from.

The other thing that he does differently from other filmmakers is to use real footage whenever he can. If you think the shark in The Reef: Stalked looks real  that is because it is. Of course a fake shark has to be used for some of the shots but for the most part here Traucki is using actual footage of sharks which straight eliminates the audience laughing at the fakeness and once again brings in a realism that Hollywood just cannot fake.

The result is when you are watching an Andrew Traucki film you are always sitting on the edge of your seat. You can never feel totally comfortable because you simply never know what is going to happen next. There are times during The Reef: Stalked where as an audience you will feel that you are right there in the water with the characters on the screen and if you werent already terrified of sharks you will be by the time the end credits roll.

Credit must also be paid to this film tackling the issue of domestic violence as well. Often in surfing circles sharks are referred to as the grey man in a suit and the way the shark here menaces the female characters is exactly what Greg does to Cath early on in the film. The film also explores the emotional heartbreak that is left behind for relatives of the victim during domestic violence cases. Yes this is a shark thriller for an undercurrent that reveals something much more sinister.

Many will toss this film aside as just another shark horror but they shouldnt. The realism that the director manages to capture with this film takes it more into the thriller/suspense genre rather than horror and its hidden message is one that we can all learn from.

The Reef: Stalked is currently screening in Phuket and is rated 15.

3.5/5 Stars

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus
Chiang Mai Zoo refutes charges of neglect

CHIANG MAI: Chiang Mai Zoo has addressed accusations of neglect following posts to Twitter depicting animals and grounds at the zoo in what appeared to be a derelict state.

animalstourismenvironment

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 24 September 2022, 03:47PM

Photos of conditions at Chiang Mai Zoo, posted by a Twitter user on Thursday (Sept 22), led to questions about standards and maintenance. Photo via Bangkok Post

Photos of conditions at Chiang Mai Zoo, posted by a Twitter user on Thursday (Sept 22), led to questions about standards and maintenance. Photo via Bangkok Post

Photos of conditions at Chiang Mai Zoo, posted by a Twitter user on Thursday (Sept 22), led to questions about standards and maintenance. Photo via Bangkok Post

Zoo director Wuthichai Muangman and his staff held a news conference on Saturday (Sept 24) to respond to photos and messages posted on Thursday by a Twitter user with over 1.3 million followers. The name of the Twitter account was not given, reports Bangkok Post.

The posts prompted harsh criticism of the zoo as they showed some animals in an apparent malnourished state and habitats in disrepair.

Discussing a photo of an apparently underweight tiger vomiting into a polluted pond, Mr Wuthichai said the animal, named Khao Pun, currently weighs 38 kilogrammes, within the 30-40kg range appropriate for its age. Tigers are typically sleek creatures and may appear gaunt, he said.

Vomiting is normal behaviour for felines including tigers when they groom themselves and then cough up any fur, he added.

Addressing the pictures of the green pond, the zoo head pointed out the growth was green plankton, a normal occurrence in fresh water that does not signify rot or danger.

He also assured that other concerns were being addressed, including reports of bird carcasses, which have already been confirmed to be the offspring of migrating birds passing through the zoo. Officials had inspected the carcasses to check for diseases and had incinerated them

In response to comments that sections of the Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium were overly warm due to poor air conditioning, Mr Wuthichai said repairs had been commissioned to begin in October.

Any moss seen on fish tanks was normal as the zoo maintains the most natural environment possible for its aquatic animals, he added.
Phuket sees 4mn foreign tourists

PHUKET: Over four million visitors have arrived in Phuket in the first eight months of 2022, generating at least B66 billion for the resort island, according to Phuket Vice-Governor Pichet Panapong, says Bangkok Post in a report, published on Sept 24.

tourismeconomicstransport

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 24 September 2022, 09:45AM

Phuket is now seeing 3,000-5,000 foreign arrivals a day, or about 40% of the number prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, while the number of local tourists is at about 85% of pre-COVID levels, Mr Pichet said.

Indians dominate the figures with 120,000 visiting the province from May 1 to Sept 21, followed by Australians whose cumulative number over the same period is estimated at 60,000, reports Bangkok Post.

Mr Pichet said the provinces tourism industry is expected to pick up next month when the high season kicks off. A raft of cultural and festive activities will be held to stimulate the sector and support operators, he added.

He said the province is stepping up safety measures to guard against accidents and crime to boost tourist confidence.

"Phuket has witnessed a number of incidents  accidents, crimes and mishaps at tourist spots  and all the parties concerned are taking these issues seriously and are trying their best to address the problem," he said.

Lt Gen Wibul Bangthamai, a police officer at the headof a sub-committee on tourist safety, said the panel is gathering input from the tourism sector on how to ensure visitors are shielded from harm.

The government aims to welcome at least 10mn foreign arrivals this year. Phuket ranks among the countrys top destinations for international arrivals.

Before the pandemic struck it received 14.54mn tourists, local and foreign, and raked in B471bn in tourism revenue in 2018.

Not noted in the Bangkok Posts report is that Phuket Immigration keeps its own track of people passing through immigration procedures at Phuket International Airport.

According to the most recent Phuket Airport Immigration Daily Report, published earlier today (Sept 24), during the period from May 1 to Sept 23 the airport welcomed 524,784 foreign arrivals.

The top-10 source countries were:

India  120,142 arrivals;

Australia  52,897;

Singapore  46,899;

Malaysia  32,625;

UK  31,322;

Germany  19,359;

USA  16,898;

Russia  16,381;

Israel  14,362;

Thailand*  12,836.

China, which used to be the top foreigner market before COVID-19, now ranks 15th with 8,211 arrivals since May 1 to Sept 23.

Since July 1, 2021, when Thailand first began opening for foreign tourists with Phuket Sandbox project, Phuket Immigration recorded only 1mn foreign arrivals passing passport control at Phuket International Airport.

*Thai nationals returning to the country from abroad and passing immigration control at Phuket International Airport.
Water supply outages to affect areas in Mai Khao, Wichit

PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) has announced that the mains water supply will be shut off in parts of Mai Khao and Wichit on Tuesday (Sept 27).

Water-Supplyconstruction

By The Phuket News

Saturday 24 September 2022, 01:09PM

Water supply outages have been announced for Mai Khao and Wichit. Photo: PWA file photo

Announcing the outage in Mai Khao, the PWA said maintenance needs to be conducted at a pressure boosting point at the Airport Intersection.

As a result, a temporary water shut-off is expected at Phuket Airport Villa and Thalang Technical College from 9am until the works are completed.

The outage is tambon Wichit is due to HDPE pipe connection opposite Pullman Panwa Beach Resort in Sakdidet Rd.

The areas to be affected, from 10am until the works are completed, include Soi Boon Bandan, Soi Kob Koi, Soi Nakarat, Soi Utsaha, Soi Pracha Uthit, Soi Huai Mahan Uthit, Soi Ao Yon - Khao Khad, Soi Islam Phatthana Phuket School, as well as the Phuket Aquarium.

The water supply will flow slowly or stop completely, the PWA said. People are urged to collect any water they may require during the period beforehand.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused, the PWA added.

For more information, contact the Phuket PWA on 076-319173 or 1662.
The great Pharoah Sanders, a pioneering spiritual and avant-garde jazz saxophonist who first gained great acclaim in John Coltrane's 1960s bands, has died at age 81.

"If you're in the song, keep on playing," he said in a 2020 interview with The New Yorker.

Farrell Sanders was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, eventually moving to Oakland, California and then New York City where he played with Sun Ra who nicknamed him Pharoah.

From Pitchfork:


This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
ABBY BUTREMOVIC, Wheeler Volleyball, Sophomore; Butremovic had 23 digs as Wheeler beat Montville in three sets for its second victory of the season.

KATIE ANBARI, Stonington, Field Hockey, Sophomore; Anbari scored with 57 seconds remaining for the games only goal, lifting the Bears past East Lyme. Anbari leads the team in goals with four this season.

RACHEL FEDERICO, Westerly, Volleyball, Senior; Federico had nine kills, six digs and served for two aces in a win over Mt. Hope. Westerly was unbeaten in Division II through Sept. 24.

MYLES PRICE, Chariho Football, Senior, Price returned a lateral from teammate Collin Fitts on a punt return for the winning touchdown on the games final play to lift the Chargers over Coventry. Price ran about 25 yards across the width of the field after receiving the ball from Fitts.

Vote

View Results
Credit Suisse shares sank to a record low after the troubled lender started sounding out shareholders for cash.

The Swiss bank, which has been embroiled in scandals, is seeking to bolster its balance sheet.

Troubled: The Swiss bank, which has been embroiled in scandals, is seeking to bolster its balance sheet

Shares slid to an all-time low of 4.07 Swiss francs yesterday, a fall of 13.66 per cent.

Credit Suisse is reviewing options for its investment bank, which could involve splitting it up and selling the most profitable parts. One drastic option is to ditch most of its operations in the US.

Christian Schmidiger, an analyst at ZKB, said Credit Suisse needed up to an extra 3.7billion, adding that this would mean 'a significant dilution for the existing shareholders' as investors pump money in.

The bank's reputation has been battered by bruising scandals, including corporate spying and its investment in the collapsed Greensill Capital.
Powerful riposte: A sale would enable chief executive Nick Read to reduce the company's huge debt pile

Vodafone is looking to sell off a large stake in its 12billion phone masts division in what could be one of the biggest deals on the stock market this year.

A sale would enable chief executive Nick Read to reduce the company's huge debt pile, which stands at around 36billion.

It would also be a powerful riposte to activist investors who have been critical of his performance and want to see sweeping change at the FTSE100 giant.

Vodafone floated its masts business, Vantage Towers, last year on the Frankfurt stock market.

The most likely scenario is a 'co-control' deal under which it would sell half of its 82 per cent holding, probably to a private equity purchaser.

That would allow it to remove 2.2billion of Vantage's debt from its balance sheet and bring in more than 6billion in cash proceeds, according to analysts at City firm Bernstein. It could add 13.2p to the share price, currently 1.08, Bernstein said.

There is no timetable, but a deal could take place before the end of the year. Potential buyers include US buyout barons KKR, Global Infrastructure Partners and Swedish investment firm EQT.

Read has been streamlining his rambling global empire in order to focus on core European markets including the UK. He recently agreed the sale of the Hungarian business for 1.6billion and has previously sold off operations in Malta, Qatar and New Zealand.

Offloading a multi-billion pound stake in Vantage would dwarf those transactions. It could also help to placate Read's detractors, including activist investor Cevian, which believes he moves too slowly.

Another potential thorn in Read's side emerged last week when French billionaire Xavier Niel bought 2.5 per cent of Vodafone through one of his investment funds.

Read, who took the helm in 2018, has been under pressure to turn the tide after years of disappointing share price performance.

Initially he had hoped to merge Vantage with Deutsche Telekom's masts division, but the German operator ended up plumping for a deal with Canadian and US buyers.

As well as the Vantage Towers deal, there has been speculation of a merger between Vodafone's UK operations and mobile operator Three UK.

Read is understood to want to spin out the company's internet-of-things business and there are suggestions he could hive off the M-Pesa African mobile money service.
Adolf Wolfli (1864  1930) was a visionary artist from Bern, Switzerland. Here's a video compilation of his brilliantly intriciate drawings. I never tire of looking at his work. His drawings are mandala-esque, containing many images within images. Wolfli was one of the first people to be recognized as an "outsider artist". He spent a large portion of his life inside of a psychiatric hospital, where he made his drawings.

"At some point after his admission Wolfli began to draw. His first surviving works (a series of 50 pencil drawings) are dated from between 1904 and 1906." Every Monday morning Wolfli is given a new pencil and two large sheets of unprinted newsprint. The pencil is used up in two days; then he has to make do with the stubs he has saved or with whatever he can beg off someone else. He often writes with pieces only five to seven millimetres long and even with the broken-off points of lead, which he handles deftly, holding them between his fingernails. He carefully collects packing paper and any other paper he can get from the guards and patients in his area; otherwise he would run out of paper before the next Sunday night. At Christmas the house gives him a box of coloured pencils, which lasts him two or three weeks at the most (Wikipedia)."

From youtube: At the beginning of the twentieth century, Adolf Wolfli, a former farmhand and laborer, produced a monumental, 25,000-page illustrated narrative in Waldau, a mental asylum near Bern, Switzerland. Through a complex web of texts, drawings, collages and musical compositions, Wolfli constructed a new history of his childhood and a glorious future with its own personal mythology. The French Surrealist Andre Breton described his work as "one of the three or four most important oeuvres of the twentieth century."
Other speakers, including Commanding Gen. Gary Brito of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, highlighted racial and gender barriers broken in the past and present in military ranks. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown referenced the May 14 massacre at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue and described the African American Veterans Monument as a place of "hope and healing."

Williams said Higgins' remarks touched him deepest. As a retired firefighter and member of family steeped in both military and civil service, he reflected on how his family is another link in a long chain through history. He looks forward to his family buying several pavers to permanently add that history to the memorial floor.

"The words that were told today were very profound," he said. "To be honest with you, that's a part of healing."
Russia launched referendums on Friday aimed at annexing four occupied regions of Ukraine, drawing condemnation from Kyiv and Western nations who dismissed the votes as a sham and pledged not to recognise their results.

Ukrainian officials said people were banned from leaving some occupied areas until the four-day vote was over, armed groups were going into homes, and employees were threatened with the sack if they did not participate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a nightly address that the votes would be unequivocally condemned by the world, along with the mobilisation Russia began this week, including in Crimea and other areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia.

These are not just crimes against international law and Ukrainian law, these are crimes against specific people, against a nation, Zelenskiy said.

The votes on becoming part of Russia were hastily-organised after Ukraine recaptured large swathes of the northeast in a counter-offensive earlier this month.

With Russian President Vladimir Putin also announcing a military draft this week to enlist 300,000 troops to fight in Ukraine, the Kremlin appears to be trying to regain the upper hand in the grinding conflict since its Feb. 24 invasion.

Zelenskiy also addressed people in parts of Ukraine occupied by Russia, and said they should resist efforts to mobilise them to fight.

Hide from Russian mobilisation in any way you can. Avoid draft orders. Try to move to the territory of free Ukraine, he said, urging those who did end up in the Russian armed forces to sabotage, interfere and pass on intelligence to Ukraine.

By incorporating the four areas, Moscow could portray attacks to retake them as an attack on Russia itself  potentially using that to justify even a nuclear response.

Putin and other Russian officials have mentioned nuclear weapons as an option in extremis: a terrifying prospect in a war that has already killed tens of thousands of people, uprooted millions and pummelled the global economy.

Voting in the provinces of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the east and southeast, representing about 15% of Ukrainian territory, was due to run from Friday to Tuesday.

Today, the best thing for the people of Kherson would be not to open their doors, said Yuriy Sobolevsky, the displaced first deputy council chairman of Kherson region.

In the Donetsk region, the turnout on Friday was 23.6%, Tass cited a local official as saying. Over 20.5% of voters eligible to vote in the Zaporizhzhia region and 15% of those in the Kherson region voted on Friday, Russias Interfax news agency reported, citing local electoral officials.

In our view, thats enough for the first day of voting, the head of Khersons Russian-installed election commission, Marina Zakharova, was quoted as saying.

Polling stations were also set up in Moscow, for residents of those regions now living in Russia. Flag-waving government supporters attended rallies in Moscow and St. Petersburg in favour of the referendums and the war effort.

TOTAL VIOLATION

Serhiy Gaidai, Ukraines Luhansk governor, said that in the town of Starobilsk, the population was banned from leaving and people were being forced out of homes to vote.

In the town of Bilovodsk, a company director told employees voting was compulsory and anyone refusing to take part would be fired and their names given to security services, he added.
Canadian mining firm Trevali will close its Perkoa zinc mine in Burkina Faso, a company official told Reuters on Friday, following a flood at the mine in April that killed eight workers.

The miners drowned in the underground passages of the mine in Sanguie province after unexpected torrential rain during the West African countrys dry season.

The mine, one of Trevalis three main operating assets, has been closed since.

The funds still availableare insufficient to complete the rehabilitation of the mine, said Ditil Moussa Palenfo, country director of Nantou Mining, the Trevali entity that owns Perkoa.

Funds are barely sufficient to cover severance pay for terminated employees.

A court in Burkina Faso last week handed out suspended sentences to two executives after finding them guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the flood disaster.

That came just weeks after the company announced it was halting trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

SOURCE: REUTERS
For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Greenville News.
Hong Kong: 1st parent-child jab workshop held

Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung today attended the first parent-child workshop held by the Government to promote the importance of COVID-19 vaccination for children.

The workshop is part of the Government's series of promotion and education activities aimed at providing parents with a deeper understanding of why it is crucial for children to receive the COVID-19 jab.

The first parent-child workshop was conducted at a kindergarten in Ma On Shan where dozens of parents and their children took part in the event to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines through games and clarification provided by one expert.

Upon attending the workshop, Mrs Yeung said she hopes parents can listen to more views from the experts and never underestimate the threat of the coronavirus.

She pointed out that children aged six months or above can receive COVID-19 vaccination starting from last month. Up till now, the vaccination rate of children aged below three is about 16%.

She reiterated that, even though the number of confirmed cases has slightly subsided these days, children should get vaccinated early to reduce their risks of death, falling seriously ill or severe aftereffects should they unfortunately get infected.

The civil service chief also encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated as early as possible for good protection before winter approaches.

A further 19 parent-child workshops or student workshops will be conducted at various kindergartens from today to November.

Should other sponsoring bodies of kindergartens or nurseries have an interest in organising such workshops at their own location, they should contact the activitys secretariat by calling 2187 3090 during office hours.

Parents or guardians can make online appointments for their children to receive the Sinovac vaccine at community vaccination centres, designated Hospital Authority general out-patient clinics and private clinic COVID-19 vaccination stations.

They can also opt for making a reservation for free vaccination through more than 1,000 private doctors or clinics that participate in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.

This story has been published on: 2022-09-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
An 18-year-old arrested on a gun charge earlier this month faces another charge: trying to escape from the Buffalo Police Department's Northeast District station by trying to climb through a ceiling.

On the morning of Sept. 7, officers responded to a call on Ericson Avenue, near Bailey and East Delavan avenues, about an argument involving a man who was allegedly making threats, according to a police report.

When they arrived, a man started running. Officers chased and apprehended him about two blocks north, in a driveway on Proctor Avenue.

Officers found a loaded .22-caliber revolver in a garbage can in the backyard of that home, according to the police report.

Buffalo police officers arrested Tyshawn Askia at the scene.

While held at the Bailey Avenue police station, a handcuffed Askia broke free from the bench to which his handcuffs were attached. After he tried exiting through a locked door, Askia stacked chairs and tried to get out through the ceiling, according to police.

The episode was captured on video.

Askia has been charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree escape, third- and fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree harassment, according to court records.

He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Buffalo City Court on Sept. 8, when bail was set at $25,000 cash, $25,000 bail bond and $25,000 partially secured surety bond.

On Sept. 13, he was ordered released on his own recognizance.

His release happened because prosecutors were unable to run a felony hearing because Buffalo police officers were unavailable to testify, the Erie County District Attorney's Office said.
The first weekend of autumn has arrived and, once again, we warn locals that the crime situation typically escalates as the year comes to a close.

Accordingly, we focus on local law enforcement updates, allegations and footage from recent reports.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

One person in critical condition after shooting in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One person is in critical condition after a shooting in the 4800 block of Independence Avenue early Friday morning. Police were called to a nearby Express Stop at about 4:13 a.m. and found a victim suffering from several gunshot wounds there.

Kansas City man convicted for shooting, killing woman with 3 children inside home KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City, Missouri, man was convicted Friday for shooting and killing a woman inside a home while her three children were inside. Dmarius M. Bozeman, 34, was convicted on eight charges related to the incident that left Khasheme Strother dead. A second adult, Raymond Hill, also died in the incident.

Surveillance video shows suspects running from scene after smashing a truck into a Kansas City-area coffee shop The community has stepped up to support a Kansas City, Missouri coffee shop after a devastating blow Tuesday night.Cameras inside Anchor Island Coffee Shop off 41st Street and Troost Avenue were rolling as two cars collided in the nearby intersection, sending a small truck careening through the front of the store.

Kansas City police release photos of suspects in attack of store clerk KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Months after two people allegedly attacked and injured a store clerk, Kansas City police hope someone will help them find the people involved. Officers were called to Royal Liquor at 801 Southwest Blvd. on March 11. The assault happened around 8:30 p.m.

So-called Johnson County serial shoplifter pleads guilty - again OLATHE, Kan. - A Johnson County woman's probation will be reviewed after she pleaded guilty to shoplifting, again. On Thursday, Kelli Jo Bauer waived her preliminary hearing and pleaded guilty to two counts of theft stemming from arrests in November. Court documents show prosecutors charged her for shoplifting from Johnson County Hallmark stores on Nov.

KCPD officer talks about helping 2 women trapped on balcony in apartment fire A family was rescued from a burning apartment last month, not by firefighters, but by police officers who were first on the scene.Two police officers said they could see the smoke from the street corner near South Patrol on Aug. 31.

Crime Lab's Chemistry Experts Trace Down Leads All of the trace evidence technicians at KCPD have chemistry degrees, including Jones who graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). Jones grew up in the KC metro area with a strong interest in science. He considered being a medical examiner, but ultimately liked the idea of being more of a lab scientist.

Developing . . .
Sadly, there's always more crime news to consider and right now we check more police action, courtroom perspectives and rising crime reports.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Man convicted in shooting death of Kansas City attorney who won case against him KANSAS CITY, Mo. - An 84-year-old man was convicted Thursday of shooting and killing a Kansas City lawyer who had won a multi-million judgment against him in a civil lawsuit. A Jackson County jury deliberated about two hours before finding David Jungerman, of Raytown, guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Oct.

Jury finds Kansas City man guilty in 2021 triple shooting that left 2 dead KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) -- A man has been convicted of murder and multiple other felonies stemming from a 2021 triple shooting. Dmarius Bozeman was charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of first-degree child endangerment and four counts of armed criminal action.

Golubski accuser says there are more accusers There may be more people who say they were terrorized by a former police detective now accused of intimidating witnesses and raping at least two women.They remain silent, but Niko Quinn is speaking on their behalf one more time. She said they were terrorized by Roger Golubski, the former Kansas City, Kansas, detective who was arrested last week on federal charges.

Overland Park woman with history of shoplifting pleads guilty to misdemeanor thefts KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - An Overland Park woman accused of shoplifting multiple times has entered a guilty plea in two charges filed against her. Kelli Jo Bauer, 52, will be sentenced Nov. 15. If Bauer's name and face look familiar to you, it is because we have reported about her stealing items in the past.

Daughter still searches for justice 12 years after father's homicide RIVERSIDE, Missouri (KCTV) - For more than 12 years, a daughter has waited to see her father's killer caught. Erricka McCullen insists she won't give up on receiving justice for her dad.

Parent voices concerns after Belton substitute teacher accused of sending students inappropriate messages KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A 42-year-old substitute teacher is facing charges. Jason L. Carey is accused of sending inappropriate social media messages to students in the Belton School District. Carey is charged with felony enticement or attempted enticement of a child, felony second-degree child molestation, and two counts of furnishing pornographic material or attempting to furnish pornographic material to a minor.

Serving Victims At The Scene Of A Crime That was 1999. Keller, who had been a probation officer, joined KCPD after her husband (a now-retired KCPD officer) encouraged her to become a crime scene technician. She went on a ride-along to scope things out, and that night, she and an officer responded to a fatal overdose.

Developing . . .
Not quite.



However . . . Tonight the crowd was chill and somewhat grateful for the slightly chilly and soggy weather that typically keeps the jerks and youthful scumbags at bay.

The festival is down from its salad days of the late 90s but proved to be a good time for boomers & Genxers who weren't afraid to brave the first night of sweater weather.

An even more hopeful perspective . . .



The surrounding businesses on the Country Club Plaza say they're excited for the economic impact that the fair will drive.



Myself, my business, the other merchants here, we look forward to the Plaza Art Fair every year, said Tameca Williams, owner of Sugah Rush Berries. The sales are extremely great this weekend. I looked at my profit margins from last year and they were up 40%.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Businesses excited for boost in sales during Kansas City Plaza Art Fair KANSAS CITY, Mo. - This weekend, the Plaza Art Fair in Kansas City, Missouri, will cover nine city blocks and welcome over 250,000 people. The City of Fountains will feature 240 artists, three live music stages and over 20 restaurant booths.

Kansas City Plaza Art Fair: Hours, parking, entertainment KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The 91st annual Plaza Art Fair returns to Kansas City's Country Club Plaza, bringing hundreds of artists and thousands of people to the area. The fair will be open this weekend during the following times: If you plan to attend the event, but are worried about the rain, FOX4 Meteorologist Karli Ritter says Saturday or Sunday will be perfect.

Artists draw Kansas City community into their creative world at 91st Plaza Art Fair KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - For 91 years, the Plaza Art Fair has drawn thousands for a cultural experience. And this year is no different! Over this late-September weekend, there will be plenty of art to see.

Developing . . .
This enclave near Midtown Kansas City has been sketchy for the past 50 years but now there's a report of an active threat.



Check the creative class warning against a reportedly nasty lewd dude . . .



Campus security sent an email to students and staff asking them to keep their eye out for a Red Dodge Challenger, calling the behavior of the driver lewd and suspicious.



The driver is known to expose himself, try to lure people to his car, and yell lewd comments to people when they ignore him.



The email describes the car to have a distinct red arrowhead outline with a red "KC" logo on the rear window.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Erie County Democratic Committee Chairman Jeremy J. Zellner unanimously won his sixth two-year term as party chairman on Saturday.

His re-election at the committee's reorganizational meeting makes him the second-longest serving party leader in Erie County in modern times. Only Joseph Crangle, who served as Erie County chairman from 1965 to 1988, has served longer.

Gov. Kathy Hochul opened the reorganizational meeting on Saturday, the first in-person reorganization since 2018 due to Covid-19.

"I am proud of the organization we have become over the past decade in the face of many challenges, especially over the past two years," Zellner said in a statement. "We are the dominant party in Erie County, the infighting that undermined us is long over, and we are poised to elect New Yorks first woman governor."

Zellner, first elected chair in 2012, also serves as Democratic commissioner to the county's Board of Elections and was previously chief of staff to the County Legislatures Democratic majority.

Secretary Jennifer Hibit, former chief of staff to County Executive Mark Poloncarz; and treasurer Erich Weyant, the County Legislature's current chief of staff, were also reelected.
The university also hosted a ribbon-cutting that included remarks from Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education Randy Gardner, UC President Neville G. Pinto, UC Vice President for Research Patrick A. Limbach and UC Chief Innovation Officer Ryan Hays.



"What a thrill to reach the long-awaited grand opening of the Digital Futures Interdisciplinary Research Facility," Pinto said. "I believe wholeheartedly that we will solve for our future when we disrupt the silos of academic research and unleash the full power of creative innovation."

Digital Futures brings many of the top researchers from colleges across UC to one location where they can create impactful new knowledge and applied solutions to real-world problems. Having the researchers in one location will help foster collaboration among them and their industry, government and community partners.

This will be a place for top UC researchers in their fields to come together to solve problems that matter, said Limbach, also an Ohio Eminent Scholar.
In the Donetsk region, law enforcers apprehended two men who are believed to have been passing to the enemy sensitive data on the movement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

This was reported by the Prosecutor General's Office, according to Ukrinform.

Under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, two residents of the Pokrovsky district and the city of Bilozerske were charged for leaking information about the movement and location of Ukrainian forces, committed under martial law (Part 2 of Article 114-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

According to the inquiry, in June and September, two supporters of the "Russian world" repeatedly sent their Russian handlers text messages with information on the location Ukrainian forces in the Pokrovsky district of the Donetsk region and the city of Dobropillia.

Read also: SBU detains traitor who tracked HIMARS movenent

One of the suspects will be remanded in custody without a bail option. The pre-trial probe is being run by the investigative unit of the Department 2 of the State Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, an Odesa resident, accused of treason under martial law, will appear before the court for gathering and transmitting to the enemy information about the movement of military and locations of Ukrainian soldiers.
The former President of Mongolia, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to immediately stop the war against Ukraine, adding that Mongolia is ready to receive Russians fleeing a military mobilization announced by Putin's regime.

According to Ukrinform, the World Mongol Federation shared his message on YouTube.

"I have a simple message to President Putin. Stop the war! I have met with you on many occasions. You have the power to stop this war right now. Now it's time to make peace. My heart is breaking apart when I see Russia. Since you started this war Russia has been drowned in fears, full of tears. Your mobilization brings oceans of suffering. Mr. President, stop your senseless killings and destruction!" Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj said.

He noted that since the beginning of the bloody war against Ukraine, ethnic minorities in Russia have suffered the most, in particular, residents of Buryatia, Tuva, and Kalmykia, whom the Kremlin uses as cannon fodder. That is why Mongolia is ready to accept people fleeing Putin's mobilization.

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj separately addressed those being forced to fight Putin's war in Ukraine.

"Don't shoot Ukrainians. Don't shoot your sisters and brothers, children and elders. Do not kill that country. Do not kill their freedom. Ukraine has a full right to exist," he said.

He also conveyed a message to the brave people of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"Thank you for your bravery and leadership. The best side of the world is with you. You are an inspiration. When you win, all people will win. No dictatorship lasts forever. The united will of people's freedom will always prevail. Slava Heroyam [Glory to the Heroes]!" Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj said.
The tail of a small plane stuck almost straight up from the ground after it crashed into a thickly wooded area Saturday afternoon in East Amherst, about 300 yards from the runway of the Clarence Aerodrome Airport.

Emergency responders rushed to the aid of the trapped pilot, 70-year-old Lee Hardy, who was pulled from the wreckage, placed on a utility vehicle and airlifted by Mercy Flight to Erie County Medical Center with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. Fred Stanton, manager of the Aerodrome, said he was told Hardy's lungs and blood pressure were both OK. Hardy was the only person in the plane.

The commotion Saturday was unusual for the quiet rural airport designed for classic and antique aviation.

Stanton said he watched Hardy's plane approach the grass runway and then slip to the left and nose-dive into a line of trees south of the airport set back from Transit Road. The nose of the plane sustained extensive damage.

"It was freaky, watching it tip like that," Stanton said. "It went straight into the ground."

Hardy is described as an avid, skilled pilot from a family rich with history in local aviation. Witnesses at the airport Saturday did not know what caused Hardy to crash so close to his destination. "It didn't make any sense to anybody here," the manager said. "That maneuver is not in any books I've ever read."

Stanton speculated on why the plane went down: "It appeared he stalled the wing."

I am with @Tsuj10 on site of a private plane crash in East Amherst. The pilot, the only passenger, has been airlifted out for medical attention. Fire personnel has departed and the site is now blocked off for investigation. pic.twitter.com/hgyuEbSPDK  libby march (@libbymarch) September 24, 2022

Jay Hardy, Lee's brother, also watched the plane crash and rushed to the pilot's aid, Stanton said, but navigating in a hurry the uneven, zigzagging paths at the edge of the airport's property led to his truck getting stuck in a ditch on a sharp turn, forcing him to abandon the vehicle and run the final 100 yards by foot. Aerodrome employees zoomed to the site on ATVs. Stanton said getting emergency crews to the site of the crash was a greater challenge.

"There were a lot of flashing lights," he said, "and they were going everywhere but where it was."

The crash occurred around 12:45 p.m., said Scott Will, the Swormville Fire Department chief, who noted several other nearby fire companies also responded. The Erie County Sheriff's Office secured the crash scene and awaited investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. Jay Hardy's truck was successfully pulled from the ditch.

Lee Hardy began his flight from where he lives in Dundee, N.Y., near Watkins Glen, said Stanton, who said he's friends with the pilot and has a long history with the family.

Hardy's father, Russell, was instrumental in buying the airport for Clarence Flying Club, Stanton said. The small airport welcomes about 61 planes per month, according to AirNav.com, and features a collection of 22 sheds and hangars behind the club headquarters.

Russell, who died in 2013, built five planes, Stanton said, and was a fixture in the small but tight-knit aviation community.

The fixed-wing, single-engine Taylorcraft that crashed today was the only active aircraft of the five, added Stanton, who said Hardy briefly helped his father on the plane and then completed the project after Russell's death. "He's been flying it now for five or six years," Stanton said.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, has commented on Iran's decision to sell modern unmanned aerial vehicles, so-called kamikaze drones, to Russia.

Iran has decided to support Russia by giving modern drones to backward country for the murders of Ukrainians. After years of sanctions, isolation, an abominable reputation  Irans elite still has not realized how to rise from the bottom of civilization, Podolyak said in a tweet, Ukrinform reports.

As reported, the Russian troops increased the number of air attacks using Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze drones in the south of Ukraine. In particular, the enemy once again attacked the port infrastructure of the town of Ochakiv, Mykolaiv region, with these drones. One of the two drones was shot down by Ukrainian units, the other hit a port tug.

In Dnipropetrovsk region, an enemy kamikaze drone fell into a private yard, causing a fire. Six people were injured.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informed charge d'affaires ad interim of Iran in Ukraine about the decision to revoke the accreditation of the Ambassador of Iran to Ukraine and to significantly reduce the number of embassys diplomatic employees due to the facts of the use of Iranian-made weapons by the Russian troops.

iy
The sabotage and reconnaissance groups are highly likely to arrive from Belarus and operate in the territories of Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv regions.

"The sabotage and reconnaissance groups are highly likely to arrive from Belarus and operate in the territories of Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv regions. Why do they need this? To accuse Ukraine of artificially destabilizing the situation and creating favorable ground for mobilization among Belarusian supporters of Putin," Colonel Anatoliy Shtefan, an officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, posted on Telegram.

According to him, about 130 mercenaries of the Wagner/Liga PMC arrived in Minsk for this purpose and started training with the GuardService Belarusian security company.

"Moreover, a batch of uniforms resembling those of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was delivered to the above-mentioned company. Why do the guards need the uniforms of the Armed Forces of Ukraine? Obviously, not for a parade," Shtefan noted.

As reported, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said that mobilization would not be held in his country.

ol
Ukrainian technical staff work as hostages at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as there are half a thousand Russian fighters with military equipment stationed there.

"Russia seized this [Zaporizhzhia] nuclear power plant. Ukrainian technical staff are there now but they are like hostages because there are 500 [Russian] fighters and equipment [stationed at ZNPP]. This has already been confirmed by the IAEA," President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky told French media in an interview.

The Head of State noted that the ZNPP is currently disconnected from the power grid and the staff struggle to turn on at least one unit out of six.

He emphasized that Russia was not interested in the operation of the plant. According to the President, the Russians want the ZNPP not to supply electricity primarily to Ukrainian regions, as well as to Europe.

Zelensky also emphasized the risk of a nuclear explosion at the plant due to the actions of the Russians, recalling that one unit exploded at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, while the ZNPP has six units in total.

As reported, the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, has been seized by the Russian military since March 4. Since then, the invaders have placed military equipment and ammunition in the plants territory, shelling the surrounding area and the plant itself, destroying power lines, causing the shutdown of power units.

ol
The United States condemns sham referenda and will never recognize the annexation of Ukrainian territories by Russia.

Thats according to the statement by U.S. President Joe Biden, released by the White House press service, Ukrinform reports.

The United States will never recognize Ukrainian territory as anything other than part of Ukraine. Russias referenda are a sham  a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter, Joe Biden said.

The president noted that the U.S. will work with its allies and partners to impose additional swift and severe economic costs on Russia.

The United States stands with our partners around the world  and with every nation that respects the core tenets of the UN charter  in rejecting whatever fabricated outcomes Russia will announce, Joe Biden stressed.

He also pledged continued support to the Ukrainian people, vowing to provide them with security assistance to help them defend themselves as they courageously resist Russias invasion.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the White House warned Russia of immediate sanctions to be imposed by the U.S. and other nations, which would bring grave consequences to the Russian economy, should Russia start annexing the captured areas in Ukraine.
Turkey did not recognize the results of a sham referendum in Crimea in 2014 and has the same clear position regarding the pseudo-referendums that Russia is conducting in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

That's according to Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin, Ukrinform reports, citing CNN Turk.

"We do not find unilateral referendum attempts correct, as we did not recognize the Crimean referendum in 2014 and its result, and our position on such referendums is clear. We recognize the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian people and state, and we express that we stand with Ukraine," Kalin said.

He emphasized that Turkey is making sincere efforts to end the war.

Read also: G7 condemns sham referenda in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories

As reported, in the wake of Ukraines counteroffensive in eastern and southern Ukraine on September 20, the leaders of the "LPR/DPR" and collaborators in the Russian-occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions rushed to announce "referenda on accession to Russia," scheduling them for September 23-27.

The leaders of Western powers have already declared that any Russian sham referenda in Ukraine would be deemed illegitimate. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on September 21 that Russia would recognize their outcome.

Meanwhile, a survey run in August 2022 by Active Group shows that in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the vast majority of respondents are sure that their region should be an integral part of Ukraine, and that their well-being and security have significantly deteriorated amid the occupation.

In particular, almost 73% of respondents consider Russias territorial claims on their region to be completely unfounded. Also, 82% of respondents in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine said they would not go to polling stations if Russian puppet authorities resorted to holding a referendum.

Photo: AA
Iran planning 'proportional' response to Ukraine reducing ties

Nasser Kanaani, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, said Ukraine should "refrain from being influenced by third parties who seek to destroy relations between the two countries", a ministry statement said, Reuters reports.

According to him, Ukraine's decision was "based on unconfirmed reports and resulted from a media hype by foreign parties".

As reported, the Russian troops intensified air attacks using Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze drones in the south of Ukraine. In particular, the enemy once again attacked the port infrastructure of the town of Ochakiv, Mykolaiv region, with these drones. One of the two drones was shot down by Ukrainian units, the other hit a port tug.

On September 23, the President of Ukraine requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respond to the facts of the use of Iranian-made weapons by Russian troops.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informed charge d'affaires ad interim of Iran in Ukraine about the decision to revoke the accreditation of the Ambassador of Iran to Ukraine and to significantly reduce the number of embassys diplomatic personnel due to the facts of the use of Iranian-made weapons by the Russian troops.

At the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ambassador of Iran to Ukraine Manouchehr Moradi left Ukraine and now stays in Moldova.

ol
The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oleg Nikolenko, has denied the statement of his Iranian counterpart Nasser Kanaani about the alleged attempts of third parties to pit Ukraine against Iran, emphasizing that Tehran bears all responsibility for ruining relations between the two countries.

Nikolenko commented on Kanaani's statement, who, in response to Kyiv's decision to revoke the accreditation of Iran's ambassador to Ukraine, recommended that Ukraine "refrain from the influence of third parties who seek to destroy relations between the two countries," an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The only third party here is Iranian drones, which Ukraine is already directly shooting down from its skies. Tehran bears full responsibility for ruining the relations with Ukraine," Nikolenko stressed.

"Iran must immediately stop supplying weapons to the Russian Federation, aimed at killing Ukrainians, and not justify itself with fantasies about external influence, said the Ukrainian diplomat.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on September 23, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respond to the facts of the use of Iranian-made weapons by Russian troops.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informed the temporary charge d'affaires of Iran in Ukraine about the decision to strip the ambassador of Iran in Ukraine of accreditation and to significantly reduce the number of diplomatic personnel of the embassy due to the facts of the use of Iranian-made drones by the Russian forces.

As reported earlier, the Russian troops increased the number of air strikes using Iran's Shahed-136 kamikaze drones in the south of Ukraine. In particular, the enemy once again attacked the port infrastructure of the town of Ochakiv, Mykolaiv region, employing the said UAVs . One of the two drones was shot down by Ukrainian air defense, while the other hit a tug.

In Dnipropetrovsk region, an enemy kamikaze drone fell into a household backyard, causing a fire. Six people were injured.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is surprised by Israel's refusal to provide Ukraine with air defense systems, emphasizing that Tel Aviv never provided any weapons to Ukraine to repel the Russian onslaught.

The president stated this in an interview with French media, Ukrinform reports.

"I don't know what happened to the State of Israel. I'm in shock, I don't understand why they couldn't send us air defense... Israel gave us nothing in terms of weapons, it's not just not enough, it's zero. I understand, they have a difficult situation regarding Syria and Russia, but I called two leaders, two prime ministers of Israel and asked them to give us air defense systems, and they said that they are defending their own lands," the president noted.

Zelensky emphasized that, according to Ukrainian intelligence, Israel has sealed contracts with some Arab nations for the supply of "weapons protecting the sky."

Read also: Kyiv slams Tehran over drones supplied to Russia

The president noted that he was surprised by such an attitude on the part of Israel, considering that people coming from Ukraine, among others, had been building this country, and now a million people from Ukraine live there.

At the same time, the head of state emphasized that Israeli society supports Ukraine.

"My conversations with the leadership of Israel were of no help to Ukraine whatsoever. Russian conversations with the leadership of Israel, Im sure, fully influence their actions. And I consider Israel a great state that is completely independent in decision- making. And once Im aware that the public opinion of Israelis is on the side of democracy and on that of Ukraine, if they are afraid to give us any weapon technology, then, I'm sorry, what can we say of air defenses? This is about defense, it works against missiles launched at our people," stated Zelensky.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier stated that the issue of strengthening air defenses does not depend on money, but on the countries that produce them and are able to provide the necessary complexes.
In France, eight lawmakers with the presidential party "Renaissance" are calling on parliament to set up a commission to investigate possible Russian financing of French parties.

As reported by Le Figaro, the appeal was made after a declassified U.S. intelligence report was published, stating that Russia had paid several hundred million euros to political forces in several countries, Ukrinform reports.

In a press release published on Saturday, the legislators refer to a letter sent the day before to the head of the National Assembly, Yael Braun-Pivet, in which they justify the need for such an investigation "in view of the seriousness of the facts" and that the established information can be "brought to the attention of citizens of France and our justice system."

It is about "finding out whether French political parties  and which ones  have benefited off Russian funding," lawmakers say. They refer to "the position of several leading French political leaders in favor of Russia", as well as "loans granted to finance election campaigns, the sums of which are still being paid out years later", or even "former French parliamentarians and ministers being appointed (to positions - ed.) in Russian companies."

According to a declassified U.S. intelligence paper released on September 13, Russia has reportedly paid several hundred million euros to political parties in several countries since 2014 to boost its influence and meddle in national elections.

Photo: Le Figaro
The Center for Countering Disinformation has reviewed the latest pieces of Russian disinformation and manipulation accompanying the pseudo-referenda, held by Russian proxies regarding the accession of the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions to Russia.

Thats according to the Centers update issued on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

Polling stations for the people to vote in the sham "referenda" have opened their doors in the temporary accommodation points for refugees in Russias remote Sakhalin region and Kamchatka area.

Also, in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region, those who cooperate with the invaders are mandated to cast their ballots, while "commission members" go door-to-door, alongside the armed military, bringing voting bins to the locals for them to vote from home

At the same time, the All-Russian Center for Public Opinion Studies published the data of a telephone survey of residents of the temporarily occupied territories, run on the eve of the so-called "referenda", which claims 87-97% of respondents allegedly voted for their respective region to become part of the Russian Federation.

In Voronezh, a rally was held in support of the "referenda," in which at least 20 students of the local university from each faculty were made to attend.

Meanwhile, Kirill Stremousov, a Kherson-based enemy collaborator, stated on September 15 that allegedly 20% of the residents of Kherson region will vote for the region to accede to Russia.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on September 20, the leaders of the "LPR/DPR" Russian puppet formations and collaborators in the Russian-captured areas in Kherson and Zaporizhia regions announced the so-called "referenda on accession to Russia," scheduling them for September 23-27.

Ukraine and Western leaders have already declared that any Russian pseudo-referenda, held on Ukrainian soil, would be illegitimate.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  In competitive races across the U.S., Republican candidates are distancing themselves from their party's most controversial policies and people  namely, abortion and former President Donald Trump  as Election Day approaches.

Not Ted Budd.

The North Carolina GOP Senate nominee is leaning into support for abortion restrictions and amity with the former Republican president as Democrats fight for an elusive victory in the Southern swing state.

Democratic optimism remains tempered given the state's recent red tilt, but Democratic officials believe Budd, a low-profile congressman who emerged as the GOP's Senate nominee largely because of Trump's backing, gives them a real chance at flipping a seat  and holding the balance of power in Washington  this fall.

Disregarding his critics, Budd appeared alongside Trump at a rally in Wilmington Friday night, where the former president praised the candidate as a conservative, America First all-star in Congress and urged his supporters to turn out to vote. Budd, in turn, thanked Trump for returning to the state.

The Budd campaign was eager to welcome Trump when the former president's team called, according to adviser Jonathan Felts.

Trump won North Carolina twice, and an in-person rally is helpful," Felts said, suggesting Trump would help drive turnout, especially with unaffiliated and/or undecided voters concerned about the economy.

Others aren't so sure.

The more Trump emerges, the more Trump is in the news, the better for Democrats, said David Holian, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Indeed, Trump remains overwhelmingly popular with Republican voters but is less appealing to the moderates and independents who often decide swing-state elections. Trump's national favorable ratings have been roughly even with, or worse than, President Joe Biden's in recent weeks.

Still, some North Carolina Democrats are far from confident in a state where they have suffered painful losses in recent years.

Democratic skepticism comes despite the apparent strength of their Senate nominee, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, who has a decided fundraising advantage, a record of outperforming other Democrats in statewide elections and a moderate message. She would be the state's first Black senator if elected.

Yet Beasley is also running against negative perceptions of her party.

Trump's rise has fueled a growing sense among some voters in North Carolina, along with those in many other states, that the national Democratic Party has lost touch with the daily struggles of the working class and similar voting blocs. The Democratic-controlled Congress' focus on climate change, for example, hasn't helped inspire voters like Talmage Layton, a 74-year-old farmer from Durham.

Layton said he doesnt know whether a North Carolina Democrat can make a difference on Capitol Hill in lowering gas prices or pushing back against climate change policies that other Democrats have embraced.

Thats not anything against Cheri Beasley," Layton said after a recent meeting with Beasley. "Im a registered Democrat, and I would have no problem voting for a Democrat. But theyve got to think about the little guy here.

Not long ago, it looked as if the Democratic Party was poised to take over North Carolina politics.

In 2008, Obama carried the state, becoming the first Democrat to do so since 1976, and Democrat Kay Hagan upset GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole. Political experts predicted the Democratic Party would step to dominance as a result of increasing urbanization and out-of-state liberals moving in for tech jobs in the Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte regions.

But Republicans took over the state legislature for the first time in over 140 years following the 2010 election and retained it thanks to support from exurban and rural voters and favorably drawn districts. A decade later, Trump became a two-time North Carolina winner, though he won the 2020 election by just 1 percentage point.

While Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper managed to win reelection in 2020, Beasley was one of the partys casualties. She lost a bid to remain chief justice to a Republican rival by just 401 votes.

Her near-miss turned her into a rising candidate in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Richard Burr.

In one sign of strength, Beasley has consistently raised more money than Budd. And she appears to be generating momentum by seizing on abortion to energize women and independents, relying on the same playbook Democrats have used elsewhere.

Budd, meanwhile, has been outspoken in his opposition to abortion. He co-sponsored a House version of a national 15-week abortion ban introduced by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham that even Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell distanced himself from.

My opponent has been in Congress for six years, and every opportunity hes had to vote for North Carolina, hes voted against us, Beasley charged after meeting with farmers at a produce market in Durham before Grahams bill introduction.

Meanwhile, Republicans in competitive elections in states like Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada and Arizona have distanced themselves from their rigid anti-abortion stances in recent weeks. Others have stripped their websites of references to Trump or his favorite talking points.

In Virginia, a Republican House candidate removed a Trump reference from her Twitter bio. In New Hampshire, Republican Senate nominee Don Bolduc abruptly reversed himself last week when asked about Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. After spending much of the last year echoing Trump's lies, Bolduc told Fox News he had done more research and concluded, The election was not stolen.

Meanwhile, Budd's campaign refused this week to say whether he would accept the 2022 election results, having already voted to block certification of the 2020 election.

Such positions will almost certainly appeal to Trump's base, but political operatives say Budd needs sizable support from moderate, independent voters to be successful. Unaffiliated voters this year surpassed Democrats to become the largest bloc of registered voters in the state.

Regardless of what your faith background is, youre dealing with skyrocketing energy prices. Youre dealing with high grocery costs. Youre dealing with high crime. Youre dealing with economic uncertainty, Budd said after speaking to pastors recently in Greenville. And so I want to make life better for all North Carolinians and people in our country by the things that I support.

As Budd has struggled to keep pace with Beasley's fundraising, outside groups have come to his aid.

The McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have spent $17.3 million combined on advertising opposing Beasley, according to Federal Election Commission filings. The Senate Majority PAC, which supports Democratic candidates, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have spent close to $4 million in North Carolina while investing far more in high-profile contests in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona.

Were committed to making sure voters continue seeing and hearing the truth about Ted Budd, Senate Majority PAC spokesperson Veronica Yoo said.

An arm of the pro-abortion-rights EMILY's List announced this month spending $2.7 million to criticize Budd on abortion as well.

During a recent stop at Perkins Orchard in Durham, Beasley chatted with farmers who gathered around picnic tables and near fresh pumpkins for sale. Some said afterward they were glad to see her interest in their plight.

Jason Lindsay, 34, a first-generation Black farmer from Rocky Mount, said hes been frustrated with the divisive political environment but is encouraged by Beasley.

Her temperament here today gave me the first sign of hope that Ive had in a long time," he said.

Peoples contributed from New York.
(@FahadShabbir)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2022 ) :The Embassy of the Republic of Philippines in Pakistan on Saturday celebrated the 'Kadayawan Festival' at Chancery of the Embassy for the diplomatic corps and other guests.

The event was celebrated the Kadayawan Festival at the Domingo Lucenario Hall, Chancery of the Embassy of the Philippines in Islamabad, through a watch-party and on-the-spot making of a Puto Maya (Rice cake) and Sikwate (native Philippine chocolate), for members of the Diplomatic Corps and other guests.

The Kadayawan festival, the main festival of Davao City located in the Southern Philippines, is held every August and is a celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living.

The program was hosted by Ms. Sumaira Domasig Khan-Bagaporo, spouse of the Embassy's Officer-in-Charge, Mr. Dan Erwin C. Bagaporo.

In her welcome remarks, Ms. Khan-Bagaporo, the host of the program, likened the Kadayawan festival to a celebration of a mother providing food for her children, in the same way that nature provides food for all people.

She mentioned that as we give thanks for the blessing of food, family and joy, we keep to heart the practice of not wasting such blessings and give importance to the conservation and appropriate use of what we are given.

The event started with a watch-party that featured a short video of the actual Kadayawan Festival celebration in Davao City, followed by an instructional video on how to make Puto Maya and Sikwate.

All the Participants were then called to the front to do a live demonstration and plate their own version of Puto Maya using the provided pre-cooked rice and banana leaves.

A contest was held to see which participant or pair of participants was able to make the best designed puto maya plate, with the participants voting for who they think was the best designed plate amongst themselves.

Mr. Abdul Osman Mubdi, the Acting High Commissioner of Brunei, won first place with his Japanese-inspired design that resembled a plate of sushi.

Mr. Peter Piwi Ophoff and Ms. Saraswathi Pasupathy, won second place with their design which paid homage to the volcanoes in the Philippines.

Mr. Gaurav Thakur from the Indian High Commission, Ms. Emilia Deddy from the Malaysian High Commission, and the pair of Ms. Henny Lydia from Indonesian Embassy and Ms. Nurhaziqah Hakip, all tied for third place.

The event was attended by diplomats from the High Commissions of Malaysia, Australia, Brunei, Mauritius and India, and from the Embassies of Indonesia, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the Philippine Embassy's media partners.

Native Filipino food such as tokneneng (coated chicken egg), fishballs, tofu sisig, chicken barbeque, biko (rice cake), pandesal (Filipino bread) with cheese pimiento spread, sago't gulaman, were also served, along with Puto-maya and Sikwate.

The Philippine Embassy's Kadayawan Festival is part of the Fiestas Filipinas program held all year round by the Philippine Foreign Service.

The program facilitates the celebration of one Philippine festival each month abroad, and is currently in its second season.
UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2022 ) :A Pakistani diplomat has categorically rejected India's allegations about Pakistan's involvement in terrorist acts, citing instances of the Indian sponsorship of terrorism and aggression against all its neighbours that makes New Delhi the "principle perpetrator, sponsor, financier and abettor" of terrorism in South Asia "The myth of terrorism against Pakistan, created and propagated by India, cannot and will not hide the stark reality that people of Pakistan, the Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and its own minorities are victims of its state-sponsored terrorism," Saima Saleem, counselor at the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations, told the UN General Assembly on Friday night.

Ms. Saleem was exercising her right of reply to Indian delegate Mijito Vinito's allegations about Pakistan sponsoring cross-border terrorism and accusing it of making " untenable territorial claims against neighbours"-- an obvious reference to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian delegate made that statement in response to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speech to the 193-member Assembly in which the Pakistani leader drew world community's attention to New Delhi's grave human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and called for resolving the UN-recognized dispute in accordance with Security Council resolutions.

In her remarks, the Pakistani delegate said that India has sponsored and perpetrated terrorism and aggression against all its neighbours by creating terrorist groups, and destabilizing and blockading neighbours to do its strategic bidding.

In Pakistan, she said India was funding and supporting terrorist organizations like the TTP (Tehreek-i-Tliban and the BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army), whose attacks have resulted in the killing of thousands of innocent Pakistanis.

"Since the Hindutva inspired RSS-BJP Government's unilateral and illegal actions on August 5, 2019 termed as 'Final Solution', India's 900,000 occupation forces in occupied Kashmir  the 'densest' occupation in history  have escalated their oppression of 8 million Kashmiri men, women and children in the world's largest 'open-air prison'," the Pakistani delegate said.

She accused India of extra-judicial killings in fake encounters; enforced disappearances of 15,000 young Kashmiri boys; incarceration of the entire Kashmiri leadership; bringing about demographic change by issuing millions of fake domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris; gerrymandering of electoral boundaries for reducing Muslim representation; curbing religious freedom and media and internet blackout.

" Since 1989, Indian occupation forces had committed over one lakh extra-judicial killings, around 162,000 cases of arbitrary arrests and torture, over 25,000 pellet gun injuries, 11,250 cases of rape and gang rape, and 8652 unmarked mass graves, attesting to the genocide which is being committed in occupied Kashmir.

"Yet, we fear that these discoveries of Indian crimes are but the tip of the iceberg," Ms. Saleem said.

"If India has nothing to hide, it must grant access to Occupied Jammu and Kashmir to human rights mechanisms, accept a UN Commission of Inquiry and agree to implement the Security Council resolutions." Highlighting India's reign of terror against its minorities, the Pakistani delegate said, Islamophobia has penetrated into the very foundations of the Indian state, where 200 million defenceless Muslims are lynched by cow vigilantes and killed in pogroms led by RSS "brown-short" thugs.

Noting that public calls of the desecration of mosques is the state agenda, she said adding that rich Muslim culture and heritage is being destroyed and history being re-written.

The Citizenship Amendment Act aims to purge India of its Muslim minority, she said, pointing out that Hijab is banned; anti-Muslim social media trolls of "Corona Jihad" rule the internet; the ruling RSS-BJP leaders call Muslims "termites" and the "green virus". Also, houses and shops of Muslims are being bulldozed; and derogatory remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH) are being made by top leadership of RSS-BJP dispensation as a matter of state policy to hurt feelings and sentiments of not only Indian Muslims but also of Muslims across the world.

"Other minorities in India, including Christians, Sikhs and Dalits, also face persecution and churches and gurdwaras are torched by Hindu fundamentalists," Ms. Saleem said.

"Let me emphasize that no quantum of brutality of Indian occupation forces can break the will, perseverance and courage of the Kashmiris to demand their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with Security Council resolutions.

"Like Martin Luther King, the Kashmiris also have a "dream" that they shall see the dawn of freedom one day," she added.
(@FahadShabbir)

Paris, Sept 24 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2022 ) :The official death toll has nearly doubled to 35 in a crackdown by Iran's security forces on more than a week of protests that erupted after the death of a young woman in custody.

Angry demonstrators have taken to the streets of major cities across Iran, including the capital Tehran, for eight straight nights since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

The Kurdish woman was pronounced dead after spending three days in a coma following her arrest by Iran's feared morality police for wearing the hijab headscarf in an "improper" way.

"The number of people who died in recent riots in the country has risen to 35," state media said, raising the official toll from at least 17 dead, including five security personnel.
Irpin, Ukraine, Sept 24 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2022 ) :On the half-ruined top floor of an apartment block in war-scarred Irpin near Kyiv, Mykhailo Kyrylenko looks proudly at the new roof taking shape.

Over a hundred residential blocks in Irpin -- dubbed a "hero city" by President Volodymyr Zelensky for holding back Russian invaders headed towards the capital -- were badly damaged by shelling.

Now the advance of winter presents a different threat, as they urgently need to complete the repairs before the temperatures drop.

With state and local funds in short supply, the 16,000 Irpin residents left homeless by the shelling find themselves in a race against time to get their homes ready.

"We did not wait for any help," said Kyrylenko, the head of his building's residents' association. "I understand that there is a war in the country, many people understand this." His brightly coloured block with yellow-painted gable walls was hit by four shells during the first days of the invasion, which began on February 24. Those strikes destroyed the roof and burned down the top floor.

After weeks of fighting however, Ukrainian forces recaptured the town, prompting the 65-year-old Kyrylenko to mobilise the building's residents.

When government experts assessed that the top floor could be saved, he organised a vote, with most in favour of rebuilding.

"People don't have much money, but they agreed" to donate funds to gradually restore the shattered apartments, Kyrylenko, wearing dark-blue work overalls, told AFP.

"If we were waiting for the state to help us, then ... we would definitely have to dismantle the fifth floor, it would collapse," he said.

- Roof is key - His efforts quickly saw results.

Out of 40 apartments in the building, about a dozen remained continuously occupied. They were reconnected to the water supply, sewerage and electricity -- although there is still no gas.

"The most important thing is to get the roof on so that rainwater and snow do not get inside," Kyrylenko said, looking up at new wooden beams almost all of which were now in place.

But bare brick walls on the sides and piles of construction debris underfoot indicated the work still to do.

The residents themselves and charitable foundations have already contributed significant sums, but Kyrylenko said at least two million gryvnia ($53,000) more was needed to winter-proof the building.

"Eight families now live here and will continue to do so," Kyrylenko said.

On the fourth floor, Viktor Murygin's appartment suffered minimal damage, with only faint streaks on light-coloured walls visible after rain.

Despite being less affected however, 63-year-old Murygin contributed both money and his labour to the reconstruction drive.

It was a constant fight against the elements, said Murygin.

"It was necessary to protect not only my apartment, but also the apartments below." And thanks to the damp-resistant materials bought by charities, three apartments had so far been saved.

- Plea for help - While residents of many other Ukrainian cities hit by Russian shells desperately seek reconstruction funds, government and local officials are beginning to respond.

Prime Minister Denys Shmygal announced last week a government allocation of around 3.4 billion gryvnia ($91 million) for "operational restoration work".

But much more was needed, said Irpin mayor Oleksandr Markushyn.

"We appeal to the entire world community to help us with building materials, with funding for reconstruction," Markushyn wrote on social media earlier this month on Irpin's annual "City Day".

"This is the most difficult City Day in the history of Irpin. We cannot celebrate because the occupiers left behind ruins."
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Two relief assistance flights from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Italy landed here at Jinnah International Airport on Saturday

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2022 ) :Two relief assistance flights from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Italy landed here at Jinnah International Airport on Saturday.

According to the Foreign Office Spokesperson, a total of seven such flights have landed in Pakistan from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia carrying relief goods for the flood affectees.

Relief assistance from Saudi Arabia is welcomed with warmth and gratitude, the spokesperson said.

While the relief goods from Italy were received by Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh on Relief and Rehabilitation Rasool Bakhsh Chandio, Italian Vice Consul in Karachi Enrico Ricciardi, Italian Military Attache and representatives of National Disaster Management Authority and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
(@Abdulla99267510)

The latest reports say that Shah Nawaz thought she was an agent and that she attacked him with an intent to take his life but he hit her in the head with an exercise dumbbell.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Sept 24th, 2022) Shah Nawaz Amir who was accused of killing his wife Sara Bibi by hitting her on the head with a dumbbell said that he killed her in self-defence claiming she choked him, a local private tv reported on Saturday.

The reports said that Shah Nawaz Amir said that he doubted his wife was an agent and she choked him with an intent to take his life.

He made these claims during the police custody.

Amir said Sara fell on the ground after he pushed her away but she got up again and attacked him. At that time, he said, he hit her in the head with an exercise dumbbell.

He told the police she lost a lot of blood and he put her in the bathtub in his bathroom and informed his mother who called the police.

The court, however, approved a two-day physical remand of Shah Nawaz Amir over charges of killing his wife Sara. The court rejected the police application seeking arrest warrants for Shah Nawazs parents including Ayaz Amir.

The suspect, the resident of the Farm 46 Chak Shehzad area of Islamabad, allegedly killed his wife with a hard blow on her head. Also Read: Man murders his wife with blow on head in Chak Shehzad

The Candian-born deceased Sara Bibi was Shah Nawazs third wife.
(@FahadShabbir)

MINSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei met with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, to discuss bilateral cooperation and challenges in relations between Minsk and the European Union, Belarusian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

"The interlocutors discussed the state and prospects for bilateral cooperation in the field of finance and agriculture, raised issues of cooperation in the field of pharmaceuticals, education and transport," the ministry said in a statement.

Makei and Szijjarto also "touched upon problematic issues of Belarus-EU relations, the situation in the region of Eastern Europe and other topics of mutual interest," the statement noted.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The head of the Belarusian foreign ministry also held negotiations with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who confirmed his readiness to assist in expediting the consideration of the Belarusian application for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The ministers further agreed to facilitate the exchange of visits of business circles and chambers of commerce.

Foreign Minister of Nicaragua, Denis Moncada, also met with Makei, with the parties discussing the matters of mutual support in international organizations and stressing the importance of coordinated efforts in countering sanctions pressure.

Makei held another meeting with Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Alberto Franco Franca and discussed trade and economic cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The top diplomats also exchanged views on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the prospects for its resolution.

On Friday, Makei took part in the signing ceremony of the Convention on the facilitation of border crossing procedures for passengers, luggage and load-luggage carried in international traffic by rail, adopted in Geneva on February 22, 2019.
The Environmental Protection Agency has been reaching out to the community regarding ethylene oxide emitted into the environment by a Columbus manufacturing plant, but Becton Dickinson is assuring residents of their safety.

What is ethylene oxide?

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a gas that is colorless and odorless. It has two main purposes  as a building block to make products, such as antifreeze, or to sterilize things.

In the case of Becton Dickinsons (BD) Columbus east plant, the company uses EtO to sterilize certain medical products. According to BDs website, EtO is the only effective method of sterilization without damaging certain sensitive medical products.

BD began using EtO at its Columbus east plant, 920 E. 19th Street, in 2005.

BDs facilities produce more than 35 billion essential medical products each year, the companys website states, and BD is 20 times more efficient at removing EtO per cubic meter of air than is currently required by the Clean Air Act.

There are roughly 100 of these commercial sterilizers in the United States. However, the EPA is concerned over the amount of EtO emissions coming from BD and recently held a community meeting in Columbus to share information on the matter.

EPAs concerns

Bethany Olson, with EPAs Community Partnerships and Programs, noted that the EtO coming out of the BD facility is air pollution only; theres no indication and EPA officials do not believe the chemical is going into the water or onto the ground in any way that would be causing a risk.

In 2016, we learned that EtO was more dangerous when it's breathed in, Olson said. As soon as we learned that, we started gathering information to better understand how EtO was potentially causing risk in some communities. Over the last two years, we collected more detailed information from the facilities that use EtO to understand where exactly in which specific communities that risk is the highest.

That work was completed this spring, Olson said, and EPA has been working with companies and state environmental and public health agencies to reduce emissions from these types of facilities.

There are two types of EtO emissions  controlled emissions and whats known as fugitive emissions  those that dont get captured by control emissions. The EtO coming from BD are fugitive emissions, Olson said.

This is EtO that escapes through other places, leaks gaps, even doors and windows, she added.

BD does currently have controls in place to capture EtO.

We do not believe that there are short-term risks from this chemical in your community. This is an important point, Olson said. The science we have done only finds long-term risks over a lifetime of exposure. What we have learned though, is that EtO can cause cancer when people are exposed over long periods of time. Specifically, it can cause breast and lymph or blood cancers.

A map from EPA shows that for areas around the BD Columbus east plant, the estimated lifestyle cancer risk is 100 in a million or greater from breathing air containing EtO emitted from the facility. However, that risk is assuming an individual is constantly breathing in that level of EtO in the air nonstop for a lifetime.

For someone who lives near an EtO facility in a residential area, we would assume that people spend 100% of their time  which means 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 70 years  breathing in EtO in the area where there is risk, Olson said. For someone who handles EtO within a facility, we assume that people are exposed while they're at work for eight hours a day, 250 days a year for 35 years.

Olson noted its unlikely an individual would be around the chemical for that entire length of time. Scientists purposefully use the most conservative numbers when calculating risks.

The bottom line is that this is intentionally conservative in order to protect the most sensitive individuals, she said.

Certain individuals are most likely more at risk, including workers, those living closer to the facility in question and infants and children, who are naturally more susceptible to illness, she said.

Olson said the only way to really reduce this risk is by reducing emissions from BD. The chemical cannot be easily removed with home air filters and you cant completely reduce your risk by staying inside.

EPA expects to propose two updated actions later this year  one focused on air pollution that addresses the risk where people live and the other on EtO where its used in sterilization facilities where people work.

The existing regulation was written and put into place at a time when we didn't yet fully understand a lot about how toxic ethylene oxide is and how it creates risk in communities, said EPA Region 7 Air and Radiation Division Director Dana Skelley. We've learned a lot in the last few years, and we're putting that knowledge to work on a new air pollution regulation.

A public comment period of at least 60 days will take place in the fall, and it will take one year to finalize the rule. Facilities will then have about three years to come into compliance.

BDs perspective

According to BD Vice President of Public Relations Troy Kirkpatrick, BD has programs in place to ensure compliance with EPA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Food and Drug Administration regulations and permit requirements.

The previously mentioned fugitive emissions were not previously regulated, Kirkpatrick noted, and BD has found new methods of EtO capture and control technologies to significantly reduce the fugitive emissions.

BD is voluntarily investing $18 million to install new equipment in the post-sterile warehouse section of the facility in Columbus.

These new systems have been proven to reduce emissions by 95% in other BD facilities, and we expect similar results in Columbus, Kirkpatrick said. The permits have been approved and the upgrades are already in process with planned completion within 8-12 months. While this investment is not required by EPA or Nebraska DEE, after the system is operational, the facility is expected to be below the EPAs 100 in a million risk threshold in all residential areas around the facility.

Kirkpatrick added that EPAs new risk methodology focuses exclusively on emissions from commercial sterilizers but not the other sources of EtO, which include other industrial use of EtO, the combustion of fossil fuels, decomposition of organic matter, cigarette smoke and EtO produced by the human body.

While EPA is continuing to do research to better understand background levels of EtO, EPA data from a study they conducted between Oct. 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019 shows average background levels of 0.2 to 0.4 micrograms of EtO per cubic meter of air, he said. This means that background levels in regular outdoor air across the country is more than 10 to 20 times higher than the EPAs risk threshold. And concurrently, emissions from our Columbus facility as modeled by EPA are 2.5 to 5 times lower than what is found in ambient air, even before any upgrades to the facility.

BD has provided expert opinions on EPAs concerns regarding EtO emission levels in Columbus and the agencys study in general, including from Michael Dourson, a board-certified toxicologist and president of Toxicology Excellence in Risk Assessment.

Dourson pointed out in a statement that EtO is used to make everyday household items and is the product of grilling outdoors, running a diesel engine and many other activities. EPAs threshold is so low that it does not account for the EtO already present in the air from man-made and naturally occurring sources, Dourson said.

By not accounting for these sources, the relatively small amounts added to the environment by industry might raise alarms in many areas where there need not be any. All of this has made EPAs process quite difficult to accept by scientists knowledgeable about these hypothetical risks, Dourson said.

He noted the levels of EtO emitted by the facility are not high enough to impact a person who breathes air with the highest concentration continuously for a lifetime.

For example, in Columbus, Nebraska, the reported emissions from BDs facility are 0.08 ug/m3 or less. This is less than what occurs in other places in the country without industry as determined by EPA and also much lower than what your body produces, Dourson said.

EPAs risk values are hypothetical and do not reflect a medical finding. Rather, the intent of these values is to identify an area of potential concern in order to prioritize actions at the community level. The essential point here is that the levels of EtO in your area are not going to lead to an increase in cancer risk but the EPA risk values allow your community to understand emissions and track further progress for emissions reductions if this is important to you.

More information on EPAs risk assessment on EtO emitted by BD can be found at epa.gov/eto/columbus.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) Hungary does not expect the European Union to lift sanctions against Russia soon, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told Sputnik on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

"No, no, it's the other way around," Szijjarto said when asked if the European Union has discussed the lifting of sanctions against Russia.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) Hungary will never agree to add Russian energy firms Rosatom and Gazprom to the EU sanctions list, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told Sputnik on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

"We will never agree with Rosatom or Gazprom being put on a sanction list, and we would never agree any entity to be put on a sanction list which is important for us from the perspective of the supply of energy," Szijjarto said.

European Union officials have said they will soon roll out a new package of sanctions against Russia.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2022) The negotiations between the trade delegations of Iran and Russia will begin on Monday in Tehran, the spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade Omid Ghalibaf said.

"Representatives of the chambers of industry and commerce of Tehran and all cities of Iran, as well as companies from the high-tech sector will hold talks with the Russian delegation," Ghalibaf was quoted as saying by Iranian news agency IRNA.

The Russian delegation at the talks will consist of 100 people, representing 65 companies, the spokesman said.

Ghalibaf noted that the companies will be representing sectors ranging from food and agriculture, confectionery, water management, equipment and machinery industry, medical equipment industry, glass industry, metallurgy, to telecommunications and radio systems and the energy industry.
(@FahadShabbir)

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) Khartoum appreciates and commends Russia's stance toward Sudan and hopes for the development of relations with Moscow, Abdel-Fattah Al Burhan, the President of the Transitional Government of Sudan, said on Friday.

"Firstly, I am so pleased with this meeting with a friendly country that supported Sudan and is still by the side of Sudan. We appreciate and commend Russia's stance toward Sudan. We hope our relations develop in a way that achieves the objectives," Burhan told the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

Lavrov, for his part, told Burhan that Moscow was ready to support the normalization of the situation in Sudan.

"Once again, I appreciate this opportunity and would like to express our hope that the efforts of the government would fully normalize the situation, would succeed.

We are ready to support this policy in the United Nations," Lavrov said.

In October 2021, the Sudanese military, led by Gen. Burhan, overthrew the government, declaring a state of emergency and establishing a transitional sovereign council under his leadership. Subsequent protests forced Burhan to sign a pact stipulating the reinstatement of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, releasing all political prisoners, holding elections in July 2023, and handing power to an elected civilian government. The political crisis persisted, however, and Hamdok stepped down on January 2.

Weekly protests against military rule have continued in Sudan, resulting in dozens of deaths.
UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met on Friday with the delegation of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss cooperation in different areas.

"Making progress in strengthening the United Nations I hope and strengthening our partnership between Russia and GCC.

We discussed our cooperation in detail in June in Riyadh. It was a very important meeting and we're now following up on main agreements regarding promoting our cooperation in various fields," Lavrov said at the meeting.

In early June, the Russian minister was on a tour in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries where he had talks with officials of a number of Arab states, in particular discussing the situation in Ukraine and efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution of the conflict and establishing stability in the region.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) The statement of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who has called for creating a tribunal to investigate Russia's military operation in Ukraine, is biased and has nothing to do with real justice, Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Saturday.

"We are already used to Borrell's unprofessional and confrontational statements, which have nothing to do with diplomacy," the ministry said.

The comments of EU foreign policy chief have nothing in common with real justice, the ministry added.

"His statements in support of the idea of a certain tribunal 'to bring Russians to justice' are already biased in their wording and have nothing to do with real justice. No one gave him the right to point out perpetrators," the ministry said.

The Russian foreign ministry believes that the head of the EU diplomacy has not been objective since the time that he has been silent about the atrocities that the Ukrainian military has been committing in the Donbas, which has lead to mass casualties.
There was no visible security presence in Beijing on Saturday, a week before China celebrates the founding of the People's Republic, a Sputnik reporter said

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) There was no visible security presence in Beijing on Saturday, a week before China celebrates the founding of the People's Republic, a Sputnik reporter said.

Unconfirmed media reports suggested this week that the Chinese military was plotting a coup during the so-called Golden Week of public holidays that precede China's National Day on October 1.

There are no signs of tensions in the capital, the Sputnik correspondent said. Everywhere people are going about their daily lives, including at landmark Tiananmen Square.

It is possible to travel to and from Beijing. Air and train tickets are available online, although prices are up ahead of the holiday week. There are no internet or social media blackouts or changes to tv schedules.

Hundreds of air flights to and from Beijing's airports have been cut, down from the reported thousands. Delays and cancellations have been an ongoing issue in China for months due to pandemic restrictions.
SEOUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) South Korea believes that North Korea's activities in the eastern coastal city of Sinpo may indicate that Pyongyang is preparing to fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday, citing military sources.

Sources told Yonhap that the South Korean military recently detected possible signs of preparations for the SLBM launch in the North Korean city of Sinpo.

"We are closely monitoring North Korea's SLBM-related facilities and activities, and maintaining a thorough readiness posture," an unnamed military official was quoted as saying by the news agency.

These alleged preparations may come as a response to the arrival of the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier for military drills scheduled for late September, the news agency noted.

On Wednesday, a US-based think tank 38 North shared commercial satellite photos of the Sinpo south shipyard from September 18 that showed six barges and vessels gathered around a construction quay.

The think tank believes that the new position of the vessels at the port indicates that Pyongyang is preparing to launch a new submarine.

North Korea conducted a successful test launch of the Pukguksong-1 SLBM in 2015. The third modification, Pukguksong-3, was launched in 2019 from a submerged barge. In October 2019, North Korea demonstrated a new missile, Pukguksong-4S, at a parade in Pyongyang, with Pukguksong-5S presented in January 2020.

In October 2021, North Korea announced that it had tested an SLBM from the submarine dubbed "Hero of August 24." Although Pyongyang did not reveal the name of the missile, it is believed to be the Pukguksong type.

In May 2022, South Korea said its northern neighbor launched one short-range ballistic missile, presumably an SLBM, near the Sinpo Port toward the Sea of Japan.

North Korea's latest SLBMs are presumably constructed for a 3,000-tonne submarine that is still under development.
Angolan opposition supporters took to the streets on Saturday to protest the return to power of the long ruling MPLA party in divisive elections last month

Luanda, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2022 ) :Angolan opposition supporters took to the streets on Saturday to protest the return to power of the long ruling MPLA party in divisive elections last month.

The demonstrations were called by UNITA -- the largest opposition party and a former rebel movement which fought a 27-year civil war against the MPLA government that ended in the oil-rich country in 2002.

The opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), whose popularity has been growing in recent years rejected the results of the August 24 vote.

It challenged the outcome in court, but the country's top court dismissed the petition.

More than 2,000 protesters marched, some brandishing placards inscribed with slogans such as "respect for the peoples vote" and waving UNITA flags in downtown Luanda.

"Today we are a national consensus," said charismatic UNITA leader Adalberto Costa Junior, addressing the crowd to rapturous applause and chants of "president Adalberto".

"The court has come out badly damaged because everyone knows who really won the elections," he added.

The formerly Marxist Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) won a wafer-thin majority of 51.17 percent of the vote, handing President Joao Lourenco, the 68-year-old former general, a second term in power.

It was the MPLA's worst electoral showing since independence from Portugal in 1975.

UNITA proved popular in urban areas and among young voters eager for economic change.

"The MPLA must understand that there are other voices they have to listen to," Maria Saraiva, a 33-year-old unemployed hairdresser told AFP at the start of the march.

Costa Junior, 60, who has been credited with reinvigorating the opposition in Angola, told young people on Saturday that "your presence here is an example of courage and this is the beginning of a march for the future".

Opposition parties and civic groups had said the vote was marred by irregularities.

"Today is the first of many steps we as UNITA sympathisers will take to force political changes," said sound engineer Jose Costa, 46.
The Swiss government decided on Friday to release stocks of gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil and aviation kerosene from October 3 to ensure supplies of petroleum products amid the ongoing energy crisis and related transportation difficulties

ZURICH (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2022) The Swiss government decided on Friday to release stocks of gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil and aviation kerosene from October 3 to ensure supplies of petroleum products amid the ongoing energy crisis and related transportation difficulties.

"Starting from October 2022, mandatory stocks of motor gasoline, diesel and heating oil, as well as aviation kerosene will be released to ensure supplies of petroleum products to Switzerland. This is due to the limited capacity of the Rhine (river) and logistical problems with foreign rail transportation. The corresponding decree will come into force on October 3, 2022," a statement read.

The stocks of gasoline, fuel and fuel oil may can cover about four and a half months of consumption, the Swiss government said.

Meanwhile, aviation kerosene reserves will last for about three months.

The authorities also advised national companies to switch dual-fuel installations from gas to fuel oil from October 1.

"The implementation of this recommendation will allow a significant amount of gas to be saved quickly. This will significantly contribute to the achievement of the voluntary gas savings goal of 15% from October 2022 to March 2023, which Switzerland seeks to achieve in the same way as the European Union," the statement added.

Europe is currently facing a massive energy crisis due to the sanctions imposed on Russia after it had launched a military operation in Ukraine.
A Blair man will serve nearly 10 years in federal prison for threatening to kill a wildlife officer.

A judge sentenced 24-year-old Cody A. Cape to 117 months in federal prison Thursday for threatening to murder a federal law enforcement officer and carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence, according to a court filing. Cape pleaded guilty to both charges in June.

After serving his prison time, Cape will serve a three-year term of supervised release.

According to a federal indictment, Cape and a friend were issued citations in October 2020 for a fishing and hunting violation near the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. Cape and his friend were under investigation for poaching, and Capes phone was seized as part of the investigation, according to court documents.

On Dec. 25, 2020, Capes friend, referred to as Victim 2 in the federal indictment, called the Blair Police Department and reported a possible planned attack against a federal wildlife officer who lived in Blair.

Capes friend told officers that he had picked up Cape at his residence in Blair on Dec. 24 to hang out and drive around. He said Cape told him to drive by the wildlife officers home, where Cape rolled his window down, displayed a middle finger and cursed toward the officers house.

Cape bragged about surveilling the officers residence for one or two weeks. They then drove to an Omaha residence to retrieve firearms owned by Cape, the man said.

Threatening the man with a handgun, Cape was driven to a government housing unit in the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. Cape wanted to see whether the officer was present at one of the residences there, according to the indictment.

When Cape didnt see the officers truck, he told the man to drive back to Blair and began explaining ways he planned to kill the officer. Cape claimed he could use explosives to kill the officer and his family.

On Christmas night, officers went to Capes residence and saw Cape leave the home with a woman.

After following his vehicle, the officers pulled Cape over and found an unloaded .45-caliber handgun and bullets in the vehicle.

Blair police arrested Cape on suspicion of false imprisonment and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. Those charges were later dismissed and the federal charges were filed.

When police interviewed Cape, he admitted he was very stressed as hell by the wildlife officers poaching investigation. He denied having kidnapped the man referred to as Victim 2 but admitted they drove past the wildlife officers residence on Dec. 24.

When asked if people would believe that his statements meant he wanted to kill the wildlife officer, Cape replied, Its possible, Im a very believable person. Asked again if he might have made statements that he wanted to kill the officer, Cape replied, probably.

Cape then said he would not actually hurt the officer and ended the interview.

Capes attorney could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.
UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) The conflict in Ukraine is absolutely not in the interest of the Ukrainian people and the negotiating table is the place where all the issues must be resolved, Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal Mekdad told Sputnik.

"I think this war is absolutely not in the interest of the Ukrainian people, and the negotiating table is the place to solve all these problems," Mekdad said on Friday.

The Syrian Foreign Minister also noted that the crisis in Ukraine has affected the entire world.

"I put the entire responsibility on the Ukrainian side, on the Western side. The support given by the United States and Western countries to Ukraine is counterproductive," Mekdad said.

The Syrian Foreign Minister also said that it seems to him the United States and its allies want to "fight until the last Ukrainian."
UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) The lack of commitment on the side of Turkey is the only obstacle stalling the Syria peace process under the Astana framework, Syrian Foreign Affairs Minister Faisal Mekdad told Sputnik.

"We ask the Turkish side to be more serious to implement their commitments as being agreed upon by the Astana process. This is the only problem we are facing, but we believe the efforts of our friends, both the Russians and the Iranians, are going in the correct direction," Mekdad said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Friday.

Mekdad added that the Astana process has so far been "the only viable component that has succeeded on the ground," and resulted in "many successes." The Syrian minister noted that there have been no contacts or meetings with the Turkish side during the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week.

"There are no negotiations, there are no contacts, there is nothing at least on the level of foreign ministers," Mekdad said.
Bonnie Jenkins, the US under secretary of state for arms control, will travel to Vienna next week to attend a conference held by the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA, the Department of State said Saturday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) Bonnie Jenkins, the US under secretary of state for arms control, will travel to Vienna next week to attend a conference held by the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA, the Department of State said Saturday.

"Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins will travel to Vienna, Austria on September 25-28 to attend the 66th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency," the statement read.

Jenkins will hold bilateral meetings with other participants and attend outreach engagements on nuclear-related issues in a show of US support for nuclear nonproliferation.

She will also "reiterate U.S. steadfast support of Ukraine, continue to support the IAEA's efforts in Ukraine, and promote civil-nuclear partnerships and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology," the State Department said.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm will lead the US delegation. She will be accompanied at the conference by US Department of Energy's Under Secretary for Nuclear Security Jill Hruby and US Ambassador at UN Vienna Office Laura Holgate.
Thomas Ching Wei Tu, a young economist from Taiwan, talks about some of the seeds sown in Assisi during the Economy of Francesco 2022 event.

By Francesca Merlo & Linda Bordoni

Meeting with like-minded young economists from the Philippines and Malaysia, who share the same culture and vision, means we can go home and set up a new hub to promote the Economy of Francesco (EoF) in Far East Asia.

This is according to Thomas Ching Wei Tu from Taiwan who made a long journey to be able to participate in the EoF event in Assisi.

The doctoral student in economic studies, with work experience as a researcher in trade issues for Taiwans Central Governments Cabinet, told Francesca Merlo that in his country, the need to develop a more sustainable and ecologically aware society is well embedded.

Listen to the interview with Thomas Ching Wei Tu

Improving the current economic system together

We are thinking and hoping that together with other countries like the US and Japan with whom we are negotiating new initiatives, we can improve the current economic system, he said.

In Assisi, Thomas says he has taken time to listen to other stories, slow down, and pray a lot. He is looking to find inspiration in this event, he added, as well as bring our experience from Taiwan to the world.

Far East Asia Hub

Here, he noted, he has also had the occasion to talk to friends from Malaysia and Philippines. We are close to each other and share a like-minded culture, he said, calling the event a chance to build a little hub for Far East Asia. As he noted, the EoF began three years ago, so young people in Asia still need to become more familiar with it.

Thomas said that in the run-up to the Assisi gathering on-line meetings were taking place. Now, however, he explained, that we have had the occasion to meet physically and are planning to set-up more activities together when we go back to the Far East.

A constructive perspective

The fact that this event priorities the vision and work of young people is very exciting, Thomas reiterated, because it brings people from different countries and different backgrounds together and asks them to give life to a new way of thinking and addressing current issues.

I think, he concluded,  that the EoF is a good hub for all of us to share thinking and create new opportunities to build a better world.
Participants at the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions (Vatican Media)

Concluding the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Nur-Sultan, interreligious leaders from around the world adopt a declaration expressing a common desire to work towards a better world, while condemning violence in the name of religion.

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ



More than 100 delegations from about 60 countries met from 14-15 September at the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which was held in Nur-Sultan, the Kazakh capital city.

At the end of the 2-day Congress, most delegates adopted a declaration, containing principles to be disseminated at regional and national levels, for consideration in all political decisions, legislative norms, educational programs, and mass media in all interested countries.

A pledge to work towards a better world

The declaration, which will also be distributed as an official document of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, reflects efforts towards promoting interreligious dialogue and fostering inter-civilization cooperation.

In it, the participants express their shared desire for a just, peaceful, secure and prosperous world, affirming the importance of shared values in the spiritual and social development of mankind.

They also recognize the necessity of countering and overcoming intolerance, xenophobia, discrimination and conflicts based on ethnic, religious and cultural differences, as well as extremism, radicalism and terrorism, which lead to religious persecution and the undermining of human life and dignity.

More so, they express concern about the global increase in the number of migrants and refugees in need of humanitarian assistance and recognize the importance of addressing global challenges including climate change, hunger, poverty, among others, in our post-pandemic world.

They also highlight the urgent need for spiritual and political leaders to join efforts to confront the challenges of the world.

Against conflicts and wars

In the document consisting of a preamble and 35 paragraphs, the participants further pledged to continue the work of the Congress for the benefit of peace and dialogue between cultures and civilizations.

The participants spoke against the unleashing of military conflict that create hotspots of tension and confrontation and impair international relations, and noted that all forms of violence and wars, whatever their goals, have nothing to do with true religion and must be rejected in the strongest possible terms.

The Congress called upon world leaders to abandon all aggressive and destructive rhetoric that leads to the destabilization of the world, and to cease from conflict and bloodshed, urging them to develop dialogue in the name of friendship, solidarity and peaceful coexistence.

The document also encouraged acts of mercy and compassion, calling for assistance for regions affected by conflict, natural and man-made disasters.

Document on Human Fraternity, Makkah Declaration

The declaration further goes on to recognize the importance and value of the Document on Human Fraternity signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, in February 2019, and the Makkah Declaration, signed in Mecca on May 2019, which call for peace, dialogue, mutual understanding and mutual respect among believers for the common good.

Religious pluralism and tolerance

Proceeding from the fact that God created all people equal regardless of race, religion, ethnicity and social status, the participants uphold the value of tolerance, respect and mutual understanding that underpin all religious teaching.

In this regard, they note that pluralism and differences in religion, skin color, gender, race and language are expressions of the wisdom of God's will in creation, and any incident of coercion to a particular religion and religious doctrine is unacceptable.

The document, thus, calls for the support of initiatives to implement interreligious and interdenominational dialogue for the sake of building social justice and solidarity for all peoples.

The rest of the declaration touched on other issues, including highlighting the importance of strengthening the institution of the family and protecting the rights and dignity of women, among others.

The document concludes by acknowledging the Republic of Kazakhstan for its role as an authoritative and global center of intercivilizational, interreligious and interfaith dialogue and an indication of the desire to hold the 8th Congress in 2025 in Nur-Sultan.
What had been a lightning push by Ukraine to drive Moscow's forces from the eastern Kharkiv region slowed to a brutal slog Saturday, stalled by heavy rain and Russian resistance.

In the frontline town of Kupiansk against a background of constant shelling noise a column of dark smoke rose across the Oskil River, which separates the Ukrainian-held west bank from the east, still disputed by Russian forces.

"For now, the rain is making it difficult to use heavy weapons everywhere. We can only use paved roads," Ukrainian army sergeant Roman Malyna told AFP, as tanks and APCs maneuvered under the downpour.

"For now, because it's hard to move forward due to the weather, we are targeting their armored vehicles, ammunition depots and groups of soldiers," he said.

On Friday, Kupiansk's military administrator Andriy Kanashevych told AFP that it might take Ukrainian forces 10 days to fully secure the area.

Most of the shellfire on Saturday was outgoing  Ukrainian artillery targeting Russian positions in the woods beyond the east of the town  but with a Russian drone spotted overhead tension prevailed.

A few refugees were walking toward Ukrainian territory across the damaged bridge, its handrails still painted in the red, white and blue colors of Kupiansk's former Russian occupiers.

Two Ukrainian soldiers, well-equipped with U.S.-style assault rifles and body armor, and in good spirits despite fatigue and concern over the Russian drone buzzing above the debris-strewn road, also crossed back.

One of them, using the nom de guerre "Mario," said it was too soon to say when the east bank would come completely under Ukrainian control but was confident the Russians were in retreat.

"Only their bodies will be left behind," he said.

"In general, it's all good, taking into account the scale of the operation, we've had almost no losses," he told AFP.

Most of Kupiansk, a key rail hub once used by Russia to supply its forces further south on the Donetsk battlefront, fell to Ukraine in this month's counterattack against the invader.

But a narrow strip of the Kharkiv region on the east side of the Oskil River remains in Russian hands and prevents Ukraine from pushing on into the Lugansk region, which Moscow holds and is seeking to annex.

"Yes, we have enough weapons and men, but it depends on what happens on the other side," Sergeant Malyna said, referring to the Russian forces.

"They are trying to find the weak points in our defensive line. So, they try to attack us from time to time using tanks and marines.

"Our morale is good. We are ready to fight, but we need more heavy weapons and more precision weapons," he said, repeating a common Ukrainian appeal for more advanced arms from Kyiv's Western allies.

While the fighting continues, many civilians have fled a town that is without electricity and running water, and where shells whistle overhead.

Some, however, have nowhere to go and are reliant on food aid deliveries.

Civilians still cluster around portable generators in the doorways of five-story concrete apartment blocks as the rain courses down, charging tablets, flashlights and razors.

Most say they are glad that Ukrainian forces returned to free the town from Russian occupation, but the ongoing fighting has taken a toll.

Retired trapeze artist Lyudmila Belukha, 74, once performed for the Soviet-era Moscow Circus.

"I traveled across the entire Soviet Union and abroad, too," she said.

A widow  her late husband was a fellow circus performer  she lives alone in a Kupiansk housing estate.

Her sister has moved to Greece, while she has been without news of her nephew, who lives on the eastern bank of the river, for months.

"I'm at home alone, with my cats. Absolutely alone. My kitchen and balcony windows are broken. I need plastic wrap to fix them because it will be getting cold. I'm freezing," she said.

She was picking up a food parcel from humanitarian volunteers and said she was not starving, but: "We have no water, no gas, and no electricity. Nothing. There's no way to even boil water for tea."
Information is from police reports and may be incomplete depending on the status of an investigation. Phone numbers are nonemergency.
An air traffic control strike grounded flights in and out of West and Central Africa on Friday, causing chaos for passengers traveling to Europe and the United States and inside the continent.

Staff at the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), which regulates air traffic across 18 countries, stopped working Friday during a dispute over working conditions and pay, defying court rulings and government bans barring them from doing so.

On Friday night, a busy one for travel, flights to and from Europe and the United States were halted, said Reuters' reporters at Senegal's Blaise Diagne International Airport and in the United States.

Flights inside Africa were also affected, airlines and passengers said.

ASECNA told customers to check airline websites for updates.

"In spite of the prohibition of the strike by all the courts ... the Union of Air Traffic Controllers' Unions (USYCAA) has launched a wildcat strike," ASECNA said Friday.

"We have already exhausted both administrative and institutional remedies in the management of this crisis, but we have in front of us trade unionists who are stubborn to do whatever they want," ASECNA's head of human resources, Ceubah Guelpina, told a news conference.

The USYCAA union said in a statement that its members would cease providing services to all but "sensitive" flights until their demands were satisfied.

Paul Francois Gomis, a leader of Senegalese air traffic controllers who were on strike, said that some union members in Cameroon, Congo and the Comoros had been arrested for participating in the strike.

Air Senegal had grounded several flights as a result of the action, Reuters said. The airline could not be immediately reached for comment.

Flights to the United States, Portugal and Turkey were hit, travelers said.

On Thursday, a court in Senegal suspended the call to strike by air traffic controllers in Senegal and Ivory Coast, ASECNA said.

ASECNA said it has developed a contingency plan to allow airlines to take alternative routes when certain airports are impacted by temporary staff shortages, in case the strike should drag on.
Almost 2,000 innocent people have been killed by Russian forces in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Ukraine  some just for speaking Ukrainian or having Ukrainian symbols. VOAs Eastern Europe Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze was granted exclusive access to the scene of a mass graveyard in Izium in the Kharkiv region that contains more than 400 bodies.

Most of them apparently died particularly violent deaths, with many victims found with their hands tied behind their backs, ropes around their necks, broken bones, and gunshot wounds.

United Nations experts and Ukrainian officials have pointed to new evidence of war crimes in Ukraine.

The head of a U.N.-mandated investigation body said Friday war crimes including rape, torture and the confinement of children have been committed in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

"Based on the evidence gathered by the commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine," Erik Mose, who heads the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

He did not specify who was to blame, but the commission has focused on areas previously occupied by Russian forces, such as Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy.

Investigators from the commission, created by the rights council in March, visited 27 places and interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses

A U.S. envoy told the council, "Numerous sources indicate that Russian authorities have interrogated, detained and forcible deported between 900,000 and 1.6 million Ukrainian citizens."

U.S. Ambassador Michele Taylor, U.S. permanent representative to the council, added, "We urge the commissioners to continue to examine the growing evidence of Russia's filtration operations, forced deportations and disappearances.

Russia denies deliberately attacking civilians.

Russia was called on to respond to the allegations at the U.N. Human Rights Council meeting, but its seat was left empty. There was no immediate official reaction from Moscow.

Mobilization fallout

In the meantime, more than 730 people were detained across Russia at protests Saturday against a mobilization order of 300,000 military reservists, a rights group said, three days after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's first military call-up since World War II for the conflict in Ukraine.



The independent OVD-Info protest monitoring group said it was aware of detentions in 32 different cities, from St. Petersburg to Siberia. Unsanctioned rallies are illegal under Russian law, which also forbids any activity considered to defame the armed forces.

Footage from the same protest showed Russian officers carrying men and leading women to police vans.

Russia's first public mobilization since World War IIto shore up its faltering invasion of Ukrainealso has triggered a rush for the border by eligible men.

Russian referendums

Western nations and Ukraine have labeled a sham the voting on referendums in Russian-held regions of Ukraine asking residents if they want their regions to be part of Russia. Voting began Friday on Russian referendums aimed at annexing four occupied regions of Ukraine. Some local officials said voters were being intimidated and threatened.

In the balloting, scheduled to run from Friday to Tuesday in the provinces of Luhansk, Kherson and the partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, voters are being asked if they want their areas to become part of Russia.

Polls also opened in Russia, where refugees and other residents from those areas could vote.

The West and Ukraine said the voting is illegal under international law.

Any elections or referenda on the territory of Ukraine can only be announced and conducted by legitimate authorities in compliance with national legislation and international standards, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in a statement. Therefore, the planned referenda will be illegal."

Ukrainian officials said people were banned from leaving some occupied areas until the vote was over, armed groups were going to homes to force people to cast ballots, and employees were told they could be fired if they did not participate.

Serhiy Haidai, Ukraine's Luhansk governor, said in the town of Starobilsk, the population was banned from leaving and people were being forced out of their homes to vote.

"Today, the best thing for the people of Kherson would be not to open their doors," said Yuriy Sobolevsky, the displaced first deputy council chairman of Kherson region.

The results of the referendums, expected soon after the voting, are almost certain to support joining Russia.

"We are returning home," said the Russian-backed leader of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin. "Donbas is Russia."

"All of us have been waiting for a referendum on joining Russia for eight long years," said Leonid Pasechnik, the Russian-backed leader of Luhansk. "We have already become part of Russia. There remains only a small matter  to win [the war]."

Ukraine says it will never accept Russian control of any of its territory.

The referendums were quickly organized after Ukraine earlier this month recaptured large swaths of the northeast in a counteroffensive.

By incorporating the four areas, Moscow could portray attacks to retake them as an attack on Russia itself - potentially even using that to justify a nuclear response.

In a televised address this week, Putin said the West is trying to weaken and destroy Russia and that his country will use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
A 48-hour strike by air traffic controllers in West and Central Africa has been suspended, their union said Saturday.

The strike, which started Friday, has disrupted flights across the region and left hundreds of passengers stranded at airports Saturday.

The Union of Air Traffic Controllers Unions (USYCAA), which called the wildcat strike, said in a statement it decided to suspend its strike notice for 10 days immediately so as to allow for negotiations.

"Air traffic services will be provided in all air spaces and airports managed by ASECNA from today Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 1200 GMT," the statement said.

The union said more than 700 air traffic controllers joined the strike to demand better working conditions and pay.

The controllers work under the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) an 18-member state agency that manages air traffic over an area covering 16 million square km of airspace.

Stranded passengers

Across the region, airport operations ground to a near halt as authorities tried to keep control towers operational for some flights.

Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Douala International Airport in Cameroon Saturday morning, national television CRTV reported. National carrier Camair-Co said Friday it had canceled all its flights because of the strike.

Nsoh Brinston, a stranded passenger who was to fly to Kigali, Rwanda, said his flight has canceled.

"I will have to spend more than I intended due to the canceled flight. I will have to do another COVID test, which costs 30,000 CFA francs ($45)," he said.

He would also have to find a place to spend the night.

West, central Africa affected

In Senegal, the airport departure board showed cancellations for flights operated by Brussels Airlines, Kenyan Airways and Emirates as passengers gathered to check if their flight was still on schedule.

A group of students from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, who were due to fly back home from Dakar said they were stuck at the airport because they could not afford the fare to the city, around 50 km from the airport.

"We were supposed to board at 0900 GMT but were still here," one of the students said, requesting to remain anonymous. "We have been told the situation could be resolved by tomorrow."

"I was supposed to leave at 1400 GMT. The flight was announced as scheduled but we have just been told that it has been canceled," said Maxine Compaore, who was supposed to fly to Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

In Ivory Coast, eight flights scheduled to leave the commercial hub of Abidjan Saturday were canceled.
A gang of armed men killed at least 15 people at a mosque in northwest Nigeria's Zamfara state, residents said Saturday.

The attack in the Bukkuyum local government area took place during Friday prayers at the Jumu'at central mosque in Ruwan Jema town, three residents told Reuters.

"The armed bandits came on motorbikes while holding their guns and moved straight to the mosque and began to shoot sporadically [at] us," resident Amimu Mustapha said.

Another resident who asked not to be named said the attack took place at roughly 2 p.m. local time, adding there were many others injured.

A representative for the Zamfara state police did not immediately respond to calls or text messages seeking to confirm the residents' reports.

In August, Ruwan Jema residents said they gave bandits 9 million naira ($21,000), petrol and cigarettes with the promise that the men would leave them alone.

Gangs of heavily armed men, known locally as bandits, have wreaked havoc across northwest Nigeria in the past two years, kidnapping thousands, killing hundreds and making it unsafe to travel by road or farm in some areas.

The attacks have confounded overstretched security forces. The military last week warned residents in Zamfara and two other states to leave forested areas ahead of a bombing campaign targeting bandits and terrorists.
A Chinese scientific ship bristling with surveillance equipment docked in a Sri Lankan port. Hundreds of fishing boats anchored for months at a time among disputed islands in the South China Sea. And oceangoing ferries, built to be capable of carrying heavy vehicles and large loads of people.

All are ostensibly civilian ships, but experts and uneasy regional governments say they are part of a Chinese civil-military fusion strategy, little concealed by Beijing, that enhances its maritime capabilities.

Chinas navy is already the worlds largest by ship count and has been building new warships as part of a wider military expansion. It launched its first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier in June, and at least five new destroyers are on the way.

The buildup comes as Beijing attempts to exert broader influence in the region. It is increasing its military activities around the self-governing island of Taiwan, seeking new security agreements with Pacific islands and building artificial islands in disputed waters to fortify its territorial claims in the South China Sea, which the U.S. and its allies have challenged.

The civilian vessels do more than just augment the raw numbers of ships, performing tasks that would be difficult for the military to carry out.

In the South China Sea's Spratly Islands, for example, China pays commercial trawlers more than they can make by fishing simply to drop anchor for a minimum of 280 days a year to support Beijings claim to the disputed archipelago, said Gregory Poling, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

China is able to use nominally civilian vessels that are clearly state directed, state paid to eat away the sovereignty of its neighbors, but then plausibly deny that the state is responsible, he said.

China has been using civilian fishing trawlers for military purposes for decades but has significantly increased the numbers recently with the creation of a Spratly Backbone Fleet out of a government subsidy program begun under President Xi Jinping, which helps cover building new vessels, among other things.

Those ships largely appeared almost overnight after China constructed port infrastructure a few years ago on the artificial islands it built in the Spratlys that could be used for resupply, Poling said.

Now there are about 300 to 400 vessels deployed there at any given time, he said.

The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and others also have claims to the Spratly Islands, which sit in a productive fishing area and important shipping lane, and are thought to hold untapped reserves of natural gas and oil.

But the Chinese ships deter other trawlers from fishing in the area, and have been slowly displacing them from the grounds, with little that governments can do, said Jay Batongbacal, who heads the University of the Philippines' Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.

Because they are ostensibly civilian fishing vessels, navies' ships are unable to deal with them lest China accuse the Philippines of provoking an incident and using force against civilians, he said. They take advantage of perceived gray zones below the threshold for triggering a self-defense response.

In one highly publicized incident, a steel Chinese trawler in 2019 rammed and sank a wooden-hulled Filipino boat at anchor northeast of the Spratly Islands, abandoning its crew to be rescued later by a Vietnamese fishing boat. Despite a diplomatic protest from the Philippines, China denied the incident was intentional, calling it an accidental collision.

In addition to about 800 to 1,000 commercial fishing boats in the Spratly fleet, China has approximately 200 other vessels as part of a professional maritime militia, according to a November study co-authored by Poling based on an analysis of official Chinese reports, satellite imagery and other sources.

In the event of a conflict, Chinas use of civilian vessels would complicate the rules of engagement, he said.

You don't want to treat every Chinese fishing boat as if it were an armed combatant, but, in fact, some of them may well be armed combatants, Poling said.

China has also been deploying civilian research vessels for military-related tasks in areas where its navy would be unable to operate without provoking a response, said Ridzwan Rahmat, a Singapore-based analyst with the defense intelligence company Janes.

If you deploy gray hull vessels, your adversary may also deploy a gray hull vessel as a reciprocal measure, so that makes it more dangerous for everyone, he said, referring to the typical color of military ships. So to avoid this, China has been deploying white hull vessels  to reinforce its presence without escalating things.

There are also many Western export controls prohibiting sensitive technology from being sent to China for military use, which China is able to bypass by building such civilian ships, even though in everything but name theyre military, Rahmat said.

The autonomously piloted Zhu Hai Yun is believed to be one such ship, capable of launching airborne, surface and underwater drones to carry out marine scientific research, according to the Chinese state-run Global Times.

The ship, which completed its first autonomous sea trial in June, could also create military maps of the South China Sea floor, including important submarine lanes around Taiwan, Rahmat said.

China has been increasing its submarine deterrent patrols, and in order to ensure it can do this it needs to map the underwater terrain, he said.

Chinas methods drew the ire of regional rival India last month when it sought to dock the Yuan Wang 5 in Sri Lankas Hambantota Port, not far from Indias southeast coast, for refueling at a time that New Delhi was preparing to test a new missile.

The vessel is officially a scientific research ship equipped with sensors that can be used to track satellites, but the same equipment can be used to gather data on a missile launch.

Sri Lanka, during an economic crisis and heavily reliant on aid from India, initially declined to allow the ship to dock over India's concerns.

But China operates the Hambantota Port, having been granted a 99-year lease on the facility  built with Chinese money  after Sri Lanka defaulted on loans in 2017. After high-level consultations with Beijing, Sri Lankan authorities backtracked and allowed the Yuan Wang 5 to dock from Aug. 16 to Aug. 22.

On Aug. 23, India successfully tested its new surface-to-air missile designed to defend a ship from close-range aerial threats.

I suspect the launch was delayed until the Chinese spy ship was gone, Rahmat said.

China hasn't tried to disguise its military use of civilian oceangoing ferries, which have had to meet defense standards since 2016 allowing them to accommodate military vehicles like tanks, said Mike Dahm, a retired U.S. Navy intelligence officer who has written on the topic for the U.S. Naval War College China Maritime Studies Institute.

This could be meant to intimidate Taiwan, which China claims as its own and has not ruled out attempting to take by force, Dahm said.

China does not possess enough amphibious craft to transport the number of troops needed 160 kilometers (100 miles) across the Taiwan Strait for a potential beach landing on the island, and the ferries could be a stopgap measure should a crisis prompt China to decide to invade, Rahmat said.

Military amphibious craft are built to land troops and vehicles on a beach, whereas ferries provide port-to-port movement, which would mean they would only be effective if China can capture Taiwanese ports in serviceable condition, Dahm said.

Still, in a crisis, China's People's Liberation Army could attempt a chancy gambit like offloading amphibious vehicles from the ferries at sea or using floating causeways, Dahm said.

There is always the possibility that the PLA could commit to a high-risk operation against Taiwan with the possibility of losing a large number of civilian ships, he said.
Iran's main reformist party called Saturday for an end to the mandatory Islamic dress code for women in force since 1983, after eight straight nights of protests.

The Union of Islamic Iran People's Party also called for the winding down of the morality police charged with enforcing the code following the death in their custody of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini on September 16.

The party, which is led by former aides of reformist ex-President Mohammad Khatami who oversaw a thaw with the West between 1997 and 2005, called on the authorities to "prepare the legal elements necessary for the repeal of the law on mandatory hijab."

The party, which remains legal but is firmly outside the corridors of power, said Iran should announce an "official end to the activities of the morality police" and "authorize peaceful demonstrations."

It said an "impartial commission" should be set up to investigate the circumstances of Amini's death and called for the "immediate release of people recently detained."

At least 35 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in the protests that erupted after Amini's death, according to official figures. Hundreds more have been arrested, including reformist journalists and activists as well as demonstrators.

Under the law adopted in 1983, four years after Iran's Islamic revolution, all women, regardless of faith or nationality, must conceal their hair with a headscarf in public and wear loose fitting trousers under their coats.

The code has been widely skirted for decades, particularly in the major cities, but there have been periodic crackdowns.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi insisted Saturday that the government react firmly to the widespread protests across the country over the death of a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, at the hands of the regime's morality police.

In the week since her death, demonstrations have spread to at least 133 cities and left 41 protesters dead, state TV suggested Saturday.

Video on social media showed protesters torching a statue of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his hometown of Mashhad on Friday, as they chanted slogans against him and the government. Other videos showed protesters in multiple cities, including the capital, Tehran, setting fire to Khamenei's portrait.

Raisi, who returned several days ago from a trip to the United Nations in New York, was reported by Iranian media to have told the family of a regime supporter killed in the protests that "the government must react decisively against the protests."

Raisi "stressed the necessity to distinguish between protest and disturbing public order and security, and called the events ... a riot," state media reported.

The protests are the largest since 2019, when Iranians took to the streets over fuel prices. At least 1,500 people were killed in the ensuing crackdown.

General Azizollah Maleki, the police chief of Gilan province, a hotbed of the current protests, told government media that security forces in his province are "on the verge of collapse." More than 700 people reportedly were arrested for protesting in Gilan.

Protesters reportedly took control of large parts of the mostly Kurdish town of Aznaveh in the northwest of the country after security forces were overwhelmed by the number of protesters.

Video on social media also showed violent clashes between protesters and government security forces and the volunteer pro-government Basij militia group in the district of Sattar Khan in Tehran.

Iran analyst Ali Nourizadeh told VOA that "women have joined their husbands, sons and brothers to protest in the streets," while students also have joined the protests in large numbers "despite the heavy-handed regime crackdown on student protesters during demonstrations last year and in 2018."

Nourizadeh said that, unlike the protests of 2009, 2018 and last year, there is "no single demand being made by protesters," other than the downfall of Khamenei and his regime.

"This time, nobody says anything about the economic situation, he said. We don't have any single slogans. They say death to Khamenei, [and] the regime should be toppled. They call [out to] Khamenei's son [Mojtaba, reputed to be in line to succeed his father], 'you will die, but you will not see the leadership.'"

Nourizadeh said he suspects that recent reports about Khamenei being in bad health "may have added to the anger of the people," who don't want Khamenei's son Mojtaba to succeed him.

Anti-government media is claiming that several thousand protesters have been arrested since the death of Amini last week ignited protests, initially in mostly Kurdish regions of the country.

Iranian journalist Aida Ghajar posted video on Twitter on Saturday of family members in front of Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, looking to find out if missing loved ones are being held there.

Some information for this report came from Reuters.
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

The latest developments in Russias war on Ukraine. All times EDT.

10 p.m.: Russian authorities acknowledged a "significant" influx of cars trying to cross from Russia into Georgia on Saturday, days after Moscow announced partial mobilization, Agence France-Presse reported.

"There is a significant congestion of private vehicles ... around 2,300" waiting to pass one checkpoint along the border, said the local interior ministry in a Russian region that borders Georgia.

The ministry urged people "to refrain from traveling" in the direction of Georgia.

The search "to leave Russia" was carried out 100 times more than normal on the morning of the mobilization announcement, Google Trends data showed.

Saturday's comments are the first official acknowledgement by Russian authorities of an influx of travelers out of the country.

Most direct flights to countries allowing Russian entry without visa have sold out, and prices have skyrocketed.

9:15 p.m.: A stream of Russians entering Istanbul on Saturday expressed personal relief but concern for the safety of loved ones, Agence France-Presse reported, after the Kremlin announced a partial mobilization for the war in Ukraine.

All those carrying hurriedly-packed belongings refused to give their full names for fear of retribution by Russian police against those still at home.

But all described anxiety not felt since the first days of Russia's invasion of its Western-backed neighbor on February 24.

"We were talking to our friends and many are thinking about leaving," said Daria, 22. "Not everyone wanted to leave in February. The decision of September 21 forced many to think about it again."

Her husband, Andrei, 23, said he had been thinking of leaving since the first days of the war. The mobilization was the last straw.

8:37 p.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday urged Ukrainians in occupied regions to undermine the referendums and to share information about the people conducting this farce, The Associated Press reported.

He also called on Russian recruits to sabotage and desert the military if they are called up under the partial troop mobilization President Vladimir Putin announced Wednesday.

If you get into the Russian army, sabotage any activity of the enemy, hinder any Russian operations, provide us with any important information about the occupiers  their bases, headquarters, warehouses with ammunition, Zelenskyy said.

Putin on Saturday signed a quickly approved bill that toughens the punishment for soldiers who disobey officers orders, desert or surrender to the enemy.

7:33 p.m.: In the Ukrainian capital, about 100 people from the Russia-occupied city of Mariupol, which is part of the Donetsk region, gathered to protest the referendum, covering themselves in Ukrainian flags and carrying posters "Mariupol is Ukraine, The Associated Press said.

"They ruined the city, killed thousands of people, and now they are doing some kind of profanation over there, said Vladyslav Kildishov, who helped organize the rally.

Elina Sytkova, 21, a demonstrator who has many relatives left in Mariupol even though the city spent months under bombardment, said the vote was "an illusion of choice when there isnt any.

It's "like a joke, because its the same as it was in Crimea, meaning its fake and not real, she said, referring to a 2014 referendum that took place in Crimea before Moscow annexed the peninsula in a move that most of the world considered illegal.

6:27 p.m.: Russian police moved quickly Saturday to disperse peaceful protests against President Vladimir Putin's military mobilization order, arresting hundreds, including some children, in several cities across the vast country, according to The Associated Press.

Police detained more than 700 people, including more than 300 in Moscow and nearly 150 in St. Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, an independent website that monitors political arrests in Russia. Some of the arrested individuals were minors, OVD-Info said.

The demonstrations followed protests that erupted within hours Wednesday after Putin, in a move to beef up his volunteer forces fighting in Ukraine, announced a call-up of experienced and skilled army reservists.

5:33 p.m.: Russian police deployed in force on Saturday in the cities where protests were scheduled by opposition group Vesna and supporters of jailed opposition leader Alexey Navalny, The Associated Press reported.

They moved quickly to arrest demonstrators, most of them young people, before the protests could begin.

In Moscow, a heavy contingent of police roamed a downtown area where a protest was planned and checked the IDs of passersby. Officers rounded up those they deemed suspicious.

A young woman climbed on a bench and shouted "We aren't cannon fodder!" before police took her away.

In St. Petersburg, small groups of demonstrators managed to gather and shout protest slogans before being rounded up.

In the city of Novosibirsk in eastern Siberia, more than 70 people were detained after singing a Soviet-era song praising peace.

In another Siberian city, of Irkutsk, police handed summons to military conscription offices to men who took part in a protest.

People who tried to hold individual pickets that are allowed under Russian law also were detained.

The quick police action followed the dispersal of Wednesday's protests, when over 1,300 people were detained on Wednesday in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities.

4:20 p.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to Russians in his evening address on Saturday, warning that their president was knowingly "sending citizens to their death," Agence France-Presse said.

Speaking in Russian, Zelenskyy called on Moscow's forces to surrender, saying: "You will be treated in a civilized manner ... no one will know the circumstances of your surrender."

It came just hours after Russia passed a law toughening punishments for voluntary surrender and desertion following the partial mobilization President Vladimir Putin ordered this week.

"It is better to refuse a conscription letter than to die as a war criminal in a foreign land," Zelenskyy said.

"It is better to run away from a criminal mobilization, than to be crippled and then held responsible in court for participating in a war of aggression. It is better to surrender to the Ukrainian army than to be killed in the strikes of our weapons, fair strikes from Ukraine defending itself in this war," he added.

3:42 p.m.: The Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, may debate bills incorporating Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia on Thursday, the state-run TASS news agency said on Saturday, citing an unnamed source, according to Reuters.

Moscow launched referendums on joining Russia in the four occupied regions of Ukraine on Friday, drawing condemnation from Kyiv and Western nations, who dismissed the votes as a sham and pledged not to recognize their results.

The Interfax agency quoted a source saying the upper house could consider the bill the same day, and RIA Novosti, also citing an unnamed source, said President Vladimir Putin could be preparing to make a formal address to an extraordinary joint session of both houses on Friday.

3:15 p.m.: Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine, The Associated Press reports.

3:00 p.m.: What had been a lightning push by Ukraine to drive Moscow's forces from the northeastern Kharkiv region slowed to a brutal slog Saturday, stalled by heavy rain and Russian resistance. In the frontline town of Kupiansk, against a background of constant shelling noise, a column of dark smoke rose across the Oskil river, which separates the Ukrainian-held west bank from the east, still disputed by Russian forces.

"For now, the rain is making it difficult to use heavy weapons everywhere. We can only use paved roads," Ukrainian army sergeant Roman Malyna told AFP, as tanks and APCs maneuvered under the downpour. "For now, because it's hard to move forward due to the weather, we are targeting their armored vehicles, ammunition depots and groups of soldiers," he said.

12:50 p.m.: China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the "crisis" in Ukraine, its foreign minister, Wang Yi, told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday, adding that the pressing priority was to facilitate talks for peace, Reuters reports.

In his address, Wang said the fundamental solution was to address the "legitimate security concerns of all parties."

12:30p.m.: Ten days have passed since his town in Ukraine's Kharkiv region was liberated from Russian troops, but Vitaliy Oliia is still afraid to leave his home at night.

I never go any further than the next house, thats plenty for me, he told The Kyiv Independent. Day or night, whenever I hear a car coming down the road, Im instantly on alert.

Oliia, 40, was held captive by Russian occupying forces for over a month in two separate locations. Kept in subhuman conditions, Oliia said he was subject to several rounds of unimaginably brutal physical and psychological torture.

Oliia spoke at length to The Kyiv Independent at his home in Kozacha Lopan, four kilometers from Ukraine's state border with Russia.

12:05 p.m.: Ukraine's ambassador at the U.N. has requested an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the annexation votes being held in Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine. Sergiy Kyslytsya sent the request in a letter to the Council president in which he is also asking for U.N. chief Antonio Guterres to brief council members on the situation, VOA U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer reports.

11:30 a.m.: The stridently pro-Kremlin editor of Russia's state-run RT news channel expressed anger on Saturday that enlistment officers were sending call-up papers to the wrong men, as frustration about a military mobilization grew across Russia, Reuters reports.

Wednesday's announcement of Russia's first public mobilization since World War II to shore up its faltering invasion of Ukraine, has triggered a rush for the border by eligible men, the arrests of over 1,000 protesters, and unease in the wider population.

It is also attracting criticism of the authorities from among the Kremlin's own official supporters, something almost unheard of in Russia since the invasion seven months ago.

"It has been announced that privates can be recruited up to the age of 35. Summonses are going to 40-year-olds," RT editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan, railed on her Telegram channel.

Meanwhile, the Russian defense ministry said on Saturday the deputy minister in charge of logistics, four-star General Dmitry Bulgakov, had been replaced "for transfer to another role." No further information was given.

Russia officially counts millions of former conscripts as reservists - potentially nearly the entire male population of fighting age - and Wednesday's decree announcing the "partial mobilization" gave no criteria for who would be called up.

Officials have said 300,000 troops are needed, with priority given to people with recent military experience and vital skills. The Kremlin has denied reports by two Russian news outlets based abroad - Nezavisimaya Gazeta Europe and Meduza - that the real target is more than 1 million.

Reports have surfaced across Russia of men with no military experience or past draft age suddenly receiving call-up papers.

10:30 a.m. Ukrainian officials announced on Friday that they had exhumed more than 400 bodies at a mass burial site near Izium, Kharkiv region, from which Russian troops recently retreated after a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Many of those buried there, they said, apparently died a violent death  bodies were found with their hands tied behind their backs, ropes around their necks, broken bones and gunshot wounds; some men had their genitalia severed. VOA Eastern Europe Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze visited the site.

10:00 a.m.: Iran is planning "proportional action" in response to Ukraine's decision to downgrade diplomatic ties, the Iranian foreign ministry's spokesperson said on Saturday.

According to Reuters, Nasser Kanaani said Ukraine's decision was "based on unconfirmed reports and resulted from a media hype by foreign parties."

Kyiv downgraded its relations with Tehran following reports Iran was supplying Russia with drones it uses in its war against Ukraine.

Kanaani did not directly refer to drones. Iran has previously denied supplying drones to Russia, but the hardline daily Kayhan said on Saturday "hundreds of armed drones" have been sold.

9:50 a.m.: Speaking at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she wanted an immediate end to the war in Ukraine, as well as the related sanctions, for the sake of lives and livelihoods of the people across the world, The Associated Press reports.

Due to sanctions, and countersanctions, not a single country, rather the entire mankind, including women and children, is punished, pointing to her own countrys high inflation.

9:10 a.m.: Russian President Vladimir Putins threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine are serious, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in an interview with the BBC on Saturday. Borrell said the Russian war in Ukraine had reached a dangerous moment as the Russian army struggles in the seventh month of its invasion.

Certainly its a dangerous moment because the Russian army has been pushed into a corner, and Putins reaction  threatening using nuclear arms  its very bad, Borrell said.

8:20 a.m.: Iran regrets Ukraine's decision to downgrade ties over the reported supply of Iranian drones to Russia, the an Iranian official said in a statement on Saturday, Reuters reported.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani "advised" Ukraine to "refrain from being influenced by third parties who seek to destroy relations between the two countries."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the accreditation of the Iranian ambassador will be revoked and Iranian diplomatic staff in Kyiv reduced as a result of Russian forces using Iranian drones to attack Ukraine, a move Zelenskyy called "a collaboration with evil."

Ukrainian forces shot down a total of eight Iranian-made drones in the conflict so far, Zelenskyy said in a late-night video address Friday.

8:10 a.m.: Leaders of the G-7 condemned the sham Russian referendums being carried out in occupied parts of Ukraine as a phony pretext to illegally grab territory. In a statement Friday evening, the group of leading economies said that the votes organized by Moscow were in violation of the U.N. Charter and international law, and had no legitimacy. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. called out Russias blatant intimidation of local populations who have consistently resisted Russian efforts to change borders by force.

8:05 a.m.: Russian forces have launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes continue in occupied regions of Ukraine to pave the way for their annexation by Moscow. Zaporizhzhia region Governor Oleksandr Starukh said the Russians targeted infrastructure facilities in the city of Zaporizhzhia early Saturday, with one of the missiles hitting an apartment building, killing one person and injuring seven others, The Associated Press reports. In other areas in Ukraine, Russian forces caused damage to buildings and civilian infrastructure. Voting continued in Russian-held areas of eastern and southern Ukraine in Kremlin-organized referendums on making them part of Russia. The votes were dismissed by Kyiv and its Western allies as a sham with no legal force.

5:35 a.m.: The latest Ukraine assessment from the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think tank, said Russian partial mobilization efforts are suffering from serious and systemic problems in their first days, generating popular resentment and setting conditions to produce a mobilized reserve force incapable of accomplishing the tasks Russian President Vladimir Putin has set for it. Additionally, the update said, protests, attacks against recruiting centers, and vandalism have occurred across Russia in the first 48 hours after the announcement of partial mobilization.

4:12 a.m.: The latest intelligence update from the U.K. defense ministry said in recent days Russia has hit the Pechenihy dam on the Siverskyy Donets River using short range ballistic missiles or similar weapons. This follows a strike on the Karachunivske Dam near Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine. Ukrainian forces are advancing further downstream along both rivers.

3:09 a.m.: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday that Moscow was not threatening anybody with nuclear weapons, and that open confrontation with the United States and NATO was not in Russia's interests, state news agencies reported, according to Reuters.

"We are not threatening anyone with nuclear weapons," the Interfax agency quoted Ryabkov as saying at a conference on Friday. "The criteria for their use are outlined in Russia's military doctrine."

Four Russian-controlled regions in Ukraine are staging referendums this weekend on whether to join Russia. Russian officials, including ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, said that, after the regions are incorporated into Russia, any attack on them by Ukrainian forces would be considered an attack on Russia.

Under Russia's nuclear doctrine, this could permit the use of nuclear weapons if Moscow feels it faces as "existential threat." Medvedev said it had the option of using strategic  long-range nuclear weapons.

2:23 a.m.: The United Nations warned Friday of a deteriorating rights situation in Belarus amid a massive crackdown on civil society that has left nearly 1,300 people detained on political grounds, Agence France-Presse reported.

"The climate of repression (in Belarus) continues with a deterioration of the human rights situation, involving serious violations of civil and political rights, and rampant impunity," said acting U.N. rights chief Nada Al-Nashif.

In a statement to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, slammed by Belarus, she said her office was seeing "a massive crackdown" on civil society, media and others.

The UN rights office has determined that at least 37,000 people were detained between May 2020 and May 2021, and while many were subsequently released, fresh arrests are continuing.

1:12 a.m.: The United States is prepared to impose additional economic costs on Russia in conjunction with U.S. allies if Moscow moves forward with annexing portions of Ukrainian territory, the White House said on Friday, according to Reuters.

Russia has been planning what Washington describes as sham referendums in portions of eastern Ukraine in what is seen as a step toward annexing these territories. Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and annexed it in 2014, a move that went unrecognized by the West.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that Russias referendums are a "a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter."

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the United States is prepared to level additional economic penalties on Russia, in lockstep with allies, if Moscow attempts to annex more Ukraine territory.

12:02 a.m.: Russia is planning to spend a total of 34 trillion rubles ($600 billion) on national defense, security and law enforcement between 2022 and 2025 under its latest expenditure plan, a source familiar with finance ministry calculations told Reuters on Friday.

Russia is engaged in a costly military campaign in neighboring Ukraine, for which it has this week announced the mobilization of another 300,000 troops.

According to the latest figures, Russia will spend a total of 18.5 trillion rubles in 2022-25 on national defense, of which 4.7 trillion will be spent this year.

Some information in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
At the U.N. General Assembly Friday, leaders from all corners of the world continued to call for an end to Russias war in Ukraine, and many condemned President Vladimir Putins threat of using nuclear weapons.

Russias war of aggression on Ukraine  a scourge that reflects a brutal mentality of conquest and empire, said Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama of the tiny island nation of Fiji. No matter their might, no matter their size, Fiji is unafraid to condemn any warring nation.

We in the Pacific, who have lived the horror of nuclear fallout, wholly denounce Mr. Putins threatened use of nuclear weapons, he added.

What country who claims to be a liberator, threatens to annihilate the very civilians they claim to liberate? asked New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Arden of Putins nuclear weapons threats. This war is based on a lie.

The prime minister of Saint Lucia, in the Caribbean, said the war in Ukraine has unleashed not just death and horrors, but has plunged the world into economic, food and fuel crises.

The world could have been spared this humanitarian and economic agony, if once again countries and their leaders had respected and adhered to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Philip Pierre said.

Russia will have its opportunity to address the international community Saturday, when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes the podium.

At a meeting about the situation in Ukraine on Thursday in the U.N. Security Council, Lavrov did not address the military mobilization or Putins nuclear threats. Of the referenda that started Friday in occupied parts of Ukraine, he said they are the consequence of Russo-phobic statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who he said told people who feel they are Russian to go to Russia.

Climate threat

Several small island nations spoke of another war  against climate change.

Climate change is an existential threat to people and our desire for international peace and security, Tongas Prime Minister Huakavameiliku said.

He said it should be on the agenda of the U.N. Security Council  something that permanent member Russia vetoed last December.

This threatens our territorial integrity, land, water, health, infrastructure, food security, biological diversity, livelihoods and ecosystems, he said.

This is a war we are losing in every community, city and country of every size, Fijis Bainimarama said. But small states, those least responsible, stand to lose the most of all. Yet we are not heard.

Pakistan, which is recovering from catastrophic monsoon floods that have submerged a third of the country, warned of the impact of global warming.

Life in Pakistan has changed forever, said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

When global warming rips apart whole families and an entire country at this ferocious speed, it is time to ask why, and time to ask not what can be done, but what must be done, he said.

Asian tensions

The prime minister of the Solomon Islands, whose country signed a security pact with China in May, complained of being vilified for it.

This decision was reached through democratic processes by a democratically elected government, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said.

Relations between the Solomon Islands and the United States cooled after it signed the pact with Beijing and informed Washington in late August that it was imposing a moratorium on all naval ships passing through its ports. Washington has expressed concerns that China could deploy military forces to the islands.

Sogavare told the General Assembly that his country has a friends to all and enemies to none foreign policy and would not be coerced into choosing sides.

He urged all countries to be sensitive and not inflame tensions over the Taiwan Strait.

Any miscalculation could threaten international peace and security and could have disastrous consequences on global trade, he said.

The foreign ministers of the Indo-Pacific Quad  Japan, Australia, India and the United States  met on the sidelines of the General Assembly Friday. They said in a joint statement that they strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the region.

Protracted conflict

The assembly also heard from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The 87-year-old leader spoke for nearly 50 minutes, venting his frustrations about his peoples difficulties with the Israelis and the decades of failure in achieving a two-state solution.

Where can we build our independent state that will live in peace with its neighbors? Abbas asked. We want to live in peace with them! With Israel. Where will we establish our independent state to live in peace with them?

He said contiguous Palestinian land to build that state on is disappearing as Israeli settlements grow.

Israels prime minister addressed the assembly the day before.

"Despite all the obstacles, still today a large majority of Israelis support the vision of this two-state solution. I am one of them," Yair Lapid said.

It is the first time since becoming prime minister that he has publicly endorsed a two-state solution.

His only condition, he said, is that there must be clear security guarantees for Israel.

"We have only one condition: that a future Palestinian state will be a peaceful one, he said Thursday.

The General Assembly annual debate continues with Australia, China, Egypt and Ethiopia among the countries that will take the podium.
A presidential poll in the separatist Somali region of Somaliland has been postponed for "technical and financial reasons," the electoral commission said Saturday.

Muse Bihi Abdi was elected president of the self-proclaimed republic on the Horn of Africa on a five-year mandate in 2017 and the election was scheduled for November 13, a month before his term expires.

But the head of the electoral commission, Muse Yusuf, said technical and financial issues meant the poll could not go ahead.

Yusuf told a news conference in the capital Hargeisa that electoral lists were yet to be drawn up and "in such a short time frame it is not possible to organize the election."

The commission did not indicate a potential new date, saying only there would be "a nine-month delay from October 1, 2022."

Opposition candidate Faysal Ali Warabe backed Saturday's move.

"I support the decision of the commission to hold the presidential election with a nine-month delay," he tweeted, while refusing to countenance any extension of the president's mandate.

Political analyst Barkhad Ismael said however that legislative authorities "are probably going to prolong the president's mandate in the coming weeks."

The run-up to the scheduled poll was marred when several people were killed and dozens wounded early last month after police fired on anti-government demonstrators in several towns, according to opposition party members and witnesses.

Hundreds of people protested after opposition parties accused the authorities of seeking to delay the vote.

A previous vote, originally scheduled for 2015, was postponed until 2017 owing to severe drought and technical issues.

The former British protectorate declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but the move has not been recognized by the international community, leaving the Horn of Africa region of about 4 million people poor and isolated.

Despite the recent unrest, Somaliland has remained relatively stable whereas Somalia has been wracked by decades of civil war, political violence and an Islamist insurgency.
A former police officer in a small Texas town was found not guilty of murder Thursday in the slaying of a Black man who offered a handshake as the officer arrived to respond to a call about a fight at a convenience store.

The Hunt County jury deliberated for more than five hours before acquitting Shaun Lucas of the death of Jonathan Price.

Lucas was an officer in Wolfe City where Price, who had played football for Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, was a city employee, personal trainer and bodybuilder with dreams of starting his own fitness center. Lucas was charged with murdering Price the night of Oct. 3, 2020, and fired from the police force five days later.

Wolfe City, about 70 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of Dallas and near the Texas-Oklahoma border, has a population of about 1,500 people.

It was never clear from witness testimony what triggered the fight between Price and another man. Nicholas Malone testified that he, his brother and Price had been drinking after the funeral of Malone's father when they decided to go to the convenience store to buy cigarettes. The three lingered at the store when Malone heard glass break, and he saw Price getting into a scuffle with another man.

Shaun Lucas Pd

Shaun Lucas Photo: Hunt County Detention Center

My brother and I tried to pull them apart, Malone said, adding that the argument went on for a few seconds before the two were pulled apart, and everyone seemed to calm down before Lucas arrived.

RELATED: 'I Believe Him:' Mother Of Man Accused Of Killing Memphis Jogger Defends Him

When Lucas, who is white, answered the report of the fight, Price greeted him with an outstretched hand and an apology for the broken glass. Lucas decided Price was drunk and tried to detain him, but Price resisted. Lucas used a stun gun when Price approached, then shot Price when he reached for the stun gun, according to a police affidavit.

Texas Rangers concluded that lethal force was not called for in the confrontation since Price was unarmed. Eleven witnesses at the scene testified that Price was not angry or aggressive in his reactions, prosecutor Steven Lilley reminded the Hunt County jury in Thursdays closing arguments.

Story continues

A police handout of missing woman Christina Powell

Hes dead. He was killed that night, Lilley said of Price. If it wasnt necessary, it was murder. Go back and find him guilty.

Defense attorney Robert Rogers contended that Lucas had no choice but to shoot Price in self-defense "because he was terrified. Thats the only reason he fired his gun..

Lucas had been with the Wolfe City Police Department for a little less than six months when he shot Price, according to Texas Commission on Law Enforcement records. His prior law enforcement experience had been working as a jailer with the Hunt County Sheriffs Office for about five months.
A NASA researcher and Texas A&M University professor pleaded guilty to charges related to hiding his ties to a university created by the Chinese government while accepting federal grant money.

Zhengdong Cheng pleaded guilty to two counts  violation of NASA regulations and falsifying official documents  during a hearing in Houston federal court Thursday.

Cheng's conviction was part of a program called the China Initiative, which was first started under the Trump administration. But in February, the Justice Department abandoned the program after complaints it chilled academic collaboration and contributed to anti-Asian bias. The department had also endured high-profile setbacks in individual prosecutions, resulting in the dismissal of multiple criminal cases against academic researchers in the last year. The Justice Department said it planned to impose a higher bar for such prosecutions.

Cheng had originally been charged with wire fraud, conspiracy and false statements when he was arrested in August 2020. But he pleaded guilty to the new charges as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen sentenced Cheng to the time he had already served during his pretrial incarceration  about 13 months.

Cheng also agreed to pay restitution of $86,876 and pay a fine of $20,000.

Philip Hilder, Cheng's attorney, said the professor was "relieved that this unfortunate chapter of his life is behind."

But Hilder was critical of the China Initiative program, saying while its original purpose was "to fight economic espionage ... that was not the case in his matter."

"The China Initiative ... has now been phased out as a Justice Department priority. The overall mission stays the same, to ferret out economic espionage, but the focus is to target wrongdoers by their deeds and not by their ethnicity," Hilder said.

Prosecutors accused Cheng, who was hired by Texas A&M in 2004, of concealing his work in China even as his team of researchers received nearly $750,000 in grant money for space research. NASA is restricted from using funds for any collaboration or coordination with China, Chinese institutions or any Chinese-owned company.

But, prosecutors say, Cheng violated those restrictions by maintaining multiple undisclosed associations with China, including serving as director of a soft matter institute at a technology university in Guangdong, China, that was established by China's Ministry of Education.

"Texas A&M and the Texas A&M System take security very seriously, and we constantly are on the look-out for vulnerabilities, especially when national security is involved," John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M System, said in a statement Friday. "We will continue to work with our federal partners to keep our intellectual property secure and out of the hands of foreign governments who seek to do us harm."

Cheng was fired from Texas A&M shortly after his arrest. Texas A&M is located about 145 kilometers northwest of Houston.

Hilder said Cheng loves academia but is evaluating his options on what he does next.

"He's a proud, loyal United States citizen and he looks forward to getting back to being a productive member of our society," Hilder said.

In a tweet Friday, FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge James Smith said his agency "prioritizes investigating threats to academia as part of our commitment to preventing intellectual property theft at U.S. research institutions and companies."

In February, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen told reporters he believed the initiative was prompted by genuine national security concerns. He said he did not believe investigators had targeted professors on the basis of ethnicity, but he also said he had to be responsive to concerns he heard, including from Asian American groups.
Two of the world's most persistent conflicts punctuated debate at the United Nations on Friday, as the annual gathering of world leaders deviated from the dominating issue of the war in Ukraine.

Addressing hostilities thousands of miles apart and sharing little more than their decades of longevity, the Palestinian and Pakistani leaders nonetheless delivered similar messages, accusing a neighbor of brutality and urging world leaders to do more.

"Our confidence in achieving a peace based on justice and international law is waning," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said. "Do you want to kill what remains of hope in our souls?"

Stark assessment

With Israel's military occupation of the West Bank in its 55th year and no substantial peace talks in 13 years, it was a stark if perhaps unsurprisingly pessimistic assessment. Israel's prime minister backed a two-state solution to the conflict in his own speech a day earlier, but there is almost no prospect for one in the near term.

Speaking to the U.N. General Assembly after the Palestinian leader, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif of Pakistan similarly addressed a generations-old fight, accusing India of a "relentless campaign of repression" in Jammu and Kashmir. Those mountainous lands have been claimed by both sides since British rule of the subcontinent ended 75 years ago and India and Pakistan were born.

Sharif urged world leaders and the U.N. to "play their rightful role" in resolving the fight and said India "must take credible steps," too.

India's external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, might provide a rebuttal to Sharif when he gets his turn at the rostrum on Saturday. India has called the region an integral part of its nation.

Also Friday, Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi spoke of the "political impasse" gripping his country for nearly a year and preventing the formation of a new government. He called for "serious and transparent dialogue" among the various factions.

And Bangladesh's prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, repeated complaints that 1 million Rohingya refugees in crowded camps in her country are a threat to its security.

"The situation can potentially fuel radicalization," she said of those who fled a harsh crackdown by Myanmar's military.

Hasina has said that repatriation is the only solution to the crisis, but that Bangladesh would not force the refugees to go back to Myanmar, where members of the Muslim minority face extensive discrimination.

Abbas' frustration

Throughout the first three days and 104 leaders' speeches, many criticized how Russia had managed to block U.N. action on Ukraine because of the veto it wields as a permanent member of the Security Council. Abbas shifted the attention to the power of Israel and its allies, which he said meant no matter how many hundreds of resolutions pass, none would be implemented.

"Do you know who is protecting Israel from being held accountable? The United Nations," he said in a speech more than three times the 15-minute limit leaders are asked to respect.

Israel, in turn, has complained that it has been treated unfairly by the world body and has been held to a different standard from other member states, as when it comes to complaints about human rights violations. Its ambassador to the U.N., Joshua Lavine, issued a statement calling Abbas' speech "a lie-filled rant."

Other refrains resounded in U.N. speeches, with repeated mentions of climate change, economic crises and inequality. The UNGA gathering is a rare moment for many leaders to grab the spotlight on a global stage dominated by the biggest, richest and most militarily mighty countries and issue calls for action.

"The obligation of each leader before history is not to overlook failings and shortcomings in favor of wishful thinking or flattery," President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus said Friday in his final General Assembly speech as leader of the Mediterranean island nation.
Officials in South Sudan confirmed this month they have bought land on the coast of Djibouti to build a port. South Sudan says the port will be key for exporting the countrys crude oil, which currently goes through Sudan, as well as for importing goods, most of which come through the Kenyan port of Mombasa.

Puot Kang Chol, South Sudan's minister of petroleum, said last week that the land was purchased for exporting crude oil.

I would like to announce to all of you, that as we have been pushing to make sure we open all our ways because as we all know, South Sudan is a landlocked country and therefore there is need for us to try our level best to have access to the market, he said.

Two other African Great Lakes countries, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, recently said they will shift their port operations to Tanzania, leaving just Rwanda and Burundi still fully dependent on the port of Mombasa.

Duncan Otieno, a Nairobi-based economist, said the move leaves Kenya in a difficult situation as it feels the pinch of competition from the regional port in Dar es Salaam and now Djibouti.

There is every reason to believe that exit of South Sudan will affect the port of Mombasa in the essence that, with Uganda existing and considering the port of Dar es Salaam, that is likely to affect the operations in the port of Mombasa, he said. We need to ask ourselves what could have led to DRC and Uganda and now South Sudan considering giving the port of Mombasa a wide berth.

South Sudanese economist Abraham Mamer said the Djibouti port will provide a cheaper route for South Sudanese exports and imports.

In terms of economies of scale, we are better off than building another railway to connect us to Sudan, he said. We are saving to directly import or export our oil from the eastern part of South Sudan through Djibouti, Ethiopia. So, for us we are not losing, we are gaining, South Sudan is not land-locked, it is land-linked so it is OK.

However, Otieno said Jubas attempt to cut reliance on Mombasa might have ramifications within the East African Community bloc, such as undermining the LAPSET project, a regional cargo transportation network starting at the Kenyan port of Lamu.

Every country is guided by its national interest, which changes from time to time, he said. But that also needs to be looked into within the geopolitics of the regional body, EAC. There is need to consider this because it runs the risk of affecting the economy of this region.

Mamer, on the other hand, said that South Sudan's acquisition of land for a port in Djibouti will have no impact on LAPSET.

He said South Sudan cannot afford to lose that project, which will connect the country with Rwanda and Uganda.

If we have many ways to import and export our goods then we are the best, he said. We are going to build a refinery where we are going to import and export our finished product. Even if we have Djibouti, it is a way we can import and export, so we are not losing we are maximizing our impact in the region.

South Sudan has oil deposits estimated at 3.5 billion barrels. That means if the country could ever find a way to end its chronic state of conflict and increase oil production, the economic impact could be enormous  no matter which port the country uses for its exports.
Powerful storm Fiona ripped into eastern Canada on Saturday with hurricane-force winds, forcing evacuations, knocking down trees and powerlines, and reducing many homes on the coast to "just a pile of rubble in the ocean."

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the center of the storm, downgraded to Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona, was now in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and losing some steam. The NHC canceled hurricane and tropical storm warnings for the region.

Port aux Basques, on the southwest tip of Newfoundland with a population of 4,067, bore the brunt of the storm.

The mayor was forced to declare a state of emergency and evacuated parts of the town that suffered flooding and road washouts.

Several homes and an apartment building were dragged out to sea, Rene Roy, editor in chief of Wreckhouse Weekly in Port aux Basques, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

"This is hands-down the most terrifying thing I've ever seen in my life," Roy said, describing many homes as "just a pile of rubble in the ocean right now."

"There is an apartment building that's literally gone. There are entire streets that are gone," he added. Police are investigating whether a woman had been swept to sea, CBC reported.

"We've gone through a very difficult morning," Button said in a Facebook video, adding that the evacuations had been completed. "We'll get through this. I promise you we will get through it."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Saturday morning with members of a government emergency response team, and later told reporters that the armed forces would be deployed to help with the cleanup.

"We're seeing reports of significant damage in the region, and recovery is going to be a big effort," Trudeau said. "We will be there to support every step of the way."

Trudeau had delayed his planned Saturday departure for Japan to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but said he now would no longer make the trip. Instead he said he would visit the storm-damaged region as soon as possible.

Federal assistance has already been approved for Nova Scotia, Trudeau said, and more requests are expected.

Fiona, which nearly a week ago battered Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean, killed at least eight and knocked out power for virtually all of Puerto Rico's 3.3 million people during a sweltering heat wave.

Fiona made landfall between Canso and Guysborough, Nova Scotia, where the Canadian Hurricane Centre said it recorded what may have been the lowest barometric pressure of any storm to hit land in the country's history.

Ian Hubbard, meteorologist for the Canadian Hurricane Centre, told Reuters it appears Fiona lived up to expectations that it would be a "historical" storm.

"It did look like it had the potential to break the all-time record in Canada, and it looks like it did," he said. "We're still not out of this yet."

Storms are not uncommon in the region and typically cross over rapidly, but Fiona is expected to affect a very large area.

While scientists have not yet determined whether climate change influenced Fiona's strength or behavior, there is strong evidence that these devastating storms are getting worse.

Hundreds of thousands without power

Some 69% of customers, or 360,720 were without power in Nova Scotia, and 95%, or more than 82,000, had lost power on Prince Edward Island, utility companies said. Police across the region reported multiple road closures. The region was also experiencing spotty mobile phone service.

Mobile and Wifi provider Rogers Communications Inc RCIb.TO said it was aware of outages caused by Fiona, and that crews would work to restore service "as quickly as possible."

PEI produces more than a fifth of Canada's potatoes and the island's potato farms, which are in harvest season, were likely to be impacted by the storm, Hubbard said.

"This morning we all woke up to some very scary scenes, roads washed down, uprooted trees, mailboxes where they are not supposed to be," Darlene Compton, deputy premier of PEI, told reporters, saying it had been a "nerve-wracking" night.

In Halifax, 11 boats sank at the Shearwater Yacht Club and four were grounded, said Elaine Keene, who has a boat at the club that escaped damage.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault said no injuries or fatalities had been reported so far, and officials from both PEI and Nova Scotia said the same.

The storm weakened somewhat as it traveled north. By 5 p.m. in Halifax (2100 GMT), it was over the Gulf of St. Lawrence about 130 kilometers northwest of Port aux Basques, carrying maximum sustained winds of 110 kph, the NHC said.
Tropical Depression Talas unleashed fierce rainfall Saturday in parts of Japan, setting off landslides, halting trains and killing a man after he crashed his car into a pond.

Police said the man who drove into a pond in central Japan's Shizuoka prefecture was rushed to a hospital but died.

In another part of Shizuoka, rescue efforts were underway after a road collapsed from the heavy rainfall, police said. Japanese media reports said one man managed to crawl out of a truck that got stuck but another man was missing.

Separately, three people were injured in a mudslide in Shizuoka, according to a prefectural police representative.

Rivers swelled in Shizuoka's Hamamatsu city, where video shared on social media showed cars wading through watery streets. News footage showed an underground walkway at a train station flooded with muddy water. Because trains stopped temporarily, about 1,000 people were stranded at an arena in Shizuoka where a concert was held Friday night.

The storm is the latest to batter Japan after typhoons have caused several deaths and damage in recent weeks.

Talas was headed toward Tokyo and hammering a wide area around the capital with heavy showers. Landslide warnings were issued along the storms path.
The United Nations reports the human rights situation in Belarus has seriously deteriorated as the government seeks to maintain control over its people, stripping them of their civil and political rights.

The report, submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council, finds the climate of repression continues throughout Belarus two years after Alexander Lukashenko was reelected for a sixth term as president in a vote considered rigged by the countrys opposition. The anger over the elections outcome that sparked large-scale protests at that time has not subsided.

Since her offices last update in March, Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif said there has been a massive crackdown on civil society in Belarus. She said the media, political opponents, trade unions and other perceived dissidents have been prevented from exercising their democratic and human rights.

She said more than 1,300 political prisoners currently are behind bars. She noted that authorities continue imprisoning and torturing people for exercising their human rights, including their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

No genuine and impartial investigations into allegations of torture and cases of deaths are being conducted, Al-Nashif said. On the contrary, we continue to receive credible reports of authorities harassing and intimidating those seeking justice in relation to such allegations, including relatives of victims, further undermining the rule of law and the judicial system.

Al-Nashif expressed particular concern about amendments to Belarus Criminal Code. She said they extend the death penalty to people attempting to carry out so-called acts of terrorism and murders of government officials or public figures. She noted that dozens of political activists already have been charged with such crimes.

Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee to neighboring countries, she said. The crackdowns human rights impacts, particularly on women, children, and persons with disabilities, are of specific concern. There are also reports of seizures of assets, and unlawful evictions of relatives of those who left the country.

In response, Belarus Ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Larysa Belskaya, said the report was far removed from reality, and deliberately distorts the situation in her country.

She accused the documents authors of applying double standards. Instead of vilifying the elections in her country, she said the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should investigate the presidential elections that took place in the United States and issue similar reports.
Editor's note: Here is a look at immigration-related news around the U.S. this week. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com.



Ahead of US Midterms, How Has US Immigration Policy Changed?



As U.S. midterm elections approach, immigration remains one of the country's most contentious political issues, mostly concerning the number of people trying to enter the U.S. at the southwestern border. Story by VOA's immigration reporter Aline Barros.

Migrants Sue Florida Governor over Martha's Vineyard Flights

Venezuelan migrants flown to the upscale Massachusetts island of Martha's Vineyard sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his transportation secretary Tuesday for engaging in a "fraudulent and discriminatory scheme" to relocate them. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Boston, alleges that the migrants were told they were going to Boston or Washington, "which was completely false," and were induced with perks such as $10 McDonald's gift certificates, The Associated Press reports.

US Migration from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua Soars in August

The number of Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicaraguans who were taken into custody at the U.S. border with Mexico soared in August as migrants from Mexico and other traditional sending countries were stopped less frequently, authorities said Monday, The Associated Press reports.

Pastor-led Group Seeks Missing Migrants in Border Desert

After strapping on knee-high snake guards and bowing his head to invoke God's protection, Oscar Andrade marched off into a remote desert at dawn on a recent Sunday to look for a Honduran migrant missing since late July, The Associated Press reports.

New Model to Enlist Regular Americans to Resettle Refugees

When nearly 80,000 Afghans arrived in the United States, refugee resettlement agencies quickly became overwhelmed, still scrambling to rehire staff and reopen offices after being gutted as the Trump administration dropped refugee admissions to a record low, The Associated Press reports.

Migration around the world

Spanish Charity Rescues 372 in Central Mediterranean; 1 Dead

The Spanish charity Open Arms has rescued 372 people seeking to cross the central Mediterranean to Europe in unseaworthy smugglers' boats and recovered the body of a man who had been shot by smugglers, officials said Sunday, according to The Associated Press.

Community Fails People of Myanmar in Face of Mass Atrocities

A human rights expert blasted the international community in a report released Thursday for failing to protect and uphold the rights of the people of Myanmar in the face of mass atrocities allegedly committed by the countrys military rulers. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

News Brief



 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced immigration help was available to those affected by natural disasters and other circumstances.
Most African states have stayed silent as Western nations and rights groups condemn China over a recent United Nations human rights report on China's treatment of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region.

The report, published by then-U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on her last day in office in August, said China's actions against Uyghurs and others in the Xinjiang region "may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity," citing abuses such as arbitrary detention in camps, torture and sexual violence.

Some Western nations and their allies are now pushing for the U.N. to establish a commission of inquiry to further investigate the report's findings. But whether that happens depends on the number of member states who side with the West.

China's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Chen Xu, delivered a joint statement September 13, during the 51st session of the Human Rights Council, saying the Xinjiang assessment was "based on disinformation and draws erroneous conclusions." The statement was signed by 28 other countries, with close to half of the supporters from African countries such as Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Last year, out of 43 countries, only two in Africa, Eswatini and Liberia, signed a U.N. communique condemning China's policies in Xinjiang. In June, they signed again, but they are rare outliers.

South Africa, the continent's third-largest economy, neither signed the letter supporting China's position nor staked out a position critical of China. Analysts told VOA that South Africa  seen as the continent's leading democracy  has simply mostly remained silent on the issue.

"South Africa, with its proud tradition as a shining example for human rights, struggles now, saying nothing about China's apartheid," said Magnus Fiskesjo, an associate professor at Cornell University's Department of Anthropology, alluding to a system of discrimination and segregation that took place in South Africa from 1948 to 1994

Officials from South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation did not respond to VOA's request for comment.

Siding with China

Cobus van Staden, a China-Africa expert at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said that because of China's economic clout, most African countries simply don't want to "pick a fight" over Xinjiang, which, to many, seems far away.

"We've seen most African countries side with China, and this includes a lot of majority Muslim countries.  In terms of how the African partners will vote on the human rights council [if there is a vote], I tend to fear that they will probably vote with China," he said.

There are reasons for this, he said. China is Africa's biggest trade partner, far outstripping the West, and a lot of African countries "tend to be quite suspicious of separatist movements and quite suspicious of militant or political Islam." Nigeria, for example, has been plagued by Islamist militant groups.

Analysts say some African countries can relate to China's position, as stated by the state-run Xinhua news agency, that "Xinjiang-related issues are not about human rights, ethnicity or religion at all but about combating violent terrorism and separatism."

Van Staden said that it all plays into the wider animus between the West and its former colonies on the continent, with some African states seeing the West's raising of rights issues such as Xinjiang as hypocritical considering the United States' rights violations at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere.

African nations, according to observers, are also unwilling to alienate China, their Belt and Road initiative benefactor and the source of massive infrastructure loans.

Beijing has been offering African diplomats trips to the Xinjiang region, trying to present its position. Xinhua reported last year that ambassadors to China from the Republic of Congo and Sudan defended Beijing's "anti-terrorism" efforts at a lecture in Beijing. Burkina Faso's ambassador to China, Adama Compaore, reportedly said "Western forces" were "hyping up" the issue."

Zeenat Adam, deputy executive director of the Afro-Middle East Center in Johannesburg and a former South African diplomat, said such tours by China are "a very strong marketing exercise of trying to continue their reach into Africa and by getting countries from within the African region  to see things from a Chinese government perspective."

"It ensures that their investments and their trade into Africa is unhindered and unquestioned," she added. "Investments from China are lucrative, not just for South Africa but for the entire African region, and this really affects the level of which any of these governments may question the mighty Chinese superpower regarding its policies on Muslims."

China's Muslim supporters

Egypt is among the Muslim countries in Africa that have supported China on the Uyghur issue, says Bradley Jardine, a political analyst who focuses on China and recently published a study for the Wilson Center on China's global campaign against the Uyghurs.

"Across the Muslim world, it's a very diverse region with very diverse strategic interests," he said. "There are a lot of economic interests at play, particularly [with] actors such as Egypt, who in 2017 detained hundreds of Uyghur students and deported them to China."

According to Jardine's research, more than 1,500 Uyghurs abroad have been detained or extradited  many in North Africa.

Carine Kaneza Nantulya, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said she sees a slight decline in joint statements with China on the Xinjiang issue. "The number of signatories has not only plateaued but, in fact, recently dropped."

"Plenty of other African states have abstained, declining to join China's counternarrative," she said, pointing to Eswatini and Liberia, who joined other countries in condemning China's policies in Xinjiang.
Almost 2,000 innocent people have been killed by Russian forces in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Ukraine  some just for speaking Ukrainian or having Ukrainian symbols. VOAs Eastern Europe Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze was granted exclusive access to the scene of a mass graveyard in Izium in the Kharkiv region that contains more than 400 bodies.

Most of them apparently died particularly violent deaths, with many victims found with their hands tied behind their backs, ropes around their necks, broken bones, and gunshot wounds.

United Nations experts and Ukrainian officials have pointed to new evidence of war crimes in Ukraine.

The head of a U.N.-mandated investigation body said Friday war crimes including rape, torture and the confinement of children have been committed in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

"Based on the evidence gathered by the commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine," Erik Mose, who heads the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

He did not specify who was to blame, but the commission has focused on areas previously occupied by Russian forces, such as Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy.

Investigators from the commission, created by the rights council in March, visited 27 places and interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses

A U.S. envoy told the council, "Numerous sources indicate that Russian authorities have interrogated, detained and forcible deported between 900,000 and 1.6 million Ukrainian citizens."

U.S. Ambassador Michele Taylor, U.S. permanent representative to the council, added, "We urge the commissioners to continue to examine the growing evidence of Russia's filtration operations, forced deportations and disappearances.

Russia denies deliberately attacking civilians.

Russia was called on to respond to the allegations at the U.N. Human Rights Council meeting, but its seat was left empty. There was no immediate official reaction from Moscow.

Mobilization fallout

In the meantime, more than 730 people were detained across Russia at protests Saturday against a mobilization order of 300,000 military reservists, a rights group said, three days after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's first military call-up since World War II for the conflict in Ukraine.

The independent OVD-Info protest monitoring group said it was aware of detentions in 32 different cities, from St. Petersburg to Siberia. Unsanctioned rallies are illegal under Russian law, which also forbids any activity considered to defame the armed forces.

Footage from the same protest showed Russian officers carrying men and leading women to police vans.

Russia's first public mobilization since World War IIto shore up its faltering invasion of Ukrainealso has triggered a rush for the border by eligible men.

Russian referendums

Western nations and Ukraine have labeled a sham the voting on referendums in Russian-held regions of Ukraine asking residents if they want their regions to be part of Russia. Voting began Friday on Russian referendums aimed at annexing four occupied regions of Ukraine. Some local officials said voters were being intimidated and threatened.

In the balloting, scheduled to run from Friday to Tuesday in the provinces of Luhansk, Kherson and the partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, voters are being asked if they want their areas to become part of Russia.

Polls also opened in Russia, where refugees and other residents from those areas could vote.

The West and Ukraine said the voting is illegal under international law.

Any elections or referenda on the territory of Ukraine can only be announced and conducted by legitimate authorities in compliance with national legislation and international standards, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in a statement. Therefore, the planned referenda will be illegal."

Ukrainian officials said people were banned from leaving some occupied areas until the vote was over, armed groups were going to homes to force people to cast ballots, and employees were told they could be fired if they did not participate.

Serhiy Haidai, Ukraine's Luhansk governor, said in the town of Starobilsk, the population was banned from leaving and people were being forced out of their homes to vote.

"Today, the best thing for the people of Kherson would be not to open their doors," said Yuriy Sobolevsky, the displaced first deputy council chairman of Kherson region.

The results of the referendums, expected soon after the voting, are almost certain to support joining Russia.

"We are returning home," said the Russian-backed leader of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin. "Donbas is Russia."

"All of us have been waiting for a referendum on joining Russia for eight long years," said Leonid Pasechnik, the Russian-backed leader of Luhansk. "We have already become part of Russia. There remains only a small matter  to win [the war]."

Ukraine says it will never accept Russian control of any of its territory.

The referendums were quickly organized after Ukraine earlier this month recaptured large swaths of the northeast in a counteroffensive.

By incorporating the four areas, Moscow could portray attacks to retake them as an attack on Russia itself - potentially even using that to justify a nuclear response.

In a televised address this week, Putin said the West is trying to weaken and destroy Russia and that his country will use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

South Africa's largest retailers are reducing their reliance on China for goods, favoring locally sourced clothing products instead. It's part of a wider trend to reinvigorate local textile manufacturing  but retailers wonder if the domestic industry can meet new demands. Linda Givetash reports
An area man pleaded guilty this week to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2017 stabbing death of a Farmington woman. The man was 15 years old when the crime occurred but was certified to be charged and tried as an adult.

At a Friday plea hearing in St. Francois County, 20-year-old Jacob Hearne of Farmington entered guilty pleas to involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action as part of an agreement. The man had originally been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Following Hearne's guilty pleas, Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Dianna Bartels, assigned to the case by the Missouri Supreme Court, sentenced the man to serve seven years on both counts. Hearne was ordered to serve the terms consecutively for a total of 14 years in prison.

According to the probable cause statement from the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department, on May 29, 2017, deputies were called to the 500 block of Route AA in Farmington for a stabbing.

A deputy reported that there was an argument between Hearne's mother and Alicia Morris, 35, who lived at that address. The argument escalated into a physical fight, and, during that time, Morris was stabbed. She was later pronounced dead at Parkland Health Center in Farmington after being driven there by her boyfriend.

The deputy reported that after an investigation, he determined that Hearne had attacked Morris during the fight, and the knife had been taken away from him and thrown into the woods. Detectives were reportedly able to recover the knife that was used to stab Morris.

Later that night, Hearne was interviewed at the sheriff's department about what had happened in the presence of his legal guardian, which was not his mother, and a deputy juvenile officer. After the juvenile officer read Hearne the juvenile rights, he said he understood them and signed the form, along with his guardian, according to the report.

The report states that during the interview, Hearne confessed to seeing a fight between his mother and Morris, where Morris allegedly had his mother on the ground. He said he believed she was choking his mother.

Hearne admitted during the interview that he had been carrying around a knife in the waist of his pants for several days for his and his mother's protection. Hearne reportedly said he removed the knife from his waistline and stabbed Morris one time with the knife.

Hearne said the victim's boyfriend took the knife away from him. He said he and his mother then got into her car and left, leaving Morris on the ground, struggling to breathe.

In an earlier interview, it was confirmed by the county coroner after an autopsy that Morris had been stabbed one time in the back, puncturing her lung and hitting a major artery.

St. Francois County Sheriff Dan Bullock said at approximately 5:30 p.m. that evening, Morris' vehicle went off the road and into a ditch off Route AA near Village Road. She called her boyfriend for help, and they went to a neighboring residence with which they were familiar to borrow a chain to pull her car out of the ditch.

The sheriff said Hearne was at the home and went with them to help get the car out. After they were able to get the car out of the ditch, Morris, her boyfriend, and Hearne all returned to the woman's home just down the road. Morris planned to feed Hearne dinner for helping to get her car out of the ditch. That was when Hearne's mother showed up. There was no indication in the reports as to why the two began arguing.
Thousands of Russians are trying to flee the country to escape conscription into the military. President Putin announced the move in a televised address Wednesday, as Russian armed forces have been suffering significant losses in the invasion of Ukraine in recent weeks. Henry Ridgwell reports
A visible presence in Farmington when it comes to memorializing all who served their country, Jerry Rawlins served in Vietnam as a Navy Seabee.

The military is our countrys insurance policy, he said. Its to defend all of our country from whomever may want to cause harm to us.

Growing up three miles from Bismarck, his fathers farm was just on the other side of the county line so Rawlins had to travel 10 miles to school in Caledonia.

I went the first three years to a one-room country school, he said. Then, in the early 1950s, they consolidated all the country schools into the larger schools and I went to Caledonia."

Rawlins joined the Navy in December of 1963 after graduating from high school in May.

"I wanted to be a Seabee. In 1965, my battalion was getting ready to go to Vietnam, I automatically got extended because I didnt have enough service left to take that tour," he said. "Right after I got extended, they had an opening for a billet of two deep sea divers. I applied for diving school, got accepted and went to San Diego for Second Class diving school. I was qualified in scuba gear, lightweight gear and deep sea gear.

According to Rawlins, the battalion left in March of 1966 and went to Vietnam and stayed there until October.

I came back and got out in April 1967 and stayed in California for a year and then came back home in 1968, he said. After I came home, I worked construction for a while. I worked at the iron mine at Pilot Knob from when they opened to when they closed.

In 1975 Rawlins joined the Missouri National Guard and served there for 19 years and retired as first sergeant.

Then I went into Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), which is really just a name on a roster, he said. In any of the Reserve components, you have to have 20 years combination active duty and/or Reserve component so you can draw your pension at age 60. When I retired in 1994, I was 49 years old, but I stayed in the IRR and then joined a reserve unit so I could accumulate more retirement points.

Active duty again surfaced for Rawlins as he was called up by the Army in September of 2004. He went to Fort Leonard Wood, then to Fort Benning, Georgia and ended up in Iraq.

I was there from January to June of 2005, he said. They figured out how old I was and sent me back to retirement.

Rawlins was not visible locally as a veteran until the early 1990s. He said that he was simply too busy with work, family and school activities to be involved with veterans organizations.

In 2000, I really got involved with the Farmington VFW and American Legion, he said. A couple of years later I got involved with the Disabled American Veterans.

"I do things like Veterans Day, Memorial Day and POW/MIA services. I am currently the vice commander of the American Legion. I took the job as Building and Grounds chairman of the Legion. That job consists of taking care of the Legion building, the VA Clinic and the grounds. That job is pretty extensive, it involves all the maintenance and upkeep on the clinic. I do a lot of the little things myself.

Rawlins also belongs to the Bismarck VFW.

One of the things I like about that is that we have an honors team and I am a part of it," he said. "We go to different cemeteries and perform a service for veterans as requested. So far, the post has done 55 this year. We are down a bit, we generally do 100 a year. We have a food pantry that helps out some people over there.

Rawlins often assists with flag retirement ceremonies.

I feel blessed that I am in good enough shape at 76 years old that I can be involved in all of these things, he said. My health is good, I have good genetics. My wife takes good care of me, shes a nurse.

"Ill continue doing these things. We have a saying: Veterans helping veterans. We try to do what we can. Theres some of us getting older and cant do what they used to, we have a hard time getting younger guys to come in.

Im not quitting, but I want to phase out gradually. I am wanting somebody younger to step in and take my place. If I keep going and one day I die, then nobody knows whats going on. I wont say that I am burnt out, but I feel like Ive done my share the last 20 years and I want more involvement and we are getting some. We have a young commander, Chris Morris, at the Farmington VFW and hes energetic and hes trying. We have a terrific commander at the Legion, John Kramer.

Like other groups and organizations, Rawlins is concerned about the future of the American Legion, VFW and other veterans groups.

Were all volunteers, he said. We volunteer our time to help the organizations which in turn helps the community.

"Its a struggle. All the veterans organizations' numbers are down and its discouraging because the higher the numbers, the more voters we have and the more Congress will listen to us on doing things to help veterans. Years from now, theres going to be a lot less individual posts than there are now, its unfortunate.
Death toll from Marche floods rises to 12.

The body of Mattia Luconi, the eight-year-old boy missing after deadly flash floods hit Italy's eastern Marche region last week, has been found in a field in Trecastelli in the Ancona province.

The flash floods had swept the little boy out of the arms of his mother Silvia Mereu when she abandoned their car due to the extreme flooding in the town of Castellone di Susa, some 13 km away.

The grim discovery of Mattia's badly decomposed body, submerged in mud, was made by a farmer near the river Nevola, eight days after the boy went missing.

Mattia was identified by police due to the blue t-shirt he had been wearing on the evening of 15 September, however a formal identification process using DNA is still required.

#Maltempo #Marche, ottavo giorno di lavoro per i #vigilidelfuoco impegnati con sommozzatori e squadre a terra per scandagliare il torrente Nevola nella zona di Castelleone (AN), alla ricerca dei due dispersi travolti dalla piena dacqua #23settembre pic.twitter.com/cUTD5639yz Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) September 23, 2022

Mattia's mother, who saved herself by clinging to a tree after they were swept away in the floods, told reporters just hours before her son's body was found: "I know that finding him alive is impossible, but if nothing else I want a grave to cry on".

The discovery of Mattia's body comes three days after his shoes and backpack were found almost eight km away from where he disappeared in the floods, whose death toll now rises to 12.

The search continues meanwhile for the last missing person, 56-year-old Brunella Chiu, after she was swept into the Nevola together with her daughter and her son, who both survived by clinging to a tree for three hours.
Rome protest after death of Mahsa Amini.

A demonstration against the Iranian regime was held in front of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Rome on Friday, amid ongoing protests across Iran over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Authorities in Iran continue to crack down on demonstrators protesting after Amini died in custody after being arrested by "morality police" for wearing an improper hijab".

Chanting "Woman, life, freedom!" and "death to the regime", around 100 protesters in Rome carried pictures of Mahsa and sang an Iranian version of the Italian anti-fascist Resistance anthem Bella Ciao.

The Iranian girl who sings the song "Bella Ciao" in Persian language to sympathize with the murder of #Mahsa_Amini . He wants freedom#Iran #IranProtests2022 #OpIran pic.twitter.com/PnjaqgwdEX    (@lucky_Lukhe) September 23, 2022

Protesters, mainly students and long-term Iranian residents of Italy, were joined by the president of the Italian Federation of Journalists (FNSI), Beppe Giulietti, who underlined the important role of the media and called on news outlets to "give space to those who have no voice today".

Protest outside Iran embassy in Rome. Photo Agenzia Nova.

At the end of the demonstration, which was peaceful, some of the protesters cut their hair, while some women set their hijabs on fire, reports Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Photos Agenzia Nova
Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share

Secession, of all things, is back in the news. Residents of San Bernardino County, the largest in California, are debating whether to try to break off and form a state of their own. And theres more: Last month, a New Hampshire electoral commission refused to bar from the ballot legislators who want their state to leave the US entirely. A citizens group had charged the legislators, absurdly, with insurrection.

Secession movements are nothing new, and punishing their advocates is a dreadful idea. Their causes are complex and, almost always, point to problems that should be taken seriously.

Lets start with those who want their states to leave the country. The last time that was seriously attempted, a divided nation fought a war that cost an astonishing 600,000 lives. President Abraham Lincolns 1861 proclamation calling forth the militia to suppress the insurrection is one of the great documents of political history. But it hardly follows that everyone who advocates carving out a new nation from pieces of the US is an insurrectionist.

Advertisement

Consider the issue of race. In 1917, inspired by the Irish rebellion, the crusading black journalist Cyril Briggs published an essay arguing that reason and justice demanded establishment of a new Black-run country within the borders of the US, in return for many generations of unrequited toil and half a century of contribution, as free men, to American prosperity. Eleven years later, the Communist International would cite Briggss article in adopting a resolution calling for Black self-determination in the US.

From the 1930s onward, any number of radicals would argue for creation of a separate Black entity. In the late 1960s, the Republic of New Afrika called for a new country to be established in what was known as the Black Belt. (This might have been part of the inspiration for Fletcher Knebels so-so 1969 novel Trespass, in which a group of Black militants takes prominent White people hostage and demands the immediate creation of a Southern homeland for the descendants of slaves.) In 1982, James Forman, head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, published Self-Determination and the African-American People, in which he argued for the creation of a new country within the historic homeland of the Black Belt. He pointed out wryly that with 958,000 square miles to choose from, there was sure to be space.

As Ive noted before in this space, up until Jan. 6, 2021, many a Black radical proudly wore the label of insurrectionist. Should they have been kept from running for office thereafter? Or should the nation have tried to gain a deeper sense of their grievances?

Advertisement

Examples also abound that have no connection with the nations history of racial oppression. Im old enough to remember the Marthas Vineyard secession movement of the late 1970s, which culminated in a 10-2 vote by the selectmen to leave Massachusetts and either establish a new state or join an existing one. Some residents went further, proposing independence from the US. You can still purchase the Seagull flag that some hoped would fly over the island. Insurrectionists all?

Bits and pieces of California have been arguing for secession from the US for years. Silicon Valley bigwigs, for example, have long talked of forming a new country, originally in search of a libertarian paradise, and then to protest the election of President Donald Trump. As a matter of fact, Trumps 2016 victory led to cries across the deep-blue states that the time had come to set up shop on their own.

Punish the advocates?

Advertisement

Obviously not. We shouldnt punish secession talk. Kudos for New Hampshire for understanding this.

On the other hand, nobodys trying to punish leaders of San Bernardino Countys effort to secede not from the US but from California. Maybe thats because nobody thinks they have a chance of succeeding. Under the US Constitution, carving out a new state requires the consent of both the state losing territory and the US Congress. (For this reason, some scholars question whether West Virginia is actually a state. Seriously.)

Its true that back in the 1960s, the California senate passed a bill that would have broken the state in two. But that was a transparent effort to gain more power in Washington by doubling the number of senators, and never got anywhere.

Still, size might matter. Advocates point out that San Bernardino County is larger than the combined land area of Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Their substantive argument, however, has nothing to do with size. They claim that the urbanites who hold power in Sacramento ignore the concerns of rural counties. (Long before the Civil War, an analogous claim was made by West Virginia statehood advocates, and the states first governor cited as the justification for leaving Virginia his regions treatment as a sort of outside appendage  a territory in a state of pupilage.)

Advertisement

As the legal scholar Glenn Harlan Reynolds (formerly my student) points out in his much-discussed 2019 essay on secession movements, the argument is common. Whether were speaking of eastern Oregonites or upstate New Yorkers who want new states, the central concern seems to be that people feel ignored. Reynolds argues that the states should either let their rural counties leave or take their concerns more seriously  in particular, that legislatures shouldnt be so swift to assume that regulations appropriate to the city also make sense elsewhere.

Fair enough. But would regulatory reform be enough? A new paper argues, from a study of thousands of secession movements around the world, that a groups sense of shared cultural identity is a more important predictor than economics. Philosophers have long debated whether the existence of a common identity built around culture creates a prima facie case for secession. Whatever the answer, the new research suggests that if were as hopelessly polarized as pundits seem to think, were in for a lot more secession talk in the years to come.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

Advertisement

 Even Mainstream Republicans Are Pretty Extreme: Jonathan Bernstein

 Trump and His Spurious Business Face a Reckoning: Timothy L. OBrien

 Dont Want Later Abortions? Make Early Ones More Accessible: Sarah Green Carmichael

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Stephen L. Carter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A professor of law at Yale University, he is author, most recently, of Invisible: The Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down Americas Most Powerful Mobster.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share

Whether pressured to return or wooed with free breakfast, many workers are filing back into downtown offices. But few are going in five days a week, and many dont plan to for the foreseeable future. Thats because employers can do little about the primary pain point thats keeping people at home: commuting. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Office avoidance is most dramatic in big metro areas where commutes are especially painful. According to US Census Bureau data, 1 in 10 workers has a one-way commute that lasts over an hour, but in New York, almost 23% do. Other expensive metro areas  such as San Francisco (19.4%) and Washington (18.3%)  arent far behind. All of these cities had office occupancy rates under 50% as of Sept. 14, according to data from Kastle Systems. Meanwhile, major cities with shorter commute times  such as Austin, Houston and Dallas  have long had occupancy rates over 50%.

The most miserable commutes are associated with public transportation. The average one-way journey for a commuter rail rider is 71.2 minutes; for a subway rider, its 48.8 minutes. Its 46.6 minutes for those taking the bus. And theres not much office-thirsty CEOs can do to shorten those journeys. Even if companies decide to offer free transit passes to workers, they cant make our buses, subways and trains run any faster or more reliably.

Advertisement

Its a very intractable problem, says Diane Davis, a professor of regional planning and urbanism at Harvards Graduate School of Design. People spend so much time commuting because of the way were building our cities.

When setting out to write this column, I (with breathtaking naivete) thought that by talking to the right people, I might be able to offer some concrete suggestions on how to improve commutes, at least around the edges. The benefits go far beyond RTO: There are plenty of people who cant work from home and whose lives would be immeasurably improved by better transit. Instead, I came away with a new appreciation of just how difficult the commuting problem is.

Im now more convinced than ever that the work-from-home toothpaste cannot be forced back into the tube. Just as Napster heralded the end for Tower Records, and Netflix spelled doom for Blockbuster, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed something fundamental in the calculation about traveling to an office.

Advertisement

In the second quarter of 2022, about 42% of North Americans visiting an office were doing so just once a week, according to Basking.io, a company that provides workplace-occupancy data to real-estate companies, while just 20% were in the office four or five days a week. Average peak occupancy is lowest in the biggest cities, indicating that commute time is one of the biggest hurdles for the companies to get people back in the offices. I cant stop thinking about what one reluctant worker told the Wall Street Journal back in February: Youre not going to get me on the train for two hours for free bagels.

Before the pandemic, workers endured long trips because there didnt seem to be an alternative. Thats no longer the case. People have a new frame of reference now, says Jennifer Moss, author of The Burnout Epidemic. Weve come to understand we can be productive and meet our objectives without having to spend all this time commuting. This makes long journeys to the office feel even more painful than they did in 2019.

Can cities make brutal commutes better? In theory, yes, but the needed changes are logistically difficult, politically costly and financially expensive.

Advertisement

Any plan has to start by reducing traffic congestion. That means convincing more drivers to take public transit. That, in turn, means making such transportation more reliable, pleasant and frequent. People are driving because there are limited [other] options, not necessarily because they prefer the experience. It could very well be that the bus stops running at 6pm, and thats not an exaggeration, says Tiffany-Ann Taylor, vice president for transportation at the Regional Plan Association.

Implementing fees to drive into city centers, as London has done and New York City is considering, can help. Those funds can also then be used to beef up transit options, like express bus lanes, biking infrastructure, more-frequent train service and new ferry routes.

But even if US cities do adopt congestion charges  a big if  translating the extra money into major transit improvements would require a heroic effort. To really be able to rely on transit, a subway train or city bus has to come often enough that people dont need to think about it. Thats closer to every four minutes than every 20, says Hayley Richardson of TransitCenter, an advocacy organization. (I laughed bitterly at this, since the train that visits my suburb runs only once an hour, even during rush hour.) And transit lines would have to expand into more neighborhoods, since if a stop is more than a 10-minute walk away, people tend not to use it.

Advertisement

Any rewards from major improvements would also be decades away. Harvards Davis says it took Stockholm  a model of improved commuting  20 years to get it right. Londons glistening new Elizabeth Line, which opened earlier this year, was formally approved 15 years ago (and suggested generations earlier).

Experiments in making buses or trains free or much cheaper  like those conducted in Boston and Germany earlier this year  are unlikely to make a big difference either if service isnt dramatically improved. We could spend millions  billions, trillions!  on improvements to transit, and it would likely only shave a few minutes off the average persons commute.

There is, of course, a different way to improve commuting: Get rid of the idea of a central business district ringed by neighborhoods where people live. Mix up where people live and work. That density is one reason a city such as Vienna, Austria, manages to have an average one-way commute time of 13 minutes  half the US average. But the major zoning changes needed to achieve European-style density in the US seem wildly unrealistic. Even if changes to city structure were politically feasible, Davis says, theyd likely have limited effects on commuting. So many people work on the internet anyway. So why should they go into an office to do something that they could do at home? Why, indeed.

Advertisement

Which brings us right back to where we started.

Its not that improving the commute in a car-centric country is impossible. Toronto, for example, has buses that serve its suburbs every 10 minutes. Im sure Torontonians still have plenty to complain about, but if a bus visited my Boston suburb every 10 minutes, Id be dancing.

Its also important to note that commuters are not totally helpless in improving our lot. More people could walk or bike to work  currently, only 3% of Americans walk to work, and about 1% bike to work, even though about 29% of Americans live less than five miles from their offices. People with physically active commutes tend to like commuting more (or, maybe more accurately, hate it less).

But compared with the trials of commuting, managing the challenges of hybrid and remote work seem relatively straightforward. We arent going to see a full RTO until people are willing to RTC  return to commuting. Which is to say, never. Because it seems many of us would rather do anything but commute ... even spend all day on Zoom.

Advertisement

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 The Kanye-Gap Breakup Will Be Tough on Adidas: Andrea Felsted

 Can E-Bikes Rescue the Covid Bicycle Boom?: Chris Bryant

 I Cant Be the Only One Who Doesnt Want to WFH: Paul J. Davies

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Sarah Green Carmichael is a Bloomberg Opinion editor. Previously, she was managing editor of ideas and commentary at Barrons and an executive editor at Harvard Business Review, where she hosted HBR IdeaCast.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share

Watched by millions around the world, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II demonstrated the enduring glamor of Britains hereditary order. As recession looms, however, and the pound sinks to its lowest in nearly four decades, it is time to ask: Can the monarchy reform fast and radically enough to adapt to an age of social and economic breakdown?

The modern era began with the decapitation of a king and its main ideologies  whether democracy, socialism, market capitalism, anti-colonialism or, most recently, populism  have centered around fairness and a distrust of entitled elites. The queens dignified presence helped an anachronistic institution postpone a long-overdue reckoning. But the unique privileges of her family  taxpayer-funded lavishness, no inheritance tax, immunity to prosecution  will increasingly come under hostile scrutiny.

Many monarchies around the world have already withered under that gaze. A self-proclaimed Prince of Venice, spotted in somber attendance at last weeks funeral, might arouse our curiosity. The reality is that Europes surviving kings and queens have faced adversity or extinction since World War I. When not exiled, theyve had to reconcile themselves to their irrelevance amid a democratic revolution that expanded through crises and mass revolts. Eschewing all pretensions to ruling, they became powerless symbols of statehood. Today, titular monarchs are the rule rather than the exception.

Advertisement

Emasculation of monarchical power was more brutal and commonplace in decolonizing Asia and Africa. In India, saddled with more than 500 royals at independence in 1947, hereditary privileges were abruptly abolished in the late 1960s. It was arguably at the insistence of the United States that Japan retained its emperor after World War II. In Thailand, the greatest political outlier in this regard, a monarch successfully claimed semi-divine pedigree and status for decades; his successor, who lives mostly in Germany, now confronts unprecedented protests against his once unassailable office.

Reform, of course, is the watchword of those who seek to perpetuate a near-perfect embodiment of unearned privilege. Europes remaining maharajas have tried to adjust their style to the egalitarian ethos of their societies. Some have succeeded. The King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, has managed to retain his office partly by blending his family into the equality-conscious Swedish bourgeoisie. In a significant concession to democratic sensibilities, he relieved five of his grandchildren of official royal duties in 2019.

The most striking case for a reformed monarchy emerged in Spain. The former king Juan Carlos, also present at Queen Elizabeths funeral, had presided over the restoration of democracy in 1975 after the death of dictator General Francisco Franco. In 2014, the monarch was forced to abdicate after a series of scandals; he now lives in exile in the United Arab Emirates.

Advertisement

His son and successor King Felipe has managed to slim down the royal family drastically, banning its members from accepting presents or participating in business deals. The new faces of the monarchy in Spain are his wife, Queen Letizia, a former journalist from a modest background, and their teenage daughter, a student in Wales. Still, a small majority in Spain today supports replacing the monarchy with a republic.

Confident of greater public backing, the British royal family seems relatively robust. The new King Charles III is rumored to be keen on reforms of the kind already in place in Spain and other European democracies. There is certainly much he can do: Buckingham Palace with its 775 rooms and a swimming pool could be a luxury hotel with perfect location in central London. He could tell most of the massively over-extended royal family to lead normal lives, outside their golden cages.

Whether or not he attempts such reforms, even Britains royals can no longer expect to be exempted from the tests of merit and performance to which the rest of us are constantly subject. Now that Queen Elizabeth is gone, more scandalous behavior by taxpayer-supported idlers could sink the royal family very quickly.

Advertisement

Certainly, its luxurious indifference to the pain felt by ordinary Britons is likely to appear more and more egregious to commoners. Britain may seem fortunate to have had Queen Elizabeth reign serenely for as long as she did. But that luck, which helped disguise a deep national rot, has now run out. Questions about what the monarchy is for will become louder as, in the months to come, Britain stands fully exposed  a country pushed into political and economic crises by a political and media establishment which the monarchy did little to impede.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 British Majesty Is a Recent Invention: Adrian Wooldridge

 Beyond Britannia and the Marmite Monarchy: Ben Schott

 Queens Funeral Deserved All That Airtime: Jonathan Bernstein

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Pankaj Mishra is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is author, most recently, of Run and Hide.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share

UNITED NATIONS  The fate of Belarus and Ukraine are interconnected, and both countries must fight together to safeguard their very existence because Russia doesnt view them as independent sovereign states, Belarus opposition leader said Friday. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after Russian ally Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in disputed August 2020 elections that many thought she won, said in an interview with The Associated Press that there will be no free Belarus without free Ukraine.

As long as Russian President Vladimir Putin is in power, she said on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, there will be constant security threats to Ukraine  and to Belarus western border.

Tsikhanouskaya said neither country wants to be part of another Russian empire.

So Belarus is part of this problem and this problem, this crisis, has to be solved in this context, said.

Advertisement

Lukashenko had to support Russia after its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, she said, because Putin supported him after the 2020 contentious elections that sparked mass anti-government protests against the official election results that gave him a sixth term with 80% of the vote. Many Belarusians and international observers denounced the results as a sham.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has used Belarus as a staging ground to send troops into its smaller neighbor, and Moscow and Minsk have maintained close military ties.

Lukashenko, who has been president since 1994, said last month that Belarus warplanes have been modified to carry nuclear weapons in line with its agreement with Russia. And he warned the United States and its allies against carrying out a provocation against Belarus, saying targets have been selected for retaliation.

Advertisement

Tsikhanouskaya said the war in Ukraine was extremely unexpected and some Belarusians are especially opposed to the war against Ukrainians, our brothers and sisters.

More than two years since fleeing to Lithuania, Tsikhanouskaya said the opposition has notched a lot of achievements  first and foremost that people are not giving up despite the Lukashenko regimes terror and repression and its imprisonment of more than a thousand political prisoners, including her own husband.

The opposition has managed to build a coalition of democratic countries who are fighting alongside with us, fighting this regime, creating multiple points of pressure, she said.

There are now six packages of sanctions, pushed for by the opposition, against the Lukashenko regime. The sanctions have put stress and pressure on the president, making him focus solely on remaining in power instead of whats best for the country, she said.

Advertisement

But Tsikhanouskaya said Lukashenko and his followers are adept at circumventing sanctions, using third parties. One way to prevent this is having the European Union follow the United States and impose secondary sanctions, she said.

She urged the international community to both keep up pressure against Lukashenko  suggesting new sanctions on Belarus exports of wood, potash and steel  and help Belarusian civil society, including human rights defenders, people of culture, politicians who are fighting with this regime so as to have the energy to continue.

Thousands of people have been imprisoned since Feb. 24 for opposing the war in Ukraine, she said, praising saboteurs who disrupted rail traffic heading from Russia to Ukraine through Belarus and who sent information about shipments to the Ukrainian military, an act that risked the death penalty.

Advertisement

People are scared, of course, Tsikhanouskaya said. We live like in a gulag actually in Belarus, but people have this energy to continue.

The opposition has organized something like a government in exile, Tsikhanouskaya said. Thanks to technology, she said she can communicate with people in Belarus, and now they are staying in safe mode, ready for a new wave of revolution when the moment comes.

She predicted that there will be a window of opportunity for the Belarus people, likely connected with victory in Ukraine, but nobody knows how long it will take.

Our task is not to be exhausted when the time comes, to have this energy, to continue to have this mobilization plan, transitional plan, Tsikhanouskaya said, and we hope it will not take too long because time is very important for Ukrainians, time is very important for our political prisoners, and time is important actually for the world, she said.

Advertisement

Tsikhanouskaya stepped in to lead the opposition after her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, was arrested two days after he declared his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election. The popular video blogger and activist known for his anti-Lukashenko slogan Stop the cockroach was sentenced last December to 18 years in prison on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

She said her husband has been in a tiny punishment cell for more than a month, adding that conditions for political prisoners are far worse than for ordinary criminals. She fears for him and for thousands of other political prisoners as winter approaches as the temperature inside their cells is no warmer than the outdoors.

Tsikhanouskaya said she came to the annual meeting of world leaders to give voice to the people who are fighting the dictatorship and to urge that Lukashenko be held accountable for his crimes.

Advertisement

She said she really understands the importance of focusing on Ukraine, but we dont have to forget the role of Belarus in this regional crisis, and we dont have to forget about the people in Belarus who are also fighting and are also suffering because of the war and because of the dictator ruling our country.

___

Edith M. Lederer is chief U.N. correspondent for The Associated Press and has been covering international affairs for more than half a century. For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia  Chinese survivors from a boat that sank near a Cambodian island, killing three people and leaving eight missing, said they embarked on what they believed would be a short-term fishing job and ended up without food and water aboard the vessel and their belongings taken away. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Cambodian authorities said Friday they rescued 21 people a day after the boat small wooden fishing vessel sank near Koh Tang, a Cambodian island close to the maritime border with Vietnam.

Kheang Phearom, a spokesperson for Cambodias Preah Sihanouk province, announced Saturday on his Facebook page that nine more people were rescued by the Vietnamese and three bodies were recovered by Cambodia, leaving eight people still missing.

Survivors told Cambodian officials they began their journey in southern China.

Advertisement

Dramatic video footage showed Cambodian crew on a nearby boat tossing life jackets and life-saving buoys toward the ramshackle vessel as it slowly listed to the right and slipped below the surface, sending its passengers spilling into the water.

Two Cambodian crew members abandoned the boat when it first got into trouble and were rescued earlier. Cambodian police described them as guides and put them under arrest.

It was not immediately clear why the passengers were being brought to Cambodia, though the account given by survivors suggests they were tricked by human traffickers who sometimes lure people with false offers of lucrative jobs. They then force them into activities such as internet scams to cheat people out of their money, or prostitution, and offer them freedom only in exchange for large amounts of money.

Advertisement

Preah Sihanouk provincial police chief Gen. Chuon Narin told local media that the passengers had set off from Chinas Guangdong province Sept. 11 on a speedboat and had been transferred to the fishing boat Sept. 17 in international waters.

Two survivors, a man and a woman who were being treated in the Preah Sihanouk provincial hospital, recounted parts of their ordeal Saturday in front of journalists.

Zhu Pingfan, 41, said he had expected to earn 10,000-20,000 Yuan ($1,400-$2,800) for about 10 days work as a fisherman.

We boarded the boat and all of our belongings and electronics were confiscated. I thought it was not a big deal, right? So I handed them over, he said. Then after about three days, there was no food left. On day four there was nothing to drink. So for about four days we did not have anything to eat or drink.

Advertisement

Huang Qian, 20, told a similar story, and recalled how they were moved to a second boat, where each was given two packets of instant noodles and nothing more.

The situation turned even grimmer when water got into the engine, disabling the vessel. There were no life jackets aboard when she had to abandon the boat.

I floated on the open sea for about two days, she said. We had a cooler and the two of us were just sitting on the cooler and floating around. And then we saw a fishing boat, so we called for help. So they tossed a rope to us.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share

ASSISI, Italy  Pope Francis, visiting Assisi, the birthplace of his namesake saint who was close to nature, called on Saturday for courage in abandoning fossil fuels and lamented that older generations didnt know how to protect the planet and secure peace, Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight He told young people he was pinning his hopes on their efforts in working to save the planet and to make the worlds economy more attentive to the poor.

During his brief visit Saturday to the hill town in central Italy, Francis spoke to a gathering of some 1,000 young people, some of them young economists. Others are involved in efforts including start-ups, focused on helping the environment.

The participants came from all over the world. Among them was a woman who recounted to the pope how she and her husband were helped to flee Afghanistan after the takeover of the Taliban last year by an organization called The Economy of Francis, which is inspired by the life of St. Francis, with his attention to the poor and others in need.

Advertisement

The pope said a world economy is needed that expresses a new vision of the environment and the Earth.

There are many people, businesses and institutions that are making an ecological conversion. We need to go forward on this road and do more, Francis said.

The pontiff cited an urgent need to discuss models of development.

Now is the time for new courage in abandoning fossil fuels to accelerate the development of zero- or positive-impact sources of energy, Francis said.

He told the young people: Our generation has left you with a rich heritage, but we have not known how to protect the planet and are not securing peace.

He lamented a lack of creativity, optimism, enthusiasm, and told young people that we are grateful to God that you are here. Not only will you be there tomorrow, but you are here today.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Missouri Department of Conservation K9 Handler Cpl. Alan Lamb and K9 Tex have become an important part of the community.

Tex is a 3-year-old male German Shorthair Pointer with extensive training. He attended the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Law Enforcement K9 Tracking and Detection School.

According to Lamb, Tex is trained in three disciplines: human tracking, article search/evidence recovery, and wildlife detection.

He can also assist in search and recovery efforts of missing persons, Lamb said. His ability to follow a human track or scent trail helps to locate these missing people and hopefully bring them home safe.

Other than locating missing persons such as hunters, hikers, dementia patients and fleeing fugitives, Tex can also locate discarded or hidden items that contain human odor, such as firearms or even shell casings.

The ability to locate concealed or hidden game such as deer, turkey, and waterfowl makes Tex especially useful to the MDC.

Many times when illegal hunters or poachers try to avoid being caught they hide evidence, stomp the ducks into the mud or maybe we need that missing shell case to close the case and file wildlife charges, Lamb said. In years past, these items were extremely difficult to locate. Not anymore.

Tex has assisted in the recovery of numerous items that have led to multiple wildlife charges being filed.

Lamb said the first poaching case the duo made involved a couple waterfowl hunters who harvested several ducks during closed season.

Another agent watched the hunters stomp the ducks into the deep mud of a wetland pool, Lamb said. After contacting the hunters and failing to retrieve the ducks, he requested the help of Tex. Once on scene, the search lasted a matter of minutes before Tex had located the stomped ducks. Had Tex not found the ducks, there would be no evidence in the case.

Having Tex and Agent Lamb living and working in Madison County is a tremendous asset to the community.

His ability to locate evidence and assist in the prosecution of criminal activity is of great benefit to any agency that needs us, Lamb said. Also, his ability to assist with search and rescue efforts of missing persons is a huge benefit to the community.

Lamb said there are always stories to tell and he already has several when it comes to Texs skills.

Tex and I were requested by Sikeston DPS over the summer to assist in locating a discarded firearm used in a criminal case, Lamb said. Detectives had searched a heavily brushed area for several hours before giving up and making the request call.

Tex and I arrived the following day. We worked the area for almost two hours before Tex showed a change of behavior.

Lamb said this change of behavior is what Tex does when he locates an evidence item.

When I noticed this change, I started to wonder what he was doing, however, when he locked eyes with me, I knew that he located something, Lamb said. When I arrived at his location, I discovered he had located the discarded firearm. This was a tremendous victory not only for us as a K9 team but also for the citizens of Sikeston and the Sikeston DPS.

Lamb and Tex do not take their job lightly. They take every opportunity they can to train, although it seems to feel more like fun than work for Tex.

You have to remember training, is a word that we use, Lamb said. It has no meaning to Tex. Training to him is like recess for the kids. He loves to work.

Lamb said the two are always looking to acquire new skills and strive to make training new and challenging.

Its like raising a teenager, Lamb said. There are so many times that he makes me so proud. Then there are other times I cannot figure out what he is thinking.

Either way, I am extremely proud of where we are at in our careers and the job that he does. He is my buddy that loves nothing more than going to work. We are partners through thick and thin. If I am at work, he will be with me.

Tex and Lamb may be inseparable now but not long ago it was not even part of the plan.

Ive always had personal dogs but to work with one as a K9 handler was something new, Lamb said. When the opportunity to apply for the position came open, the timing was right. I was in the right position in my personal life and career for it to really work. Now I cannot imagine doing anything else. It is the best career move that I have ever made.

There are 37 states and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Customs and Border Protection that use Wildlife Law Enforcement K9s. In Missouri, there are currently five K9 teams located throughout the state. These teams are specifically trained in wildlife detection.

Becoming a K9 officer is the best thing I have done in my 13 years as a conservation agent, Lamb said. I am very proud of the MDC and what they do for the state and our local communities. I am fortunate to be back in my hometown serving as a K9 Conservation Agent.
Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  Half of Puerto Rico is without power more than five days after Hurricane Fiona struck  including an entire town where not a single work crew has arrived. Many on the U.S. territory are angry and incredulous, and calls are growing for the ouster of the islands private electricity transmission and distribution company.

Fuel disruptions are worsening the situation, forcing grocery stores, gas stations and other businesses to close and leaving apartment buildings in the dark because there is no diesel for generators.

Many are questioning why it is taking so long to restore power since Fiona was a Category 1 storm that did not affect the entire island, and whose rain  not wind  inflicted the greatest damage.

Its not normal, said Marcel Castro-Sitiriche, an electrical engineering professor at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez. They have not given a convincing explanation of what the problem is.

Advertisement

He noted that Puerto Ricos Electric Power Authority and Luma, a private company that took over the islands power transmission and distribution last year, also have not released basic information such as details of the damage to the electricity grid.

We dont know the extent of the damage yet, Castro said, adding that he was concerned and surprised that Luma had not brought in additional crews to boost extra manpower already on the island.

Luma has said Fionas floods left several substations underwater and inaccessible, and it has insisted it doesnt need more personnel.

We have all the resources we believe we need, said Luma engineer Daniel Hernandez.

The lack of power has prompted at least two mayors to activate own repair teams, and several other town leaders are calling for answers on why Luma crews have not reconnected homes and key infrastructure.

Advertisement

They havent even arrived here, said Yasmin Allende, municipal administrator for Hormigueros, a town in western Puerto Rico that is home to more than 15,600 people, many of them elderly.

She said town officials have provided a list of downed transformers and power lines as well as the exact location of dozens of damaged electric posts. They have even cleared openings around damaged spots to ensure that electricity could be restored as soon as possible, she said.

Everything is ready for them so they can come and do their job, Allende said. All they have to do is show up.

Elizabeth Gonzalez, who lives in Hormigueros, said she was forced to throw out two bags of meat Friday and is struggling to buy more gasoline for her generator, even as her husband, who has cancer, depends on it.

Gonzalez said she is fed up with Puerto Ricos power grid.

Advertisement

Its useless, as simple as that, she said. If a hurricane comes, if rain comes, or a little gust of wind, the power quickly goes out.

The islands power grid was already crumbling due to austerity measures, aging infrastructure and lack of maintenance when a powerful Hurricane Maria razed the system in 2017. Reconstruction of the grid had barely started when Hurricane Fiona hit last Sunday.

In the first days following Fiona, Luma officials and Gov. Pedro Pierluisi promised that the vast majority of customers would soon have their electricity back. But as of late Friday, more than 40% of 1.47 million customers were still in the dark.

In addition, 27% of 1.3 million water and sewer customers did not have water in part because pumps rely on electricity and not all had backup generators.

Neither Luma nor Puerto Ricos power generating utility have said when electricity will be restored to the most affected areas. They have said only that hospitals and other critical infrastructure are their priority.

Advertisement

The situation has outraged many Puerto Ricans, including local government officials.

I am not going to accept excuses, said Alexander Burgos, mayor in the central mountain town of Ciales. Our power lines are up, there are no electrical posts on the ground, and we are ready to be connected.

Edward ONeill, mayor of the northern town of Guaynabo, tweeted that Lumas bad performance was unacceptable.

ONeill, who worked for both the Puerto Ricos power company and Luma, said his municipality has collected all necessary information to help crews restore power but has not seen any results.

In the northern town of Bayamon, Mayor Ramon Luis Rivera got tired of waiting and contracted independent repair crews that began work Friday afternoon, although they were not handling live wires. Aguadilla Mayor Julio Roldan announced he was doing the same in his northwest coastal town, saying, Were depending on other people to stay alive. Weve had it.

Advertisement

The mayor of the central mountain town of Utuado said no one in his municipality of 28,000 people had power and accused Luma of making residents unnecessarily suffer. The mayor of the western town of Moca echoed those sentiments, saying Luma has not wanted to assume its responsibilities.

Cathy Kunkel, a Puerto Rico-based energy and finance analyst, said she was surprised power had not yet returned to areas barely affected by Fiona, including the capital of San Juan.

She also questioned why Luma has not employed hundreds of experienced linesmen that worked with Puerto Ricos Electric Power Authority before the private company took over transmission and distribution in June 2021.

We have this absurdly frustrating situation, she said. The old system is held together in substandard ways. You actually want the people who know how to work on that particular system.

Advertisement

The lack of power has been linked to several deaths. Authorities say a 70-year-old man burned to death when he tried to fill his running generator with gasoline and a 78-year-old man died from inhaling toxic gases from his generator. On Friday, police said a 72-year-old man and a 93-year-old woman died after their house caught on fire because they were relying on candles for light.

Castro-Sitiriche, the electrical engineering professor, said Puerto Ricos government, Luma and the Electric Power Authority are all to blame.

Its a shared disaster, he said, adding that Fiona was a wake-up call and that more people need to be connected to solar power. It is a shame that the government has not done that to save lives.

GiftOutline Gift Article
Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share

TOKYO  Tropical Depression Talas unleashed fierce rainfall Saturday in parts of Japan, setting off landslides, halting trains and killing a man after he crashed his car into a pond. Police said the man who drove into a pond in central Japans Shizuoka prefecture was rushed to a hospital but died.

In another part of Shizuoka, rescue efforts were underway after a road collapsed from the heavy rainfall, police said. Japanese media reports said one man managed to crawl out of a truck that got stuck but another man was missing.

Separately, three people were injured in a mudslide in Shizuoka, according to a prefectural police spokesperson.

Rivers swelled in Shizuokas Hamamatsu city, where video shared on social media showed cars wading through watery streets. News footage showed an underground walkway at a train station flooded with muddy water. Because trains stopped temporarily, about 1,000 people were stranded at an arena in Shizuoka where a concert was held Friday night.

The storm is the latest to batter Japan after typhoons have caused several deaths and damage in recent weeks.

Talas was headed toward Tokyo and hammering a wide area around the capital with heavy showers. Landslide warnings were issued along the storms path.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

GiftOutline Gift Article
After years of losses and underwhelming performance, the movie studio Paramount Pictures has delivered its best box-office results in a decade. The first five movies it released in theaters this year all opened in the top spot, culminating with Top Gun: Maverick, the highest-grossing film of the year so far.

But not everyone is celebrating. Many of the stars and producers of these movies, including Tom Cruise, Sandra Bullock and the creators of Jackass, believe they are going to miss out on millions of dollars because of a deal involving Paramount, its Paramount+ streaming service and the cable channel Epix, which is owned by Amazon.com Inc.

Stars including Tom Cruise noticed the difference between Universal and Sony pay cheques and their Paramount pay cheques.

Movie stars, producers and filmmakers often get a cut of the profits from their movies, including a share of digital sales and licensing to third parties. Those paydays can amount to tens of millions of dollars on a big movie like Top Gun: Maverick, starring Cruise, or millions on a smaller-scale hit like The Lost City, starring Bullock.

Profit participants in Paramount movies believe their earnings are below what they should be because the studio is receiving less from Epix than other studios are getting in similar deals, according to several people familiar with the conversations. Representatives for the talent have met with Paramount to ask for extra money, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are ongoing.
Middle managers have been hailed as one of the missing pieces in the war for talent puzzle as bosses fight to retain workers in the midst of the most competitive jobs market in four decades.

Employment and recruitment experts are calling for a rethink of the long-overlooked middle layer of an organisation as supervisors and line managers face added pressure from above and below.

The role of middle managers has become more important during the pandemic, bucking a decades-long trend. Credit:Louie Douvis

This person is an executer, a manager, a relationship builder, and theyre the contact point between that team and higher level management, MJD Recruitment founder Martin Dineen says.

Tasked with delivering on performance targets, communicating the companys vision and culture, and reporting to higher management while checking in with each team member, middle managers are also juggling their own greater workload and are expected to do more with less.
Political parties would face a cap on how much they can spend during an election campaign under a suite of measures being considered by the Albanese government to overhaul the nations electoral funding laws.

A federal parliamentary inquiry set up by the government has been deluged with hundreds of submissions calling for caps on political donations as well as more transparency on disclosures.

Labor is considering a range of measures to boost integrity in the nations federal elections. Credit:Rob Homer

The government is considering a package of integrity measures including measures to force politicians to declare political donations over $1000 in real time and truth in political advertising laws.

At the request of Special Minister of State Don Farrell, the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters is looking into the proposals as well as the conduct of the 2022 election. It has been asked to report back by September next year.
Election season is upon us here in Virginia with early in person voting beginning on Friday, Sept. 23. We have choices to make at the national (for U.S. Representative) and local (for school board) levels. Yesli Vega is challenging Abigail Spanberger (the incumbent) to represent us in the newly reconfigured 7th District. Yes Madison County voters, we are now in the 7th District. I want someone who will support and be a voice for our individual liberties (freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and yes, our gun rights under the 2nd Amendment) which are the foundation of our Constitutional Republic, who will support election integrity and reform, who will support law enforcement, and who will focus on returning our educational system to a world-class system. I am supporting Yesli Vega because I believe she will be that person as she represents the citizens of the 7th District.
"You pick up the script, and you would be baffled. That's what I found exciting about it. There are no characters written in; you make that decision. You can do the scenes inside the sections in any order you want."
If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.

PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

- Monocacy Development will demolish an existing structure and put up a new building with 55 apartments and retail space on the first floor at 128 E. Third St. in Bethlehem.

- The Bethlehem Historic Conservation Commission approved materials and designs for ArtsQuest's new cultural center at 25 W. Third St. in the city.

- The gangster-themed restaurant Capo & Co. in Emmaus held a ribbon-cutting last week for its speakeasy-style bar and restaurant.

- An attraction that started in downtown Easton may go global, as Crayola said it has reached a licensing agreement for at least five more Crayola Experience venues over the next five years.

- Curaleaf marijuana dispensary has taken the place of the old Chess N Checkers bar on Airport Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.

- Ms. Velvet's Cafe held a ribbon-cutting last week for the new restaurant in honor of owner Carlos Marrero's sister Ruby, who died in 2017 after a hit-and-run accident.

- Pressed Bouquet, which preserves flowers in a variety of forms, recently held a ribbon-cutting with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

- The Bethlehem Township Board of Supervisors approved the subdivision plan for River Hills, a Kay Builders plan for 44 single-family dwellings and 36 multi-family units on 29 acres near Shannon Avenue.

- Bethlehem City Council delayed a decision on the certificate of appropriateness for Skyline West, a plan is for 40 apartments in a five-story building overlooking Monocacy Creek and the city's Moravian industrial quarter.

- The Pocono Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting for Ideal Property Management, a manager of vacation rental properties.

- The Palmerton branch of KeyBank on Delaware Avenue and the Sellersville branch on Main Street will close Dec. 2 as KeyBank and other companies move toward online finance.

- The Quakertown-area theater Regal Cinemas in Richland Township has closed after its parent company, Cineworld, filed for bankruptcy.

- Saint Rocco's Treats, a Pipersville-based gourmet kitchen for dogs, will hold a ribbon-cutting Friday, Oct. 14 from noon to 1 p.m., in conjunction with the Upper Bucks County Chamber of Commerce.

- Two diners on Route 22 in Warren County caught fire on the same day: Catch 22 and Key City Diner.

- After 22 years, the casual restaurant Sullivan's on the Main in Phillipsburg has been sold.
Reading, PA (19601)

Today

Mostly cloudy, still cool, and breezy. We can't entirely rule out a stray shower, but pretty much all of that rain should remain south of the area. .

Tonight

Cloudy. We can't entirely rule out a stray shower late. There will likely be a little bit more rain, certainly late, to the south.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Mostly cloudy, still cool, and breezy. We can't entirely rule out a stray shower, but pretty much all of that rain should remain south of the area. .

Tonight

Cloudy. We can't entirely rule out a stray shower late. There will likely be a little bit more rain, certainly late, to the south.
Three Charlottesville men who pleaded guilty to the 2021 attempted armed robbery of an Albemarle County man were sentenced Tuesday in federal court.

Tyreek Saquan Ragland, 23, who organized the robbery plan, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery (taking another persons property by means of actual or threatened force,). He was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison.

Madison Wonne Zelee, 26, and Tyrel Anthony Dowell, 23, each pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery as well as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Zelee was sentenced to 60 months in prison while Dowell received a sentence of 52 months.

According to court documents, Ragland, Zelee and Dowell targeted the man because they believed he would have a large amount of marijuana and cash at his Albemarle County home.

Zelee knocked on the intended victims front door asking about a lost dog on Sept 30, 2021. The intended victim saw Dowell emerging from the woods nearby wearing a ski mask. He refused to open the door. Zelee and Dowell then fled the scene in a car Ragland drove.

The intended victim contacted his father about the incident, and the two searched for the getaway car.

While they looked for the car, a witness, who had remained at the intended victims residence, called them to report that a pizza delivery person was at the house trying to deliver a pizza.

No one had ordered a pizza.

The intended victim told the witness not to open the door. The man returned home and saw a car parked near his house that matched Ragland, Zelee and Dowells getaway car.

The victim and his father tried to leave, but Zelee and Dowell came out of the nearby woods and began shooting at them, striking their car.

After the gunfire, Zelee and Dowell rejoined Ragland and fled the scene again.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Albemarle County Police Department investigated the case.
With cathedral ceilings and spa-like treatment rooms, the $70 million Usona Institute building going up next to Promega Corp.s campus in Fitchburg is expected to become a national hub for the use of psychedelic drugs to treat depression and other mental health conditions.

Usona, co-founded by Promega CEO Bill Linton in 2014, is spearheading an effort to get psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, approved for major depressive disorder. The nonprofit is also providing psilocybin for research on other uses, which may include anxiety, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and nicotine, alcohol, opioid and methamphetamine addiction.

The institute is developing a synthetic version of 5-MeO-DMT, a psychoactive substance found in the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad, and plans to start the first U.S. study in humans this fall. Usona scientists are also tweaking and screening chemical compounds in an effort to discover other mind-altering drugs that might be therapeutic.

The 93,000-square-foot facility, expected to open in fall 2023 on 17 wooded acres northwest of Promegas headquarters off East Cheryl Parkway, will feature education and training areas for psychedelic drug researchers and providers from around the country.

In a floating pool, sauna, steam room and botanical room, patients will be able to prepare themselves for guided, hallucinogenic experiences in serene spaces, with the goal of helping them break free from the grip of mental anguish. Three residential cottages are planned.

Their hope is for some sort of personal transformation, Linton said. Its my belief that people are undergoing a change in self-awareness, a re-set of who am I?

The development of a headquarters for Usona, now housed in other Promega buildings, comes amid a growing national profile for psychoactive medicine. Its a comeback of sorts, after studies of psilobycin, LSD and other psychedelics for mental disorders in the 1960s were stopped after what were considered excesses of recreational use resulted in the drugs becoming illegal in 1970.

By the first half of 2024, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve MDMA, sometimes called Ecstasy or Molly, for PTSD, federal officials said in May.

The drugs act on specific brain receptors to change perception and cognition, with psilocybin having a very low risk of addiction because it doesnt seem to involve the addictive reward circuitry of the brain, scientists say. The benefits can come from just one or two doses.

There has been a resurgence, I think, of the interest in psychedelic drugs, which for a while were sort of considered not an area that researchers legitimately ought to go after, Dr. Francis Collins, then-director of the National Institutes of Health, said during a U.S. Senate budget hearing last year. I think as weve learned more about how the brain works, weve begun to realize that these are potential tools for research purposes and might be clinically beneficial.

Transformative experience

It was a friends relief from depression during late-stage cancer that got Linton tuned into the psychedelic revival. In a study at Johns Hopkins, the friend, whom Linton identifies publicly only as Betty, took psilocybin and was transformed, he said. The experience greatly improved her life and her familys lives during the few months before she died, he said.

Her whole demeanor changed, Linton said. She went from this state of deep depression to a sense of gratitude, feeling that each day was a gift.

Linton and Dr. Malynn Utzinger, a family medicine and integrative medicine provider who graduated from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, created Usona to shepherd psilocybin through the multi-phase clinical trial process required for FDA approval.

Usona expects to start a phase 1 study of 5-MeO-DMT, the toad compound, in Kansas City in November. While recreational use of the substance and studies in Europe have involved inhaling it as a vapor, Linton said Usonas approach is an injection into the arm.

Studies have suggested 5-MeO-DMT might have benefits for anxiety, depression and stress, but its not clear what condition Usona will target. We believe it offers a lot of therapeutic potential, but we havent decided what that indication is going to be, Linton said.

Usonas synthetic versions of psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT have been manufactured in Northern Ireland. But production is being transferred to Promegas new Chappelle Manufacturing Center, on Sub-Zero Parkway about three miles west of Promega headquarters. The facility can make psilocybin, 5-MeO-DMT and other compounds in clean-room conditions required for commercial use.

Scaling up

In Usonas research and development lab at Promega, medicinal chemist Alex Sherwood and his colleagues are synthesizing metabolites of psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT to be used as references in the analysis of blood samples from clinical study participants.

In an effort to understand the mechanisms of action of psychedelics to develop improved drugs, theyre studying MDMA, LSD, mescaline and other psychoactive substances, synthesizing reconfigured compounds and participating in the National Institute of Mental Healths Psychoactive Drug Screening Program.

The goal of this lab is to produce small amounts of many things, Sherwood said.

Next door, Sam Williamson is refining ways of making large quantities of psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT.

The idea is to have the perfect process to make these huge, massive batches, said Williamson, a process development research scientist.

In 2020, Usona scientists published their process for synthesizing psilocybin, allowing others to produce their own supply for research. Scientists can also obtain psilocybin for studies from Usona at minimal cost. Usona provides psilocybin, 5-MeO-DMT and other compounds to some 120 research centers around the world.

Patent challenges

Last year, Usona started Porta Sophia, an online library of research findings and other information on psilocybin and other psychedelics, to show patent seekers and examiners what is already in the public domain.

Porta Sophia has challenged numerous claims in Compass patent applications. They include some describing the setting in which psilocybin is given, such as the patient using an eye mask and being in a room with muted colors and soft furniture. The company recently canceled those claims.

We support good patents, on things that are truly innovative, Linton said.

Denver became the first U.S. city to effectively decriminalize psilocybin in 2019, with 10 other cities and the state of Oregon now having taken that step or made possession of small amounts the lowest law enforcement priority, according to Psychedelic Alpha.

While Linton supports decriminalization, he said Usona and its new facility are focused on helping people with major depression, with which an estimated 21 million Americans have at least one episode each year.

This is the first center ... specifically designed with this in mind, Linton said. It offers an opportunity for that change to occur with one single treatment, which is quite remarkable.
BEIJING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua)  President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the China News Service (CNS) on its 70th founding anniversary, stressing the importance of innovating the discourse system and improving the capacity for international communication.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, underscored the need to enhance the appeal and effectiveness of news reports.

Over the past seven decades, the CNS has upheld the guidelines of patriotism and remained committed to serving overseas Chinese, helping tell China's stories well and make China's voice heard, noted the letter.

Xi expressed his hope that the CNS will actively build connections with overseas Chinese-language media outlets, and make new and greater contributions to presenting a credible, lovable, and respectable image of China, enhancing the great unity of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, both at home and abroad, as well as promoting exchanges between the Chinese civilization and other civilizations, and fostering closer people-to-people ties.

Xi's letter was read out Friday at a meeting marking the anniversary.

You Quan, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. You urged the CNS to focus on its unique strengths and tell China's stories well to compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Chinese nationals overseas, as well as to the international community.

Established in 1952, the CNS now boasts 52 branches at home and abroad, and its subscribers include the majority of overseas Chinese-language media.

(Source: Xinhua)
Articles

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles.
The antidemocratic conspiracies promoted by Brazils fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro and the military are advancing with the approach of the first round of presidential elections on October 2.

Brazilian special forces troops (Ministerio de Defensa)

As the president loudly proceeds with his plan to contest an increasingly likely defeat at the polls, the military has been elevated to the position of final arbiter of the political process, with the installation of the next president dependent on its approval.

Just two weeks before the election, the president has publicly reiterated that he will not accept a result other than victory. In an interview last Sunday on the SBT TV network, Bolsonaro declared that if he receives less than 60 percent of the vote, that is, if he is not declared elected in the first round, something abnormal happened at the TSE [Superior Electoral Court].

The claim that an electoral fraud is underway to remove him from power is the central argument of the Hitler-style big lie being systematically promoted by Bolsonaro. This coup narrative dismisses as fraudulent the results of all recent polls, pointing to the Workers Party (PT) candidate, Lula da Silva, beating him by a wide margin. The latest Datafolha poll, published on Thursday, showed Lula with 47 percent of the vote and Bolsonaro with only 33 percent.

In the interview recorded in London, where he attended Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral, Bolsonaro justified his certainty of victory on what he calls Data Povo (Data People), i.e., his subjective perception of the popular will based upon crowds attending his events, as opposed to data from institutes like Datafolha.

He said, Its pretty divided, you know, much more favorable to me. I say, if I get less than 60 percent of the vote, something abnormal has happened at the TSE in view obviously of the Data Povo that you measure by the amount of people who not only come to my events as well as welcome us along the way to get to the venue.

Bolsonaros plan to contest the ballots widely mimics Donald Trumps actions in the last US presidential elections, which culminated in the January 6 Capitol coup attempt. But much more than Trump, Bolsonaro has reasons to trust that a significant section of the Armed Forces will legitimize his attempt to hold on to state power.

Last week, the military clubs in Rio de Janeiro released a joint note calling for the Rescue of the Green and Yellow (the colors of Brazils flag) against what they claim to be an explicit attempt to destroy the concepts of citizenship and patriotism. Concluding with a passage from the Tamoio Song, by the Brazilian Romantic poet Goncalves Dias, which says that Life is combat, that slaughters the weak, the document is an unequivocal call for a coup.

The demonstrations conducted by Bolsonaro on Independence Day, last September 7, had already confirmed these expectations. They were highly successful in merging, with the consent of the generals, a massive military parade with the demonstration of thousands of Bolsonaros far-right supporters.

The corrupt bourgeois opposition to Bolsonaro responded to this pivotal event in Brazils political history with new concessions to the military that put even more power into their hands.

On September 13, the TSE approved a reformulation of the integrity test of the electronic ballot boxes to meet demands from the military. The change, made on the eve of the electoral process, will introduce the use of biometrics in the inspection of the ballot boxes.

As admitted by the president of the TSE himself, Supreme Court (STF) Judge Alexandre de Moraes, this supposed safety measure lacks any technical justification. Moraes said that there is no proof that the test [with biometrics] will or will not improve oversight [of the ballots]. In other words, the TSE accepted a requirement that is known to have the sole purpose of fomenting the distrust of the electoral process that underlies Bolsonaros conspiracy.

Moraes, who assumed the presidency of the TSE on August 17, has taken as his main task the fine tuning of the Electoral Courts relations with the military, deepening the concessions made by his predecessors. He promptly set up exclusive TSE meetings with the military, behind closed doors and without minutes. His predecessor, Edson Fachin, had resisted accepting this anti-democratic demand made insistently by Defense Minister and Bolsonaros conspiracy collaborator, Gen. Paulo Sergio Oliveira.

The intimate relationship established by the PT and its pseudo-left ally, the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL), with these reactionary forces in the bourgeois state is highly revealing of the political bankruptcy of these parties.

The same Alexandre de Moraes was praised by the Brazilian pseudo-left as the great savior of democracy in the country. It has entrusted the STF judge with taking all measures deemed appropriate to ensure that the result of the 2022 election is fully respected and fulfilled, as stated in a document written by PSOL parliamentarians.

The measures taken by Moraes, with the criminal consent of the PT and the PSOL, are proving to be key pieces in the advance of military tutelage over the political regime.

In addition to the concessions taken from the TSE, the military is preparing to carry out, for the first time since the establishment of the bourgeois democratic regime in Brazil, a parallel check of the ballot boxes. Soldiers will be sent to hundreds of polling places around the country to personally check the fairness of the democratic process.

Whether the findings of this verification will serve to legitimize a political coup by Bolsonaro, or even an independent intervention by the military in the name of political stabilization of the country, remains a question to be answered. The degeneration of bourgeois democracy in Brazil, on the other hand, is a deepening process in which there is no turning back.
The following letter was sent by United Auto Worker presidential candidate Will Lehman to Steven Greenhouse, the former New York Times reporter who moderated the presidential candidates debate on Thursday, September 22. The full video of the debate can be viewed at willforuawpresident.org/debate.

***

CC: UAW Monitor

Dear Mr. Greenhouse,

At the September 22 debate for UAW president, you asked me a question that was based on a false quotation, attributing to me a position that I do not hold. Because thousands of members of the UAW have already watched the video, I request that you record a public statement, that the Monitor can place prominently on the website that features the debate, informing viewers of your mistake and correcting the record by Monday, September 26.

Referencing an undated article from a web publication that you identified as the Sasa Times, you asserted that I called for the complete abolition of trade unions.

You did not ask me whether I said this. Rather, you asked me to respond to a quote, which you emphasized was an exact quote, that falsified my position. You repeated this falsified exact quote twice in your question.

In July, I did attend a meeting of international workers held by the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). But what I actually said at this meeting was, My campaign advances the call for the complete abolition of the union bureaucracy and putting power into the hands of the workers, who I urge to form rank-and-file committees. My statements at the meeting were publicly reportedwith the correct quoteon the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) in a July 11, 2022 article.

Instead of going to a primary source, such as my program or my website, or the WSWS, which correctly quoted me, you went to what is clearly an entirely dubious publication, the Sasa Times. If one attempts to access the article posted on this site, one gets a warning that your connection is not private and that attackers might be trying to steal your information. The article itself is a semi-coherent, mangled reproduction of the WSWS article, to the point where parts of it are incomprehensible. It has, moreover, no byline.

A cursory investigation of the site reveals that it is not a legitimate news source. It has no Wikipedia page and is not cited in any other publication or resource. Its own about section makes clear it is not a reliable source: One of the greatest things about Sasatimes.com is the interactive part of the site. You can create your own news stories by simply making up a basic story and adding in facts and comments about the subject.

Mr. Greenhouse, you are an award-winning journalist who worked for the New York Times for 30 years. You are well aware of the standards of professional journalism, which require that you check your sources before attributing a quotation to an individual. You could have performed a basic Google search of my quotation to discover its original source in the WSWS. You presented the Sasa Times as a legitimate news source when you clearly knew or should have known that it was not.

You misquoted my position in the first question that was asked of me at the debate, putting me in a position of having to respond to something that I never said. In your introduction, you emphasized that you decided on these questions. You did not misattribute any quotes to any of the other candidates. This calls into question your statement that you would be scrupulously neutral, as between the five candidates tonight, not taking sides or showing preferences in the debate.

I therefore demand the following: 1) That you record a statement informing workers by Monday of your mistake and correcting the record; and 2) That this statement be posted publicly by the Monitor and sent out to all UAW members.

Thank you,

Will Lehman
The Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka) has received many comments supporting the online meeting that it and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) are holding this Sunday: Stop the repression of anti-government protesters! Release all political prisoners!

The newly installed interim government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe has mounted a brutal assault on students and activists in the mass anti-government protests that convulsed the island from late March through mid-July and chased Gotabaya Rajapakse from power.

Security forces have savagely attacked protesters and made mass arrests under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act. More than a thousand detainees are still being held in mass internment camps.

The state crackdown is aimed at intimidating the working class as the government implements a program of brutal IMF-dictated austerity measures. Sundays meeting is part of the SEPs struggle to mobilize the working class as an independent political force, rallying the rural masses behind it, to defend democratic rights, oppose austerity, andthrough the building of a network of workplace and neighbourhood committeesto lay the basis for establishing workers power.

The political program advanced by the SEP and IYSSE has won wide support.

Thushini Kodagoda, an undergraduate student at the technology faculty of the University of Colombo said: I cannot accept this kind of brutality by any government. Masses of people participated in the recent struggles for real reasons. Soaring fuel and food prices and shortages really affected their lives. Thats why we came in to the streets. Now the government is arresting people who very reasonably raised the problems that they face.

Through this brutality, this intensifying state repression, the government is imposing the IMF burdens on the people. They want to be able to put any kind of burden on our backs. Why should we accept that?

I agree with your point, continued Thushini, that the working class should be independent from the old trade unions and form their own organizations of genuine struggle. But I doubt that the working class has the required knowledge for such a task.

After the SEP supporters campaigning for the meeting explained that a revolutionary party must be built to politically arm the masses of workers now coming into struggle with an internationalist program and strategy, she appreciated the upcoming SEP meeting and said she wanted to participate in it.

Artists speaking out against political repression in Sri Lanka [Photo: WSWS]

Lohan Gunaweera, a visual and performance artist and translator said: It is difficult to find someone who did not participate in the struggles against the Rajapakse government in some way or another. Hence, the governments repression targeting participants in that struggle is a broader attack and a threat against all working people and oppressed.

Recalling how the four-month popular uprising overthrew the government of President Gotabhaya Rajapakse, forcing him to flee the country, Lohan said it showed how weak the ruling class is. Therefore, this repression aimed at intimidating the working class can be identified as a sign of the weakness of the Wickremesinghe government, not its strength.

But the crucial question is how did such an anti-democratic capitalist ruler like Wickremesinghe come to power after such a massive popular struggle? In the midst of this intensification of the class struggle, how did the ruling class get the chance to attack even more fiercely than before?

It is my sincere conviction that we cannot organize a fight against government repression without finding answers to these questions.

Only the SEP and the WSWS have warned the working class about this. They concretely explained that the popular struggle against Rajapakse should be advanced on a socialist basis and under the leadership of the working class. Therefore, the meeting held by the SEP this Sunday is extremely important. Democratic rights can only be defended by mobilizing the strength of the working class to fight against the destructive policies of the capitalist class.

Nandana, a non-academic school worker in Puttalam district, condemned the suppression of democratic rights: The people are protesting because of the unliveable conditions. Parents face many problems. Not only can they not afford for their childrens bus fares, but even to give them proper meals because of poverty and high prices.

Nandana recalled President Wickremesinghes statement that the anti-government protesters should be punished if they do not act in accordance with the constitution. This means if we as workers and poor oppose anti-democratic government actions and fight for our social rights we should be punished! The constitution, judiciary and the police are part of the state that defends the capitalist system and its rule, said the non-academic worker.

He pointed out the trade unions had been forced to call one-day general strikes in April and May because of the huge opposition building up among workers against the former President Rajapakse. They limited our struggles and betrayed us, said Nandana. Rajapakse was replaced with Wickremesinghe. He is intensifying repression and implementing IMF policies, and the unions are supporting capitalism. That is why workers should form action committees in every workplace to fight for our rights.

A railway worker at the Ratmalana workshop spoke out against the state attack against the anti-government protesters and explained why he planned to listen in on Sundays meeting.

The reason for this witch-hunt is that the government wants to carry out their measures without any obstacles. We must oppose the arrests.

He added that his friends and colleagues in the workshop are saying that this is a warning to us. If we, as workers, also make protests we will have to face such harassments and intimidation.

Explaining that the IMF dictates would affect the railway workers, he added: Circulars have come insisting that workers above 55 years should retire, and all non-permanent workers should be terminated. The government says staffing-levels are excessive. This is an indirect warning that they are moving toward privatization and implementing a hire-and-fire at will policy. Repression is also a warning that if you go for protests you would be arrested.

Talking about the role of trade unions in his workshop, the worker said: I have not heard anything from them. There is no talk about any action to oppose the repression. They have not even called a meeting to discuss these attacks.

He said that he too had joined the protests twice at Galle Face in the centre of Colombo, the capital, then went on to observe that even though tens of thousands of people participated in those protests, the leaders had not defined what the needed changes were. They did not take the leadership correctly.

Malaka Devapriya, an award-winning filmmaker, stage director and radio playwright said: The COVID-19 pandemic and the US war against Russia in Ukraine have created many economic and political crises around the world and in this country...

The capitalist crisis has pushed the current government to take authoritarian actions, so there is no room for democracy-based regimes within the capitalist system. This is the reason that the Wickremesinghe government has passed one repressive law after another. This repression is victimizing a broad section of political leaders, artists, workers and students.

I accept that democratic rights can only be re-established as part of a broader struggle for socialism led by the working class. Malaka encouraged workers, intellectuals, artists, and youth to participate in Sundays SEP meeting.

Wasantha Wijesiri, a development officer and a cartoonist said that The inequality that we experience here is not limited to Sri Lanka. The leading imperialist countries, led by the United States, spend hundreds of billions on war. In return, the working and living conditions of tens of millions of workers are devastated. While a handful of billionaires are amassing wealth, the vast majority of the workers and the poor in society are suffering from poverty, hunger, malnutrition and pandemics.

Even when it is obvious how the capitalist government is creating such a devastation, the pseudo-left and middle class groups continue to put pressure on them, promoting reforms to this rotten capitalism. A representative of the Sri Lankan pseudo-left Frontline Socialist Party of Sri Lanka has gone to the United Nations Human Rights Council to complain about the repression of the Wickremesinghe government. This expresses their pro-capitalist nature.
On September 22, UAW presidential candidate Will Lehman took part in a historic debate involving UAW President Ray Curry, longtime UAW bureaucrat Shawn Fain, and other candidates running in the election.

The full video can be accessed at WillforUAWpresident.org/debatelive. We are publishing below excerpts of the debate, which have been posted by Lehman on Twitter and YouTube.

Introduction: The UAW bureaucracy is part of management

Will Lehman introductory statement at UAW presidential candidates debate 09-22-2022

My experience is the experience of rank-and-file workers

The working class needs to fight for everything its going to gain

Abolish the bureaucracy that cant be trusted with our dues money

Im calling for the abolition of the parasitic layer

The UAW bureaucracy is corrupt, not rank-and-file workers

Every one of the trade unions is failing their members

We need global unity to face multi-national corporations

If we organize internationally, we can shut these companies down

Every worker needs to understand that they should have the power directly in their hands

Im a socialist: Im advancing a workers agenda

We must reorganize society to meet human need, not private profit

The UAW doesnt care about working class women

My turn is to workers on the factory floor

Conclusion: Stand up and fight back!
Following the historic debate Thursday night between candidates for the presidency of the United Auto Workers, many workers have reached out to the World Socialist Web Site to give their reaction.

Campaigners for Will Lehman speak to workers at the Toledo Assembly Complex [Photo: WSWS]

The debate featured socialist Will Lehman, a tiered worker at Mack Trucks in Macungie, Pennsylvania, and candidates representing the UAW bureaucracy, including incumbent UAW President Ray Curry, longtime UAW bureaucrat Shawn Fain and Local 163 Shop Chairman Mark Gibson from Detroit Diesel. Brian Keller, a Detroit area autoworker, is also running.

Lehman sharply differentiated himself both from Curry and his open defense of the hated bureaucracy, and from those like Fain and Keller, who advanced the idea that the UAW bureaucracy could be reformed. Instead Lehman called for the abolition of the bureaucracy and for giving power to rank-and-file workers.

A worker at the Stellantis Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit who watched the debate said, Curry and Fain were selling the same old thing, we know what you need. They haven't been on a factory floor in so long they don't have a clue.

He [Will] did very well because he told the truth about what's really going on the factory floor and how the reps don't care. The International is a house of cards, it doesnt take much to expose the lies. Its hard to believe they think the lies will be believed

Lehman pointed out that the only reason workers were being allowed to vote was due to the massive corruption scandal that has sent two former UAW presidents to prison, as well as numerous other top officials. This isnt a question of a few bad individuals but of the bureaucracy as a whole. The UAW bureaucracy is a part of management, Lehman declared.

In his closing remarks Lehman made a powerful case for the need to build a rank-and-file movement guided by the principles of socialism and internationalism. The entire working class has the power to change things, but we must take power ourselves.

We must build rank-and-file committees in our workplaces to link up with one another and form an alternate power structure to fight for what we need. We must link our struggles with autoworkers in Mexico, in Canada and across the world. We must fight alongside rail workers, teachers, nurses, steel workers and longshoremenall sections of the working class exploited by the same network of corporations, who control both political parties and run the government under capitalism.

A worker from Ford Chicago Assembly said, I was laughing out loud at the candidates that were trying so hard to seem genuine yet have been screwing the workers over for decades. They kept talking about how theyve supported the workers and yet we keep losing every single contract.

Wills points are good. But these other [expletives] are very smooth talkers.

A Stellantis Belvidere Assembly worker remarked, I have rarely seen such an unprofessional debate. Will was the only one who remained on topic. The others were braggingand not a word on worker safety.

A veteran worker at the Stellantis Jeep complex in Toledo, Ohio said, Everything needs to be out in the open, they are hiding things. I understand what Will is trying to say, the bureaucracy should be gone and there should be transparency.

Out of everyone there, he was the most intelligent guy.

The corruption is terrible. That Fain character is a crook, the guy in there now is a crook. The biggest thing I have for Will, is that he is two-tier. We need to go back to where there is solidarity, pensions for everybodyequality. My son is a second-tier. We have more people that are second-tier at our plant than at the traditional wage, and I dont know how many TPTs. There is separation.

The worker said that to be viable, rank-and-file committees would have to work together. We still need an international agreement, there would have to be delegates from every factory.

Will sharply differentiated himself from the other candidates by his stress on the need for the international unity of the working class, declaring during the debate, With an international rank-and-file strategy we can unleash the power of the working class and change the course of history.

In response to Will Lehman, both Shawn Fain and Ray Curry cynically tried to present the UAWs collaboration with the so-called international union IndustriAll as representing international solidarity. In reality IndustriAll is an arm of the US government in alliance with other capitalist governments aimed at suppressing the struggles of workers and ensuring low wages and a stable labor environment for transnational corporations.

A retired General Motors worker responding to the debate said, I think Will did a good job at the debate. Especially he made the point of how important the unions must organize internationally, because the companies are international. If he doesn't win this election it looks like the other four are more or less same old same old.

A Jeep worker added, I heard what [Will] said about talking to everybody in Canada, Mexico, Italy, everywhere, and getting people together. I believe we should have medical for all, pensions for all. We should all be working together.

There needs to be a big network across the world to have it run right. Work together and stand together, everyone would get their fair share. Capitalism is a bureaucracy, 100 percent, the rich get rich and the poor get poorer. You have someone out there breaking his ass for you, and you pay them peanuts until they die.
From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Heres what happened in the Latin music world this week.

Manuel Turizo & Coldplay

More from Billboard

Early in the week, Coldplay invited Manuel Turizo as his surprise guest during his concert in Bogota, Colombia. Ahead of introducing the Colombian artist, he mentioned they were going to sing the best song at the moment in the world, referring to Turizos La Bachata. Turizo, wrapped with the Colombian flag on his shoulders, then joined Chris Martin on stage to sing an acoustic version of his No. 1 Billboard Tropical hit. I have something in my eye. Last night was incredible, he expressed on his Instagram, also expressing how he enjoys connecting with good people and beautiful energies.

Cuando Sea Joven

On Friday (Sept. 23), the Pantelion Films, Cuando Sea Joven, starring Veronica Castro and Natasha Dupeyron, premiered in over 300 theaters in the U.S. An adaptation of the Korean film Miss Granny, the inspirational Latin film narrates the story of a 70-year-old woman who magically becomes her 22-year-old self and gets a second opportunity in life to follow her dreams. The official movie soundtrack is helmed by award-winning hitmaker Julio Reyes Copello and includes classic boleros with a modern twist performed by Dupeyron. Marc Anthony and Reiks Jesus Navarro are also part of the set. Listen below.

Marc Anthony & Bulova

Marc Anthony and watch brand Bulova announced an exclusive four-year partnership celebrating their iconic Bold at Heart spirits. The opportunity to work with a historic and innovative brand like Bulova allows me to create timepieces which has been a dream of mine since I appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of a timepiece, he said in a statement. I am enjoying the whole experience, from my early sketches to the final product, and I am really excited to create signature pieces that are really meaningful to me. I feel like a kid playing in a sandbox, but with the utmost seriousness, curiosity and detail.

Story continues

With the direct involvement of the salsa artist in the design process, the partnertship will include a series of timepiece and jewelry collection named after some of his most iconic songs. Set to launch in November 2022, Bulova will also support Maestro Cares Foundation (Anthonys charitable efforts), which builds orphanages across Latin America.

More Maluma Fashion

Through my fashion journey in Milan and Paris and watching my risk-taking designer friends, I was inspired to create a collection that would break fashion traditions for everyone, Maluma noted with the launch of his fall collection Royalty by Maluma this week. Inspired by his home country, Colombia, his music, and fans, the unisex collection is both sophisticated and innovative, offering suits, dresses, blazers, and more. Marking the Colombian artists third and final collection sold exclusively at Macys in partnership with Reunited Clothing, the collection comes in sizes XS to XXL with prices ranging from $69.50 to $249.50. According to a press statement, Maluma and Chief Creative Officer, Hilda Batayneh focused on expanding their design philosophy and presenting masculine/feminine elements into each set. Royalty by Maluma is now available on macys.com, Macys mobile app and at select Macys nationwide.

2022 Latin Grammys

This week, the Latin Recording Academy unveiled the nominations for the 2022 Latin Grammys, where Bad Bunny leads the pack with 10 nods, including album of the year for his 11-week Billboard 200-topping Un Verano Sin Ti. Bunny is followed by Mexican hitmaker Edgar Barrera with nine nominations; Rauw Alejandro with eight nominations; Christina Aguilera and Rosalia with seven nods each; and last years top winner, Camilo, with six nominations. The 23rd annual Latin Grammys are set to take place Nov. 17 at the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. See full nominations here.

Click here to read the full article.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered an ominous message on Saturday at the U.N. General Assembly, stating that international efforts to interfere with Taiwan will be crushed by the wheels of history.

Any scheme to interfere in Chinas internal affairs is bound to meet the strong opposition of all Chinese and any move to obstruct Chinas reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history, Wang said.

The speech repeatedly emphasized Chinas claim to Taiwan, a self-governing island that separated from the mainland in 1949.

We must combat Taiwan independence separatist activities with the firmest resolve and take the most forceful steps to oppose external interference, Wang continued.

The speech follows a trip by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other American lawmakers to Taipei this summer as part of a tour around the Indo-Pacific region.

The visit provoked Chinese leadership, who argued that the groups time in Taipei violated the One China policy, under which the U.S. recognizes Beijing as the sole legal government of China.

It gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for Taiwan independence, said the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pelosis trip.

Wang asserted in his address that Chinas sovereignty and territory integrity has never been severed and that Taiwan has been a part of that territory since ancient times.

The minister repeatedly expressed his governments commitment to reunification with Taiwan following its split from the mainland after the Chinese Civil War.

Only when China is fully reunified can there be true peace across the Taiwan Strait, Wang said.

Wang also addressed Chinas oft-criticized human rights record, affirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on behalf of the country.

China abides by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has made relentless efforts to protect and strengthen its human rights, he said.

Story continues

The minister continued: We stand firmly against attempts to politicize human rights and work to promote healthy development of international human rights cooperation.

The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report earlier this month condemning Chinas treatment of the Uyghur minority and saying the government may have committed crimes against humanity in the Xinjiang province.

The Chinese government called the OHCHRs findings groundless, accusing the U.N. of interfering in Chinas internal affairs.

People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are living a happy life in peace and contentment, wrote the government in a statement.

 Updated at 2:42 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Music rooms are back in big way! So says Chris Goddard, the founder of an eponymous design firm in Springdale, Ark., who has conjured upwards of 15 elaborate spaces for tuneful enjoyment in the past few years. A mainstay in homes before the advent of television, Goddard says, elegant and intricately designed music rooms lost their relevance as technology became an increasingly ubiquitous fixture throughout our households. The piano turned into the spot where you displayed family photos or stored your clutter, he says.

No more. Celebrated designers such as Goddard and David Lawrence, the cofounder of the New Yorkbased design firm Carlos David, are responding to a surge of requests. Lawrence attributes this newfound attention to the pandemic. Dedicated places for music have become fashionable since the beginning of Covid, when people took up hobbies at home, he says. Music, whether its learning to play an instrument or taking voice lessons, became one of them and led to a demand for these over-the-top rooms.

More from Robb Report

A serene music room in an Ozark Mountains home

But creating such a room requires both technology and imagination. Acoustics, of course, are the crux of the space, says Lawrence, and one of the best ways to maximize it is to have upholstered walls and area rugs that absorb sound but have aesthetic appeal at the same time.

Case in point: Lawrence is currently creating a room for a New York apartment with a grand piano, upholstered gold leaf walls, chartreuse satin drapery and a vintage Gio Ponte oversized chandelier that resembles a sculpture floating in the sky. A silk area rug with lines mimicking blank sheet music is the final touch.

Its an undertaking that can often have a budget stretching far into the six figures and reaching upwards of tens of thousands of square feet. One example was for a couple in Bentonville, Ark., who live in a large French-inspired chateau and have several grandchildren who are learning piano. They wanted a beautiful place for them to play, says Goddard.

Story continues

Located in the homes foyer, the room he conceived features a restored antique grand piano as its centerpiece. Other elements include custom-made runners, a marble floor and a domed ceiling that all bounce sound and upholstered silk walls that help absorb it. The space is wired to the chateaus sound system, says Goddard, so the piano can be heard throughout the house.

The room, like the others Ive designed, resembles a small theater with a dramatic setting, he says. In a throwback to a bygone era, some designers are playing up the drama by incorporating embellishments into their music rooms that encourage socializing.

A cozy-yet-chic music-enjoyment room at the Towers of the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan.

Edward Yedid, a partner at the New York design practice Grade, for instance, is designing one for a Manhattan residence with a backlit bar thats hidden behind pivot-pocket walnut doors. It has antique glass cabinets with metal trimmings and a countertop of marble in lavender and green, he says. And, as a fun surprise, theres a hidden room with a guitar display and second bar.

Elsewhere, the designer Chris Roughan, of Roughan Interiors & Home in Weston, Conn., created a large music room for a family in Greenwich to practice piano, guitar and violin. The space also had to be fit for entertaining with cocktails and canapes before dinner, she says. We wanted the room to feel extremely special, so we added faux croc black walls mixed with red music stands and incredibly strong art that our client collected, says Roughan. The vintage Scolari light fixture in polished nickel is the real statement-making piece.

Phillip Thomas, founder of the eponymous New Yorkbased design firm, says that he also strives to emulate an ambiance of conviviality in his music-room projects. But no matter how grandiose, he says, the rooms must showcase their technical aspects. In contemporary interiors, we often make every effort to hide AV equipment with racks tucked away in closets and speakers behind plaster walls, he says. However, music rooms are completely different. These are spaces where the experience of music and the components and instruments related to it should be proudly displayed and exalted.

Guitars and pianos are works of art in and of themselves, says Thomas, and deserve to be shown off. They have a sculptural quality to them, he says. But it is key to control the spaces humidity levels to preserve their condition.

Private homes aside, new luxury residential developments, mainly in New York, are part of the music- room resurgence with their own prominent renditions.

An indulgent room in an Austin home designed by Phillip Thomas

The condominium 378 West End Ave., for one, has a decked-out music room with a soundproof recording studio. Two Fifty West 81st., a new condo on the Upper West Side, features a recording space designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects along with a designated area to arrange, compose and mix tunes.

In another lavish example, the West Sides Waterline Square has a 2,000-square-foot David Rockwelldesigned music room with a baby grand, a glass-walled recording studio and pyramid wall cladding that absorbs sound. Ultimately these are spaces that encourage lingering and inviting musicians, both aspiring and established, to loosen their inhibitions and unleash creativity.

An ideal music room has a dimensionality to it and is a place that you dont want to leave, says Roughan. It takes you on a journey that engages the senses in a multitude of ways.

Best of Robb Report

Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
Jaren Lewison, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Darren Barnet in Never Have I Ever

Following the conclusion of Love, Victor earlier this year, star Michael Cimino is transferring to a new school. In a new preview video, Netflix has announced that the actor is joining the cast of Never Have I Ever for the teen comedys fourth and final season. Hell be playing a new love interest for Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan).



Say hello to the new heartthrob at Sherman Oaks High, Cimino says in the clip, promising that his character Ethan is a smoldering bad boy.

Read more

Cimino is certainly familiar with the high school rom-com after playing the title character in Love, Victor for three seasons. The Hulu series spin-off of Love, Simon concluded earlier this year. He was also recently seen in the Netflix movie Senior Year.

Co-created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, Never Have I Ever follows Devi as she navigates her Southern California high schools social structure after the sudden death of her father. The first three seasons have largely focused on her love triangle between Ben (Jaren Lewison) and Paxton (Darren Barnet), so Ethans arrival is sure to complicate things even further. Though the resident cool jock graduated from Sherman Oaks High at the end of season three and had plans to go to college out of state, Barnet also makes a surprise appearance in the video.

Cmon guys, you cant get rid of me that easily! he says. Paxtons back, baby!



The clip also promises that the upcoming episodes will include the wedding of an unexpected couple and address the third season ending with Devi and Ben seemingly getting together again in a big way.

Damn, Devi! Only the first episode and she already has her work cut out for her, Ramakrishnan says as she reads a new script. Senior year sure seems like itll have its share of surprises.
When a band from Aberdeen, Washington called Nirvana  whod thus far failed to chart in America with their debut Sub Pop album Bleach  released Nevermind on September 24, 1991, not many observers would have guessed what was about to happen.

The phrase cultural revolution is over-used, but few would deny that suddenly, here was a record, and a frontman in Kurt Cobain, that not only re-routed rock music but spoke to a generation, and those to follow, as few ever have. Its continuing relevance is succinctly described by Dr Jerry Thackray, now a lecturer at the BMI Institute and, as journalist Everett True, a Nirvana confidant. It just seemed to sum up not being able to cope with being an adolescent, he said.

Just as punk had done 15 years earlier, the urgent sound and the teen spirit of Nevermind called listeners back to music who had felt disenfranchised by the corporate rock milieu of the day, and in particular by seemingly all-powerful hair metal and high-gloss pop. It took a moment, but all around the world, from South Africa to South America, across Europe and the Far East, this new sound lit a cultural fuse and became the poster album for the grunge generation.

The creation of the album began in earnest in May of 1991. Pointing the way was the non-LP single Sliver, which Cobain later said was like a statement in a way. I had to write a pop song and release it on a single to prepare people for the next record. I wanted to write more songs like that.

The prospects for the impending sessions were not entirely auspicious. Producer Butch Vig told Rolling Stone: The week before I flew to L.A., Kurt sent a cassette, which was done on a boombox. It was really terrible sounding. You could barely make out anything. But I could hear the start to Smells Like Teen Spirit, and I knew it was amazing.

With a reported budget of $65,000, Nirvana and Vig went into Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California. Match-fit from extensive rehearsals of the new songs, and true to their punk ethos, the band rarely took more than two takes to get each of the recordings they wanted. Sometimes, they would be singing lyrics moments after Cobain had finished writing them.

Story continues

The only hard thing was dealing with Kurts mood swings, Vig told Billboard on the albums 20th anniversary in 2011. He was extremely bipolar and you never had any idea how he was going to be at any given moment. But they were really focused and had practiced a lot. We worked in pre-production to tighten the songs up and they were having fun, man.

They were signed to a major label for the first time in their life; they had a little money. They were staying at the Oakwood Apartments, and they all said that the rental apartment was the best place they had ever lived in their whole life. And they were going to see shows. They dropped mushrooms and went to the beach all night long. We did the record really fast. I think we were in the studio maybe 16 or 18 days. So it wasnt really a labored effort in any way.

Nevermind started slowly, with a UK debut at No.36 and a cautious entry to the Billboard 200 at No.144, but it became both a critical landmark and a commercial juggernaut. It ranked No.17 in Rolling Stones all-time Top 500 album list and racked up a chart life of five years, with a 252-week run on the survey.

In America alone, during Christmas week of 1991, the album sold a spectacular 374,000 copies in a mere seven-day frame. As a fringe benefit, suddenly everyone also wanted to know about that overlooked debut album, and Bleach made its own chart debut in January, 1992, two and a half years after release.

The catalyst that helped Nevermind to its worldwide conquest was, of course, Nirvanas signature single Smells Like Teen Spirit, which raged like a bonfire of isolation and anger and became its own mainstream, turning platinum in America for one million sales.

Everett True, reviewing the album on release for Melody Maker, wrote: Forget all the prejudices you may or may not have about bands whose origins may or may not lie in Seattles Sub Pop scene of three years back. There will not be a better straight-ahead rock album than Nevermind released all year.

Listen to the best of Nirvana on Apple Music and Spotify.

Nevermind added new honors to its multi-platinum status with remarkable regularity. It went double platinum in the same week that it hit No.1, and triple platinum just a month later. By June 1992, quadruple, by November, quintuple. In March 1999, it joined the exclusive club of albums with diamond status, for ten million US shipments.

Vigs comments about listening to Nevermind again in 2011 ring as true now as then. It still sounds fresh, he said. In my opinion, I dont think it sounds dated. One of the reasons is because its guitar, bass, and drums. There isnt a keyboard sound from the 80s. Sometimes you hear a sound on the radio and the production sound dates it. I don't really hear that in Nevermind. Its drums recorded in a room with bass, guitars and vocals. I think it sounds as fresh and exciting now as it did back then.

Buy or stream Nevermind (Deluxe Edition).

For the latest music news and exclusive features, check out uDiscover Music.

uDiscover Music is operated by Universal Music Group (UMG). Some recording artists included in uDiscover Music articles are affiliated with UMG.
Poland Roger Waters (2022 Invision)

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has canceled concerts planned in Poland amid outrage over his stance on Russia's war against Ukraine, Polish media reported Saturday.

An official with the Tauron Arena in Krakow, where Waters was scheduled to perform two concerts in April, said they would no longer take place.

Roger Waters manager decided to withdraw ... without giving any reason," Lukasz Pytko from Tauron Arena Krakow said Saturday in comments carried by Polish media outlets.

The website for Waters' This Is Not a Drill concert tour did not list the Krakow concerts previously scheduled for April 21-22.

City councilors in Krakow were expected to vote next week on a proposal to name Waters as a persona non grata, expressing indignation over the musician's stance on the war in Ukraine.

Waters wrote an open letter to Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska early this month in which he blamed extreme nationalists in Ukraine for having set your country on the path to this disastrous war. He also criticized the West for supplying Ukraine with weapons, blaming Washington in particular.

Waters has also criticized NATO, accusing it of provoking Russia.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
A far-right activist group known for its flimsy ethics must pay $120,000 to a Democratic consulting firm after it lost a lawsuit over wiretapping and misrepresentation.

On Thursday, a federal jury in Washington found Project Veritas liable for targeting Democracy Partners, Reuters reported. The group is known for engaging in hidden recordings and other deceptive sting operation like tactics.

Democracy Partners said in its suit that a Project Veritas operative named Allison Maass infiltrated the firm during the 2016 presidential campaign by lying about her name and background to get an internship. While working there, Maass secretly recorded video and audio of Democracy Partners members to embarrass the firm, according to the complaint.

Democracy Partners, along with co-founder Robert Creamer, said Project Veritas used heavily edited footage in videos that falsely suggested the Democratic firm conspired to incite violence and schemed to promote voter fraud.

The firm said in a statement that the jury verdict will help discourage Project Veritas founder James OKeefe and others from conducting these kind of political spy operations  and publishing selectively edited, misleading videos, according to Reuters.

Project Veritas lost a separate legal battle in March after a federal judge tossed out a defamation lawsuit it filed against CNN.

OKeefe said in a statement that Project Veritas plans to appeal Thursdays verdict.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Ian will intensify into a major hurricane as it heads toward the west coast of Florida across the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Storm Ian continued to develop Saturday in the Southern Caribbean Sea and intensify into "a major hurricane" over the weekend as it comes into the Southeast Gulf of Mexico toward a potential landfall on Florida's West Coast.

Gov. Ron DeSantis extended a state of emergency Saturday afternoon for all 67 Florida counties in preparation for Ian, the Palm Beach Post reported.

The threat posed by Tropical Storm Ian requires that timely precautions are taken to protect the communities, critical infrastructure, and general welfare of Florida, the governor said in his amended executive order issued Saturday afternoon, according to the newspaper.

It's still too soon to pinpoint Ian's path or predict with any certainty where it's likely to make landfall, according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Jacksonville.

But it is predicted to be at least a Category 3 or higher storm as it tracks northward very close to the Florida Gulf Coast Region, NWS meteorologist Angie Enyedi, told the Times-Union.

Ian intensifying: With Ian incoming, Florida may see its most serious hurricane threat in years | WeatherTiger forecast

Jacksonville's message is clear: 'Don't be complacent' in preparing for another busy hurricane season

A long time coming: Jacksonville Beach Pier reopens after 3 years of hurricane damage repairs

The Weather Service and emergency management authorities in Jacksonville as well as neighboring Northeast Florida counties are monitoring the storm closely.

"It could be here as early as Tuesday night but more likely on Wednesday," she said.

Enyedi said it's time to prepare, "not freak out and panic."

Residents should keep tabs on Ian via the National Hurricane Center and local Emergency Management authorities, she said.

If they haven't already done it, people should assemble their hurricane kits, know their evacuation zones and already have decided whether they will evacuate or shelter in place.

Story continues

The American Red Cross recommends the following preparations

Gather food, water, and medicine. Organize supplies into a Go-Kit and a Stay-at-Home Kit.

Go-Kit: 3 days of supplies that you can carry with you. Include backup batteries and chargers for your devices (cell phone, CPAP, wheelchair, etc.)

Stay-at-Home Kit: 2 weeks of supplies. Stores and pharmacies might be closed.

Have a 1-month supply of medication in a child-proof container.

Keep personal, financial, and medical records safe.

People should be prepared for potential flooding, power outages lasting several days, and high winds downing trees.

"Ian is one to prepare for yes the worst will be on the west coast of Florida, but we have the potential of an Irma Type event here  late Wednesday- Friday," tweeted Tim Deegan. meteorologist with Times-Union news partner First Coast News.

AnneMarie Jefferson came out with two gallons of bottled water, toilet paper and snacks and a bag of apples in her cart Saturday morning at Walmart on San Jose Boulevard.

"It's just in case. I already had most of my hurricane stuff already like batteries and canned goods, but I'd rather have too much cause you never know what's going to happen," Jefferson said.

Enyed said it's too soon to say with any specificity how strong the winds will be or how much rain will fall on Jacksonville and the rest of Northeast Florida.

The National Hurricane Center showed the storm "trending a little bit west" with each forecast cycle every six hours.

Enyedi said as Ian enters the Gulf, coastal conditions will deteriorate even over adjacent Atlantic waters and beaches  especially Tuesday night, Wednesday and Thursday. That will result in hazards including frequent rip currents, large surf, gusting winds and possible rain bands coming ashore.

As Ian continues on the northward track across the Eastern Gulf, it would put Jacksonville and Northeast Florida counties on the eastern  very wet side  of the storm, she said.

"The potential for some very heavy rainfall, flooding rainfall could be there," Enyedi said.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Tropical Storm Ian: Jacksonville urged to prepare ahead of hurricane
Former President Donald Trump is again signaling an affinity with believers of the QAnon conspiracies  on Thursday evening he reposted a video originally shared by a QAnon follower containing catch phrases and that integrated Trump into imagery affiliated with the conspiracy movement.

The video includes edited images of Trump that made it appear as if he is holding a playing card with a "Q" on it and holding an American flag encircled by the letter Q. There's also a slide with the QAnon slogan "WWG1WGA," an acronym for "where we go one, we go all," and a man wearing Trump's signature red tie with a "Q" pin on his lapel.

Former president Trump reposted a QAnon video on Truth Social last night, just days after playing a QAnon theme song at a rally pic.twitter.com/Nprt0WZocW  Jake Rosen (@JakeMRosen) September 23, 2022

The former president is central to QAnon and its ideology, which envisions him as a savior. The conspiracy theory includes the unfounded belief that a cabal of famous Democratic politicians and liberal elites run a child sex trafficking ring, and that Trump will arrange for mass arrests and military tribunals of corrupt politicians, among other outlandish ideas. The FBI has warned that conspiracy theories like QAnon pose a growing domestic terrorism threat.

In a 2021 threat assessment, the FBI warned that QAnon adherents could engage in real world violence to prevent changes to "the plan" referenced in QAnon lore. A number of QAnon believers are accused of involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, undertaken by some supporters to try to keep Trump in power after his election loss to Joe Biden.

In early September, a Michigan man killed his wife and injured one of his children after allegedly falling into QAnon conspiracies. A year ago, a California man took his two children to Mexico and murdered them after becoming "enlightened by QAnon," according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Story continues

In the conspiracy theory, "Q" is viewed as the primary messenger through the online message-board 8chan. Believers are convinced that a high-ranking official within the government who has one of the highest security clearances, known as Q-level, is releasing sanctioned leaks to the public in order to motivate them ahead of prophesied mass arrests. They believe the person, "Q," dropsp vague, often incomprehensible clues known as "Q drops."

"In the beginning, [Trump] represented the figurehead. He was the person who had the power to make the plan come to fruition.The whole thing with QAnon was that there would be these mass arrests of the deep state and the Democratic Party, and the media, but it would be triggered by Trump," author and conspiracy expert Mike Rothschild explained.

The 2020 election and inauguration of President Joe Biden soon after, however, put a kink in QAnon's timeline, Rothschild added.

"[Trump's] role within the movement is still this leader, this almost messianic figure, who is running everything, who can outsmart anybody, and anything that seems like it's a negative, you know, Trump losing the election, Biden being inaugurated, all the various FBI probes and all of that stuff. It's all leading to Trump eventually winning," Rothschild said, adding that "goalposts [of QAnon] never stop moving."

During his presidency and his 2016 campaign, Trump would often "retweet something that had been posted by somebody who was also a Q believer or share a meme that could be interpreted as QAnon," Rothschild said. But Rothschild believes that since losing the 2020 election, Trump has become even more direct and "emboldened" in encouraging QAnon's fixation with him.

Trump established his own social media platform, Truth Social, after he was banned from Meta and Twitter, and he's able to more freely post content that echoes QAnon.

"I do think he feels a little bit more uninhibited in a place like Truth Social," Rothschild said. "He's got a more receptive audience there. I think he and his people also understand that when he shares Q stuff, the media is going to talk about it because it's still jarring for a former president to so openly embrace what is a prophetic death cult, essentially."

Tonight in Ohio, fingers were pointed in the air in the crowd as Trump spoke and swelling orchestral music was played through the speakers. Trump spoke darkly of Democrats and cast the nation as adrift. A snapshot of American democracy, Sept. 17, 2022.pic.twitter.com/CvNh4aH19c  Robert Costa (@costareports) September 18, 2022

At recent campaign rallies, Trump has played a song that many in the crowd took to be one that's associated with QAnon. Rally attendees responded by raising their hands and pointing a finger at the sky. Days earlier, he used the song in a video ad that was posted on his Truth Social account.

"They really think that it's Trump acknowledging them," Rothschild said. "People have been talking about that 'Oh, it's the QAnon anthem.' It's not." Rothschild added that the song itself has nothing to do with QAnon, but that it was used in a video Trump posted over the summer.

A Trump spokesperson did not answer requests for comment. According to The New York Times, Trump aides said the song played at rallies and posted on Truth Social is called "Mirrors." Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich told the Times, "The fake news, in a pathetic attempt to create controversy and divide America, is brewing up another conspiracy about a royalty-free song from a popular audio library platform."

But, The Washington Post reported that "Mirrors," by Will Van De Crommert, was first released in 2019. In 2020, the same track appeared online as "WWG1WGA" by user Richard Feelgood, who is apparently "a man in Finland who makes YouTube videos of himself discussing false claims while wearing a teddy bear mask and sunglasses." Van De Crommert told the Post that he did not approve of Trump's use of the song and was exploring legal options.

Gwyneth Paltrow on turning 50, family, and Goop

The real people behind "The Greatest Beer Run Ever"

"For the Birds": Art, music and birdsong
STUART  Emergency operations officials across the Treasure Coast said Saturday they expect to have the best information about the path and strength of Tropical Storm Ian  and what local residents need to do about it  sometime Sunday.

After meteorologists Friday identified Ian as a tropical storm that potentially had Florida in its sights, emergency officials advised the public to monitor the situation. Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Saturday declaring a state of emergency for all 67 of Florida's counties.

As of Saturday, local officials were giving no call to action for residents, citing the uncertainty. Ian's track appeared to be shifting northwest, meteorologists said, and heading for a landfall somewhere on Florida's northwest coast.

Police prep: Law enforcement planning for Hurricane Ian despite uncertainty of strength, path

Ian and the schools: Treasure Coast districts monitoring track of what could be Hurricane Ian

As of the 2 p.m. National Hurricane Center advisory, Ian was south of Jamaica, where there was a tropical storm watch in effect for the island nation. The storm was moving west at 16 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. A hurricane watch was in effect for the Cayman Islands.

"We're in a holding pattern," said Kathy Copeland, spokeswoman for Indian River County Emergency Management. "Monitoring is the best thing for now."

There are general tasks Copeland and other emergency management leaders advised, such as making sure gutters and storm drains are clear. "Those are things we should be doing during hurricane season anyhow," she said.

Otherwise, there was no direction given about evacuations, storm shelters, shuttering windows, or any talk about "hunkering down."

Big-box stores such as Walmart, Sam's and Home Depot appeared busy in the region Saturday morning, though they were well-stocked. Walmart in Sebastian had a limited supply of bottled water on the shelves by noon.

Story continues

A few locations across the region were out of bottled water Friday and Saturday.

Ian is the first tropical storm since Isaias in August 2020 to pose a threat to the Treasure Coast and prompt preparation and worry. Emergency operations centers for the counties are using social media and news releases to update residents about the storm's path and potential impact.

Lamaur Stancil is the Treasure Coast regional economy reporter covering business and industries, including retail, tourism and hospitality. Contact him at 321-987-7179 or lamaur.stancil@tcpalm.com and follow him at Lamaur Stancil on Facebook and @TCPalmLStancil on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Tropical Storm Ian: Treasure Coast officials monitor potential hurricane
A Margarita is a cocktail thats synonymous with fun. Sip the zesty tipple and good times are almost certain to ensue, especially if youre drinking from a classic Margarita glass.

Like the cocktail itselftraditionally made with tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and agavethe cup is rather simple, but will bring a smile to your face without fail. Its origins are somewhat of a mystery, but one legend has it that a bartender in Los Angeles started using them after receiving the wrong type of Champagne glass.

More from Robb Report

Shaped like a vintage Champagne coupe thats gone awry, the Margarita glass has a wide mouth that cascades to a V-shaped bowl and a delicate stem. Theyre are available in a spate of different sizes, shapes and materials, depending on what kind of sipping experience youre seeking.

Here, weve pulled together the best Margarita glasses that run the gamut, from handmade designs to the finest crystal.

Sturdiest Margarita Glass

Dos Suenos hand-blown Margarita glasses will give a colorful twist to your home bar. Capable of holding 16 oz of liquid, each glass features a striking aqua rim and was hand-blown by skilled artisans in Mexico from sustainable recycled glass. The glasses vary slightly in size, and show tiny bubbles that develop from the blowing process for a decidedly authentic touch. The thick, sturdy glass is lead-free and dishwasher safe if need be. That means the clean up after your fiesta is a cinch.

Material: Glass

Size: 4.5 in x 4.5 in x 7 in

Liquid capacity: 16 oz

Buy Now on Amazon $48

Most Elegant Margarita Glass

Jan Barboglio is a label that creates decorative objects and barware made of the finest iron, wood and hand-made glass. It is steeped in romance. Of course, the brands Margarita glass fits the same bill, featuring an elegant floral motif etched on the bowl. The design pays homage to the drinks roots; the Spanish word for daisy is, after all, Margarita.

Story continues

Material: Glass

Size: 5 in x 5 in x 7 in

Liquid capacity: 16 oz

Buy Now on Bergdorf Goodman: $100

Most Colorful Margarita Glass

Margaritas come in a slew of flavors, including peach, mango and passion fruit. Everyone has their preference. The same can be said of Vietris four-piece set, which comes in a range of colors, all with a gilded rim for an extra dose of glamour. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase taste the rainbow.

Material: Glass

Size: 4.5 in x 6.5 in x 4.5 in

Liquid capacity: 4 oz

Buy Now on Saks Fifth Avenue: <s>$56</s> $30

Best Traditional Margarita Glass

Easily the most traditional option on our list, this two-piece set from Villeroy & Boch, a storied label that offers the sleekest dinnerware and bathroom accessories, eschews all the bells and whistles. Instead of colors and intricate designs, it offers streamlined Margarita glasses that can hold about 11 oz. They are lead-free and dishwasher-safe, which will make cleaning up a breeze.

Material: Glass

Size: 4.25 in x 6.75 in

Liquid capacity: 11.5 oz

Buy Now on Bloomingdale's: $50

Best Environmentally Friendly Margarita Glass

West Elms Margarita glasses are truly golden. Not only does the four-piece set, envisioned by designer Diego Olivero, come in striking shade of amber, it also made of recycled glass thats mouth-blown by artisans in Mexico. Its as good for the environment as its good to look at.

Material: Glass

Size: 4.7 in x 6.3 in

Liquid capacity: 12 oz

Buy Now on West Elm: <s>$56</s> $30

Most Charming Margarita Glass

If youve ever been charmed by the sweet pastels of an Impressionist painting or were delighted by the delicate lines of an Art Nouveau ornament, Joss & Main has just the Margarita glasses for you. The brands four-piece set, made of lead-free crystal, features effervescent shades of blues, greens and purples all blending together harmoniously, along with a distinct pinstripe design on the bowl. Its truly a work of art.

Material: Glass

Size: 4.1 in x 4.3 in

Liquid Capacity: 5 oz

Buy Now on Joss & Main: <s>$95</s> $84

Buy Now on Wayfair: <s>$95</s> $84

Best Vintage-Inspired Margarita Glass

Imagine youre at a swanky bar in the 60s, lights dimmed with a jazz band playing in the background. Youre in the mood for a Margarita, so you order one. Whats most likely to appear is something that looks similar to this glass from Nude. Handmade and inspired by vintage designs, with its plunging curves and delicate lines, this two-piece set will transport you to the swinging past.

Material: Crystal

Size: 4.9 in x 7.15 in

Liquid Capacity: 13.5 oz

Buy Now on Huckberry: <s>$43</s> $34

Buy Now on Perigold: $37

Best Stemless Margarita Glass

Stemless glasses dont come much better than this model from Mikasa. Not only is the brands lead-free Margarita glass extra convenient, but it also features a minimalist design thats surprisingly elegant. Theres even more room in each vessel for everyones favorite ice-cold cocktail, which no one will complain about. Each set comes with six glasses, all of which are dishwasher safe.

Material: Glass

Size: 4.6 in x 4.6 in

Liquid Capacity: 12.5 oz

Buy Now on Neiman Marcus: $160

Best Margarita Gift Set

In search of a gift for a Margarita lover? Look no further than this elegant set from Williams Sonoma. Not only does the package feature four tony glasses, all hand-blown and painted with gold rims, also included are a salt rimmer made of natural red oak and four glass charms that attach to the stemso you can, hopefully, remember which cocktail is yours.

Material: Glass

Size: 5 in x 6.5 in

Liquid Capacity: 14 oz

Buy Now on William Sonoma: $130

Best Minimalist Margarita Glass

Less is more: This is the philosophy that Iittala champions. Founded in the 1800s, the storied Finnish label started as a glassworks company, eventually segueing into categories, including cookware and dinnerware. But the brand is most celebrated for its glass designs, the kinds of pieces that may appear simple, but are made to stand the test of time. A great example is this Margarita glass from its Essence line. From the proportion of the bowl to the lengths of the stem, everything is carefully considered. Its proof that it is the simple things that make the most impact.

Material: Glass

Size: 3.75 in x 7 in

Liquid Capacity: 10 oz

Buy Now on Bloomingdale's: <s>$55</s> $44

Most Luxurious Margarita Glass

Martha Stewart is an icon who built an entire business around party planning. She absolutely knows how to create a memorable event. And if you want to take after the media maven, look no further than these stunning Margarita glasses, done in partnership with Baccarat, purveyor of the finest crystal. The bowl alone, with its pronounced shape and sleek pattern, will stun any guest. It may not have the silhouette of standard Margarita glasses, but we know that Martha simply doesnt do standard.

Material: Crystal

Size: 4.3 in x 7.1 in

Liquid Capacity: 18.6 oz

Buy Now on Neiman Marcus: $450

Best of Robb Report

Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.


Misinformation given to a group of migrants flown to Marthas Vineyard, Mass., has raised calls for an investigation into whether Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis intentionally misled the asylum-seekers, potentially violating the law.

The group of 50 were not only promised housing and employment  immigration law experts say they were given bad advice that could actually jeopardize their immigration status as they seek to remain in the U.S.

Perhaps the most controversial information provided to the migrants came in the form of brochures with information on how to register as refugees in Massachusetts, despite the fact that theyre asylum-seekers and are not eligible to register for that program.

Refugees are different than asylum-seekers. Refugees get benefits; asylum-seekers do not. Refugees get approval beforehand; asylum-seekers do not. These people have all been processed  theyre not illegal because theyve been processed by Customs and Border Protection. Theres so much here thats just full of lies, Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.) told The Hill.

The state of Florida has also called the migrants illegal immigrants, but gave them guidance about how to navigate parts of the legal immigration system. This apparent contradiction has spurred questions about whether DeSantiss operators deliberately misled the migrants, or whether Florida officials misunderstood basic precepts of immigration law.

DeSantis communications director Taryn Fenske defended the brochures, saying the information was pulled directly from publicly available Massachusetts government websites.

I will say that the brochure is legitimate and if you google it, itll confirm the information was directly from the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants. So, its unclear why many in the media are portraying it as being fraudulent or incorrect, Fenske wrote in an email to The Hill.

DeSantis and fellow GOP Govs. Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona have continuously defended the migrant transport, arguing that so-called sanctuary jurisdictions are in a better position to attend to migrants than non-sanctuary states.

Story continues

Additionally, sanctuary jurisdictions would be best equipped to provide the services they promote and offer, i.e., from their own website  employment, education, etc., Fenske wrote.

But Democrats and immigrant advocates say the entire operation is a ploy to create chaos around migration ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

This is the normal thing that Republicans do every time they start losing campaigns. They scare everybody. And theyre going to use this to scare everybody. I mean, at the end of the day, most of these people, if they have friends and family in Florida, are going to end up in Florida, even if they do take them to Massachusetts. And it was just kind of a waste of time. It doesnt really create any solutions, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said.

The flights have ignited a firestorm for DeSantis, particularly once migrants who landed on the far-flung New England island detailed how they thought they were going to Boston and relayed the other promises.

An attorney for the group has now sued DeSantis, and the House Homeland Security Committee has asked both the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to investigate.

The letter from the panel cited concerns that the migrants were coerced to board the flight through false information and asks the Justice Department whether any Federal laws were violated in the coercion and transport of the migrants.

One of the things that youre always concerned about is as a country, we should tell people the truth. They shouldnt be tricked, shouldnt be taken advantage of. Most of them have had significant challenges getting to this point. And we still have, as a nation of laws, we have to treat people humanely and obviously we have to treat them with what the law provides, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said in response to a question from The Hill.

The entire policy of shipping people north has drawn comparisons to Reverse Freedom Rides, an early 1960s anti-civil rights counterprotest designed to portray Black Southerners as a socioeconomic burden.

In a Friday letter led by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), 27 House Democrats called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to publicly denounce the migrant dumps, in part because of the similarity to the Reverse Freedom Rides.

The dishonest relocation programs are acts of gamesmanship rooted in racism and xenophobia. In 1962, southern White Citizen Councils started Reverse Freedom Rides to remove Black people from their states based on false promises. 60 years later, Governors Greg Abbott, Doug Ducey, and Ron DeSantis are using the same ploys to remove immigrants, wrote the lawmakers.

The suit against DeSantis claims his actions constituted false imprisonment, fraud and intentional emotional distress.

They were lied to again and again and fraudulently induced to board the planes, said Rachel Self, one of the attorneys now representing the migrants in the case.

She noted that the asylum-seekers were told to register their new address once they landed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency that does not oversee the first steps in the asylum process.

This is especially troubling, as anyone with even the most basic understanding of the immigration proceedings knows that USCIS was not the agency with whom the migrants would have to record their addresses and has nothing to do with their cases in any way, Self said.

It is clear that this was an intentional attempt to ensure that these migrants were removed in absentia when they failed to change their address with the proper agency. This was a purposeful derailment designed to prevent people from complying with federal immigration policies, she added.

And many Democrats are not buying the explanation proffered by DeSantiss office that they were simply relaying information provided by Massachusetts.

Barragan said the governors office would have the resources on hand to understand the implications of the instructions it was offering the migrants.

This is intentional lying. This is not misinformed, she said.

Theres no way. Youre the governor of a state. OK, youve got a team. You can figure it out. This is a political ploy.

Still, Republicans have come to DeSantiss defense, minimizing the impact of the migrant dumps and focusing on the Biden administrations asylum policies, which they decry as open borders.

[The migrants] were misled when they heard that the border is open. I mean, its really bad, said Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.).

The problem here is that there is the border that is open. Thats very cruel, too, said Salazar.

Asked whether the state of Florida reaped any benefits from giving migrants misleading information, Salazar replied, I dont know about that. But I still look at the big picture.

And Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) said the relocations would appeal to Floridians.

Floridians are sick and tired of this administration allowing millions of illegal migrants to unlawfully pour into our country with zero repercussions, Steube said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Donald Trump speaking at the NRA convention in Houston, TX, on May 27, 2022. New York Attorney General Letitia James, right, speaks in Washington, DC on Nov. 12, 2019. Left, Brandon Bell/Getty Images. Right, Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Donald Trump has 5 ways to fight Letitia James' lawsuit, ex-NY AG prosecutors told Insider.

Trump will play dumb, cry bias, and delay, delay, delay, they said.

James filed a 220-page lawsuit against Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization on Wednesday.

Donald Trump will try every legal tactic possible to save his Manhattan-based business empire from New York attorney general Letitia James' lawsuit, former office prosecutors said.

It won't be pretty, and barring a settlement, it won't be fast, they said of the slow-motion legal brawl to come. But it will be heated, these New York AG veterans said of the battle over Wednesday's lawsuit and its potentially corporation-crippling penalties.

James accused Trump of routinely lying about the value of his properties to secure hundreds of millions in bank loans and tax breaks; she wants a judge to order $250 million in penalties and to bar the Trump family from selling, buying, collecting rent, or borrowing money in New York.

The outcome is by no means assured.

Insider spoke to three defense lawyers who, before going into private practice, spent years prosecuting complex financial cases for the New York AG's office. Here are their picks for Trump's top 5 defenses.

Trump Defense No. 1: She's out to get me

"I never heard of her," Trump complained to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday, hours after the lawsuit dropped.

"But I saw this woman," he said of James' 2018 run for AG. "And she said, 'We're going to get him.'"

"Her whole campaign was based on that," he added.

It was not the first time Trump has raised the "She's out to get me" defense. He's cried "bias" repeatedly and unsuccessfully in fighting James' three-year investigation into the Trump Organization. In February he even compiled her history of anti-Trump statements into an 11-page spreadsheet.

"They're definitely going to waste a lot of paper trying to make that argument again," in motions to dismiss filed in the coming weeks, predicted Tristan Snell, the lead prosecutor on the AG office's separate, successful investigation into Trump University.

Story continues

"It will get them nowhere," except for "whipping up their own supporters," said Snell, who went on to found MainStreet.law.

"It's certainly not going to fly with the judge," agreed another former NY AG prosecutor, attorney and author Kenneth McCallion.

But another former AG's office prosecutor, Armen Morian, thought the bias defense could still have legs as an argument for dismissing the lawsuit.

"It's not trivial that she was out there saying, 'I'm going to go after Trump,'" said Morian, who prosecuted complex financial frauds from 2006 to 2019 before founding Morian Law.

"It's a violation of her oath of office and a violation of his due process rights," Morian said.

Defense No. 2: real estate valuations are subjective

A property's worth is subjective, and Trump's side will certainly argue this in trying to beat James' lawsuit. But you can't simultaneously low-ball (for a tax break) and high-ball (to impress lenders) values for the same property, as James is alleging Trump did for years, the former prosecutors said.

"They can't both be true" at the same time, said McCallion. "And you don't have to prove which one was true and which one was false" to show fraud.

You also can't pull a valuation out of thin air.

"There's subjective, and there's complete fantasyland," noted Snell.

Fantasyland, as in Trump's objectively false 2015 claim that his Trump Tower triplex on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue spanned 33,000 square feet. It was actually 11,000 square feet, a whopper of an exaggeration first reported by Forbes.

Tripling his square footage let Trump claim his triplex was worth $327 million in collateral for a bank loan.

It's an "absurd" appraisal, James told reporters in unveiling the lawsuit, given that at the time, "only one apartment in New York City had ever sold for even $100 million."

Morian countered, though, that it's common real estate practice for businesses to seek out and to use very different valuations, depending on whether you're trying to lower your taxes or impress a bank.

"So long as the valuation is based on some rationale, you are not required to use the same methodology" for every appraisal, Morian argued.

"The methodology could have been wrong. The methodology could have been optimistic. But that doesn't make a fraudulent statement," he said.

"You can't say your 3-year-old daughter's version of the Mona Lisa is worth the same as the Mona Lisa," Morian explained. "That would be ridiculous. And you can't say the Mona Lisa is worth $3. But basically, there's a broad range of discretion for how you value assets."

Defense No. 3: I just signed whatever they gave me

Trump has claimed he signed all the questionable paperwork without really looking at it.

"If he wasn't a sophisticated, or purported sophisticated, investor and developer that might be true," said McCallion, who heads McCallion & Associates and is the author of "Profiles in Cowardice in the Trump Era."

"But Trump was a very hands-on guy, for better or worse, in the Trump Organization world."

It's also safe to assume, Snell said, that Trump was repeatedly asked in his August deposition whether, in fact, he blindly relied on his appraisers and accountants.

But instead of answering, Trump repeatedly pleaded the Fifth. Should the suit go to trial, case law allows the judge to infer that Trump was hiding the truth.

"Answering 'I plead the Fifth' translates out to, 'No, it was me,'" standing behind all the funny math, Snell said.

Still, the judge must at least weigh any "I just signed what they gave me" defense, Morian said.

"Does that absolve him? Probably not," Morain said. "But it can be a very sound factual defense that the courts would have to consider."

Defense No. 4: I never said you should trust me

"We have a disclaimer, right on the front," Trump told Hannity of the financial statements James is suing over, the ones she says wildly exaggerated his worth.

"And it basically says, you know, get your own people. You're at your own risk ... so don't rely on the statement that you're getting," Trump said his disclaimers warn, "because it may not be accurate. It may be way off."

Besides, Trump argued, the banks that loaned him money "have the best lawyers in the world." They should know better than to take him at his word.

"She's trying to defend banks that had unbelievable legal talent," Trump complained.

Trump actually has a point, Morian argued.

"All you have to do is put in a tiny footnote" in a financial statement, putting the bank on notice to double-check the numbers, "and that can be enough" to avoid liability for fuzzy math, he said.

"Because it's assumed that the reader of the financial statement is a sophisticated party," Morian added. Besides, "I bet you all these [banks] were applying a 'Trump haircut'  they were assuming he was exaggerating shit by, say, 30 percent, who knows."

Defense No. 5: No victim, no harm, no foul

"By the way," Trump also told Hannity, "I paid 'em back ... They didn't lose money ... the banks made a lot of money. She's trying to defend banks that got paid off."

It's the no victim, no harm, no foul defense.

Or, as Trump White House budget director Mitch Mulvaney tweeted Friday, "Seriously, who is the victim here? If the banks thought they had been defrauded, they could sue on their own."

Morian sees their point, too.

"There's a yawning silence" from the banks Trump allegedly tricked into lending to him, he noted.

And it's almost like James has filed what's known as a private claim, Morian added  "like the attorney general is suing on behalf of Deutsche Bank. She has no standing to do that."

"That will be front and center in the motions to dismiss," agreed McCallion. "It will be her burden to show she has authority to bring this case."

But James isn't calling the banks victims.

The victims, she tweeted on Wednesday, are those she is sworn to protect, the people of New York state.

"Trump's crimes are not victimless," she told reporters.

"When the well-connected and powerful break the law to get more money than they're entitled to, it reduces resources available to working people, small businesses, and taxpayers."

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Reuters) - Some investors are backing out of Digital World Acquisition Corp's plan to acquire former U.S. President Donald Trump's social media firm Truth Social, the blank-check firm said on Friday.

Digital World said it had received termination notices from private investment in public equity (PIPE) investors ending nearly $139 million in investments out of the $1 billion commitment it had previously announced.

Investors, who signed the PIPE commitment about one year ago, are free to move their money after the Sept. 20, 2022 deadline if the deal has not completed.

Digital World did not disclose the investors that pulled out. Sources told Reuters Sabby Management, which had committed $100 million to the PIPE, is one of the investors who have terminated.

Sabby Management declined to comment.

More investors could pull out in the next few weeks, sources said, as they can terminate anytime after the deadline. Many are waiting for DWAC to propose more preferred terms to PIPE investors, sources added. The deal between the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) and Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), which owns Truth Social, has been on ice due to civil and criminal probes into the circumstances around the agreement.

TMTG did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The SPAC had been hoping the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which is reviewing Digital World's disclosures on the deal, would have given its blessing by now. Digital World said this month it would extend the deal's life by three months after its bid for a 12-month extension from its shareholders fell short.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram and Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru, Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Krystal Hu in New York; Editing by Maju Samuel and Josie Kao)
My family in Honolulu on Oahu. Emily Hochberg/Insider

I went to Oahu, Hawaii, with my husband and 1-year-old daughter on a long-awaited vacation.

Except traveling with a toddler is not exactly a relaxing vacation.

I thought I'd relax on the beach and dine by the ocean but my reality was often tantrums and takeout.

Hawaii is a tropical paradise and after a long pandemic, it was where I really wanted to travel to this summer.

The beach at Disney's Aulani Resort and Spa in Ko Olina on Oahu, Hawaii. Emily Hochberg/Insider

And as the parent of a 1-year-old, I know that at this age, the best vacations are low key, namely, to a place involving a beach or pool. Hawaii checked both boxes.

I only book tropical vacations when traveling with my toddler. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Read more: As a travel editor, I vowed kids would never stop me from traveling. But one baby and a terrible trip later, that's exactly what I've done.

Since I live in California, the flight would be shorter than to most other tropical places. It seemed like a great idea, and I traveled to Oahu with my husband and daughter.

An Aloha sign in Hawaii. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Our travels did not go exactly as planned. As I learned, traveling with a child is not a vacation, it's a trip. And it's not usually a relaxing one.

One of many times when I was nap-trapped. Emily Hochberg/Insider

I booked an 8 a.m. flight thinking it would keep my daughter on a somewhat normal schedule. But she was cranky from waking up early and wanted to be carried, solely by me. Since she weighs 25 pounds, I was exhausted by the time we boarded.

On the plane with my daughter. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Onboard, I thought we'd offer unlimited screen time and snacks and that she'd happily watch until she fell asleep. But she was tired, overstimulated, and kept kicking the seat in front of her.

An iPad helped distract my daughter, some of the time. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Eventually, she went to sleep, and I looked forward to watching a movie. But I was too uncomfortable balancing her in my airplane seat to focus. I couldn't move or I'd risk waking her up.

My daughter, sleeping across my lap. Emily Hochberg/Insider

When we landed in Hawaii, I was excited to get in our rental car and drive to Honolulu and soak up tropical vibes right away. But my toddler was jet lagged. She screamed the entire 30-minute ride to the hotel.

Getting our rental car in Hawaii. Emily Hochberg/Insider

At our first hotel, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, I was eager to unwind. But the check-in line stretched the length of the entire lobby and I had to simultaneously hold a spot and chase after my toddler.

Story continues

Arriving to Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Next, I thought we'd go to the pool. But our room wasn't ready and I'd forgotten to pack a day bag with swimsuits. With our luggage already stored at the valet, we went to a restaurant instead in our sweaty plane clothes.

Our first meal at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Finally, our room was ready and I couldn't wait to cool off in the pool and relax on a lounger. But we couldn't find one single empty pool chair and had to perch on a ledge by a trash can instead.

We couldn't find pool chairs at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Emily Hochberg/Insider

For dinner, I envisioned a meal by the beach. But my overtired daughter wouldn't eat and threw a fit when her granola bar broke in two. She screamed so hard I had to take her out of the restaurant, my eyes down to avoid any uncomfortable gazes.

Waiting for our food to arrive at dinner. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Most meals were difficult. At the Hilton's teppanyaki restaurant, I thought my daughter would enjoy the effects of a hibachi dinner. But she was scared of the noise and sitting with strangers, and hid in a corner for the entire meal.

Standing in the corner at the teppanyaki restaurant. Emily Hochberg/Insider

So instead of my vision of waterfront dining, we ate many meals in our room with takeout. It was just easier.

Eating a takeout meal in our hotel room. Emily Hochberg/Insider

I also thought we'd spend as much time as possible on the world-famous Waikiki Beach. But five minutes in, my daughter said, "bye bye beach" and asked to leave. I never thought I'd come to Hawaii and spend so little time on the sand.

My daughter at the beach before she asked to leave. Emily Hochberg/Insider

We fared better at the pools, but there was no time to sit and sip a pina colada since my daughter was always on the go.

Playing with my daughter in the pool. Emily Hochberg/Insider

She loved the pool with a kiddie water slide so much, I spent one afternoon bringing her on it over and over again. She had a blast, but when we got home, I threw out my back from carrying her so much.

She loved the kiddie water slide. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Each day, I awoke excited by all the surrounding beauty and wanted to take a morning walk. But they never lasted more than a few minutes as my toddler didn't want to sit in her stroller.

Morning walks were short since my toddler didn't want to stay in her stroller. Emily Hochberg/Insider

When we switched hotels to Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, I was excited for my daughter to meet characters like Mickey Mouse. But she was too antsy to wait in line and we only had the patience to do it twice.

Meeting Minnie Mouse at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Read more: I went to Disney's mega resort in Hawaii with my family. Here's a closer look at the hotel's 6 pools, character photo ops, and private beach.

Family photos in general never went as planned.

Trying, and failing, to take a family selfie. Emily Hochberg/Insider

The beach at Aulani was also short lived. She immediately covered both of us in sand, most of which ended up in my eye, and we had to leave.

My daughter's sandy hand, right before it hit me in the eye. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Like at the previous hotel, she preferred the pool. But rather than splashing and relaxing, I was on high alert as my daughter gravitated towards danger of all kinds, running in the pool or getting too close to a deep edge.

Keeping guard at the pool. Emily Hochberg/Insider

At Aulani, we shared a standard hotel room. I thought we'd use the balcony when our daughter was asleep but the only place to position her crib was next to it. This rendered the balcony useless as we'd make too much noise to go outside ...

Our room at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. Emily Hochberg/Insider

... so my husband and I sat in the dark looking at our phones instead every night, until we were ready to go to sleep.

Sitting in the dark at 8:39 p.m. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Back in Honolulu on our last night, I thought it would be nice to have cocktails with my husband to mark the end of our trip. But my daughter wouldn't sit still and he brought her onto the beach while I drank mine alone.

An arrow points to my husband, far away from me and our drinks. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Then it was my turn to take her, so my husband could eat his dinner, by himself.

Taking my daughter onto the beach when she didn't want to stay in the restaurant. Emily Hochberg/Insider

For me, traveling with a toddler is not easy, and it was not the relaxing vacation I hoped it would be.

Taking a family elevator selfie. Emily Hochberg/Insider

But I also know a toddler is tiny human who is still learning how the world works. I was filled with joy watching her delight in the pool, dance to Hawaiian music, and become more of her own person.

Listening to Hawaiian music on the beach. Emily Hochberg/Insider

While my long-awaited Hawaiian vacation didn't go as expected, I'll gladly return with her one day. The memories were more than worth it. I just hope we can stay at the beach longer next time.

Despite any difficulty, I'll always cherish the memories we made in Hawaii. Emily Hochberg/Insider

Read the original article on Insider
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Dubai-based shipping giant DP World said Tuesday it has won another ruling in a longstanding legal battle over the operation of a strategic port in the African nation of Djibouti.

Dubai-based DP World said an appeals court in Hong Kong agreed with its request to keep its lawsuit against China Merchants Port Holdings in Hong Kong courts, where that company is based, rather than transfer it to Djibouti.

DP World accuses China Merchants of successfully pressuring Djibouti's government to expel DP World from the country and hand over the Doraleh Container Terminal to the Hong Kong-based firm. It also accuses China Merchants of operating other ports and free zones in violation of DP World's exclusivity rights.

China Merchants did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

DP World is seeking billions of dollars in damages. International courts and tribunals have already awarded it some $686.5 million in damages, and the 2006 concession to operate the port remains in force, the company said.

The Doraleh Container Terminal is the largest employer and biggest source of revenue in Djibouti, and has operated at a profit every year since it opened, according to DP World.

Djibouti seized the container terminal after DP World created another corridor for imports to landlocked Ethiopia in Somaliland, endangering Djiboutis near-monopoly on Ethiopias imports.

Djiboutis port alone accounts for 95% of Ethiopias imports. With a population of 110 million people, Ethiopia is the largest economy in the Horn of Africa.

DP World, which is majority-owned by the Dubai government in the United Arab Emirates, operates nearly 80 marine and inland terminals around the world.
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.

Story continues

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.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Iranian counterprotesters gathered across the country on Friday in a show of support for authorities after nearly a week of anti-government protests and unrest over the death of a young woman who was being held by the morality police.

Thousands attended a rally in the capital, Tehran, where they waved Iranian flags, and similar demonstrations were held in other cities. The government claimed the demonstrations of support were spontaneous. Similar rallies have been held during past periods of widespread protests.

The pro-government demonstrators chanted against America and Israel, according to state media, reflecting the official line that blames the latest unrest on hostile foreign countries.

State TV suggested late on Friday that the death toll from this week's unrest could be as high as 35, raising an earlier estimate of 26. Anti-government protesters and security forces have clashed in several major cities in the most severe political violence since 2019, when rights groups say hundreds were killed amid demonstrations against a hike in state-controlled gasoline prices.

Iran has also disrupted internet access and tightened restrictions on popular platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp, which can be used to organize rallies.

In response, the U.S. Treasury Department said it would allow American tech firms to expand their business in Iran to boost internet access for the Iranian people. Iran is under heavy U.S. and international sanctions.

A state TV newswoman said late Friday that 35 protesters and policemen had been killed since the protests erupted last Saturday after the funeral of the 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, without elaborating. She said official statistics would be released later, but authorities have not provided a full accounting of deaths and injuries during past unrest.

A tally by The Associated Press, based on statements from state-run and semiofficial media, shows that at least 11 people have been killed. Most recently, the deputy governor of Qazvin, Abolhasan Kabiri, said that a citizen and paramilitary officer had been killed there.

Story continues

The crisis unfolding in Iran began as a public outpouring of anger over the the death of Amini, a young woman who was arrested by the morality police in Tehran last week for allegedly wearing her Islamic headscarf too loosely. The police said she died of a heart attack and was not mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account.

Amini's death has sparked sharp condemnation from Western countries and the United Nations. Iranians across at least 13 cities from the capital, Tehran, to Amini's northwest Kurdish hometown of Saqez have poured into the streets, voicing pent-up anger over social and political repression.

The death has tapped into broader antigovernment sentiment in the Islamic Republic and especially the frustration of women, wrote political risk firm Eurasia Group. It noted that Irans hard-liners have intensified their crackdown on womens clothing over the past year since former judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi became president.

The prospect of the leadership offering concessions to Iranian women is minimal, it said. In the cold calculus of Iranian leaders, the protests have likely gone far enough and a more forceful response is required to quell the unrest.

Raisi condemned the protests as he arrived back in Iran after addressing the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week.

We have announced many times that if anyone has a fair comment, we will listen to it. But anarchy? Disturbing national security? The security of people? No one will succumb to this, he said.

Videos on social media show protesters in Tehran torching a police car and confronting officers. Others show gunfire ringing out as protesters bolt from riot police, shouting: They are shooting at people! Oh my God, they're killing people!

In the northwestern city of Neyshabur, protesters cheered over an overturned police car. Footage from Tehran and Mashhad shows women waving their obligatory headscarves, known as hijab, in the air like flags while chanting, Freedom!"

Separately, hackers have targeted a number of government websites in recent days, taking some of them down at least briefly. On Friday, hackers interrupted Iran's Channel 3 on a popular streaming website and played videos in support of the protests. Normal programming was restored a couple of minutes later.

The protests have grown into an open challenge to the theocracy established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The chants have been scathing, with some chanting Death to the dictator! and Mullahs must be gone!

Local officials have announced the arrest of dozens of protesters. Hasan Hosseinpour, deputy police chief in the northern Gilan province, reported 211 people detained there on Thursday. The government of the western Hamadan province said 58 demonstrators had been arrested.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday that at least 10 reporters have been arrested since the start of the protests, many of them during late night raids on their homes by security forces who did not identify themselves.

London-based watchdog Amnesty International has accused security forces of beating protesters with batons and firing metal pellets at close range. Videos show police and paramilitary officers using live fire, tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators.

Iran has grappled with waves of protests in the recent past, mainly over a long-running economic crisis exacerbated by American sanctions linked to its nuclear program. In November 2019, the country saw the deadliest violence since the revolution, as protests erupted over gas price hikes.

Economic hardship remains a major source of anger today as the prices of basic necessities soar and the Iranian currency declines in value.

The Biden administration and European allies have been working to revive the 2015 nuclear accord, in which Iran curbed its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, but the talks have stalled for months.

The Eurasia Group said the protests make any immediate return to the agreement less likely, as Iran's government will be more hesitant to make concessions at a time of domestic unrest and the United States will be reluctant to sign a deal as Iran violently cracks down on dissent.
The Japanese government has earmarked $2 billion in funding for vaccine research in an effort to make sure its country is better prepared for any future pandemic, according to Nature. Japan lagged behind other countries not just in developing vaccines, but also in approving them when it came to COVID-19. As the publication points out, three of Japan's most advanced COVID-19 vaccine candidates are still undergoing clinical trials. To prevent a repeat, the country established the Strategic Center of Biomedical Advanced Vaccine Research and Development for Preparedness and Response (SCARDA) back in March.

SCARDA's central research center will be based in Tokyo, but it will be supported by four core institutes, namely Osaka University, Nagasaki University, Hokkaido University and Chiba University. The $2 billion funding is supposed to keep it running for five years. $1.2 billion will go towards the center's vaccine research and development projects, while $400 million will be spent on supporting start-ups in drug development. The other $400 million will go towards setting up a network of research centers across the nation, as well as towards vaccine testing.

SCARDA will initially focus on developing vaccines for eight infectious diseases, including COVID-19, monkeypox, SARS, dengue and Zika virus. Its researchers will look into various types of vaccine technologies, as well, such as mRNA and viral vectors. The center aims "to find seeds for future vaccines," but its ultimate goal is to be able to conjure up diagnostic tests, vaccines and treatments within 100 days of the identification of a pathogen that has the potential to become a pandemic.

It was the UK government that first proposed the 100-day response goal, based on what it learned from COVID-19. "The first 100 days when faced with a pandemic or epidemic threat are crucial to changing its course and, ideally, preventing it from becoming a pandemic," the UK wrote in its pandemic preparedness report to the G7. According to the World Health Organization, it recorded over 2.5 million cases and 200,000 deaths 100 days after it declared COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern. A swift response from the start could've prevented those numbers from getting any higher.
Former President Donald Trump and his children (from left) Eric, Ivanka, and Donald Jr. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Michael Cohen said the New York probe into the Trump Organization would "end to the entire company."

Cohen said investigators have what they need to "ultimately terminate" the company.

Cohen predicted that one or two of Trump's children may have to "fall on the sword for him."

Former President Donald Trump's one-time personal lawyer Michael Cohen believes the investigation into possible fraudulent practices in the Trump Organization would be what puts "an end" to the company.

Cohen, who worked for Trump and was his fixer and confidante for a decade, spoke to MSNBC's Chris Hayes on Wednesday, weighing in on the ongoing probe in New York into the Trump Organization.

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to felonies, including tax evasion, campaign finance violations, and bank fraud. He was sentenced in December that year to three years in prison and was disbarred in February 2019 by the New York Supreme Court.

Cohen told MSNBC that the investigation sparked by New York Attorney General's $250 million civil lawsuit against the Trump family would "ultimately terminate the Trump Organization  Donald, Don Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Weisselberg, McConney, and the rest of them."

"This is going to put an end to the entire company," he added.

Video: Michael Cohen testifies about former client Donald Trump

Cohen made reference to Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization's former chief financial officer, who in August admitted to orchestrating a payroll tax-dodge scheme at the organization, and Jeff McConney, Weisselberg's right-hand man.

"I've been sitting on the mountaintops yelling for three-and-a-half, four years, which is that the Trump Organization is a criminal enterprise and that I got thrown under the bus by dear old Donald," he said.

Cohen also posited that one or two of Trump's children might have to "fall on the sword" for their father. Trump's three eldest children  Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump  are listed in James' lawsuit.

Story continues

Recalling the shoutout he received from James when she announced the suit on Wednesday, Cohen said he felt that he was "finally getting recognition" for his role in the probe. James is also seeking to bar the Trumps from conducting business in New York and has accused the former president of inflating his net worth by billions.

Representatives at Trump's post-presidential press office and the Trump Organization did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
RE/MAX Newport Elite

A Wisconsin home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright just hit the market for the first time in its history.

The Usonian-style residence, designed in 1954, is listed for $725,000.

Wright built hundreds of homes in his lifetime and has been called the greatest American architect of all time.

If you're in the market for a historic Frank Lloyd Wright home, a Wisconsin original was just listed for the first time in its history.

The house at 1425 Valley View Drive in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, made its market debut last week, listing for $725,000.

Designed in 1954 and built two years later, the home was developed in the late architect's signature Usonian style. (Wright used the term "Usonia," an acronym of the United States of North America, to refer to the US.) This minimalist type of home, geared toward the middle class, is typically one-story with a low, horizontal roof and an emphasis on warm, earthy tones.

RE/MAX Newport Elite

RE/MAX Newport Elite

RE/MAX Newport Elite

The residence has six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms, according to its listing. It's 4,978 square feet and sits on 3.2 acres, situated on the bluff of a ravine overlooking the Root River and Colonial Park.

At $725,000, the property is well above the median home price in Mount Pleasant, which is roughly $300,000, according to Realtor.com.

Wright designed more than 1,100 architectural works in his lifetime, of which more than 500 were built, according to his foundation's website. In 1991, the American Institute of Architects honored him as the "greatest American architect of all time."

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Jake Cordell

TBILISI (Reuters) -Russia's opposition on Wednesday called for protests against President Vladimir Putin after he ordered the mobilisation of 300,000 reservists for what Kremlin foe Alexei Navalny said was a failing criminal war.

Putin on Wednesday ordered Russia's first mobilisation since World War Two and backed a plan to annex swathes of Ukraine, warning the West he was not bluffing when he said he would be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia.

Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition leader, said Putin was sending more Russians to their deaths for a failing war.

"It is clear that the criminal war is getting worse, deepening, and Putin is trying to involve as many people as possible in this," Navalny said in a video message from jail recorded and published by his lawyers.

"He wants to smear hundreds of thousands of people in this blood," Navalny said.

Since the Feb. 24 invasion, Putin has cracked down on dissent and the media, with thousands arrested at anti-war protests and a new law that calls for 15-year prison sentences for those who distribute "fake news" about the military.

Russian state television casts critics as traitors who are in the pay of the West. Putin says the country is in a battle with the West over Ukraine, which he says is being used by the United States and its allies in an attempt to destroy Russia.

Russia's anti-war groups called for street protests against the mobilisation order.

"This means that thousands of Russian men - our fathers, brothers and husbands - will be thrown into the meat grinder of war," the Vesna anti-war coalition said. "Now the war has come to every home and every family."

It called for Russians to take to the streets in major cities on Wednesday. By 1530 GMT, Russian police had detained more than 100 across Russia for protesting against the mobilisation, the independent protest monitoring group OVD-Info said.

Story continues

PROTESTS

Navalny says Putin started a pointless war that is butchering the innocent people of both Ukraine and Russia. He casts Putin's Russia as a state run by thieves and criminals and says it will ultimately be crushed by the forces of history.

The Kremlin dismisses Navalny's claims about Putin, who it says has won numerous fair elections in Russia since 2000 and remains by far the country's most popular politician. It has dismissed Navalny's claim that Putin is corrupt as nonsense.

Navalny's allies say Russian society does not support the mobilisation drive.

"It's scary to watch how a mad bastard is destroying a country live on television," said Navalny's chief of staff Leonid Volkov, who lives outside Russia.

"In military terms, mobilisation is hopelessly late and will not change anything in this lost war," he said. Russians should see it as matter of "moral duty, survival and self-preservation" to push back against the Kremlin, he added.

(Reporting by Jake Cordell; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Angus MacSwan)
This screenshot from U.S. Capitol surveillance footage is among the evidence against Levi Roy Gable. The FBI reports Gable is the man marked with a yellow arrow by the Rotunda Door at 2:46 p.m. Jan. 6, 2021.

A Trump supporter from Oklahoma pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor, admitting that he illegally went inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, for 34 minutes.

Levi Roy Gable, 37, of Chouteau, faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. His sentencing was set for Jan. 10 in federal court in Washington, D.C.

"Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?" U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb asked him during a hearing held by video.

"Yes, your honor," he replied.

The illegal entry came just before Mike Pence, then the vice president, was evacuated from the Senate chambers, according to a statement of the offense. Gable was turned in by a college fraternity brother who saw videos of the riot and a post about it on his Facebook page, the FBI reported.

"I was among the first people to make our way into the US Capitol Building," he purportedly posted on Facebook, according to the FBI.

"Those in the building first were there in protest of Vice President Mike Pences statement that he would not stand with the American people and challenge the results of 2020s stolen presidential election.

"We were there to make our voices be heard."

Gable had been charged with four misdemeanor counts. Under a plea agreement, three counts will be dismissed at his sentencing. He must pay $500 in restitution.

He was arrested in May in Tulsa.

Thousands marched on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after then-President Donald Trump spoke at a rally and urged them to fight like hell.

Rioters overwhelmed Capitol police to breach the building, delaying the formal counting of the Electoral College votes that had Joe Biden winning the presidential election.

Trump had pressured Pence  as president of the Senate  to block the certification of the results. Pence refused, describing his role as largely ceremonial.

In the statement of his offense, Gable acknowledged that he traveled by plane from Oklahoma to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, to protest the certification.

Story continues

He acknowledged that he attended the "Stop the Steal" rally on Jan. 6, 2021, and then marched with other protesters to the Capitol.

He entered the Capitol at approximately 2:19 p.m. through the Senate Wing Door after windows on both sides of the door had been smashed. according to the statement. About a minute later, Pence and members of the House and Senate "were instructed to  and did  evacuate the chambers."

"Gable, together with others, remained inside the Capitol at various locations ... until approximately 2:53 p.m.," according to the statement. He "falsely denied having entered the Capitol" during a law enforcement interview on Jan. 21, 2021.

In deciding his punishment, the judge will take into consideration Gable's criminal history. He pleaded guilty in 2005 to a federal bank robbery charge.

Gable has worked for his family's excavation company in Tulsa for years. He was vice president of Gable's Excavating at the time of his arrest. He is no longer mentioned in the "About Us" section of the company's website.

So far, nine Oklahomans have been charged out of the investigation of the attack on the Capitol. The last one was in July

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoman pleads guilty for illegally going inside Capitol during riot
By Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will discuss Taiwanese security during bilateral meetings with the leaders of Japan and South Korea when she visits the region next week, a senior administration official said on Friday.

The conversations with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will come days after Chinese officials were roiled by an explicit pledge by U.S. President Joe Biden to defend the Chinese-claimed island.

"We are very much aligned with our partners and this will be an opportunity for the vice president to discuss the recent developments and the way forward with the leaders of both Japan and the Republic of Korea," the official said. "You can assume that Taiwan will come up."

Harris' trip will include stops in Tokyo and Seoul, the official said, where leaders have warily watched increased tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Washington has also started considering options for a sanctions package against China and other options to deter it from invading Taiwan, sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters earlier this month.

China sees democratically governed Taiwan as one of its provinces. Beijing has long vowed to bring Taiwan under its control and has not ruled out the use of force to do so.

Taiwan's government strongly objects to China's sovereignty claims and says only the island's 23 million people can decide its future.

Biden's comments were the most explicit to date about committing U.S. troops to the defend the island, although the White House insisted its Taiwan policy had not changed. Those statements followed an Aug. 2 visit to Taiwan by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi that also angered China.nL1N2ZH00B]

In a phone call with Biden in July, China's leader, Xi Jinping, warned about Taiwan, saying, "Those who play with fire will perish by it."

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Leslie Adler)
LONDON  Protests led by women have erupted across Iran following the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody.

Mahsa Amini, from Kurdistan, was visiting Tehran on Sept. 13 when she was detained by Iran's so-called morality police, reportedly for violating the dress code. According to Sky News, Amini was told by the authorities that she was wearing her headscarf too loosely. She died on Sept. 16 after three days in a coma.

Activists and Aminis family claim she died from injuries sustained from a beating by police. Authorities in Iran, however, deny any mistreatment and claim that Amini suffered sudden heart failure.

Protesters in Cologne, Germany, hold images of Mahsa Amini on Wednesday after her death in police custody in Iran. (Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The news of Aminis death sparked anger nationwide, and thousands of Iranians took to the streets. As of Thursday, protests had spread to at least 80 towns and cities across the country. State television has put the death toll in the clashes at 17, but a human rights group says at least 31 have been killed.

On Tuesday, footage circulated on social media of women burning their hijabs in demonstrations and of a woman cutting off her hair in an act of public defiance. A wave of videos has been posted online of women cutting their hair in solidarity.

In response, the Iranian government shut off internet access to several cellular networks and blocked access to a number of Western apps, including Instagram and WhatsApp.

On Friday, the U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on leaders of military and police forces in Iran. Mahsa Amini was a courageous woman whose death in Morality Police custody was yet another act of brutality by the Iranian regimes security forces against its own people, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrote in the statement.

The Treasury statement added: "These officials oversee organizations that routinely employ violence to suppress peaceful protesters and members of Iranian civil society, political dissidents, women's rights activists, and members of the Iranian Baha'i community.

Story continues

A picture obtained by AFP outside Iran on Sept. 21 shows demonstrators burning a garbage can in Tehran at a protest for Amini. (AFP via Getty Images)

The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Nada Al-Nashif, called for Aminis death to be investigated, in response to reports that the morality police beat her with a baton. Miss Aminis tragic death and allegations of torture and ill-treatment must be promptly, impartially and effectively investigated by an independent competent authority, that ensures, in particular, that her family has access to justice and the truth, the statement read.

Aminis father, Amjad, told BBC Persian that he was not allowed to see his daughters body, which had been wrapped for burial, leaving only her feet and face visible. "There were bruises on her feet," he said. He added that the authorities were lying in claiming that she had suffered from poor health. "She has not been to any hospital at all in the past 22 years, other than for a few cold-related sicknesses, he said.

But what are the laws surrounding hijabs? At the end of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Irans authorities imposed a dress code that required all women to wear what they deemed as proper clothing. This included a headscarf and loose-fitting garments.

Before this, women were free to decide whether to wear a hijab, with some bowing to family pressure or following tradition. In charge of enforcing these dress codes were the Gasht-e Ershad (Guidance Patrols), also known as "morality police."

Protected by young men, a group of young women protest having to wear the veil at a march in Tehran on March 10, 1979, during the Islamic Revolution. (Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

Women who do not wear the hijab can be fined or imprisoned, Tara Sepehri Far, the Iran and Kuwait researcher of Human Rights Watch, told Yahoo News.

And for 40 years, women have been resisting it through individual collective acts of resistance. I think over the past 10 years or so, this has become part of the mainstream political discourse. For the past five years, we have seen more acts of defiance by people who actually take it as activism.
President Joe Biden speaks during a Democratic National Committee event at the National Education Association Headquarters, Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (AP)

President Joe Biden on Friday said he would sign legislation restoring womens reproductive rights to the state they were in before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade if voters elect two more Democrats to the United States Senate in November.

If you give me two more senators in the United States Senate, I promise you, I promise you, were going to codify Roe and once again make Roe the law of the land, said Mr Biden, who was addressing attendees at a Democratic National Committee event at the headquarters of the nations largest teachers union, the National Education Association.

Because of Senate rules which in practice require a 60-vote supermajority to move most legislation, Democratic-sponsored bills to protect a womans right to seek an abortion have languished in the upper chamber. But with a 52-vote majority, Democrats could amend Senate rules to allow such legislation to receive an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.

With 46 days until voters determine whether Democrats will maintain control of the House and Senate, Democrats are leaning into reproductive rights as signature issue of their closing campaign.

The focus on abortion  and the promise to codify the trimester framework laid out in the landmark Roe v Wade case which the Supreme Court struck down this past summer, has given Democrats a boost in polling that has led some to believe they could defy history by keeping one or both chambers on Capitol Hill.

Mr Biden urged the crowd of supporters at NEA headquarters to consider whats on the ballot in November, rattling off a list of three issues: abortion, gun control and Social Security.

The power to get things done is in the hands of the American people, especially the women out there, he said. I dont think the MAGA Republicans have a clue about the power of American women. Let me tell you something: Theyre about to find out.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe and gave states the ability to force women to carry unwanted pregnancies to term, 13 states have already implemented full-on bans on abortion procedures. Nearly half of all states have at least some limits, an outright ban, or have attempted to enact one.

Some Republicans, including South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, have pushed for a national abortion ban, though Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested the abortion question should remain one of state law.
Sep. 24VERNON  Soon, local businesses will be able to earn tax credits if they donate to Vernon-based nonprofit Opportunity Works Connecticut.

TAX CREDITS

WHAT: Local businesses will soon have the chance to earn tax credits in exchange for donating funds to Vernon-based nonprofit Opportunity Works Connecticut, thanks to a state program.

WHY: The nonprofit is looking to raise $63,000 for a new heating and ventilation system for its building.

That's because the nonprofit, which provides work to people with intellectual and physical disabilities, was recently approved for a state program that allows the group to receive donations from businesses in exchange for tax credits.

Under the state initiative, called the Neighborhood Assistance Act Grant Program, any business that contributes a minimum of $250 to the nonprofit is eligible for a tax credit of up to 100 percent of the donation amount, town officials said.

The nonprofit is seeking donations in order to replace its heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, and is looking to raise $63,000 for the replacement, officials said.

Opportunity Works Executive Director Rene Lambert said the HVAC replacement is needed because the nonprofit is looking to expand its office space.

"The existing HVAC systems are 45 to 50 years old and some do not work. This project will ensure our clients and staff can work in an environment that is comfortable," Lambert said.

In order for businesses to contribute donations, they must fill out an online form through the Neighborhood Assistance Act's website. All forms must be filled out by Oct. 3, town officials said.

The nonprofit, based in Rockville on West Main Street, provides vocational training in addition to community outings and other activities to those with physical and intellectual disabilities.

The nonprofit also operates a store where people can purchase jewelry and other items produced in the group's wood shop.

Story continues

Lambert says that the nonprofit "endeavors to foster a sense of respect and dignity, which enables individuals to have greater participation in the services the organization offers."

"Opportunity Works provides meaningful opportunities to our friends, neighbors, and relatives who benefit from its services," said Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne, who added that the state program "is a great opportunity for businesses to help local nonprofits make a difference and receive a generous tax benefit for their charitable giving."

The nonprofit's application for the Neighborhood Assistance Act was organized by Vernon's Social Services Department, and was approved by the Town Council. The department locally coordinates the applications for area nonprofits, town officials said.

"The program is good for everybody involved," said Social Services Department Director Matt Hellman.

Ben covers Vernon and Stafford for the Journal Inquirer.
Photo credit: Netflix

While Netflixs new limited series, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, details the terrifying crimes of notorious American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, it also sheds light on his long-forgotten victims, telling their life stories from their own perspectives.

One of Dahmer's victims who has finally been given a chance to "tell" his story is Tony Hughes, a Black man who was deaf and who could not speak.

The series' sixth episode focuses on Hughes and explores the victim's interactions with Jeffrey Dahmer before his eventual murder.

The heart-wrenching scenes show viewers Hughes' life story, from his birth, to his quest to find love and his short relationship with Dahmer. The episode makes viewers believe there could possibly be a different ending to this story. For once, Dahmer tells his dad he's actually happy, and that he has a "new friend" in his life.

But Hughes' story ends the same way as all the others, with a horrific murder at the hands of Dahmer.

Here's what you need to know about who Tony Hughes was and how he died.

Tony was deaf and could not speak.

Anthony "Tony" Hughes was born on August 26, 1959, according to FBI records. He permanently lost his hearing as a baby because of some side effects of medicines that were given to him as a child, according to The Sun. He was also apparently mute.

Hughes graduated from the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, according to Gallaudet University.

He was a model.

Hughes moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to go to college while pursuing a modeling career, The Sun reported.

How did Tony meet Jeffrey Dahmer?

The two reportedly met at a gay bar, where Hughes interacted with people by writing on a notepad. He had communicated with his eventual killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, in the same fashion.

Hughes was visiting family in Madison and "went dancing at a Milwaukee gay bar on May 24, 1991. Jeffrey Dahmer picked him up, took him home, drugged him, dismembered his body and kept his skull," according to contemporary news reports from The Associated Press.

Story continues

Was Tony Hughes friends with Jeffrey Dahmer?

The series details how the two became attracted to each other, and shows Dahmer even attending some of Hughes photoshootsbut its not clear how much of the episode is based on truth, and which parts have been fictionalized.

However, Hughes may have been working for Dahmer, because his mother told The Associated Press that her son had "taken a new job two weeks earlier but never got his first paycheck," and that "she was unable to contact the friend because she only knew a first nameJeffrey."

Who played Tony Hughes in the Netflix documentary?

Tony is played by actor Rodney Burford in the series, which aired Sept. 21, 2022.

Where is Tony Hughes now?

Jeffrey Dahmer killed Tony Hughes in 1991. But details of Tony's murder are scarce, even in the series.

But according to FBI records, 31-year-old Hughes disappeared on May 31, 1991, but hadn't been seen since May 24, when friends saw him at the "219-Club." Two months later, in July of 1991, his remains, including his skull and vertebrae were discovered in Dahmers apartment, along with the remains of many other victims.

Tony was initially identified through his dental records, and his mother was notified of his death in early July.

Where is Tony's family now?

When Hughes remains were identified, his mother, Shirley Hughes thought she would lose her mind, she told The Associated Press in 1992. In another interview, she stated, "I just prayed and asked the Lord to show me where my son was. I just wanted to know if he was dead or alive. The way he died, it hurts. Words cant describe it.

Shirley Hughes described her son as "outgoing, jolly, happy," and said that "he could easily make friends, per The Associated Press.

A grief counselor who worked with victims families after the tragic events said Shirley worked hard to pick up her family and to find religion after the tragic events, according to The Tab.

Aside from a few public interviews about her son, Shirley and the rest of the Hughes family have kept their private lives out of the spotlight, the outlet said.

Tony was Dahmers 12th victim.

Dahmer later confessed to murdering Hughes and was sentenced to 15 consecutive life sentences in 1992 for Tony's murder and the murders of 14 others, according to History. All in, Jeffrey killed 17 teens and men between 1978 and 1991. Most of Dahmers victims were people of color.

Dahmer was killed by another inmate two years after his sentencing.

You Might Also Like
The driver of a pickup truck that crashed on I-95 near Wilmington Thursday morning was killed when his truck crashed into construction equipment and caught on fire, Delaware State Police confirmed on Wednesday.

Police identified the motorist as 50-year-old Michael Faust of Collingdale, Pennsylvania, who was driving a white 2020 Ram 3500 pickup. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash occurred about 6:15 a.m. as the pickup was southbound on I-95, south of Concord Pike (Route 202), said Senior Cpl. Leonard DeMalto, a police spokesperson.

For unknown reason, DeMalto said the truck entered into the closed left lane of the ongoing construction zone and collided with several construction barrels. The truck continued southbound, striking a road sign before entering the construction work area where the vehicle collided with a slipform paver, which according to Constrofacilitator.com, are usually used to spread out, form and apply a finish to concrete.

After colliding with the paver, DeMalto said the truck caught on fire.

No construction workers were in the area at the time of the crash, according to the Delaware Department of Transportation. But the paver received significant damage and had to be removed.

While the paver will need to be replaced, DelDOT officials said they don't expect this to impact to the ongoing road work.

Southbound I-95, at Concord Pike, and southbound Concord Pike were closed for about 10 hours while the crash was investigated and the roadway was cleared, police said.

Background:I-95 south lanes reopened after Tuesday morning crash closed interstate near Wilmington

I-95 construction work:Good news: I-95 'Restore the Corridor' restoration project on schedule to end next year

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Police: Motorist died in fiery crash that closed I-95 near Wilmington
WASHINGTON In recent weeks, former President Donald Trump has openly embraced the QAnon conspiracy theory in his social media postings and at political rallies, even as the number of real-world violent episodes  including killings  associated with the group continue to grow.

Trump's rally a week ago in Youngstown, Ohio raised concern when he spoke over a signature song tied to the group while his supporters raised their arms and their pointer fingers skyward in support. The same sequence happened again last night at a Trump rally in North Carolina, but private security guards asked at least some supporters to put their arms down, according to video of the event and reporters who were present.

"Confirmed w people at Trump rally who held 1 finger up that they meant it as a symbol of QAnons Where We Go One We Go All and further Security staff here fanned out and told people to take down their fingers," PBS NewsHour correspondent Lisa Desjardins tweeted.

In return, followers of QAnon, which the FBI has called a domestic extremism threat, have celebrated Trumps public support. Trump's actions confirm their belief he is leading a clandestine mission to destroy the so-called Deep State, reclaim the presidency and bring the Democrats, the media and other anti-Christian enemies to justice, religious extremism experts and some QAnon followers say.

What has Trump said and done as of late to signal his support for QAnon after years of maintaining a friendly but arms-length relationship with the group? And what are the potential repercussions? USA TODAY conducted research on the organization and interviewed experts about it to decipher what is going on, why it matters  and what might happen next.

More: Do Trump's attacks on DOJ cross a line? Comments raise concern about illegal incitement.

What did Trump do to openly embrace QAnon?

On Sept. 3, Trump raised eyebrows by referencing QAnon themes in his speech during a campaign rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, for Republican candidates he is supporting. A song almost identical to QAnons theme song, Wwg1Wga," was also played to close out the rally.

Story continues

The same song also appeared in a recent Trump campaign-style video. And while a Trump spokesman said its actually a different song, it sounds virtually identical to QAnon's, which is an acronym and abbreviation for the group's rallying cry, Where we go one, we go all.

And then last Saturday night, Trump again used the same song during the Youngstown rally for GOP Senate candidate J.D. Vance. It came at the end of one of Trumps speeches about the decline of America and the dangers posed by the administration of President Joe Biden, who Trump again claimed falsely he beat in the 2020 election.

As the ominous music played during Trumps closing remarks, some supporters in the crowd raised their arms and held aloft their index finger. Some QAnon experts claim that was not only the group members way of saluting Trump, but of telling him that they had heard some sort of secret call to action that he was giving to them.

Trump Sending a Clear Message Patriots, one QAnon-linked account posted in response on Truth Social.

Trump also reposted an image of himself on his Truth Social platform on Sept. 13 wearing a Q lapel pin with the words The Storm is Coming. Thats a common reference in QAnon parlance to Trumps final victory when he regains power and vanquishes his opponents.

More: Trump mocks J.D. Vance, saying the Ohio GOP candidate is trying to get on his good side

Donald Trump supporters held their index fingers in the air during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Sept. 17, where Trump spoke in support of Republican candidates running for state and federal offices.

Trump's veiled QAnon support goes back years

Trump has referenced QAnon before, but much more indirectly, according to Media Matters, which has monitored the social media presence and public statements of both Trump and QAnon influencers and adherents.

Trump last engaged with QAnon in the spring of 2020 by retweeting QAnon-related social media posts, Carusone said, but there was an arm's length. It was much more wink and nod, and maybe even just a wink.

After that, Trump began retweeting some QAnon influencers on a variety of topics, which prompted some followers to tweet about how Trump was listening to them. But it was much more spaced out. And it was before QAnon had fully metastasized, so the community was smaller, Carusone said. And they were having to jump through a couple of hoops in order to connect the dots regarding what they believed was Trumps support.

That summer, as QAnon began growing in prominence, then-president Trump said he wasnt really aware of the movement, but that its supporters were patriots who should be credited for backing his administration.

Ive heard these are people that love our country, he said at a White House press briefing in August 2020. I dont really know anything about it, except that they do supposedly like me.

When a reporter mentioned how QAnon believed Satan-worshiping pedophile Democrats controlled the Deep State, and how only Trump could vanquish them, he responded, I havent heard that, but is that supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing? If I can help save the world from problems, Im willing to do it.

By earlier this month, more than a third of the accounts Trump has amplified on his Truth Social platform in recent weeks have promoted QAnon by sharing the movement's slogans, videos or imagery, according to an Associated Press analysis of Trump's social media activity.

Will Trumps embrace of QAnon have repercussions?

Many QAnon and Trump watchers say yes.

Angelo Carusone, president and CEO of Media Matters for America, said Trumps newfound embrace of the group could easily spark more violence, even as QAnon followers already have been accused of going after people and government institutions they believe are blocking Trumps return to power. He cited the case of a Michigan man allegedly obsessed with QAnon who shot and killed his wife and seriously injured his daughter on Sept. 11.

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland examined 100 QAnon sympathizers who committed crimes in the United States through August 2021. It found "that while QAnon presents a danger, it is not a traditional terrorist threat" that can easily be monitored or thwarted.

Some examples:

In 2018, according to FBI documents, a Nevada man used an armored truck to block traffic at the Hoover Dam and was later arrested with body armor, rifles, ammunition and a flash-bang device inside his vehicle. The FBI said the man talked to authorities about various QAnon conspiracy theories, and that he sent letters from jail with QAnon slogans "to President Trump and other officials claiming he wanted to expose government corruption and lies," according to an FBI intelligence assessment circulated in 2019.

In early 2019, a man influenced by QAnon, Anthony Comello, allegedly shot to death a reputed top-level mobster outside his home on Staten Island. At a court hearing, Comello opened his hand to display a large "Q" symbol surrounded by pro-Trump slogans like MAGA forever. His lawyer told The Washington Post that QAnon and "other extreme right-wing conspiracy websites, as well as statements made by the president" would be central to his client's defense.

Last year a California man took his two young children to Mexico and killed them with a spearfishing gun, claiming he had been enlightened by QAnon and other conspiracy theories that foretold how they would turn into monsters.

And earlier this month, a QAnon-linked Pennsylvania man wearing a rainbow clown wig allegedly stormed into a Dairy Queen with a loaded gun and told authorities he was trying to "kill Democrats and liberals" and restore Trump to the presidency.

It's one thing when a QAnon personality who has a show or is an influencer is encouraging vigilantism or extra-legal measures. It's another thing though, when Trump himself starts to validate it  and that's what is distinct about this moment, said Carusone, a longtime Trump and QAnon watcher and authority on right-wing and religious extremism.

Mike Rothschild, author of the 2021 book, The Storm is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything, agreed Trumps messaging to the group is potentially perilous given the polarization that already exists in America over Trump and his continuing false claims of a stolen election.

This is still the leader of the Republican Party. This is the presumptive nominee for 2024. And he is deepening his embrace of a conspiracy theory cult that has been responsible for a number of crimes, said Rothschild. So it's definitely concerning.

Rothschild said it doesnt matter to what degree Trump is intentionally reaching out to QAnon supporters. What is concerning, he said, is the amping up of his rhetoric and the intensity of his support. These are people who are ramping up for real violence or some sort of real organized opposition, and they will take [Trumps support] and run with it and interpret it for whatever they want it to mean.

Former President Donald Trump enters the stage at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Sept. 17.

What is QAnon?

According to Carusone and other QAnon experts, the group began in 2017 as one of many online pro-Trump conspiracy theory organizations. The short version is that one person named Q, or possibly several people, held super-high clearances within the federal government, and were working in secret with Trump to expose and neutralize evildoers within the government and the broader U.S. political apparatus. They believed that these enemies, including Hillary Clinton and numerous Hollywood celebrities, are Satanic cannabilistic pedophiles who have trafficked children amongst each other and even drank their blood.

The theory has been widely debunked by a range of experts and there is no credible evidence to back it up. Nevertheless, Q became this mysterious online entity who began dropping mysterious clues and messages, known as Q Drops, to an increasingly large group of followers and supporters so they could decipher them. It was portrayed as the ultimate battle between good and evil, Carusone told USA TODAY.

And because QAnon followers believed they were part of the solution, however outlandish, they became very invested  and even obsessed with it, he said.

Many QAnon adherents believed the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was the storm they had been waiting for and working toward. But when Trump didnt regain the presidency, some followers became disillusioned, and even more anti-government. More recent events, including the FBIs Aug. 8 search of Trumps Florida estate Mar-a-Lago, have made QAnon supporters even more convinced of the narrative that the ultimate battle between good and evil is at hand.

How big is QAnon?

Estimates vary widely. At the outset, it gained popularity rapidly, especially as its Christian nationalistic and anti-government message overlapped with many other groups, especially those supporting Trump's "big lie" about the stolen election.

QAnon became an international phenomenon thanks to a large and expanding presence on social media like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. After the Capitol attack, most social media platforms got far more aggressive in shutting down accounts linked to QAnon. But that only drove its followers underground, making it virtually impossible to determine the breadth and depth of its support, according to Carusone and Rothschild.

But Robert Pape, a University of Chicago professor and expert on political violence, believes QAnon has a wide following among Americans, especially those with an anti-government bent who might be inclined to act on it if they believe Trump is asking them to.

After Trump's most recent rally, Pape warned he is intentionally reaching out to QAnon supporters in a way that is "threatening" and "extremely disturbing."

"The former president is willing to court not just supporters of his but those who support violence for his goals  number one of which is being restored to the White House," Pape said during an appearance on CBS News' Face the Nation.

Pape's research found 13 million Americans "support the use of force to restore Donald Trump to the presidency." And QAnon followers, he warned on CBS, could become a particularly active element of that opposition group.

Donald Trump supporters hold up the index fingers while the former president spoke at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Sept. 17.

Is QAnon dangerous?

The FBI believes it is, and has been warning about it since at least May 2019.

That month, the bureau's Arizona field office circulated a detailed intelligence bulletin assessing what it said was the growing threat posed by people who believed in fringe conspiracies including Qanon and "Pizzagate" a similar theory about secret government conspirators and child sex traffickers.

The FBI said such fringe political conspiracy theories very likely motivate some domestic extremists to commit criminal, sometimes violent activity. Trump himself was mentioned in the intelligence bulletin, as being at the center of the QAnon theory and for being the impetus for at least one incident committed by one of the group's followers.

Following Jan. 6, 2021, the FBI said, it arrested more than 20 self-identified QAnon adherents who participated in the attempted siege of the Capitol.

That June, it circulated an unclassified intelligence assessment to law enforcement agencies concluding that, "The participation of some domestic violent extremists (DVE) who are also self-identified QAnon adherents in the violent siege of the US Capitol on 6 January underscores how the current environment likely will continue to act as a catalyst for some to begin accepting the legitimacy of violent action."

More: A White House summit on hate-fueled violence and another QAnon murder

The FBI bulletin said Ashli Babbitt, the 35-year-old Air Force veteran and fervent Trump supporter shot and killed during the Jan. 6 insurrection, had been sharing QAnon-related content on social media as early as 2019.

On Jan. 6, 2021, the FBI said, it arrested a self-identified QAnon adherent from North Carolina in Washington on charges of interstate communication of threats after allegedly bringing firearms and ammunition to the capital and making threats against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The next day, the FBI said, it arrested an Oregon-based self-identified QAnon adherent on charges of destroying government property after allegedly firing several rounds at an Oregon federal courthouse.

The FBI bulletin also noted that "QAnon narratives are constantly expanding" to include false information about current events, including alleged election fraud, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the dangers of 5G technology that are "then woven into the QAnon master narrative."

And it warned that some QAnon followers will become increasingly agitated as Trump fails to re-assume the presidency.

"We assess that some (domestic violent extremist) adherents of QAnon likely will begin to believe they can no longer 'trust the plan' referenced in QAnon posts and that they have an obligation to change from serving as 'digital soldiers' towards engaging in real world violence  including harming perceived members of the 'cabal' such as Democrats and other political opposition instead of continually awaiting promised actions which have not occurred," the FBI warned.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump embrace of QAnon draws concern amid violence connected to group
NEW YORK  By the time Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took the stage at the United Nations General Assembly this week, he and his country had already lost much of the audience.

Throughout the annual gathering, world leader after world leader had expressed deep discomfort if not outright condemnation over Russias war in Ukraine. Even some countries that have stayed friendly with the Kremlin called for a cease-fire or other ways to end the crisis. Few offered words of comfort to Russia. And Russian President Vladimir Putin, who did not attend UNGA, did himself no favors when he announced mid-week that he was escalating the battle and might even use nuclear weapons.

The growing global unhappiness with Russia was hard to miss. A senior U.S. diplomat told POLITICO that some foreign officials turned down Russian invitations to meet on the UNGA sidelines this past week given the optics. Their dance card wasnt very full, the diplomat said.

But for now, its more a shift in tone than anything tangible that could add pressure to the Kremlin economically or militarily  many countries still rely on Russia for oil and gas supplies. Lavrov, for one, seemed to realize this, and so the veteran diplomat did not hold back in his speech Saturday.



He insisted that Moscows war was just and that Russia was defending itself and Ukraine-based Russian speakers against a neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv  a claim not based in reality. He blamed U.S. and European sanctions for rising food insecurity  an allegation the West denies  not, for instance, Russias efforts to block Ukrainian grain shipments. He also cast the expansion of NATO as a threat the Kremlin could not ignore.

I'm convinced that any sovereign, self-respecting state would do the same in our stead, a state which understands his responsibility to his own people, said Lavrov, a man often described by foreign affairs observers as wily. In particular, he slammed the United States, Ukraines most critical backer, for its role as a hegemon that undermines the global rules it claims to uphold. Name a country where Washington interfered by force and where, as a result of that, life improved, Lavrov said.

Story continues

Lavrovs defiance, nonetheless, doesnt change the uncomfortable reality for Russia that is growing increasingly apparent: Some of its staunchest allies are questioning the wisdom of its war in Ukraine, which has handed Russia a series of major territorial losses in recent days.

The shift in tone became obvious in the days before the U.N. gathering of world leaders in New York.

During a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan earlier this month, Putin met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Russian leader acknowledged that fellow autocrat Xi  whose nation is arguably Russias most important friend  had raised questions and concerns about the Ukraine war. The Indian leader, meanwhile, reportedly told Putin that todays era is not an era of war, which some took to be a careful rebuke.

Then came UNGA, which offered even more countries a platform to express their frustration. The timing was fortuitous, a senior U.S. diplomat said of the annual meeting, which usually is held in September.

Some countries didnt want to avoid the topic of Ukraine, especially those with populations hit by food and energy shortages and price hikes resulting from the war, not to mention from climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic. Latin American and African countries, in particular, have suffered but, for historical and economic reasons, many of those same countries are keen to avoid openly taking sides between Russia and the West when it comes to Ukraine.

So they often emphasized the negative global fallout of the fighting instead.

The continuation of the hostilities endangers the lives of innocent civilians and jeopardizes the food and energy security of millions of families in other regions, especially in developing countries, warned Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Alberto Franca.

Putins physical absence from UNGA was not a surprise, but he alarmed those gathered by announcing Wednesday that he was mobilizing hundreds of thousands more troops, supporting referendums to annex some Ukrainian territories, and might even use nuclear weapons in his effort to defeat Kyiv. The latter in particular angered many foreign leaders and drew especially strong pushback from U.S.-allied countries that have supported Ukraine from the start.

Putin is engaging in saber-rattling threats, said Liz Truss, the new British prime minister. This will not work.

For now, there were no major tangible breaks with Moscow from countries such as India and China that continue to fill the Kremlins coffers by purchasing Russian energy supplies. Whether Russia keeps getting that level of income could depend on whether European states that also still rely on Russia for energy can agree to price caps currently under discussion. Even if they do, that doesnt mean major purchasers like in New Delhi or Beijing will go along.

That said, in the world of diplomacy, shifts in tone and talk are often critical steps toward more serious moves, including reducing economic ties, officials and analysts said.

I think there has been tremendous progress, said Jonathan Katz, a senior fellow with The German Marshall Fund of the United States. It is incredibly hard to get countries even diplomatically to shift course, especially when they have direct interest, current or longstanding relations.

Charles Kupchan, a former White House National Security Council official, pointed out that not only is Putin facing more global discontent, hes facing growing anger at home over what he still calls a special military operation.

More Russians are taking to the streets to protest the war  and leaving the country to avoid military service, Kupchan said.

The United States, its European partners, as well as Ukraine itself, seized virtually every opportunity they could during UNGA to make the case that Ukraine was the right side in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a fight between good and evil, light and dark.

Ukraine was the primary focus of President Joe Bidens UNGA speech, which he delivered hours after Putin unveiled his escalation plans. Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised Ukraine at every turn during an endless series of meetings with global counterparts, including Chinas foreign minister. Blinkens schedule remained punishing even after it was adjusted so Blinken could deal with the death of his 96-year-old father on Thursday. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, also was omnipresent throughout UNGA.



Lavrov had meetings, too, but  at least from what was publicly available  it was a relatively lean schedule. Those countries whose delegates at UNGA met with Lavrov were typically ones with poor U.S. relations, such as Cuba.

Lavrov also seemed intent on avoiding direct encounters with U.S. and Ukrainian counterparts. During a major U.N. Security Council meeting about Ukraine on Thursday, Lavrov came in only to deliver his remarks  which were defiant  and left quickly afterward. U.S. officials said it was just more evidence of growing Russian isolation.

Another event that U.S. officials saw as a good omen was the overwhelming vote by U.N. member states in favor of letting Zelenskyy address UNGA via a video recording. The rules usually require that a world leader appear in person to speak. If they dont appear, their foreign ministers may speak, though after heads of state.

Dan Baer, a former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said the Biden team was smart to spend much of its time at UNGA focusing on transnational issues. For instance, the United States hosted a conference on global food security on the sidelines of UNGA and announced billions of dollars in new U.S. funding to help resolve the crisis.

This was not a youre either with us or against us approach, said Baer, now with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It was a were concerned about the repercussions on the global system  tell us what youre seeing approach.

Of course, one of the lingering frustrations about this past week was with the United Nations itself.

The world body, especially the U.N. Security Council, is not living up to its promise of serving as a forum to resolve global disputes. Russias role as a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council has made that body increasingly irrelevant, a fact hard to escape when Putin rattles the proceedings by announcing hes escalating the war in Ukraine.

When a permanent member of the Security Council takes the opportunity to double-down on violating the U.N. Charter during the General Assembly with what feels like impunity, I would not say this strengthens the U.N.s effectiveness, said Heather Conley, president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. It reinforces its weakness as an enforcement body.
Rankin County Detention Center/Facebook

Friends say Carson Sistrunk was one of the nicest people youd ever meet. The 24-year-old Mississippi man was a hard worker, humble, loved hunting and fishing, and had a laugh that could have an entire room in stitches. To loved ones, Carson was a gentle giant whod give anyone the shirt off his back.

Carson vanished on Sept. 4 after meeting a 20-year-old woman from Nashville whod recently arrived in Mississippi. Her name was Sierra Inscoe, and theyd been chatting through social media.

Inscoe was pulled over in Carsons silver Ford pickup two days later near New Hebron. Lawrence County Sheriff Ryan Everett told The Daily Beast that his agency was called to assist and observed a pretty good amount of blood in the truck bed.

On Sept. 7, Carsons body was discovered with a gunshot wound at an oil well site about an hour south of his home in Pearl.

Inscoe was arrested for Carsons murder four days later. Shes being held without bond, and a preliminary hearing in her case is scheduled for Nov. 3. Her public defender, Benton Evans, told The Daily Beast, This case remains in its very early stages. At this time, we have no comment. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI), the lead law enforcement agency on the case, said the probe into Carsons death is ongoing but declined to comment.

Americas Most Beautiful Small Town Is Murder, U.S.A.

Ill never understand how evil people and this world can be, one relative of Carsons wrote on Facebook. Carson, you, didnt deserve that. No one does. At his homegoing service in Jackson, Carsons best friend said Carson wasnt the loudest in the bunch but he had that way about him that drew people in. It was that sweet, tender spirit. He was the best of us.

In a since-deleted Facebook post, Carsons cousin claimed Inscoe and at least one other person forced Carson to withdraw funds from an ATM and sign over his truck title before killing him. (Authorities havent charged anyone else in connection to the crime. Local TV station WDAM reported that police are planning to speak with other possible people of interest in the case to see if more arrests are possible.)

Story continues

Now former friends of Inscoe tell The Daily Beast that this isnt the first time shes been accused of swindling love interests and acquaintancesor even stealing a mans truck. Three months before Inscoe allegedly encountered Carson, another Mississippi man filed a report with the Lawrence County Sheriffs Office and claimed she absconded with his vehicle.

And, in 2020, when Inscoe was living in northern Florida, acquaintances say she faked a cancer diagnosis and pretended to be a nurse at a Gainesville hospital.

Mississippi dad Aaron Smith told The Daily Beast that he met Inscoe on Facebook earlier this year and they quickly became friends. She claimed her landlord wasnt giving her time to find a new place, and Smith offered her an extra room in his house for a few days in June. She cooked and cleaned, was as nice as could be, Smith recalled, adding that Inscoe claimed to be a licensed practical nurse and seeking a job in the area.

Inscoe told him she worked on a farm and from his perspective, she seemed to have her life together. If she was an actor, shed be one of the best, Smith said.

One night, Smith says, Inscoe ran out of her room crying hysterically and said her mother had been in a car wreck. She told him she needed to get to her brothers house, and that theyd then drive to the hospital together to see their mom. I was like, You know what? Take my truck, Smith said. Inscoe had already been using his 2002 Chevy Silverado to go shopping for food and other household items; he had no reason to distrust her.

I got three children Im raising on my own, Smith continued. That was the only ride that I had. I told her, If its going to be longer than a day or two, let me know so I can make arrangements to pick it up. But when Smith messaged Inscoe on Facebook a couple days later to check in, he discovered she had blocked him.

He and his sister, Kenzie, did some online sleuthing and contacted some of Inscoes relatives, who said they couldnt reach her either. One family friend of Inscoe allegedly told them that Inscoes brother had filed a missing persons report. The Smiths grew concerned that Inscoe had an accident in the truck or was in danger. I hope this girl really isnt missing and we dont find her in a ditch somewhere, Kenzie said in a TikTok video documenting the car drama. Thats terrible. I do have a heart.

Kenzie began monitoring Inscoes private social media accounts and noticed she was accepting followers on TikTok and receiving money from people on Venmo, all while supposedly missing. Sierra, if you see this, we want the truck, Kenzie fumed in one post.

Smith and his father, the trucks owner, filed a police report about the stolen vehicle. On June 30, Smith says, a sheriffs deputy texted his dad and asked him to resend a photo of the vehicle. Moments later, the cop pulled the vehicle over.

In the drivers seat was a man whod apparently bought the pickup from Inscoe, who then presented him with a bill of sale. According to Smith, the man had even paid for improvements to the truck, including installing a new water pump. But Inscoe was still nowhere to be found.

Smith says he was shocked when he heard about Carsons terrifying case. This poor guy lost his life, Smith said. It really hit me. It could have been me. But I wasnt thinking of myself. This poor guy just wanted to go out with a girl.

Before she was accused of stealing cars in the Magnolia State, Inscoe was living in northern Florida and telling friends she was a trauma nurse at a Gainesville hospital.

She really seemed completely normal, said Shelby Taylor, who met Inscoe at a country and western bar called Eight Seconds sometime in 2019. Taylor was newly single and ventured out to the venue to line-dance and meet new people. She remembers Inscoe as magnetic, a friend whod pull her onto the dance floor or into other fun situations.

I really thought we could be close, we have a lot of things in common, we like to hang out at the same places, Taylor told The Daily Beast. She was always really funny. She called herself Cornbread. (Indeed, Kenzie Smiths TikToks detailed Inscoes various social media usernames with the words cornbreadfed. The bio section of one of Inscoes Facebook profiles says CORNBREAD FED and I go FISHING on the first date.)

But Taylor and Maya Collins, a licensed private investigator who comes from a family of P.I.s, became suspicious as Inscoe captivated their friend group and began dating their friend Gidden Hague. They noticed Inscoe claimed she was an ER nurse, yet was off work for long stretches spending time with Hague while he worked in Georgia. She also allegedly claimed to have a bachelors degree in nursing from a school without a nursing program. They say she boasted of previously working as a flight nurse, a high-pressure job that can require years of experience, and that she claimed to be 24. When they searched different states to see if Inscoe had a registered nurse license, they couldnt find one.

They say that after a mutual friend confided in Inscoe about her own health issues, Inscoe told everyone she had ovarian cancer.

Sierra said she had never met her dad before, which is a total lie, Taylor recalled. She was going to Tennessee to meet her long-lost father and fell and hurt her ankle and went to the ER. She had a pelvic exam done. She calls my friends Gidden and [the mutual friend] and says, You guys, I have ovarian cancer. Of course all of us are distraught.

Adam Levine Denies Affairbut Admits He Crossed the Line

According to Collins and Taylor, the mutual friend and her mother drove from Florida to Tennessee to pick Inscoe up and bring her home for the supposed cancer treatments. They said that for weeks, Inscoe lived with the friend, who waited on her hand and foot. It wasnt even a free place to live, Taylor said. She was making her food and helping her take a bath.

Collins, who is currently in nursing school, was skeptical when Inscoe said part of her cancer had broken off her ovary and moved to the surrounding area. I corrected her and said, Do you mean metastasized? She was like, Yeah, whatever that is, Collins said. If you have a bachelors degree in nursing shouldnt you know that word? But OK.

The alleged deception came to an end in December 2020, the friends say, after Inscoe claimed to be in pain and an ambulance was called to the mutual friends house to take her to the hospital. When paramedics arrived, Taylor and the mutual friend went to collect Inscoes stuff, decided to rifle through her bagsand found the mutual friends old drivers license. When I brought out [the mutual friends] drivers license, you should have seen the look on her face, Taylor said.

Taylor said she also found discharge papers from the Tennessee hospital which allegedly revealed Inscoe had indeed had a pelvic exam but no cancer. The records confirmed another bombshell, too: She was only 19 years old. (Collins and Taylor say they suspected Inscoe had recently graduated high school based on her previous Facebook pages. Its unclear why jail records list Inscoe as 20, while the discharge document the friends say they viewed would put Inscoe at age 21.)

For his part, Hague says that he was en route from Georgia when he learned that Inscoe was being rushed to the hospital. A friend called Hague and asked him to stop by the mutual friends house before meeting Inscoe. He says that when he arrived, his buddies told him, Sierra isnt the person you think she is. He was in disbelief.

According to Hague, the alleged lies about her age, job, and cancer diagnosis led to another revelation. Then it hit me that she took all the money, Hague said, referring to the hundreds of dollars hed given her to buy Christmas presents for his family. It was two days before the holiday, and Hague had no gifts, no cash, nothing to give his daughter.

Hague said that weeks before, he and Inscoe discussed a big old brilliant plan about what to buy his daughter and his nieces and nephews. Inscoe, whod become a stepmom to his child, offered to take care of the holiday purchases.

Whenever I got paid, I would take a certain amount of money and give it to her every week to go towards the gifts, Hague told The Daily Beast. About a week before Christmas, I told her, Its crunch time. Whats going on with the Christmas presents? She said, Uh, let me check real quick. She called me back and goes, Youre going to be pissed. All the presents are held up in shipping because of COVID.

Here I am, Christmastime with no gifts, then found out she lied about everything after I had given her thousands of dollars, he said.

Hague broke up with Inscoe after learning of her apparent charade. He says he packed her stuff, walked into the hospital lobby, and announced, This is Sierra Inscoes bag. You might want to take it to her. While she later tried contacting him through a friend, he never spoke to her again.

My biggest question is: How did she expect to get away with it that long? Collins asked. She wasnt paying for anything because Gidden was paying for everything. How long would that have lasted before Gidden started asking questions?

Ashley Raymond, who was a stepmother to a teenage Inscoe while dating her father, said those who helped to raise her are in shock from this charge.

But Im not shocked shes gone down a bad path, Raymond told The Daily Beast.

Raymond said Inscoes dad gave up custody of her and she was in foster care in Virginia for several years before moving in with relatives in Florida. She also reunited with her father and lived with him and Raymond in Keystone Heights. The family dynamic, Raymond said, was really weird.

The former stepmom described Inscoe as very sweet and seemingly responsible but said she had a troubled childhood and could be manipulative, claiming to go to church activities when she was actually partying somewhere. When Inscoe was very young, her mother walked out on Inscoe and her siblings, Raymond saidan accusation that Inscoe herself has posted about on Facebook. The mom walked out to go to the store and never came back, Raymond said. They didnt hear from her for nine years.

"As much as I loved that girl like she was my own daughter, my heart goes out to Carsons family and all the people shes stolen from," Raymond added. I hate this for her, but shes right where she belongs and shes getting what she deserves.

Inscoes father did not return messages for comment.

In the last two years, Inscoe billed herself online as a ranch hand and a ranch foreman, and posted images on Facebook of a farming operation with chickens. One picture showed a horse with the words, New rescue. This year, she advertised a profile on OnlyFans.

Challenge after challenge yet I still am walking in the right direction towards success, Inscoe wrote in one August 2021 post. Im headed to better things and definitely am staying patient but determined, Inscoe wrote. Life is getting better over this way.

Its unclear when or why Inscoe allegedly targeted Carson. Video from his funeral service last Saturday at First Pentacostal Church shows a reverend likening Carsons fate to the Bible story of Samson and Delilah, saying that Samson comes with pure motives, he comes with genuineness, but her motives are quite different.

So when she meets and greets Samson at the door, he is there in sincerity, she is there because of greed, the preacher said, adding, In other words, Samson walks into a trap.

Angry observers and acquaintances of Carson wasted no time in inundating Inscoes Facebook pages with comments. She was driving around in my cousins truck with his blood in it. Driving around with his blood in it. I want to repeat that, one person wrote. There is no forgiveness for you. Understand that. May God have mercy on your soul, you will need it.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
After more than two years of strict border restrictions, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong have lifted COVID-19 restrictions on inbound travelers.

On Thursday, Japans government announced that the country would be resuming visa-free access for certain countries and reopening its borders to all individual tourists starting on Oct. 11.

The nation previously required tourists to join package tours when visiting. Tourists were limited to strict rules while they were in the country, which caused a major decrease in Japans tourism.

According to reports, only 8,000 tourists visited the country in July as compared to the 80,000 daily before COVID-19. The pandemic disrupted the free flow of people, goods and capital that had previously helped Japan flourish.

More from NextShark: Citizen Journalist Faces Up to 5 Years in Jail for Reporting on COVID-19 in Wuhan

But from 11 October, Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly said at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday.

On the same day, Taiwan also announced its plan to remove inbound quarantine for international arrivals by Oct. 13. Previously, arrivals were required to quarantine in hotels for three days followed by four days of self-monitoring.

However, Taiwan officials have pointed to low hospitalizations and death rates. The government stated that it would also increase the weekly quota for arrivals from 50,000 to 60,000 by Sep. 23. Tourists who qualified for visa-free access before the pandemic are now allowed to visit the island without a visa.

More from NextShark: Former Big Bang member Seungri will serve entire 18-month jail sentence after appeal rejection

It has finally come to the final moment of the pandemic, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wrote on her Facebook page. Now, we must make every effort to revive tourism, stimulate the economy and lead Taiwans economy to develop by leaps and bounds.

Story continues

Similarly, the Hong Kong government also announced on Friday its conclusion of hotel quarantine for inbound travelers starting Sep. 26. Hong Kong, which had some of the strictest restrictions during the pandemic, previously enforced 21 days of mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals.

Hong Kong will soon only require travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test before boarding a flight to the city. Travelers will also be required to take a PCR test on the second, fourth and sixth days of their arrival. In addition, they are not allowed to engage in public areas, including in-person dining, for three days after arrival.

More from NextShark: Hawaiian Restaurant Owner and Her Husband Die of COVID-19 Just Days Apart

Im conscious of the fact that, while we need to control the spread of Covid, we also need to ensure that there will be maximum activities in society and economic activities for society to carry on, Chief Executive of Hong Kong John Lee reportedly said.

As for mainland China, the government maintains its strict entry rules for travelers. Its zero COVID policy still requires travelers to quarantine at a hotel for 10 days at their own expense.

Last week, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization, said the end of the pandemic is now in sight as the number of weekly reported deaths from COVID-19 has jumped to its lowest since March 2020.

More from NextShark: Avalanche of hacked Xinjiang Police documents, images expose Chinese government abuse of Uyghurs

We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic, Ghebreyesus stated at a press conference. We can end this pandemic together, but only if all countries, manufacturers, communities and individuals step up and seize this opportunity.

Featured Image via John McArthur
Wales meet Poland in a Nations League relegation decider on Sunday.

The Dragons must win to stay in the top tier of European football and send Poland down to League B.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the main talking points surrounding the Cardiff City Stadium clash.

World Cup send-off

Wales fans are set to give their team a World Cup send-off in Cardiff on Sunday (David Davies/PA)

Wales fans hope to see their team go to the World Cup on a high by keeping their place at the top table of European football. Although Wales second appearance at a World Cup  and first for 64 years  is less than two months away, manager Robert Page has stressed the value of playing the continents best teams in the Nations League. Page has been able to expose young players to top-level opposition, and believes his squad will benefit from that at the World Cup in Qatar and beyond.

Bale call

Wales captain Gareth Bale came on as a second-half substitute against Belgium on Thursday (Tim Goode/PA)

Captain Gareth Bale came on as a 64th-minute substitute in Wales 2-1 defeat to Belgium on Thursday. Bale called it a wise decision after he had arrived late into the Wales camp from his American base in Los Angeles and was still suffering the effects of jet lag. The 33-year-old is building up his fitness ahead of the World Cup, with his MLS game time being carefully managed. But it seems likely Wales talisman will play from the start in Cardiff with so much on the line.

Squad stretched

Ethan Ampadu misses the Poland game through suspension (Tim Goode/PA)

Wales were thin on numbers before the Belgium loss with Aaron Ramsey, Ben Davies, Harry Wilson and Joe Allen absent through injury. Chris Mepham and Ethan Ampadu are also unavailable against Poland after picking up their second yellow cards of the competition. Chris Gunter or Ben Cabango seem likely to be drafted into the back-line on Sunday, with Joe Morrell a probable starter in midfield.

Polish threat

Robert Lewandowski has scored 76 goals in 133 games for Poland (Rafal Oleksiewicz/PA)

Poland were unable to build on their opening-day Nations League win against Wales and were hammered 6-1 in Belgium. But they did hold group leaders the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw in Rotterdam, and in Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski have an undoubted world star. Lewandowski has scored over 600 times for club and country, and his 76 goals in 133 Poland appearances puts him third on the mens scoring list in Europe behind Ferenc Puskas and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Story continues

Losing streak

Wales players are dejected after conceding during their 2-1 Nations League defeat to Poland in June (Rafal Oleksiewicz/PA)

Wales suffered a fifth straight defeat to Poland in June as late goals from substitutes Jakub Kaminski and Karol Swiderski gave the hosts a 2-1 Nations League win in Wroclaw. Jonny Williams had earlier put Wales ahead. Wales solitary win in nine games against Poland came in their maiden meeting in March 1973. Leighton James and Trevor Hockey scored as Wales won a World Cup qualifier 2-0. Poland won the Katowice return 3-0, and there were two goalless draws before Wales current losing streak.
The predicted track of Tropical Storm Ian, as of 8 p.m. Saturday.

8:00 p.m. | Very little change in Tropical Storm Ian as it aims for Florida's Big Bend area

The National Hurricane Center's 8 p.m. update shows little change to Tropical Storm Ian. The storm's path continues to aim toward northern Florida's Big Bend area, a significant shift west that leaves Sarasota and Manatee counties in the cone of uncertainty, but outside the projected path.

The NHC notes significant spread among the various storm prediction models, ranging from landfall in the north-central Gulf of Mexico to the west coast of Florida.

Stay up to date on the storm: Download the updated Herald-Tribune app

Hurricane Shelters: Where are Sarasota-Manatee hurricane shelters? When should I go?

"The latest NHC track forecast is once again adjusted westward, and further adjustments may be needed given the increased uncertainty in the day 3-5 period.," said the NHC in the latest advisory.

National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Ian 8 p.m. update:

Location: About 230 miles S of Kingston Jamaica (14.3 N, 77W)

Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph

Movement: W at 14 mph

Minimum central pressure: 1002 mb

Next update at 11 p.m.

The projected path of Tropical Storm Ian as of 5 p.m. Saturday.

5:00 p.m. | Tropical Storm Ian's projected path moves farther from the Sarasota-Manatee area

According to the National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. update, Tropical Storm Ian's track has shifted to the west, moving the center of the cone of uncertainty towards northern Florida and the Big Bend area. It is a dramatic change from Friday, when the Sarasota-Manatee area was seemingly the bullseye of the potential Hurricane Ian.

Sarasota and Manatee counties remain in the possible landing area of the potential Hurricane Ian, however, and meteorologists stress that there is still much uncertainty about the path of the storm.

Subscribe Now: Support the Herald-Tribune with a digital subscription

Tropical Storm Ian: Find all of our latest coverage of the storm

That said, several forecasters  including Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger  have spoken about how conditions seem to be pushing the storm's track further west.

Story continues

National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Ian 5 p.m. update:

Location: About 255 miles S of Kingston Jamaica (14.3 N, 77W)

Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph

Movement: W at 16 mph

Minimum central pressure: 1003 mb

Next update at 8 p.m.

2:30 p.m. | Manatee County declares a state of emergency in advance of possible Hurricane Ian

During an emergency Board of County Commissioners meeting this afternoon, Manatee County declared a local state of emergency in advance of Tropical Storm Ian.

Our crews are getting ready to help support our residents and visitors through this storms impact, said County Administrator Scott Hopes. Now is not the time to panic. But it is time to finalize your storm preparations.

Stay up to date on the storm: Download the updated Herald-Tribune app

Hurricane Shelters: Where are Sarasota-Manatee hurricane shelters? When should I go?

No Manatee County shelters have been opened, but any residents with special needs are encouraged to register with the county, to help meet the special needs of those who need assistance during evacuations and sheltering due to physical and mental disabilities.

Manatee Countys Emergency Operations Center will continue to add staff and resources in preparation for a higher-level activation as the storm progresses.

This graphic shows the westward adjustment in NHC tracks through Saturday.

2:25 p.m. | What are the chances Sarasota-Manatee will be hit by the potential Hurricane Ian?

If you want to see a deep meteorological breakdown of Tropical Storm Ian, check out the latest column by Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger.

He has taken into account the latest information about the storm and has created four possible outcomes for where Ian will land:

Scenario 1: Keys and South Florida (5% chance)

Scenario 2: Southwest Florida (30% chance)

Scenario 3: North of Tampa and faster (35% chance)

Scenario 4: North Florida and slower (30% chance)

Subscribe Now: Support the Herald-Tribune with a digital subscription

Tropical Storm Ian: Find all of our latest coverage of the storm

"Overall, the shift south on Saturday morning tilts the odds more towards a westward track, but we are still in the timeframe in which more forecast surprises could happen," said Truchelut.

"While forecasters know more than we did 24 hours ago, we dont know enough yet to confidently project who will get the worst of Ian and how bad it will be."

The projected path of Tropical Storm Ian as of 2 p.m. on Saturday.

2:10 p.m. | Little change to Tropical Storm Ian in 2 p.m. NHC update

There were no surprises for Sarasota and Manatee counties in the 2 p.m. National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Ian update, as the projected path of the storm remains centered just north of the Tampa Bay area.

The NHC forecasts that "the center of Ian is forecast to pass southwest of Jamaica on Sunday, and pass near the Cayman Islands Sunday night and early Monday. Ian will then approach western Cuba late Monday and emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday."

Subscribe Now: Support the Herald-Tribune with a digital subscription

Stay up to date on the storm: Download the updated Herald-Tribune app

Hurricane Shelters: Where are Sarasota-Manatee hurricane shelters? When should I go?

Ian is also expected to "become a hurricane late Sunday or Sunday night and could be at or near major hurricane strength late Monday when it approaches western Cuba."

National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Ian 2 p.m. update:

Location: About 270 miles SSE of Kingston Jamaica (14.2 N, 75.8W)

Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph

Movement: W at 16 mph

Minimum central pressure: 1003 mb

Next update at 5 p.m.

1:55 p.m. | Gov. Ron DeSantis expands state of emergency

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday expanded a "state of emergency" to all 67 Florida counties in preparation for Tropical Storm Ian, which is expected to become Hurricane Ian in the coming days.

The threat posed by Tropical Storm Ian requires that timely precautions are taken to protect the communities, critical infrastructure, and general welfare of Florida, the governor said in his amended executive order issued Saturday afternoon.

Residents fill sandbags at Bennett Park in Bradenton on Saturday afternoon, in preparation for a possible Hurricane Ian.

1:50 p.m. | Sarasota-Manatee residents prepare for Ian

Although there is still uncertainty about the path of the storm, many area residents are taking the possibility of a major hurricane seriously.

Manatee County began offering sandbags to residents on Saturday at seven locations across the county. At the self-service sandbag station at Bennett Park in Bradenton, dozens of residents picked up shovels, filled bags and tied them off before loading their cars.

Ken Paquin, 70, wiped the sweat off his brow before carrying two more bags to his trunk.

Tropical Storm Ian: Find all of our latest coverage of the storm

Hurricane Guide: What do you need to know before a big storm?

The Rhode Island native said its his first hurricane since he moved to the area 10 years ago. Hes been through some tropical storms, but nothing like this.

It is what it is, Paquin said. Theres not much you can do about it. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Maria Diaz, 48, also loaded sandbags into her car. Although she, her sister and her mom live separately from each other, they plan to ride out the storm together. Although they have plenty of food, water and flashlights, Diaz feels prayer is the most important form of preparation.

The first thing I do is pray a lot, because everything is in Gods control, Diaz said.

12:45 p.m. | Want a generator? It might be too late for this storm.

Herald-Tribune Political Editor Zac Anderson went searching for generators this afternoon and, as some might have predicted, didn't have any luck. Multiple Home Depot and Lowes locations are already sold out.

Other supplies seem to be in better supply: Informal reports indicate that you can find gas without a wait at many stations and water is still available in many stores.

Tropical Storm Ian's projected track, as of 11 a.m. Saturday.

11:00 a.m. | Tropical Storm Ian's track shifts north, stronger storm expected

According to the 11 a.m. National Hurricane Center update, Tropical Storm Ian's track has shifted somewhat, with the center intersecting Florida north of the Tampa Bay area.

That shift comes as the NHC increases its expectation of Tropical Storm Ian's intensification, which promises a quicker transition to Hurricane Ian and increased strength.

"The NHC track forecast has been raised from the previous one, showing Ian becoming a hurricane by late Sunday and approaching western Cuba at or near major hurricane strength by Monday night," said the NHC. "Limited land interaction is expected as the cyclone quickly passes over western Cuba, and Ian is forecast to be a major hurricane over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and Wednesday as it approaches the west coast of Florida."

Tropical Storm Ian: Find all of our latest coverage of the storm

Hurricane Guide: What do you need to know before a big storm?

Currently, tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center of Tropical Storm Ian. The Sarasota-Manatee area could experience tropical-storm-force winds as early as Tuesday morning.

National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Ian 11 a.m. update:

Location: About 270 miles SSE of Kingston Jamaica (14.4 N, 75.2W)

Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph

Movement: W at 15 mph

Minimum central pressure: 1003 mb

Next update at 2 p.m.

Time of arrival for tropical-storm-strength winds from Tropical Storm Ian, as of 11 a.m. Saturday.

8:00 a.m. | Latest update on Tropical Storm Ian from the National Hurricane Center

Little has changed in the National Hurricane Center's 8 a.m. update on Tropical Storm Ian. The storm's track still has the Sarasota-Manatee area in its center and it is predicted to impact Florida as Hurricane Ian late Wednesday or early Thursday.

According to the NHC, Tropical Storm Ian is expected to continue moving west/northwest through early Sunday, followed by a north-northwestward turn by late Monday. It will likely pass near Jamaica on Sunday, near or over the Cayman Islands Sunday night and then approach western Cuba on Monday. There is currently a Hurricane Watch in effect for the Cayman Islands and a Tropical Storm Watch for Jamaica.

More: Gov. Ron DeSantis declares 'state of emergency' for 24 counties for Tropical Storm Ian

Tropical Storm Ian: See spaghetti models, path and storm activity for Florida

Rainfall predictions range from 4-8 inches for jamaica and the Cayman Islands to 6-10 inches for Cuba.

Tropical Storm Ian is expected to become Hurricane Ian late Sunday.

National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Ian 8 a.m. update:

Location: About 300 miles SSE of Kingston Jamaica (14.2 N, 74.5W)

Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph

Movement: WSW at 15 mph

Minimum central pressure: 1004 mb

Next update at 11 a.m.

A sandbag-filling station in Holmes Beach.

7:00 a.m. | Where can I get sandbags in Sarasota-Manatee?

Starting today, Manatee County will have self-serve sandbag filling at three locations:

Bennett Park, 400 Cypress Creek Blvd, Bradenton

Rubonia Community Center, 1309 72nd St. E., Palmetto

Myakka Community Center, 10060 Wauchula Road, Myakka City

JUST ADDED: Buffalo Creek Park, 7550 69th St E, Palmetto

Manatee County will also have three locations for picking up pre-made sandbags:

Manatee Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach (Northwest Parking lot)

Bayfront Park, 310 North Bay Blvd. Anna Maria (North end by the recycling center)

Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach (South Bayside near the guardrail)

On Sunday, the county will also add full-service sandbag distribution at:

G.T. Bray Park, 5502 33rd Ave. Dr. W, Bradenton

Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto

All locations will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

The City of Venice Public Works Department will have sandbags available for residents beginning Sunday, Sept. 25, from noon to 6 p.m. at Wellfield Park off Pinebrook Road.

These are self-filling stations. There is a limit of 10 sandbags per household while supplies last and shovels will be provided. Residents are encouraged to bring their own bags in case the city runs out, as well as their own shovels to expedite the process.

Sarasota County will also begin sandbag operations Sunday, Sept. 25 from noon to 6 p.m. at three locations.

Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th Street, Sarasota.

Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota.

South County Fleet, 4571 SR 776/Englewood Road, Venice.

Shovels and bags will be available on-site, limit 10 sandbags per vehicle.

Sarasota's sandbag operations are also planned for Monday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The City of North Port will open a self-serve sandbag facility at the athletic fields behind the George Mullen Activity Center, 1602 Kramer Way. It opens at noon and bags, sand and shovels will be provided.

The Town of Longboat Key is planning to staff a sand and bag station at Broadway Beach Access on Sunday from 8 a.m.  12 p.m. and again on Monday beginning at 8 a.m.

The expected track of Tropical Storm Ian as of 5 a.m. Saturday.

5:00 a.m. | Tropical Storm Ian's track remains focused on Sarasota-Manatee area

According to the National Hurricane Center's 5 a.m. update, Tropical Storm Ian has continued to strengthen as forecast, and Sarasota and Manatee counties remain at the center of its expected path.

The former tropical depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ian around 11 p.m. Friday night, and sustained winds are now 45 mph. The NHC forecasts that the storm will reach hurricane strength late Sunday.

The NHC expects the center of Tropical Storm Ian "to move across the central Caribbean Sea today, pass southwest of Jamaica on Sunday, and pass near or over the Cayman Islands Sunday night and early Monday."

If current predictions hold true, the storm would impact the Sarasota-Manatee area of Florida as Hurricane Ian late Wednesday or early Thursday. It is forecast to become a major hurricane  with winds above 110 mph  when it hits the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico after passing over Cuba.

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Friday declaring a "state of emergency" for 24 Florida counties  including Sarasota and Manatee  in the potential path of the coming storm.

National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Ian 5 a.m. update:

Location: 315 miles SE of Kingston Jamaica (14.7N, 73.5W)

Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph

Movement: West at 14 mph

Minimum central pressure: 1003 mb

Will Hurricane Ian hit Sarasota-Manatee?

Though Tropical Storm Ian is not expected to become Hurricane Ian until late Sunday or early Monday, most of the predictive models show it impacting Florida near Sarasota and Manatee counties. However, forecasters caution that it is still too much uncertainty to have confidence in the storm track predictions.

"The track is still kind of uncertain," said Christianne Pearce, a meteorologist at NWS Tampa. "The center (of the storm) wobbles in the early stages. We're also not sure that it'll certainly make that turn towards Florida."

Tropical Storm Ian: Sarasota, Manatee county brace for potential Hurricane Ian

More: Gov. Ron DeSantis declares 'state of emergency' for 24 counties for Tropical Depression 9

When will Hurricane Ian hit Sarasota-Manatee?

If National Hurricane Center and other predictions hold true, the storm will steadily increase in intensity, becoming Hurricane Ian by Monday morning, and will impact Florida in the Sarasota-Manatee area at some point on Wednesday.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tropical Storm Ian Live Updates: Path moves further from Sarasota area
As Tropical Storm Ian threatens Florida's west coast and a hurricane threat looms closer, local first responders continue to prepare for a potential natural catastrophe.

As Tropical Storm Ian threatens Florida's west coast and a hurricane threat looms closer, local first responders prepare for a potential natural catastrophe.

Jill Palmer, executive director at the American Red Cross Florida Gulf Coast to Heartland chapter, said volunteers are on standby.

"We work all year long to ensure that our volunteers have the proper training," Palmer said.

Community partnerships

Palmer says they work closely with community partners and emergency management to ensure they have a strong relationship ahead of any disaster.

Hurricane forecast: Tropical Storm Ian threatens Florida's west coast; forecast to become hurricane by Sunday

Kentucky flood response: Red Cross volunteer helping on the ground in Kentucky shares first-hand experience

"Right now, our teams are coordinating with those local partners," Palmer said. "We're reviewing our response plans, mobilizing our volunteers and also starting to pre-position some disaster supplies so that we are ready to provide aid as it's needed."

Palmer said supplies include pallets of water, shelf stable meals and disaster cleanup supplies.

"Because of the way we are structured, we are able to scale up depending on the size of disaster response operation," Palmer said. "Right now, we are working across the South Florida region with our volunteers that are here locally that have already been trained in sheltering logistics mass care."

Following the storm, they work across the entire organization to bring in additional workforce, additional supplies, vehicles and resources very similar to what they did following Hurricane Irma in 2017, Palmer said.

Southwest Florida had hundreds of volunteers that came in to help with that response operation after the storm, Palmer said.

"We're able to flex those resources where they're needed, making sure that the communities have what they need when they need it," Palmer said.

Readiness plan

For now, Palmer says they're urging the community to make sure they're thinking about themselves, their families and what their readiness plan is going to be.

Story continues

"That looks like creating an evacuation plan," Palmer said. "Know what you're going to do in case you might become separated from your family or if you need to evacuate where you live and go to one of the established shelters."

Palmer says they also ask the community to think about building an emergency kit.

"You're going to need water," Palmer said. "You're going to need nonperishable foods, flashlights, battery-powered radios and not to forget any of those first-aid supplies such as medication."

After checking those boxes, she urges Southwest Florida residents to stay informed.

"We also advise individuals to download a free Red Cross emergency app that they can use to make sure that they're safe, their loved ones [are] safe [and] they can get real time alerts," Palmer said. "It will also show where we have Red Cross shelters open."

Volunteer deployment

Palmer says they work with local emergency management on opening and staffing shelters.

"Your county, the emergency managers oversee the shelters and Red Cross has offered their support if they need additional workforce for those shelters," Palmer said.

The local chapter has around 340 volunteers, but each volunteer is trained in a particular area, Palmer said.

Palmer said 90% of the workforce for the American Red Cross are volunteers.

"We have over 300,000 volunteers within our network," Palmer said. "And we are able to scale up and bring in those those folks where they're needed when they're needed."

Palmer said that allows the American Red Cross to respond to multiple disasters simultaneously, such as the typhoon in Alaska, hurricane in Puerto Rico and wildfires in California.

The local chapter also deployed volunteers to the recent flooding in Kentucky.

"We're closely monitoring and tracking the tropical depression," Palmer said. "We're doing the work today to make sure that we're standing up our disaster leadership structure and positioning those supplies, and really making sure that our team is ready to go."

How can you help?

Palmer said those interested in volunteering with the Red Cross can find more related information on their website, redcross.org, as well as by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.

"We're always looking for individuals who can help support our work through vital donations," Palmer said. "That really allows us to be able to do this disaster work every single day across the country."

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and TikTok @tomasfrodriguez.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida hurricane watch: Local Red Cross volunteers ready to assist
It's not a stretch to say that Australia United Mining Limited's (ASX:AYM) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 15.2x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in Australia, where the median P/E ratio is around 14x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/E ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

For example, consider that Australia United Mining's financial performance has been poor lately as it's earnings have been in decline. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think the company might still do enough to be in line with the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Australia United Mining

pe

Although there are no analyst estimates available for Australia United Mining, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The P/E?

Australia United Mining's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the market.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 6.8%. However, a few very strong years before that means that it was still able to grow EPS by an impressive 323% in total over the last three years. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 12% over the next year, materially lower than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it interesting that Australia United Mining is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. Apparently some shareholders believe the recent performance is at its limits and have been accepting lower selling prices.

Story continues

The Bottom Line On Australia United Mining's P/E

Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

Our examination of Australia United Mining revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't contributing to its P/E as much as we would have predicted, given they look better than current market expectations. When we see strong earnings with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/E ratio. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued if recent medium-term earnings trends continue, but investors seem to think future earnings could see some volatility.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Australia United Mining you should know about.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20x).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Join A Paid User Research Session

Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here
South Koreas joint chiefs of staff reported the launch (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

North Korea has fired an unspecified ballistic missile toward the east coast of South Korea, it has been claimed.

South Korea's joint chiefs of staff, which reported the launch, did not confirm what type of missile it was or how far it flew.

The launch came a day after South Korean officials said they had detected signs that North Korea was preparing to test a missile designed to be fired from submarines.

On Friday, a US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea to participate in joint drills with South Korean forces ahead of a planned visit next week by US vice president Kamala Harris.

The missile appears to have landed outside of Japans exclusive economic zone, Japan broadcasting corporation, also known as NHK, reports.

Its the first time North Korea has carried out such a launch after firing eight short-range ballistic missiles in one day in early June, which led the United States to call for more UN sanctions on the Kim Jong-un-led nation.

North Korea rejects UN resolutions as an infringement of its sovereign right to self-defence and space exploration.

Reports at the time said North Korea was preparing to test-fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile after the South Korean military spotted activities of North Korea preparing to test the artillery in Sinpo, the Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday.

The agency cited an unnamed South Korean military source in its report who stated that the test would take place next week on Wednesday and Thursday in the South Hamgyong Province of North Korea.

Earlier this week, some US-based think tanks also said North Korea could be preparing to conduct a submarine-launched ballistic missile test.

New satellite images revealed new construction and barges at the Sinpo South Shipyard on the east coast of the country, which is critical to North Koreas new ballistic missile submarine (SSB).

According to reports, six news barges and vessels were detected around the submarine construction hall which was not previously present, according to the 38 North, a programme of nonpartisan think tank Stimson Centre which monitors North Korea.

Story continues

North Korea could be preparing to conduct a submarine-launched ballistic missile test and it is prepared to do it on short notice a US-based think tank said (Pleiades Neo  Airbus DS 2022)

The images were taken on 18 September. It said the new development suggests that North Koreans are preparing to launch a new submarine from the shipyard - where Kim Jong-un visited in 2019.

While barges and a dry dock have been occasionally observed around the submarine launch quay at the main construction hall, the presence of six vessels and barges in this area has not been observed before, the report said.

The news comes as US officials had said Russia was in the process of purchasing rockets and artillery shells from North Korea. They said such moves, along with alleged purchases of Iranian weapons, showed Western sanctions were impeding Russia's efforts in the Ukraine war.

Both Moscow and North Korea denied the reports.

On Thursday, in a statement carried by North Korean state media KCNA, an unnamed official at North Korea's defence ministry said: We have never exported weapons or ammunition to Russia before and we will not plan to export them.

It accused the US, and other hostile forces, of spreading rumours to pursue its base political and military aims.

North Korea has dialled up its testing activities to a record pace in 2022, testing more than 30 ballistic weapons, including its first intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017, as it continues to expand its military capabilities amid a prolonged stalemate in nuclear diplomacy.
Even before Russian troops invaded Ukraine, U.S. officials warned global peace would be endangered if Russian President Vladimir Putin were allowed to brazenly seize another sovereign country.

At the same time, analysts have warned that if he faced no option but defeat in that bid, the outcome could prove to be even more dangerous -- a so-called "cornered Putin."

Ukrainian successes on the battlefield have not only pushed Russian troops back but now have pushed Putin further into a corner -- forcing him to take a series of dramatic steps to reinvigorate his brutal campaign: a sweeping military draft, labeled as a "partial mobilization," to surge thousands of soldiers to the fight, and orchestrating what the West has called "sham" referenda in occupied territories in Ukraine -- intended to pave the way for them to be "annexed" -- considered, in Putin's view, to be part of Russia.

MORE: Blinken says UN must tell Putin to stop 'reckless nuclear threats' over Ukraine

Most alarming, in a rare televised address, Putin also issued a new round of thinly-veiled nuclear threats -- warning that Russia will use "all available means" to protect what he now portrays as Russian people and territory.

While some of his rhetoric isn't new, the changed circumstances in the conflict are. ABC News spoke to experts and former U.S. officials about why Putin's latest saber-rattling escalates risks -- for both Putin and the world.

PHOTO: Vladimir Putin gestures as he addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 21, 2022. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)

MORE: Russia-Ukraine live updates: US privately warns Russia against using nuclear weapons

Losing the home crowd

Putin's "partial mobilization" to send Russians who have gone through military training to serve in Ukraine is broadly seen as a tacit acknowledgement that his military is failing to accomplish Moscow's goals in Ukraine.

But Max Bergmann, a former State Department official and the director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says it also puts Putin's control over his own country in question.

Story continues

"What is clearly happening here is that the Russian military position in Ukraine is collapsing," he said. "Forcing people to go and fight in Ukraine is an extremely risky political decision. This is one of the most incredibly disruptive things that can be done to a society."

Although economic penalties for the invasion continue to have a mounting impact, Bergmann says the move will bring the war home to many Russians for the first time. And what's worse, he adds, is that Putin hasn't even officially called his invasion of Ukraine a war -- still describing it as a "special military operation."

"There's a total disconnect between the Russian government messaging that this is just some sort of tactical military effort in Ukraine, versus the need to suddenly rip men that have maybe at one time in their life served in the military for a year away from their families -- many with children -- and from their jobs, off to a battlefield where tens of thousands of people are dying," he said.

Despite the Kremlin's efforts to silence protest, Bergmann says if enough discontent builds, Putin risks losing public support, and with it, his grasp on power.

"He is gambling his entire regime over Ukraine," he said.

A powerful tool in Putin's arsenal is the state propaganda machine, but Bergmann believes Putin still has a steep hill to climb in portraying the war as defending the motherland.

"Putin hopes he can harken back to Russia's past of repelling invaders, whether it's Napoleon's army or Hitler's. But then, Russia was being invaded. It was an existential war. This is a war of imperial ambition," he said. "He's going to have to work incredibly hard to convince the Russian public that it's worth it to lose their husbands, fathers and sons in an oblast in Ukraine."

While the Russian president still appears to wield uncompromising control, Bergmann warns the tide can shift quickly.

"Autocratic regimes look incredibly stable until they're not," he said.

PHOTO: A Ukrainian fighter stands on the top of a tank in Kharkiv on Sept. 9, 2022, amid Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)

MORE: Putin 'on the ropes' as Ukrainians continue counteroffensive

Buying time

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his speech this week to the United Nations General Assembly, warned Moscow was trying to wait his fighters out.

"Russia wants to spend the winter on the occupied territory of Ukraine and prepare forces to attempt a new offensive," he said in a recorded address.

Analysts also say buying time to move newly conscripted troops to the front might be the motivator behind other elements of Putin's strategy.

"Those troops will take a while to get to the battlefield," said John Hardie, deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Russia Program. "It's definitely a game on his part."

Putin's latest efforts towards annexation, coupled with promises to defend its land, are likely aimed at giving Ukraine second thoughts about pursuing its counteroffensive -- and giving the West second thoughts about supporting it, Hardie and Bergmann said. But they say it's unlikely to prove effective.

"Putin's hope is that this causes Ukraine and the West to freak out to give some pause about further advances," Bergmann said. "But I think support for Ukraine will remain strong. And that Ukraine is going to advance militarily as it sees fit."

One senior administration official called the referenda a "crass and desperate" maneuver that would not alter the U.S. outlook on the conflict, and predicted that other powers around the world -- even those more closely aligned with Russia -- would not be significantly swayed.

Still farther to fall

If Putin's attempts to delay Ukraine's military progress fail, the most pressing question becomes whether he will make good on his threats to go nuclear -- and what the U.S. and its allies might do in response.

"It's something that you have to take very seriously. Russia has the world's largest nuclear arsenal," said Bergmann. "And when the Russian president starts making nuclear threats, it's something everyone has to pay attention to."

While both Hardie and Bergmann agree Putin doesn't appear ready to resort to the nuclear option, they say deterrence must be the priority. American officials have publicly and privately warned Moscow against using nuclear weapons, and Hardie said they should also press countries the Kremlin might be more receptive to listening to -- such as China and India -- to send the same messages.

But the consequences Russia could expect to face are less clear.

"Are we actually ready to do something more than sanctions? I tend to think we are probably not. I think the administration rightly wants to avoid World War III," said Hardie.

Because of this, the Biden administration's "strategic ambiguity" on repercussions is the best available avenue, he argues.

"If offers the benefit of leaving doubt in Putin's mind," Hardie said.

While Putin could ultimately disregard any doubts, Hardie says it will likely require Putin to grow considerably more desperate.

"I think this would be very much a last resort," he said, noting the Kremlin might test the waters first with demonstrations before hitting critical infrastructure or troop concentrations. "But I think we're a long way from that point."

But Hardie said a significant incursion into Crimea -- the peninsula annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014 -- would likely move the needle much more, and that it's possible Putin will decide to protect any newly annexed territory with the same ferocity.

"We're in uncharted waters," he said.

New nuclear threats raise risk from a 'cornered Putin': Experts originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Silkie's Chicken & Champagne Bar, the latest restaurant from Jacksonville celebrity chef Kenny Gilbert, has received national recognition for its champagne offerings, including creative craft cocktails as well as his innovative interpretation of Southern and global cuisine.

Gilbert's restaurant in historic Springfield is among the top 10 bars and restaurants in the United States by the Champagne Bureau USA based in Washington.

The Champagne Bureau, the United States representative of the Comite Champagne  the trade association that represents all the grape growers and houses of Champagne, France  named the Top Ten list in honor of the upcoming 13th annual global Champagne Day, on Oct. 28. The day celebrates the sparkling wine that comes only from Champagne, France.

Jacksonville's best fried chicken?: Who makes the best fried chicken in Jacksonville? We have a few suggestions.

Restaurant review: Come for the fried chicken and biscuits at Kenny Gilbert's Silkies

Tops in rooftops: Jacksonville business named one of Top 10 best rooftop bars in the world

We hope champagne lovers and those new to the sparkling wine alike will consider visiting these impressive establishments to enjoy Champagne Day in style," the bureau said in a news release announcing Silkie's and other nine restaurants and bars on its list.

The bureau describes Silkie's as "an upscale casual restaurant with delicious fried chicken and biscuits, catering options, and an overall unique dining experience."

Gilbert is a former Food Network "Top Chef" Season 7 contestant. He and his wife, Anna, opened Silkie's Chicken and Champagne Bar at 1602 Walnut St. in 2020.

An upscale fast-casual restaurant, Silkie's showcases Gilbert's signature fried chicken, biscuits and champagne cocktails. Daily specials focus on international chicken dishes.

Silkie's menu includes eight varieties of champagne, plus cocktails

The restaurant's menu includes eight varieties of champagne. All but three are listed as being from France.

Story continues

Craft champagne cocktails include Girls Night Out, featuring pear nectar, wine-based gin, lime and simple syrup; Southern Belle, with peach, wine-based whiskey, green tea, lemon and simple syrup; and Late Night on Walnut Street, featuring stout beer, wine-based vodka, coffee, cinnamon, orange and simple syrup, the menu shows.

Champagne flights also are available.

The Bureau works to educate American consumers about the uniqueness of the wines of Champagne and expand their understanding of the need to protect the Champagne name.

Other restaurants and bars on its list include the following:

Airs Champagne Parlor, New York, NY.

Apero, Washington, D.C.

Ca Va, Kansas City, Mo.

Corridor 44, Denver, Colo.

Effervescence, New Orleans, La.

Franks Oyster House and Champagne Parlor, Seattle, Wash.

Pops for Champagne, Chicago, Ill.

San Francisco Champagne Society, San Francisco, Calif.

The Champagnery, Louisville, Ky.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville chef Kenny Gilbert's Silkie's touted for champagne, menu
A late September heat wave is expected to bake Ventura County over the next several days as temperatures climb 15 or more degrees above average in spots.

The forecast calls for a warmer-than-normal first weekend of fall, particularly in inland and valley areas. Tuesday will likely be the hottest day, the National Weather Service reported.

In Ventura County, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Fillmore were expected to see highs in the low 90s Saturday with temperatures creeping up on Sunday, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist at the weather services Oxnard office.

Sunday's rising mercury will lead to "more impressive" heat at the start of the week, on Monday through Wednesday, Thompson said Saturday.

On Tuesday, when the heat wave is expected to peak, highs around Ventura County's coastal plain are forecast in the 80s to lower 90s, Thompson said.

Inland valleys will generally see highs from 97 to 102 degrees.

The weather service issued an excessive heat watch for Monday morning through Wednesday evening for coastal and valley areas in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. The watch indicates dangerous heat is possible.

More: Extreme heat: Here's what to know about Ventura County's increasing risk of hot days

A high-pressure system will combine with weaker than normal sea breezes as a hot air mass settles over Southern California.

Temperatures likely could reach up to 15 to 20 degrees above normal in valley and inland areas early in the week, forecasters said, with coastal areas seeing highs up to 12 degrees or so above normal.

Conditions should cool off for the second half of the week, Thompson said.

More: Study shows communities of color face greater risk of pesticide exposure in Ventura County

Beat the heat

Experts urge people to prepare and stay safe in the heat. Here are some tips:

Drink plenty of fluids.

Limit time outdoors and pace yourself.

Wear loose, lightweight clothing in light colors.

Do not leave anyone or any pets locked in vehicles.

Stay in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. Even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.

Wear sunscreen.

Story continues

For more hot weather tips, visit cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.html.

An Excessive Heat Watch was issued today for the Coasts and Valleys of #LosAngeles and #Ventura Counties. What does that mean? Check this out... #cawx pic.twitter.com/K7MgLA1rDZ  NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) September 23, 2022

This story may be updated.

Cheri Carlson covers the environment for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Late September heat wave to bring triple-digit temperatures to SoCal
Navigator Development Group Inc., its employees and friends celebrated the companys 25th anniversary Sept. 15.

With headquarters in Enterprise, Navigator is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business with a diversified portfolio of aviation, training, technology, and logistics services.

Navigator has a regional office in Huntsville and provides services to locations at Fort Rucker, Dothan, and Redstone Arsenal in Alabama; Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field in Florida; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; and Fairfield Air Force Base, Washington.
(Bloomberg) --

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Kremlin may complete the annexation of the four occupied regions of Ukraine as soon as next week, just days after what the United Nations has denounced as illegal votes to join Russia. President Vladimir Putin may make his annual address to parliament Friday, a state news agency reported, days after the so-called referendums are due to end.

Seven months after a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia is attempting to annex some of its neighbors most productive farmland and industrial areas. Putin ordered another 300,000 troops conscripted this week into Russias special military operation.

Russian occupation authorities began drafting men in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, Ukrainian officials said. Envoys from European countries traveled to Izyum on Friday to visit a mass burial site exhumed after Ukraine recaptured the region from Russian troops this month.

(See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.)

Key Developments

Putins Conscripts Wont Win His War But May Drag It Out

Russians Confront New Normal as Annexation Voting Continues

Zelenskiy Says Chinas Position on Russian Invasion Ambiguous

EU Rushes to Agree on an Oil Price Cap After Putins Threats

Russias Lavrov Scorns West by Arriving Late at UN, Walking Out

Blinken Calls Russian Seizure of Nuclear Plant Flagrant Breach

On the Ground

Russian forces fired missiles at infrastructure in the Black Sea port of Ochakiv, Ukraines southern military command said on Facebook. Moscows troops fired missives at Mykolaiv, and a bakery and residential buildings were shelled in Marhanets in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Kyivs forces reasserted control of bridges across the Dnipro in the Kherson region and destroyed reserves of Russian weapons nearby. In the city of Kherson, a concentration of Russian weapons and machinery was attacked, as well as several control posts, officials said. The Ukrainian army downed six Iranian drones Shahed and one Mohajer-6 drones, the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said on Facebook.

Story continues

(All times CET)

Russian Lawmakers May Hold Sept. 29 Annexation Vote (7:10 p.m.)

The Federation Council, Russias upper house of parliament, may vote on Sept. 29 on the accord for occupied Ukrainian regions to join Russia, Ria Novosti reported, citing a source it didnt identify.

President Vladimir Putin plans to address the Federal Assembly, a joint session of both houses of parliament, the next day, the news agency reported earlier Saturday.

The president addresses the body annually on major domestic and foreign policy topics.

China Warns Against Ukraine War Spillover (6:35 p.m.)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on all sides to avoid widening the war in Ukraine and said the solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties.

We call on all parties concerned to keep the crisis from spilling over and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, Wang said in a General Assembly speech at the United Nations on Saturday.

Moscow Plans One-Time Payments to Draftees (5:30 p.m.)

Deputies from the ruling United Russia party and the Communist Party submitted the bill to be reviewed by the parliament on a one-time payment of 300,000 rubles ($5,184) to all Russians, who will be drafted to fight in Ukraine, according to the parliaments disclosure.

The drafted people will also be offered waivers of paying interest on mortgages and consumer loans for the duration of their service. Housing and communal services will also be canceled during this period.

As many Russian trying for flee from mobilization abroad or at home already Russia has offered salaries for draftees equal to those that contracted military staff gets, which is several times the Russian average. The average real salary in June was 66,500 rubles, according to statistic service

Eight Grain Vessels Sail From Ukraines Ports (3:45 p.m.)

Eight ships carrying a total of 131,300 tons of agricultural products to Africa, Asia and Europe were set to leave the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk on Saturday, Ukraines Infrastructure Ministry said on Facebook. Six ships sailed early in the morning and formed a caravan, with two more were on the way.

Since the safe-transit agreement brokered by Turkey and the UN was reached between Ukraine and Russia in late July, 221 ships have left Ukraines ports on the Black Sea with 4.7 million tons of agriculture products, chiefly grains.

Russia Shakes Up Army; Mariupol General Advances (12:07 p.m.)

Russias defense ministry announced personnel changes among its generals. No explanation was given for the move, days after President Vladimir Putin called up 300,000 reservists in an escalation of the now seven-month conflict.

Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense, responsible for the supply and logistics, the ministry said in its official Telegram channel. General Dmitry Bulgakov leaves the post for another, unspecified job, it said.

Mizintsev was sanctioned by the UK in March for what it called his reprehensible tactics in combat including atrocities against the Ukrainian people during the siege of the southern city of Mariupol -- as well as shelling civilian centers in Aleppo, Syria, in 2015-16.

European Envoys Visited Izyum Mass Graves Site (11 a.m.)

Ambassadors from over a dozen European countries visited Izyum in Ukraines Kharkiv region on Friday and saw mass grave sites uncovered found when Kyivs troops recaptured the area. Some 436 bodies have been exhumed, including children.

The visit also took in the site of a residential building destroyed by a Russian bomb, killing 53 people.

The world must know the truth about the bloody crimes of the occupiers. That is why it is extremely important that today foreign diplomats were able to see with their own eyes what the Russian occupiers leave behind, said Andrii Sybiha, deputy head of Ukraines Office of the President.

Zelenskiy Says Chinas Position Ambiguous (10:26 a.m.)

Ukraines president said he would like to renew relations with China, whose position on the Russian invasion he termed ambiguous.

I would like them to help Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview with a French newspaper. A call with Chinese President Xi Jinping would be difficult today.

The comments came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Ukrainian counterpart this week during the UN General Assembly in New York.

Russia Hits Dams to Slow Kyivs Advance, UK Says (8:30 a.m.)

Russian forces targeted the Pechenihy dam on the Siverskyi Donets River this week following a hit a week ago to another major dam upriver in Kryvyi Rih, the UK defense ministry said in a Twitter update.

Ukrainian forces are advancing further downstream along both rivers. As Russian commanders become increasingly concerned about their operational setbacks, they are probably attempting to strike the sluice gates of dams, in order to flood Ukrainian military crossing points, the UK said.

Zelenskiy Says Russia Gave UN Lying Propaganda (8 a.m.)

Ukraines president said he had a really positive response to his speech to the UN General Assembly this week, where he outlined proposals for security guarantees.

Zelenskiy said he met via video conference with representatives of BlackRock and Goldman Sachs, among others, as part of the weeks activities.

And what did Russia present? Once again, lame excuses, complaints and constant lying propaganda, Zelenskiy said in a nightly address to the nation on Friday.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
Muck from a diamond mineOs wastewater coats a property in Jagersfontein, South Africa, Sept. 14, 2022. (Ilan Godfrey/The New York Times)

JAGERSFONTEIN, South Africa  The dirt wall holding in mucky waste from diamond mining grew over the years to resemble a wide, towering plateau. Suspended like a frozen tsunami over neat tracts of Monopoly-like homes in the rural South African mining town of Jagersfontein, the dam alarmed residents who feared it might collapse.

We saw it long time, that one day this thing will burst, said Memane Paulus, a machine operator at the dam for the past decade.

The worst fears of residents came true this month when a section of the dam crumbled, sending a thunderous rush of gray sludge through the community that killed at least one person, destroyed 164 houses, and turned a six-mile stretch of neighborhoods and grassy fields into an ashen wasteland.

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

The Jagersfontein disaster has caused alarm in a nation where heaping dams of mining waste, known as tailings, are part of the landscape. Experts estimate that South Africa has hundreds of tailings dams, which mining watchdogs say is the legacy of an exploitative industry that extracts lucrative gems for jewelry stores abroad, while poor communities are saddled with toxic waste at home.

The townspeople in Jagersfontein, home to one of the worlds oldest diamond mines, had watched the wall of waste mount, looming over their homes and streets. But there was little they could do to stop it because it was big business.

A consortium that bought the mining waste from the mines former owner, De Beers, was sifting through the tailings to extract any diamonds left behind  an increasingly popular offshoot of mining. In doing so, the operation was piling up even more waste, and government oversight was lax. Some mine workers were scared when their colleagues reported finding leaks in the dam.

It was definitely avoidable, said Mariette Liefferink, chief executive of the Federation for a Sustainable Environment, an environmental organization focused on mining. The damage to the ecosystem, to human lives, to future generations  the risks are significant.

Story continues

The international mining industry had promised to do better after a similar dam collapse in Brazil three years ago killed more than 250 people. Some of the leading mine operators collaborated to develop standards for tailings dams. But many smaller operators, like the one in Jagersfontein, dont follow the standards and lack the resources and expertise to manage tailings dams, Liefferink said.

Marius de Villiers, the legal compliance officer for the mines operating company, Jagersfontein Development, said it complied with all requirements set by South African regulators. The dam was regularly inspected, he said, and an engineering report from July declared it was structurally sound.

We were not even contemplating that something like this would happen, de Villiers said. He said that while the company was still investigating the dam break, it must accept liability that comes with the operations and with the break.

That Thing Is Going to Blast

About 2 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11, a truck driver at the dam spotted a crack in the facade, several workers there that day said in interviews. The driver reported it to a foreman, who checked it out but did not do anything, the workers said.

Joe Makalajane, a pan operator at the mine, did not see the crack himself but spoke to the driver as they were ending their shift, he said.

He said, Ill tell you, that thing is going to blast, said Makalajane, 45, recalling his conversation. Of management, he added, They didnt take it seriously.

De Villiers and Johan Combrink, the plant manager, denied that there was any report of a crack early that morning.

The dam wall collapsed between 6 and 7 a.m. Some residents are furious at the prospect that they could have been alerted earlier.

Rio-Rita Breytenbach, whose home is near the dam, stood on a chair in the kitchen as the barrage of slime barreled toward her. She was swept off the chair and out of the house. Caught in the raging current, Breytenbach, 39, said she floated on her back and paddled in the muck to keep her head above water.

I was praying that I would survive, she said.

She finally came to rest on a farm, where the police found her  more than 6 miles from her house.

The sludge wiped out much of two residential neighborhoods to the south and the east. Fields, stretching for miles, looked like frozen cement lakes, some dotted with mangled cars and sunken utility poles.

Jack Sephaka was visiting his mother across town when the dam broke. He stared from a distance in horror  his three-bedroom house was being washed away with, as far as he knew, his wife and one of his sons inside.

I thought they were dead, he said.

To his relief, his wife eventually called his mother to say they had made it to a shelter.

He has to rebuild a home that he bought 20 years ago for 40,000 rand ($2,300), now missing its entire front facade.

Sephaka had worked at the mine shortly after it reopened in 2010, but quit after four years because conditions were bad, he said.

I was not happy, he said, with the stress of the mine.

But the mines problems still caught up to him.

A Colonial Past

With its first diamonds extracted in 1870 by colonial settlers, the Jagersfontein mine is a relic of a diamond rush that often exploited Black South Africans while enriching white owners. It yielded a 650-carat diamond, among the worlds largest, that was acquired by British merchants and from which was cut the jubilee diamond, named in honor of Queen Victorias diamond jubilee.

De Beers, the global mining titan, operated the mine from 1932 to 1971. It then sat idle, but in the early 2000s, De Beers sought to capitalize on improving technology to extract minerals from tailings. It sued for the right to mine tailings without a mining license and won a judgment in 2007.

De Beers then sold the tailings at Jagersfontein in 2010 to a consortium that eventually came under the control of Johann Rupert, a South African billionaire whose companies own luxury brands like Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. In April, just six months before the collapse, Ruperts holding company, Reinet Investments SCA, sold all of its shares in Jagersfontein Development to Stargems, a Dubai-based diamond manufacturer and retailer, according to a Stargems announcement.

Reinet did not respond to requests for comment.

The companies could be prosecuted for violating South Africas environmental and water laws, or could be forced to pay compensation, said Tracy-Lynn Field, a law professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg who specializes in environmental and mining law. Government officials may also have to answer, she said.

The ruling in 2007 in De Beers lawsuit removed responsibility for tailings dams from the governments minerals department. Instead, because tailings are processed in dams, the Department of Water and Sanitation was left to oversee them, despite limited expertise in mining, Field said.

Warning Signs

Residents said they were excited when the mine roared back to life in 2010, believing it would create jobs.

But soon they were coughing from all the dust in the air, and watching with angst as the dams dirt facade nearly doubled in height.

We kept saying, What if something happens here? What if it breaks? said Itumeleng Monageng, 28, who unfortunately found out the answer: This month he was knee-high in muck, salvaging whatever he could from his home.

Fears heightened in recent years when residents said they periodically saw water seeping through the dam wall. The mayor of Jagersfontein, Xolani Tseletsele, said community members aired their concerns with officials from the water department.

But Combrink, the plant manager, denied that the dam ever had a leakage problem, or that employees had reported holes in the facade. He attributed any moisture to stormwater runoff.

According to a copy of a water department directive, inspectors visited the dam, and in January 2021, ordered the operation to stop, citing several violations. Chief among them was that the facility disposed more than 2 1/2 as much waste in the dam as it was allowed to in 2020  and had continued disposing waste even after department officials told it to stop.

Five months later, the department cleared the facility to reopen, noting in a memorandum that Jagersfontein Development had agreed to be inspected more closely and installed new equipment to reduce the wastewater disposed in the dam. Although the water department said in its memo that Jagersfontein Development still needed to address issues of dam safety raised in an independent engineering report, it gave no directive or deadline for the company to do so.

Richard Spoor, an attorney with decades of experience litigating mining cases, said it was extraordinary that water department officials, having found that that high-level report showed a serious risk, allowed it to reopen.

Sputnik Ratau, a spokesman for the water department, said that the dam had been allowed to reopen while safety issues were being addressed because dam officials had already satisfied other conditions.

In 2018, Jagersfontein Development built a new section of the dam that would increase its capacity by 30% and increase profitability, according to a 2019 annual report filed by Reinet Investments.

Even with that expansion, the dam was still having capacity issues  it has applied for a permit to dump waste in the original mining pit, which is a national heritage site.

An analysis of satellite images conducted after the collapse by a data and analytics company shows that from Aug. 1 to 13, the corner of the dam that broke had become slightly deformed, indicating weakness, said Dave Petley, a geologist at the University of Hull in England. The new section is the one that collapsed, he said.

Mining companies and regulators with proper expertise should have caught those warning signs, he said.

For Sephaka, the former mine worker whose house was ruined, this was the latest sour chapter in the long life of a mine that he felt had brought little benefit to the community.

Its painful, he said, surveying the wreckage.

 2022 The New York Times Company
Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow
You are the owner of this article.
TUSCALOOSA  The University of Alabamas Rural Health Scholars Program recently accepted Chase Layton of Enterprise and 10 other students from around the state studying to become physicians with plans to practice in rural Alabama communities.

The Rural Medical Scholars Program, part of the UA College of Community Health Sciences, is a five-year medical education program that leads to obtaining a medical degree. The program includes a year of study, after students receive their undergraduate degree, and leads to a masters degree in rural and community health and early admission to the UA School of Medicine.

Founded in 1996, the Rural Medical Scholars Program is a national leader in rural medical education, said Dr. Drake Lavender, director of Rural Programs. Our mission is to recruit and train primary care physicians to care for patients in the rural underserved areas of Alabama.

With 54% of our graduates going into rural practice upon completion of their training, our success rates are as high as any program in the U.S., but we have much more work to do to eliminate the shortage of primary care doctors in our rural communities.

The Rural Medical Scholars Program is exclusively for rural Alabama students who want to become physicians and practice in rural communities. It has been cited nationally as a model initiative.

The 2022-23 class includes Layton; Jackson Byrd, of Fitzpatrick; Aubrey Cox, of Winfield; Alexis Hyde, of Green Hill; Bryce Jeffrey, of Green Hill; Lili Kaplan, of Anniston; Sam Penque, of Trussville; Erin Roberts, of Coaling; Jailyn Shepard, of Selma; Lily Wiedmer, of Anniston; and Jenna Wood, of Winfield.

Students spend their first two years of medical school at the School of Medicines main campus in Birmingham and return to CCHS for their third and fourth years of medical school  the clinical training years.

We are excited to welcome 11 students into our program this year from rural areas all over our state, said Lavender. They come to us with diverse backgrounds and received their education from many different colleges, but all have a common dream: to be a doctor in rural Alabama. We look forward to helping them along their journey to fulfill that dream.

A number of current CCHS faculty are graduates of the Rural Medical Scholars Program, including Lavender, an assistant professor of family, internal and rural medicine.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation will undertake the pilot project to start a Helicopter emergency medical service from All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh. The information has been made public via the official Twitter handle of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia first proposed to start the emergency medical services via helicopter at the 49th national convention of the All India Management Association (AIMA). The new project will provide a stepping stone for spreading the services and improving the medical assistance facilities all over India.

At the time, in a statement, Scindia said, "Air ambulances are soon going to be operational. A Request for Proposal will be invited in the next couple of weeks for AIIMS Rishikesh so that helicopters are pushed into service to save precious time and lives."

#AIRAmbulance at AIIMS, Rishikesh:



A boon for the masses!



@MoCA_GoI to undertake a pilot project to develop Helicopter Emergency Medical Service



To provide speedy medical outreach with-in the golden hour

#TransformingIndia #AmritMahotsav

@JM_Scindia @ianuragthakur pic.twitter.com/0FFaDW2Rkq  Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) September 24, 2022

He further added, "We are working with the Road and Transport Ministry and the Health Ministry to look at Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS). The 'golden hour' we have for road accident victims, we can evacuate them from highways directly to the hospital, and the first centre we are looking at is AIIMS Rishikesh."

Also read: Aviation Explained: REAL REASON to turn OFF mobile phones on airplane

In the vital first hour following an accident, when receiving appropriate care can mean the difference between life and death, this aircraft will be used to assist victims with life-threatening trauma.

Only 49 air ambulances are now being operated in India by 19 providers, and around 4,100 patients have used air ambulances in the last three years, according to the information given by the ministry before the Parliament in March.

The ministry sought Expressions of Interest (EoI) from air operators who could provide one single-engine or twin-engine helicopter in the capacity of an air ambulance with EMS capability for a period of six months, based on a helipad at AIIMS Rishikesh, for its trial project.
When boarding a flight there are myriad directions that the passengers are given by either the crew members or the pilot of the plane. The warning cover multiple aspects of travelling like the direction and user of emergency doors. How to tie the seat belt? What to do in case of emergency and multiple other things. One of the crucial one of these warnings is to turn off your mobile phone or put it in airplane mode. Most people feel that this is an unnecessary step that they need to follow. But is it really not important? We answer that question. Here's why you should put your plane on airplane mode while travelling.

Interference in plane's communication

Aviation navigation and communication relies on radio services, which have been coordinated to minimise interference since the 1920s.The digital technology currently in use is much more advanced than some of the older analogue technologies we used even 60 years ago. Research has shown personal electronic devices can emit a signal within the same frequency band as the aircraft's communications and navigation systems, creating what is known as electromagnetic interference.

But in 1992, the US Federal Aviation Authority and Boeing, in an independent study, investigated the use of electronic devices on aircraft interference and found no issues with computers or other personal electronic devices during non-critical phases of flight. (Take-offs and landings are considered the critical phases.)

Also read: Plane overshoots runway ends up in lake; Southern France airport closed indefinitely

The US Federal Communications Commission also began to create reserved frequency bandwidths for different uses, such as mobile phones and aircraft navigation and communications, so they do not interfere with one another. Governments around the globe developed the same strategies and policies to prevent interference problems with aviation. In the EU, electronic devices have been allowed to stay on since 2014.

Why turn on airplane mode on planes?

Why then, with these global standards in place, has the aviation industry continued to ban the use of mobile phones? One of the problems lies with something you may not expect? ground interference.

Wireless networks are connected by a series of towers; the networks could become overloaded if passengers flying over these ground networks are all using their phones. The number of passengers that flew in 2021 was over 2.2 billion, and that's half of what the 2019 passenger numbers were. The wireless companies might have a point here.

Of course, when it comes to mobile networks, the biggest change in recent years is the move to a new standard. Current 5G wireless networks, desirable for their higher speed data transfer, have caused concern for many within the aviation industry.

Radio frequency bandwidth is limited, yet we are still trying to add more new devices to it. The aviation industry points out that the 5G wireless network bandwidth spectrum is remarkably close to the reserved aviation bandwidth spectrum, which may cause interference with navigation systems near airports that assist with landing the aircraft.

Also read: Cochin International Airport awarded for ensuring seamless traffic post COVID-19

Airport operators in Australia and the US have voiced aviation safety concerns linked to 5G rollout, however it appears to have rolled out without such problems in the European Union. Either way, it is prudent to limit mobile phone use on planes while issues around 5G are sorted out.

Ultimately, we can't forget air rage Most airlines now provide customers with Wi-Fi services that are either pay-as-you-go or free. With new Wi-Fi technologies, passengers could theoretically use their mobile phones to make video calls with friends or clients in-flight.

On an airliner with 200+ passengers, in-flight service would take longer to complete if everyone was making phone calls. Some might believe, the problem with in-flight use of phones is more about the social experience of having 200+ people on a plane, and all potentially talking at once.

In a time when disruptive passenger behaviour, including "air rage", is increasingly frequent, phone use in flight might be another trigger that changes the whole flight experience. Disruptive behaviours take on various forms, from noncompliance to safety requirements such as not wearing seat belts, verbal altercations with fellow passengers and cabin crew, to physical altercations with passengers and cabin crews typically identified as air rage.

In conclusion, in-flight use of phones does not currently impair the aircraft's ability to operate. But cabin crews may prefer not to be delayed in providing in-flight service to all of the passengers it's a lot of people to serve. However, 5G technology is encroaching on the radio bandwidth of aircraft navigation systems; we'll need more research to answer the 5G question regarding interference with aircraft navigation during landings.

With agency inputs
China has started mass cancellations of flights, based on reports from state media. However, the reason for the flight cancellation is unclear. Based on the report of The Epoch Times, Flight Master said that 9,583 flights were cancelled nationwide on September 21. The flights cancelled were 59.66 percent of the total scheduled flights on the day. It is to be noted that Flight Master serves as a source of information on flight, ticketing, and travel services in the country. Moreover, the reports said that some of the air transport hubs in China had a cancellation report of over 50 percent.

#Beijing Airport canceled more than 6,000 domestic flights and international flights. Also, all tickets sold by the high-speed rail are suspended, and the rail is completely stopped until further notice. #XiJinping #China #ChinaMilitaryCoup pic.twitter.com/SBgFccyUZd September 24, 2022

The reports of The Epoch Times said Beijing Capital International Airport cancelled 622 flights, resulting in a 60% cancellation rate. In addition, 652 flights were cancelled at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, with a 54 percent cancellation rate. Similarly, 542 flights at Shenzhen Baoan Airport were cancelled, accounting for 51% of total flights.

Three of the Chinese airports, namely Guiyang Longdongbao, Lhasa Gongga, and Chengdu Tianfu, had a high cancellation rate in Western provinces. Guiyang Longdongbao had 539 flights cancelled, with a 99 percent cancellation rate. While at Lhasa Gongga 157 flights were cancelled, with a 98 percent cancellation rate. Similarly, 752 flights were cancelled at Chengdu Tianfu airport, for an 87 percent cancellation rate. Similar cancellations were noticed at other airports in the country.

Also read: AIIMS Rishikesh to start Air Ambulance service as pilot project under Aviation Ministry of India

On the website of China's top aviation body, there is no official explanation. However, Netease, a major Chinese news portal, reported yesterday that the cancellations were primarily due to recent COVID-19 flare-ups in multiple Chinese provinces.
The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has won the Airport Service Quality award-2022 instituted by Airport Council International (ACI) for ensuring seamless traffic in the aftermath of the pandemic. CIAL on Friday said the award was given for its meticulous implementation of a programme christened 'Mission Safeguarding' implemented in 2021-22 which ensured seamless traffic and reinforced passenger satisfaction in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The Airport Authority has won recognition in the 5-15 million passenger category of airports operating in the Asia-Pacific region. The ACI award is recognised as the highest honour in the global aviation sector owing to its extensive survey methodology practices.

CIAL Managing Director, S Suhas, has received the award from ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira at a function held at Krakow in Poland organized in connection with the ACI Customer Experience Global Summit 2022.

The ASQ global airport survey, through which the awardees are selected, usually showcases the world's best airports as voiced by the travellers. This time, in addition to the existing benchmarks, new parameters pertaining to hygiene practices were added, CIAL said in a release.

Suhas said that CIAL values this award as a recognition for the innovative systems it introduced after the pandemic years. "With the guidelines formulated by the chairman and the board of directors, the airport implemented 'Mission Safeguarding' during the time of the pandemic which ensured smooth traffic management that is safe, secure and passenger-friendly," Suhas said.

Owing to the measures implemented, CIAL registered a growth of 92.66 per cent in passenger volume and 60.06 per cent in air traffic movement. The period also witnessed CIAL improving its position as the third busiest airport in the country in terms of international traffic.
New Delhi: Makers of the upcoming crime thriller `CAT` unveiled the teaser of their film on Saturday.

Taking to Instagram, actor Randeep Hooda dropped the teaser which he captioned, "Being a CAT is not as easy as it seems This exciting story is coming soon, only on @netflix_in #Tudum."

Here is the post shared by the actor:

Written by Balwinder Singh Janjua, Rupinder Chahal, and Jimmy Singh, `CAT` is a crime thriller set against the backdrop of the Punjab hinterlands. In the series, Randeep will be seen essaying the role of an undercover spy.

Excited about the project, Randeep earlier said, "Working with Netflix is always a pleasure. I had a tremendous time during `Extraction` and the love it got me from around the world was phenomenal. `CAT` again has all the elements to appeal to a global audience. It has given me an opportunity to explore new facets as an actor in a simple but intriguing script. Can`t wait to see the audience reaction to the series."

Soon after the teaser of the film was out, fans swamped the comment section with heart and fire emoticons."Most Authentic Actor," a fan wrote. Another fan wrote, "After long time good stuff is coming and am damn excited."The film will stream exclusively on Netflix.The official release date of the film is still awaited.

Apart from this, Randeep will be also seen in an upcoming web series `Inspector Avinash` opposite Urvashi Rautela. He also has `Unfair and Lovely` alongside Illeana D`cruz and in director Mahesh Manjrekar`s `Swatantra Veer Savarkar`.
New Delhi: Backing moonlighting by employees, Minister of State for Electronics and IT and Skill Development Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the days are long gone when employees signed up with big tech majors and spent their lives on the job.

ALSO READ | 'This feeling is Productivity Paranoia': Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says on work from home debate

The minister, while addressing an event of the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI), said efforts of companies that want to pin their employees down and say they should not work on their own startup are doomed to fail.

ALSO READ | Free Disney+Hotstar Subscription: Airtel recharge plan offering platform subscription

The remarks came after Wipro had fired 300 of its employees over moonlighting. Wipro chairman Rishad Premji had been very vocal against moonlighting issue for a long time in the IT companies and warned to take severe actions against the culprit. He called it a plain and simple cheating.

Moonlighting meaning taking side gigs or projects along with a regular job secretively has been a bone of contention in these days. The proponents of moonlighting have been criticizing Wipros move of firing employees on social media platforms. Some users on social media shared post calling moonlighting a need of the hour amid rising cost and living standard.

The minister, however, agreed that moonlighting should not be in violation of any contractual obligations. According to an official release, Chandrasekhar said this is the age of employee-entrepreneurs and the corporates, and companies must now understand there has been a structural shift in the minds and attitudes of the young Indian tech workforce.

"Any captive models will fade. Employers expect employees to be entrepreneurial while serving them. The same people can apply it personally to themselves," he said, while agreeing that the moonlighting should not be in violation of any contractual obligations. He predicted a time will come when there will be a community of product builders who will divide their time on multiple projects.

"Just like lawyers or consultants do. This is the future of work," he sadded.

(With PTI Inputs)
Mahalaya 2022: On September 25, 2022, Indians will observe Mahalaya - this marks the end of the Pitru Paksha, also known as Shradh or Shraddh, and announces the beginning of Devi Paksha. Mahalaya has special significance, especially for Bengalis as this day means that Durga Puja celebrations are all set to begin. This day is observed at the end of Shradh or Pitru Paksha, a 15-day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors. Not only does this annual event hold a religious and spiritual significance, but it also reminds us of the power of truth and courage and of the universal fact that in the end, good will always triumph over evil.

Mahalaya 2022: Date

The end of Pitru Paksha is the day when Mahalaya is celebrated and this year (2022), Mahalaya falls on September 25.

Mahalaya 2022: Significance

Mahalaya is all about the beginning of Durga Puja fun. Generally, people believe that on this day, Goddess Durga officially begins her journey from Mount Kailash - where she resides with her husband Lord Shiva - to her maternal home on Earth. As per the Hindu calendar, the celebrations of Mahalaya begin a week before the Durga Pooja celebrations. As per legends, it is believed that Maa Durga undertakes this week-long journey with her children - Ganesha, Kartik, Lakshmi and Saraswati - on a vehicle of her choice to reach the earth. Her vehicle could be a palanquin, boat, elephant or horse. It is also believed that the choice of her vehicle determines whether it will be a calamity or prosperity for mankind.

Also read: Navratri 2022: What are Maa Durga's different vahans and what do they signify

Mahalaya 2022: Rituals

On Mahalaya, every Bengali household wakes up early in the morning - before the sun rises. The occasion is associated with different practices and rituals. Many people perform 'tarpan' on this day to offer prayers to the departed souls of their ancestors and give 'bhog' to the Brahmins, along with food and materials to the needy. Some Hindu households offer the ritual of pitru tarpan during this day wherein they offer prayers and offerings (pind daan) on the banks of the river Ganga for the departed ancestors.

People even prefer listening to the Mahishasuramardini composition on the radio. Also, there is a special ritual associated with the painting of the eyes of the goddess. On Mahalaya, artisans carry out their final touch of drawing the eyes of Ma Durga.



Shubho Mahalaya, everybody!

(With ANI inputs)
Mahalaya 2022: The Durga Pooja celebration officially begins with Mahalaya. It occurs just at the culmination of Shradh or Pitru Paksha, a 15-day period during which Hindus honour their ancestors. This year's celebration of this significant day will take place on September 25. This yearly celebration not only has religious and spiritual significance, but also serves as a reminder of the power of truth, courage, and the universal principle that good will always prevail over evil.

Mahalaya 2022: Wishes, greetings and WhatsApp messages

1. Shubho Mahalaya! With the end of the Pitru Paksha, let us all gear up to welcome Maa Durga. May the blessings of the Mother Goddess always be with you.

2. Wishing Goddess Durga destroys all evil around you. May the Goddess fill your life with prosperity and happiness. May you have immense peace this Devi Paksha. Happy Mahalaya!

3. Wishing Goddess Durga to take away all of your vices and give you happiness. Fill your life with the colour of pleasure and success, and grants you peace for all your wishes and hopes. Happy Mahalaya!

4. Goddess blessing will take away all obstacles out of your path of life as she removes the darkness from the universe on this auspicious day.

5. May Maa Durga empower u & ur family with her Nine Swaroopa of Name, Fame, Health, Wealth, Happiness, Humanity, Education, Bhakti & Shakti. Happy Mahalaya!

6. May this festive season brightens your days and nights. May it add colour and make your life more bright. May it amply remove all worries from your life, and give you strength to face every strife. Happy Mahalaya!

7. May Ma Durga grant you the strength to kill the demons within, grant you the courage to push aside evil longings and greed, end all your miseries and illuminate your life and soul with true happiness. Subho Devi Paksha. Subho Mahalaya!

8. May this Durga puja be as bright as ever. May Ma bring in all the joy and happiness today and last for all your tomorrows. Subho Mahalaya!

9. May her blessings remove all obstacles from your path of life as she removes the darkness from the universe on this auspicious day. Happy Mahalaya!

10. Memories of moments celebrated together

Moments that have been attached to my heart forever

Make me Miss You, even more, this Festival

Hope this Mahalaya brings in Good Fortune

And Long lasting happiness for you!

11. Kasher Bone Laglo Dola,

Pujo Elo Oi.

Ak Bachharer Pratikha Sesh Holo Tai.

Sarod Suvechha !

Also Read: Mahalaya 2022: Date, significance and rituals - all you need to know

On this auspicious occasion, greet your loved ones with wishes and greetings to wish them good fortune and a Subho Mahalaya.
MONTGOMERY  The Medical Association of the State of Alabama awarded a $5,000 scholarship to Madison Hogans, a Dothan native and student at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, to help pay the cost of medical school.

The Underwood Minority Scholarship Award is named in honor of Dr. Jefferson Underwood III, a Montgomery physician who was the first African American man to serve as the Associations president. African American students who are already attending medical and osteopathic school or who have been accepted to school are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

Hogans was selected for her leadership, academic achievement, and desire to give back to her community.

We are honored to present this scholarship to Madison., said Dr. Julia Boothe, President of the Medical Association. African Americans are underrepresented in Alabamas medical schools and the states physician workforce. The Underwood Minority Scholarship aims to help diversify that workforce to meet the health care needs of all Alabamians.

Hogans graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Auburn University. A native of Dothan, she hopes to become a physician to serve her community.

My end goal is to make an impact on this world and make a valuable contribution to what the world needs, Madison said. This scholarship will give me the opportunity to accomplish this by allowing me to pursue the dream that makes me come alive.
Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2022: Hindus observe shradh, a 15-day period known as Pitru Paksha during the Bhadrapada month, which falls between August and September each year, in remembrance of their ancestors and to make offerings (often in the form of food). During the month, the time span is from Purnima to Amavasya considering whether the ancestors died during Krishna Paksha or Shukla Paksha, shradh or tarpan are done during this time. It is believed that during this period the departed ancestors visit their descendants.

Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2022: Rituals

- Shraadha rituals and tarpan are carried out for ancestors whose shradh could not be done on the scheduled tithi on Sarva Pitru Amavasya. On this day, some people even perform shradh for all of their ancestors at once.

- Considering that the Shraddh Paksha begins the day after Purnima, the day is also designated for the shradh of individuals who passed away on "Purnima," "Amavasya," or "Chaturdashi."

- People politely invite typically 11 Brahmins home and give them bhog (food and donations) while dressed in yellow.

- These rituals are usually performed by the senior male members of the family.

- The members who observe the Amavasya must wash all Brahmin's feet and seat them in a respected spot. Additionally, sesame seeds (Kala til) are scattered near where the Brahmins are seated.

- On Sarva Pitru Amavasya, people offer flowers, diyas, and dhoop as prayers to their ancestors. There is also a barley and water mixture which is offered.

- After concluding with puja rituals, Brahmins are served special meals called bhog.

- Mantras are continuously recited to evoke the blessings of the ancestors.

Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2022: Significance of rituals

- To obtain prosperity, welfare, and blessings, Sarva Pitru Amavasya rites are observed.

- To obtain prosperity, welfare, and blessings, Sarva Pitru Amavasya rites are observed.

- It is believed that if all of the shradh ceremonies are not carried out, ancestors will return from the site of their descendants unhappy.

- Lord Yama bestows his divine gifts on observers, and he also protects family members from all types of ills and hardships.

- As per astrology, Pitru Dosha, it is thought that the ancestor's previous transgressions or bad deeds are reflected in the horoscopes of their descendants. Family members endure suffering as a result throughout their lives. It is also possible to get rid of this dosha by following the shradh rites.

- According to legend, the rites free the ancestor's souls and promote their salvation.

- It is also believed that the doors of heaven are open during these 15 days and so anyone who dies during this period directly receives salvation.

Also Read: Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2022: Know date, muhurat, significance, puja vidhi and more

The purpose of doing shradh rituals at Pitru Paksha is to honour and balance the continuity that defines life.
Washington: American subscription-based streaming service Netflix has dismissed a copyright lawsuit that was filed by them against `The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical` creators.

According to Variety, it was not mentioned in the court filing whether the two parties reached a settlement. The creators of the musical are Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow. After Netflix sued them in July, they cancelled a performance of the musical at Royal Albert Hall in London, which was to take place this week.

In the lawsuit, Netflix alleged that Barlow and Bear had infringed on its copyrights by putting on a for-profit stage show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The service argued that their conduct "stretches `fan fiction` well past its breaking point.

"Bear and Barlow gained fame on social media when they started to release songs based on the TV series before eventually putting out a full album on Spotify. At first, Netflix praised the duo on its social media accounts and did not stand in the way until the Kennedy Center performance, which was held in July. According to the complaint, the performance included Broadway actors. Ticket prices ranged from USD 29 to USD 149, and there was also merchandise for sale that included `Bridgerton` trademarks, reported Variety.

Netflix vigorously objected and said the performance had crossed a line that the streaming service had previously tried to establish with Barlow and Bear and their representatives.

"Netflix supports fan-generated content, but Barlow and Bear have taken this many steps further, seeking to create multiple revenue streams for themselves without formal permission to utilize the `Bridgerton` IP," Netflix wrote in a statement, at the time.

As per Variety, they added, "We`ve tried hard to work with Barlow & Bear, and they have refused to cooperate. The creators, cast, writers and crew have poured their hearts and souls into `Bridgerton` and we`re taking action to protect their rights."

Barlow and Bear had not responded to the lawsuit in court. Though the response was due on Thursday, instead Netflix filed the dismissal on Friday "with prejudice," meaning the suit cannot be refiled, according to Variety.
Srinagar: BJP's Jammu Kashmir unit today officially announced Home minister Amit Shah's tour to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. BJPs Kashmir Affairs in charge, Sunil Sharma said that the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah will address mega rallies in Rajouri and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir on October 1-2. Shah will arrive in Jammu on the afternoon of September 30, next day on October 1, he will address a mega rally in Rajouri district. He will travel to Kashmir on the same day, where he will address a mega rally in Baramulla town on October 02 in which people from across the Valley will participate.

He will talk about several issues with the people of Kashmir in the rally and highlight various things regarding development in Jammu and Kashmir and what central government is doing on various fronts for the development of J&K, Sharma said.

Sharma added that there are many other developmental works which the home minister will inaugurate or will lay a foundation stone, including a cancer hospital which the wakf board has planned in the downtown area of Srinagar.

He also said that there is a chance that shah may announce some reservations for the Pahadi community or OBC. 'Around 23 communities are in Kashmir for whom we are fighting for reservation', he added.

Replying to a question, Sharma said that it is the prerogative of the Election Commission of India to make announcements about holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir, but that BJP is always ready for elections here.

BJP InCharge said that we welcome the new political parties on the ground, reacting to Azads coming into Jammu Kashmir politics he said more parties in the election mean democracy is getting strong otherwise Jammu Kashmir was taken ride by two parties only BJP welcome more people in the electoral process.

Sources in the BJP say that its the beginning of preparation for the coming election of Jammu Kashmir, they added that after Shah many more top BJP leaders will visit Jammu Kashmir and will have rallies and other programs to connect with the common masses and win their hearts as BJP this time want to be in a position that they can rule the UT.
Dehradun (Uttarakhand): Following the orders of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Vanatara Resort in Rishikesh owned by Pulkit Arya - son of a BJP leader who has been arrested in connection with the murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari - is being demolished. Dhami on Friday (September 23) gave strict instructions to District Magistrates to investigate all the resorts of the state. Along with this, the Chief Minister has also ordered to ensure that necessary action is taken against resorts that are operating illegally.

#WATCH | Uttarakhand: Demolition underway on orders of CM PS Dhami, at the Vanatara Resort in Rishikesh owned by Pulkit Arya who allegedly murdered Ankita Bhandari: Abhinav Kumar, Special Principal Secretary to the CM



(Earlier visuals) pic.twitter.com/8iklpWw0y6 September 24, 2022

Dhami said that the strictest punishment will be given for such crimes. "It is unfortunate. Police are working, they have done their work for making the arrests. Strictest punishment would be given for such heinous crimes, whoever be the criminal," he said. Three people including resort owner Pulkit Arya were arrested on Friday in connection with the alleged killing of Ankita Bhandari, who had gone missing about six days ago. Women gheraoed the Police vehicle that was carrying the accused in Ankita Bhandari murder case. The 19-year-old receptionist went missing a few days ago and her body was found on September 23. The young receptionist worked at the resort. Police said that accused confessed to having pushed her into a canal after a dispute and she drowned.

#WATCH | Rishikesh, Uttarakhand: Women gherao the Police vehicle that was carrying the accused in Ankita Bhandari murder case



The 19-yr-old receptionist went missing a few days ago & her body was found today. 3 accused, incl Pulkit -owner of the resort where she worked- arrested pic.twitter.com/v3IK8zE1xI  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 23, 2022

Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Kumar told ANI that the resort owner Pulkit Arya has been arrested along with two more accused in the case. Pulkit Arya is the son of former Uttarakhand Minister and BJP leader Vinod Arya. Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Kumar told ANI, "The girl went missing five-six days back. The area of the resort didn't come under a regular Police Station area. There is a Patwari Police system here and an FIR was registered under that on behalf of the resort owner."

He added, "The DM handed over the case to Laxman Jhula Police, who worked out the case within 24 hours. The resort owner turned out to be the accused. Three accused including the resort owner Pulkit have been arrested."

(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: The CBI on Saturday carried out searches at 56 locations in 19 states and a Union Territory in connection with two cases of circulation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) online as part of Operation 'Megha Chakra', officials said.

The searches were based on inputs from Interpol Singapore and intelligence obtained during last year's Operation Carbon, conducted against peddlers of CSAM on the Internet using cloud storage, they said.

The operation is targeted at cloud storage facilities used by the peddlers to circulate audio-visuals of illicit sexual activities with minors, thus earning the code 'Megha Chakra'.

The agency, being the first agency to set up a cyber crime unit, has hit CSAM peddlers across India, an official said.
New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday (Septmeber 23, 2022) attacked Congress and said that the party has scams at every step and it has no moral right to talk about corruption. The Karnataka CM made the statment while talking to reporters at the conclusion of a ten-day joint session of the State Legislature in Bengaluru.

"BJP had released a book on the Corruption of the Congress Party and being corrupt they are doing an abhiyan on corruption, he said.

Karnataka CM said that the ultimate truth will always triumph and the attitude of talking without any evidence will not last long.

A detailed reply has been given on the corruption charges levelled by the Contractors` Association. Congress think that saying one thing repeatedly will become truth but that time has gone. People know what`s true. That Association wrote a letter one year ago. A piece of evidence must be given along with a small complaint," Bommai said.

Karnataka CM also took names of the leaders, including former speaker of the State Legislative Assembly KR Ramesh Kumar, who have said that there were many scams and those leaders themselves have spoken about it.

"Two office-bearers had spoken about corruption in the party office and the same had been shown in news channels. But the Congress leaders haven`t replied failed. Ramesh Kumar had openly said they were at the mercy of the Congress through which they have made assets which were sufficient for the next three generations. The Congress leaders are talking about it and this has been discussed within their party. But they say BJP is not ready for a debate. We are ready for a debate," he said.

Bommai said they must bring out whatever information and evidences that they have during the debate and not hit and run.

"Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah must say who had given 40 per cent commission. We were ready to listen and for this reason, we sat in the House for the whole day. Seeing their behaviour today, gave a feeling that the Opposition parties should have taken up this subject much earlier but they took it in the end. It could have been taken up last week only. The Opposition leader has the power to raise any topic any day but there is no unanimity among them. They knew well that there was no stuff in it and no definite allegations," the Chief Minister said.

Additionally Bommai said the Contractors` Association was a Congress-sponsored Association and hence, they knew well that there was no stuff in it.

The government is open in this regard and ready to hold an inquiry if the complaint is filed. Kempanna has been President of the Contractors` Association but there are doubts about this association. On one hand, we have Contractors` Association President Kempanna who listens to his political bosses and has not given a slip of evidence. On the other hand, they have Justice Kempanna who headed a judicial commission when the Congress Party was in power," he said.

"Justice Kempanna has already given the report which needs to be discussed. We have great respect for him. But Contractors` Association President Kempanna had failed to give any evidence. The people will understand the difference between the two in the coming days. Minister N Muniratna has already filed a case and has asked him to provide documents within ten days. Despite notice served on him, no evidence has been given to support his allegations. A defamation suit has been filed. Let Kempanna hand over all documents to the court and then the government will decide the next course of action" Bommai added.

Bommai went on to add that Contractor Kempanna had given a letter suggesting several reforms and order has been issued in this regard.

"The government will order a probe if they give documents pertaining to a particular case. Since the head of Lokayukta belongs to the judiciary, all relevant documents may be submitted there so that inquiry will commence from Saturday," said Bommai.

(With agency inputs)
Kanpur: In a bizarre incident, the family of an Income Tax department employee who died last year kept his body at home here for almost 18 months assuming that he was in a coma. The man's wife, who appears to be mentally unstable, sprinkled 'gangajal' on his highly decomposed body every morning, hoping that it would help him come out of the coma, official on Friday said.

In a statement, the Kanpur police said Dixit's death certificate issued by a private hospital stated that he died due to sudden cardiac respiratory syndrome on April 22, 2021.

Vimlesh Dixit, who worked in the Income Tax department, died in April last year but his family was reluctant to perform his last rites because they believed he was in a coma, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Alok Ranjan said.

"I was informed by Kanpur's Income Tax officials, who requested that the matter be investigated as the family pension files hadn't moved an inch," he said.

ALSO READ- Internet goes crazy after man gives ad for his lost death certificate

When a team of health officials along with policemen and the magistrate reached Dixit's house in the Rawatpur area on Friday, his family members insisted that he was alive and in a coma, Ranjan said.

After much persuasion, the family members allowed the health team to take the body to Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) Hospital, where medical tests declared him dead, he said.

The CMO said a three-member team has been constituted to look into the matter thoroughly and asked to submit its findings at the earliest. Police said the body was found in a highly decomposed state.

ALSO WATCH- Internet goes crazy after elephant pushes car like a toy- Viral video

Dixit's family had also told their neighbours that he was in a coma. His wife appears to be mentally unstable, an official said on condition of anonymity. Neighbours told police that the family members were often seen taking oxygen cylinders home.






Assam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Isha Outreach today to conserve soil in the state, becoming the 10th Indian state to officially join the Global Movement to Save Soil. Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam, and Sadhguru, Founder-Save Soil Movement, exchanged MoUs on the first day of the Assam governments three-day Chintan Shivir at Kaziranga in Assam.

Speaking at the Shivir, Sadhguru suggested the state chart out a unique development plan contrary to the one followed by other states, by leveraging the great natural heritage of the state. Drawing attention to the tourism potential of the state, Sadhguru argued, The abundance of life around us(Assam) is the greatest investment. To find a place today in the world, slowly as years go by, you will see where people can just go and listen to natural sounds and live peacefully will become the biggest attraction in the world.

Noting the migration of the Northeastern population to the other parts of the country, Sadhguru called upon the gatherings to look beyond GDP and focus on making it a place where people would want to live. You have the natural elements in place. If you do a few right things in terms of education, tourism, whatever other small industry, software industry, other things which dont take a toll on nature, if you create that kind of stuff, within four years you can create a state where everybody wants to live.

A whole lot of people are arguing economy versus ecology. There is no such thing. Ecology is the foundation for our economy. Ecology is the foundation of the very life we are, added Sadhguru speaking about the urgent need to save soil- the very source from which we get 95% of our food.

Sadhguru also handed the Save Soil Policy Handbook to the Chief Minister which offers practical, scientific solutions that governments can put into action based on the soil type, latitudinal positions, and agricultural traditions of a given nation.

The Chintan Shivir saw participation from its Ministers, MLAs, and senior officials. Shri Paban Kumar Barthakur, Chief Secretary of Assam along with other bureaucrats of the state were also present at the event.

Welcoming Sadhguru at the Chintan Shivir, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, Happy to welcome Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev ji to the inauguration of 3-day Chintan Shivir at Kaziranga. I hope @SadhguruJV's wisdom will help us set the right tone for Chintan Shivir & deliver its desired benefits in charting out a roadmap for holistic development of Assam by 2026.

Happy to welcome Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev ji to the inauguration of 3-day Chintan Shivir at Kaziranga.



I hope @SadhguruJV's wisdom will help us set the right tone for Chintan Shivir & deliver its desired benefits in charting out a roadmap for holistic development of Assam by 2026. pic.twitter.com/W0cLbLtB9X  Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 24, 2022

The Chief Minister expressed his happiness on signing the MoU and observed, The MoU will be a policy document for our Govt to promote sustainable use of soil and prevent its degradation.

Had the privilege of signing an MoU with Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev ji on the 'Save Soil' movement spearheaded by his @ishafoundation.



The MoU will be a policy document for our Govt to promote sustainable use of soil and prevent its degradation.@SadhguruJV pic.twitter.com/itHy86lfpM September 24, 2022

Sadhguru responding on Twitter called it his honour to meet the Assam Team. He tweeted, Namaskaram Shri. @himantabiswa ji. An honor & a privilege to meet Team #Assam. May this beautiful state become a symbol of social, economic & ecological Abundance and wellbeing under your dynamic & capable leadership. My Best Wishes & Blessings for Vision 2026. -Sg

Namaskaram Shri. @himantabiswa ji. An honor & a privilege to meet Team #Assam. May this beautiful state become a symbol of social, economic & ecological Abundance and wellbeing under your dynamic & capable leadership. My Best Wishes & Blessings for Vision 2026. -Sg https://t.co/jwFYvqfh3F  Sadhguru (@SadhguruJV) September 24, 2022

Globally, 82 countries have pledged to Save Soil from extinction and Assam today joined 9 other Indian states who have signed MoUs to save soil in their states. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) predicts crop yields could fall by up to 50% in certain regions by 2050 due to climate change and soil extinction. Understanding the existential threat faced due to the dying soil, Sadhguru, in March, undertook a 100-day, 30,000 km solo bike journey across 27 nations in Europe, Central Asia, Middle East before culminating in India.

The global movement to Save Soil was launched by Sadhguru in March this year to bring the worlds attention to save the dying soil. The movement is urging nations to mandate 3-6% organic content in agricultural soils around the world through policy-driven initiatives. This is the minimum organic content required to keep the soil fertile and capable of yield and prevent it from turning it into sand.

Conscious Planet: Save Soil, is a global movement to inspire a conscious approach to saving our soil and planet. This is, first and foremost, a peoples movement. The movement demonstrated the support of over 3.9 billion people (more than 60% of the worlds voting population) around the world and is empowering governments to initiate policy-driven action to revitalize soil and halt further degradation. World leaders, influencers, artists, experts, farmers, spiritual leaders, NGOs and citizens are vocally supporting the movement to re-establish Humanitys relationship with Soil.
New Delhi: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad recovered a booklet titled 'Plan 2047' from a Popular Front of India activist in Mumbai. This raid was part of the nationwide crackdown on PFI and its 'anti-national' activities. In National Investigation Agency's (NIA) mega operation against the PFI, it was revealed that office bearers, members, and cadres of PFI were involved in radicalizing and recruiting Muslim youth. These youth were being pushed to join terrorist organizations such as ISIS.

The NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) had raided the homes and offices of top PFI leaders and members in connection with five cases registered by the NIA following continued inputs and evidence that the organisation members were involved in terror funding, organising training camps and radicalising people as per IANS.

Also Read: PFI Hartal: Over 500 arrested, 400 detained for stone pelting, bomb hurling and attack against cops in Kerala

More than 100 PFI members were arrested and around 200 were detained under this mission titled 'Operation Octopus'.

The ED and NIA has found that the PFI members were involved in anti-national activities.

The NIA has claimed that the accused were organising camps for imparting training to commit violent and terrorist acts with the objective of promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Thursday arrested 20 activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in the state as part of a nation-wide multi-agency operation. As per ATS sources, they found a booklet with a plan titled 'Plan 2047' at PFI activist Mazhar Khan's home in Kurla. This booklet was related to PFI's plan to implement Sharia law in India in the next 25 years when India completes 100 years of Independence.

The plan aimed to make India an Islamic nation and the book has several volumes. One of the volumes was recovered by the ATS from Mazhar Masur Khan's house in Mumbai.

According to ATS sources, Mazhar Khan suffered a paralysis stroke a few years ago. After which PFI began giving him Rs 10,000 every month as a fund so that he continues his operations for the PFI.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday hit out at Home Minister Amit Shah over his attack on Bihar's ruling alliance and stressed on the need for Opposition unity, a day before he meets Congress leader Sonia Gandhi along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"Amit Shah has totally gone crazy. His government has been removed there (Bihar). It (BJP) will face a rout in 2024 as well. That is why he is going there running and speaking of jungle raaj and all those things. What did he do when he was in Gujarat," Yadav told reporters. "Jungle Raaj was in Gujarat when he was there," the former Bihar chief minister alleged.

"Amit Shah bilkul paglaye hue hain," he said, speaking in Hindi. Asked about the home minister's claim that the BJP will form the government at the Centre in 2024 again and then in Bihar the next year, he said, "We will see that."

Also Read: Bihar will be centre of BJP Mukt Bharat: JDU Prez Lallan Singh responds to Amit Shahs comment on Nitish Kumar

With the BJP saying that Kumar will dump the RJD later in his pursuit of power, Yadav asserted they are together now. Kumar and Yadav are likely to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday evening. "We are making every effort for Opposition unity," Yadav, who has been battling poor health, said, adding this will the agenda of their meeting.

Shah on Friday flayed former ally Nitish Kumar, accusing the Bihar chief minister of backstabbing the BJP and trying to fulfil his prime ministerial ambitions while "sitting in the laps of Congress and RJD". At a rally held in Purnea, Shah asserted the Jodi of Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad will be wiped out ( soopda saaf') in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and, a year later, the BJP will win a majority on its own in the state assembly elections. Bihar does not want the grand alliance's "jungle raaj", he had said.
New Delhi: After 23-year-old Lovely Professional University (LPU) student Agin S Dileep from Kerala named director of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut Prof. Prasad Krishna in his suicide note, the latter was booked by Phagwara police for abetment to suicide on Wednesday. This came after the deceased students father registered a complaint, said Additional DGP (Law and Order), Arpit Shukla, to the media.

LPU student Agin S Dileep accused NIT Calicut director of 'emotional manipulation' in suicide note

Agin S Dileep who was studying B. Design at LPU in Mohali, Punjab was found dead on Tuesday around 5:30 pm in his hostel room. He had left a suicide note which was recovered in the initial probe. He was earlier studying B. Tech Computer Science at NIT Calicut from 2018 to 2022.

Agin, in his suicide note, accused the director of NIT Calicut of emotional manipulation, forcing him to quit the B. Tech Computer Science course, and named him as one of the reasons behind the extreme step as per reports. The note also said he was mentally disturbed over the alleged problems faced at the NIT, during his days at the institute. Protests broke out at NIT Calicut on Wednesday continuing till the next day as angry students demanded the NIT director step down from his position until the police investigation is complete.

Protests erupt at NIT Calicut, students demand director step down

A student from NIT studying B. Tech Mechanical Engineering and a friend of Agin, on the condition of anonymity, told Zee News that there were several rounds of negotiations between the protesting students and the university administration during which the students demanded the professor take a break from his duties for a fair investigation. The protests at the institute went on for 12 hours while the negotiations were going on.

(Image credit: sources at NIT Calicut)

When Zee News spoke to the students, they alleged the administration threatened to dissolve the student body when they went for negotiation. Another open threat was that the administration would close down the college indefinitely if the protest was to continue, as per the protesting students.

Agin's friend revealed to Zee News that the deceased student had met the director with a plan to complete the course including his backlogs in the remaining two years. However, it was reportedly not accepted by the university. The maximum duration given for completing the four-year B. Tech course is 6 years as per university rules.

NIT Calicut director Prof. Prasad Krishna mourns Agin's demise, issues statement

In a statement shared on NIT Calicuts official website, Prof. Prasad Krishna condoled the death of the institutes former student.

(Screenshot of the official statement shared on NIT Calicut's official website)

In addition, he wrote, Mr. Agin met me in my office to discuss the issue. At that time, two more faculty members were also present there. I have briefed him about the B.Tech regulations by which he has already utilized the maximum possible number of chances for clearing the first year and second year courses. At that time, Agin told me that he was actually interested in doing a different education programme on Design and not interested to pursue Computer Science and Engineering Programme. I have earnestly advised him to pursue his passion, if he wishes so. The conversation was extremely cordial as witnessed by our other two faculty colleagues.

'Told Agin's father to facilitate him to pursue his real passion': Prof. Prasad Krishna

Speaking about the second meeting with Agins father present, Krishna said, Later, on another occasion, Agin met his Faculty Adviser (FA), along with his father. The FA also apprised them of the Institute Regulations, and his ineligibility to continue the programme as per the senate rules. Agins father got convinced about it and informed his plan to get his son admitted to another programme of his choice. Agin and his father also met me in my office. I have reiterated the Institute Regulations to them and his ineligibility to continue the current programme. I told Agins father to facilitate him to pursue his real passion.

As per sources at NIT, the Student Affairs Council had reportedly emailed a short explanation of Agins academic history to students after the news of his untimely demise. Zee News was not able to verify the authenticity of the document as it had no official stamp or university letterhead.

Reportedly, an official notice from the NIT Calicut directors office dated Sept. 22 read that from Sept. 23, the director would be away from the institute, and Dr. Sathidevi, deputy director, will be the Director-In-Charge of the institute. Zee News received a copy of the same but could not verify its authenticity.

Agin's father claims his son was not allowed to clear exams

Agins father had told PTI on Thursday that he had spoken to his son at 1:30 pm on Tuesday and he sounded normal. But then he was met with the terrible news of his demise around 6 pm.

"My son was not allowed to clear four exams by the professor at NIT Calicut. I couldn't make out on the phone that the matter was so serious, he alleged. Additional DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said that an SP-level panel will investigate the matter fairly and thoroughly.

Phagwara SP Mukhtiar Rai will conduct the probe under the supervision DIG Jalandhar Range B. Bhupati and SSP Kapurthala Navneet Singh Bains, he said.
Srinagar: PDP President Mehbooba Mufti has again supported dialogue between India and Pakistan and she said that the time had come to resolve Kashmirs long pending issue. She was reacting to the statement of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's Kashmir statement at the UN, where he racked up the Human rights situation in Kashmir and sought good relations and dialogue between the two neighbouring countries India-Pakistan.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said, "Jammu and Kashmir is a complex issue and you know the condition here. It has been converted into a jail. Our youth are put up in jails across India. It is important to solve the issue of Kashmir.

There are killings every day, there are encounters. If the Pak PM has said that they want to solve the Kashmir issue, he has also spoken about improving the relations between India and Pakistan which is a welcome step, she added.

Stressing on the sinking economy of India, Mufti said, the money that both the countries spend on defence can be used for development. We are behind Bangladesh's GDP.

The time has come for the Indian government to start the dialogue process with Pakistan, Mehbooba told reporters at the graveyard of his father Mufti Muhammad Syed at Bujbhara Anantnag.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raked up the Kashmir issue at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday. Addressing the session, Sharif said, We look for peace with all our neighbours, including India. Sustainable peace and stability in South Asia however remain contingent upon a just and lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

He again raised the issue of the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 A by the Narendra Modi government on August 5, 2019, and sought dialogue with India for better relations between the two countries.
New Delhi: Former Congress leader and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal has alleged that people have been living in fear of investigating agencies, the State, and the police.

Talking about the "use of religion as a weapon", the Rajya Sabha MP on Friday said that even though it was happening all over the world, "India is an excessive example of the use of religion."

"It's happening all over the world. It was complete intolerance what happened in Leicester yesterday. We all know what happened there. So it's being exported now.

"The real problem is, in India today those who are part of the hate speech are the collaborators of a particular ideology, the police are not willing to do anything," Sibal said.

The former Cabinet minister was speaking at the launch of his book, "Reflections: In Rhyme and Rhythm", published by Rupa Publications.

He added that those who give hate speeches are not prosecuted and hence, are "emboldened to give another speech of the nature."

"Whole populations are afraid and they get mentally ghettoised. What do they do? So they are afraid. We are living in constant fear. We fear the ED, we fear the CBI, we fear the State, we fear the policemen, we fear everybody. We don't have any trust in anybody anymore," the politician-turned-poet said.

The 74-year-old senior advocate also criticised the judiciary, alleging that the poor man cannot come to the court as he has "no money to pay the lawyers."

"It is the fight between two corporate world in the court every day. Amazon vs Reliance, this vs that. And the poor man, he cannot come to the court. He doesn't have the money to pay for lawyers. A guy from Kerala, from the Northeast, West Bengal, in the south, how is he going to come to the Supreme Court. He just doesn't have the means," he rued.

He added that people's confidence in the justice system is waning.

"Then there is the issue of fairness. What is fair? Fair is when you have great confidence that you will get justice. Lot of us believe that that confidence is waning and the general public, people of India think.

"People who interact with me on a daily basis, will we get justice? I cannot assure them... There is no way to help. Because the system doesn't help them," Sibal said.

The book launch was also attended by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and Jammu & Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said his government has been consistently requesting the Centre to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) for allegedly "creating an eco-system for terror activities". The state police have so far arrested "11 PFI activists" as a part of the nationwide crackdown on the radical Islamic outfit, he said. "The Assam government is consistently asking the Centre to ban the PFI. We are convinced that the organisation needs to be banned, Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme here. The state government, however, has given its inputs on the outfit to the Centre, he said.

In a massive crackdown on the PFI, multi-agency teams spearheaded by the NIA arrested 106 leaders and activists of the radical Islamic outfit on Thursday in near-simultaneous raids in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. Sarma said the police are investigating whether there are links among the outfit and the radicalisation modules in some madrasas busted by the law enforcement agencies since March this year.

We have intelligence inputs that the PFI has created an ecosystem that encourages some people to join the radicalisation modules sponsored by the ISIS and Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Sarma said. The state police arrested the PFI activists as there were intelligence inputs, and specific cases were registered against them, he said.

Also Read: 'Bulldozers on madrassas will continue, UNTILL...', Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma makes EXPLOSIVE remark

After these arrests, some people staged protests and blocked roads at Nagarbera in Kamrup (Rural) district. "We are trying to find out people who instigated the protests and will take action against them, Sarma said.

PFI's West Bengal state chief Minarul Sheikh was among the 11 arrested people and he was apprehended in New Delhi.Of the arrested PFI activists, four are from Nagarbera in Kamrup (Rural) district, two from Guwahati, and one each from Karimganj, Barpeta, Baksa and Nagaon.
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Popular Front of India (PFI), its office bearers, members and affiliates in Kerala encouraged vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Daesh and Al-Qaida and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing a terrorist act, reveals NIA remand copy submitted before a special court in Kerala. The Central agency also accused the PFI's members and cadres operating from Kerala to conspire to indulge in "unlawful activities by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with the intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India".The revelations came in an application for judicial remand of the accused Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, national in charge of PFI`s Education Wing, and others. The case is being investigated by the NIA's Kochi branch.

"The brief facts of the case is that the PFI, its office bearers, members and affiliates in Kerala have conspired to indulge in Unlawful Activities, by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with an intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India, propagating alternative justice delivery system justifying the use of criminal force causing alarm and fear amongst the general public, encourages vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisation including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daesh and Al-Qaida and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing a terrorist act as a part of violent jihad," reads the remand copy. As per NIA, the PFI also spreads "dis-affection against India by wrongful interpretation of government policies to the particular section of people to create hatred against the state and its machineries".

UP ATS arrests 6 members, recovers objectionable literature

Meanwhile, stepping up the crackdown on the Popular Front of India, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad arrested six members of the organisation from two different towns and recovered "objectionable literature" among other materials from them, said the ATS on Saturday. Four members of PFI were arrested from Meerut on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday while two others were nabbed in Varanasi during the same period last night. The arrested accused in Meerut were identified as Mohammad Shadab Aziz Qasmi hailing from Shamli, Maulana Sajid (Shamli), Mufti Shahzad (Ghaziabad), Mohammad Islam Qasmi (Muzaffarnagar).

A case under Section- 120B, 121A, 153A, 295A, 109, 505(2) IMD and Section 13(1) (B) Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been registered at the Police Station Kharkhoda in Meerut. Accused named Rizwan Ahmed and Mohammad Shahid were arrested from an overbridge under construction at Kazzakpura railway crossing in Varanasi. A case under sections 121A, 153A, 295A, 109,120B IPC and 13(AB) UAP Act has been registered in Thana Adampur, Varanasi.

Meanwhile, the largest-ever crackdown that was conducted against the PFI members spread across 15 states was code-named "Operation Octopus", sources said on Saturday. The joint teams of the National Investigative Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested over 106 PFI members in multiple raids spread across several states on September 22. The states where the raids were conducted included Andhra Pradesh (4 places), Telangana (1), Delhi (19), Kerala (11), Karnataka (8), Tamil Nadu (3), Uttar Pradesh (1), Rajasthan (2), Hyderabad (5), Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar and Manipur.

The searches were conducted in connection with five cases registered by the NIA following "continued inputs and evidence" that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisations. A large number of criminal cases have been registered in different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent acts. Criminal violent acts "carried out" by PFI include chopping off the hand of a college professor, cold-blooded killings of persons associated with organisations espousing other faiths, collection of explosives to target prominent people and places, support to Islamic State and destruction of public property. They have had a demonstrative effect of striking terror in the minds of the citizens.
On his Enlightenment Day on Friday, Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru spent the day with participants of Kashi Krama, a sacred walk organised by the organisation to make people experience Kashi. People came from all corners of the world to imbibe the spiritual discourse which was followed by a powerful meditation practice guided by Sadhguru. The Satsang was also streamed LIVE on Sadhgurus YouTube channel.

Earlier in the day, Sadhguru visited Kashi Vishwanath temple and offered his support to the temple team in the beautification of corridor walls to improve the aesthetics of the space. When Sadhguru visited Kashi in 2012, he saw the city as fabulous and filthy. Commending the changes that have been brought about in the city since Prime Minister Narendra Modi became MP from Varanasi, he remarked, What has happened in the last eight years is miraculous.

During his discourse, Sadhguru delved into bringing a balance between the feminine and masculine aspects of ones life and answered some burning questions of the people gathered there.

Continuing the momentum of the global Save Soil Movement, Sadhguru will be visiting Assam where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed with the Assam government to bring up the organic content of the soil to 3-6 per cent. Assam will become the 10th Indian state to come on board with Save Soil.
New Delhi: Garena Free Fire releases redeem codes on an 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, and Twitter IDs to access the Free Fire redemption page. (Also read: WhatsApp entering film-making biz, movie to premiere on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube)

Check out the Garena Free Fire Redeem Codes for September 24, 2022

ZRJAPH294KV5

Y6ACLK7KUD1N

SARG886AV5GR

FF10GCGXRNHY

YXY3EGTLHGJX

WLSGJXS5KFYR

FF119MB3PFA5

FF10617KGUF9

X99TK56XDJ4X

FF11HHGCGK3B

B6IYCTNH4PV3

FF11DAKX4WHV

8F3QZKNTLWBZ

FF11WFMPP956

FF1164XNJZ2V

FF11NJN5YS3E

WOJJAFV3TU5E

MCPTFNXZF4TA

How to Redeem Garena Free Fire codes for today, September 24, 2022

Step 1: Go to the official Garena Free Fire redemption portal



Step 2: Log in on the portal with either your Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Google, VK, or Huawei ID.



Step 3: Enter a redeem code in the designated text box.



Step 4: Click on the Ok button to get free rewards in your game account.

(Disclaimer: Garena Free fire is banned in India. Hence we advise people to adhere to government rules)
New York: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday highlighted the devastation caused by the floods in his country due to the impact of the climate catastrophe and urged the global leaders to act before it`s too late.

"What happened in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan," he said in a passionate address to the United Nations General Assembly, adding that life of 33 million people had "changed forever."

"For 40 days and 40 nights, biblical flood poured on us. Even today, huge swathes of the country are still underwater. 33 million people including women and children are at high risk of health hazards. More than 1,500 of my people have gone from the world including 400 children. Far more are in peril," Sharif said while addressing the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, as per Dawn newspaper.

Pakistan`s PM said that the purpose of his speech was to explain the impact of the climate catastrophe that has put one-third of Pakistan in such a situation that "no one had seen in living memory".

"It is time to ask why... time to ask what must be done. Our forests are burning. More heatwaves are coming. We had a monster monsoon. It was the monsoon on steroids as was described by the UN secretary-general. Pakistan emits less than 1 per cent of greenhouse gases."

Talking about the concerns, PM Sharif said that he is really worried that after the cameras will shift to "conflicts like the Ukraine", Pakistan will be left alone, Dawn reported.

He stated that the future was "dimmed by new fragility, lost homes, decimated livelihoods, deluged croplands, permanent food insecurity and exposure to uncertain futures".

"Some 11 million people will be pushed further below the poverty line, while others will drift to cramped urban shelters, leaving little room for climate-smart rebuilding.""Nature has unleashed her fury on Pakistan without looking at our carbon footprint, which is next to nothing. Our actions did not contribute to this," he reiterated.

Pakistan`s PM said that the leaders of the world have to come together to "act now."

He said Pakistan`s urgent priority right now was to ensure rapid economic growth and lift millions out of destitution and hunger. To enable any such policy momentum, he said, Pakistan needed a stable external environment, reported Dawn.

The unprecedented floods in Pakistan are estimated to have caused losses worth USD 18 billion and aggravated macroeconomic fundamentals despite a resumption of the IMF deal.

Close to eight million people have been displaced by the disaster and the UN along with the authorities and partners have continued to race to reach affected populations with desperately needed relief items.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, noted that 7.6 million people in Pakistan have been displaced by the floods, with nearly 600,000 living in relief sites.
Washington: Foreign Ministers of the Quad countries -- India, Australia, Japan and the US -- met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings in New York on Friday and said they hoped to make it an annual affair, taking another major step towards further institutionalising the platform focused on keeping the Indo-Pacific free and open from Chinese influence.

The four countries also signed Quad Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Partnership for the Indo-Pacific, which was discussed and agreed upon at the Tokyo summit of the Quad.

The Quad -- which started out in 2004 as the Australia-India-Japan-US Tsunami Core Group and later turned into the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue -- has witnessed intense engagement in recent years after it was resurrected in 2017 by the Trump administration from its 2008 collapse.

US President Joe Biden took it to the summit level with a virtual meeting in 2021, which was quickly followed by one in person. Their four summit -- and second in person -- took place in May this year in Tokyo.

Though the leaders have had two in-person summits in the two years since their first in 2021, there has been no decision for them to meet every year. But Quad Foreign Ministers will meet every year now, as they announced at their meeting on Friday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

"This is the first time that the Foreign Ministers from the Quad countries have gotten together at the United Nations General Assembly, so my hope is that this will become a regular feature of these meetings," said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who called the meeting and hosted it, in public remarks ahead of the signing of the agreement and their meeting.

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar agreed.

"I think it`s a great idea that we meet regularly on the sidelines of the UNGA but in our respective countries as well," he said.

The Minister then emphasised the importance of the Friday meeting, saying it has come at a time the world is passing through "a very difficult period" and mentioned the "global repercussions" of the Ukraine conflict and "climate events and emergencies".

"So given the turbulent times, I think it`s particularly important that we go further in the constructive agenda that we have set for ourselves, that we work together on the delivery of public goods, that our efforts and particularly what we are signing today, the HDR (humanitarian and disaster relief) Partnership, which we discussed and finalised in Tokyo is I think, extremely timely," he concluded.

Blinken, who called and hosted the meet, said, "We`re looking forward to continuing to explore the many ways that the Quad enables us to deepen our cooperation. Our leaders have set out a very significant agenda for us when they met. We are following through on a lot of that work. So are our colleagues today is one more manifestation of that."

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, "We do know our region is being reshaped, economically and strategically. And we are here because we want to work with the countries represented before you to better navigate this period of change together. So this is the heart of the Quad to create the region we all aspire to and it`s a great honour and privilege to be here with my counterparts today."

Finally, Japan`s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said, "Today the world is witnessing direct attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force. The free and open international order based on the rule of law is under threat."

He did not name China, but the reference barely concealed who he had meant.

"So it`s extremely significant for us to demonstrate together to the international community, our firm commitment to the principles of the UN charter and free and open Indo-Pacific order," he added.

In a joint statement, the four countries welcomed progress in delivering on Quad commitments. In particular, they noted the signing of the disaster relief agreement and they look forward to the "counter-terrorism tabletop exercise" being hosted by Australia later in 2022. They also announced a statement on ransomware, calling on states to take reasonable steps to address ransomware operations emanating from their territory.

"We reiterated the Quad`s commitment to supporting regional partners` efforts to improve their maritime security and domain awareness," they said further, and added, "We support the ongoing efforts, in close consultation with regional partners, to take forward the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness."
Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
New Delhi: Indian diplomat Mijito Vinito has slammed Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after his address at the United Nations General Assembly raking Kashmir and making anti-India remarks. In his right to reply, Mijito Vinito, First Secretary, Indian Mission to United Nations said, "It is regrettable that the Prime Minister of Pakistan has chosen the platform of this august assembly to make false accusations against India", adding, "He has done so to obfuscate misdeeds in his own country and to justify actions against India that the world considers unacceptable."

Also Read: 'Rohingyas in Bangladesh caused serious ramifications on economy': PM Hasina at UNGA

Pakistan PM Shehbaz had addressed the general assembly and mentioned Kashmir more than 10 times and India more than 9 times in his address. Pakistani PMs in the past have used the famous green podium during the annual general assembly to rake up Kashmir, something that hasn't come as a surprise this time as well.

Indian Diplomat Mijito raising the issue of Pakistan's support to terror said,"a polity that claims it seeks peace with its neighbours would never sponsor cross-border terrorism". He pointed how Islamabad continues to "shelter planners of the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, disclosing their existence only under pressure from the international community". Terror remains a key concern for New Delhi when it comes to Pakistan and a policy has stated that no talks will happen unless Islamabad takes action against terrorism.

The First Secretary also highlighted the situation of minorities in the country, saying, "When young women in the thousands from the minority community are abducted as an SOP, what can we conclude about the underlying mindset?". Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, and Ahmadiyya continue to face prosecution and discrimination in the country, which has been well documented.

It's regrettable that Pak PM chose platform of this assembly to make false accusations against India. He's done so to obfuscate misdeeds in his own country&justify actions against India: Mijito Vinito, First Secy, India Mission to UN exercises India's right of reply at #UNGA pic.twitter.com/ivfrI8kfwi  ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2022

The Indian diplomat concluded by saying that the "desire for peace, security, and progress in the Indian subcontinent is real" but "that will surely happen when cross border terrorism ceases, when governments come clean with the international community and their own people, when minorities are not persecuted and, not least, when we recognize these realities before this Assembly."

In 2020, Mijito had walked out of UNGA hall after then Pak PM Imran khan started making anti-India remarks.
United Nations: China underscored its commitment Saturday to its claim to Taiwan, telling world leaders that anyone who gets in the way of its determination to reunify with the self-governing island would be crushed by the wheels of history.

Only when China is fully reunified can there be true peace across the Taiwan Strait, Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said at the U.N. General Assembly. He said Beijing would take the most forceful steps to oppose external interference.

China vehemently defends its claim on Taiwan, which separated from the mainland after a 1949 civil war and now functions with its own government. A recent visit by the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, markedly ratcheted up tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Also Read: China cancels over 9,000 flights across country for unknown reason: Report

The language, while forceful, was not out of the realm of the normal for China. Taiwan is a core issue of the country's policy, and Wang's appearance - instead of his boss, Chinese leader Xi Jinping - was a signal that the speech was not a major one.
A crown of silver filigree and gold flowers perches perfectly on Shelby Bennys cowboy hat. Sun rays over a field adorn the center, situated between a banner that reads Miss Sunbelt Rodeo and the word Queen.

As the newly-crowned Miss Sunbelt Rodeo, Benny spends her weekends at local rodeo events. She presents the American flag on horseback during the National Anthem. Sometimes shell remain on horseback and help move cows out of the arena during rodeo events. If shes not in a saddle, shes in the stands, taking photos with kids who love rodeo queens.

Basically, my job is to be at the rodeo and help promote the sport of rodeo and, really, the western way of life, the 25-year-old said.

As a practicing attorney in Florida, you might think Benny has enough on her plate. But for the Wiregrass native who grew up around horses, being Miss Sunbelt Rodeo is fun.

My mom taught me how to ride, so Ive been riding really ever since I could walk, Benny said. Ive always been involved with horses in one way or another, and after finishing law school it just seemed like something that would be a whole lot of fun to try and do. I think a lot of folks think I maybe have lost my mind, but its a lot of fun.

Benny is the daughter of Dothan Police Chief Will Benny and Deborah Presley. She grew up in Rehobeth and graduated from Houston Academy in 2015.

We were part of the rodeo circuit that they have down in Marianna, Shelby Benny said. We were on a drill team, which is essentially a team of horses that does performances at rodeos. I did that for years.

The Miss Sunbelt Rodeo pageant was held the weekend of Aug. 20 in Moultrie, Georgia. Next months Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie will be one of the queens biggest events until January when Benny competes for Miss Rodeo USA in Oklahoma.

Becoming a rodeo queen is not like other pageants. Theres an interview, a written test, an onstage speech followed by impromptu questions. But the most important part of competing to be a rodeo queen is the horsemanship component. And the horse a contestant rides is not one of their own. Its a horse theyve never been on before, and theres no warm up. They go in and ride in a specified pattern.

Theyre looking for horsemanship skills, rodeo knowledge, equine knowledge, overall professionalism, interview skills, Benny said. It is pretty comprehensive.

Before the Miss Sunbelt Rodeo pageant, the closest Benny had gotten to a traditional pageant was the time in 2015 when she reigned as Miss Henry County Poultry.

While shes found a past law student who competed for Miss Rodeo USA, Benny said based on her research she may very well be the first practicing attorney to compete.

Miss Rodeo USA takes place over an entire week. Benny will do an interview each morning. There will be a horsemanship competition as well as a written test, speech, modeling, and two different fashion components.

Benny became licensed to practice law in Florida a year ago. Shes a criminal defense and trial attorney for the Public Defenders Office of Floridas Eighth Circuit. Benny works in rural Levy County, located between Gainesville and Ocala. She did her undergraduate studies in Virginia and attended law school at the University of Florida in Gainesville. She loved the area so much, so stayed.

Shes excited about the Miss Rodeo USA pageant. Working as an attorney, Benny said, actually helped when it came to competing for Miss Sunbelt Rodeo. In court, she has to be prepared and ready to speak before a judge and jury.

Im a little weird in that I love to interview and I love to speak, Benny said. Once you have done jury trials, a rodeo queen speech comes easy.
More than 150 years ago, a prison complex known as the Lone Rock stockade operated at one of the biggest coal mines in Tennessee.

It was powered largely by African American men who had been arrested for minor offenses  like stealing a hog  if they committed any crime at all. Women and children, some as young as 12, were sent there as well.

The work, dangerous and sometimes deadly, was their punishment.

The state was leasing these prisoners out to private companies for a fee, in a practice known all across the South as convict leasing. In states like Texas, Florida, Georgia and Alabama , prisoners were also used to help build railroads, cut timber, make bricks, pick cotton and grow sugar on plantations.

In a joint investigation, reporters from the Associated Press and Reveal at the Center for Investigative Reporting spent months unearthing this history. They focused on Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad, which ran the stockade and coal mine, and the company that later bought it, U.S. Steel.

The team found someone living today whose ancestor was imprisoned in the Lone Rock stockade nearly 140 years ago. They also interviewed the descendent of a man who got rich from his role in pioneering Tennessees convict leasing system.

The reporters also heard from U.S. Steel. For the first time, it said it was willing to discuss its past with members of the affected community.

Listen to the podcast here:

WHAT IS CONVICT LEASING?

Convict leasing was essentially a new form of slavery that started after the Civil War and went on for decades across the South. States  and companies  got rich by arresting mostly Black men and then forcing them to work for major companies.

The 13th Amendment, passed after the Civil War, banned slavery and involuntary servitude. But it made an exception for people convicted of a crime, offering legal cover for convict leasing.

Tennessee and many other states adopted similar language in their constitutions that still exists today.

WHAT WAS THE THE LONE ROCK STOCKADE?

The Lone Rock stockage operated in Tracy City, Tennessee for more than 25 years. The prisoners lived in cramped, unsanitary conditions. Built to hold 200 people at a time, the prison sometimes held 600.

The men risked their lives every day above ground too, manning fiery, dome-shaped coke ovens used in the iron-making process.

They were helping Tennessee, Coal, Iron and Railroad get rich. The company was an economic powerhouse, later bought by the worlds biggest company at the time: U.S. Steel Corporation.

HOW DID THE PRISON POPULATION CHANGE AFTER EMANCIPATION?

The racial makeup of prison populations changed almost overnight after the Civil War. In Tennessee, during slavery less than 5 percent of the prisoners were Black. In 1866, after emancipation, that number jumped to 52 percent. And by 1891 it had skyrocketed to 75 percent.

WHAT ARE BLACK CODES?

Black codes are laws passed by states that targeted African Americans for minor crimes such as vagrancy, jumping a ride on a train car or not having proof of employment.

In Tennessee, people were sentenced up to five years of hard labor in the coal mine for having interracial relationships.

WHAT DOES U.S. STEEL SAY NOW ABOUT THEIR USE OF CONVICT LEASING?

The United States Steel Corporation, also known as U.S. Steel, was founded by American business giants, which included J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie. It has operations in the U.S. and Central Europe, and remains a leading steel producer.

The company used convict labor for at least five years in Alabama in the early 1900s, but has never spoken openly about this dark chapter of its history. It has misrepresented its use of prison labor and has not acknowledged the men who died in its mines.

After being contacted by the AP and Reveal reporters, the company agreed for the first time to sit down and talk with members of the affected community. U.S. Steel also confirmed it owns a cemetery located at the site of its former coal mine: U. S. Steel does not condone the practices of a century ago, it said in a statement. Given the amount of time that has lapsed, we, unfortunately, do not have comprehensive records relative to this situation."

We would be pleased to consider a memorial plaque should members of the affected community express an interest. We would also be happy to meet with them and discuss these topics.

This story was supported by Columbia Universitys Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights in conjunction with Arnold Ventures.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs a conference on the development of a science and technology market in Vietnam, Sept. 23, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Nhat Bac

Vietnam will enact policies to encourage the import of core technologies through research institutes and universities to speed up technological renovation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has said.

Speaking at a conference Friday on the development of a scientific and technological market, he said the purpose of importing core technologies is to "decode, absorb and master [them] to speed up businesses technological renovation."

At the conference, organized amid Vietnams efforts to link up research institutes and universities with businesses, Chinh affirmed the important role of a sci-tech market in developing a market economy and speeding up renovation to achieve economic breakthroughs, quality and competitive capabilities.

He said in recent years Vietnams sci-tech market has been growing steadily with research institutes, universities and scientists churning out works that industry welcomes and businesses demand and ability to master new technologies also improving.

Twenty technology exchanges have been set up to bring the two sides together, he said. But he admitted there is still much to be done to commercialize academic research, build strong and trusted intermediary institutions to speed up transactions and develop a state-of-the-art and well-connected national sci-tech market infrastructure.

As Vietnam aims to build an independent and self-sufficient economy with an eye toward possessing new, inventive and advanced technologies and industries, he said a sci-tech market must be grounded on science, encourage scientists, and serve businesses.

In future major cities would get national sci-tech exchanges to connect with regional and international counterparts, he promised.

He called for rapid implementation of policies designed to take research works to the market.
Border guards (L) in Kien Giang Province question one of the Chinese nationals rescued at sea, September 24, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Phuc Nguyen

A Vietnamese fishing boat rescued nine Chinese nationals found drifting along the northern tip of Phu Quoc Island, border guard officials said Saturday.

Officers at An Thoi Port Border Guard Station in the southern province of Kien Giang said Pham Xuan Hoang, 42, the captain of a fishing boat, found the group of Chinese citizens adrift at sea two days ago while he was fishing in the area on the northern tip of Phu Quoc.

After rescuing the Chinese nationals, Hoang handed them over to the local border guard station.

The rescued Chinese said they and 11 others boarded a boat from Fujian Province to Cambodia to catch fish. Their boat set off on Sept. 11 and when it reached Cambodian waters, sank at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
I always tell people, it took 40 to 50 years to get where we are, pediatrician Steven Shane said while discussing childhood and adult obesity in Nevada and throughout the U.S. We cant expect to turn the tide and get back to where weight status was in the 1970s overnight.

Shane is the obesity prevention chair of the Nevada Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of its Section on Obesity. At his practice in Reno he has seen the effects of the rise in childhood obesity.

One of the consequences is that an overweight child is likely to become an adult with obesity and its associated health risks. Nicole Bungum of the Southern Nevada Health District said 70% of children who are overweight carry it into adulthood.

But in recent years Shane has been seeing more overweight children who have already developed the kinds of health problems you see in overweight adults.

I'm seeing kids that are having problems that look like a 40- or 50-year-old, Shane said. Which is kind of scary.

Prediabetes, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, just to name a few of the complications that I've been seeing more -- a lot more -- frequently in kids with obesity.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health, in Nevada the percentage of adults with obesity went up from 13.1% in 1995 to 30.6% in 1999. The percentage of Nevada high school students with obesity went up from 6.9% in 1999 to 12.3% in 2019.

Obesity rates broken down to the county level are hard to come by, but in 2015, when Nevadas adult obesity rate was 26.7%, the adult obesity rates ranged from 21.9% in Douglas County, which includes part of the Lake Tahoe area, to a high of 32.1% in Elko County.

Actually Nevada ranks pretty well, Shane said. Its probably one of the better health indicators that we have. But over time it has been creeping up, just like everywhere else.

The Southern Nevada Health District started Partners for a Healthy Nevada in 2006 as an obesity prevention coalition which helps coordinate the efforts of many member organizations.

In recent years, prior to the pandemic, we were seeing in some groups kind of a leveling off, which was very encouraging because it had been steadily increasing, Bungum said. But any day they are expecting to get new numbers.

I think many of us in the field are anticipating that the pandemic probably had a very negative impact on childhood obesity for a variety of reasons, Bungum said.

Obesity since 2013 has been recognized as a disease process, not just a condition or a body type, Shane said. Were realizing its just a very complicated disease. And just like all health issues, theres more and more genetic data thats coming to light that shows us theres a lot more genetic basis for weight.

And environmental and societal changes over the years have given the genetic factors the opportunity to kick in and lead to increased weight in a lot of adults and children.

Weve sort of engineered physical activity out of the day, Bungum said. " Theres also a lot of marketing of unhealthy foods. And unfortunately, a lot of the healthy foods that we prefer people to eat and to choose, theyre more expensive, theyre harder to get. Especially right now when people really have limited money and theyre trying to stretch their food budget, that becomes a real challenge.

Amanda Haboush-Deloye is the executive director of the Nevada Institute for Childrens Research and Policy at the University of Nevada  Las Vegas, which organizes the Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Workgroup.

The one thing that I would stress with childhood obesity is that we need to work from a systems level. It cant just be, well, its all about educating the parents. Parent education is great, but if they dont have access to the means to make changes in their day, then education alone is not helpful. They have to have education plus the access and the time to be able to implement the things that theyre learning.

In Nevada we definitely need more family-friendly policies.

The Southern Nevada Health District has worked on many projects over the years. To help promote more physical activity, they have worked on projects like enhanced trails and more bike lanes. Other projects have included educational food apps, working with food pantries so the healthier choices are highlighted, and increasing the number of farmers markets and encouraging the markets to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

For many children, schools play a major role in developing their exercise and nutrition habits. The Nevada Department of Agriculture has a School Wellness Policy which requires each school district to also develop its own local school wellness policy.

We understand that schools play a critical role in creating a healthy environment for the prevention of problems associated with poor nutrition and physical activity, the Elko County School District health services office stated.

One recent example of a program promoting healthy habits was the Every Kid Healthy Week at Flag View Intermediate School in Elko, which wrapped up with a widely attended Health Carnival. It featured local businesses and organizations, including Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, which partnered with the district to hold the event.

NNRH is looking forward to expanding this event to other schools this school year, the health services department said.

Several organizations in Nevada talk with and lobby the state legislature to help promote policies that will reduce childhood obesity.

In July, Shane provided testimony to the legislatures Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services on childhood obesity, its impacts, and policy recommendations. He told the committee that an investment of $3 million could accomplish a lot, and this amount of funding is a small fraction of the direct medical costs caused by obesity and associated conditions.

Shane has been involved in helping to promote the 5-2-1-0 Healthy Washoe program in Washoe County. It promotes the daily guidelines of five or more fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of recreational screen time, one hour or more of physical activity, and zero sugary drinks.

Shane said that he and Patricia Segura, the wellness and prevention program coordinator with the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, have been working on creating a statewide 5-2-1-0 program.

These programs have been shown to work in regards to promoting healthy behaviors and improving weight status, he said.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Worldwide employment in renewable energy reached 12.7 million last year, a jump of 700,000 new jobs in one year, with China alone accounting for 42 percent of the global total, a new report said on Thursday.

The report, titled "Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2022" and published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), shows that almost two-thirds of all these jobs are in Asia.

China alone accounts for 42 percent of the global total, followed by the European Union and Brazil with 10 percent each.

The report also shows that solar energy was the fastest-growing sector.

The report highlights some notable regional and national developments. These include Southeast Asian countries becoming major solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing hubs and biofuel producers. China is the pre-eminent manufacturer and installer of solar PV panels and is creating a growing number of jobs in offshore wind. India added more than 10 gigawatts of solar PV, generating many installation jobs, but remains heavily dependent on imported panels.

Francesco La Camera, IRENA's director general, said that "in the face of numerous challenges, renewable energy jobs remain resilient, and have been proven to be a reliable job creation engine."

"My advice to governments around the world is to pursue industrial policies that encourage the expansion of decent renewables jobs at home," he added.

ILO Director General Guy Ryder said that "I encourage governments, workers' and employers' organizations to remain firmly committed to a sustainable energy transition, which is indispensable for the future of work."

IRENA is the lead intergovernmental agency for global energy transformation that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future and serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, a center of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewables.
At the UN General Assembly, Ukraine proposed a formula of peace, its way to the stabilization of international relations, and it was definitely heard by the world, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said in his daily video address on Friday night.

"The reaction to my speech at the General Assembly was really positive. Different countries equally wanted to hear specifics. Specifics on how to restore peace, how to end this war. Ukraine presented its vision. Clear, logical, fair and realistic," he said, recalling that it is about five points: punishment for the aggressor, protection of life, restoration of security and territorial integrity, security guarantees and the determination of the world majority.

"And what did Russia present? Once again, lame excuses, complaints and constant lying propaganda, which the world has got tired of long ago, but Russian representatives still repeat it. A striking contrast with us," the president said.

He expressed gratitude to "all the heads of state, all the politicians, public figures, cultural and business leaders who expressed their support for us at the General Assembly and at all the events in America this week."

"In particular, I participated in a special meeting on food security. This is one of the key topics in the UN this year  it was Russian aggression that made it so urgent. The world is looking for means to protect people from hunger and price crisis, and Ukraine has something to offer," he said.

The president also said that Ukraine constantly increases food exports, helps the UN Food Program, sends grain as humanitarian aid to the countries that need it  Ethiopia, Somalia.

"And Ukraine has never ever provoked any crisis in the food market. The world appreciates all this," Zelensky said.

"Due to the decency of Ukraine and the constructive desire of our state to help others, we have a unique result: Russian propaganda is losing its influence even in the world where we still have to secure a strong information position, in particular in the countries of the Global South. These are Latin America, Africa, South Asia," he said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the citizens in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia to save their lives and help Ukraine weaken and destroy the enemy.

"I have a simple request to all our people in the temporarily occupied territory: do the main thing  save your lives and help us weaken and destroy the occupiers," he said in a daily vide address on Friday night.

The head of state also called on the residents of the occupied territories to hide from the Russian mobilization "by any means", avoid conscription letters, and try to get to the free territory of Ukraine.

"But if you get into the Russian army, sabotage any activity of the enemy, hinder any Russian operations, provide us with any important information about the occupiers  their bases, headquarters, warehouses with ammunition. And at the first opportunity, switch to our positions. Do everything to save your life and help liberate Ukraine," Zelensky said.

According to the president, since the beginning of active actions in the east of Ukraine in September, about 9,000 square kilometers of territory and about 400 settlements have already been liberated.

"This tangible result was achieved in particular thanks to the fact that our people in the temporarily occupied territory helped us," he said.

"Please do everything to increase such help. Give our special services all the information about those who organize and help conduct this farce with sham referenda. Provide all information about the Russian mobilization, about the Russian army in general. Help those in the occupied areas who need it: elderly people, single people, families with children. Ukraine will return to all its lands, and we must save as many of our people there as possible," Zelensky said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has described the recently announced mobilization to the Russian army in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine as a crime against specific people, against the nation.

In his daily video address on Friday night, the head of state said that "the world will react absolutely justly to the sham referenda  they will be unequivocally condemned, and to the criminal mobilization that the occupiers are currently trying to carry out in Crimea and other parts of Ukraine, which they so far control."

"These are not just crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine. These are crimes against specific people, against the nation," he said.

"Now in Crimea, in places of dense residence of qrmllar, there are attempts to find and mobilize as many men as possible. We already have evidence of this. This is a deliberate attempt by Russia to destroy the Crimean Tatar people, this is a deliberate attempt by the aggressor state to take the lives of as many residents of the territory the Russian troops invaded as possible," Zelensky said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense forces had shot down several Iranian drones.

"Today, the Russian army used Iranian drones for attacking Dnipropetrovsk region and Odesa. [] Six of these Iranian drones were shot down by our anti-aircraft troops of the Skhid (East) and Pivden (South) air commands. Another one was shot down by the anti-aircraft defense of the Naval Forces," he said in a daily video address on Friday night.

"The world will know about every fact of collaboration with evil, and it will have corresponding consequences. It has already been decided to deprive the Ambassador of Iran to Ukraine of accreditation, as well as to significantly reduce the number of diplomatic personnel of the Iranian Embassy," the president said.

In addition, the Center air command shot down a Russian strike aircraft and a helicopter today [on September 23] in the south of Ukraine, he said.

"And I have been just informed about another Iranian combat drone shot down by the anti-aircraft troops of the Pivden (South) command. [] I am grateful to everyone in the world who helps us protect life and freedom!" Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian side has decided to deprive Ambassador of Iran to Ukraine Manouchehr Moradi of accreditation and to reduce the embassy's diplomatic staff, Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine Oleh Nikolenko has said on Facebook.

The ministry made this decision in pursuance of the order of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to take urgent measures in response to the use of Iranian weapons by the Russian army in the territory of Ukraine.

In particular, on September 23, the Foreign Ministry summoned the Charge d'Affaires of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Ukraine.

"It was stated to the Iranian side that the supply of Iranian weapons to Russia for its further use by the Russian troops against the Ukrainian civilian population and the defense forces directly contradicts the position of neutrality, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, publicly declared by the top leadership of Iran. The supply of weapons to Russia to wage war against Ukraine is an unfriendly act that strikes a serious blow to the relations between Ukraine and Iran," Nikolenko said.

In response to such an unfriendly act, the Ukrainian side decided to deprive the Ambassador of Iran in Ukraine of accreditation, as well as significantly reduce the number of diplomatic personnel of the Iranian Embassy in Kyiv.

As reported, on September 23, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the Foreign Ministry to take urgent measures in response to the facts of using Iranian-made weapons by the Russian troops in the territory of Ukraine.

On September 22, the Ukrainian Air Force command reported that the anti-aircraft defense forces had shot down seven drones, four of which were Shahed-136 kamikaze drones made in Iran. They were downed in Mykolaiv region. The Russian forces also attacked Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions by Iranian drones.
Nine people wounded, one woman killed in night shelling of Zaporizhia  city council secretary

Nine people were wounded and one person was killed as a result of a missile attack on a multi-apartment building in Zaporizhia last night, Secretary of Zaporizhia City Council Anatoliy Kurtiev has said.

"Nine people wounded. One person hospitalized. Regrettably, one woman was killed. Our deep condolences to the family and friends of the deceased," he said on Facebook on Saturday morning.

Kustiev said that a fire broke out in a multi-apartment buildings as a result night shelling. The fire has been extinguished.

"The residents of the multi-apartment building spent the night in a municipal bus, which was used a heating point," he said.

Windows were broken in nine more multi-apartment building, windows and roofs were damaged in private houses, the official said, adding that the municipal services and representatives of the district administration were working on the spot.

"We offered the people, who lost their housing, to settle in the nearest kindergarten," Kurtiev said.

Earlier, Head of Zaporizhia Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Starukh said that one person was killed and seven people were wounded as a result of the enemy attack.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal held a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, during which the Ukrainian PM emphasized that Ukraine appreciates the diplomatic efforts of Iraq within the Arab League's contact group regarding the situation in Ukraine aimed at ending the war unleashed by Russia, according to the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

"Denys Shmyhal expressed hope that Iraq would continue to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, in particular within the framework of the UN," it said.

The parties discussed global challenges related to Russian aggression against Ukraine. In particular, Shmyhal emphasized the need for international pressure on Russia to continue the "grain initiative" and export Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports.

"In cooperation with the UN, we have achieved an opportunity to export Ukrainian grain, in particular to countries in Asia and Africa, which need it the most. Some 200 ships have already left Ukrainian ports, and we call on all countries to continue putting pressure on Russia at the international level to prevent it from derailing the initiative. This is rather critical in the issue of ensuring the global food security," Shmyhal said.

He also noted that Iraq is an important and promising partner, and Ukraine is interested in continuing mutually beneficial cooperation in various spheres of the economy.

"In particular, one of the common interests of the countries may be the participation of Iraqi businesses in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine," the press service said.

For his part, Al-Kadhimi noted that Iraq supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and also advocates the continuation of the export of Ukrainian grain.

"According to the top Iraqi official, good relations have developed between our countries in the field of education and economy, and they strive to develop them further. Moreover, Iraq stands ready to continue providing humanitarian support for Ukrainians," the press service of the Ukrainian government said.
Biden: U.S. will never recognize Ukrainian territory as anything other than part of Ukraine

The United States will never recognize Ukrainian territory as anything other than part of Ukraine and together with its partners in the world it will reject whatever fabricated outcomes Russia will announce, U.S. President Joe Biden has said.

"The United States will never recognize Ukrainian territory as anything other than part of Ukraine. Russia's referenda are a sham  a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter. We will work with our allies and partners to impose additional swift and severe economic costs on Russia," reads the text of his statement on the website of the White House.

Biden emphasized that the U.S. stands with its partners around the world  "and with every nation that respects the core tenets of the UN charter  in rejecting whatever fabricated outcomes Russia will announce."

"We will continue to support the Ukrainian people and provide them with security assistance to help them defend themselves as they courageously resist Russia's invasion," he said.
Law enforcers have completed the exhumation of the bodies from a mass burial site near Izium, which was found after the territory had been liberated from the Russian occupation in early September, the press service of Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office has said.

"On September 16-23, within the framework of criminal cases on the violation of the laws and rules of the warfare and on the murders (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), 447 bodies of the deceased were exhumed: 425 civilians, including five children, and 22 Ukrainian servicemen were killed by the occupiers," it said.

The investigators have started to carry out forensic examinations of each of the exhumed bodies, Prosecutor of Kharkiv region Oleksandr Filchakov said.

"We are waiting for their results and will take all necessary measures to establish the circumstances of death of these people and punish the Russian military. [] For each death the Russians will be brought to justice in international court in front of the whole world," he said.

The deceased have bodily injuries in the form of mine-explosive, shrapnel, gunshot and stab wounds. Several of them had their arms tied, broken bones and ropes on their necks.

As reported, on September 23, Head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Syniehubov said that the law enforcers exhumed 436 bodies and were planning to finish the exhumation procedure at the mass burial site on Saturday.

From March 7 until September 10, Izium was occupied by the Russian forces.
More than 1,164 children were affected by Russia's full-scale war of aggression in Ukraine as of the morning of September 24, according to the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO).

"According to the official updates from juvenile prosecutors, 391 children were killed and more than 773 suffered injuries of varying severity. These numbers are not final, since the work on establishing them in the territories of active hostilities, temporarily occupied and liberated territories continues," it said on Facebook.

Children were mostly affected in Donetsk region  400, Kharkiv region  231, Kyiv region  116, Mykolaiv region  72, Chernihiv region  68, Luhansk region  61, Kherson region  55, Zaporizhia region  47, Dnirpropetrovsk region  26.

On September 23, two girls aged 7 and 10 were wounded as a result of enemy shelling in the village of Podoly, Kupiansky district, Kharkiv region.

Some 2,500 education facilities were damaged during Russian bombing and shelling attacks, and 289 of them were completely destroyed.
Two people killed, three wounded by enemy shelling in Donetsk region in past 24 hours  Kyrylenko

Two people were killed and three wounded as a results of enemy shelling attacks in Donetsk region in the past 24 hours, Head of Donetsk Regional Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko has said.

"On September 23, the Russian forces killed two civilians in Donbas: in Bakhmut and Krasnohorivka. Another three people were wounded," he said on the Telegram channel on Saturday morning.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) repelled enemy attacks near ten residential areas, as well as launched air strikes and artillery attacks against the enemy troops and equipment during the past 24 hours, on September 23, according the AFU General Staff.

"In the past 24 hours, the defense forces repelled enemy attacks near Spirne, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Odradivka, Kurdiumivka, Zaitseve, Mayorsk, Kamianka, Avdiyivka, and Oprosne. The defense Air Force made 25 strikes. Eighteen areas of manpower and military equipment concentration and seven positions of anti-aircraft rocket systems were hit," it said on Facebook on Saturday.

The anti-aircraft defense forces eliminated one helicopter, one plane and eight drones of the occupation forces.

The rocket and artillery forces hit six command posts, more than 20 areas of enemy manpower and equipment concentration, three anti-aircraft defense positions and four ammunition depots. The losses of the enemy are yet to be confirmed.
First lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska has announced the launch of a charity initiative aimed at helping Ukraine to raise funds for the restoration of its cultural institutions destroyed during the war.

According to the press service of the president of Ukraine, Zelenska visited the Ukrainian Museum in New York to participate in the discussion on the subject: "Ukrainian Culture Preservation during the War".

"After half a year we have got more than 500 damaged or destroyed cultural heritage institutions. These are museums, historical buildings, churches. Everything that had been constructed and created by generations of Ukrainians. For me, as the first lady of my country and a citizen of Ukraine, the answer is obvious: this is a war against our identity And this means that this war has a cultural front as well. And I am asking you, dear colleagues, to stand today with us just like the whole free world is standing together with us on the military front," she said.

According to the press release, the first institutions that will be reconstructed is the National Literary and Memorial Museum named after Hryhoriy Skovoroda in the village of Skovorodynivka not far from Kharkiv, which was destroyed by Russian shelling in May 2022.

Zelenska also attended a stamp cancellation ceremony on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of Skovoroda at the Ukrainian Museum in New York. The stamp was issued by Ukrposhta. Another stamp cancellation ceremony was held simultaneously near the museum in Kharkiv region. It is expected that a part of the assets raised from the sale of the stamp will be transferred to the museum's recovery fund.
Some 90% of summons to Russian army in Crimea sent to Crimean Tatars  CrimeaSOS

The Russian occupants are massively sending out the majority of summons to the army in Crimea to the Crimean Tatars, according to non-governmental organization CrimeaSOS.

"According to preliminary estimations, Crimean Tatars received around 90% of summons to the army in Crimea. At the same time, 13-15% of the population in the peninsula are Crimean Tatars. Such scales of the mobilization could result into concealed genocide of the Crimean Tatar people," analyst of the organization Yevhen Yaroshenko said.

According to CrimeaSOS, deliberate creation of living conditions designed for full or partial elimination of an ethnic group is a form of genocide in line with the international law.

"The Crimean Tatars are citizens and indigenous people of Ukraine, whom Russia may deliberately eliminate by sending to the war against their own state," Yaroshenko said.

Conscription of the residents of the occupied territories to the occupation army is prohibited by Article 51 of the Geneva Conventions and is a war crime. Forcing Ukrainian citizens to participate in military operations against their own country is another war crime.

Around 5,000 residents of temporarily occupied Crimea have received the summons to the army since the beginning of the "partial mobilization" in Russia.
By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijani and Turkish Health Ministries discussed opinions on Azerbaijani-Turkiye healthcare cooperation, implementation of joint projects, as well as on the successful development of multilateral relations between the two countries.

The discussion took place during Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Kocas two-day official visit to Azerbaijan.

Welcoming the guests, Azerbaijani Health Minister Teymur Musayev outlined the excellence of cooperation between the two fraternal countries in healthcare and medical science, as in all other areas. He also noted that the digitalization of healthcare is among the major priorities of the country's ministry.

"Azerbaijan held a lot of discussions and meetings on digital healthcare with experienced Turkish officials as part of the delegation's working visit to the country in May 2022. The experience of Turkiye in the mentioned sector is priceless," he said.

Talking about the COVID-19 pandemic, Musayev emphasized the more intensive cooperation between the two countries during that period.

He also added that Azerbaijan and Turkiye established broad cooperation following Azerbaijan's restoration of independence. Musayev expressed the hope that the joint medical business forum would become an annual event.

"The Azerbaijan-Turkiye Healthcare Business Forum and Exhibition, organized for the first time in Azerbaijan, can serve as a great example. We are confident in our future cooperation and that the medical forum will create new opportunities for investors," Musayev stated.

In turn, Koca noted that the fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye are a clear example of the countries' unity and solidarity.

The Turkish minister underscored the importance of the "Cooperation roadmap between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkiye and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022-2023", signed in May 2022. Koca noted that the signed document will play an essential role in the development of the healthcare sector in both countries.

Furthermore, the minister invited his Azerbaijani colleague to the Medical Congress of the Turkic World to be held in Istanbul in October 2022.

Azerbaijan and Turkiye collaborate in a variety of economic sectors and have completed major energy and infrastructure projects, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, and TANAP.

In 2021, Azerbaijan and Turkiye signed the Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations, which focuses on defense cooperation, promoting regional stability, and prosperity by establishing new transport routes.

The two countries set up a goal to bring the mutual trade turnover to $15 billion in 2023. As of 2021, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $4.6 billion. So far, Turkiye is Azerbaijans second-largest investor followed by the UK.

Additionally, Turkiye was one of the first countries that expressed its interest and readiness to participate in the restoration of Azerbaijans liberated territories.
Popular Egyptian singers Medhat Saleh and Reham Abdel-Hakim will perform a new concert as part of their ongoing series The Sound of Movies at El-Borouj Theatre on the Cairo-Ismailia Road on Friday.
The plant is set to be the biggest in MENA for the production of COVID-19 vaccines

Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Monday that the coronavirus vaccines plant at the Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) complex is planned to produce up to 24,000 packs per hour.

The plant is set to be the biggest in the Middle East and North Africa for the production of COVID-19 vaccines, Zayed said during a tour of the complex with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Zayed expects the plant to become a regional hub for the production of vaccines planned for export to African countries.

The factory is built over 6,000 square metres as part of the VACSERA complex  10-fold the size of the plant  located in the industrial zone of Gizas 6 October City, Zayed added.

The plant is expected to open by the end of the year, she noted.

The VACSERA complex will work with leading international companies to produce different types of vaccines. This cooperation aims to transfer the technologies of manufacturing seasonal flu and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines to Egypt, Zayed said.

Madbouly said the complex is a giant edifice that aims at producing eight vital types of vaccines, noting that Egypt had been previously producing these vaccines but their production was halted.

At a press conference following his tour in the complex, Madbouly said it will be ready by the end of November and will be operational after sealing an agreement with a company to run it.

The complex is set up on an area of 15 feddans and is meant to revive the local production of vaccines, which is an issue of national security to Egypt, the premier added.

Madbouly urged citizens to adhere to the coronavirus preventive measures, especially during the coming period, in light of the latest surge in coronavirus cases.

Egypt has set a strict plan to secure coronavirus vaccine doses to the largest possible number of people before the end of the year, Madbouly affirmed.

Egypt has been reporting over 200 new coronavirus cases on a daily basis since 25 August, for the first time since 2 July.

The Ministry of Health in August said the fourth coronavirus wave is expected to hit Egypt around the end of September or the beginning of October.

Zayed announced on 23 August that the first case of the new Delta Plus coronavirus variant was recorded in July.

To date, Egypts vaccination campaign has included the use of the imported version of the Sinovac vaccine along with the Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Sinopharm vaccines.

Egypt also plans to produce millions of Sinovac and Sputnik shots annually to cover local and African needs.

The government has set a goal to vaccinate 40 million citizens by the end of the year, representing around 40 percent of the population, a step hailed by the World Health Organisation.

Last week, Egypt released the first one million doses of its locally-produced Sinovac/VACSERA vaccine after the completion of the required evaluation tests, the Ministry of Health announced.

The one million doses were distributed among coronavirus vaccination centres nationwide, totalling 657 so far, including 145 centres for those traveling abroad, health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Turkish raids in northern Syria on Sunday struck outposts operated by the Syrian army and Kurdish-led forces, killing three, a Britain-based war monitor said.

The raids near the Kurdish-held border town of Kobane targeted positions of the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The three casualties were wearing Syrian army uniform, according to the monitor.

Several other fighters were wounded, some in critical condition, according to the Observatory, which relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria.

The strikes were preceded by cross-border shelling from near Kobane against Turkish forces, according to the monitor.

Last month, the Syrian government said it would respond to direct attacks by Turkey against its forces.

The warning came after a Turkish raid on a regime outpost near Kobane killed at least three troops in mid-August, according to the official SANA news agency.

Turkey has launched a series of cross-border offensives targeting Kurdish forces and the Islamic State group since 2016, but such operations have rarely resulted in the killing of Syrian regime fighters.

Ankara has stepped up its attacks in Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria since a July 19 summit with Iran and Russia failed to green-light a fresh offensive against Kurdish fighters viewed by Ankara as terrorists.

Regime forces have deployed in areas controlled by Kurdish fighters near the border with Turkey as part of agreements intended to stem a fresh Turkish operation.

Last week, the UN's Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria said that "another Turkish ground operation" remains a threat in Syria's north, amid "continued mobilisation and fighting" between Turkish and Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish-led opponents.

"Syria cannot afford a return to larger-scale fighting, but that is where it may be heading," warned Paolo Pinheiro, the head of the commission.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The United Tobacco Company (UTC), a subsidiary of the American multinational tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI), has started manufacturing cigarettes in the Egyptian market, ending the decades-old monopoly by the state-owned Eastern Tobbaco Company on the manufacturing of cigarettes.

The company had secured a license from the government to establish a cigarette manufacturing factory in the country earlier in 2022.

UTC follows the Egypt-based Philip Morris Misr LLC, which was established in 2013 as the licensee for PMI products in the Egyptian market.

Marlboro, PMI's leading international cigarette brand, has been manufactured in Egypt by Eastern Company since the 1980s.

The CEO and Managing Director of Eastern Company Hany Aman told Ahram Online that "his company has acquired 24 percent of the UTC in an EGP 100 billion deal."

"The two companies are working together in an integrated manner," Aman added.

We have not been affected negatively by the work of UTC in the market. Our acquisition transaction in the UTC compensates for the absence of PMI proper in the Egyptian market. PMI products are available in the local market under the label Made by UTC," he stressed.

Eastern Companys revenues grew by six percent in FY2021/2022 to post EGP 67.9 billion, up from EGP 63.8 billion in FY2020/2021, he noted.

After reaching the acquisition deal, Eastern Company submitted a disclosure to the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), which outlines agreed-upon regulations for the UTC production operations.

According to this disclosure, UTC is obliged to lease the building and the current production lines previously allotted to the manufacturing of Philip Morris products from Eastern Company for a period of three years. Meanwhile, Eastern Company is obliged to manufacture Philip Morris products on the same production lines until the end of FY2021/2022 in June 2022.

In a statement following the deal, PMI affirmed its full commitment to all existing contractual relationships with traders and suppliers in order to ensure the availability of its products in Egypt. PMI added that it will continue to provide all of its products at the same prices with no changes to packaging.

Philip Morris Misr LLC was not available for a comment on the deal.

Both Eastern Company and Phillip Morris Misr LLC have raised their cigarette prices twice so far in 2022 due to increased production costs and the depreciation of the Egyptian pound against the US dollar.

Eastern Company is trying to absorb the rise in production costs that were caused by recent increases in raw materials costs and also disruptions in supply chains amid the ongoing conflict in Europe," Aman explained to Ahram Online.

Philip Morris products continue to be the leading high-end brand in Egypt, offering a wide range of products at costs ranging from EGP 28 to EGP 52 per pack.

According to PMI 2022 first-half results, the company's shipment volume to Egypt recorded 10.2 billion units (9.9 billion cigarettes and 0.3 billion heated tobacco units) in the first six months of 2022, claiming 22.5 percent of local market share.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Iranian authorities have imposed tough and targeted restrictions on the use of the internet in a bid to impede protesters gathering and prevent images of crackdowns on their demonstrations from reaching the outside world, observers say.

Activists have expressed alarm that the restrictions, also affecting Instagram which until now has remained unblocked in Iran and is hugely popular, could allow the authorities to carry out repression "under the cover of darkness".

The protests erupted a week ago over the death in Tehran of Mahsa Amini, 22, following her arrest by the notorious morality police. They first erupted in her northern home province of Kurdistan before spreading nationwide.

Internet access monitor Netblocks described the access cuts as the most "severe internet restrictions" in Iran since the deadly crackdown on protests in November 2019, when the country experienced an unprecedented near-complete internet shutdown.

It says that mobile data networks have been cut -- although there are signs of a return to connectivity -- and there have been severe regional restrictions of access to Instagram and WhatsApp.

"It's significantly different to what we saw in November 2019. It's not as near total and complete as it was back then but more sporadic," said Mahsa Alimardani, senior Iran researcher for freedom of expression group Article 19.

"But there are definitely a lot of disruptions and shutdowns happening," she told AFP, while emphasising people were still managing to connect to filtered networks through VPNs.

'Under cover of darkness'

Alimardani said Iranian authorities could be wary of the effect of a total internet shutdown on the economy as well as daily life issues like online medical appointments. They were also falling back on the National Information Network, an autonomous infrastructure Iran wants to develop as a homegrown internet, she said.

She said that the restrictions had "added hurdles" to the publishing of videos of the protests but that they are "still coming out".

Videos posted on social media have included viral images of women burning their headscarves and demonstrators tearing down images of the Islamic republic's leadership, and also security forces firing on protesters.

During Iran's November 2019 protest wave sparked by a rise in fuel prices, activists argue that the internet shutdown allowed the authorities to carry out bloody repression largely hidden from the world.

Amnesty International says 321 people were killed then but it emphasises this only includes confirmed fatalities and the real toll may be much higher.

The rights group said it was now "gravely concerned about Iranian authorities disrupting access to internet and mobile networks" urging world leaders to take urgent action pressuring Iran "to stop killing and injuring more protesters under the cover of darkness."

New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) director Hadi Ghaemi said that "the potential for massive bloodshed now is real".

"The government has blocked internet access because it wants to prevent people from sending evidence of the state's atrocities to the outside world," he said.

'Stifle free expression'

Instagram head Adam Mosseri has expressed concern over the cuts while WhatsApp, which is also owned by social media giant Meta, insisted it was not behind any access cuts and would "do everything in our technical power to maintain our services".

Secure messaging service Signal confirmed it remained blocked in Iran and encouraged users outside to set up a proxy server to help people connect.

The blocking of major platforms by Iran in recent years -- including Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, YouTube and TikTok -- had left Instagram and WhatsApp as the two most widely used social media apps in Iran.

State media reports confirmed that officials had ordered access to the two services to be restricted.

Observers have also noted a regional targeting of the internet cuts, especially in the Kurdistan region where some of the fiercest clashes have taken place.

"Disruptions to the internet are usually part of a larger effort to stifle the free expression and association of the Iranian population, and to curtail ongoing protests," the UN's panel of human rights experts said, describing the restrictions as the third such shutdown in Iran within a year.

"State-mandated internet disruptions cannot be justified under any circumstances," they added.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Washington announced Friday it was easing export restrictions on Iran to expand access to internet services, which have been curbed by the government amid a crackdown on protesters.

In the aftermath of a woman's death in the custody of the country's morality police, Tehran moved to cut off the internet in what the US Treasury said was a bid "to prevent the world from watching its violent crackdown on peaceful protestors."

The new measure will allow technology companies to "expand the range of internet services available to Iranians," Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement.

"As courageous Iranians take to the streets to protest the death of Mahsa Amini, the United States is redoubling its support for the free flow of information to the Iranian people," he said.

Iran has been rocked by a week of bloody protests over the death last week of Amini, who was arrested for "improperly" wearing the Islamic headscarf.

The 22-year-old Kurdish woman spent three days in a coma after being detained by the morality police.

The US Treasury said it was taking action to allow access to software, including anti-virus and malware tools, as well as video conferencing services to support "access to fact-based information to the Iranian people."

"With these changes, we are helping the Iranian people be better equipped to counter the government's efforts to surveil and censor them," Adeyemo said.

Billionaire Elon Musk said recently he would ask the Treasury to allow an export license to authorize his Starlink satellite internet firm to provide services to Iran, but Friday's move focuses on software rather than hardware.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Eighty-six bodies have been recovered since a boat carrying migrants from Lebanon sunk off Syria's coast, state media said Saturday, in one of the deadliest recent such shipwrecks in the eastern Mediterranean.

Related Syrian official says 73 dead after migrant boat sinks

Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, called it a "heart-wrenching tragedy".

Search efforts were continuing with several people still missing since the boat sank on Thursday.

"The number of people who died has risen to 86," the head of Syrian ports Samer Kbrasli said Saturday, up from an earlier toll of 73, the official news agency SANA reported.

At least 20 people rescued were recovering in hospitals in Syria, some in a serious condition, according to the United Nations.

Lebanon, a country which hosts more than a million refugees from Syria's civil war, has since 2019 been mired in a financial crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern times.

It has become a launchpad for illegal migration, with its own citizens joining Syrian and Palestinian refugees clamouring to leave.

More than 450,000 Palestinians are registered in Lebanon with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

As many as 150 people were on board the small boat that sank off the Syrian port of Tartus, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Tripoli in Lebanon, from where the migrants set sail.

Those on board were mostly Lebanese and Syrians and Palestinians, and included both children and the elderly, the UN said.

"No one gets on these death boats lightly," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement. "People are taking this perilous decisions, risking their lives in search of dignity."

Lazzarini said more must be done "to offer a better future and address a sense of hopelessness in Lebanon and across the region, including among Palestine refugees."

Since 2020, Lebanon has seen a spike in the number of migrants using its shores to attempt the perilous crossing in jam-packed boats to reach Europe.

Most of the boats setting off from Lebanon head for European Union member Cyprus, an island about 175 kilometres to the west.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The official death toll has nearly doubled to 35 in a crackdown by Iran's security forces on more than a week of protests that erupted after the death of a young woman in custody.

Hundreds of angry demonstrators have been arrested with crowds taking to the streets of major cities across Iran for eight straight nights since the death of Mahsa Amini.

The 22-year-old Kurd was pronounced dead after spending three days in a coma following her arrest by Iran's feared morality police for wearing the hijab headscarf in an "improper" way.

State television said the number of deaths in "recent riots" had risen to 35, up from 17 previously, including at least five security personnel.

Sweeping arrests have been reported, with the police chief in the northwestern province of Guilan announcing Saturday "the arrest of 739 rioters including 60 women" in his region alone, Tasnim news agency said.

Protests were held around the Islamic republic on Friday night, with online videos showing some turning violent, including in Tehran.

Footage showed security forces firing what appeared to be live ammunition at unarmed demonstrators in the northwestern cities of Piranshahr, Mahabad and Urmia.

In a video shared by the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights non-governmental organisation, a uniformed member of the security forces is seen shooting an AK-47 assault rifle at protesters in Shahr-e Rey, on Tehran's southern outskirts.

Security forces have carried out a wave of arrests of activists and journalists, with Sherif Mansour of US-based media watchdog the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reporting 11 had been detained since Monday.

They include Niloufar Hamedi of the reformist newspaper Shargh, who reported on Amini's death.

Internet blackout

Elsewhere, the Norway-based Kurdish rights group Hengaw said protesters "took control" of parts of the city of Oshnaviyeh, in West Azerbaijan province.

Images showed protesters walking freely with their hands aloft in triumph, but Hengaw acknowledged this could be "temporary" and expressed fears of a new crackdown there.

Amnesty International warned of "the risk of further bloodshed amid a deliberately imposed internet blackout".

The London-based human rights group said evidence it gathered from 20 cities across Iran pointed to "a harrowing pattern of Iranian security forces deliberately and unlawfully firing live ammunition at protesters".

In its statement, Amnesty said security forces had shot dead at least 19 people on Wednesday night alone, including at least three children.

Thousands of people marched through Tehran during a pro-hijab rally Friday, paying tribute to security forces who have moved to quell a week of protests by what media called "conspirators".

Demonstrations in support of the security forces also took place in the cities of Ahvaz, Isfahan, Qom and Tabriz.

Amini died following her arrest by Iran's morality police, a unit responsible for enforcing the Islamic republic's strict dress code for women.

Activists said she suffered a blow to the head in custody but this has not been confirmed by the Iranian authorities, who have opened an investigation.

Iranian women have burnt their headscarves and symbolically cut their hair in protest at the strict dress code, echoed in solidarity demonstrations from New York to Istanbul and Brussels to Santiago, Chile.

'Toothless'

Iran's Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi insisted Amini had not been beaten.

"Reports from oversight bodies were received, witnesses were interviewed, videos were reviewed, forensic opinions were obtained and it was found that there had been no beating," he said.

The minister said Iran was investigating Amini's death, adding "we must wait for the final opinion of the medical examiner, which takes time".

Amnesty dismissed the Iranian probe and called on the world to take "meaningful action" against the bloody crackdown.

"UN member states must go beyond toothless statements, hear the cries for justice from victims and human rights defenders in Iran and urgently set up an independent UN investigative mechanism," said Heba Morayef, its director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Iran has imposed tough restrictions on the use of the internet in a bid to hamper protesters gathering and stop the flow of images of the backlash from reaching the outside world.

The United States announced Friday it was easing export restrictions on Iran to expand internet services.

The new measures would "help counter the Iranian government's efforts to surveil and censor its citizens," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Saturday the latest developments in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue with Sudans chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel-Fattah El-Burhan in Cairo, the Egyptian presidency announced.

In a meeting in Cairo, El-Sisi and Burhan discussed how to boost bilateral economic relations and trade exchange to make it on par with the level of the political and military relations between the two countries.

According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics, the trade exchange between Egypt and Sudan increased by nearly 63.5 percent in 2021 ($1.2 billion) compared to 2020 ($711.4 million).

El-Sisi expressed Egypts keenness to provide all types of support to achieve political, security and economic stability in Sudan.

For his part, the head of Sudans sovereign council praised the "unlimited Egyptian support" to safeguard Sudans security and stability.

The Egyptian president received the Sudanese leader at Cairo International Airport earlier on Saturday. El-Burhan came from New York to Cairo after participating in the United Nations General Assembly.

The two leaders also discussed the controversial issue of the GERD, which is at the top of common interests between the two countries.

Egypt and Sudans tensions with Ethiopia have heightened after the latter proceeded with its plans to implement the third phase of filling the GERDs reservoir without the consent of the downstream countries.

Egypt and Sudan have reiterated their rejection of the unilateral Ethiopian acts regarding the $4.2 billion GERD, including filling its 74-billion-cubic-metre reservoir and operating the dam turbines without their consent.

The two downstream countries have repeatedly affirmed their support for Ethiopias right to development, but have called on Addis Ababa to sign a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam that would secure their water rights and their peoples interests.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Seventeen bodies were recovered Saturday after a boat carrying migrants from Lebanon sank off Syria's coast, raising the overall toll to 94, Syrian state television said, in one of the eastern Mediterranean's deadliest such episodes.

The toll has repeatedly ratcheted higher since the first bodies were found on Thursday. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, described the shipwreck as a "heart-wrenching tragedy" and the search for those still missing continued beyond nightfall.

At least 14 survivors were recovering in hospitals in Syria, while six others were discharged. Two remained in intensive care in Al-Basel Hospital, Syria's official SANA news agency reported earlier.

"The death toll from the boat that sank off the coast of Tartus has risen to 94," state television said.

The Lebanese army said that it had arrested a Lebanese national who "admitted to organising the recent (people) smuggling operation from Lebanon to Italy by sea".

Lebanon, a country which hosts more than a million refugees from Syria's civil war, has been mired in a financial crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern times.

Nearly three years of economic collapse have turned the country into a launchpad for migrants, with its own citizens joining Syrian and Palestinian refugees clamouring to leave by dangerous sea routes.

As many as 150 people were on board the small boat that sank off the Syrian port of Tartus, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Tripoli in Lebanon, from where the migrants set sail.

Those on board were mostly Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians, and included both children and elderly people, the UN said.

Families in Lebanon held a second day of funerals Saturday after they were handed bodies of relatives on Friday night through the Arida border crossing. Others still await the bodies of their relatives.

In Tripoli, anger mixed with grief as relatives received news of the death of their loved ones.

Hundreds of people gathered Saturday in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, north of Tripoli, for the funeral procession of one of the victims, pumping their fists in the air.

'Death boats'

Since 2020, Lebanon has seen a spike in the number of migrants using its shores to attempt the perilous crossing in jam-packed boats to reach Europe.

The UN children's agency, UNICEF, said that 10 children appeared to be "among those who lost their lives".

"Years of political instability and economic crisis in Lebanon have pushed many children and families into poverty, affecting their health, welfare and education," UNICEF added.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said: "No one gets on these death boats lightly.

"People are taking these perilous decisions, risking their lives in search of dignity."

Lazzarini said more must be done "to offer a better future and address a sense of hopelessness in Lebanon and across the region, including among Palestine refugees".

Antonio Vitorino, head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said: "People looking for safety should not be compelled to take such perilous and often deadly migration journeys."

Most of the boats setting off from Lebanon head for European Union member Cyprus, an island about 175 kilometres (110 miles) to the west.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


By Trend

The immovable property of Azerbaijans Texnikabank OJSC, which is being liquidated, will be put up for auction at the Auction Centerin Baku on October 12, Trend reports via the Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund.

The bank's immovable property includes non-residential premise with the area of 150.4 square meters at the following address: Imran Gasimov str. 47, Nasimi district, Baku.

Its starting price at the auction will be 800,000 manat ($470,590).

Five percent of the sale price must be paid by the auction participant to the organizer of the auction. The purchase price must be paid by the buyer within seven calendar days.
Egypt's Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar inaugurated on Saturday a fully automated cooling logistical complex for the storage and distribution of vaccines, which serves the country's plan to become a vaccine hub for Africa.

The construction of the complex started in April in cooperation with China's Sinovac Biotech under an agreement signed between the Egyptian and Chinese sides at the Egyptian embassy in Beijing in January.

The complex is located in 6 October City at the state-owned Holding Company for Vaccines and Biological Products VACSERA, one of the oldest manufacturers of vaccines and sera in Africa and the Middle East.

Abdel-Ghaffar said in a statement issued following the event that the step, which is a contribution from the Chinese company, will help enhance vaccine storage capacities in Egypt and make it a regional hub for the manufacturing and storage of vaccines in Africa.

Egypt has drawn up "a comprehensive" plan to develop VACSERA in line with its strategy to become a centre for the production of vaccines to meet the requirements of African countries, the minister said.

The cooling complex  built by the Chinese construction heavyweight CSCEC company  is built on area of 3,180 square meters, with a capacity to accommodate 100-150 million doses of vaccine annually.

The new facility comprises two cooling rooms at a temperature of 2-8 degrees Celsius over an area of 661 square metres and nine meters high each. The rooms are designated for the storage of vaccines, said Heba Waly, CEO of VACSERA, according to the statement.

It also includes three areas for receiving refrigerated trucks, loading and unloading shipments as well as a compartment for checking and recording shipment data, and a freezing room at a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius for storing the analysis materials.

In addition, the complex includes a storage zone over an area of 290 square metres, and a height of 3.45 metres for storing the ready-to-pack bales at a temperature of 2-8 degrees, Waly added, noting that this storage zone is completely separated from the final product storage area.

Each cold room is controlled via a dual cooling system; one for use and another as a backup, with the complex's control and monitoring room containing screens to monitor the vaccine transfer process and monitor temperatures as well as an alarm system and fire extinguishing system, she added.

The complex is managed automatically without any human intervention in using the warehouse management system WMS, which controls the storage of vaccines in a way that improves work efficiency and organises storage spaces, Waly explained.

VACSERA has a cooling facility at its company in Agouza, in which it preserves its vaccines, but it is run manually with 100-percent human intervention, Waly said in an interview with Xinhua in February.

Minister Abdel-Ghaffar said good storage is one of the most important factors for maintaining vaccines, as they are composed of biological materials that lose their effectiveness and ability to generate immunity against diseases when exposed to inappropriate temperatures.

VACSERA and Sinovac started cooperation in April 2021 with two agreements to produce the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine locally in Egypt under the name Sinovac/VACSERA for both domestic use and export to African countries.

The cooperation between both sides has so far resulted in manufacturing of 40 million dose of Sinovac/VACSERA, Minister Abdel-Ghaffar said during the inauguration.

Today's event witnessed the signing of a document of receipt of 10 million doses of coronavirus Sinovac vaccine as part of a total of 60 million doses provided by the Chinese government to the north African country.

Minister Abdel-Ghaffar said Egypt's stock of coronavirus vaccines is sufficient until 2023, according to a statement issued by the health ministry following the inauguration.

The complexs inauguration was attended by presidential adviser for health affairs Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Chairman of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement (UPA) Bahaa El-Din Zidan, WHO Representative in Egypt Naeema Al-Gasseer, among others.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt has offered its sincere condolences to Lebanon, Palestine and Syria over the death of tens of irregular migrants after their boat sank off the Syrian coast on Friday.

In a statement on Saturday, the Egyptian foreign ministry "expressed deep sorrow to the families of the victims over the tragic incident, while stressing, at the same time, that restoring stability and resolving crises in the Middle East would help in protecting the lives and capabilities of the peoples of the region."

As many as 150 people were on board the small boat that reportedly left from Lebanon when it went down near the Syrian coastal city of Tartus, 50 kilometres north of the Lebanese coastal city of Tripoli.

Syrian state media said on Saturday that 86 bodies have been recovered after a boat carrying migrants who left from Lebanon sank off the coast of Syria.

At least 20 people rescued were recovering in hospitals in Syria, some in serious condition, according to the United Nations.

Those on board the sunken boat were mostly Lebanese and Syrians and Palestinians, and included both children and the elderly, the United Nations said.

A new tragedy

The incident is the deadliest since a surging number of Lebanese, Syrians, and Palestinians have tried to flee crisis-hit Lebanon by sea seeking opportunities in Europe.

In April, a boat carrying dozens of Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians trying to migrate by sea to Italy went down more than five kilometers from the port of Tripoli leaving dozens dead.

In early September, an Egyptian marine ship bound for France rescued 60 migrants stranded on a sinking boat in the Mediterranean Sea near Malta.

The boat, which was stranded for a week, also carried Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian passengers who had left from Lebanon seeking to reach Italy in search of job opportunities, according to AP.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypts Foreign Minister and President Designate of the 27th session of the United Nations Conference (COP27) Sameh Shoukry called on Saturday for the launch of a comprehensive global strategy to face the current global food crisis.

In a speech at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Shoukry said that this food crisis is the result of the failure of the international community to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Egyptian FM said that due to its geographical location, Egypt is ready to be a hub for storing grains for the world, while stressing that one out of five citizens in Africa suffer from hunger.

Shoukry said that Ukrainian-Russian war has exacerbated the global economic crisis, and that developing countries are facing a huge debt burden. The FM called for a global initiative between creditor and debtor countries in which debt is replaced with investments to help developing countries.

Egypt is seeking a stable world away from tensions, Shoukry said.

He also criticised the double standards the UN displays in dealing with crises, while asserting that Egypt completely supports efforts to reform the UN.

I call those gathered to respect the UN system and to reform it so it can be better, he said, adding that Egypt fully supports African countries' demand to reform the Security Council.

Shoukry also addressed the issue of water scarcity, especially in the Middle East and Africa.

There is unfortunately grave danger as a result of upstream countries ignoring downstream countries, Shoukry said, referring to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile, the main tributary to the River Nile in Egypt and Sudan.

Anyone who thinks that adhering to peaceful means of settling water disputes is a weakness is completely mistaken. We have committed to restraint, but that does not mean complacency, Shoukry said.

The Egyptian FM reiterated Egypt and Sudans longstanding demand that Ethiopia sign a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation policies of the dam in accordance with the Declaration of principles on the GERD signed in Khartoum in 2015, and the UN Security Councils presidential statement issued in September 2021.

Shoukry called on the international community, including the UN and the Security Council, to uphold international law and support the Egyptian and Sudanese people in the GERD issue.

Regarding the Palestinian issue, the Egyptian FM reiterated Egypts total support for the two-state solution involving the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem at its capital.

Shoukry also said that Egypt is working with its neighbours to resolve the crises in Syria, Yemen and Iraq in a way that safeguards their sovereignty and unity.

Concerning Libya, Shoukry affirmed Cairos support for efforts by Libyan officials to hold presidential and parliamentarian elections at the nearest possible time. He also stressed the need for the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries and the disbanding of militias in Libya.

On the upcoming COP27, which Egypt is hosting in Sharm El-Sheikh in November, Shoukry said that Egypt aims to ensure that climate pledges are fulfilled, as well as reach outcomes concerning reducing emissions and raising climate finance.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Mali's prime minister lashed out Saturday at everyone from former colonizer France to the U.N. secretary-general, saying that the tumultuous country had been ``stabbed in the back`` by the French military withdrawal. In the same remarks, Abdoulaye Maiga praised the ``exemplary and fruitful cooperation between Mali and Russia.''

In his speech to the General Assembly, Maiga slammed what he called France's ``unilateral decision'' to relocate its remaining troops to neighboring Niger amid deteriorating relations with Mali's two-time coup leader, Col. Assimi Goita.

While it was Goita and his allies who overthrew a democratically elected president by military force two years ago, Mali's prime minister repeatedly referred to a ``French junta'' throughout his speech Saturday.

``Move on from the colonial past and hear the anger, the frustration, the rejection that is coming up from the African cities and countryside, and understand that this movement is inexorable,'' Maiga said. ``Your intimidations and subversive actions have only swelled the ranks of Africans concerned with preserving their dignity.''

France intervened militarily in 2013, leading an effort to oust Islamic extremists from control of the northern Malian towns they had overtaken. Over the past nine years, France had continued its presence in a bid to stabilize the country amid repeated attacks by insurgents. The French departure has raised new concerns about whether those militants will again regain territory with security responsibilities now falling to the Malian military and U.N. peacekeepers.

Maiga spoke for more than 30 minutes on a Saturday morning in a speech that referenced everything from Victor Hugo to the Rwandan genocide. The Malian prime minister also offered a grim assessment of the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MINUSMA, while openly praising the influence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group who have been accused of carrying out human rights abuses.

``We must recognize that nearly 10 years after its establishment, the objectives for which MINUSMA was deployed in Mali have not been achieved,'' Maiga said. ``This is despite numerous Security Council resolutions.''

The Malian prime minister had particularly sharp words as well for the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, criticizing his recent comments on the standoff between Mali and Ivory Coast over 46 detained Ivorian soldiers.

Maiga reiterated claims before the U.N. General Assembly Saturday that the soldiers were sent to Mali as mercenaries, which the Ivorian government has vigorously denied. Ivory Coast says the soldiers were to provide security for a company contracted by the United Nations, but Maiga maintained Saturday that there is ``no link between the 46 and the United Nations.''

Three female Ivorian soldiers already have been released as a ``humanitarian gesture,'' but there have been no updates about the others.

``Since friendship is based on sincerity, I would like to express my deep disagreement with your recent media appearance, in which you took a position and expressed yourself on the case of the 46 Ivorian mercenaries,`` he said in comments aimed at Guterres.

The nature of the offenses in the case ``does not fall within the remit of the secretary-general of the United Nations,`` he added.

Maiga, a government spokesman, was dispatched to New York to address the U.N. General Assembly instead of Goita. The coup leader instead attended celebrations marking Mali's independence from France in 1960.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


What was a trip of a lifetime for some and a day out for others ended in one of the world's worst maritime disasters, with victims' families still seeking justice 20 years on.

Nadine Verschatse's eyes mist over when she recalls the capsizing of Le Joola on the night of September 26, 2002 after it sailed into a storm off the coast of Gambia.

The tragedy has haunted the 69-year-old Frenchwoman as she continues her fight to get justice for her daughter "and all the others".

She picks up a green folder and pulls out a photograph while sitting in a Dakar restaurant.

"Look, I always keep it with me. You have to put faces to names," says Nadine looking at the photo of Claire, her daughter, a radiant 20-year-old flanked by her childhood friend Guerande.

"For their birthdays, as they'd been working hard, we gave them a trip."

The trip, to Senegal, marked the first time they had ever travelled by plane, but they were never to return.

Today, Nadine says they are "forgotten," just two more victims of "injustice".

That night saw 1,863 people drowned or lost -- surpassing the Titanic toll of more than 1,500 90 years earlier.

Le Joola ran into trouble on the way from Ziguinchor in the Casamance region to Dakar.

Victims' associations say more than 2,000 passengers from more than a dozen countries died after cramming onto a vessel designed for a quarter as many, with only 65 survivors.

'Apocalyptic vision'

Senegalese Leandre Coly, 37, was among the survivors.

He remembers an "apocalyptic vision," which still haunts his dreams, describing an initially joyful atmosphere onboard with some passengers playing cards, others laughing and joking as musicians played.

Then the wind picked up and heavy rain prompted the passengers to close the portholes.

The vessel tilted dangerously "and everything slid away -- instruments, the musicians, people. Water began to seep in, the lights went out. People were crying out all around", Leandre said.

Instinctively, Leandre grabbed hold of a fellow passenger and stumbled to an exit, swimming away from the stricken vessel, discarding his clothes as his strength ebbed away.

Despite fearing he would drown, he defied the odds and, guided by the sound of voices in the darkness, found a small group holding on to an inflatable boat which they prised open.

In the early hours a group of fishermen pulled them to safety, Leandre recalls tearfully.

Nadine looks on from a separate table, giving him space to remember.

- 'Big family' -

"We are a big family," she says referring to those affected by the disaster.

Two decades on, many questions remain unanswered.

The causes of the incident have never been fully established, despite a Senegalese government inquiry and a French probe launched because of the deaths of several French citizens.

Engine failure, a navigational error, bad weather, poor maintenance and overcrowding -- or a combination -- were likely to blame.

Officially, 1,928 people were onboard a boat designed for only 536.

"There was negligence, failures -- that much is known," says Nadine.

Legal dead end

Senegal closed the case in 2003 after concluding an investigation that blamed the captain, lost in the catastrophe.

French courts also dismissed a years-long French probe into the case, which had found evidence against seven Senegalese officials, concluding that Paris did not have jurisdiction.

Nadine said that amounted to "killing the victims a second time".

Senegalese and French victims' associations want the raising of the wreck of Le Joola, which sunk to a depth of some 20 metres (60 feet).

They also want a memorial erected.

One was due to be unveiled in Ziguinchor, where most of the victims were from, in time for Monday's anniversary -- but the site is nowhere near ready.

French victims have long tried unsuccessfully to obtain permission for a memorial gravestone to be placed at Paris' Pere-Lachaise cemetery.

"We shall not abandon our victims... they deserve to be honoured," said Nadine.

She will join commemorations in Senegal, now a "second home", as she has done every year since the disaster except for a period during the pandemic.

"Without them perhaps I wouldn't be here today. I might have chosen just to go to pieces," she reflects, wiping away tears.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Friday for calm over Taiwan as he met his Chinese counterpart, as soaring tensions showed signs of easing a notch.

Blinken met for 90 minutes with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, in talks a US official described as "extremely candid" and focused largely on Taiwan.

Blinken "stressed that preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is critical to regional and global security and prosperity," a State Department statement said.

He "discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship, especially during times of tension," it added, using the acronym for the People's Republic of China.

A State Department official described the exchange on Taiwan as "direct and honest."

The official said Blinken also renewed US warnings not to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine, amid guarded US hopes that Beijing is taking a distance from Moscow, nominally its ally.

Wang met in New York with Ukraine's foreign minister for the first time since the war and, in a Security Council session Thursday, emphasized the need for a ceasefire rather than support for Russia.

Blinken, who went ahead with the talks despite the death of his father the previous day, met Wang for the first time since a sit-down in July in Bali, where both sides appeared optimistic for more stability.

One month later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, infuriating Beijing, which staged exercises seen as a trial run for an invasion of the self-governing democracy, which it claims as its territory.

And in an interview aired Sunday, President Joe Biden said he was ready to intervene militarily if China uses force in Taiwan, once again deviating from decades of US ambiguity.

In the meeting with Blinken, Wang accused the US of "sending very wrong and dangerous signals" encouraging Taiwan independence, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a readout.

Wang told Blinken that China wished for "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan and warned that "the more rampant 'Taiwan independence' activities are, the less likely a peaceful solution would be," according to the foreign ministry.

The US official said Blinken insisted to Wang that "there has been no change" to the US policy of only recognizing Beijing and voiced opposition to "unilateral changes to the status quo" by either side.

Taiwan the 'biggest risk'

In a sign that tensions have eased, Wang also met in New York with US climate envoy John Kerry, despite China's announcement after Pelosi's visit that it was curbing cooperation on the issue, a key priority for Biden.

But in a speech before his talks with Blinken, Wang called Taiwan "the biggest risk in China-US relations" and accused the United States of stoking pro-independence forces.

"Taiwan independence is like a highly disruptive great rhinoceros charging toward us. It must be stopped resolutely," he said at the Asia Society think tank.

"Just as the US will not allow Hawaii to be stripped away, China has the right to uphold the unification of the country," he said.

He denounced the US decision to "allow" the Taiwan visit by Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency after the vice president. The Biden administration, while privately concerned about her trip, noted that Congress is a separate branch of government.

But Wang was conciliatory toward Biden. The New York talks are expected to lay the groundwork for a first meeting between Biden and President Xi Jinping since they became their two countries' leaders, likely in Bali in November on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of 20 economic powers.

Wang said that both Biden and Xi seek to "make the China-US relationship work" and to "steer clear of conflict and confrontation."

The US Congress is a stronghold of support for Taiwan, a vibrant democracy and major technological power.

Last week, a Senate committee took a first step to providing billions of dollars in weapons directly to Taiwan to deter China, a ramp-up from decades of only selling weapons requested by Taipei.

Tensions have also risen over human rights, with the United States accusing the communist state of carrying out genocide against the mostly Muslim Uyghur people.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Serbia has signed an agreement with Russia for mutual ``consultations'' on foreign policy matters, the Balkan country's media reported Saturday.

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic signed the agreement Friday along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York, where most Western delegations shunned Russia's top diplomat over the country's invasion of Ukraine.

The consultation plan covered by the agreement is expected to last for two years, Serbia's foreign ministry said in a Friday statement. Serbia officially is a candidate for European Union membership, but the government maintains relations with Russia.

Although Serbia said it supports Ukraine's territorial integrity, the government has repeatedly refused to join Western sanctions against its Slavic allies in Moscow. Aligning foreign policies with the EU is one of the main pre-conditions for joining the 27-nation bloc, but Serbia has increasingly defied calls to do so.

Media in Serbia and Russia said Serbia's populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, met Lavrov in New York and the two ``emphasized the joint focus on further dynamic development of Russian-Serbian relations.''

Officials from Serbia's pro-Western opposition said the signing of the latest deal with Russia is a sign that Vucic, a former ultranationalist, has given up on the Balkan country joining the EU and is bringing it closer into Moscow's fold.

The centrist SSP opposition party said ``it is incredible'' that at a time when most of the world is apprehensively watching Moscow's actions, Serbia signed an agreement to consult with a country ``that directly violates the U.N. Charter and intends to annex the (Ukrainian) territory.''

Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin, Vucic's informal spokesperson, said in a statement that ``expanding cooperation with Russia is not a matter of respecting the past but a responsible decision facing the future.''

Serbia is important for Russia as a way to destabilize the Balkans and potentially shift part of the world's attention from the war in Ukraine.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


We automatically exhibit preference for visual beauty in nature or in humans.

It is effortless, immediate, universal.

Beauty elicits our highest affects and stimulates our deepest longings.

The notion of physical attractiveness is a natural tendency towards beauty, encoded intrinsically in the human brain.

Science has recently backed that concept through the aid of binocular rivalry, which is a phenomenon of visual perception between different images presented to each eye, through a special stereoscope.

Binocular rivalry is nothing new. The special stereoscope was invented by British physicist Charles Wheatstone in 1808, so that others could view dissimilar pictures with ease. His mirror stereoscope is exhibited at the Science Museum in London.

In recent years the method has been successfully used in determining beauty.

At the University of Montreal, scientists Ce Mo, Tiansheng Xia, Kaixim Qin, and Lee Mo authored an article published in PLoS One, in which they presented two dissimilar objects to each eye and perception alternates, between each one.

The conclusion of their extensive study definitely states the dominance for physically attractive human images.

This is undisputed scientific evidence that facial attractiveness had dominance enhancement.

All that labour and trouble by worthy scientists to prove what we have always known for ages: beauty is omnipotent.

Therefore it absolves men (and women) from being accused of triviality or frivolity. The penchant for beauty is an innate behavioural preference driven by an inherent, natural inclination towards beauty, rather than an explicit social process.

Our audio-visual perception of beauty refers to our sense of pleasure to the eyes and ears that is directly faced upon the auditory or visual pathway, which is our perceptual experience of the world.

A recent example is the majestic funeral of the much-loved Queen Elisabeth II of Britain. Despite the deep sorrow, all the beauty, the pomp, the pageantry was afforded the late queen. Magnificent flowers, jewels, uniforms, medals, flags adorned the nations salute and farewell. Millions were glued to their TVs to watch beauty on display.

There are various aspects to beauty and we are by no means over-looking the qualities of moral beauty such as kindness, loyalty, courage, self-sacrifice, humility, etc. Such virtues are based on understanding, on social mores and highly developed social recognition. This takes time and discovery, whereas the visual strikes instantly.

Beauty has many facets  biological, psychological, cultural and social that influence how we perceive beauty. However, researchers now believe that beauty preferences are part of a rudimentary cognitive process that appears quite early in life with humans having seemingly automatic ability to recognise beauty or the lack thereof.

Scientific literature supports several features as universal criteria for human beauty.

Even month-old babies eyes detect and follow beautiful people or objects. Most probably those are the ones who, as adults, give wolf-howls to a pair of beautiful legs.

History has introduced us to beauties forever etched in our hearts, mythical or real we idolise Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in history.

Plutarch said Cleopatra was not beautiful, but who cares what Plutarch said. She was a love goddess who conquered the hearts of Roman emperors.

Royalty gave us universal beauties from Princess Fawzia of Egypt to Princess Diana of Britain.

A century ago, cinema came along to be a showcase for global beauties which age could not wither. The world embraced the likes of Hedy Lamar, Vivien Leigh, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, Elisabeth Taylor or Robert Taylor, Richard Burton, Clark Gable, and Tyrone Power. Death could neither deny nor erase their beauty.

Are we slaves to beauty? We are. The beautiful have been blessed by the gods. They get the glamorous jobs, the whistles, the service, the smiles, the oohs and aahs, the odes to beauty.

Beauty standards are not stationary, except for the few classics that live on and on.

Fortunately we live in an age when everyone can be beautiful. Disregarding the surgeons knife. The gym provides beauty mostly for the male figure that women swoon over.

Then there is the cosmetic industry. Everything you need to be beautiful comes in a jar, maybe a flacon.

In 2021 beauty products total expenditure globally reached $511 billion, for both sexes. It is expected to top $716 billion in 2025. What are you waiting for? Beauty is knocking.

Women have a heavier burden to carry, for there are products from top to toe that the industry insists you need. The irony is that you do.

A survey by University of Texas David Buss, PhD and researchers, found that 75 per cent of men prefer women with make-up. Women wearing make-up were approached faster by men. The effects of make-up have been found to be as high and as potent as facial structural features.

So, do forget that soap-washed face au naturel. Get the make-up and use it lightly if you wish, and get that handsome guy with large eyes, small to medium nose and sharp jaw, according to the article published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by Michael Cunningham of the University of Louisville.

Concentrate on eyes, eyes, eyes, then lips, the two most important features for both sexes.

Better still, wear a smile. We are drawn to positive emotions and nothing is more attractive than a smile. It produces more activity in the orbitofrontal cortex, more attractive than neutral expressions.

Moreover, a smile makes us happy. Beauty makes us happy.

A good nights sleep will give us both.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 22 September, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


On the 21st of September, 1991 Armenia regained independence. Since then, our country has constantly been among the states which contributeto a more equitable and peaceful world.

Several months agowe celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of Armenian-Egyptian diplomatic relations. However, the contacts between our peoples have a much longer history, and Armenians have always played a remarkable role in the life of Egypt.

In this context, we can mention, for example, the first Prime Minister of Egypt, Nubar Pasha (1825-1899), the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Poghos Yusufian Pasha (1775-1844), etc.

It is noteworthy that the very first Embassy of Armenia in the Middle East was opened in Cairo. It began its work in September, 1992. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Embassy was opened in Yerevan next year  in 1993.

From the very first days of the independence Armenia emphasized the vital importance of the Middle East for its foreign policy. Today eleven Armenian diplomatic representations operate in the region, and I am sure that this number will increase.

The last thirty years of Armenian-Egyptian relations are considered as a significant period, full of developments, as a result of which Armenia and Egypt are friendly states that have no political contradictions, but only prospects for positive and effective cooperation. Many mutual visits took place.The two official visits to Egypt of the first and second presidents of Armenia worth mentioning here. A huge number of political and cultural events have been organized, more than 50 agreements were signed. Next year Armenia is looking forward to host the 6th session of the Armenian-Egyptian Intergovernmental Committee,some high-level visits to Armenia.

Our country appreciates the stabilizing political role of Egypt in the Middle East, considering official Cairo as a cornerstone in the security architecture of the region.

The Embassy of Armenia to Egypt is making great efforts to promote and enhance economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. Recently, the visa regimes have been mutually simplified which will promote the development of partnership in tourism sphere.

Today, a vibrant Armenian community in Egypt contributes actively to the strengthening of our historic friendship and cooperation.On top of that, there are Armenian churches, cultural clubs and schools. Armenian books and newspapers are being actively published in Egypt. Many Egyptian artists of Armenian origin are accepted and loved in this wonderful country. We highly appreciate the positiveattitude and advertency of the President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi towards the Armenian community of Egypt.

It is widely recognized that Armenia has managed to make significant progress in the process of state-building. We have developed strong institutions of legislative, executive and judicial branches of power, which are marked by continuity and a high degree of proficiency.Over recent years our country has also made massive step forwardin combatting corruption and enhancing the rule of law. In order to ensure sustainable economic growth and increase economic competitiveness, the development of a knowledge- and high-technology-based economy has been declared as a core long-term strategic objective. Despite the permanent blockade imposed by two of its neighbors  Azerbaijan and Turkey, our country is quite successful in strengthening its economy.

Talking about the tragedy of the Armenian Genocidein the Ottoman Empire, we should express our gratitude to all the countries and peoples who granted asylum to those of our compatriots who managed toescape from the massacres. Thousands found a second home here  in Egypt.

* The writer is H.E. Mr. Hrachya Poladyan, Ambassador of Armenia to Egypt.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


KYODO NEWS - Sep 24, 2022 - 20:26 | All, Japan, World

Japan is planning to include Taiwan among the names of countries to be read aloud during flower offerings at former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's state funeral next week, government sources said Saturday.

The plan appears to have been made out of consideration for the close ties Abe had built with Taiwan until he was killed by a shooter during a campaign event in early July. If carried out, the sources said Japan is likely to refer to the self-ruled island as Taiwan, not by its official Republic of China name.

But treating Taiwan as a country at the state funeral on Tuesday could still trigger a strong reaction from China, which regards the democratic island as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Around 4,300 people are expected to attend the service at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo. Of them, the government has said about 700 are likely to be from 218 foreign countries and regions, as well as international organizations.

China is scheduled to send Wan Gang, vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, to the ceremony.

One of the three members of Taiwan's delegation, billed by its president's spokesman as intended to show the "strong and true friendship" between Taipei and Tokyo, is Su Jia-chyuan, who heads an association in charge of bilateral affairs in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.

The two others are former legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng and Frank Hsieh, Taiwan's current de facto ambassador to Japan and a former premier.

In contrast to the arrangements for the flower laying, the Taiwanese representatives will be seated between areas for delegates from countries around the world and those for international organizations, and are expected to be placed next to Palestine, which is also not a recognized country, according to the sources.

The guest list the Japanese government released Thursday puts the Taiwanese delegation in the regions section.

Taiwan's delegates are also not likely to be invited to an event on Tuesday night after the funeral, at which representatives of foreign nations will offer condolences to the late leader's widow Akie Abe and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the sources said.

Its guest list is limited to national leaders and incumbent legislative body leaders.

China has been vocal in opposition to any actions it views as interference in its "internal affairs," and tensions have flared following U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's early August visit to Taiwan.

A Taiwan contingency is also of particular concern for Japan given the proximity of its southwesterly islands, including the Senkakus, a group of Tokyo-controlled East China Sea islets claimed by Beijing.

In a joint communique with China in 1972, Japan acknowledged the People's Republic of China as China's sole legitimate government and severed ties with Taiwan.

Since diplomatic ties between the two countries were normalized in the year, Japan has taken a stance of respecting China's claim on Taiwan as part of its territory, while also maintaining nongovernmental working relations with the island.

In recent years, China has become more alert to risks from closer Japan-Taiwan ties, and is calling on Tokyo to respect the "political foundations" of their relations.

Taiwan's treatment at an official event in Japan caused controversy more than once in the past. Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda was forced to apologize in parliament for not treating Taiwan among the countries to give flowers during a 2012 memorial ceremony for the victims of the previous year's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

While Taiwan was included in the 2013 event held under the Abe government, China refused to attend in protest -- a move which was also possibly due to worsening bilateral ties in the wake of Japan's purchase in 2012 of the Beijing-claimed islets from their private Japanese owner.
By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani Culture Minister Anar Karimov has visited a number of cultural institutions in Goycay, Azernews reports, citing the ministry.

The main purpose of the visit is to improve the Culture Ministry's activities, and management system by increasing the efficiency of the work in the cultural institutions.

Anar Karimov got acquainted with the activities of a number of historical monuments and cultural institutions, where he was informed about the material and technical capabilities of the institutions, their current state, and their activities.

In Bigir village, he paid tribute to the soldiers of the Caucasus Islamic Army, who died in the fight against the Bolshevik-Dashnak units that committed massacres in Azerbaijan in 1918.

The minister also visited the Goycay Museum of Local Lore, the Bigir Rural House of Folklore, and the village library.

At the Arif Mammadov Children's Music School, the minister was reported that 94 educators are engaged in educating 377 students.

Alim Ibrahimov, a music teacher at the musical school became a martyr in the battles near the village of Sugovushan in Tartar District during the 44-day Patriotic War.

Furthermore, Anar Karimov was informed about the activities of Rasul Rza Cultural Center and the Goychay Central Library. Nine cultural houses and 17 village clubs operate under the center.

As part of the visit, Anar Karimov visited the Alley of Martyrs in Goychay and honored the memory of the martyrs, who gave their lives for Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity.

The minister got acquainted with the local architectural monument including the underground bath, and the Eternal Writers Monumental Complex. The monument was created in 2018 to perpetuate the memory of Azerbaijani poets and writers.

Anar Karimov also visited the mosque, built in 1903, and the Rasul Rza House Museum, the fund of which contains 1,085 exhibits, 449 of which are included in the permanent exhibition.

The minister got acquainted with the collection of Heydar Aliyev Center in Goychay.

The museum collection includes photographs and exhibits reflecting various periods of the life and work of the great national leader Hey Aliyev. The minister was informed about the activities of the institution.

Anar Karimov also held a meeting with cultural figures of Agdash, Ujar, Zardab and Goychay districts.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 24, 2022 - 12:12 | All, Japan, World

Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday it has decided to exit from auto production in Russia, saying it sees no prospect of resuming already suspended output as supplies of key materials remain disrupted seven months into Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Toyota, which halted operations at its plant in St. Petersburg in March due to supply chain issues, is the first major Japanese automaker to announce its withdrawal from vehicle manufacturing in Russia.

Nissan Motor Co., another Japanese automaker, recently decided to extend its suspension of its plant in St. Petersburg for three months until late December. The plant had been set to resume by the end of September.

Toyota said in a statement that it has been unable to resume normal activities even after half a year and sees "no indication that we can restart in the future."

Its operations in Moscow will be restructured to continue to provide maintenance services to existing customers of its Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles, the automaker said.

Chief Communication Officer Jun Nagata said that Toyota will not sell or transfer its Russian business operations to other entities.

Toyota employs around 2,350 people in Russia including at its sole factory, located in St. Petersburg, which began production in 2007 and manufactures the RAV4 sport utility vehicle and the Camry sedan. In 2021, it produced about 80,000 units.

Nagata told reporters online that the company chose to close the factory now to ensure it can offer assistance to its employees.

Toyota said in the statement that it will support its employees for "re-employment, re-skilling and well-being, including financial support."

Russia's Industry and Trade Ministry said Toyota will fulfill its social obligations to employees and make compensatory payments, according to Russia's Tass news agency.

St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov hailed Toyota's "unprecedented measures" to provide support to its Russian workers, according to Tass.

The ministry is working with the city of St. Petersburg on how to utilize the production site after Toyota leaves, Tass said.

Related coverage:

Russia OKs Japan firm's investment in Sakhalin 2 energy project

FOCUS: Japan's exports of sanctions-exempt used vehicles to Russia surge

Less than 3% of Japan firms exiting Russia, lowest among G-7: survey
KYODO NEWS - Sep 24, 2022 - 18:11 | All, Japan

A body discovered a week ago on the beach near Japan's scenic Shiretoko Peninsula was confirmed to be that of the captain of a tourist boat that sank nearby in April, leaving more than 10 people dead, the coast guard said Saturday.

The 19-ton Kazu I, carrying 24 passengers and two crew members, made a distress call and disappeared on April 23 after leaving Utoro port in Shari for sightseeing along the peninsula of the northernmost main island of Hokkaido, despite a forecast for rough weather.

With the confirmed death of the 54-year-old captain, Noriyuki Toyoda, a total of 19 victims have been identified, with seven still missing.

Toyoda's identity was confirmed after DNA samples taken from his body were examined, according to the 1st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters.

His body was found on the morning of Sept. 17 by a local fisherman, who was voluntarily searching for missing people from the boat.

"Even though he was in a position of responsibility, I am glad that the body was found considering the captain's family," said Kenji Sakurai, 59. "I hope the missing passengers will also be found soon."

Related coverage:

3 bodies found in Russia after Hokkaido boat tragedy arrive in Japan

2 missing from Hokkaido tour boat possibly identified by DNA
By Miya Tanaka, KYODO NEWS - Sep 24, 2022 - 14:21 | World, All

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that preserving peace and stability over Taiwan is "critical" to regional and global security amid growing tensions over the self-ruled democratic island.

But there were no signs of the two sides ironing out their differences over Taiwan, with Wang warning that the United States is sending "a very wrong and dangerous signal" to the island, which Beijing views as its own, by publicly claiming it is ready to defend the territory, according to Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency.

During the nearly 90-minute talks, held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Blinken also stressed the need to maintain open lines of communication to "responsibly manage" the competition between the United States and China, according to a senior U.S. government official.

The meeting took place after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taiwan in early August to show support for the island as it faces pressure from China, a move that has infuriated Beijing.

China reacted by holding large-scale military drills near Taiwan and by suspending exchanges with the United States in areas including talks on climate change. The military activities also included repeated crossings by Chinese navy vessels and warplanes of the median line between the mainland and Taiwan, a boundary that has been respected by both sides for decades.

U.S. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, asserted in an interview aired Sunday that U.S. forces would defend Taiwan if it is attacked by China, in what seems a shift from Washington's long-standing policy to keep its stance on the issue ambiguous.

Taiwan and mainland China have been separately governed since they split due to a civil war in 1949. Beijing has since endeavored to bring the island back into its fold.

According to Xinhua, Wang said China-U.S. relations are at a "critical juncture," and that it is imperative for the two sides to "adopt the right approach to getting along between the two major countries, and to work to stop bilateral ties from further deterioration."

"The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and it carries significant weight in the minds of the Chinese people," Wang was quoted as saying.

Blinken, for his part, made "very clear" to Wang that there has been no change to the United States' one-China policy, under which Washington recognizes Beijing as the sole legal government of China, but that the policy includes "opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo by either side," the senior U.S. official said.

The official noted that China has taken "a number of provocative steps that have by design acted to change the status quo" following the Taiwan trip by Pelosi, the third-highest-ranking U.S. official.

While such concerns are driving much of the U.S. approach on the Taiwan issue, China has "a very different view, obviously," the official added.

It was not immediately clear whether any progress was made toward arranging a possible meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which, if realized, would be the first in-person summit between the two since Biden took office in January last year.

In late July, the two leaders had their fifth call since Biden took office and discussed the value of meeting face to face, agreeing to have their teams follow up to find a mutually agreeable time to do so.

During talks with Wang, Blinken reiterated the United States' condemnation of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and warned of the "implications" if China were to provide support to Moscow in its war efforts.

The top U.S. diplomat, meanwhile, underscored that the United States remains open to cooperating with China "where our interests intersect," possibly indicating areas such as climate change, the official said.

The United States switched its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 but has kept up unofficial relations with Taiwan and supplies the island with arms and spare parts to help it maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities.

The so-called strategic ambiguity policy on U.S. military intervention is intended not only to deter China from using force against Taiwan but also to dissuade Taiwan from seeking independence, as neither Beijing nor Taipei can be certain the United States would intervene to defend the island should a conflict arise.

Biden said in the TV interview that the United States is not encouraging Taiwan to become independent, while also saying that "Taiwan makes their own judgments about their independence," adding "that's their decision."

Critics have reportedly argued that his comments could be perceived as tacit support for Taiwan to declare independence, believed to be a red line for Beijing.

Related coverage:

China's Xi eyes 1st in-person summit with Biden in Nov. in Asia: WSJ

Biden expresses concern over China's activities near Taiwan

Biden, Xi square off over Taiwan, but to explore face-to-face talks
KYODO NEWS - Sep 24, 2022 - 15:37 | All, Japan

Japan's foreign minister said Friday he and his Chinese counterpart were unable to hold talks in New York, but that he will continue to seek dialogue as the two countries work to ease tensions over Taiwan, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties next week.

Yoshimasa Hayashi, who had expressed willingness to meet bilaterally with Wang Yi on the fringes of the U.N. General Assembly, told reporters before wrapping up his five-day trip in New York that talks did not materialize due to scheduling conflicts.

"As Japan and China mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties this year, we both need to make efforts to build a constructive and stable relationship," Hayashi said.

The last in-person foreign ministerial talks between the two East Asian neighbors were held in November 2020.

In early August, Wang abruptly canceled planned talks with Hayashi in early August in Phnom Penh, days after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a trip to Taipei that angered Beijing and heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

China regards the self-ruled democratic island as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Following the visit of Pelosi, the third-highest-ranking official of the United States, China conducted large-scale military drills in areas encircling Taiwan.

Despite such tensions, Tokyo and Beijing continued efforts to accelerate dialogue, with Japan's top national security adviser and his Chinese counterpart having met in mid-August in the Chinese city of Tianjin.

Related coverage:

Peace over Taiwan "critical," Blinken tells China's Wang amid tension

Japan must not "obscure" stance on Taiwan issue: China's Wang

Japan eager to hold foreign ministerial talks with China in Sept.
BAGHDAD, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Friday that his government is interested in developing relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries at all levels, according to a statement of the ministry.

Hussein made the remarks when meeting with GCC Secretary-General Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajraf on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, where "the two sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation," the ministry said in the statement.

The minister said the Iraqi government is interested in developing relations with the GCC countries at all levels and called on foreign companies to invest in Iraqi infrastructure.

For his part, Al-Hajraf affirmed "GCC's support for the security and stability of Iraq," stressing the keenness of GCC countries to advance their relations with Iraq in the service of common interests.

The two sides also discussed some regional and international issues of common concern, especially the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on food security and the need to work collectively to confront the possible repercussions of the crisis. 
TEHRAN, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani on Saturday expressed regret for the decision of the Ukrainian government to downgrade diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic.

On Friday, Ukraine announced to downgrade ties with Iran and remove the Iranian ambassador's accreditation over what it called Tehran's "unfriendly" decision to supply Russia with drones "used against its forces and citizens," the Iranian Foreign Ministry website reported.

The decision of the Ukrainian government is based on "unconfirmed reports and caused by the creation of media hype by foreign parties," Kanani said.

He advised Ukraine not to be influenced by third parties who seek to destroy the relations between the two countries.

Over the Russia and Ukraine conflict, Iran has adopted the "clear policy of neutrality" and has declared its opposition to war and the need for a political settlement of disputes away from violence, he was quoted as saying.

Kanani emphasized that Iran will take proportionate action in response to the Ukrainian government's decision. 
HAVANA, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cuba was elected Friday to chair the Group of 77 (G77) and China in 2023 at a meeting on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The foreign ministers of the G77 approved Cuba's candidacy by acclamation, a decision welcomed by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

"Endorsement of Cuba's election is more than a recognition of our country, it is an enormous responsibility, since the G77 and China is the broadest and most diverse cooperation group in the multilateral sphere," Rodriguez tweeted.

The top Cuban diplomat highlighted the "impressive historical tradition" of the group, describing the designation as "a very great honor." 
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd R) meets with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai (2nd L) on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here Friday with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, calling for building a more stable, prosperous and sustainable future for bilateral relations.

Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, Wang, who met Don on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, said both sides agreed to strive for building a community with a shared future as a goal and vision, enrich the connotation of "China and Thailand are close like a family," and forge ahead for a more stable, prosperous and sustainable future for the two countries.

The Chinese side supports the Thai side in playing its role as a host country and holding this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting to ensure that the meeting focuses on the Asia-Pacific region and the economy, works towards the goal of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, so as to facilitate regional economic recovery, jointly meet urgent challenges, and make Asia's voice heard in and make Asia's contribution to the building of the Asia-Pacific community, Wang said.

For his part, Don wished the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China a full success, saying that Thailand is satisfied with the progress achieved in the Thailand-China cooperation in various fields.

Thailand, Don said, supports the China-proposed Global Development Initiative and is willing to enhance coordination with China to successfully hold this year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

The two sides agreed to speed up the institutional connectivity of customs clearance for logistics passing through the China-Laos-Thailand railway as well as the physical connectivity of infrastructure, thus injecting strong impetus into bilateral practical cooperation and regional connectivity. 
Some recipients of the Chinese ambassador's scholarship pose for a group photo in Accra, capital of Ghana, Aug. 16, 2022. (Xinhua)

The Confucius Institute is deepening China-Ghana relations by creating more job opportunities for Chinese language graduates in Ghana, according to Josephine Dzahene Quarshie, the Ghanaian director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Ghana.

ACCRA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute is deepening China-Ghana relations by creating more job opportunities for Chinese language graduates in Ghana, according to Josephine Dzahene Quarshie, the Ghanaian director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Ghana.

In a speech at the China-Ghana International Conference on Chinese Language Education held in Accra, the capital of Ghana, Thursday, she observed that apart from teaching Chinese language courses, the Confucius Institute has been bent on linking more Ghanaian students to Chinese enterprises operating in Ghana.

People take part in a game using Chinese chopsticks to pick up beans during a Chinese culture show in Accra, capital of Ghana, May 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)

"We also recommend our students to work at the Confucius Institute and other Chinese institutions and help them get the Chinese government scholarships, and currently several of our students are studying in China," the Ghanaian director said, adding that this has also improved the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Chen Xuli, the human resource director for Chinese tech giant Huawei in Ghana, spoke highly of the institute's teaching and voiced the company's willingness to create more job opportunities for graduates.

"As a Chinese company, we want our staff to know more about our Chinese culture. In 2019, we started cooperating with the institute to design a Chinese course for our staff so they can better cooperate and collaborate with each other," Chen told Xinhua.

Established in 2013 through cooperation between the University of Ghana and the Zhejiang University of Technology, the institute has trained more than 20,000 Ghanaians since its inception. 
File photo shows President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer attending a session themed "Building Economies in Fragile Markets" of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2022 in Davos, Switzerland, May 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

"Politics are here to service the community, not for the communities to be the object of politics. And I think that's the centrality of the humanitarian mandate. It's about humanity at the center," said President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer.



by Xinhua writers Yang Shilong, Xing Yue, Xie E

NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday called on world leaders to put needs of people and communities at the center and focus more on stronger multilateral system, instead of "disruptive politics."

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly, ICRC President Peter Maurer said, "I'm surprised to see that the high-level week of the UN General Assembly has increasingly become a shouting competition of different views, instead of a place where you look for solutions."

"I still believe that the majority of participants have prepared to make a step in New York. Processes were created to announce to the world positive steps," he said, but adding "I don't think we will achieve the millennium, the sustainable development goals by 2030 if disruptive politics is the main feature of what we are experiencing."

"I would still believe first that the 2030 target for the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) is still representing the broadest consensus in the international community. Secondly, I would still believe that war and conflict and the repercussions are the biggest obstacle to reach those objectives. And we see it with the exponential humanitarian needs. Therefore I do believe there is a lot to do," said the former Swiss diplomat, who had attended the annual UN event for more than 20 times.

As the ICRC leader, an organization focusing on helping people, Maurer said he would remind world leaders that "what they do and, what they advocate for, has to put needs and concerns of people and communities at the center."

"Politics are here to service the community, not for the communities to be the object of politics. And I think that's the centrality of the humanitarian mandate. It's about humanity at the center," he said.

"Politicians have to come in with more ambitious objectives for communities, social development, jobs, economic growth which need to be addressed," he said.

Stressing the need of stronger institution of global cooperation, he said: "If we don't have the institution to achieve the objective, the objective will remain somehow in the air. You need a train to bring you from A to B ... And you need institutions which bring you to the target."

Maurer, who has been serving as the ICRC president since 2012, said they work very closely with colleagues from the United Nations to assist and protect people in need.

"We are in institutions in the service of the international community," he said. "We are helping people and would hope for strong leadership towards cooperation, multilateralism, international law, because these are important elements which prevent further escalation of warfare."

"But at the present moment, very frankly, my biggest concern is that socially the world is moving apart," Maurer said, adding that "There is more injustice and more perception of people to be excluded from international affairs, from global cooperation."

Calling the situation "not a positive trend," he said: "We have to move to consensus and not have further divisions. We need the multilateral system." 
By Laman Ismayilova

The Azerbaijani Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC (AzTV) has transferred three musical groups to the subordination of the Culture Ministry, Azernews reports.

This decision was taken as part of the structural reforms being carried out at AzTV in accordance with new and international practices.

According to the decision, the Orchestra of Folk Instruments, the Jahangir Jahangirov Choir Chapel, and the Niyazi Symphony Orchestra will henceforth function under the Culture Ministry.

In this regard, a meeting was held between AzTV chairman Rovshan Mammadov and the First Deputy Culture Minister Elnur Aliyev with members of musical groups.

The main purpose of this decision is to make the work of musical bands more productive and expand their creative possibilities.

The activities of these music teams under the ministry will create a more effective environment in terms of improving their professionalism and career.

However, AzTV will continue to work with the above teams on a fee basis when organizing concert programs by contacting the ministry.

Productive and close cooperation has been established between the Culture Ministry and AzTV. This step will make the activities of employees even more productive and further strengthen the partnership between the two institutions.

However, other teams will continue their activities under the Azerbaijani Television and Radio Broadcasting company.




The President of Mozambique's ruling party Frelimo, Filipe Nyusi, also the country's President, delivers a speech for the opening of the party's 12th congress in Matola, Maputo Province, Mozambique, Sept. 23, 2022. The President of Mozambique's ruling party Frelimo, Filipe Nyusi, also the country's President, declared Friday the opening of the party's 12th congress, which his counterpart the Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan attended as a guest of honor. (Photo by Israel Zefanias/Xinhua)

MAPUTO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The President of Mozambique's ruling party Frelimo, Filipe Nyusi, also the country's President, declared Friday the opening of the party's 12th congress, which his counterpart the Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan attended as a guest of honor.

In his speech addressed to more than 2,000 participants in Frelimo's party school in the city of Matola, Maputo Province, the party chief encouraged open discussions on the themes of national unity, strengthening sovereignty, and development.

Nyusi recalled the commitments made by the party at each congress since it was founded on June 25, 1962, in the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam, and said the party continues to grow with the capacity to lead the development process in Mozambique.

"Frelimo has demonstrated to the country and the world its ability to be resilient and to reinvent itself in the face of political dynamics at each historical moment," said Nyusi, who thanked neighboring Tanzania for supporting the party during the armed struggle for national liberation.

Other topics mentioned by Nyusi include reflection on the fight against terrorism, investment in party sustainability and rejuvenation, the impact of climate change, the need to lower the cost of living, and the measures package for economic acceleration.

In her speech at the ceremony, Samia Suluhu Hassan praised the efforts that regional parties have undertaken to strengthen ties and gather experiences that serve to benefit the people.

She mentioned the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School for training cadres of the sister parties and thanked her Chinese counterpart "for his support for the six parties, the national and regional liberation movements."

"I reaffirm that our commitment is to keep the traditional bond between our peoples strong and we are ready to continue working and to support Mozambique in the fight against terrorism," she said.

One agenda of the 12th Frelimo congress is to elect the members of the party's governing bodies, including the party chief and a new central committee.

The 12th Frelimo Congress takes place under the motto "60 years of consolidating national unity, promoting peace and development". 

The President of Mozambique's ruling party Frelimo, Filipe Nyusi (1st L, front), also the country's President, accompanied by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan (2nd L, front), arrives at the opening ceremony of the party's 12th congress in Matola, Maputo Province, Mozambique, Sept. 23, 2022. The President of Mozambique's ruling party Frelimo, Filipe Nyusi, also the country's President, declared Friday the opening of the party's 12th congress, which his counterpart the Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan attended as a guest of honor. (Photo by Israel Zefanias/Xinhua)

The President of Mozambique's ruling party Frelimo, Filipe Nyusi, also the country's President, joins a dance performance before the opening of the party's 12th congress in Matola, Maputo Province, Mozambique, Sept. 23, 2022. The President of Mozambique's ruling party Frelimo, Filipe Nyusi, also the country's President, declared Friday the opening of the party's 12th congress, which his counterpart the Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan attended as a guest of honor. (Photo by Israel Zefanias/Xinhua)
QUITO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- A total of 3.5 tons of cocaine has been seized at the seaport of Guayaquil in a police operation, Ecuadoran police reported on Friday.

The drug, packed in 88 suitcases, was hidden in a banana container bound for Belgium, said General Victor Zarate, an Ecuadoran police commander, adding that the seizure is "a heavy blow" to drug dealers and the legal representative of the company exporting banana containers was detained.

In 2021, Ecuadoran police seized the annual record of 210 tons of drugs, mostly cocaine. And so far in 2022, police have seized 144 tons of drugs in Ecuador.

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso has declared a frontal fight against drug trafficking in his country, which he blamed for a spike in crime and violence.

In his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Lasso called for international support to fight against drug trafficking, saying that "transnational crime requires a transnational solution." 
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a high-level event on ending the COVID-19 pandemic at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 23, 2022. (Evan Schneider/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for efforts to close three major gaps to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, the booster gap. Vaccine booster coverage remains low everywhere. Low-income countries, in particular, are still struggling, with only 35 percent of healthcare workers and 31 percent of older populations fully vaccinated and boosted, he said.

"Our top priority continues to be getting vaccines into arms. This must include addressing the shadow pandemic of vaccine hesitancy, and countering misinformation with life-saving facts," he told a high-level event on ending the pandemic.

Second, the testing gap. Testing rates are plummeting everywhere, exposing the world to potential variants and undermining the rollout of new treatments. Giving these new medicines a chance means dramatically expanding testing and treatment coverage, especially for low- and middle-income countries, he said.

Third, the preparedness gap. Now is the time to strengthen defense against future threats by investing in early-warning systems, local manufacturing and diagnostic capabilities, and a well-paid, well-supplied health workforce. The world must never be caught so unprepared again, he said.

"Making progress toward closing these gaps is what today is all about. It's time to build political momentum to finish the job on COVID-19. Let's get it done. Let's end this pandemic -- once and for all," said Guterres.

The world is challenged on all fronts. Most of those challenges, particularly rising poverty and inequalities, have been aggravated by the pandemic that continues to upend lives, livelihoods and economies, he said.

This is the third UN General Assembly taking place under the shadow of COVID-19, he noted.

While no country was spared, low- and even middle-income countries continue to suffer the worst impacts, he said.

At the same time, the world can draw strength from some inspiring progress. On average, countries have vaccinated 75 percent of their healthcare workers and other populations. New oral antiviral drugs are coming on board. Combined with testing, these offer a clear path to preventing deaths among the most vulnerable. And countries are increasingly integrating COVID-19 measures into routine health services and programs, he said.

"The lessons from these successes are clear. The virus is treatable. We can save lives. And we can bring the virus under control -- even among high-risk populations. If we could combine these tools with greater ambition among world leaders, we could end the pandemic this year," said Guterres.

The high-level event was convened by the secretary-general on the sidelines of the general debate of the UN General Assembly, and was co-organized with the World Health Organization and the UN Children's Fund. 
BEIJING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday held various events to celebrate the fifth Chinese farmers' harvest festival in Beijing and the southwestern city of Chengdu.

Farming-themed activities, including product and agricultural technology exhibitions and farming awards ceremonies, were hosted at the two venues of this year's harvest festival celebration, attracting active public participation.

Initiated in 2018, the Chinese farmers' harvest festival coincides with the autumnal equinox each year. The autumnal equinox is one of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar and it usually falls between Sept. 22 and 24, during the country's agricultural harvest season. 
LUSAKA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Eleven people were killed and nine others injured when two vehicles crashed in the early hours of Saturday in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, the police said.

Ten people died on the spot while one died at the hospital. Five out of the nine injured sustained serious injuries.

Rae Hamoonga, the spokesperson for the Zambia Police, said the accident happened when the driver of a public minibus lost control of the vehicle due to speeding and collided head-on with a truck coming from the opposite direction.

The accident comes barely a week after 21 women died in a road accident in the northern part of the country. 
Photo taken on Dec. 8, 2021 shows wind turbines at Changma wind farm in Yumen City, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China is strengthening its efforts to push forward global development, addressing fundamental issues such as poverty, healthcare and climate change in an era of unsettling challenges and uncertainties.

By pooling strengths from across the world through multilateral cooperation mechanisms and initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative (GDI), China is seeking international cooperation to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Eliminating poverty is the common aspiration of all people across the world, and a shared mission of the international community. The first goal of the SDGs is to "end poverty in all its forms everywhere."

China achieved its goal of eradicating absolute poverty as scheduled, improving the living standards of hundreds of millions of people through decades of hard work.

Over the past 40 years, China has contributed close to three-quarters of the global reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty, according to a joint report released in April by China's Ministry of Finance, the Development Research Center of the State Council, and the World Bank.

As the world's most populous country forges ahead toward its rural revitalization goal, it is sharing its valuable experience in fighting poverty with other developing countries.

In Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, China has launched pilot projects to improve the organizational abilities of local villages, encourage farmers to combine their efforts through agricultural activities, and cultivate a new vision for development to shake off poverty, according to a white paper titled "China's International Development Cooperation in the New Era," issued by the State Council Information Office in 2021.

China has also organized training programs and co-hosted seminars with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to share ideas and actions for targeted poverty alleviation with other developing countries, the white paper stated.

ENHANCING HEALTHCARE

China has always emphasized putting people and their lives first, and has been actively assisting developing countries to improve their public health systems and medical services.

From 2015 to 2019, China dispatched 3,588 medical workers overseas in 202 groups, and they in turn provided treatment to 11 million patients, organized professional training for local medical workers, offered free mobile clinic services, and donated medicines and equipment, according to the white paper.

After the outbreak of COVID-19, China continuously offered vaccine aid and medical support to less developed countries.

As of Aug. 23, China has provided 189 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 27 African countries since the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in November 2021. Localized annual production capacities, in cooperation with African partners, now total nearly 400 million doses.

By 2030, China will have sent 5,000 professionals from the China Medical Team to other developing countries in need to help build up their infectious disease response and medical treatment capacities, according to the deliverables of the High-level Dialogue on Global Development held in June.

PROTECTING NATURE

Adhering to the vision of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature, China has prioritized clean energy development, biodiversity protection and climate change response, among other fields.

The country is aiming to peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

Currently, China's installed capacity of renewable energy is 1.1 billion kilowatts. Its hydropower, wind power, solar power and biomass power capacities all rank first globally, the National Development and Reform Commission said on Thursday.

China has launched a clean energy pilot project to increase power supply while minimizing environmental impacts in Gabon, and supported Fiji in working toward the goal of raising renewable energy to 90 percent of its total energy consumption by 2025, according to the white paper.

The first phase of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity was held in China last year to negotiate an effective post-2020 global biodiversity framework that can bend the curve of biodiversity loss.

China announced at that time that it would invest 1.5 billion yuan (about 214.5 million U.S. dollars) to establish the Kunming Biodiversity Fund to support biodiversity protection in developing countries.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Since its inception a year ago, the GDI has received a warm response from the international community, with more than 100 countries extending their support to date.

The Group of Friends of the GDI was launched at the UN in January, and over 60 countries have joined the forum so far.

The GDI has taken a leap from "laying the foundation" to "building the framework," and a stride from "freehand brushwork" to "meticulous painting," Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said when chairing the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI on Tuesday.

On the achievements made in the implementation of the GDI, Wang said that cooperation platforms have been built, resource input has been increased, and urgent challenges have been addressed in the past year.

The China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Action Cooperation Center has been established, Wang said. The Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund was also launched to support the cooperation projects of the GDI. Since the beginning of this year, China has provided emergency food assistance to developing countries and will continue to do so, according to Wang.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres lauded the GDI at the same meeting, calling it a valued contribution to addressing common challenges and accelerating the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive future. 
Calligrapher Haitham Kattan writes at his home in Damascus, Syria, Sept. 22, 2022. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

by Hummam Sheikh Ali

DAMASCUS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Computer technology has made life mostly easier, but not for Syrian calligraphers, as the popularity of digital printing has endangered their profession of handwriting signage for local businesses.

Haitham Kattan, a 73-year-old calligrapher from Damascus, is one of the craftsmen whose long-lived artwork has been taken over by digital graphics.

He is one of the very few people still practicing calligraphy, which used to be a bread-earning profession.

Over the past 55 years, Kattan's signature has been seen tailing most shop banners, before digital printing, which is easy to use and inexpensive, started to prevail, making handmade calligraphy far less profitable.

Things turned for the worse in 2015, when he had to leave his workshop in central Damascus due to the mortar attacks.

But for Kattan, surrendering is not an option. He is ready to go the extra mile to keep this art alive, Kattan told Xinhua.

He soon sold the workshop but meanwhile designated a room for continuing practicing the art at his home in Damascus, the man recalled

"Out of my love for it, I can't leave it. When I walk down the street, my eyes keep tracking the banners and the fonts in which they are written," he added.

Now, Kattan sits in his room using the old school method of bamboo reed pens and ink to write names and compliment letters in various fonts and types.

At abundant leisure, the man now offers private lessons for young men and those interested in this old writing art.

He lamented that nowadays, people do all the designs on computers, which is soulless, as he described.

"This generation can sit on computers and make paintings and artwork and embed letters in them but that is not enough as the calligrapher has his soul in what he writes," he said. 

Calligrapher Haitham Kattan arranges bamboo reed pens for handwriting at his home in Damascus, Syria, Sept. 22, 2022. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations in New York, the United States, Sept. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The BRICS countries should prioritize the issue of development at the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly and inject impetus into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

While attending the meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations in New York, Wang said that the 14th BRICS Summit was successfully held in June, and that the leaders of the five countries had in-depth exchanges under the theme of "Forging High-quality Partnership for a New Era of Global Development," reached broad consensus and embarked on a new journey of BRICS cooperation.

Noting that the current international situation is intertwined with changes and turbulences and global challenges emerge one after another, Wang said security is the prerequisite for development, while development is the guarantee for security.

Wang called on BRICS countries to firmly resist decoupling, severing supply chains and creating barriers in science and technology, and work towards building an open world economy, so as to achieve stronger, greener, and healthier global development.

Given that multilateralism is hit hard by power politics and unilateral hegemony, and various forms of pseudo-multilateralism are even more bewildering, Wang said the BRICS countries should take the lead in upholding the international system with the United Nations at its core, safeguarding the authority of the United Nations and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and following the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, so as to jointly make the international order more fair and equitable.

The BRICS countries should focus on their long-term development and practical needs, actively respond to the expectations of various parties, and steadily advance the process of BRICS membership expansion, Wang said.

As the G20 Bali Summit draws near, Wang called on his counterparts to step up communication and coordination and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of emerging markets and developing countries.

The BRICS countries should follow the strategic guidance of BRICS leaders, implement the outcomes of the meeting, build consensus, and convey confidence, so as to demonstrate strength and usher in a brighter future for the BRICS mechanism, Wang said. 

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) attends the meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations in New York, the United States, Sept. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
VIENTIANE, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The weather bureau of Laos has warned people across the country to be alert to the possibility of landslides, flooding, strong winds and rain from tropical storm Noru.

According to a report issued on Friday by the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology under the Lao Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the storm is heading towards the northern Philippines from Saturday to Sunday, then moving into Vietnam on Monday.

The storm is expected to reach Laos from Tuesday to Wednesday, causing moderate to heavy rain across the country.

The weather bureau stated that heavy rain and strong winds will affect the northern and central provinces, including the Lao capital Vientiane.

Lao authorities have warned people to exercise caution, advising residents in at-risk areas to prepare for sudden weather changes.

The heavy rainfall in Laos in August caused floods that damaged houses and infrastructure and inundated hundreds of hectares of farmland in many provinces and Lao capital Vientiane. 
LONDON, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- For Cameron Patterson, a young British scholar who spent his childhood living and studying in China, nothing more vividly attests to China's rapid progress over the past decade than trains.

Before the advent of high-speed rail and bullet trains, getting around such a vast country like China was never easy, recalled Patterson, a PhD candidate in space and planetary physics at Lancaster University.

Patterson moved from Wales to join his father, an English teacher, in Datong, northern China's Shanxi Province, at the age of eight in 2003. In the subsequent years, he and his parents lived in several cities across China, including Qingdao of Shandong, Lianyungang of Jiangsu, and Zhanjiang of Guangdong.

While the nomadic lifestyle enabled them to explore more of China, traveling in itself wasn't always pleasant. When his family relocated from Lianyungang to Zhanjiang, the trip on the old-type "green-skinned train" took them one and a half excruciating days.

Now with bullet trains and an unmatched high-speed rail network, life has become much easier. Previously long trips have been shortened to a matter of several hours. These modern, sleek trains are far more comfortable. A coin placed standing on the table of a fast-moving carriage wouldn't budge, he said.

"I'm grateful that China has it now," he said. "The changes that the bullet train has brought to China are absolutely mental, to think that what you can do with it now."

Though his primary schoolmistress in his Cardiff hometown was shocked by the decision of Patterson's father to whisk the boy away to China at such a young age, Patterson said few would doubt that decision now as "it's changed my life in such a big way."

Gradually, fame found its way to Patterson. Initially a local celebrity in Cardiff who held his peers spellbound with his recount of experiences in China, he solidified his stardom in 2015 with his impeccable Chinese when he finished second in the global finals of Chinese Bridge, a worldwide Chinese proficiency competition for non-Chinese university students.

In the same year, Patterson had another highlight of his life: reciting a poem about China's role model Jiao Yulu at the opening ceremony of an annual meeting of Confucius Institutes and Classrooms in Britain.

A poem about Jiao was not a choice Patterson arbitrarily made. Teachings in Chinese classrooms about the local official, who succumbed to cancer after dedicating his life wholeheartedly to improving living standards in central China's Henan province, have long left an indelible impression on Patterson. He understood that people like Jiao kept propelling China's progress.

"Jiao was a man who was dreadfully ill towards the end of his life, but still carried on working to help people, and basically to his last breath trying to give it all to make sure that the world came out a better place after he's gone," Patterson said.

"And this kind of spirit that he had is really quite honorable. Something that even today, especially today, that we should take something away from and that we can learn from," he said.

With his bilingual skills and familiarity with the cultural nuances of China and Britain, Patterson has considered it his calling to deepen the understanding between the two peoples.

Over the years, he played a succession of roles that attest to his steadfast maturity as a "cultural ambassador" and a volunteer in Lancaster University's Confucius Institute.

"I would be very happy to act as a bridge between the UK and China. It's always been a big part of my life," he told Xinhua.

"In the world we live in nowadays, I think it's really important that we have people that understand the UK and China to help get past the differences," Patterson said. 
By Trend

The Austrian Dasfazit.at online newspaper has published an article entitled as "What is secret of Azerbaijan's unshakable position?" highlighting the speech of President Ilham Aliyev made after the ceremony of raising the Azerbaijani flag in Lachin city, Trend reports.

The article cited the statement of the president that, despite the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands, the suffering of the country's citizens, the destruction of historical and religious monuments, cities, and the planting of more than a million mines, Azerbaijan offered peace. However, the country again became convinced that Armenia doesnt want peace, and continues to live with revanchist ideas.

Besides, the article stressed that ignoring the peace proposals by Armenia is the main obstacle to the implementation of the demarcation process.

According to the article, Azerbaijan's proposal for peace is primarily based on the implementation of the demarcation process, as well as the mutual recognition of territorial integrity.

The article also cited the speech of President Ilham Aliyev, when the head of state noted the importance of using both the maps of the 20th century and the maps of the previous period when carrying out delimitation work.

Furthermore, the article cited the statement of the president that Armenia hasnt fulfilled its obligations on building the Zangazur corridor, nor withdrew its armed units from the territory of Azerbaijans Karabakh, although this is one of the conditions for the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020 [signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the Second Karabakh War].

When another provocation was committed against us on 13 September, the Azerbaijani Army responded and put the enemy back in place yet again. I do hope that this will finally teach them a lesson. Because they saw that no one and nothing could stop us. No-one's call, no statements or initiatives can stop us, the article noted citing the president's speech.

The article also pointed out that there were attempts of unfair international pressure on Baku, but Azerbaijan showed determination and did not step back from its position.

According to the text of the article, all calls to President Ilham Aliyev after phone conversations between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and leaders of various countries of the world amid tensions on the state border show that Baku is superior, dictating side.

The article also cited the comment of President Ilham Aliyev on the statements of the Armenian side that Azerbaijan allegedly invaded the territory of Armenia. The head of state noted that these statements have no grounds since the delimitation has not yet been carried out.

The key idea of ??the article is that the main instrument helping to strengthen Azerbaijan's position at the negotiating table and on the battlefield, as well as to withstand pressure from international organizations and some states, is the submission of official documents.

A striking example of this can be the point on the construction of an alternative road to the Lachin corridor, which was included in the trilateral statement at the insistence of President Ilham Aliyev, and on the basis of which the Azerbaijani side was able to return to Lachin and the surrounding villages in a short time and without losses.

Namely, the presence of official documents can neutralize any statement made from across the ocean or from the center of Europe. Moreover, these documents allow Azerbaijan to fully respond to the revanchist steps of certain circles in Armenia.
SANAA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajraf, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has reaffirmed the GCC's support for Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and the internationally-recognized government, the national Yemen TV reported Saturday.

Al-Hajraf made the remarks when meeting with Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of the PLC, on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on Thursday.

The two sides reviewed "developments in Yemen and the efforts to renew the ongoing humanitarian truce," said the Yemeni news outlet.

Al-Hajraf confirmed "the Gulf's continued support for the reforms led by the PLC in various regional and international forums."

For his part, Al-Alimi called on the international community to place pressure on the Houthis to engage in the UN-brokered efforts for a peace settlement and end the civil war in Yemen.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia stormed several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.

The United Nations successfully mediated a two-month truce for the first time since the civil war erupted eight years ago. The truce initially took effect on April 2, then renewed on June 2, and then extended for an additional two months on Aug. 2. 
by Xinhua writer Zhang Zhongkai

CHANGCHUN, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Purchase a ticket online and board any high-speed train in China, chances are good that you're riding in a train produced at a suburban factory in the northeastern city of Changchun.

CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd., known as the cradle of China's metro transit and electric multiple units, produces about 40 percent of the country's high-speed trains. And a giant workshop at the corner of CRRC Changchun factory plays a crucial role in the safe operation of these bullet trains.

This workshop, which can accommodate 77 EMU carriages at the same time, is the assembly line of high-speed trains.

Different kinds of train carriages are arranged in an orderly manner, and workers are busy toiling in the carriages or under the trains. Most of these workers are wiring operators.

"Don't underestimate this job," said Yao Zhihui, a 34-year-old junior operator at CRRC Changchun.

A high-speed train contains nearly 20,000 pieces of wires and about 100,000 junction points, Yao explained, adding that they are like the "nerves" of the train, and any error or deviation may affect its normal operation.

Yao joined CRRC Changchun in 2011, becoming one of the country's first generation of high-speed railway workers. She started as a wiring worker, a grassroots position that entails connecting 200 to 300 wires per day.

A number tag corresponding to the worker's identity will be attached to the wire following the completion of the operation; this is the company's signature method for ensuring meticulousness.

Workers like Yao value their work as the company provides a clear route for professional advancement. Through training, practical operation and assessment, they can move up the ladder from wiring worker to technician, operator, expert and even a scientist at the company. Some have even received provincial and national honors.

Han Dongning, 49, is a senior expert in the company. During his three decades of experience here, he has witnessed the industry's transformation from slow trains to domestically-manufactured high-speed trains.

In 1997, China implemented its first significant railway speed increase. Since then, the country's high-speed rail technology has continued to achieve breakthroughs, from 250 km per hour to 350 km per hour, and then to 400 km per hour. Made-in-China high-speed trains can not only operate in freezing weather and desert regions, but they also have magnetic levitation and driverless technology.

With the increasing degree of automation of high-speed rail, will its manufacturing process require less labor from workers like Han?

"It's quite the opposite," Han said.

He believes that the faster and more intelligent high-speed trains are, the more complex their software and hardware systems will become, requiring higher technical competence for daily inspection and maintenance by workers.

"For us, improving our skills to ensure safe operation of the trains is an endless learning curve," Han said. 
File photo shows the exterior view of the World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo by Li Ye/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to work with other members of the Group of 20 (G20) to promote the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and achieve the UN sustainable development goals, according to an official from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

Wang Shouwen, vice commerce minister and China international trade representative at the MOC, made the remarks via video link at the G20 Trade, Investment and Industry Ministerial Meeting held in Indonesia from Thursday to Friday.

Adhering to its new development philosophy, China is committed to fostering green development partnerships, carrying out international investment cooperation, and promoting the green development of the Belt and Road, Wang said.

To build a global community of health for all, China has cooperated with more than 120 countries and regions on vaccines, Wang said.

Amid efforts to push forward industrial digitization and digital industrialization, China is advancing its process of joining the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and strengthening international cooperation on the digital economy, according to the vice minister.

Wang called on all parties to oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and avoid adopting discriminatory policies and measures that could distort global investment, industrial chains and supply chains. 
Kevin Watkins drives his Chinese-themed Guilin Sun Pagoda float to a meeting point of the Hastings Blossom Parade in Hastings, New Zealand on Sept. 24, 2022.

Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday.

Kevin Watkins, a 73-year-old Hastings district councilor, brought his Guilin Sun Pagoda float this year to attract viewers and finally won the prize of the best Blossom decorated float during the event.

"I built the float to promote the value of Hastings Guilin Sister Cities link since 1981," Watkins told Xinhua.

"It is my way of saying thank you for all the kindnesses I have received from Chinese people. The beauty of the culture with its precision and color captivated me and I have been honored to meet so many of them in person and who I consider life-long friends," Watkins added. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

HASTINGS, New Zealand, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday.

Tractors converted to steam trains, trucks decorated like a huge pumpkin or bee, dragon boats and sun pagoda, bands, marching teams, and even kids, toddlers and walkers dressed in special costumes descended on Hastings with the theme of "Transport to Delight" to enjoy the Spring sunshine.

Parade organizer Lyn Mackie said they would like the theme with a wide range of possibilities,

"Transport to Delight could be bikes, cars, trucks or even your feet. Or you could transport people to delight through something you have done, not necessarily through transport."

This is the very point Kevin Watkins would agree with.

Watkins, a 73-year-old Hastings district councilor, is always pleased to make floats by himself during the parade, especially Chinese-themed floats.

This year, he brought his Guilin Sun Pagoda float to attract viewers and finally won the prize of the best Blossom decorated float during the event.

"I built the float to promote the value of Hastings Guilin Sister Cities link since 1981," Watkins told Xinhua.

"It is my way of saying thank you for all the kindnesses I have received from Chinese people. The beauty of the culture with its precision and color captivated me and I have been honored to meet so many of them in person and who I consider life-long friends," Watkins added.

This is his 7th Chinese-themed float since 1998, which took him more than two weeks to finish. His tractor is decorated with flowers, a replica of the Sun Pagoda, a bamboo raft and Chinese lanterns, and three Chinese ladies and two children dressed in ethnic costumes were sitting on it.

Forty-four floats participated in this year's parade. Carnival rides and local and national performances took the stage all day during the weekend. As the organizer Lyn Mackie mentioned earlier to local media, the event has brought smiles to everyone. 

Kevin Watkins makes a final check on his Chinese-themed Guilin Sun Pagoda float before taking part in the Hastings Blossom Parade in Hastings, New Zealand on Sept. 24, 2022.

Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday.

Kevin Watkins, a 73-year-old Hastings district councilor, brought his Guilin Sun Pagoda float this year to attract viewers and finally won the prize of the best Blossom decorated float during the event.

"I built the float to promote the value of Hastings Guilin Sister Cities link since 1981," Watkins told Xinhua.

"It is my way of saying thank you for all the kindnesses I have received from Chinese people. The beauty of the culture with its precision and color captivated me and I have been honored to meet so many of them in person and who I consider life-long friends," Watkins added. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

Kevin Watkins drives his Chinese-themed Guilin Sun Pagoda float during the Hastings Blossom Parade in Hastings, New Zealand on Sept. 24, 2022.

Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday.

Kevin Watkins, a 73-year-old Hastings district councilor, brought his Guilin Sun Pagoda float this year to attract viewers and finally won the prize of the best Blossom decorated float during the event.

"I built the float to promote the value of Hastings Guilin Sister Cities link since 1981," Watkins told Xinhua.

"It is my way of saying thank you for all the kindnesses I have received from Chinese people. The beauty of the culture with its precision and color captivated me and I have been honored to meet so many of them in person and who I consider life-long friends," Watkins added. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

People participate in the Hastings Blossom Parade in Hastings, New Zealand, Sept. 24, 2022. Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

Kids participate in the Hastings Blossom Parade in Hastings, New Zealand, Sept. 24, 2022. Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

People participate in the Hastings Blossom Parade in Hastings, New Zealand, Sept. 24, 2022. Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

People participate in the Hastings Blossom Parade in Hastings, New Zealand, Sept. 24, 2022. Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

People participate in the Hastings Blossom Parade in Hastings, New Zealand, Sept. 24, 2022. Hastings Blossom Parade, the biggest annual event of its kind in New Zealand, attracts tens of thousands of viewers and participants from all over the country to join in the Spring gala here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)
RAMALLAH, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinian protesters were injured during clashes with Israeli soldiers in several West Bank cities and villages on Friday, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said.

Among the injured were three shot by live ammunition and nine by rubber bullets, while the others inhaled teargas fired by Israeli soldiers, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement.

In the village of Beita, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, two Palestinians were injured by rubber-coated metal gunshots, and 28 others inhaled teargas, said the statement, adding Israeli soldiers opened fire at the medical crews in the area.

Since May 2021, the village of Beita has been witnessing daily clashes between the two sides over the establishment of Israeli settlement outpost near the village and the confiscation of Palestinian land.

Fierce clashes also broke out in the village of Beit Dajan, east of Nablus city, and in the village of Kafr Qaddum, east of Qaqilya city, said Palestinian eyewitnesses.

Israeli authorities have not commented on the incidents yet.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, both claimed by the Palestinians, in the 1967 Middle East war, and has controlled them ever since.

Official Palestinian reports said more than 700,000 Israeli settlers live in 151 settlements established on Palestinian lands in East Jerusalem and the West Bank since 1967.

Tension in the West Bank has been mounting over the past few days after the Israeli army intensified its military actions against Palestinian militants and activists. 
TAIYUAN, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sun Lan has been a space enthusiast ever since she was a child and learned a great deal about it from books, but there were still many questions that remained unresolved for the 16-year-old student.

Fortunately, she found answers to most of her questions at a lecture delivered by Shen Liping, former deputy chief engineer of China's manned space program, last week.

Speaking at the Jiao Cheng No.1 Middle School in Jiaocheng County, north China's Shanxi Province, Shen shed light on the history of the country's manned space program and its future projects and answered questions from the students.

"I was touched by the spirit of scientists and astronauts after learning about aerospace science at the lecture. This is a lecture that will benefit me for life," Sun said.

The lecture was one of the initiatives by the Chinese Society of Space Research for the promotion of science in Shanxi Province. Top scientists and experts from the field of space science will deliver a series of lectures to students from eight schools this month.

This year is the 30th anniversary of China's manned space program. China's aerospace industry has achieved breakthroughs in spacecraft launches and astronaut spacewalks, and is making efforts in large-scale space science experiments.

The achievements have ignited enthusiasm among Chinese youth, encouraging them to pursue their space dreams.

After her graduation, 26-year-old Shi Yurong joined the National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to work on space environment forecasting.

In addition to conducting scientific research on space environment monitoring and forecasting, her team is also responsible for space environment monitoring for many major space missions in China.

"As a child, I was thrilled to watch rocket launches on television, and now I can contribute to space science. I feel fortunate and honored," said Shi, adding that the promotion and popularization of space science encouraged her to pursue a career in the relevant field.

"I think the development of science and technology in a country depends on generations of young people getting to know science, falling in love with it, and devoting themselves to the domain," Shi added.

Space science is now more accessible to Chinese teenagers. Yang Liwei, China's first space traveler, conducted an aerospace-themed science class for teenagers at the China Science and Technology Museum on National Science Popularization Day this month. More than 280,000 teenagers watched the class through live broadcasts.

Zhihu, a Quora-like knowledge-sharing platform in China, recently launched an initiative concerning space science. A number of aerospace experts shared space-related knowledge and the country's aerospace achievements with the netizens.

China will continue to promote science popularization. By 2035, the proportion of citizens with scientific literacy will reach 25 percent, and the high-quality development of popular science services will be significantly improved, according to a guideline on strengthening popularization of science and technology in the new era released by the central authorities.

The country's achievements in science and technology will foster the popularization of science to cultivate scientific spirits and innovative thinking among the public, said Yu Dengyun, deputy chief designer of China's lunar exploration program. 
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting at the site of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations in New York, on Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that China-U.S. relations have been severely impacted currently, and the lessons from which should be learned by the U.S. side.

Wang made the remarks during their talks at the site of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations. The two diplomats were attending the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

Wang said China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture, and it is imperative for the two sides, with an attitude of being responsible for the world, history and the two peoples, to adopt the right approach to getting along between the two major countries, and to work to stop bilateral ties from further deterioration and to re-stabilize them.

Wang specifically focused on the recent wrongful moves by the U.S. side regarding the Taiwan question, comprehensively elaborating the solemn position of the Chinese side. "The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and it carries significant weight in the minds of the Chinese people," Wang stressed.

"It is our mission to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and there is absolutely no ambiguity whatsoever about that," Wang told Blinken.

Wang reminded Blinken that the United States has made clear political commitments to China regarding the Taiwan question, including the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques reached decades ago and the more recent statements made repeatedly by the current U.S. administration that it does not support "Taiwan independence."

What the United States has done, however, is contrary to its commitments, in attempts to damage China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, obstruct the great cause of peaceful reunification of China, and engage in a so-called strategy of "using Taiwan to contain China," Wang said, adding that the U.S. side even publicly claimed to help defend Taiwan, which has sent a very wrong and dangerous signal.

The United States should return to abiding by the three Sino-U.S. communiques and the one-China principle exactly as they are, reiterate its one-China policy without added elements, and unequivocally state its clear opposition to "Taiwan independence" separatist activities of all forms, Wang said.

The Taiwan question is China's internal affair, Wang said, and the United States has no right whatsoever to interfere in the way the Taiwan question is resolved. China's stance on the resolution of the Taiwan question has been consistent and unambiguous, that is that China will continue to stick to the basic principles of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems."

The state councilor stressed that it's utterly impossible for a peaceful resolution to coexist with "Taiwan independence." The more rampant the "Taiwan independence" activities are, the less likely the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question will be, Wang said, adding that only by unequivocally opposing and deterring "Taiwan independence" activities can cross-Strait peace be truly maintained.

There exist common interests and profound differences simultaneously between China and the United States, a reality that will not change, Wang said. The two countries were aware at the very beginning of their engagement that they were dealing with one another with a different system, which has not become an impediment to forging bilateral cooperation based on common interests, nor should be a reason for confrontation or conflict between the two countries.

Wang expressed the hope that the U.S. side will correct its perception about China, and rethink and change its China policy guided by containment and suppression. Washington should abandon its intention to deal with the Chinese out of a position of strength, neither should it always contemplate about containing China's development or frequently resort to unilateral bullying.

The United States should create an environment conducive to the resumption of normal exchanges between the two sides, and promote the return of China-U.S. relations to a healthy and stable track of development, Wang said.

Blinken said U.S.-China relations are in a difficult situation, and bringing bilateral relations back to a stable track is in accord with the interests of both sides.

Noting the United States and China have successfully managed their differences in the past, Blinken said that the U.S. side is willing to engage in candid communication and dialogue with China, avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation, and find a path forward.

Blinken also reiterated that the U.S. side does not seek a "new Cold War," has not changed its one-China policy, and does not support "Taiwan independence."

Wang and Blinken also exchanged views on the Ukraine situation. Both sides considered the meeting as being frank, constructive and important, and they agreed to maintain communication. 

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd R) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (1st L) at the site of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations in New York, on Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
Young African entrepreneurs learn the operation of Djimart, a cross-border e-commerce platform, from a Chinese business manager at the Djibouti International Free Trade Zone in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

As a world leader in the digital innovation industry, China provides experience and technical support for Africa's digital economy development in e-commerce, digital infrastructure, mobile application and payment. Inspired by their experiences in China, some African youth will be the main force behind leapfrogging their countries' digital economies and innovating with local needs in mind.

DJIBOUTI CITY, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- "When you are in China, you don't realize how much you are absorbing and learning and how much you are adapting to a very fast-paced and high technological society," Deliah Nalukwago, a young Ugandan entrepreneur, recalled her 11-year experience in China.

"I would say China helped awaken my entrepreneurial spirit. When you come back to Africa, for every problem you see a solution because you have that reference point from life in China," said Nalukwago, who was among nearly 30 young African entrepreneurs from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda that learned business operations and shared their entrepreneurial experiences during an eight-day training program supported by Chinese enterprises.

The first training camp of the Center of Innovation and Maritime Excellence, which Nalukwago participated in with the theme "Digital innovation and cross-border e-commerce," ended Wednesday in Djibouti City, the capital of Djibouti.

After graduating from high school, Nalukwago applied for a scholarship in China, where she earned a bachelor's degree in medicine and a master's degree in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Ugandan entrepreneur Deliah Nalukwago (R) learns Chinese culture during a Chinese culture program in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on Sept. 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

She returned to Uganda after completing her studies and in the national capital of Kampala in 2019 founded a healthcare technology startup called "My Musawo," which means "my doctor" in Luganda, the main local language. The company's eponymous mobile app, launched in May of this year, works with the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council to provide users with professional online consultation services and healthcare advice.

It was a Chinese doctor and TCM that set Nalukwago on her path to study medicine. "When I was 8 years old, my mother had a nerve disorder and all hopes with Western medicine failed. That's when she met our family doctor, and the first TCM doctor in Uganda." After acupuncture and massage therapy for a few months, her mother returned to normal, and the TCM doctor cured Nalukwago's chronic asthma. "He was like a mentor to me and inspired me to enter the medical field, particularly in China to study TCM that helped my mother."

After having gained her undergraduate degree, she took a year off to intern at a hospital in Uganda. This year-long experience allowed the young African, excited to live out her dream career, to realize that the local healthcare system was flawed in terms of efficiency and management.

"From then on, I wanted to be part of the solution to these problems," Nalukwago said, adding that she saw in China how quickly people could get the medical information and advice they needed through the internet and mobile apps, and the rapid growth of smartphone penetration in Uganda and across Africa inspired her to work with her partners to develop an app to help more Ugandans.

Another camp participant, Nael Hailemariam, is a young Ethiopian with entrepreneurial ties to China as well. After receiving a master's degree from Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School in China, he returned to his home country to start a digital finance company that provides online payment services.

Ethiopian entrepreneur Nael Hailemariam (1st R) shares his experiences and thoughts at a roundtable discussion in Djibouti City, capital of Djibouti, on Sept. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

Nael said that China's culture of innovation and efficiency had a profound impact on his entrepreneurial endeavors and he was inspired by China's great success in e-commerce. He also organized a trip to Ethiopia in 2019 for Tsinghua University students from China for exchanges in science, innovation and culture with young local entrepreneurs. "I want to let Chinese students understand Africa, but more importantly, I want to let African youth understand Chinese development and Chinese speed."

According to the participants, the camp helps entrepreneurs who lack technical and business backgrounds to learn relevant knowledge, and also creates a network for young African entrepreneurs so that they can interact with fellows from different backgrounds for their future cooperation. "We young people are the future of Africa, we have to seize all resources and opportunities to build Africa," said Mahad Abdourazak, a participant from Djibouti, who expressed his happiness for the opportunities China has been providing for young entrepreneurs in Africa in recent years.

As a world leader in the digital innovation industry, China provides experience and technical support for Africa's digital economy development in e-commerce, digital infrastructure, mobile application and payment. Inspired by their experiences in China, some African youth will be the main force behind leapfrogging their countries' digital economies and innovating with local needs in mind.

Talking about the cooperation between China and Africa in youth innovation, Nalukwago believes that "China is a very good partner for us compared to any other countries." She said China not only funds many large-scale projects in Africa but also reaches out to young African entrepreneurs. "African youth will be the future of the continent, and I am glad to see that they are willing to understand and help us grow." 
A baker works at a bakery in Ankara, Turkiye, on Sept. 20, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Eaten daily in all shapes and sizes, bread has been central to Turkish cuisine for millennia, and indispensable to daily life in modern Turkiye.

Bread is made in a wide variety and differs from one place to another in the country. Some even make desserts with it, such as the Turkish bread pudding in syrup, a delicious specialty popular among the locals.

Nowadays, Turks eat bread with almost everything, or at every meal, giving the staple food with full respect by wasting none, and buying local.

In each region, and often every bakery, the secrets for baking perfect bread are passed down from one generation of bakers to the next.

Osman Atak, a 34-year-old bakery owner and a bread expert from Turkiye's capital city Ankara, is one of them.

His bakery is open 24 hours a day and produces about 3,500 loaves of bread on a daily basis.

"Bread is the indispensable staple food of our tables. As Turks originated from a nomadic lifestyle, bread was at the center of their lives, it is a cultural icon," he told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Atak explained that Turks were eating mostly flatbreads made from white wheat flour, and progressively bakeries started to produce whole grain and rye bread for the consumers.

The sweet smell of fresh bread is comforting and lures you to the bakery located in the lakeside district of Golbasi where master bakers are at their daily work of providing bread for the neighborhood.

"We Turks, if we do not eat bread at a meal, we don't feel full, therefore bread is the most important item on the table," said Sehnaz Turna, a seamstress who bought the daily bread of the family at the bakery.

The most popular bread is the pointy-tipped, boat-shaped "somum" bread with a distinctive slash in the center. This soft and fluffy traditional white bread is available in every bakery.

Another staple bread is Turkish "pide" bread, which is served warmly with soups. It's a chewy bread that can dip in sauces or in soups to the taste.

Cornbread is another option and the best is said to come from the Black Sea where they produce many varieties, some with cheese, herbs, or even anchovies, a local delicacy, cooked into the dough.

Donating bread has special importance in Turkiye, as it bears the meaning of helping sustain people's life.

"Bread is also at the center of charity, we have the 'bread on the hook' tradition, this is when a customer purchases two loaves and pays for three. The third one will go to the poor ... This is a social solidarity drive," Osman Atak said, referring to the traditional symbol of bread hanging from a hook shown in local bakeries encouraging people to pay for the poor's food.

"Bread has a unifying factor, it brings together the wealthy and poor people, it brings them to the same level," the baker added. 

A baker works at a bakery in Ankara, Turkiye, on Sept. 20, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)
ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's pro-government forces on Saturday continued anti-terror military operations in the southern province of Abyan, a security official told Xinhua.

The troops raided the al-Qaida terrorist group's strongholds in various areas of the province in recent days, killing 24 armed al-Qaida members, the local security source said on condition of anonymity.

"The troops launched on Saturday the fourth phase of the anti-terror campaign aimed at pushing their elements out of the whole province," the source added.

He said al-Qaida militants were evicted in four districts following weeks of deadly fighting, adding that 32 soldiers were killed and 40 others wounded in operations in the past several days.

The pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia also continued their operations against al-Qaida militants in other southern areas, according to the official.

On Tuesday, military units of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which are part of Yemen's government, attacked al-Qaida hideouts and positions in various mountainous areas of turbulent Abyan, making headway on the ground.

Last month, the STC troops launched a major anti-terror operation code-named "Arrows of the East" in Abyan to combat terrorist groups.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against the security forces in the country's southern provinces.

The AQAP has exploited years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthi militia to expand its presence in the war-ravaged Arab country. 
South Africa: South Africans encouraged to persevere through challenges

President Cyril Ramaphosa has used todays Heritage Day celebrations to appeal to South Africans to persevere as the country continues to experience load shedding and the Russia-Ukraine crisis that has sent oil and food prices soaring.

Addressing the nation from the Union Buildings in Tshwane under the theme Celebrating the Legacy of Solomon Linda and South Africas Indigenous Music, President Ramaphosa acknowledged that the country was going through an energy crisis that has plunged the country into darkness for years.

In the recent two weeks, we have been seeing a rise in load shedding disrupting our lives and economy and causing havoc from a social and health point, he said.

However, he told citizens that government was dealing with the crisis head-on.

Even as we face these challenges as South Africans as we have done in the past. We have persevered and I ask once again, let us persevere, he said.

The challenge is being addressed. It's a complex one and we will be speaking soon about the various measures that we are taking to make sure that we address this challenge.

Reflecting on COVID-19 which claimed over 100 000 South Africans, he warned citizens that the pandemic was not yet over even though it may be less severe since the first case was reported.

Then we had the unrest of last year where two million people lost their jobs and the economy suffered greatly. Then we had the floods that devastated the livelihoods of many of our people," he said.

Then we had the challenge of rising food prices and fuel prices, because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. That is having an impact on us.

Despite the challenges, the President said he was pleased that the nation was able to celebrate Heritage Day to display different cultures.

It is an important day in the life of the nation because it makes us remember the past. But it also makes us appreciate the diversity in our cultures, our languages, and our traditions. It also enables us to look forward to the future. A future that at the moment yes is challenged by several things that are happening around the world and in our country.

However, he has asked South Africans not to lose hope.

They may ask how can we celebrate through dance and music and art at a time when our country is being plunged into darkness through load shedding, when so many people have lost their jobs due to the COVID pandemic and when families are struggling with the rising cost of living?

He believes it was times like this when heritage becomes even more important.

We are a nation with a heritage defined by struggle, by courage, by perseverance, by a determination to overcome even the greatest challenge.

The President reminded South Africans that they were friendly and hospitable people and said it was inconsistent with the values to be xenophobic.

He also called for a stop to the culture of rape and the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide and abuse of children.

Art and culture

Paying tribute to Solomon Popoli Linda, who performed classics like Imbube, he said he played an important political conversation about the state of the country.

We chose this theme to acknowledge the role that indigenous music, especially isicathamiya, played in the lives of our people during the dark days of colonialism and apartheid.

According to the President, indigenous music did not entertain, but comforted the dispossessed black majority and mobilised and united them.

In the township community halls, the marketplaces, the beer halls and the open fields where groups like the Evening Birds led by Solomon Linda performed classics like iMbube were places where important political conversations about the state of our country took place.

While South Africa was still a British colony, he said it was said that Solomon was made to sell the rights to the song to a record company for less than US$ 1 in todays currency.

It was a robbery he admitted. "This song has given joy to so many people throughout the world and put millions into the pockets of music producers, but Solomon Linda died impoverished in Soweto in 1962.

He asked the nation to look at itself through the prism of its culture and tradition and honour those who have so enriched their arts.

We know that our artists went through a very difficult time during COVID. We made many efforts as well to support our artists.

However, we acknowledge that the support may have not spread as broadly and as widely as we should have.

He said he hopes that the new Copyright Amendment Bill passed by the Parliament at the beginning of Heritage Month will go a long way in protecting our artists towards addressing their concerns about royalties.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-09-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia, Azernews reports.

"Dear Mr. President,

I sincerely congratulate you and your friendly people on the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Indonesia, and offer my best wishes.

It is gratifying that throughout decades, Azerbaijan-Indonesia relations, underpinned by mutual trust and confidence, have developed along an ascending trajectory and reached the present level. I consider that today, there are ample opportunities to take cooperation between our countries to the next level and identify new avenues for our relations.

We are grateful for the Republic of Indonesias support and just position concerning our countrys territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of its borders based on the norms and principles of international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. We highly appreciate your countrys enduring support for Azerbaijans just cause within the UN, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Non-Aligned Movement, and view this as a true embodiment of our solidarity and friendship.

Major restoration and reconstruction work across our countrys liberated territories creates a favorable environment for expanding the scope of our cooperation. Through our joint efforts, I believe we can efficiently harness the existing potential of Azerbaijan-Indonesia relations and ensure further development of our engagement, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

I seize this pleasant opportunity to wish you robust health, happiness and success and everlasting peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Indonesia," the head of state wrote.
CANBERRA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The world's largest penguin species is facing extinction within 30 years, Australian researchers have warned.

Barbara Wienecke, a senior research scientist at the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), revealed that modeling suggests the iconic emperor penguin could be virtually extinct by 2050.

Endemic to Antarctica, the emperor penguin is the largest of the 18 penguin species, growing up to 1.3 meters tall. Raising their young on fast-ice, the ice that is locked between islands or icebergs, has made emperor penguins particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with colonies already disappearing.

"At the current rate, extinction is virtually a given," she was quoted by the News Corp Australia on Saturday.

Even under the best possible scenario of a 1.5-degree temperature rise, the modeling scenarios are that most of the colonies will be quasi-extinct by 2050, she said.

"That means that those colonies have shrunk so much, they have lost so much of their population, that they are not able to recover."

The emperor penguin is currently listed as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but Wienecke said many experts have called for a 2023 review to "up-list" it to "endangered".

She said mitigating the effects of climate change was the only way to save the species but changing its protection status would also raise awareness of the penguins' plight.

An endangered listing could also lead the way for other measures such as protecting the emperor's food source including krill, fin fish and squid from being overfished. 
by Xinhua writers Yang Shilong, Xing Yue, Xie E

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday called on world leaders to put needs of people and communities at the center and focus more on stronger multilateral system, instead of "disruptive politics."

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly, ICRC President Peter Maurer said, "I'm surprised to see that the high-level week of the UN General Assembly has increasingly become a shouting competition of different views, instead of a place where you look for solutions."

"I still believe that the majority of participants have prepared to make a step in New York. Processes were created to announce to the world positive steps," he said, but adding "I don't think we will achieve the millennium, the sustainable development goals by 2030 if disruptive politics is the main feature of what we are experiencing."

"I would still believe first that the 2030 target for the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) is still representing the broadest consensus in the international community. Secondly, I would still believe that war and conflict and the repercussions are the biggest obstacle to reach those objectives. And we see it with the exponential humanitarian needs. Therefore I do believe there is a lot to do," said the former Swiss diplomat, who had attended the annual UN event for more than 20 times.

As the ICRC leader, an organization focusing on helping people, Maurer said he would remind world leaders that "what they do and, what they advocate for, has to put needs and concerns of people and communities at the center."

"Politics are here to service the community, not for the communities to be the object of politics. And I think that's the centrality of the humanitarian mandate. It's about humanity at the center," he said.

"Politicians have to come in with more ambitious objectives for communities, social development, jobs, economic growth which need to be addressed," he said.

Stressing the need of stronger institution of global cooperation, he said: "If we don't have the institution to achieve the objective, the objective will remain somehow in the air. You need a train to bring you from A to B ... And you need institutions which bring you to the target."

Maurer, who has been serving as the ICRC president since 2012, said they work very closely with colleagues from the United Nations to assist and protect people in need.

"We are in institutions in the service of the international community," he said. "We are helping people and would hope for strong leadership towards cooperation, multilateralism, international law, because these are important elements which prevent further escalation of warfare."

"But at the present moment, very frankly, my biggest concern is that socially the world is moving apart," Maurer said, adding that "There is more injustice and more perception of people to be excluded from international affairs, from global cooperation."

Calling the situation "not a positive trend," he said: "We have to move to consensus and not have further divisions. We need the multilateral system." 
Dhaka: Bangladeshi garment makers are looking to expand their trade with the Gulf countries as sales slowdown in the US and the European Union are their two main export markets.

China, the second largest supplier of clothing in the world after Bangladesh, derives more than 80% of its exports from the apparel sector.

According to commerce ministry data, the country's apparel exports totaled $42.6 billion during the July 2021-June 2022 fiscal year, of which 60% goes to the European Union and 20% to the US.

But according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, sales in these established markets are declining amid the political crisis in Europe due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

To grow our business, we also want to focus on the Gulf markets, BGMEA vice president Shahidullah Azim told Arab News. Three countries China, India and Pakistan currently control the Gulf market. We would like to participate.

Clothing exports from Bangladesh to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia currently stand at $228 million and $128 million, respectively.

Azim predicted that the South Asian country could significantly increase exports, expanding to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries as well.

He claimed that we can take $2 billion out of the GCC apparel market of $11.2 billion initially. We are not far from the Gulf. We sell our products to the US and European markets. Delivery times will be shorter once you arrive in the Gulf.

To meet demand in the Middle East, the industry would first need to diversify its production, which was previously limited to the production of shirts and jeans.

Azim was sure that Bangladeshi producers were capable of handling the task.

We have the resources and capacity built up in our country. We are able to help, he said. We have increased our capabilities over the past 30 years. So, whatever continues, we can supply.

According to Dr. Mustafizur Rahman, a Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Policy Dialogue in Dhaka, the current market situation in the Gulf, where imports have been increasing for the past few years, could present an opportunity for Bangladesh.

This market will grow, and Bangladesh will have opportunities to enter it, but we need to diversify on the supply side and we also need to improve our competitiveness, he said.

They may initially serve as the primary target market and then aid the introduction of Bangladeshi goods into the region as approximately 2.5 million Bangladeshi expatriates live and work in Saudi Arabia, and another 700,000 in the United Arab Emirates. Huh.

Rahman said, This may be a captive market for us. But given how diverse the GCC market is, Bangladesh will undoubtedly need to put in a lot of effort. They bring in a lot of clothes.

This trophy belongs to people of Bangladesh, says Sabina Khatun

Murmu meets Bangladesh PM Hasina ahead of Queens funeral

Delhi's Jahangirpuri becomes hub of Bangladeshi thieves, 4 arrested
Srinagar: PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti is seen taking the side of Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif. Today i.e. on Saturday (September 24), Mehbooba said that if Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has spoken of resolving the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and improving relations between the two countries, then it should happen. She has said 'Just like the two countries had discussed sitting at the time of Vajpayee Ji, in the same way, if both the countries find a solution to Jammu and Kashmir, then it will be good for both the countries.'

The former CM of Jammu and Kashmir further said that the issue of the Valley is complicated. She said that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is complex. It has been converted into a prison. Encounters keep happening here every now and then. It has become necessary to resolve this issue. Mehbooba Mufti said these things while answering the questions of media personnel in Anantnag.

Let us tell you that India has again reprimanded Pakistan for spreading lies about Jammu and Kashmir in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Mijito Vinito, First Secretary of India's Mission to the United Nations has said that it is regrettable that the Prime Minister of Pakistan made false allegations against India in this meeting. He did this to hide the misdeeds in his country and to justify action against India.

VIDEO: BJP MLAs seen playing 'Teen Patti' on mobile in Assembly

PayCM Controversy: CM Bommai says Congress is playing dirty politics

'If BJP brings bamboo, we will come with axe..,' TMC MLA's controversial remark
KATHMANDU: Senior officials from India and Nepal have agreed on seven points of understanding on water resource challenges.

The agreement was reached here on Friday during the ninth Joint Committee on Water Resources meeting, which was co-chaired by Sagar Rai, Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, and Pankaj Kumar, Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation, both of the Government of India.

The meeting voted to prolong the duration and mission of the expert group established to draught the Pancheshwar Development Authority's (PDA) full project report.

Pancheshwar is a part of the Mahakali Treaty, which Nepal and India signed in 1996 with the intention of irrigating thousands of acres of land and producing 6,000 megawatts of energy. However, execution of the treaty has been stalled due to disagreements between the two parties. To produce the power from the project that has been dormant for decades, the PDA must be formed.

The meeting also recalled the India-Nepal Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation issued in April 2022 during Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's visit to India, in which the two premiers directed their concerned officials to speed up the bilateral discussions towards an early finalisation of the project's DPR. The JCWR also agreed to extend the tenure of the Team of Experts (ToE) until March 2023 for the finalisation of the DPR of the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project.

Another accord states that in order to proceed with the work undersigned for PDA, both parties will dispatch their regular employees and office holders within three months. The release of water from the Tanakpur Barrage to Nepal was also agreed upon during the conference. In India, the River Mahakali is referred to as Sarada.

Several bilateral committees, including the Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood Management (JCIFM) and the Joint Committee on Kosi and Gandak Project (JCKGP), as well as the implementation of the Mahakali Treaty, the Sapta Kosi-Sun Kosi Project, and cooperation in areas of flooding and inundation were all thoroughly reviewed during these meetings, according to a separate statement from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

"It was decided to move forward with the Sapta Koshi high dam project after doing more research that takes into account the projects that will be planned upstream, the project's submergence area, as well as other social, environmental, and technical factors. A meeting of the Joint Team of Experts is anticipated soon "a statement from the Indian Embassy read.

Both parties also discussed and came to an agreement on issues pertaining to the Nepal-based Sapta Koshi High-Dam, including modifying the high-project dam's parameters, forming joint expert teams within a year, and adding more staff to the bilateral mechanism established for data sharing on flood and weather forecasting. The Nepali side has expressed gratitude to India for helping Nepal with irrigation, flood control, inundation management, river embankment work, etc.

According to a statement from the Indian Embassy, the Indian side emphasised the special relationship between the two nations as well as the significance of properly managing and utilising water resources for both parties' advantage.

China and Nepal sign a BRI six-point agreement

China and Nepal's rail line must traverse mountains, geopolitical tensions, and enormous costs

India to launch 'Innovation Roadmap of the Mission Integrated Biorefineries'
NY City: According to Pakistan's foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, "it should be an issue for the Muslim world" to address the plight of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban, not just for the benefit of the larger international community."

After Western troops left the country in August 2021, the Taliban took over Kabul, and since then, two decades of advancement in women's rights to education, employment, and empowerment have been sharply reverted. In order to change the trend, there have been calls for the international community to exert greater pressure on the regime.

While Pakistan and the rest of the world are waiting for "the interim Afghan regime" to fulfil its initial commitment to allow girls to attend school and receive a secondary education, Bhutto Zardari said that the issue should also be one "for the Muslim Ummah" in particular.

Because Islam was the first to grant women's rights, he explained. "Islam ensures that women have the freedom to participate in society and the right to an education.

Therefore, we anticipate that women will not only be guaranteed these rights but also be protected in Afghanistan and throughout the world.

Benazir Bhutto, the mother of Bhutto Zardari, was the first woman to head a democratic government in a country with a majority of Muslims.

Women's rights advocate Naheed Farid, who in 2010 was the youngest politician ever to be elected to Afghanistan's parliament, urged world leaders this month to call the Taliban a "gender apartheid" regime.

"Afghan women are experiencing one of the biggest human rights crises in the world and in the history of human rights," she told reporters in New York.

"In Afghanistan, there is gender discrimination. Not for the first time, I say that. But it is crucial for all of us to reiterate this whenever we can given the inaction of the global community and decision-makers in general.

Farid urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other multilateral organisations to set up a special forum where Afghan women could speak with the Taliban directly about matters of women's and human rights.

The OIC's Council of Foreign Ministers is currently chaired by Bhutto Zardari, who told Arab News that he intends to organise a conference under the umbrella of the group to discuss women's rights in Islam "before our chairmanship expires."

The minister also discussed the Pakistani-American delegation's visit to Israel this week, which is their second such trip to the country since May. The visits have raised the possibility that Pakistan and Israel are turning a new page in their relationship, possibly paving the way for normalisation.

Prominent Muslim Americans, South Asian Americans, and members of the American Muslim and Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council are among the group that is currently in Israel. The delegation's stated purpose is "to continue the peacemaking efforts that started with the visit of the first delegation of interfaith leaders (and) help promote Pakistan-Israel relations and Pakistan's connection to the Abraham Accords," according to the statement made by the delegation.

Bhutto Zardari, on the other hand, asserted that the delegations have "nothing to do with the government" of Pakistan and that no formal talks about Pakistan joining the Abraham Accords, a recent set of normalisation pacts between Israel and several Arab nations, including the UAE and Bahrain, are currently taking place.

Let me say it again: Definitely not," Bhutto said. "Pakistan has always held a definite position on the Palestinian question.

"According to what I know about these delegations, I think that there are some international nongovernmental organisations that are sending people between nations or civilizations.

There is no connection to the government. However, every time one of these NGOs organises one of these interfaith or connected events, it just so happens that social media hypes it up as a part of our foreign policy, which it most definitely isn't because some of the attendees are either dual citizens of Pakistan or have some sort of connection there.

US may exchange military aircraft for assistance in Afghanistan with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan

How Afghanistan's problems slowed global progress toward the UN's goal of gender equality

Afghanistan and the US exchange prisoners
Kolkata: The Special Task Force of West Bengal has once again revealed a terrible conspiracy. A Pakistani agent has been arrested from Kalimpong. The Bengal STF has arrested a young man for sending confidential information. The accused has been identified as Peer Mohammad. According to sources, he was in regular touch with Pakistani authorities in Rawalpindi. The interrogation of the arrested accused youth is going on. According to experts, this is a big success of the STF of the state police. According to STF sources, several pictures have been recovered from the youth's mobile phone, which are pointing to the youth's activities.

According to the information received from the police, the accused used to work as a loan giver in different areas of Kalimpong and he started this espionage under this guise. Police officials have also found evidence of espionage through him. Peer Mohammad has been accused of sending confidential information to Pakistan. According to STF sources, the youth used to smuggle many essential documents. Several photographs have been recovered from his mobile, which were mainly of various camps of the Indian Army.

Location pictures of those army camps have been found on the young man's phone. STF sources have given information in this regard. A total of two mobile phones and a laptop were recovered from the accused. They have already been sent to the CFSL lab for forensic examination. Investigating officers suspect that these mobiles and laptops will yield crucial information.

Woman gang-raped continuously for 36 days in Rajasthan, kidnapped from Haryana

Kolkata App fraud accused Amir Khan arrested from Ghaziabad

Real ghost captured on the camera of the roof! When people saw...
Mumbai: Around 60-70 people of the radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) have been booked in Maharashtra's Pune. Along with this, a person named Riyaz Sayyed has been detained. In fact, PFI activists had taken to the streets illegally and were protesting against the Raids of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Several activists of the radical outfit PFI gathered in front of the district collector's office on Friday and started shouting slogans against the joint raids with other NIA agencies and police. Not only this, but PFI workers also raised slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad.' Let us know that the action of NIA against PFI in 11 states including Maharashtra for the last three days has been named 'Operation Octopus'.

NIA is carrying out these actions in collaboration with ED, ATS, GST and police. Around 106 people were arrested in raids across the country on September 22. In Maharashtra alone, 20 people were arrested after raids at around 20 locations. Some of the arrested PFI activists have been detained and some have been arrested. All these inquiries begin. In the coming time, there are chances of big disclosures in this inquiry.

Fact Check: PLA Take-Over the CCP, where is Xi Jinping?

'OP Rajbhar can't go to Rajbhar Basti..,' had SBSP chief's bad days came?

Congress president's election nomination begins, Tharoor ready with form
New Delhi: Another controversy has emerged over Rahul Gandhi going on a Bharat Jodo Yatra in an attempt to rebuild the Congress, which has faltered badly due to the rapid resignation of veteran leaders. Actually, a picture is becoming fiercely viral on social media, in which Rahul Gandhi is seen with the girl. It is being claimed on social media that this girl is none other than Amulya Leona, who raised Pakistan Zindabad slogans in front of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. With this viral picture, it is being said that Rahul Gandhi is taking out Bharat Jodo Yatra with anti-nationals.

Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra has been in controversy since the beginning. Recently, Rahul Gandhi wooed controversy by meeting George Ponnaiah, a Christian priest. This is the same priest who made derogatory remarks about Bharat Mata and the Hindu community. Even in front of Rahul Gandhi, this priest had said that Jesus is the real God and he is not like Hindu gods and goddesses. Rahul was silently listening to the priest. There was also a lot of ruckus during this meeting between Rahul and the priest during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. At the same time, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra has also been embroiled in controversy by indirectly or directly supporting the Kerala bandh called by the radical Islamic organization Popular Front of India (PFI).

In fact, in protest against the action taken by the investigating agencies, the PFI had called a Kerala bandh on Friday (September 23) and at this time Rahul was in Kerala for his Bharat Jodo Yatra. But, as soon as the Kerala bandh was announced by the PFI, Rahul Gandhi stopped his visit, which was going on continuously for 15 days. Rahul left for Delhi on Friday night requesting to rest. Muslim organizations themselves have said that PFI is recruiting Muslim youth for the terrorist organization ISIS, which is not in the welfare of the country. In such a situation, this indirect support given by Congress to PFI is also raising questions about the intention of Rahul Gandhi and the party.

#WATCH Ruckus erupts at the protest rally against CAA&NRC in Bengaluru where AIMIM Chief Asaddudin Owaisi is present. A woman named Amulya at the protest rally says "The difference between Pakistan zinadabad and Hindustan zindabad is...". pic.twitter.com/FPh5Ccu3HD  ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2020

Now the picture of Rahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Yatra is going viral on social media. It is being said that Rahul is with Amulya Leona, who raised slogans of Pakistan Zindabad. Amulya Leona Noronha had raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans during a public meeting of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in February 2020, she was trying to say more, but was pulled off the stage by those present. Amulya was then booked under Section 124A (offence of sedition) of the IPC and was initially sent to 14-day judicial custody. After the incident, Amulya's father Waji Noronha said he did not accept his daughter's activities. He said, "I was cautioning her. The government should take action against her. It was also revealed that Amulya was part of an organised cartel that worked together behind the scenes to support the anti-India agenda.''

Was Rahul Gandhi with Amulya?

After the picture went viral on social media, we tried to find out the truth of the picture which was claimed to be of anti-India activists Amulya Leona and Rahul Gandhi. In the process, we found posts on Instagram of the girl Rahul Gandhi had met. The reality is, this picture is of Miva Anreleo, a Kerala Students' Union (KSU) leader. On Instagram, Miva had posted a picture two days ago in which she wrote, 'It was the happiest day of her life (because she met Rahul Gandhi).' In another post two days ago, Miva also posted a video of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

So it is clear that Rahul Gandhi did not meet Kerala's anti-India activist Amulya Leona, but met Miva Andreleo, who is a KSU leader. KSU i.e. Kerala Students Union is a student organization of Kerala. It serves as the student wing of the Indian National Congress in the state.

Gujarat Congress's Twitter handle hacked, stir in the election state

AAP to announce Gujarat CM candidate at the right time: Sisodia

'Hamar Beti-Hamar Maan' campaign launched in this state
Seoul: Days ahead of US Vice President Kamala Harris's visit, South Korea's military has received signals that North Korea is preparing to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), news agency Yonhap reported on Saturday.

According to a South Korean military source, who asked to remain anonymous and was quoted by Yonhap, the military discovered the preparation this week in Sinpo, North Korea's South Hamgyong province. This is in line with a report released this week by a US-based think tank that used commercial satellite imagery.

South Korea's presidential office said in a statement on Saturday that President Yoon Suk-yol is aware of signs and actions that may point to North Korean provocation, including SLBMs.

Next week, US Vice President Harris will visit the region and meet with the presidents of South Korea and Japan.

Although he had no predictions or announcements to make, a senior US administration official said at a briefing Friday that a nuclear test or other provocation was possible during Harris's visit to the area.

For the first time in nearly four years, a US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Friday, joining other military ships to take part in joint exercises with South Korean forces.

Past US military deployments and joint exercises have been condemned as evidence of war preparedness by North Korea and hostilities by Washington and Seoul.

This country gave open permission to its army to use nuclear weapons

If Putin used nuclear weapons in Ukraine, what might happen?

French foreign minister has urged Iran to accept the nuclear deal
By Trend

Azerbaijan handed over the bodies of six more Armenian servicemen to Yerevan, Trend reports referring to the country's State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons.

According to the agency, the remains of Armenian servicemen, who had died following the large-scale provocations committed by the Armenian armed forces units on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border on September 12-14, are currently being searched for.

The bodies have been examined with participation of representatives of the Military Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan and signs of injuries on them have not been established. The humanitarian process related to the transfer of the bodies of the Armenian servicemen will continue.
Hungary to continue issuing visas to Russians, FM Szijjarto says 24 September, 12:10 PM Peter Szijjarto (Photo:www.facebook.com/szijjarto.peter.official)

The Hungarian government has no plans to restrict tourist visa issuance to Russian citizens, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Sept. 23, citing Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

According to the minister, there is a clear procedure that governs the issue of tourist visas even when there is no agreement for a simplified process.

Its a somewhat more complex and slow procedure, compared to when there is such a treaty, Szijjarto said in New York, attending the UN General Assembly.

Video of day

But even when theres no agreement, it doesnt mean we dont issue visas. Of course, we will continue doing so, in accordance with the procedure.

The minister added this includes Schengen visas, as well.

There was no decision to stop issuing Russians with Schengen visas, said Szijjarto.

The EU agreed on July 31 to suspend the agreement with Russia which simplified visa issuance to Russian citizens.

Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania later announced a set of measures to restrict Russian tourists from entry, eventually joined by Finland. Germany and France remain opposed to a blanket ban on Russian tourists entering the EU.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
Iran regrets diplomatic row with Ukraine 24 September, 07:23 PM The flag of Iran near the embassy in Kyiv (Photo:REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said it regrets the deterioration of bilateral relations with Ukraine, the Reuters news agency reported on Sept. 24.

Read also: Iran says it refused to supply drones to Russia

Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said Ukraine should refrain from being influenced by third parties who seek to destroy relations between the two countries.

Read also: Russians use Iranian combat drone in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Ukraine has recently withdrawn the accreditation of the Iranian ambassador and imposed a significant reduction on the staff of the Iranian embassy in Kyiv, over Iran supplying Russia with drones to use in the war in Ukraine.

Video of day

U.S. intelligence sources indicated since late August that Russia and Iran have struck a deal to outfit Russian troops in Ukraine with Iranian-made drones.

Tehran has vigorously denied it was providing Moscow with any kind of military assistance.

Ukrainian forces first shot down an Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munition in Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast, on Sept. 13.

Read also: US confirms Iranian drone transfer to Russia

Shahed-136 drones were later used to attack Odesa and Dnipro, with six of them getting shot down on Sept. 23.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
Irans provision of drones to Moscow supports the murder of Ukrainains, says Presidents Office 24 September, 05:09 PM Mykhailo Podolyak (Photo:www.president.gov.ua)

Tehran has decided to support the murder of Ukrainians by transferring modern drones to Moscow, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter on Sept. 24.

According to him, "after years of sanctions, isolation, an abominable reputation  Irans elite still has not realized how to rise from the bottom of civilization."

Russias first use of an Iranian drone in the full-scale war was reported on Sept. 13. The Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down a Shahed-136 in Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast.

Video of day

In early September, the United States imposed sanctions against three companies from Iran that produce attack drones that are supplied to Russia.

The city of Odesa was attacked twice by kamikaze drones from the Black Sea on Sept. 23. Two drones destroyed an administrative building in the port area. Another Iranian Shahed-136 UAV was shot down over the sea  the blast wave damaged several houses, and one person was killed.

Four more kamikaze drones were destroyed by air defense forces during an air raid alert. Among them was the first confirmed instance of the use of a multi-purpose strike UAV of Iranian production, the Mohajer-6, which is designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, and firing.

One Shahed-136 attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the contact line in the village of Bereznehuvate in Mykolaiv Oblast in the evening, Operational Command South reported. Another Iranian drone was downed while trying to strike in the direction of Pivdennyi port.

Read also: Russians use Iranian combat drone in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

The day before, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned the charge d'affaires of Iran because of the country's supply of weapons to Russia, which the aggressor uses in the full-scale war. The Foreign Ministry stated that this is an unfriendly act that seriously harms Ukrainian-Iranian relations. As a result, the Ukrainian government has decided to strip the Iranian Ambassador of accreditation, and the number of diplomatic staff of the Iranian Embassy in Kyiv will be significantly reduced.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
ICRC did not visit captive Ukrainian POWs in Russia, ombudsman says 24 September, 07:04 PM Dmytro Lubinets will seek a meeting with the leadership of the International Committee of the Red Cross over POWs (Photo:SBU)

Ukraines parliamentary ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets will seek a meeting with the leadership of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to discuss the organization failing to fulfill its mandate in regards to Ukrainian POWs in Russia, Lubinets said in a Telegram post on Sept. 24.

Read also: Red Cross chief to visit Russia to discuss increasing access to Ukrainian POWs

According to Lubinets, not a single member of the recently-freed Ukrainian POWs ever met with ICRC representatives during their internment in Russia.

I think ICRC has failed to fulfill its mandate, and we ought to say so publicly, said Lubinets.

Their mandate should compel the aggressor state to fulfill its obligations under the Geneva Convention.

Video of day

The ombudsman noted that ICRC officials were present when Mariupol defenders surrendered to Russian forces, and therefore were responsible for ensuring these POWs were treated in accordance with international law.

Lubinets is expected to meet with ICRC in Geneva, Switzerland, in early October.

Ukraine and Russia exchanged POWs on Sept. 22, with 215 Mariupol defenders being swapped for 55 Russian soldiers and Viktor Medvedchuk  a fugitive pro-Russian politician and personal friend of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
MONTREAL, Sept. 24, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Today, 480 Cogeco employees are once again putting down roots in their communities as the company holds its second 1Cogeco Community Involvement Day to plant trees and clean up trails and shorelines. This annual company-wide initiative across Ontario, Quebec and multiple states in the United States involves hundreds of Cogeco employees and supports 23 non-profit organizations in various local communities served by Cogeco.

Cogeco employees in Ontario, Quebec and in the United States at work during 1Cogeco Community Involvement Day #Cogecommunity (CNW Group/Cogeco Inc.) (CNW Group/Cogeco Inc.)

In addition to actively participating in the development of its communities and taking concrete action for the environment, this day allows us to support the actions of various non-profit organizations, including Conservation Halton , Trees for Nipissing , Soverdi , the Trois-Rivieres Sustainable Foundation , New London Trees , and One Tree Planted . These organizations work to protect, restore and manage natural resources in our communities.

"This day is a testament to our commitment to building a sustainable future, investing in local environmental initiatives to support our communities and promoting climate action. I was proud to join my colleagues on a day when our employees in Canada and the United States are mobilizing at the same time for a common cause," said Philippe Jette, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cogeco. "At Cogeco, we are taking real, concrete steps to address the challenges of climate change, and have become the first Canadian telecommunications company to set an ambitious emissions reduction target for its operations that is consistent with the path to limiting global warming to 1.5C."

Here are some highlights of this year's initiative:

480 participants from across the organization;

In 22 communities;

Planting 976 trees or seeds (which will capture approximately 60 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the next 10 years);

To support 23 non-profit organizations;

In two countries, two provinces and eight American states.

A firm commitment to addressing the impacts of climate change

Determined to lead the way towards decarbonization in the telecommunications sector, this past year Cogeco presented its first Climate Action Plan , which outlines the main actions the company is taking for the climate. These measures include Cogeco signing the "Business Ambition for 1.5C" pledge and participating in the "Big Steps: Accelerating Montreal's Climate Transition" campaign, led by the Montreal Climate Partnership.

Story continues

Cogeco's philanthropic leadership recognized once again

Social commitment is part of Cogeco's DNA, as evidenced by its strong philanthropic involvement with over 700 local organizations and its determination to develop its communities. In this regard, Cogeco is proud to announce that it has just received, for a third consecutive year, Imagine Canada's Caring Company certification, which highlights the company's excellence and leadership in community investment and corporate social responsibility.

To learn more about our 1Cogeco Community Involvement Day and our other initiatives, visit our website .

ABOUT COGECO INC.

Rooted in the communities it serves, Cogeco Inc. (TSX: CGO) is a growing competitive force in the North American telecommunications and media sectors with a legacy of 65 years. Through its business units Cogeco Connexion and Breezeline (formerly Atlantic Broadband), Cogeco provides Internet, video and phone services to 1.6 million residential and business customers in Quebec and Ontario in Canada as well as in twelve states in the United States. Through Cogeco Media, it owns and operates 21 radio stations primarily in the province of Quebec as well as a news agency. To learn more about Cogeco's growth strategy and its commitment to support its communities, promote inclusive growth and fight climate change, please visit us online at corpo.cogeco.com.

Cogeco employees in Ontario, Quebec and in the United States at work during 1Cogeco Community Involvement Day #Cogecommunity (CNW Group/Cogeco Inc.) (CNW Group/Cogeco Inc.)

Cogeco employees in Ontario, Quebec and in the United States at work during 1Cogeco Community Involvement Day #Cogecommunity (CNW Group/Cogeco Inc.) (CNW Group/Cogeco Inc.)

SOURCE Cogeco Inc.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2022/24/c0126.html
(Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz looked Saturday to secure more energy supplies, meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to discuss future cooperation, including on hydrogen imports, as Europes largest economy struggles with fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Talks between the two leaders in Jeddah dealt with the relationship between their countries, Scholz said. Germany is seeking to import large amounts of hydrogen amid a push to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, he said.

We have discussed the question of how we will shape our future, to develop our two economies toward a CO2-neutral future, he said.

Scholz is slated to head to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar on Sept. 25. Hes accompanied by a delegation that includes the chief executive officers of ThyssenKrupp AG, SAP, Airbus and Siemens Energy.

Read also: TotalEnergies Invests About $1.5 Billion in Qatar Gas Field (2)

In Qatar, Scholz and the Gulf states emir are expected to discuss long-term plans for shipments of gas and hydrogen. Qatar is investing billions of dollars to increase its LNG capacity by almost 65%, with the first cargoes from its North Field East project expected to leave at the end of 2025 or early 2026.

Earlier in the day, Qatars energy minister said talks with German utilities RWE AG and Uniper SE for long-term LNG contracts are ongoing.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
Dissatisfied Google employees have put top executives on the hot seat a few times this year.

Most recently, they interrogated CEO Sundar Pichai at an all-hands meeting this week about the companys spending cuts amid a challenging economic climate, CNBC first reported.

At the meeting, employees submitted questions via an internal Google tool, and fellow workers then up-voted popular questions for executives to answer.

When asked about why the company is limiting certain budgets, like travel and entertainment, Pichai pointed to the possibility of an imminent recession. How do I say it? he said. We are being a bit more responsible through one of the toughest macroeconomic conditions underway in the past decade.

Pichais remarks follow two quarters of smaller-than-expected growth for Googles parent company Alphabet as the tech giant adjusts to the post-pandemic economy. We dont get to choose the macroeconomic conditions always, said Pichai.

Inflation is currently running at 8.3%, with the Federal Reserve vowing to continue increasing interest rates to bring it down, even if it triggers a recession in the process.

During the meeting, other employees targeted remarks Pichai made earlier this month about shooting for a 20% productivity gain across the company.

Pichai attempted to provide clarity in his response, highlighting plans to slow future hiring. Maybe you were planning on hiring six more people but maybe you are going to have to do with four and how are you going to make that happen? he said. The answers are going to be different with different teams.

He also noted that the company hopes to streamline some of its operations. Sometimes we have a product launch process, which has probably, over many years, grown more complicated than maybe it needs to be, he said, noting that his 20% goal could be reached by paring down those complications. At our scale, there is no way we can solve that unless units of teams of all sizes do better.

Story continues

During the meeting, Pichai also addressed the idea that cutting back on certain perks shouldnt signal a change in the companys culture. I remember when Google was small and scrappy, he said. We shouldnt always equate fun with money.

Earlier this year, Pichai and other executives fielded employee questions during a different all-hands meeting that focused on the results of its annual Googlegeist survey, which revealed employees dissatisfaction with compensation. At the time, they defended Googles compensation, but said that theyd monitor the growing employee dissatisfaction over the matter.

This trend  it is concerning to us and we are keeping a close eye on it, the companys vice president of compensation Brett Hill responded.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE) today announces the next Data for Development festival, convening governments, multilaterals, business and civil society from their global network of 650 partners, to exchange ideas and drive action on the most pressing issues.

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As the deadline for delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals looms, and as we work to address a devastating set of intersecting climate, health and economic crises, there is an urgent need to reimagine the relationship between data, power, and development. The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE) today announces the next Data for Development festival, convening governments, multilaterals, business and civil society from their global network of 650 partners, to exchange ideas and drive action on the most pressing issues.

The Festival de Datos will be held in Punta del Este, Uruguay from November 7-9 2023, bringing together more than 400 delegates from governments, multilaterals, private sector, academics and civil society, and building on the first Data for Development Festival held in Bristol in 2018.

This gathering will be organized by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and hosted by the Government of Uruguay, spearheaded by the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE).

Beatriz Argimon Cedeira, Vice-President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay commented, "Common spirit, dialogue and advocacy are needed to supercharge progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. That is exactly what the Festival de Datos sets out to do, focusing on partnerships aimed at innovating, building and financing inclusive data systems that the world needs now more than ever in this Decade of Action."

Story continues

Diego Aboal, Director General of the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE), commented: "Uruguay is a country that values transparency of information and the generation of quality statistics, as two pillars of democracy. Across the public and private sector there is widespread recognition of the role of data in providing better services and quality of life for our citizens. The 2023 Festival de Datos is a unique opportunity for Uruguay, and an opportunity to bring together data experts and communities from across the globe to celebrate the latest thinking and action.

Claire Melamed, Chief Executive of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, commented: "The Festival de Datos is the apex of our collaboration and cooperation - where we discuss, debate, demonstrate, train and connect on all aspects of data in our societies. After the last few years of disconnection and fragmentation during the global Covid-19 pandemic, and amidst a perfect storm of global crises, bringing together the data for development community to discuss and drive practical action feels more critical than ever."

NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information, including requests for interviews with spokespeople, please contact Amy Leach, aleach@data4sdgs.org, +447896960314

About Instituto Nacional de Estadistica de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (INE).

The National Statistical Institute (INE) has the mission of generating and providing quality statistical information to society, as well as leading and coordinating the National Statistical System, establishing technical standards and verifying their compliance. INE's vision is to be a leading and benchmark institution in Latin America. INE has begun a process of modernization of management and production of statistics in order to fulfill its strategic plan, based on four fundamental pillars: human resources, quality of statistics, intensive use of technology and statistical use of administrative registers both from the public sector and privately-held data.

About The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (the Global Partnership):

The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data is a fast-growing, dynamic international partnership bringing together over 650 different organizations including governments, UN agencies, private companies, civil society organizations, and many others. The Global Partnership convenes, connects, and catalyzes action to address the problems of poor data use, access, quality, and production, and to work with stakeholders to fully harness the new opportunities of the data revolution in the service of sustainable development. The Global Partnership aims to link and align action, capacities, and resources across geographies, sectors, and data communities.

Media Contact

Amy Leach, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, +447896960314, aleach@data4sdgs.org

SOURCE Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data
*

Brazil's Marina Silva, former PT rival, all-in with Lula

*

Cuba urges 'yes' vote on new LGBT-friendly laws

*

Mexican, Russian diplomats discuss Mexican peace plan

*

Mexican companies agree to maintain basic food prices

Sept 23 (Reuters) - The latest in Latin American politics today:

Colombia's Petro pitches $13.5 bln on land for farmers

BOGOTA - Colombia's President Gustavo Petro on Friday proposed changing the country's medium-term fiscal framework to take on internal debt of some 60 trillion pesos ($13.54 billion) to buy land and sell it to farmers at below-market prices.

Petro, Colombia's first leftist president, announced the plan amid a spate of land invasions by indigenous people and farmers who have misinterpreted his campaign promises regarding agricultural reform and taken it upon themselves to occupy land.

"Three million hectares," Petro said during an interview with Caracol television. "We'll have to buy them at commercial prices so as to avoid fighting with the big land owners, or they'll call it expropriation."

Environmentalist Silva, former PT rival, all-in with Lula

SAO PAULO - Marina Silva, a former environment minister under ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and once his rival, told Reuters she is throwing her full support behind his campaign and did not rule out an eventual role in his government if he wins a third term.

Silva resigned from Lula's government in 2008, upset at his government's support for major infrastructure projects in the Amazon, and their reconciliation is a high-profile endorsement to shore up his center-left coalition ahead of an Oct. 2 vote.

Cuba urges 'yes' vote on new LGBT-friendly laws

HAVANA - Cuba's government is urging citizens to vote "yes" on Sunday to a new progressive code that would cement laws around gay marriage, adoption for same-sex couples and women's rights.

But some analysts argue many would vote in protest or in loyalty to the government, which, saddled by U.S. sanctions and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, is struggling to provide enough food, medicine, fuel and electricity to its people.

Story continues

Though referendums have historically passed with huge majorities, Sunday's vote will be the first of its kind since mobile internet was legalized in 2018, allowing dissenting views to spread more widely.

Mexican, Russian diplomats discuss AMLO's Ukraine peace plan

MEXICO CITY - Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Friday he met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss a Mexican peace plan for the Ukraine conflict that he presented to the United Nations General Assembly this week.

Ebrard said on Twitter they had a "cordial conversation," and also shared Mexico's ideas for the future of the U.N. Security Council.

Earlier this month, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, said the plan involved the creation of a "mediation committee" including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Pope Francis.

Mexican companies agree to maintain basic food prices

MEXICO CITY - President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday he had reached an agreement with companies to maintain prices of basic food items, as annual inflation in Latin America's second-largest economy stands at nearly 9%.

Lopez Obrador said it was a unanimous decision with producers and distributors of corn, chicken, eggs and beef, without confirming the final number of companies.

He said he will announce new measures to tamp down on inflation on Oct. 3, but ruled out unilateral price controls on food. (Compiled by Sarah Morland and Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Diane Craft and Alistair Bell)
MEXICO CITY, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Mexican non-bank lender Credito Real said on Friday it had finalized an agreement in court to end its debts with National Financiera, a development bank.

In a statement to Mexico's main stock exchange, Credito Real said it had reached the agreement with Nafin, as the bank is also known, on Tuesday to "extinguish" Credito Real's debts with the bank.

International bondholders have been considering taking legal action in Mexico to recover their losses from Credito Real's default in February, sources told Reuters. (Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the 30th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Trend reports.

"His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency,

On this auspicious occasion, on behalf of the government and people of the Republic of Indonesia, I would like to extend to Your Excellency my warm greetings and felicitations for the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of Azerbaijan since 24 September 1992.

I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate Indonesias strong commitment to enhancing our bilateral cooperation in various fields, and I also look forward to continuing to work closely with Azerbaijan in various international fora. Furthermore, in these times of global challenges, our governments must continue to develop greater collaboration to better safeguard food and energy security for the benefit of our people.

Finally, I extend my sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Azerbaijan for the cooperation and friendship that have grown exponentially over the past thirty years.

In wishing every happiness, health and prosperity for you, Your Excellency, and the people of Azerbaijan, please accept the assurances of my highest consideration," the head of state said.
TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2022 /CNW/ - In what has been deemed a "historic storm" and "landmark weather event" in Atlantic Canada, The Salvation Army is mobilizing trained personnel to feed, hydrate, shelter and support first responders and those affected by Hurricane Fiona.

Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Teams assist those flooded (CNW Group/The Salvation Army)

Your immediate support will help meet the urgent needs of thousands of individuals and families who have been displaced from their homes due to flooding and power outages.

How People Can Help

Donate by phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY

Visit SalvationArmy.ca

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services has provided relief in Canada for 125 years with its first mobilization taking place after the Halifax Explosion in 1917. The Army dispatched personnel from across the country and Newfoundland to assist with relief efforts, which lasted for months.

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become one of the largest direct providers of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people in 400 communities across Canada and in more than 130 countries around the world. Its community and social service activities include: hunger relief for individuals and families through food banks and feeding programs; shelter for people experiencing homelessness and support for those needing housing; rehabilitation for those struggling with substance-use recovery; long-term care and palliative care; Christmas assistance such as food hampers and toys; after-school programs, camps and school nutrition programs for children and youth; and life-skills classes, such as budgeting, cooking for a family, and anger management. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

A list of regional media representatives can be found at:

https://salvationarmy.ca/news-and-media/media-contacts/

Story continues

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca.

SOURCE The Salvation Army

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2022/24/c6172.html
The Tampa Bay area on Saturday remained in the potential path of Tropical Storm Ian, which powered up into a named storm late Friday night and was expected to strengthen into a major hurricane by the middle of the week.

Ians path is hardly set in stone, but its expected emergence into the Gulf of Mexico conjures memories of previous storms that strengthened in the Gulfs warm waters before hitting Florida, including Hurricane Michael in 2018, Irma in 2017 and Charley in 2004.

Confidence is unfortunately increasing in a potentially very impactful hurricane for the western coast of the Florida peninsula, Jamie Rhome, the acting director of the National Hurricane Center, said in a video posted to Twitter on Saturday.

A direct hit on the Tampa Bay area from a Category 3 storm, which would pack winds of more than 111 mph and push a potentially dangerous storm surge, could be devastating.

Rhome suggested Tampa Bay area residents have their hurricane preparations completed by Tuesday evening, as the area likely will start to experience tropical storm conditions by Wednesday.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday declared a state of emergency for 24 counties, including those in the Tampa Bay area, though he expanded that declaration for the entire state on Saturday.

Pinellas County commissioners also voted during an emergency meeting on Saturday to declare a local state of emergency. The Pasco commission is planning a similar meeting on Monday.

On Saturday night, Ian was located about 230 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 430 miles southeast of Grand Cayman. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 mph with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extended 60 miles from the storms core.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the Cayman Islands.

The storm was moving west at 14 mph Saturday night, but a northwestward turn was expected to occur on Sunday followed by a turn to the north-northwest by late Monday.

Rhome said a center of circulation had formed that was tucked beneath a patch of showers and thunderstorms, a sign that Ian was getting more organized.

Story continues

This area of the northwest Caribbean is very conducive for strengthening, he said.

Ian was expected to pass southwest of Jamaica on Sunday and travel near the Cayman Islands on Sunday night or early Monday. Ian then is expected to approach Cuba late Monday and will be spit into the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.

In a forecast update provided late Friday night, Diane Kacmarik, a meteorologist for Spectrum Bay News 9, said Ians turn to the north is expected because of a strong cold front that will approach the southeastern United States.

Thats the part of the forecast that will be tricky because the exact timing of that north turn will be very difficult to forecast and will ultimately determine which part of Florida has to deal with the storm, Kacmarik wrote in that update. You will hear us talk about angle of approach the next few days. When storms approach Florida from the south they are very hard to accurately track because even the slightest wobble can cause the storm to impact one area of Florida while completely missing another area.

She noted that if Ian hits Cuba, that could disrupt the storm. But, she said, storms can quickly restrengthen in the Gulf of Mexico, as Hurricane Charley did in 2004 before plowing into Punta Gorda as a Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Michael muscled up to a Category 5 hurricane in 2018 before making landfall at Mexico Beach in the Florida Panhandle. The year before, Hurricane Irma had Tampa Bay on edge as it emerged in the Gulf of Mexico; that storm hit parts of the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm and near Marco Island as a Category 3.

Christianne Pearce, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Ruskin, said it is still hard to tell how (Ian) will impact Tampa Bay, adding: When it comes to the cone of uncertainty, the center currently could fall anywhere between Tallahassee and the Keys, so right now we are on watch.

Ian is the ninth named storm in the Atlantic basins 2022 season.

Local governments in the Tampa Bay area urged residents to prepare for the storms potential impact.

Workers for various local governments were clearing debris from storm drains in flooding hot spots on Saturday. Officials urged residents to clear their lawns of yard waste, which can clog storm drains during flooding. Other municipalities opened sand bag centers.

There already were reports Saturday of bottled water being in short supply in some areas.

At the Home Depot in Pinellas Park, people were waiting in line when the store opened at 6 a.m. The store had sold 600 cases of water by the early afternoon, said store manager Wendy Macrini. She said the store sold out of generators.

People also were buying up plywood to put over their windows. Its been nonstop at this station all day, said employee Corey Panaker, who was slicing plywood for customers.

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, said Matt Beaver of Pinellas Park, who was getting plywood from the store.

Elsewhere in the tropics, Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, knocking out power to more than 500,000 customers in Canada on Saturday, damaging homes with strong winds and rain as it made landfall as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone.

The fast-moving Fiona made Nova Scotia landfall before dawn Saturday, with its power down from the Category 4 strength it had early Friday when passing by Bermuda, though officials there reported no serious damage.

Two other tropical storms  Gaston and Hermine  were spinning in the Atlantic Saturday morning, but didnt pose an imminent threat to the United States. Hermine was downgraded to a tropical depression later in the day.

Forecasters also are watching a patch of rough weather several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands that they give just a 30 percent of strengthening into a tropical depression by the middle of the week.

  

2022 Tampa Bay Times Hurricane Guide

IT'S STORM SEASON: Get ready and stay informed at tampabay.com/hurricane.

RISING THREAT: Tampa Bay will flood. Here's how to get ready.

DOUBLE-CHECK: Checklists for building all kinds of hurricane kits

PHONE IT IN: Use your smartphone to protect your data, documents and photos.

SELF-CARE: Protect your mental health during a hurricane.

  

Rising Threat: A special report on flood risk and climate change

PART 1: The Tampa Bay Times partnered with the National Hurricane Center for a revealing look at future storms.

PART 2: Even weak hurricanes can cause huge storm surges. Experts say people don't understand the risk.

PART 3: Tampa Bay has huge flood risk. What should we do about it?

INTERACTIVE MAP: Search your Tampa Bay neighborhood to see the hurricane flood risk.
Spotsylvania County detectives are investigating a shooting incident Friday afternoon in which multiple shots were fired from at least two different vehicles, police said.

Sheriffs Maj. Troy Skebo said deputies went to the area of State Route 2 and Pierson Drive after receiving a call at 1:42 p.m. regarding a gunfire exchange. Skebo said that as of Friday evening police were not aware of any injuries, but some buildings and vehicles were damaged by gunshots.

A portion of Tidewater Trail was closed for about an hour while police collected evidence. Skebo said police have no suspects or vehicle descriptions, and said no gunshot victims had turned up at area hospitals as of Friday evening.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriffs Office at 540/507-7200.
A study of eastwest travel in the Fredericksburg region proposes adding a new rapid bus service for the city and Spotsylvania County, and a transit center in Stafford County.

The Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is overseeing the study, which also proposes new bike and pedestrian paths in Stafford and Spotsylvania. In a 64 vote Tuesday, the FAMPO policy committee approved a motion to accept a 30-day public comment period on the study.

The latest findings are part of a larger study that focuses on getting people to and from Interstate 95, U.S. 1 and area train stations using eastwest roads, transit and paths.

The first phase of the study focused on roads. Results of that study were presented late last year and identified 13 corridors with long-term issues. Those corridors are expected to have severe congestion problems in the latter years of the long-range plan, according to the FAMPO study.

Consultants with VHB are conducting the study, and presented the transit and pedestrian portions at Tuesdays meeting. Most of the presentation focused on bus service, and proposed adding rapid transit bus service for Virginia Railway Express passengers the University of Mary Washington, Mary Washington Hospital and residents of new apartment developments.

Rapid bus service offers more frequent trips designed to run more efficiently. The study includes data from a rapid bus service in Fort Collins, Colorado, which is similar in size to the area proposed for Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania. The study also included Richmonds rapid bus service.

A proposed light rapid bus service would run between downtown Fredericksburg and Salem Church Road in Spotsylvania. There were four options suggested, with the most popular having stops at Mary Washington Hospital and the Spotsylvania Towne Centre.

The buses would run from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekdays; 8 a.m.to 9 p.m. Saturdays; and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. The schedules would have buses arriving at stops (about a dozen in the proposals) every 15 minutes between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and every half-hour otherwise.

The service would include stoplight signal priority on a section of State Route 3, meaning green lights would hold for a brief period to allow approaching buses to pass through. The study also proposes a dedicated center bus lane on Route 3 between Taskforce Drive and Heatherstone Drive.

The operating costs for the service ranges from $1.74 million to $2.4 million annually depending on the option, according to the study. The buses could carry between 323,000 and 402,000 passengers per year.

The rapid bus service would be operated by Fredericksburg Regional Transit, which operates bus service in the Fredericksburg area. FREDs buses run on a less-frequent schedule, with all but one routes buses arriving each hour.

FAMPO Administrator Ian Ollis told the committee the rapid bus services would bring a new level of reliability and frequency for the riders. All across the world, since the 70s, people have given up on buses that are too slow or dont come frequently because it just doesnt serve a modern lifestyle.

The citys committee members seemed more open to the transit service, while the Stafford and Spotsylvania members appeared skeptical.

Spotsylvania Supervisors David Ross and Chris Yakabouski doubted the ridership exists to support the rapid service. Yakabouski said such a route should focus on the Massaponax area instead of Route 3.

Yakabouski didnt like any of the four routes and said he doesnt know anyone in the county who would use the bus service to go to the mall or downtown. He added that the service looks like it would work very well in the city.

Ollis said data show the area studied has the densest population and would best serve the rapid bus service. He pointed out that the Central Park Walmart is the biggest generator of bus riders.

He added that FAMPO staff members are looking into more routes for the area.

Tuesdays presentation also included details for the proposed Stafford transit center in the courthouse area, where the county has been considering the creation of a mixed-use downtown development.

The facility would serve commuter buses as well as local buses, making it a connection point and stop-off for riders. It would include a waiting room, passenger amenities and bus arrival information.

The study includes four options for the location of the transit center, all along Courthouse Road between U.S. 1 and I95. One option would put it at the commuter lot near the I95 interchange.

Ollis noted that Stafford is reconsidering the downtown plans, but said if the county does go forward with a downtown plan, it would eventually need such a transit center.

The third portion of the study proposes pedestrian and bicycle paths connecting to Virginia Railway Express stations in Stafford and Spotsylvania.

For Stafford, the study proposes a path connected to the Brooke Road VRE station, running along Brooke Road to the area of Stafford Hospital on U.S. 1.

There were two options to connect a path to the VRE station off U.S. 17 in Spotsylvania. One option would have a path running from the Germanna Community College campus near U.S. 1 east to the VRE station. The other option would have a path running along Benchmark Road west to the VRE station.

Changes are expected to be made to the transit proposals as more input is gathered, including from the FAMPO committee and the public. The study updates will be presented at future meetings.
The battle over our Southern border took a new twist this summer when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began busing immigrants north.

Some 9,000 have been reportedly bused to New York City, while 230 buses have dropped off about 9,400 migrants in Washington.

One group of immigrants was left in Vice President Kamala Harris neighborhood.

Then, dozens of Venezuelan immigrants were flown to Marthas Vineyard, where they deplaned in the land of the rich and famous. The rich and famous quickly shipped them by ferry and bus to a shelter on Cape Cod.

Even the state of Mississippi has received busloads of migrants.

Abbotts decision to force other jurisdictions to deal with the influx has been viewed in different ways by various groups. Some think the governor is playing political games with human lives, while others understand Texas frustration.

And the Lone Star State does have a problem. While New York City Mayor Eric Adams cried that the 9,000 migrants were overwhelming the system, Texas had to deal with 5,000 people who crossed the Rio Grande in one weekend (the Fourth of July).

Reports indicate that some 2 million immigrants have made their way into the United States so far this year, almost all entering by way of the four states that border Mexico. Most enter through Arizona and Texas, which has the longest border area.

If New York City is overwhelmed with 9,000 immigrants, consider the problem Texas faces with a million or more new residents to resettle each year. Families come with children, many of whom speak no or very little English, that must be educated. The Texas education system is overwhelmed as are many of its other public services.

President Donald Trump made an attempt to close the border, but President Biden has all but invited everyone who wants to come to America to just walk in. Two million migrants have accepted his invitation with more likely to come by years end. And Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California will have to deal with the influx.

We are a nation of immigrants, but since this country was founded there have been immigration laws to protect us from being overwhelmed. Now, as with many aspects of our heritage, we are just abandoning our immigration laws.

Well, not exactly. If a cruise ship filled with immigrants from Syria, Afghanistan or some other impoverished country docked in New York and 5,000 foreigners tried to illegally enter the United States, they would be turned away. But 5,000 illegals cross the border from Mexico on the Fourth of July weekend and nothing is done.

We either play by the rules and demand that all immigrants enter the U.S. legally or forget the rules and let anyone who wants to come here just walk in.

Mexico gets the rap with illegal immigration, but many are coming from Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and even Venezuela. But the line does run through Mexico, which funnels the flow into the United States.

It is easy to understand Texas frustration. Washington is saying Let everyone come and border states like Texas must deal with the influx.

While New York City was complaining, the D.C. city council was forced to appropriate $10 million and create an Office of Migrant Services this past Monday to deal with the 9,500 migrants who have thus far been left on Congress doorstep. Think what the illegal immigrant problem is costing border states like Texas.

It is great that outsiders are more appreciative of the United States than many of our own citizens, but we simply cannot take in all the inhabitants of Central America and Mexico, which seems to be what is happening. If people from these areas want to become Americans, they should do it through legal immigration procedures.

Gov. Abbott cannot be blamed for busing north those entering his state illegally. If this country is not going to uphold its laws, then everyone should share in the cost.

Laws are passed for a reason, and we cant just pick and chose which ones we want to enforce and which ones we dont.

If we do, sooner or later, we face chaos.
At the heart of the debate over historic preservation in Fredericksburg is a timeless struggle. How does one maintain a citys charm and character while growing and changing with the generations?

There are no clear answers here, but having some perspective on the problem helps.

My time in Cordoba, Spain, has given me a fresh take on the issue, as both places struggle with how to remember and preserve the past. Only the scale is different.

Fredericksburg, with less than 30,000 residents, was founded about 300 years ago. It was home at various times to such American greats as James Monroe, Mary Ball Washington, and John Paul Jones.

Cordoba, with more than 300,000 residents, is some 2,200 years old and has at different times been controlled by the Romans, Muslims, and Christians. It is home to truly monumental architecture, such as the first-century Roman bridge across the Guadalquivir River, and the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba whose earliest component, a still-standing minaret, was started in the eighth century. Its also the birthplace of Moses Ben Maimonides and was for a time home to Christopher Columbus.

Walking from the train station alongside center city, Cordobas past isnt immediately apparent. Like Madrid, the city is dominated by modern architecture. With wide boulevards, abundant public green spaces, and roads designed to favor people on mopeds and pedestrians, a first-time visitor might think the city no more than 60 or 70 years old.

Stroll south across the Ave. de America, however, and one steps into a stunning European medieval city. Narrow streets with patio homes whose doors come right to sidewalks edge open into a series of plazas where diners eat and drink wine late into the evening.

Preserving the medieval city is key to Cordobas society, as tourism drives much of its economy. Efforts to preserve the old, however, quickly led to common modern issues, namely, depopulation. Residents of these historic patio homes began leaving as gentrification forced them to less-crowded quarters in Cordobas more wide-open, modern sections.

Worried that this depopulation was hurting the historic areas character, the city partnered with PAX (patiosaxerquia.org). It found a way to combine preserving the patio homes with bringing younger, less well-to-do individuals to the medieval center.

PAX designed a strategy that turns patio home ownership over to cooperatives, each of which creates its own rules for residents living and leaving. With support from the city, buildings are being restored and maintained. Theyre attractive and affordable, and the influx of people has led to a thriving economy. Today, the medieval center is again a place of human activity, just as it was 1,000 years ago. The area feels alive and honors the past, without making it feel like an open-air museum.

Not all Cordoban preservation, however, was planned. Oftentimes, the city has had to innovate.

Along trendy Victoria Street, a gelato shop and local shopping area sit adjacent to a well-planned city green space. Between them stands a 2,000 year old Roman mausoleum discovered in 1993.

The structure, along with a piece of the Roman road that once connected Cordoba to Seville, is appropriately cordoned off by a wall that permits visitors to admire it without causing damage while appreciating its historic importance.

Thats a success story. Not all are.

Both Madrid and Cordoba have abundant modern buildings constructed over older buildings that were torn down to make way for them, says Irene Hernandez Velasco of Madrid, who was in town for the conference I was attending.

Many Spaniards now regret these decisions, she continued, but theres also a great amount of pride in the beauty of these cities.

Its invariably true that not everything can be preserved. Velasco notes that Madrid built some towering office buildings on top of older sites, a decision born of economic necessity.

What drives both planned preservation and preservation on-the-fly, however, is the same question. Whats worth saving?

Thats Fredericksburgs challenge today. Some want to save everything, but one cant sink a city in formaldehyde. Others are quicker to demolish, but its dangerous to let development run amok.

Too much preservation, and a city dies. Too little, and Fredericksburg loses its charm.

Cordobas handling of its patio homes offers a way forward.

Any city officials who want to observe this change for themselves, let me know. Im ready to return to Cordoba and help launch that discussion.

Martin Davis is opinion page editor. Reach him at mdavis@freelancestar.com.
SCOTTSBLUFF  For a day or two every year, local farmer Dan Fitts sets aside his usual farming routine to delve into science.

Fitts, who grows mint, oversees the steam distillation process to lift the plant's essential oil for use in mouth care products.

It is all simple ideas, its not that complicated, Fitts said. You just have to get it set up and make sure its all working the way it should be.

The Fittses  Dan and wife Becky  farm corn, dry edible beans and sugar beets in the Melbeta area and realized an opportunity when they took over a peppermint meadow.

Well, long story short, a guy that grew up here went to Idaho and learned about mint. He came back here and started this, Becky Fitts said. He was going to tear it up and we just took it over.

The peppermint plant is a perennial that is planted by rhizomes, or roots, not seed planted like many other crops.

The biggest investment is getting the plant started, Becky Fitts said. You dont plant every year. It comes back kind of like alfalfa does. You dont plant by seed, ideally you have to use certified roots to plant. Weve done some planting and we have expanded the acres out.

The Fittses have taken the original peppermint meadow that is east of Melbeta and gradually added a few acres to reach 33 harvestable acres.

Peppermint and spearmint plants are mostly commercially grown in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Dan Fitts said the plant really likes water, and weather conditions in the Panhandle can be tricky for the plant and a timely harvest.

Usually in the spring, we get enough water to get going, but this year it didnt start growing until we could irrigate, he said.

Mint plants are similar in nature to the alfalfa plant and are harvested with the same type of equipment. Unlike alfalfa, mint is only harvested once a year. Depending on the weather conditions, the Fittses usually swath mint in late August but this year it was about two weeks later.

Harvest depends on the plant  it grows up, lays over, grows again and then harvest is just before blooming, Dan Fitts said.

The peppermint plants commodity is its essential oil found on the underside of the leaves. Harvest time can be altered by weather because late heavy rainfall could potentially wash away the oil.

Once the harvest day is set, the plant is cut down into windrows. The mint plant is left to dry until it is just beginning to wilt, about half the time alfalfa is left down.

When the downed plant is near wilting, a forage harvester picks up and chops the rows, shooting the mint into wagons or tubs that are outfitted for steam distillation. The tubs are sealed and moved to a mobile still where the oil will be extracted.

Whats unusual about the still is we can move it anywhere, it just needs a water source, Dan Fitts said.

In addition to water, the still uses diesel fuel to run a generator and boiler.

The unique still can support four tubs at a time, each taking around 90 minutes to process using steam. Heated water is pumped into the closed tub floor to reach 20 pounds of pressure.

We start at 20 pounds of pressure until (the oil) breaks, then back off and cook it slow, Dan Fitts explained.

The steam heats the mint leaf to release the plant's essential oil which mixes with the water vapor. Then, the steam is collected from the top of the tubs.

The oil and water-mixed vapors continue to naturally rise out of the heated tubs where it is funneled to cold condensing chambers. The vapors flow through coils surrounded by cold water in condensing pots.

Im always messing with the gauges to keep the flow right, keep the temperatures where I want them, Dan Fitts said. Too little flow, the water gets too hot, it starts baking off. And too cold, it will also do that.

Cold water changes steam back into an oil/water liquid blend. The clear liquid flows from the cold condensing chambers into a pot for separating. Water molecules are denser than oil so the two naturally separate. Fine bubbles of the peppermint oil gradually pop to the surface of the liquid pool and water settles on the bottom.

Once the separated oil reaches a spout near the top of the pot, Dan Fitts increases the flow to skim the final product off and funnel it into the storage barrel.

Water from the steam distillation process is pumped to the ground and the mint sludge byproduct is used for compost on fields in the spring.

The barrels of pure mint oil are hauled to Idaho and sold to Labbeemint, a company that supplies peppermint and spearmint essential oils for products like gum, mouthwash and toothpaste.

You can smell mint when it's cut, then its pretty potent when Dans cooking it. It really cleans out your sinuses, Becky Fitts said.

Mint yields are calculated by gallons of oil and sold by the pounds of oil. The Fittses' peppermint field typically produces 90 pounds of oil per acre.

Hot and dry is a good condition to harvest in, but where its been so hot and dry the yields will be down, Dan Fitts said. This is our third year in a row with really dry, hot weather so were ready for a change.
The September meeting of the Fremont Area Association of Retired School Personnel was held at the congregational church.

A luncheon was served to the members by the church LIFT ladies. The speaker for the meeting was Mike Sindelar of Lincoln Premium Poultry. It was interesting to hear about the impact this company has in many facets of its organization on the community and area.

FAARSP had its memorial service to honor the three members lost this last year. Celebrated members were Verona Anderson, Iva Johnson and Jan Hinds.

Communication director, Linda Betkie, presented the minutes which were approved as printed. Betkie also read the thank you notes that were received. The 50th anniversary committee continues to work on activities throughout the year to celebrate.

Financial director, Wanda Samson, presented the financial report which was approved. Samson also updated the members on the associations membership status.

Coordinators updates were made by each who were in attendance at the meeting.

Marta Calhoun reported that author Julia Cook will be the next speaker. Beth Radtke reported that both donations from the general meetings and drive-thru program continue to have positive results. Rosie Vogt reminded members to keep track of their volunteer hours  both service and youth.

Norma Register thanked the members for their continued support of the holiday meal fund collection. Ruth Register asked members to get signed up for their choices of care center to help deliver Christmas bags and valentines goodies for their veterans.

Shonda Shirley passed out CHAD forms for this years Combined Health Agencies Drive. This will be the 10th year of support by FAARSP members. Last years total was $17,048. Carol Martin brought one of her historical works for the association to view.

Sharon Carlson, as part of the 50th anniversary activities, presented a short story of a memory of the past. This brought back great memories, especially with the zinger about the association president.

Johnny Halladay won the split the pot and donated his share back to the scholarship fund. Martin won the free lunch. Wendy Brenner won the drawing for the $50 gift certificate to the Fremont Meat Market.

Brenner had her creation on display for The Bridges holiday auction. Brenner was voted to complete another project for next years auction. She will deliver the item to The Bridge.

FAARSP will again be working with the Salvation Army ringing bells.

The Learning Center will again gather and pack chocolates for care center veterans Christmas bags and valentines goodies. Parkers Cookies will again furnish cookies for the same veterans deliveries.
Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska recently hosted a Volunteer Awards Ceremony at Camp Catron in Nebraska City to celebrate the meaningful and inspirational dedication the volunteers put into Girl Scouts.

The annual ceremony recognizes volunteers for their achievements and contributions to Girl Scouting.

Joyce Scigo of Fremont was presented a Volunteer of Excellence Award which recognizes volunteers for outstanding service to Girl Scout members.

Jenny Stewart of Fremont received two awards at the ceremony. Stewart received an appreciation pin which recognizes an individuals exemplary service in support of delivering Girl Scout leadership experience. She also was presented a 20 Years of Volunteer Service Award.

Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska is the largest girl-serving organization in the state with about 13,700 members. More than 2,500 volunteers help mentor, guide and develop the Girl Scouts.

To volunteer, reconnect, donate or join Girl Scouts, visit GirlScoutsNebraska.org or call 402-779-8205.
Katie doesnt say a word as she puts her front paws in your lap.

She lets you pet her silky hair and hug her.

The gentle dog wont tell your secrets or judge your feelings or give advice. She can sense your pain and can provide the comfort that comes amid the unique and tender bond between humans and animals.

Earlier this month, two Fremonters brought Katie to help brokenhearted students, teachers and staff in Uvalde, Texas, where an 18-year-old gunman fatally shot 19 students and two teachers in May.

Dawn Gilfry and Paula Price are part of the Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dog ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church.

LLC, which has more than 130 dogs working in 26 states, said it embraces the calming nature of purebred golden retrievers to share Christs love and compassion with suffering people of all ages. Besides Katie, its Nebraska dogs include Eden in Columbus.

Since 2015, various Trinity volunteers have taken Katie to sites of some of the nations most high-profile tragedies including:

Orlando, Florida, after the Pulse night club shooting, which claimed 49 lives;

Las Vegas, after a gunman fired on a crowd of concert-goers, killing 59; and

Parkland, Florida, where a gunman killed 17 people in a school shooting.

Other Comfort Dog teams were in Uvalde within 24 hours of the shooting. Teams were invited back due to positive community response.

We only go where were invited, said Gilfry, Top Dog handler for Katie.

Team Katie and nine other Comfort Dog teams were deployed to Uvalde as students started the new school year.

Robb Elementary School, the site of the shootings, will be torn down, but other schools in the community of 16,000 are having classes.

Gilfry and Price left Fremont on Sept. 4 and returned Sept. 11. They were assigned to Morales Junior High School in the mornings.

The Tuesday after Labor Day, students filtered through the gates of the fenced-in junior high and were greeted by cheerleaders, music and three Comfort Dog teams. Texas State Patrol troopers stood in the background.

Gilfry saw how the animals helped students.

We were a positive face for them to see, Gilfry said. Even if they didnt know us, they were drawn to the dogs.

Wednesday morning, Price noticed the assistant principal standing by a car for a long time.

She saw the administrator put on a students backpack and, eventually, a seventh-grade girl got out of the vehicle. Price could tell the girl was having a hard time going into the school.

Do you need Katie? Price asked the administrator, who said Yes.

Katie and Price walked with the girl in the school toward a counselors office.

Price tried to make conversation, but the girl didnt want to talk.

So they sat in silence waiting 20 minutes for the counselor.

Silence is OK, Price said. Your presence is more important than words.

Price fights tears describing how the girl eventually responded.

Katie laid on her feet and, at some point, she started reaching down and petting Katie, Price said.

Price asked if the girl wanted Katie to go with her into the counselors office.

She nodded her head to say yes.

Katie again laid on the girls feet, while the student kept petting the dog, who had a calming effect.

For us as handlers, to watch somebody be comforted like that, it comforts us, Price said.

Gilfry said science has proven that petting a dog can bring down a persons heartrate and blood pressure.

Katie accompanied the girl on a school tour. The girl leaned into Price, who gave her a hug.

With three daughters of her own, Price blinked away more tears describing her feelings.

You just wanted to mother her, Price said.

The next morning, Price saw the girl get out of the car a little more easily.

The girl indicated she wanted Katie to go with her to the counselors office again.

But this time, the girl talked with Price as they waited for the counselor. Price learned the girl had a dog. The girl asked about Katies training.

That was a huge step forward, Price said.

At the girls request, Katie and Price accompanied her into a classroom, where students were excited to see the dog.

When I had to leave her, I felt sad, Price said. I felt like I was leaving one of my own kids.

Price gave the girl a mood ring, which changes colors.

Think of Katie when you wear it, Price said.

Gilfry said theyd seen great strides take place during the first couple days of their visit. They saw people smile and want to come to school.

But that Thursday night was marred by a gang-related shooting in Uvalde Memorial Park. Two juveniles were injured.

We felt so sad for the community, Gilfry said.

Comfort Dog teams were in an undisclosed location outside the community, and 20 minutes away from where the park shooting occurred.

Price immediately texted family members to tell them she was all right.

But Gilfrys phone wasnt working. Her husband, Jon, called, but couldnt reach her.

Gilfry went outside to get a cell phone signal and contacted her spouse. She assured him they were safe.

He was so worried, she said.

This time, Gilfry fights tears.

I didnt realize how scary it was, she said, adding, When God puts us in these positions to serve, I never feel like Im in danger. I feel that hedge of protection around us. I never want my family to worry when we go on these deployments.

Price notes another repercussion of the park shooting. Shed hoped to see the seventh-grade girl again that Friday.

I was really watching for my friend and she did not come to school that day, Price said.

When working with the dogs, handlers focus on their task. But they, too, experience sadness.

Price recalls 21 colorful, personalized murals painted on buildings in honor of each victim.

It broke my heart to think that those were somebodys kids, Price said. It brought home that families were devastated and it could happen anywhere. Those kids were so young and innocent.

Gilfry said team members work to build relationships with those they serve and let them know theyre loved.

Team Katie spent afternoons at Dalton Elementary, which serves pre-kindergarten through second grade students. Children took turns, five kids at a time, petting Katie.

Gilfry, who formerly ran Trinitys Early Childhood Education Center, and Price, a former kindergarten teacher, taught little students how to pet Katie gently.

On Friday, a junior high counselors son gave the women a wooden plaque which, in part, says: Thank you for supporting the students and staff of Morales Junior High.

Gilfry said students were in awe that people would come from Nebraska to Texas to be with them.

She added that when Katie wears her LCC vest, the dog knows shes working.

When their vests come off, Katie and her counterparts get to play together and just be dogs.

Gilfry tells how the dogs comfort hurting people.

Katie does not judge, Gilfry said. Katie is a very good listener and she just loves on them and is very patient with them, especially those little ones. She really looks forward to meeting people.

Gilfry said Katie has an intuitive sense of someone in need. Dogs, in general, sense when people comfort and want to make them feel better, Gilfry said, describing it as a God-given gift.

Katie has unconditional love, Gilfry said.

Throughout the years, handlers like Gilfry have said how Katie has repeatedly pulled them to someone they didnt suspect needed comfort.

We find out that they needed Katie, Gilfry said.

Katie is now 8 years old and her handlers are looking to the future.

Hopefully, we will be adding another Comfort Dog to work alongside Katie, until Katie is ready to retire, Gilfry said.

In the meantime, some Uvalde residents have begun following Katie on social media. Gilfry and Price continue to pray for Uvalde.

Im praying for the community, but Im also praying for some of those special people we really built a relationship with, Price said. My little seventh-grade student, I pray for her every single day.
By Trend

Information spread by the Armenian Defense Ministry about the alleged 'provocation' by the units of the Azerbaijani army is completely false and ungrounded, the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend.

"We categorically deny this. We declare that this is another provocative misinformation by the Armenian side," the ministry said.
The Dodge County Sheriffs Office has identified a deceased male found Thursday afternoon on U.S. Highway 275, south of Morningside Road.

At this time, the name will be withheld pending next of kin notification. There is no risk to the public as this investigation is ongoing.

Deputies were advised at approximately 2:30 p.m. of a possible deceased party discovered by construction crews. The deputies confirmed the individual was deceased.

During the investigation Highway 275 was shut down at Morningside Road for approximately seven hours. Dodge County was assisted by Fremont Police, Nebraska State Patrol and the Douglas County Crime lab.
The Grand Dame of Main Street has been given a new lease on life.

When the Downtown Revitalization Plan was presented in 2012, the primary focus was on preserving and renovating Historic Downtown Fremont. One of the buildings included in this plan is at 505 N. Main St.

The GFDC Board was attracted to this project for a variety of reasons, said Megan Skiles, president of the Greater Fremont Development Council. One, because it helps to address the deficit of housing available in our community. Our 2020 housing study estimated the county needed approximately 1,500 additional housing units to have a healthy inventory.

Skiles believes the renovations not only help to resolve the issues regarding the housing shortage, but are also providing a different kind of inventory in Fremont for individuals wanting to live in an urban setting.

Having diverse housing options helps us attract and retain talent, she said. Additionally, the 505 Building has a key location in our downtown. Reactivation of the property would allow for more density and foot traffic in our downtown area businesses.

Skiles recognizes the vital role that Main Street plays in a citys identity and added that GFDC is very eager to see the building become an attractive asset to the Fremont community again.

Ryan Durant, president of RMD Realty Group LLC, recalled how this project started.

There were plans to put in a brewery downtown in late 2018, he said. Garry Clark, who at that time was the executive director of the Greater Fremont Development Council, said we needed to look at the 505 Building and shared some contact info as it wasnt currently for sale.

Durant said he was able to get the building under contract and closed on it with the help of the GFDC loan in November 2019.

We then worked in 2020 on getting the Historic Tax Credits approved with the State Historical Preservation Office, he said.

The following year, Durant saw the cost of materials and labor for construction impacted by COVID-19.

It took some time to work with our general contractor, Lund Ross, to get the budget in order, he said, but we still had a gap.

The next step was to approach the City of Fremont and get LB840 funds awarded to move the project forward. Durant said it wasnt until mid-2021 that his team closed with the construction loan.

Once financing was established, he and his crew were faced with the challenge of preserving as much of the original structure while bringing the building up to code.

We had to add another set of egress stairs, he said. We also had to preserve the original look of the former egress stairs in the alley by keeping a door there.

The elevator shaft needed to be enlarged to allow for the contemporary cabs, and a sprinkler system had to be installed. Another challenge Durant and his crew were faced with was the installation of another fire escape.

Bob Missel was a big help to us, Durant said. He allowed an easement onto his property next door so we could put in a fire escape that met current fire code regulations.

The property next door was the location of Sampters Clothing Store, which Missels grandfather opened in 1925.

I bought it from him in 1984, Missel said.

Once plans got underway to renovate the 505 Building, he provided Durant with photos and information on the structure.

I am so pleased to see the 505 renovations nearing completion, Missel said. Throughout my years serving on boards dedicated to Downtown Fremont, the 505 has always been recognized as a significant anchor on Main Street. To see it come back to life is a big win for Downtown, the City of Fremont, and Dodge County.

Taking a historic building and modernizing it to meet todays codes brings its own set of challenges. Durant and his crew saw a definite plus side to one of them.

Theres 2 feet of concrete between the floors, he said. Nobody will be complaining about noisy neighbors.

Originally, the upper floors were occupied by various businesses. Now they contain apartment rental units.

Residents of Lofts at 505 will enjoy the buildings historic charm coupled with modern amenities, including washers and dryers, and an up-to-date security system, he said.

Weve got a nice mix of tenants so far, Durant said. Retirees, young professionals, and college students have signed leases.

One couple originally from Fremont has lived in Texas for many years. Durant said theyre looking forward to coming back and making Lofts at 505 their second home.

A variety of floor plans are available. For information regarding rental rates, call 402-704-2069 or email lofts505@accesscommercial.com.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, hosted by the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 6.
Last week Keep Fremont Beautiful conducted our annual Community Litter Index. To maintain our long and proud history of achieving Presidents Circle Status with Keep America Beautiful, an honor recognizing exemplary performance by certified KAB affiliates, we are required to complete a Litter Index each year.

The metrics obtained during the Litter Index are designed to help visually assess and determine the state of our communitys appearance regarding litter and other appearance indicators, such as graffiti, illegal dumpsites, broken windows, abandon or junk vehicles, outside storage, and unkempt vegetation. Affiliates may then use the results to set goals and develop effective community improvement education programs and projects.

To accurately assess our communitys appearance, we always conduct the Litter Index in September. KFB recruits a team of 3-6 volunteers to take part in the scoring process, typically consisting of our board members, city officials, as well as city and county staff. The City of Fremont assists by providing a van and driver to take the group on a specific route through our community.

The route consists of six areas, which are further broken down into 10 sites per area. Volunteers rate public and private property in each site based on the appearance of litter and other indicators. The following is a simplified version of the scale used: 1Minimal or No Litter: One or two items in a city block that could be collected quickly by one individual. 2Slightly Littered: A small amount of litter that could be cleaned in a short period of time. 3Littered: Visible litter catches your eye frequently and an organized effort would be needed for removal. 4  Extremely Littered: Continuous amount of litter that may include an illegal dumpsite and require special equipment of removal.

Area A (Northwest Fremont) received an average score of 1.29 with observations of overgrown weeds and visible cigarette litter at a busy intersection. Area B (West-Central and Southwest Fremont) received an average score of 1.50 with observations of a possible illegal dump near train tracks and overgrown weeds. Area C (Central and South-Central Fremont) received an average score of 1.62 with observations of overgrown weeds, debris on residential properties, and a heavily littered public area. Area D (East-Central and Southeast Fremont) received an average score of 1.14 with observations of heavy litter on a public property. Area E (Northeast Fremont) received an average score of 1.43 with observations of heavy litter throughout business parking lots. Area F (North-Central Fremont) received an average score of 1.68 with observations of heavy litter in business parking lots and on the edge out town.

The overall Community Litter Index score computed to 1.45, which Keep America Beautiful rounds up to 1.50. While this is a great score, we know there is room for improvement and will utilize scores and observations to determine public education programming for 2023.

Keep Fremont Beautiful will host a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Christensen Field. This event is open to Dodge County residents only, business waste will not be accepted. For additional information, visit the KFB website at www.keepfremontbeautiful.com.
Maryam Hotak loves eating out and Kabul, the Afghan capital where she lives, has an ample number of eateries offering succulent kebabs, greasy beef pilaf, and delicious "manto" dumplings.

The city of 5 million's fast-food joints and upscale restaurants offer foreign and Afghan cuisine.

Unfortunately, many of these eateries are now too expensive for most Afghans struggling to survive amid a mounting humanitarian and economic crisis a year after the Taliban swept to power.

But Hotak has stopped eating out with her husband for another reason. She says that incessant harassment by Taliban zealots now keeps them away from restaurants.

"Taliban militants randomly interrogate you while eating out," she said, recalling a recent incident. "They asked my husband, 'Who is she and why have you brought her here?' When we told them we were married, they asked us to prove it."

Hotak says that the awkward incident forced her to stop eating out. "We are not alone," she told RFE/RL. "This is why many customers have stopped going to restaurants, which makes them look deserted."

'Ruining Our Business'

Idrees, a pseudonym for the manager of an upscale Kabul restaurant, says his business has rapidly lost patrons because of Taliban harassment. "We have repeatedly witnessed that when they see a couple or couples sitting together, they are questioned about how they are related," he told RFE/RL.

Idrees says that his customers are now clearly avoiding eating out because of Taliban fears. "People used to come with their families, and men loved to bring their fiances," he said. "But now the Taliban asks them why they are sitting together. This is why people are avoiding restaurants, which has ruined our business."

Since seizing power in August 2021, gender segregation has been a critical hallmark of Taliban policies. The hard-line Islamist group has banned teenage girls from secondary schools and enforced separate classrooms for the sexes at universities. It has discouraged women from working and playing any prominent role in public life.

Taliban authorities have detained and harassed women activists and journalists. Women-led businesses have either closed or face economic ruin.

In May, the Taliban banned men and women from eating together in the western Afghan city of Herat.

Riazullah Seerat, a Taliban official at the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat, told AFP that restaurants were verbally warned that couples were not allowed to dine in "even if they are husband and wife."

In Kabul, Mohammad Sadiq Akif Mohajir, a spokesman for the ministry, rejected the idea that Taliban members are questioning couples inside restaurants.

"There is nothing in our principles that requires people to be questioned inside the restaurants," he told RFE/RL. "Such claims are nothing more than mere propaganda."

Although obsessed with control and discipline within its ranks, the Taliban has yet to arrest any of its own followers or anyone else for harassing diners.

While most Afghans prefer to eat at home, the restaurant business skyrocketed in the past two decades. In particular, Kabul and other Afghan cities witnessed a mushrooming food business, with trendy eateries becoming popular hangouts for couples and families.

In Kabul, Mohammad Khan, a restaurant owner, says he is watching his business slowly die. He says it has lost its clientele to Taliban restrictions and rising food prices. Most days they have very few customers.

"We just sit around here from morning till evenings," he said. "The business here is nearly zero."

Written by Abubakar Siddique based on reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi
The embattled San Luis Valley District Attorney who stayed in office through several serious investigations into his ineffective treatment of crime victims has been disbarred and admonished by the branch of the Colorado Supreme Court that oversees disciplinary matters.

Alonzo Payne, who resigned less than halfway through his term as 12th Judicial District attorney, agreed to the disbarment from Presiding Disciplinary Judge Bryon Large without a hearing.

He ran on a platform of criminal reform but victims complained he was too kind to criminals. In one City Council meeting, Alamosa Police Chief Kenny Anderson said suspects were known to laugh as officers applied their handcuffs because they knew there would be little punishment for their crimes.

Under the agreements conditions, obtained by The Gazette, Payne acquiesced that he was ill-equipped to handle the office of district attorney and wasnt competent to prosecute complicated, felony cases."

The agreement reveals eye-opening information about Paynes tenure as the valleys top law enforcement officer. That includes the fact that during his tenure he only took on five cases, some of which were non-felony matters and involved traffic or misdemeanor offenses. Respondent did not prevail in his trials, the document explained.

Payne had a pattern of dismissing cases on the eve of trial, according to the agreement. It explains that in order to be disbarred, a lawyer must have neglected and caused "serious or potentially serious injury to a client."

Lani Welch, a domestic violence victim who led the recall effort against Payne, had mixed feelings about his disbarment.

He chose to ignore the complaints leveled against him and the help which was offered, she said. But Im thankful that nobody else will have to go through what victims in the San Luis Valley had to go through.

Welch became disillusioned with Payne during the trial against her ex-fiancee, who was accused of assaulting and stalking her.

Mr. Payne lied to me, he was dismissive and had no compassion for my situation, Welch said.

The defendant was eventually convicted of telephone obstruction charges in the case  a charge which Welch found was insufficient  and is now out of jail.

Paynes office was notoriously understaffed but the disciplinary document contends that he was not proactive about asking county commissioners for resources he needed. The 12th Judicial District is compossed of six counties: Alamosa, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, Costilla and Conejos. It is a vast expanse of land which is similar to the size of Connecticut.

By the time Payne left, there was only one full-time and one part-time prosecutor working in his office to cover the entire region.

The backlog of work had gotten so bad, nearly 300 cases worked up by the district's many law enforcement agencies were sitting unfiled on the prosecutors desk, according to the interim district attorney, Anne Kelly, who was appointed by Gov. Jared Polis and who will run for the office in November.

She told The Gazette she has requested 10 attorneys to handle the enormous caseload left behind by Payne.

In recent years, attorneys in the office were handling up to 450 felony cases a year, Kelly said. Any attorney who reads that will be astounded. It is insane.

She said that the normal yearly workload for a prosecutor in a jurisdiction the size of the 12th Judicial District is more like 150-200 cases.

Kelly came to the San Luis Valley from Boulder County where she created and led a nationally recognized domestic violence program.

She's running for the position against the district attorney who preceded Payne, Bob Willett.

The two men have an antagonistic history. During the recall effort, Payne launched an embezzlement investigation into his predecessor over a Christmas bonus Willett paid himself. Willett contended that the charge was a political stunt and eventually the case was dropped when an outside prosecutor found that Willett didnt intend to commit a crime.

Payne had at least eight victims rights violations which were found factual by the Victims Rights Committee and there were nine victims included in the pattern and practice complaint with the Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center. The complaints eventually landed on Attorney General Phil Weisers desk.

The Colorado District Attorneys' Council said that though district attorneys have resigned or been recalled in the past, to the best of their knowledge "this would be the first with a recall effort, resignation before election, and disbarment."

Paynes disbarment will be effective Oct. 26. He did not respond to a request by The Denver Gazette for comment.
Authorities on Tuesday arrested a man with 90,000 fentanyl pills, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office said.

A deputy sheriff conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 70 and discovered 16 packages, according to the sheriff's office. The deputy stopped the vehicle on I-70 about 10 miles east of the Utah state line because the vehicle didn't have a visible rear license plate, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The office said the packets that were discovered contained roughly 90,000 blue fentanyl pills.

The sheriff's office arrested Adan Carillo-Murillo, 22, on suspicion of two felonies:

 Possession with intent to distribute.

 Special offender for transporting drugs into the state of Colorado.
Mary Shinn has worked at The Gazette since 2020 covering city hall, local politics and environmental issues. Previously, she worked for The Durango Herald from 2013 to 2020 covering city hall, education, environment and agriculture. In 2013, Shinn was a News 21 fellow and worked on an investigative series focused on veteran's issues. She graduated from Arizona State University in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in mass communications.



Follow Mary Shinn 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
Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country

Sign Up View all of our newsletters.
By Trend

The official meeting, chaired by the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, was held at the Central Command Post on September 24, Trend reports referring to the country's Defense Ministry.

During the meeting there was analyzed the current operational situation in the direction of Azerbaijans Kalbajar and Lachin districts, as well as in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily stationed.

Hasanov gave specific instructions to increase the military personnels vigilance and to immediately and decisively suppress any possible provocation of the Armenian armed forces.

The minister also gave instructions to the relevant officers on completing the winter preparatory work in the units according to the plan and delivering the necessary supplies to the units stationed in mountainous areas.
Russia slams US for acting like 'an almost-envoy for God on Earth' at the UN
Mesa County Coroner Victor Yahn points out the test strip for fentanyl on a multipanel urine test in the Coroner's Office in Grand Junction, Colo.
Manitou Springs is bracing for a major hit to its budget if Colorado Springs voters legalize the sale of recreational marijuana in November.

"How much would we lose if marijuana passes in Colorado Springs? We dont know. Nobody knows. Its a matter of guesswork, but its probably substantial. Its going to hurt, I think," Mayor John Graham said last month.

During a special meeting in late August, the City Council narrowly voted 4-3 to immediately and indefinitely cease allocating incremental municipal sales taxes to its urban renewal authority so that it could divert the money into the city's general fund, which pays for police and fire services, parks maintenance and road repairs.

The additional money, proponents argued, could provide a better financial cushion for the city if there is a dip in sales tax revenues from its two marijuana dispensaries should Colorado Springs legalize recreational pot sales.

More money for capital projects could also help complete overdue improvements like upgrades to City Hall and the fire station, maintenance at the Water Treatment Facility, the Carnegie Library remodel and funding ambulance services, they said.

Graham, Mayor Pro Tem John Shada and Councilwomen Judith Chandler and Julie Wolfe voted for the action. Councilwomen Natalie Johnson, Nancy Fortuin and Michelle Whetherhult were opposed.

"We need to turn the money off," Shada said during the special Aug. 23 meeting, which the nine-member Manitou Springs Urban Renewal Authority Board of Directors attended. "I think there are better ways in the community that we can spend this money."

The authority  created in 2006 to revitalize the east end of Manitou Avenue, and which has revitalized the Beckers Lane bridge and is redeveloping the La Fun motel property  will still receive incremental property tax revenues. The council can choose again in the future to reallocate the sales tax funds back to the authority, Manitou Springs City Attorney Jeff Parker said.

Urban Renewal Authority Board Member Farley McDonough said diverting funds away from the organization could be detrimental to the city.

"None of the projects I've heard you all speak of ... generate any sales tax," she told the council. "They are valid. They're important. They need to be accomplished. ... But we are a tool for the City Council, to be used in a way that can generate and backfill that loss of sales tax."

Manitou Springs is the only municipality in El Paso County that allows recreational marijuana sales, and the city's budget depends heavily on the sales tax revenues it generates, officials have said.

Roughly 77% of Manitou's total tax revenues come from sales taxes and the general fund gets about 61% of its revenue from sales taxes, the city's 2022 budget shows.

Manitou Springs spokesman Alex Trefry said the city cannot, under state law, release sales tax information related to its marijuana dispensaries because it could potentially reveal each of the competing shops' monthly revenues to the other. The city includes its marijuana sales taxes in its general fund revenues during budget reporting, Trefry said.

Monthly sales tax reports provide a glimpse into the amount of money marijuana helps generate for the city, though. Marijuana sales tax revenues are lumped together with revenues from auto repair shops, home-based businesses and Manitou's American Legion branch into the "Other in City" category, Trefry said.

Sales tax reports show the city collected roughly $544,000, $577,000 and $623,000 in sales taxes from these types of businesses in May, June and July, respectively.

Worried Manitou could see a significant tax shortfall should the Colorado Springs measure pass, City Council and staff have been working for months to create a proposed 2023 budget that includes a high 30% reserve. Many cities aim to have a 17% reserve, Graham said, but the extra buffer Manitou officials are planning can allow the city some flexibility amid the uncertainty.

Johnson and Fortuin said they were concerned it was too early to vote to reallocate money going to the authority and wanted to wait until after the election to decide.

"We have not figured out our budget for next year," Johnson said. "... I think we need to see the results of the election in November. I think there (are) a lot of unknowns. ... I think the timings a little off in terms of council really knowing what it needs or doesnt need at this moment."

The City Council will hold a budget retreat on Saturday before it reviews and formally approves its 2023 financial plan in the following months. During budget discussions, Trefry said, the council expects to discuss instead moving the incremental sales taxes diverted from the Urban Renewal Authority into a capital fund, as Johnson suggested.

The mayor has been an especially vocal proponent of moving funds from the Urban Renewal Authority to cushion the anticipated blow. The city carried out a similar move in 2018 after the Cog Railway's closure caused a budget shortfall, and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The authority expected to receive about $1.73 million in sales tax and will get $115,000 in property tax revenues this year, according to its 2022 budget. Overall, Manitou Springs should get $7.5 million in sales taxes and $865,850 in property taxes, the city budget shows.
Residents on Thursday called on the Colorado Springs Planning Commission to rework the proposed zoning code ahead of a vote in October to preserve rights for more people to appeal city decisions, protect neighborhood character and promote affordable housing.

Residents with the Historic Neighborhoods Partnership called out specific changes in the proposed code, known as Retool Colorado Springs, they want to see to protect neighborhoods, such as restoring a rule that can prevent older homes from getting scrapped in favor of a bigger house; adding a rule to buffer gas stations from homes, schools and other gathering spaces; and implementing parking requirements for developers expanding residential buildings in historic neighborhoods.

Residents offered their comments on a new draft of the zoning code that could be adopted in the coming months and reshape how the city develops in the coming decades.

"ReTool is complex and there is new language in this current draft that we have not seen before. ... Frankly, we do have big concerns," said Dianne Bridges, chairwoman of the Historic Neighborhoods Partnership.

At the same time, Colorado Springs Faith Table representatives called for greater flexibility in the proposed zoning code to allow for more variety of homes in single-family neighborhoods to help address the housing shortage.

While the two groups could at times sound at odds, Susan Bolduc, with the Faith Table, said affordable housing options don't necessarily need to impinge on existing neighborhood's architecture and character and can include promoting options such as duplexes and triplexes.

"We need missing-middle housing for smaller households," she said.

She noted that a vast majority of the community is zoned for single-family homes and that does not account for smaller families that have become more common in recent decades. The absence of affordable housing can also hurt the economy by preventing residents from living close to their employers, she said.

Despite the thousands of apartments that have been built or are in the planning stages in town, the cost of housing continues to rise, in part because of the high demand. The average apartment rent has jumped more than $300 a month to $1,571 in the last three years, the Gazette reported previously.

Bolduc and others asked the city for more flexible zoning in existing neighborhoods because the current proposal leaves existing residential zoning in place. Those interested in building higher density housing in an older single-family neighborhood would have to ask Colorado Springs City Council for a zoning change. The city is offering more flexible zoning options for neighborhoods that have yet to be built.

Historic Neighborhoods Partnership members asked for specific changes to the proposed code, including the restoration of limits on lot coverage, that could allow for much larger homes in single-family neighborhoods. The elimination of the limits could allow more people to tear down older homes on smaller lots and build much larger homes, a trend known as scrap and build that has happened in other areas of Colorado, said Mike Anderson, one of several people who spoke on behalf of the partnership. Such a trend would reduce options for more entry-level housing, he said.

The advocates also called for new required setbacks to give neighborhoods, schools, parks, churches and other gathering places a greater buffer from gas stations. The lack of required buffers between homes and gas stations was highlighted by a high-profile fight over a new convenience store planned for South Eighth and West Brookside streets. The council approved the gas station in August that will be 20 feet from residents' bedroom and bathroom windows.

Residents asked for changes to the new rules around who can appeal planning department decisions to allow for greater participation. Currently, anyone can appeal a decision. The proposed rules would require appellants to own or rent property within 1,000 feet of a project. It would also allow those within 2 miles of a project to appeal if they have participated in the city process previously by commenting at a public meeting or submitting written comments.

The advocates asked for the city not to require prior participation to appeal a decision.

The preservation advocates were also concerned the city did not plan to ask developers to add parking when they expand historic buildings. Some older homes don't have driveways or garages and residents must already park on the street, creating a parking deficit in older parts of town.

"I get more calls on parking than anything else," Old North End President Dutch Schulz said.

He also called for the same parking regulations to apply to short-term rentals as bed and breakfasts and for the city to think carefully before reducing parking requirements near bus stops, since bus routes can be moved and an area could have a parking deficit and no bus service, he said.

The commission is scheduled to vote on the new zoning code in October and the council may vote on it in November and December, said Morgan Hester, planning supervisor.
By Sabina Mammadli

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry submitted evidence indicating Armenias gross violation of the decisions of the International Court of Justice on December 7, 2021, to the court.

The ministry said that the country will ensure the use of all possible international mechanisms to give a legal assessment of the crimes committed by Armenia during the occupation, as well as ongoing ones.

The ministry recalled that Azerbaijan filed interstate claims against Armenia to the International Court of Justice of the UN for the International Convention 'On the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination' back in September of 2021.

According to the ministry, the International Court unanimously decided on provisional measures against Armenia based on the petitions filed by Azerbaijan, on December 7, 2021.

The court ordered Armenia to take all necessary measures to prevent propaganda and incitement of racial hostility against citizens of Azerbaijan and people of Azerbaijani origin on the territory of Armenia, including organizations and individuals as well as to refrain from actions that could aggravate or prolong conflict or make it difficult to resolve. The basis for the court's decision was the arguments and evidence presented by Azerbaijan related to the fact that Armenia failed to bring to justice its individuals and ethno-nationalist groups (mainly VOMA, POGA, etc.) who voiced revanchist calls inciting hatred against Azerbaijanis as well as the fact that Armenian state bodies encouraged their activities in some cases and awarded the activists of these organizations, the message said.

Despite the court's decisions, Armenia continued to grossly violate its obligations in 2022, no practical measures were taken on the territory of the country against revanchists, appeals filled with hatred and violence against Azerbaijanis, and paramilitary illegal groups continued their activities against them, the ministry said. The ministry also added that the main slogan that was voiced by Armenia during the demonstrations starting from April 2022 and directed against the Azerbaijanis was 'Armenia without Turks'.

Furthermore, it was noted that before the transfer of Lachins Zabukh and Sus villages to the complete control of Azerbaijan, persons of Armenian origin illegally residing there during the occupation period openly demonstrated their ethnic hatred towards Azerbaijanis, by burning houses belonging to Azerbaijanis and destroying forests.

The Armenian government has not yet taken any effective measures to prevent these cases or to hold those concerned accountable for the crimes committed,

Moreover, the ministry pointed out that during mine-clearing operations on the territory of Lachin up to 1,400 mines, produced in Armenia in 2021, were found. The absolute majority of the territories where mines were planted are villages and settlements where Azerbaijanis once lived.

The ministry noted that the main purpose of such provocation is to prevent the return of internally displaced persons to their native lands.
Thanks for visiting !

The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy.

We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here.

Thank you for your support!
Two Pittsylvania County high school students recently have been charged involving threats, authorities announced this week.

The Pittsylvania County Sheriffs Office reported the charges amid an uptick of social media chatter, a news release from Devin Taylor, an investigator with the sheriffs office, said.

The release cited law enforcement agencies nationwide receiving an increase in postings of students making threats to conduct violent acts to include plans to shoot up schools.

Locally, an unnamed Gretna High School student was charged Aug. 25 under Virginia Code after threats of violence were intercepted, Taylor reported. On Sept. 7, a Tunstall High School student was charged in a similar incident.

Our office is dedicated in identifying those responsible for the aforementioned threats of violence, locating those responsible and charging those individuals with every applicable criminal violation as it relates to their actions, Taylor wrote in the release.

Officials ask parents to monitor social media accounts, cellphone texts and other means of electronic communication by their children.

The county sheriffs office works with the Pittsylvania County Commonwealths Attorneys Office to investigate all reported online threats.

Taylor said authorities have a zero tolerance for this behavior even if the communication is intended as a joke.

School divisions across the state have responded to threats in the last couple of weeks, The Roanoke Times reported.

Parents please instill in your children this type of online behavior coupled with criminal charges will have a long term effect on your childs higher education opportunities as well as potentially affecting future employment opportunities, he wrote in the release. Our office will deploy every resource we have to determine the source of these types of criminal acts, additionally our office will continue to dedicate the same resources to ensure a safe learning environment in Pittsylvania County.
LIBERTY  Toyota is investing $1 million in the Triad for workforce readiness and education focused on STEAM topics: science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

N.C. A&T and Communities in Schools of Randolph County will get $500,000 each, Toyota announced Saturday.

We have 2,100 jobs to fill in North Carolina, so better preparing our next generation workforce is critical, Sean Suggs, president of Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina, said in a news release announcing the donations.

A&T will use the donation to establish the Toyota STEAM Lab in its College of Education.

The lab will be designed for K-12 learners and provide A&T education majors a place to practice teaching with devices and technologies designed for K-12 student use, according to the release. The lab will also provide collaborative mentorship opportunities and projects between A&T students from all majors with younger students learning at the university through its new lab elementary school (Aggie Academy) and its middle college high school (A&T Four Middle College).

We are grateful that our friends at Toyota understand that the key to meeting the challenges of the STEAM workforce of the future is to invest in rich STEAM educational opportunities for students today, Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. said in the release.

Communities in Schools of Randolph County will use its grant to continue work through a variety of programs, including the launch of Jobs for Americas Graduates. Students will receive a range of services such as weekend meals, academic tutoring, financial literacy and mentoring.

It is difficult to adequately put into words the magnitude of this gift to Communities in Schools of Randolph County, said Paula Owens, CiSRC executive director. This gift will enable us to serve more youth in our community with wrap-around services in partnership with our local school systems and equip us to launch a new program, Jobs For North Carolina Graduates, providing specialized instruction and experiences to support increased graduation rates and employability for our students.

Last month, Toyota pledged another 350 jobs and additional investment in the battery-making plant at the Greensboro-Randolph megasite. With a $3.79 billion capital investment and 2,100 jobs, it could become the biggest single corporate expenditure in state history.
John Fetterman, aspiring to be junior U.S. senator of Pennsylvania, recently held a rally in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

Its a shame that Fetterman didnt ask for my opinion about what really matters.

According to the Fetterman campaign, access to abortion is the only thing that seems to motivate intelligent females these days. He seems to be taking his orders from the sort of political operatives who dont understand that making abortion up until the moment of birth your campaign slogan is not a great approach for winning decent hearts and discerning minds.

Not the economy. Not toxic educational theories shoved down the throats of children. Not harassment at school board meetings. Not the debacle in Afghanistan. Not even COVID.

The rally was designed to gin up anger among his pink-shirted followers, women who still parrot the 70s slogan My body, my choice (except, of course, when we are talking about mandatory vaccines and masks).

And there did appear to be a large number of these ladies, squeezed into a rather restrictive space in suburban Montgomery County, all there to support a man who has literally supported abortion without restrictions.

As a woman who has spent more than five decades living, studying and working in suburbs like Montgomery County, I understand that there are many women who do not share my pro-life views. Id venture to say that a majority of even my closest friends support some form of legalized abortion, and were disturbed when the Dobbs ruling overturned the eminently unconstitutional decision in Roe.

At recent social gatherings weve made sure to steer clear of that topic, to avoid food ending up anywhere except on plates and in mouths.

But I can also state with absolute certainty that no one appreciates the pandering of Fetterman and the people who follow him like some abortion messiah.

These women exist, and they are loud, and they have the ear of the mainstream media, but they are not representative of the majority of Pennsylvania females.

I recently posted on social media a photo in front of City Hall, wherein I stated: We live in Philadelphia too, John Fetterman. We, the women who you cannot dazzle with your promises of sexual freedom, earned on the backs of future generations of children. Were not stupid. Were not oppressed.

Were not misogynists (as if). We see through you. And we vote. We do. #Life.

Between Facebook and Twitter, that post has gotten more than 400 likes, and 50 shares. While that might not match a Kardashian or AOC in its level of influence, its one of the biggest reactions Ive ever gotten on a political post in the past decade.

That suggests how disconnected Fetterman, and Democrats in general are to the zeitgeist of Pennsylvania women.

We are not the sort of people who blindly fall in line behind a man who promises abortion on demand and without apology. We do not generally fall for the scare tactics of political operatives who warn that if Mehmet Oz, or for that matter any other GOP candidate is elected in the fall, we will be forced to scrounge around for birth control on the black market.

We are not so naive as to believe that Democrats see abortion as anything other than a way to demonize the other side, and win an election.

I know some folks who were thrilled when the Dobbs decision came down this June, and not because they oppose abortion. Theyve told me in confidence that this was exactly what they needed to energize Democrats for the midterms. They know that Joe Biden is an albatross for his party, and if they can scare women into believing that the United States will be changing its name to the United States of Gilead come November, theyll score at the polls.

My response is that women are a lot smarter than that. Of course, you will get the outliers like those pink-shirted darlings at the Fetterman rally in Montgomery County, tricked into believing that their Handmaid capes were ready for pick up in a warehouse owned by Dr. Oz and the GOP. You will get the women who think that their worth and value depends on being able to become unpregnant without restriction.

They exist.

But Pennsylvania women are far less gullible than what the Fetterman campaign perceives us to be.

And as I said, even in the suburbs, we vote.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a Decree on establishing the Coordinating Commission to align the activities of public bodies in ensuring the safe use of potentially hazardous facilities, Azernews reports.




Need help? The Veterans Crisis Line offers free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day year round. Dial 988 then press 1, text 838255 or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs showed suicides decreased nationwide in 2020 for the second year in a row, and that fewer veterans died by suicide in 2020 than in any year since 2006.

However, Montanas suicide rate was significantly higher than the national average for veterans and the general population as well.

The 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report released Sept. 19 offers the most recent analyses of veteran suicide from 2001-2020, the VA stated. Officials said this report is unique in that it is the first to examine veteran suicide mortality data during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, there were 6,146 veteran suicides nationwide, the VA said, making an average of 16.8 per day. In 2020, there were 343 fewer veteran suicides than in 2019, and the number of veteran suicides was lower than each prior year since 2006.

Montana had 53 veteran suicides in 2020 and 288 suicides overall, according to the 43-page VA report. That is 58.2 veteran suicides per 100,000 people as compared to 31.7 nationwide, according to the Sept. 19 report.

Montana is part of the VAs western region, which includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The western region reported a veteran suicide rate of 35.3, the VA stated.

Montana as a whole had a suicide rate of 33.8, compared to the western region rate of 18.7 and the national rate of 17.3, the report stated.

The report did not offer an explanation as to why the rate was higher in Montana, which state officials said has ranked in the top five for suicide rates for all age groups in the nation, for the past 30 years. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services referred all questions on the study to VA Montana Health Care, which did not offer comment.

Key findings in the report included that in 2019 and 2020, veteran suicides decreased in consecutive years by 307 and 343 deaths  the biggest decrease in the suicide count and rate since 2001. From 2018 to 2020, the age- and sex-adjusted suicide rate among veterans fell by 9.7%.

Among women veterans, the age-adjusted suicide rate fell by 14.1%, compared to 8.4% among non-veteran women, the VA reported. The age-adjusted suicide rate for women veterans in 2020 was the lowest since 2013, and the age-adjusted suicide rate for Veteran men was the lowest since 2016.

Officials said the COVID-19 pandemic did not have an impact on veteran suicide mortality. The study said suicide was the 13th leading cause of death among veterans overall in 2020, and it was the second-leading cause of death among veterans under age 45.

The VA also announced it was giving more than $52 million to 80 community-based organizations in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and the American Samoa for suicide prevention services for veterans and their families.

The money was from the Staff Sgt. Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, which is part of the Cmdr. John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019.

That bill, signed into law in 2020, was introduced by Sens. Jon Tester, D-Montana, and Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, and named for a Montana resident and former Navy SEAL who killed himself in 2018.

These efforts are part of the VAs 10-year National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide and the Biden-Harris administrations plan for Reducing Military and Veteran Suicide, the VA said.

In Montana, the Adaptive Performance Center, which is based in Billings, will receive $750,000 and the Great Plains Veterans Services Center (formerly the Rocky Boy Veterans Center) will get $650,000.

Volunteers of America, Northern Rockies, which serves veterans in Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming will get $750,000.

There are not enough descriptive words to cover our level of gratitude and excitement, Karen Pearson, chief executive officer of the Adaptive Performance Center, said when asked about the grant.

Pearson said Montana is in the top three states when it comes to veteran suicide.

Adaptive Performance is a nonprofit fitness center that aims to reduce suicide rates and help build community. It combines mental health with physical fitness.

Mitch Crouse, chief operating officer at Adaptive Performance, said Work your body, work your mind -- they go hand in hand.

The grant is to serve Yellowstone and Lewis and Clark counties.

Pearson and Crouse said they are opening in Helena on Central Avenue and will hire 10 people.

Pearson said they applied for the grant and got letters of support from Montana Republicans Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Matt Rosendale.

Officials from the Great Plains Veterans Service Center, did not return a call seeking comment.
DECATUR  Students interested in a nomination to one of the United States service academies should contact U.S. Rep. Mary Miller before Oct. 21.

Members of Congress are able to nominate young men and women from their respective districts to one of our country's four service academies: Air Force, Army, Merchant Marine or Navy. Miller may nominate up to ten individuals for each vacant academy slot allotted to the 15th District.

The Coast Guard academy does not accept congressional appointments and application must be made directly to that academy.

High school juniors and seniors should visit Miller's website, marymiller.house.gov, to find the application. Appointment to a military academy comes with a requirement to serve for five years after graduation from that academy.

Applications must be in Miller's Danville office no later than 4 p.m. on Oct. 21.
DECATUR  Nearly 17 veterans die by suicide each day in the United States, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Some Decatur residents are racing to change that.

Around 50 runners on Saturday took part in the second annual "Operation Obstacle: The Race to End Veteran Suicide," a fundraiser organized by Richland Community College and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. All proceeds will go to the Veterans Resource Center at Richland.

Event organizers hope that, in addition to raising money, the event will help raise awareness for the alarming rate of suicide among veterans.

Veterans are dying by suicide at a disproportionately higher rate than the general population, said Hannah Jordan, suicide prevention case manager at VA Illiana Health Care System. We at the VA want them to know that we have resources available.

Scott Broyles, the fitness center director at Richland, said Operation Obstacle is also about celebrating all veterans and their sacrifices.

We created this event to bring awareness to the 17 veterans that we lose on a daily basis due to suicide, but it goes beyond that, Broyles said. We're also here to honor and support our veterans in our communities, and bring awareness that, hey, we salute you for your services and what you've done for our country.

The race consisted of a 2-mile track on Richlands campus covered with 22 different obstacles, including army crawl nets and objects that runners needed to carry, move or climb over. Runners also got hosed down by a Decatur Fire Department hose before they crossed the finish line.

The obstacles on the course represent the real-life obstacles veterans face every day, Jordan said.

There's still, unfortunately, a really large stigma to mental health and to suicide, she said. We need to listen if someone is talking about it and take it seriously.

Runners said they appreciated the chance to race for a worthy cause.

I think its a cause that we dont hear about enough, said Cameron Bagley, who was the first to cross the finish line on Saturday.

Our veterans don't get enough appreciation, said Tim White, who finished third in the race. Our veterans are what keep us in this free country, that we're able to do this and anything else we want to do. So we should just thank them every day.

Anyone can take action to help prevent veteran suicide, Jordan said. In addition to becoming familiar with local VA mental health services, people should also know about the Veterans Crisis Line.

By dialing 988 then pressing 1, veterans or anyone concerned about a veteran can speak with crisis intervention professionals and get connected to necessary resources.

Central Illinois residents can also contact the VA Illiana Healthcare System for information on suicide prevention trainings and other resources at 217-554-3000.
DECATUR  A second arrest has been made in connection with the August murder of Arrion L. McClelland.

In a news release issued Friday, Decatur police Lt. Scott Rosenbery said Kyle Escoe was taken into custody Thursday by Chicago police. He remains in their custody on $2 million bond.

Escoe, 18, was being sought on preliminary charges of first degree murder in the shooting death of McClelland, 24, who died in hospital from his wounds in the early hours of Aug. 14.

McClelland was found by police patrol officers after they responded to the area of the 1100 block of West Wood Street around 3:50 a.m. and then heard gunshots nearby.

A second suspect, Dionte A. Robinson, 24, was arrested on first degree murder charges Aug. 18 after being intercepted by members of the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force. Robinson remains held in the Macon County Jail with his bail set at $2 million. A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 5.

The search continues for a third suspect, Omari C. Walker, 18, who also is wanted on a first degree murder warrant with a $2 million bail.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the office of the states attorney.
DECATUR  For the first time since before the pandemic, the Childrens Museum of Illinois is quacking at full capacity again.

CMILs annual Duck Derby fundraiser and event was back in full on Saturday, following a virtual event in 2020 and a smaller-scale one in 2021. Museum directors said its a welcome return.

This is sort of like a reemergence of the museum, said CMIL Executive Director Rikki Parker.

Sponsored by Jerger Pediatric Dentistry and other community partners, the Duck Derby races thousands of rubber ducks down a Mueller Co.-built, 40-foot-long water track in various heats until a grand prize duck is selected at the end of the day.

People were able to purchase ducks for $10 apiece for their chance at the grand prize of $3,000. According to Parker, approximately 2,000 ducks had been sold by noon on Saturday.

All those proceeds go directly to CMIL. The museum has plans to expand its outreach into the community, Parker said, and any additional funding will help them achieve their goals.

One thing that we are really looking to do is create some mobile exhibits that we can bring out to schools, bring out to parks, so that we can ensure that the museum's out in the community a little bit more, Parker said. So even if you don't have access to the physical museum space, you'll have access to our activities.

CMIL Director of Creativity and Cheer Jayson Albright said the museum has some big stuff planned for the coming years, and 2022 is just the beginning.

We are so excited right now, Albright said. We keep referring to this as our rebuilding year.

Although fundraising was the main focus on Saturday, the best part of the event, both Parker and Albright said, was seeing kids enjoy the museum and the various outside activities at the derby.

A kid-favorite activity was the scavenger hunt inside the museum. Kids explored various exhibits to search for hidden plastic ducks they could redeem for prizes.

Olive Besser, 4, of Decatur said she was looking for the golden duck when it was found by another child. Still, her search was plenty fruitful.

I found a bunch of ducks in there! Besser said.

Her brother, Wyatt Besser, 2, added that they found lots of pink ducks together.

Julien Hoffman, 10, of Decatur volunteered to take the place of Herald & Review reporter Donnette Beckett in the Celebrity Duck Race.

Hoffman said he was trying to do high knees, but the foam duck feet were harder to lift than he anticipated. Although he didnt come out on top, he said the race was still fun.

For the museums directors, fun is always the goal. And seeing peoples reactions to their ducks winning the derby is priceless.

You see them bubbling up with the excitement, and that is, like, the best feeling in the world, knowing that you have a part to play in someone feeling that way, Albright said. It's the absolute best.
It was interesting to see the huge cash inputs from Richard Uhlein and Ken Griffin into the Illinois governors race. Both donors dumped millions into the campaigns of Richard Irvin and Darren Bailey in the primary.

Uhlein donated $20 million to a pact aligned with Bailey and has added one million to his coffers in the general election. Ken Griffin, Citadel Investment CEO, doled out $50 million to primary candidate Richard Irvin.

Imagine what $90 million could do for hunger, reducing poverty or, perish the thought, rewarding hard-working employees. Can you guess what they are trying to purchase?

Your democracy, power and absolute control over Americas future. This is todays Republican Party.

It is easy to think that what is happening nationally will not happen in Illinois, Macon County or Decatur, but it is and being a lifelong Republican voter , a fiscal conservative, will not isolate you from the chaos Trumpism is inflicting on Democracy. Much like the Jim Jones syndrome, too many Americans have drank the Trump tea and joined the cult that now controls the Republican Party.

Millions are willing to ignore the lawless behavior of Americas greatest con man and leader of the biggest criminal enterprise in American history. Is your allegiance to Trump and his lawlessness greater than your love of democracy and country?

Consider that Bailey and Mary Miller have sought and received the nod from Donald Trump. Consider that Uhlein and Griffin have supported Trump in his effort to overthrow the vote of the American people by massive contributions to the Trump campaign.

They supported a criminal who committed treason, was twice impeached, who tried to use fake electors, sway election officials to alter election results, ruined the lives of those who supported him, corrupted the DOJ and the Secret Service, and stole classified documents putting national security at risk.

Bailey, Mary Miller and Chris Miller (an Illinois state representative whose truck was parked at the capitol on Jan 6 with a 3% sticker on the bumper) have been joined by Dan Caulkins and Brad Halbrook in the effort to support Republican fascism. The 3 %-ers are described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an extremist organization. Clearly this is not the Republican Party mom and dad subscribed to.

You have a choice in this upcoming election. You can vote for democracy, freedom, America, or support the corporate fascism dictatorship of the Trump lackeys like the unbelievable cowards Lindsay Graham, Mitch McConnell and the biggest coward in America, Kevin McCarthy.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. High 88F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly cloudy. Low 61F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn.  A Sullivan County Criminal Court judge determined during a nearly three-hour hearing Friday what photographs can be used in next years murder trial for defendant Megan Boswell.

Judge James F. Goodwin reviewed 15 photographs taken after the body of Boswells 15-month-old child Evelyn was discovered in Blountville, Tennessee, in March 2020. He ultimately decided seven of the photos wont be used in trial.

Two photos in particular Goodwin disallowed due to a potentially prejudicial, emotional effect on jurors.

I dont know why, but theres something about that photo that absolutely bothers me, Goodwin said about a photo of the remains.

This photograph is going to be a problem, Goodwin said of another, a closeup of the childs face. A 15-minute recess had to be taken so Boswell could see the photos in question. She returned to the courtroom noticeably emotional. While the photos were not displayed in the courtroom, a picture of what the scene was like on the day of the bodys discovery  March 6, 2020  was painted through testimony.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Brian Fraley testified Evelyns body was found in a trash can inside a playhouse on Boswells fathers property. A series of photos was taken to show the next steps of evidence collection.

Boswell stated in February 2020 that Evelyn was deceased due to an accidental rollover while in bed sleeping with her and a past boyfriend, Fraley testified. He also stated Boswell had previously referenced to authorities a trash can, the childs clothing and the blanket she was found wrapped in.

According to Fraley, the trash can looked out of place, like it had been placed there in recent weeks or months when compared to the other items in the playhouse, which he said looked like it hadnt been played in for years. Dr. Darinka Miluesnic-Polchan, Knox Countys chief medical examiner, testified as an expert witness in forensic pathology and said she believed Evelyns death was caused by asphyxia and was a homicide. The doctor said the body was found upside down and in a contorted position in the trash can with its head wrapped tightly in a blanket as well as aluminum foil.

Miluesnic-Polchan further described Evelyn as having a severe overextension of the neck and head, which tilted to touch her upper back. The expert witness described the photographic evidence as disturbing but said she felt it was important to show how tightly compressed the face was. No blunt force trauma or soft tissue damaged could be detected due to the decomposing nature of the body, according to Miluesnic-Polchan.

Prior to testimony, Boswell and her attorney Brad Sproles revealed to be in the midst of a falling out.

As Fridays hearing began, Boswell asked the judge for a new court-appointed counsel due to differences of opinion with her attorney regarding how to proceed with the case. Sproles said their relationship has deteriorated to where they could not effectively prepare for Fridays hearing, and that he is unsure if their relationship is repairable before trial.

Goodwin said changing attorneys could delay the trial another year and denied the request. Boswell will be back in court on Dec. 16 when a change of venue motion will be heard that could move the case to another jurisdiction.

Boswells trial is slated to begin on Feb. 6, 2023. She faces 19 total charges, to which she has pleaded not guilty, including murder, aggravated child abuse, 11 counts of false reporting, abuse of a corpse and aggravated child neglect.
By Orkhan Amashov

Irans approach to Azerbaijan, since the latter regained its independence in 1991, has veered radically from friendly embraces to swaggering reprimands, being limited in flexibility and rooted largely in history. Over the past three decades, Tehran has superficially tried to achieve balance vis-a-vis the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict, supporting Baku on paper, yet duplicitously lending significant material support to Yerevan, easing the encumbrances caused by its economic isolation and deliberately emboldening its standing against Azerbaijan.

Iran may be protective towards external impurities, more than stealthily sanctioned by its domestic authorities, but it can never be accused of failing to stick its head above the parapet. Operating off the grid in international affairs is not alien to it. Iran likes to be heard. It firmly believes it has a mission.

Shaky foundations

In 1991, Tehran saw newly-independent Azerbaijan emerge as a space in which to infiltrate its religious ideology with the hope that historic ties, based on cultural-religious commonalities, would prove conducive to the slow erosion of the secularism of its neighbour. Iran also has had reservations, bordering on potential existential fear, in view of its own sizable Azerbaijani minority.

In an attempt to manage the unwanted consequences of increased communication between the Azerbaijanis of the Islamic Republic and the population of the post-Soviet nation, Tehran tried to imbue a religious nature to the discourse, rooted in the Shia tradition, trying to lure the citizens of the newly-independent country into embracing a wider Iranian realm. Save for some marginal groups that remain present in Azerbaijan, this policy has largely failed to be of any substantial consequence.

Since the 1990s, Baku has charted a different course, much to the dismay of the ideologues of Tehrans clerical regime, building on a robust Azerbaijanism that hinges on Turkic essentials, secularism, and later-incorporated multiculturalism. In its foreign relations, Azerbaijan has maintained overall balance, but forged a strong alliance with Turkiye and, much to the chagrin of Iran, developed close military-intelligence links with Israel.

Moment of import

The Second Karabakh War of 2020 was a sea-change moment in the geopolitical evolution of the South Caucasus, completely reversing the fortunes of Azerbaijan and Armenia, increasing Turkish clout, and also enabling Russia to fulfill its objective of placing its "peacekeepers" in Karabakh, albeit on a temporary basis.

For Iran, the post-war landscape presents a new reality with fresh challenges. Firstly, Azerbaijan regained control of the whole swath of its southern border with Iran, re-establishing the official demarcation line between the two states. This meant the loss of unrestricted Iranian access to the formerly occupied territories, thereby putting an end to the concomitant ill-gotten gains that had previously been voraciously enjoyed by Iranian businesses, with a likely go-ahead of Tehran, making the best use of the lawlessness that emanated during the Armenian occupation.

Secondly, the Zangazur Corridor appeared on the horizon. This ambitious project, aiming to establish an overland passage that will unite the countrys mainland with its Nakhchivan exclave, is a subject in relation to which Armenia and Iran are utterly united. Yerevans extraterritoriality concerns hinge on the thought that such a connection going through its southernmost territory will be tantamount to an effective loss of sovereignty. Article 9 of the trilateral ceasefire declaration of November 2020 stipulates that the access should be unrestricted and unobstructed to ensure the unimpeded movement of persons, goods and cargo, with the Border Guard Services of the Russian Federal Security Services having a controlling element along the passage.

Iran, on the whole, is not officially against such a route, but it is firmly against what it calls changing borders in the Caucasus, defining this as its red line. On 19 July, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tehran, stated that any effort to block the border between his country and Armenia would be firmly opposed.

The same line was reiterated in the Iranian reaction to the recent 12-14 September escalation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, which resulted in some military gains for Baku in the undelimited zone of the intersection of the two states.

Further objections ensue

Then, of course, one has to dwell on a plethora of other considerations. The Zangazur Corridor gives Azerbaijan an augmented role in the East-West route, also benefitting other actors. Iran, for its part, might think it is being cheated out of the prize. As Stephen Blank, Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, recently wrote in the National Interest, theoretically, the easiest route of transport should be through Iran, however, given US sanctions and chronic underinvestment in Iranian railways, it is hard to see it as a secure or reliable option.

There is also an unhealthy dose of conspiracy theory infiltrating the Iranian rhetoric. For instance, Ahmed Kazemi, an expert on Caucasus studies, who is not a government official, but believed to be linked to Iranian intelligence, in an interview with Pars Today, argued that the project, which he dubbed the Turanian-NATO Corridor'', is the joint British-Israeli plot to undermine Tehrans geopolitical interests and prepare the ground for NATOs subtle expansion into the Caspian, nearing the Chinese realm of influence. His claim seems to have been heavily influenced by that which Adam Thompson, former British representative to NATO, allegedly stated regarding the implications of the Second Karabakh War.

There is also a view, peddled in the Iranian and Armenian media, that the war of 2020 had an ostensible aim of targeting Iran, with a view to curbing its influence. These all seem to ascribe an inflated import to Irans position in the grand scheme of things, marginalising the actual underpinning of the geopolitical triggers that led to the eruption of hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia at the time.

Iran's surreptitious design

There is also another less visible aspect to the Iranian posturing, which points to the realm of Tehran-Yerevan military cooperation. Although Iran acknowledged the verdict of the Second Karabakh War and congratulated Baku on its victory between clenched teeth, there have been some indications that, in practice, it shares the sentiments of the warmongering party in Yerevan.

Robert Cutler, Senior Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, believes that Tehran is trying harder than ever to assert itself overtly in the South Caucasus through the instrument of the Armenian military-industry complex. The presence of Iranian military companies on Armenian soil has increased at an unprecedented rate, with laser-and-communications-system and drone manufacturers being the most involved. The enduring ties, linking the Kocharyan-Sargsyan remnants in the Armenian army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are also a factor to be reckoned with.

Tehran is also, albeit understandably, concerned about Israeli involvement in Azerbaijan. This is not a new pattern, but has assumed a heightened significance over the past few years. When George Deek, Israeli Ambassador in Baku, posted his photo on Twitter reading a book titled Mysterious Tales of Tabriz with the wording I am learning so much about the Azerbaijani city of Tabriz  in July of this year, Iran felt enraged by this allegedly polemical act.

Abbas Mousavi, Iranian Ambassador to Baku, retorted with a warning in the jargon befitting the Islamic Republics known uncompromising anti-Israeli belligerence. Apparently, the first evil Zionist is going to be buried by the zealous people of Tabriz, too. Never cross our red-line, ever!, exclaimed the diplomat in none too diplomatic terms.

The deep causes of the acrimony lie far deeper, of course. The tight Tel-AvivBaku relations are based on mutual interests and their perpetuation into a wider geopolitical space. Azerbaijan has benefited from the purchase of cutting-edge Israeli weaponry to augment its defence capabilities. And, as the recent article published in Breaking Defence suggests, in theory, Azerbaijani may offer up its airspace for Israeli jets to enter Iranian territory, if needed. Baku, however, has been extremely careful so far to arrange its partnership with Israel in such a way that would not give rise to a substantial Iranian protestation.

As was stated at the outset, the Zangazur Project is the focal point. It is a direct takeaway from the 10 November ceasefire deal that Armenia has still not fully implemented. The project has made its way into the practical dimension through the war, the consequences of which continue to befuddle a bemused Iran. Hence, any dispute between Baku and Tehran over the subject provides a common ground for Iran and Armenia to feel united in their grievances.

All in all, the true origin of Iranian angst is the agony of self-knowledge, if one may borrow from former British Prime Minister and now-late Iron Lady Margaret Thatchers epiphanic insight on the character of Germany. The contexts differ, indeed violently, but there is a linchpin rendering the appropriation legitimate. Modern Iran is tormented by the knowledge of the futility of its values and consequent international aspirations. Its governance system cannot be replicated in any advanced civilised society.

Azerbaijan will continue to steadfastly obviate the possibility of falling victim to its wrath. If enough Iranian influence is entrenched in Armenia, the latter will risk becoming a failed state (it currently has small hope of salvation), reminding some of the features of Lebanon.

The contemporary unrest in Iran shows, with uncanny honesty, that the Islamic Republic has nurtured little that is admirable and worthy of being interpolated into ones own system of values.

Tehran may dismiss Azerbaijan and sometimes do so with impunity. Nevertheless, the shifting sands of the wider geopolitical landscape point to a different reality. History will judge who is better to learn from whom.
The history of Hispanics in America is long and rich, one that began with Spanish explorers invading the continent in the 1500s and has continued with the movement of people from Latin America and the Caribbean. In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, here are five little-known facts of Hispanic American history.

1. Hispanics Have Served in Congress Since the 1800s

Some 300 years after Spanish explorers became the first non-Native Americans to view the Mississippi River and, later, the Grand Canyon, Joseph Marion Hernandez helped smooth the transfer of the territory of Florida into U.S. rule. Florida was still part of Spain when Hernandez was born in St. Augustine in 1784, but that changed when was selected to serve in the House of Representatives and was sworn into duty in 1823 as the first Hispanic to serve in Congress.

Advertisement

In historical context, the slave-owning Hernandez is somewhat controversial. Still, he remains the first of 128 Hispanics to serve in the Congress of the U.S. Maybe of more relevance today is the first senator elected to a full term in Congress, New Mexico's Dennis Chavez, in 1935.

"In addition to being the first [American-born Hispanic senator], he's critical for the time we live in because he fought on behalf of all working class, equally," Ortiz says. "He fought for higher wages legislation. He fought for people to have the right to organize a union. He fought for more progress in U.S. foreign policy for Latin America. He organized with NAACP leaders against Jim Crow segregation. Dennis Chavez is one of those people we can use Hispanic Heritage Month to talk about our connection to other people's democratic struggles."

Today's Congress, the 116th (2019-2021), has 47 members of Hispanic heritage.

" " (From left) Joseph Marion Hernandez was the first Hispanic to serve in Congress; the first Senator elected to a full term in Congress, New Mexico's Dennis Chavez, in 1935. Library of Congress

2. Hispanics Fought in the Civil War

The American Civil War was not only a struggle between the Union and Confederacy. It was not just whites fighting over slavery. The conflict involved at least 20,000 Hispanics, too. Many in the Southeast portion of the country sided with the Confederacy. From the National Park Service:

Many of Spanish ancestry lived in the Gulf Coast region of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana  lands that had once been Spanish West Florida and Louisiana ... These "Creoles" were often well-to-do planters with plantations or established merchants with homes in the bustling ports of New Orleans and Mobile. Many held slaves. Others made their money through the cotton trade that relied on the "peculiar institution" of slavery. Part of the aristocracy of the region, these citizens joined their like-minded southern neighbors and actively fought to preserve their way of life.

But more Hispanics supported the Union. "A lot of Mexican American soldiers fought on the side of the Union Army in the Southwest and actually helped defeat the Confederacy in the Southwest," Ortiz says. Hispanics in the West backed the Mexican government, too, and celebrated that country's defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla May 5, 1862,  Cinco de Mayo  in a victory that may have helped prevent the French from siding with the Confederacy.

" " Hispanics defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla May 5, 1862,  Cinco de Mayo. The victory may have helped prevent the French from siding with the Confederacy in the Civil War. Library of Congress

3. The Zoot Suit Riots

In late May and early June 1943, Los Angeles was rocked by what came to be known as the Zoot Suit Riots, a series of racist attacks on Mexican American youths by white U.S. servicemen and largely allowed by a racist police presence.

The riots were the culmination of years of animosity in the area, fueled by:

When the dapperly dressed zoot-suited young men mixed with soldiers on their way to the war in the Pacific, violence finally erupted.

During the height of the riots, in a week in June, soldiers used makeshift weapons and marched into neighborhoods looking for anyone wearing a zoot suit. No one was killed, but the pictures of beaten young men in the streets, stripped of their clothing, and the like violence that spilled into other cities forced the nation to face the reality of racism at home.

" " The Zoot Suit Riots broke out in 1943 Los Angeles as tensions rose between between servicemen stationed in the city and Latino youths, amongst whom zoot suits were the latest fashion. Anthony Potter Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

4. Mendez v. Westminster Desegregated Schools in California

Almost eight years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (in Brown v. Board of Education) segregation in public schools unconstitutional, a Hispanic schoolgirl showed the way.

Sylvia Mendez, of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, was just 8 years old when she and her brothers were denied enrollment into the white-only Westminster School District in Orange County in 1943. At the time, about 80 percent of California school districts were segregated. Her parents, Gonzalo and Felicita Mendez, enlisted other parents to fight the decision, and they took the school board to court, Mendez v. Westminster was launched. After appeals that were abandoned short of the U.S. Supreme Court, Mendez v. Westminster became the first successful federal school desegregation case in the nation. That was in 1947.

The case was important in arguing that segregation itself, even if schools were "separate but equal," was harmful and unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment (specifically, the clause that calls for "equal protection of the laws" for all citizens). In appeals, Sylvia's case was argued (in an amicus curiae brief) by Thurgood Marshall, who was to argue for the plaintiff in the Brown v. Board of Education case, too, and later would become a Supreme Court justice.

Felicitas died in 1998, but Sylvia has continued to tell her family's story. In 2007, a U.S. Postage stamp marked the 60th anniversary of the case and on Feb. 15, 2011, President Barack Obama presented Sylvia with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

" " Sylvia Mendez is being honored by the Los Angeles District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for her tireless work promoting her family's legacy. U.S. Army

5. The Chicano Blowouts

Even after Mendez v. Westminster helped desegregate schools in Orange County, things were not great in the schools. Students in Los Angeles in the '60s were tired of soaring number of dropouts, low graduation rates and a counselor-to-student ratio of 1:4,000. So they planned a mass walkout in March 1968  about 22,000 high school students in Los Angeles left their classrooms and took to the streets. The incident was dubbed The Chicano Blowouts and the leaders made 26 demands of a school system that was badly failing them, including more studies of Mexican American history and more Mexican Americans in the administration.

The Blowouts were not entirely peaceful. Teachers blocked exits. Police clashed with the students in often brutal showdowns. Arrests were made. But the protests became "a crucial flashpoint in the movement to achieve equality for Chicano students in the L.A. Unified School District," according to the United Way of Greater Los Angeles. And they paved the way for more, better education for Hispanics in California.

"Those high school students who graduated from, say Garfield High School in Los Angeles, they go to college three, four, five years later, they're at San Francisco State University, they're at UC Berkeley," Ortiz says, "and now they demand the implementation of Chicano history on the college level."

Those kinds of protests, Ortiz says, are what slowly bend the arc of history toward justice and equality for Hispanics and Latinos, in education and elsewhere. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates those moments, and helps to demonstrate how much has been achieved, and how much remains.

"I want us to be proud of our parents and our grandparents. I want us to be proud of where we came from," says Ortiz. "And I want us to remember that all the privileges and benefits, and all the advances that we've enjoyed in this country, we have fought for. Or our parents and grandparents have fought for and, in some cases, lived and died for. My gosh, we have so many things to be proud of as people in terms of contributions that we've made to the society."

Now That's Interesting Hispanic Heritage Month, which officially began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, always starts on Sept. 15. Why in the middle of the month? Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all celebrate their Independence Day Sept. 15; Mexico's is on Sept. 16; Chile's is Sept. 18; and Belize Independence Day is Sept. 21. The month stretches into October to include Dia de la Raza, Oct. 12, which is a kind of rejection of Columbus Day (because of Christopher Columbus' many crimes against humanity) and instead celebrates the melding of Hispanic races (raza) and cultures.
LOS ANGELES  A whole lot of Betty White's estate is going on sale this weekend.

More than 1,500 lots of the late actor's property  representing her life and her prolific career  will be auctioned off over three days  Friday, Saturday and Sunday  in person and online at www.julienslive.com, by Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills.

White's Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award is among the highlights, along with scripts from notable TV episodes, including Part 1 of "The Golden Girls" finale. That one is signed by White and her co-stars Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty.

There's also a handwritten note from Mary Tyler Moore and NBC executive Grant Tinker, a framed cast photo from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" with "Betty" engraved on it, White's 2015 People's Choice Award for favorite icon, her original director's chair from the set of "The Golden Girls" and a number of gowns she wore on award show red carpets.

Buyers can also pick up art, furniture, fine jewelry and more from her homes in Brentwood and Carmel in California.

There will also be another offering that might grab the hearts of romantics everywhere: White's diamond-set wedding band and the wedding band worn by her third and final husband, Allen Ludden, whom White called "one of the nicest, dearest people."

Ludden bought the ring for White after she initially turned down his proposals of marriage, according to E! News, then he wore it on a chain around his neck for three months so she couldn't miss it.

"It got full of soap and suntan oil," she said in "Betty White in Person," her 1987 memoir, "but he vowed he would only take it off for one reason."

The two finally married in 1963 and stayed together until Ludden's death in 1981. The inscription inside the ring reads "6-14-63 I really do," marking their wedding date.

Alas, some of White's most iconic items won't be available for purchase, as they were recently donated to the National Comedy Center and have been installed at its museum in Jamestown, New York.

Among the museum's goodies?

There are five Emmy statuettes marking White's wins for "Life With Elizabeth" in 1952, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in 1975 and 1976, "The Golden Girls" in 1986 and guest host of "Saturday Night Live" in 2010. The blue-and-white sweater White wore in her 2010 Snickers Super Bowl ad is there as well, along with a tracksuit from "Hot in Cleveland" and sweater from "The Golden Girls."
CHARLESTON  As the Charleston Rotary Club said farewell and best wishes to a Charleston High School student who departed for a yearlong exchange, members also welcomed a new Rotary Youth Exchange student.

Jamila Amartey of Charleston, daughter of Natasha and Franklin Amartey, is now in France where she will spend her junior year of high school as a youth exchange student. She will attend high school in a community on the northwest coast of France.

While Jamila is learning the French language and customs of France, she also will be representing Charleston and the United States as a Rotary Youth Exchange ambassador.

Tunchanok Sonthisawat, nicknamed Tun, from Thailand is now enrolled at Charleston High School. Tun is staying with the Michael and Amelia Heise family. Tun will be in Charleston until mid-summer of 2023.

The girls are among the first group of Rotary exchange students after a two-year halt to the worldwide program due to the coronavirus pandemic. Rotary stopped the exchange program at the end of the 2019-20 school year because of the COVID virus.

Charleston is one of three east-central Illinois communities hosting a Rotary Youth Exchange student this school year. Marshall and Monticello also are hosting students.

In addition, Jamila is one of just two area high school students on exchange this year. Jack Burlew of Tuscola is a Rotary Youth Exchange student in Brazil.

This also is the time of year for high school students to consider going on exchange during the 2023-24 school year. Students must be between the ages of 15 and 18 to go on exchange. Students should apply in September or October of this year to go through the process of preparing to be an exchange student the next school year.

Students generally go on exchange their junior year of high school or, if they dont turn 18 before Feb. 1, 2023, they can go on exchange as a gap year between high school graduation and starting college.

For more information, contact Charleston Rotary member Jim Littleford at 217-549-9462 or littlefordj@outlook.com or Bill Lair at 217-218-2549 or billcheryllair@gmail.com. Information on exchange also can be found at csrye.org, the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange website.
MATTOON  The Mattoon Lee's Famous Recipe restaurant will be closed for the foreseeable future following a fire there Friday afternoon.

"Thank you to the Mattoon Fire Department and for everyone who has checked on us. Thankfully, everyone was able to get out of the building unharmed," the restaurant reported on its Facebook page Friday night. "We will keep everyone updated as things progress."

Fire Chief Jeff Hilligoss said in a press release that crews were dispatched at 3:01 p.m. and found heavy smoke coming from the back of the business, as well as smoke coming from the eaves of the structure. He said staff reported to arriving crews that the fire was located in the kitchen.

Hilligoss said the fire was under control within 15 minutes after crews began their firefighting work. He said there was heavy fire damage to the kitchen area, with heat and smoke damage throughout the entire restaurant.

"The restaurant was open at the time of the incident, with all staff and customers making it out of the building without any reported injuries," Hilligoss said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Mattoon Fire Department and the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office.
Boom Supersonic has announced two developments this week on its planned Overture aircraft as the company regroups from the ending of an engine partnership with Rolls-Royce.

Boom, which is planning a $500 million superfactory at Piedmont Triad International Airport, said Friday it has signed a sustainable aviation fuel agreement with Air Co., which makes carbon-negative products from CO2, or carbon dioxide.

On Wednesday, Boom hired Richard Parker, a former Rolls-Royce executive of 40 years, to serve as a senior advisor on technical, commercial and sustainability issues. Parker served 15 years as Rolls Royces chief technology officer.

On Sept. 8, Rolls-Royce chose to exit its contract with Boom, meaning Boom needs to find a new engine designer and manufacturer for Overture.

Opinions on the significance of the Rolls-Royce partnership ending after just two-plus years vary, with some analysts expressing concern about the experimental nature of Booms strategy and others focusing on Rolls-Royces current financial struggles.

Boom, based in Denver, has been widely seen as a promising aircraft manufacturer  though one not likely to have a proven product until the 2026-29 timeframe.

The manufacturer has said it would begin test flights in 2026 from its planned PTI factory. It projected having at least 1,761 jobs at full production capacity in 2030.

Air Co. importance

Overture is expected to be the first large commercial aircraft to be net-zero carbon from Day One, running on 100% sustainable aviation fuel, also known by the acronym SAF.

As part of the agreement with Air, Boom has agreed to purchase up to 5 million gallons of Airmade sustainable aviation fuel on an annual basis over the duration of the Overture flight test program.

Sustainable aviation fuel is critical to sustainable supersonic travel, and fuel made from CO2 is the most scalable pathway to abundant SAF, said Kathy Savitt, Booms president.

Using a similar proprietary technology that mimics photosynthesis to create its consumer ethanol, Air said it has developed and deployed its single-step process for CO2-derived fuel production using renewable electricity.

Air and Boom Supersonic are two companies making real strides towards a markedly different world of aviation, Air chief executive Gregory Constantine said in a statement.

Although both companies acknowledge that SAF production is still in its infancy, the SAF industry is well poised to achieve exponential growth seen in other renewable energy sectors.

If SAF scales at the rate of solar energy, it could reach projected international jet fuel demand by 2036.

Developing a net zero carbon supersonic is no easy task, said Keith Debbage, a joint professor of Geography & Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality at UNC Greensboro.

For sure, a great deal more work still remains before we see a successful end product.

Advisory role

Parker serves as chairman of Singapore Aerospace Programme, the countrys flagship research project to strengthen its aerospace industry. He also oversees Singapores Low Carbon Energy Research program.

As we prepare to announce our engine partner and transformational new economic model for Overture later this Fall, Ric will continue to bring relevant and valuable insight to Boom, Blake Scholl, Booms founder and chief executive, said in a statement.

Rics broad experience at Rolls-Royce and in Singapore will benefit us greatly as we bring Overture to market, Scholl said.

Parker said he agreed to the advisory role with Boom because he said it is well positioned to tap this significant market opportunity with supersonic flight.

Boom has mobilized a strong technical team and the right industry partners to deliver an economically and environmentally sustainable supersonic aircraft in Overture.

Engine uncertainty

Rolls Royce ended its development contract with Boom by saying it had delivered various engineering studies for Overture.

After careful consideration, Rolls-Royce has determined that the commercial aviation supersonic market is not currently a priority for us and, therefore, will not pursue further work on the (program) at this time, the company said.

Boom responded to the Rolls-Royce decision by saying we are appreciative of Rolls-Royces work over the last few years, but it became clear that Rolls proposed engine design and legacy business model is not the best option for Overtures future airline operators or passengers.

The uncertainty over Boom engine development increased when industry trade publication FlightGlobal.com reported Sept. 16 that potential suppliers GE Aviation, Honeywell and Safran Aircraft Engines have indicated no interest in developing engines for civil supersonic aircraft.

Another potential supplier, Raytheon Technologies Corp.s Pratt & Whitney business unit, told FlightGlobal.com that it remains focused on subsonic engine development.

We havent added (civil supersonic) into our overall business strategy, P&W chief sustainability officer Graham Webb told FlightGlobal.com. He called supersonic civil aircraft tangential to Pratt & Whitneys core market, and cited efficiency concerns.

Booms response was to repeat its Sept. 8 comments: Overture remains on track to carry passengers in 2029.

Later this year, we will announce our selected engine partner and our transformational approach for reliable, cost-effective and sustainable supersonic flight.

Debbage said Sept. 8 that theres no way to sugarcoat it, this is troubling news.

I have long worried that Boom had no engine manufacturer lined up and the recent engine design changes from two, to three, and now four engines suggest much work still needs to be done on that score.

Local fingerprints

Overture is being designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7 over water  or twice the speed of todays fastest commercial aircraft  with a range of 4,250 nautical miles.

Overture will be powered by four wing-mounted engines that also enable the airliner to cruise just under Mach 1 over land.

At those speeds, flying from Miami to London in just under five hours and Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours are among the possibilities, Boom has said.

Kevin Baker, Piedmont Triad Internationals executive director, said in July that grading is underway right now for a planned 400,000-square-foot Boom Supersonic facility.

Construction is expected to start next year, with completion expected in the second quarter of 2024.

Elected officials have promised more than $116 million in local and state incentives to the company.

A state Commerce Department report on the Boom project determined the operational hub could bolster the North Carolina economy by $32.3 billion over the 20 years of the states $87.2 million Job Development Investment grant agreement.
By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijani Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) discussed ways of backing and promoting the government's peace policies.

The remarks were made at an event dedicated to the International Day of Peace at the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on September 22.

Speaking at the event, member of the Supervisory Board of the Agency Azar Allahveranov stressed that the Azerbaijani state and people stand for peace.

"Armenia is pursuing a policy of aggression against Azerbaijan, committed genocide, terror attacks against the Azerbaijani people. Azerbaijan has always been and remains a supporter of peace," he said.

Further, he noted that the celebration of the day of world peace is a demonstration of the unity of peace-loving peoples in the name of saving humanity.

In turn, NGO members noted that Azerbaijan uses all opportunities to ensure peace and tranquility in the region.

Representatives of non-governmental organizations Rada Abbas, Rauf Zeyni, Telman Mammadov, Mushvig Alasgarli, Mahsati Huseynova, Sevinj Fadai, Rasul Jafarov, Ahmad Abbasbayli, Ramil Iskandarli spoke at the event.

At the end of the event, an appeal of Azerbaijani NGOs on the occasion of the International Day of Peace was adopted.
For Jack Steelman, the band Rain Check that he and fellow band-member Allen Conrad co-founded is sort of a band with no home.

Most traditional bluegrass fans dont like Rain Check, Steelman said. Most folks that think they dont like bluegrass music do like Rain Check.

If people look at the band members and the instruments they play, Rain Check looks like a bluegrass band.

But what is so interesting musically is that more than half the songs that we do, are not bluegrass songs, Steelman said. They are songs that weve completely rearranged by folks like Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Tom Petty, The Beatles. The list just goes on and on.

He said he and Conrad feel fortunate.

We have both just turned 71 and are still out playing music on weekends, Steelman said.

Steelman and Conrad co-founded Rain Check in 2002. The bands current lineup has been together since 2010 and consists of Steelman on upright bass, Conrad on guitar and vocals, Dennis Severt on mandolin and vocals, and John Boulding on banjo, Dobro and vocals.

All four of us have also contributed our own songs that we have originally written, Steelman said.

He said that Severt and Boulding have played this kind of music all their lives and were in successful groups in the 1970s and 1980s.

They have both toured nationally and internationally, Steelman said. They are absolutely top-shelf stellar musicians that Allen and I could not be more proud to have been able to hold on to this long.

In the 1970s and 1980s, both men were in successful groups, Steelman said. Early on, the band focused on playing specifically in downtown Winston-Salem but has since been playing in a much wider area.

Now, the band has performed in other parts of North Carolina, as well as Kentucky, South Carolina and Virginia.

Rain Check has recorded three full-length CDs and hopes to pull enough performances from its recent 20th anniversary concert to create its first live CD to commemorate those 20 years.

The band released its first CD Confluence in 2007, followed by Folly Time in 2010.

The bands third CD, titled Red Wine for My Heart, dropped in 2015. Titles include White Freightliner, Why Cant I Forget About You, and Blue Ridge Parkway Blues.

Steelman is a Winston-Salem native. He and his wife, Dollie Jo, live in Pfafftown.

In 1969, Steelman attended East Carolina University School of Music but ended up looking for new majors at the end of his freshman year.

They wanted to teach their students a particular curriculum, and I wanted to learn something different, he said of the universitys school of music.

Basically, he was told that he would be retrained as a classical musician, not in big band and jazz music, he said.

I understood and respected that, Steelman said. Its just not where I wanted to go with my own music.

Thats when he decided on city planning and graduated in 1974 from ECU with a double major in economic geography and city planning.

Steelman worked as a city planner in Rocky Mount, then in a similar job in Greenville with a private, nonprofit downtown development corporation before moving back to Winston-Salem in 1989 to work as an economic development coordinator for the city.

My specific area of geography for the citys economic development was downtown, Steelman said. As the years went on, I became what was called the downtown development director.

In 2005, Steelman left the city to work in commercial real estate  first for Meridian Realty Group, then for Miller Hatcher Commercial Real Estate.

In the spring of 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, he started working from home and created his own company, Winston-Salem Commercial Real Estate.

I am taking every advantage of the opportunity that affords me to slowly phase myself into permanent retirement, Steelman said.

In 2020, he was also appointed to the City-County Planning Board by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners.

I have somewhat gone full circle back to city hall, Steelman said.

Q: How would you describe your art?

Answer: As one of four members of Rain Check, I describe the art Im a part of as bluegrass without borders.

Instrumentally, we are a bluegrass band that freely steps out into the world of great songwriters  Van Morrison, Tom Petty, Gordon Lightfoot, John Prine, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, even Bob Marley; and our own originals  to create a variety of acoustic music with something for everyone to enjoy.

Rather than being thought of as a cover band, we consider the new arrangements created, and the insertion of different instrumentation, to be an art unto itself.

Q: How have you evolved as an artist?

Answer: At my age, this requires a long answer. I began as a trumpet player trained in classical music. Moved from there into big band music, R&B and Top 40, and touring with the Platters in the early 70s.

In the mid-to late 70s, I was unexpectedly introduced to bluegrass and started learning upright bass. The camaraderie, freedom of expression and casual nature of this music became a new passion.

Since Rain Check was formed in 2002, there has been minimal change in personnel, which occurred during our early formative years. The continuity of this quartet has enabled us to evolve by getting to know each other better and better musically, year after year. We literally feed off the music of one another.

The quality of our performances and recordings reflects that evolution.

Q: Who has influenced your art?

Answer: Initially, John (Chick) Shelton (my public-school band teacher for years), and the music of Glen Miller and Benny Goodman had the greatest influence. Since discovering bluegrass, its been (the original) Seldom Scene, Tony Rice and, undoubtedly, Rain Check members Allen Conrad, Dennis Severt and John Boulding.

Q: What is your biggest challenge?

Answer: My biggest challenge today is the same as my biggest pleasure. Balancing the needs and desires of family and music. Happily, theyve become highly integrated.

Q: What does art do for you?

Answer: It somehow puts me in a different place; one where daily trials and tribulations momentarily take a back seat to creativity, and to the creation of an ensemble sound that can only come from a group of talented musicians playing together for a long time.

Q: Any advice for other artists?

Answer: Just do what you love, without neglecting the people you love. We are enjoying Rain Checks 20th anniversary this year, in large part, due to that being a fundamental tenet of ours from day one.

And for artists committing to a part time performance life, rather than travelling all the time, Id say be patient. Collectively, our more than 200 years of playing music comes in handy on every song, every night. Youre never too old to improve.
The city of Winston-Salem has hired Raftelis Financial Consultants Inc. of Charlotte to conduct a nationwide search for Winston-Salems next police chief.

Police Chief Catrina Thompson announced in late July that she will retire in December.

President Joe Biden has nominated Thompson to serve as the U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Raftelis has conducted more than 120 executive searches for local governments throughout the United States, including seven for police chiefs, the city said Friday in a statement.

The company will begin its work immediately with a goal of helping the city bring in three finalists by December, the city said.

Company officials will work with Patrice Toney, assistant city manager for public safety, in developing a candidate profile, the city said.

That process will include gathering input from Thompson, City Manager Lee Garrity, Mayor Allen Joines and members of the Winston-Salem City Council, police employees and city residents, the city said.

After the candidate profile is completed, the company will place job postings with national, state and regional professional organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum, and the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

The jobs also will be advertised with the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, the N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police and other organizations, the city said.

The three finalists for the police chiefs job will be invited to Winston-Salem for interviews, tours, meetings with Joines and council members as well as forums with city residents and police officers, the city said.

The city will hold the forum for city residents later this year.

Thompson, 54, was named as the citys police chief in 2017.

Thompson leads a police department with a 2022-2023 budget of $87.19 million.

Thompsons annual salary is $197,958.

There are 526 sworn police officers in the department, and 172 civilian employees, Toney said. The department has a shortage about 100 sworn officers.

Thompson began her career as a city police officer in 1994 and moved up the ranks to become assistant police chief to then-Chief Barry Rountree in 2016.

A native of Detroit, Mich., Thompson replaced Rountree upon his retirement on Sept. 1, 2017.

Thompson received a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Wayne State University in Detroit, and a masters degree in public administration from Appalachian State University.

Thompson also is a graduate of the Public Executive Leadership Academy at UNC School of Government, the West Point Leadership Program at Methodist University, the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Leadership Association program and Leadership Winston-Salem.
In their first days out of prison, released offenders in Forsyth County struggle to get from one location to another for crucial check-ins on issues ranging from employment to drug treatment. That complex, often frustrating process is aggravated by our poor system of public transportation.

But in Durham County, released offenders have, for more than 20 years, been getting many of those services in one downtown building, the Criminal Justice Resource Center. Forsyth County should have such a center.

Winston-Salem State Universitys Center for the Study of Economic Mobility (CSEM) would welcome that. Reentry work is a bedrock for CSEM, which realizes the heavy financial and human costs of recidivism. Douglas Bates, a CSEM Research Fellow and assistant professor in WSSUs Department of Social Work, is developing a survey that will help employers and released offenders better adjust to the workplace. Among CSEMs partner organizations are the Do School, whose participants can include released offenders learning the construction trade, and Project M.O.O.R.E., which helps at-risk youth and is run by David Moore, who did time in prison decades ago before turning his life around.

A center like this would be a good thing, Moore said. We just have to get the right partners together.

Don Martin, the vice chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, is receptive to the idea.

I agree that a one-stop location for released offenders to accomplish all their post release required check-ins and connect to work training and work opportunities makes a lot of sense, he said in an email. If existing staff can be co-located to a central location already owned by the county, this would be relatively easy. If additional staffing is required and/or a suitable county owned facility is not available, then a budget would have to be prepared that identified additional staff costs, and the costs of a suitable facility that could be considered in the next budget cycle.

Forsyth County Commissioner Fleming El-Amin, who champions social justice, said he would welcome a one-stop center here.

Project Re-entry and other organizations do good work in Forsyth County. Putting much of that work in one place would greatly ease the reentry process. The Durham center provides GED and adult basic education training through Durham Technical Community College, employment services, cognitive behavior interventions, drug treatment services and case management such as referrals for housing, Social Security and other needs. Two probation officers are on site, and others are nearby in offices on the city bus line. The center also helps its clients with clothing. No fees are charged for the services.

We needed to centralize resources. We dont provide everything, but its a good start, said Roshanna Parker, the assistant director of the center. We make it our business to connect individuals who come to us with services from other agencies in the community. We are always excited to tell people about the work that we do in hopes it can trickle into other counties.

The three-story center has 50 employees and is funded by Durham County. Features include substance abuse counselors, cognitive behavioral counselors, mental health and drug treatment court staff and the involvement of the Local Reentry Council. Instructors from Durham Technical Community College come in to assist clients with employment readiness. Cognitive behavioral classes are designed to help clients make better choices.

Substance-use disorder treatment is a vital part of what the center is focused on to assist clients to become drug and alcohol free. The local Reentry Council is designed to serve as the first point of contact for individuals being released back into the community from incarceration. In addition to the main location, the center has staff that work in the Durham County Detention Center and the Durham County Courthouse.

Getting out of prison is hard and frustrating. Every complex turn is challenging and can lead to failure  a return to prison that is costly in financial and human terms. Released offenders need help navigating the process.

A center for released offenders here could do that.

We hear good things from clients, Parker said. We think the center has been successful. This is a population that many cities and counties have not committed as many resources to as Durham County has.
The Cults Ian Astbury wanted to know how close I was to the Pine Ridge Reservation and Wounded Knee when he called a couple weeks ago to talk about the bands Omaha show Sunday night.

Informed that it was more than 400 miles from Lincoln and Omaha, but I grew up closer, had Native friends whose families were on the reservation and had often visited the Black Hills, he replied

To me, ground zero in the U.S. is Wounded Knee, the spiritual epicenter of the US, he said.

That began a conversation about indigenous culture and philosophy and, especially, Buddhist teachings and beliefs that influenced Astburys life since he was a teenager and, for four decades, The Cults music.

At 11, Id found I didnt fit with Judeo-Christian values, he said. I was labeled as other by the kids. Thats been pretty much it since I was a kid. ... The first single I put out, the cover was a picture of Wounded Knee. I actually sang about Wounded Knee and the Black Hills. Thats from day one. That hasnt left me

Nor has Astbury abandoned his search for A shining path of liberation.

He lives near a Buddhist temple in Los Angeles  LA, in my view, is the seat of esoterica in the U.S. Spiritual refugees have gathered here for a long time  and has traveled to Tibet and Nepal, as well as Wounded Knee.

It's out there and in front of you, if you commit to ego destruction, to connecting with others, he said.

Give Me Mercy is a song from Under The Midnight Sun, the album The Cult will release Oct. 7 that we were supposed to talk about. But, in a deeper sense, we were discussing it for the entire half-hour conversation.

Astbury took Bodhisattva vows, the Buddhist commitment to seek enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, with the Dalai Lama in 1998 and has had multiple experiences with the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Tibetan spiritual leader.

The Dalai Lama once called me out for being late, Astbury said. It was in New York at the Roseland Ballroom, which was a great venue but its gone now. I walked in five minutes late and he looked at me and said 'Weve been waiting for you.' I bowed my head and then he laughed and laughed.

More importantly, Astbury said, he learned one of his most important life lessons when the Dalai Lama choked up during a teaching while talking feeling compassion for those caught up in wars, famine, disease, poverty.

He broke down, weeping openly, and said, The futility of it all. Then he gathered himself and went back to teaching, Astbury said. In my mind, I said, Did you see that, did you see what he did? He showed everything, right there. He showed his humanity to us. Then he repositioned himself and continued.

In the time since then, Ive taken that and applied it to my life when Ive been in a difficult spot  find yourself through a breath, change your perspective slightly and push away from that.

So how does all this apply to the goth rock that Astbury, guitarist Billy Duffy and assorted other Cult members have made since 1983?

It informs each of the records Ive put out, even the earliest ones, Astbury said. It has been the life experience of searching for the great mystery, trying to be a better human being. There have been times when Ive been a brutalist. But Ive been working on it. When I was in Tibet, I was identified as a wrathful deity. I was hoping the monk I was talking to would say I was a Bodhisattva (a practitioner advanced on the path to Buddhahood). But he said Youve got a lot of work to do. My little ego was crushed, but it was incredibly liberating.

Astburys spiritual quest, he admits, hasnt been of great benefit to The Cult within the music industry.

Were not celebrating material success and attachment. Those institutions serve ego and power. They dont serve the community.

"... The Cult has never been accepted by any of those institutions. In fact, weve been banned from Rolling Stone. Weve been banned from British TV, the BBC, because we wouldn't capitulate to power."

We chose, at least I did, I think sometimes (guitarist) Billy (Duffy) would have preferred that we took a more conventional route than the path of liberation and being of service.

That quest for what Astbury calls the great mystery will come through Sunday night when The Cult plays The Admiral, the newly remodeled Omaha venue formerly Sokol Auditorium.

Theres a sense of connection, of interconnected space, of consciousness, he said of the shows. .We do have some format that keeps you grounded. But in essence, when were performing these songs, the dharma (Buddhist teaching) comes through via the song, the lyrical content. Hopefully, we put it out there and it connects with people.

Were not out there just to entertain you. I request our audience to prepare for the show, rest for the show, be open to experience and participate. This is an opportunity to interact with fellow humans and hold communion. Thats whats amazing about sangha (the Buddhist community).

.
For the first time in Nebraska history, a state-licensed casino opened its doors Saturday, marking the first pull of a slot machine in Lincoln.

At 9:30 a.m., a half hour before the doors opened to the public, Tribal Elder and member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska's Tribal Council Ken Mallory was among the first to play a slot machine in the WarHorse Casino.

"What's the difference between praying at church and praying at the casino?" Mallory joked as he pulled a slot machine alongside Wally Wollesen of the Nebraska Horsemen's and Benevolent Association. "At the casino you really mean it."

By 10 a.m., over 100 guests waited outside to be some of the first inside the temporary casino to experience state-licensed gambling in Nebraska. At 10:45 a.m., just shy of 150 people were inside the 850-capacity building, with more still arriving. With the parking lots full, staff opened up overflow spaces to accommodate the morning crowd.

According to Lynne McNally of horsemens group, a partner in the Lincoln casino project, that flow remained steady throughout the day, although no official numbers were yet available by 4 p.m.

"I wanted to be the first through the door," said 74-year-old Monika Serie, counting down the minutes until opening on her Mickey Mouse-themed wristwatch. "I just can't wait to get in there and put my card in and have it say 'Winner!'"

The initial surge was halted only by the security process, with staff checking IDs and handing out player cards as the first guests headed inside.

"I'm happy to be one of the first ones in the first casino opening in Nebraska," Lincoln resident Julia Brown said.

"We were really excited," her daughter, Roquayyah Brown, added.

Inside, casino goers were impressed by the breadth of the space and the number of slot machines, rushing to try different ones throughout the building. Holly Glasgow, on the other hand, knew exactly where she was headed.

"I have been waiting to play this machine for so long," Glasgow said, sitting in front of Huff N' More Puff  a game based on the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. "I wanted to be the first one to play and win in the state of Nebraska."

Six golden hard hats appeared on screen, triggering a win. Glasgow cheered, high-fiving her neighbor Lori Thomas, chief operating officer for the Nebraska Horsemen. According to Thompson, the excitement in the room was contagious as attendees celebrated having a state-licensed casino within Nebraska's borders for the first time.

"We've worked so hard to get to this day that it's unbelievable, it's a dream come true," Thompson said. "For us, it's about bringing a new source of revenue to Nebraska. Watching all these people be happy is just the icing on the cake."

The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission granted WarHorse Lincoln its license on Friday, a historic vote coming nearly two years after voters in the state approved casinos at the state's licensed horse racing tracks.

If the casino hadn't opened this weekend, Glasgow would've found herself driving across the Iowa border to Council Bluffs, she said, adding that she was happy for the opportunity to keep the money in Nebraska. Other patrons echoed the sentiment.

"We're not big gamblers, but we know how to budget our money to come out here and have a good time," Randy Homer said.

According to his wife, Barbara Homer, the pair would head to Iowa casinos for special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays. With a location 10 minutes from home, she said the pair might find themselves in the casino more often, especially with the money saved on gas.

"We're done with Iowa," Randy Homer said. "We're not driving up Interstate 80 to Council Bluffs when we can keep it in Nebraska."
Nebraska officials announced Friday that they have chosen three health plans to manage the bulk of the states $1.8 billion Medicaid program.

The three are Molina Healthcare of Nebraska, Nebraska Total Care and UnitedHealth Care of the Midlands. Two, Nebraska Total Care and UnitedHealth Care, have current contracts with the state. Molina HealthCare is new to Nebraska but provides Medicaid, Medicare and Affordable Care Act marketplace plans in several other states.

Were excited to work with these three health plans to ensure Medicaid members in Nebraska continue to receive the health care that they need, said Dannette R. Smith, CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

HHS plans to contract with the three companies to manage physical and behavioral health care, pharmacy services and dental benefits for almost all Medicaid patients in a program called Heritage Health. Together, they will oversee the care of some 347,000 Nebraskans.

The winning bidders were selected from among five contenders. Not chosen were Community Care Plan of Nebraska, doing business as Healthy Blue, which currently contracts with the state, and Medica Community Health Plan, which currently offers health coverage to Nebraskans through the ACA marketplace.

It remains to be seen whether either of the losing bidders will appeal the state's decision, as occurred when the current contracts were awarded.

State lawmakers have criticized Nebraska's procurement process after at least three cases in which the process led to the selection of a low-cost bidder that ended up failing to do the job.

State Medicaid Director Kevin Bagley said he was "extremely pleased" with all five bids. He said they were scored based on quality, appropriateness and thoroughness, and officials did an optional interview with each bidder to find out more about their plans and priorities.

Bagley said key issues during the interviews included incorporating dental services within the health plans, actively using voluntary care and case management to improve members lives, standardizing certain requirements for providers, providing innovations to add value to members health care experiences and improving access to providers across Nebraska.

The new contracts are slated to start Jan. 1, 2024, six months later than previously planned. Bagley said officials will be working with the three plans during that time to provide for an orderly transition from the current contracts.

In addition, he said, Medicaid officials will be meeting with people across Nebraska, both in person and online, to talk about the changes, answer questions and adjust plans as needed. A listening tour will be held in mid-to-late October, with more details to come.

The current Heritage Health contracts date to 2017, when the state signed with three private companies to administer what was then $1.2 billion worth of Medicaid services. Since then, two of the original three companies merged, which led to the state signing a contract with Healthy Blue.

Heritage Health does not cover nursing home care and other long-term support and services for the elderly and people with disabilities.
A seemingly simple act in Nebraska  sending aloft weather balloons  is part of a broader, ramped-up effort to learn more about a potentially devastating hurricane that could strike the U.S. next week.

Starting Saturday, National Weather Service offices in Valley and North Platte are sending up extra weather balloons to gather data on the atmosphere.

Weather balloons are a twice-daily practice at weather service offices, but for this potential hurricane theyll be going up four times a day, according to Brian Barjenbruch and Nathan Jurgensen, meteorologists at Valley and North Platte respectively.

Every little bit of information helps, Barjenbruch said. This will provide a snapshot of the atmosphere.

Weather-sensing equipment on the balloons track the temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and air pressure as they climb.

Joel Cline, tropical weather coordinator for the National Weather Service, said the information will be useful because upper level systems moving across the central U.S. over the next several days will play a role in the path and intensity of the storm.

National Weather Service offices from the Dakotas to Texas and eastward are assisting in the ramped-up effort by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its various agencies.

Tropical Depression/Storm Nine, which was in the Caribbean on Friday, is forecast to develop into Hurricane Ian by early next week, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its current projected path would take it across Cuba and into Florida by the middle of the week.

To aid preparations, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Friday for parts of his state.

Cline said atmospheric information gathered across states like Nebraska could help forecasters narrow the likely path of the storm by a couple of hundred miles.

Sensors on weather balloons send data back to the weather service nearly every second as they climb as high as 100,000 feet, Barjenbruch said. At a certain point, the balloons burst, a parachute deploys and the sensors drift back to Earth. They carry identifying equipment so that they can be returned to the weather service.

The information will be fed into NOAAs supercomputers, which take billions of bits of data and run an analysis at a speed of several quadrillion calculations a second. That level of supercomputing is necessary to understand the complexity of the atmosphere.

Cline said the weather models generated by the computers are so complex they can only be run four times a day. With the doubling of the frequency of the weather balloons, now each model run will have fresh data, he said.

While these kinds of extra weather balloons are routine for hurricane forecasting, sending them up from Nebraska happens less frequently, perhaps once a year or once every couple of years, forecasters say. It just depends upon the path of the jet stream and weather systems expected to influence the tropical storm.
RACINE PUBLIC LIBRARY

RACINE  The Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St., offers these events:

Craft Time with Miss Keiko for children and their caretaker, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28.

Career Development Services with Job Center of Wisconsin, 9-1 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27. Get help with resume writing, interview preparation, strengthening a job search, applying for unemployment and registering on the Job Center of Wisconsin website.

Book Discussion: Freaky Fall Horror, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28. Explore three horrific titles through November, then meet with other readers to share your favorite parts. The titles: Sept. 28, Pearl by Josh Malerman; Oct. 26, This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno; Nov. 30, The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix.

Health Screenings and Education with Carthage College, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29. Carthage College nursing students will provide free health screenings and education. Visitors can stop in to test their vision, blood pressure, blood sugar, ankle brachial index, body mass index and more.

Teen Craft & Chat: The Anti Bob Ross, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29. If Bob Ross had an evil twin, what horrors would his painting show reveal? Participants will paint their image.

Sip and Swipe with the ADRC, for adults 55 and older, 10-11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Participants will learn how to use a tablet to navigate web pages, check emails and more. To register, call 262-833-8777.

Murder Mystery Dinner for adults, 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14. A 1920s-themed murder mystery dinner at the library. Death of a Gangster is hosted by a professional murder mystery theater troupe. Dressing up is encouraged. A silent auction will be held. The cost is $50 or $250 for a table of six. Register at racine-public-library-foundation.square.site. Proceeds support the Racine Public Library Foundation, which supports the librarys expansion, stabilization and special projects now and to come.

For more information on storytimes and other ongoing library events, go to racinelibrary.info or call 262-636-9217. Some programs require registration.
Before a massive revision of Wisconsin trial practice effective Jan. 1, 1976, Wisconsin trial judges maintained their own calendars. At the beginning of the spring and fall terms, all attorneys with cases on the printed calendars would appear at court and advise the judges of their readiness for trial. At the same time, local bar associations memorialized attorneys who died in the interim.
RACINE  Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin and the Racine County Veterans Service Office will host its annual Racine County Veterans Stand Down event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St. There is no admission fee.
By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Belgian counterpart Hadja Lahbib discussed bilateral cooperation relations between Azerbaijan and Belgium and issues of partnership with the European Union.

The discussion took place within the High-Level Week of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

At the meeting, attention was paid to issues of cooperation in the field of energy, and the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor was emphasized. The parties also discussed the latest situation in the region.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted that Armenian provocations are a gross violation of the tripartite statements and agreements between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, mediated by the President of the EU Council Charles Michel, and undermine mediation efforts. The minister emphasized that Azerbaijan is taking consistent steps to advance the peace agenda.

The Belgian minister said that it is necessary to stabilize the situation. The need for a normalization process and the signing of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia was emphasized.

Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed at the meeting.

Singapore, Sweden

Bayramov and his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan discussed regional issues.

We discussed regional issues, prospects for expanding bilateral partnership between Azerbaijan and Singapore, Bayramov noted.

Furthermore, Bayramov met with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde.

According to his Twitter page, the Azerbaijani Minister informed his interlocutor of the escalations on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border.

"I am glad to meet with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde. I informed the minister about the escalation initiated by Armenia and once again expressed Azerbaijan's commitment to the peace process. We also discussed the possibilities of expanding Azerbaijani-Swedish cooperation," Jeyhun Bayramov said.

UNAOC

During the same event, Bayramov and the High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Miguel Angel Moratinos, also eyed regional issues and cooperation.

Expressing satisfaction with the high level of development of cooperation with the Alliance of Civilizations, Bayramov noted that as a multinational, multi-confessional country, Azerbaijan is distinguished by an atmosphere of dialogue and tolerance at the national level, and also attaches great importance to the promotion of these values ??at the international level.

Noting that the post-conflict period opened up new opportunities in the region, Bayramov stressed that the UN Alliance of Civilizations has favourable opportunities to promote peace both in the region and between countries. Informing about the work carried out in the restoration of monuments destroyed during the occupation in the territories liberated from the occupation, the minister emphasized the support provided by the organization in this direction. Jeyhun Bayramov informed the other side about the consistent steps taken in the field of restoration and protection of cultural heritage in the territories affected by the conflict, ensuring the same rights for the Armenian residents of these territories, as well as all citizens of Azerbaijan, and stated that he was determined to take steps to reintegrate them into the social-economic space.

In turn, Moratinos expressed gratitude for cooperation with Azerbaijan. Moratinos stressed the importance of the "Peace for Culture" campaign initiated by Azerbaijan and the Action Plan signed with the Alliance in this direction. At the same time, it was stated that the steps actively taken by Azerbaijan in inter-religious and inter-civilizational dialogue are significant and indicative.

The parties exchanged views on the preparations for the 9th event of the Alliance, which will be held in Morocco in November this year.

Hungary

Furthermore, the Azerbaijani minister met with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Sijarto, who expressed satisfaction with the level of development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Hungary.

During the meeting, a wide exchange of views took place on the prospects for cooperation on multilateral platforms, as well as on regional issues.

Bayramov said that this year marks the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between our countries and that relations between our peoples have deep historical roots. The minister highly appreciated the existing high-level strategic partnership between the two countries. He informed his colleague in detail about the current situation in the region.

The ministers especially emphasized the dynamics of the development of cooperation between our countries in the political, economic, energy, educational, humanitarian, tourism and other fields. In this regard, the role of the intergovernmental joint commission in expanding our economic ties was noted.

Sijarto expressed his determination to expand relations between Azerbaijan and Hungary in many areas. He stressed that Hungary attaches great importance to the development of relations with Azerbaijan, a friendly country, and respects and supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The minister said that Hungary is interested in participating in the restoration and reconstruction of the liberated territories of Azerbaijan. Noting that Azerbaijan is an important partner in ensuring the energy security of Europe, Sijarto drew attention to the plans for cooperation in the energy sector.

Red Cross

Later on, Bayramov and President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer exchanged on the current situation and prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the ICRC, which has existed for many years, as well as the situation caused by Armenia's provocation.

Noting that the ICRC is one of the main partners of Azerbaijan in the humanitarian sphere, Bayramov stressed the importance of continuing relevant work to obtain information about the missing, clarify the fate of more than 3,800 Azerbaijanis, and put pressure on Armenia in this matter.

The ICRC President stated that he is always open to cooperation with Azerbaijan in all directions. After the latest tension, he actively contacted the parties in the region and expressed gratitude for the support provided by our country.

At the same time, an exchange of views took place on the issue of mines in Azerbaijan's liberated territories and the disasters they caused, as well as on possible cooperation between Azerbaijan and the ICRC in eliminating the consequences of the mine problem.

At the meeting, the parties also discussed issues of mutual interest related to humanitarian activities.
RACINE  The City of Racine has been awarded $2,743,227 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.

The money is to restore nine firefighter positions within the Racine Fire Department that were eliminated in the 2021 budget, according to a news release from the city. The cutting of those nine positions directly led to longer response times, Fire Chief Steve Hansen said earlier this year.

The SAFER grants were created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, front line firefighters available in their communities.

In the highly competitive grant applications, only three Wisconsin communities were awarded the funds. The grant aims to help communities experience a reduction in response times and an increase in the number of trained personnel assembled at the incident scene. The grant comes at a time when levy limits harness the abilities of cities, like Racine, to fund additional emergency public services.

As Mayor, the health and wellbeing of our residents is the top priority, stated Racine Mayor Cory Mason. Levy limit restrictions put in place by the state have severely restricted the citys ability to fund additional emergency service personnel. I am thankful to have partners in the federal government who know the importance of enhancing our ability to provide improved emergency services.

The Racine Fire Department is staffed by 128 career firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics based at six fire stations. There are four civilian support positions for a total of 132 staffers. In 2021, the RFDs annual calls for service were 12,348.

The Racine Fire Department is grateful to be the recipient of an AFG SAFER grant award, stated a spokesperson from the Racine Fire Department. This return of lost staffing will provide much needed support as our department continues to see a steady increase in call volume each year.

In August, Racine voters rejected a referendum that would have cumulatively raised taxes by $2 million per year to restore 11 cut police positions and provide half-a-million for other crime prevention initiatives.
BURLINGTON  Seeking strategies to improve interracial understanding, members of a city task force are first confronting a stark reality: Burlington's predominant whiteness.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Burlington's population of 11,008 is more than 84.9% white  far ahead of the national rate of 59.3% and the statewide rate of 61.6%.

The task force created in response to racial tensions is undergoing changes as it works to implement a variety of ideas aimed at promoting tolerance among the city's 11,000 residents. At their first public meeting, task force members discussed the challenges of fostering a culture of diversity in a community that has so few members of racial and ethnic minorities.

"I've never lived in an that area where there was less diversity," said Brittany Angley-Thorngate, a recent transplant from California.

Angley-Thorngate's husband, Josiah, who grew up in Burlington and returned when the couple resettled in his old hometown, said he was surprised upon returning to see so few people of color in Burlington.

"It is shocking," he said. "It is limiting to not be exposed to diversity."

Both he and his wife joined the task force after finding a Confederate flag displayed in their new neighborhood and then attending a Burlington City Council meeting to express concerns.

Burlington Mayor Jeannie Hefty last year announced the creation of a task force following several incidents of racial tension and outright racism expressed by members of the community. Initially, the groups membership was not disclosed to the public, and its meetings were held behind closed doors.

In July 2021, the group produced a report listing ideas for addressing racism, including public education forums, targeted action in the schools, a strategy for diversity and inclusion, a new community feedback strategy, and what the group called formal and systematic activity on racism.

The Burlington City Council has never taken action on the recommendations, nor has the Burlington Area School District publicly addressed proposals that relate to the schools.

Instead, discussions have continued with a new task force that includes new members, including the Angley-Thorngates and representatives of the Burlington Coalition for Dismantling Racism.

As the one-year mark passed with few public signs of progress in implementing the 2021 recommendations, some in the community stepped up pressure on the city to take action. Critics also pushed successfully to open up the task force meetings to the public.

The group intends to meet 6-8 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of every month at the citys public works headquarters, 2200 S. Pine St.

6 of 21

The first public meeting drew lackluster attendance, with just six members in attendance out of about 21 on the roster.

David Thompson, the mayor's hand-picked task force coordinator, told his colleagues that he hopes for better attendance in the future, as well as tangible signs of progress.

"I don't want us to have talk and no action," Thompson said.

Among those who were absent were City Council President Jon Schultz, School Board President Peter Turke, Alderman Tom Preusker, business owner Patrick Sullivan and school teacher Melissa Statz.

Quote "It is limiting to not be exposed to diversity." Josiah Angley-Thorngate

Although the two-hour meeting produced little movement on the 2021 recommendations, other ideas were mentioned, including expanding ethnic food and music festivals, a community survey and a Facebook page.

The group also discussed "unconscious bias" training for Burlington police officers, as well as examining police department data for signs of disproportionately high traffic stops involving minorities, also sometimes described sarcastically as "driving while black."

Police Chief Brian Zmudzinski and Lt. Jeremy Krusemark both attended Thursday session, offering assurances that they support the task force's work and that they would cooperate.

Zmudzinski said he would try to produce the traffic-stop data for the group's next meeting. "I'm curious myself," he said.

Josiah Angley-Thorngate said while he is not accusing Burlington cops of showing such bias, he said "driving while black" has been a problem elsewhere nationally.

Angley-Thorngate recommended producing such data regularly and posting it publicly.

"It's the kind of thing that would go a long way toward demonstrating transparency," he said. "It's about creating trust, or trustworthiness."

Correction: This story initially misstated the national percentage for how many Americans identify as white in the U.S. Census. The percentage is now correct.
HUTCHINSON, Kan.  Governors races often are overshadowed by the fight for control of Congress during midterm elections. But this fall, which candidate wins a states top executive post could be pivotal for the nations political future.

With abortion rights, immigration policies and democracy itself in the balance, both parties are entering the final weeks before the Nov. 8 election prepared to spend unprecedented amounts of money to win seats for governor. Those elected will be in power for the 2024 election, when they could influence voting laws as well as certification of the outcome. And their powers over abortion rights increased greatly when the U.S. Supreme Court in June left the question to states to decide.

Governors races matter more than ever, said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, the group working to elect Democrats to lead states.

For Democrats, Cooper said, governors are often the last line of defense on issues that have been turned over to states, including gun laws and voting rights in addition to abortion. Thats been especially true in places with Democratic governors and Republican-controlled legislatures, such as Wisconsin and Kansas  states both parties have made top targets for victory in November. Democrats are leading Republican candidates in two important battleground states with GOP-led statehouses, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Kansas again

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is the only Democratic governor running for reelection in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020. The former legislator won the office in 2018 against a fiery conservative after running as a moderate who promoted bipartisanship.

She now faces three-term state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who has repeatedly tried to tie her to President Joe Biden and criticized her as too liberal for the red state. Schmidts campaign has been hurt, however, by a third-party bid from a conservative state lawmaker.

During a debate at the Kansas State Fair this month, Schmidt portrayed Kellys position on abortion as too extreme, telling a crowd she supports abortion without restrictions.

Kansas has been the unlikely site of Democratic hopes in regard to abortion rights. In August, Kansas voters overwhelmingly defeated a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to greatly restrict or ban abortion. Kelly opposed the measure, though she has tried to focus her campaign elsewhere.

Schmidt said he respects the outcome of the vote but that the abortion debate isnt over.

What was not on the ballot was Governor Kellys position, he said.

Throughout nearly two decades in elective politics, Kelly has opposed nearly every restriction on abortion now in Kansas law. But asked about Schmidts characterization of her position on abortion, she said, You know, I have never said that.

Kelly hasnt emphasized abortion as an issue, though many Democrats think it would help her. Instead, she has been touting the states fiscal strength and her work to lure businesses and jobs.

Maybe Im not flashy, but Im effective, she said at the end of the state fair debate.

Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers warns voters that democracy is on the ballot this fall and notes he has vetoed more bills than any governor in modern state history, including measures Republicans pushed to change how elections are conducted.

Evers faces businessman Tim Michels, who was endorsed by Trump. Michels has claimed the 2020 presidential election was rigged  a lie Trump has pushed in an effort to overturn his loss to Biden  and supports changes to voting and election laws in the state, a perennial presidential battleground.

Michels is among several Trump-backed nominees who emerged from sometimes brutal GOP primaries. In some cases, more moderate or establishment Republicans warned that the far-right pick endorsed by Trump would struggle to win in a general election.

Arizona

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, chair of the Republican Governors Association, acknowledged the intraparty turmoil during a discussion at Georgetown Universitys Institute of Politics and Public Service last week.

Were a divided nation right now, and it is very tribal. And much of that crept into this cycle, said Ducey, who is term-limited.

The RGA doesnt endorse in primaries. But as governor, Ducey endorsed businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizonas GOP nomination for governor. She lost to former TV news anchor Kari Lake, who had Trumps backing.

Ducey and Trump have feuded over the governors refusal to cede to Trumps wishes and overturn the 2020 election results in his state. Lake has said she would not have certified Bidens victory, even though it has been affirmed by multiple reviews.

Cooper said the DGA will be leaning in hard in Arizona as well as in a tight contest in Georgia, where GOP Gov. Brian Kemp is facing Democrat Stacey Abrams, a former state legislative leader who lost a close 2018 race to him. In the primary, Kemp easily defeated former Sen. David Perdue, who was endorsed by Trump.

Plenty of money

Both the Democratic and Republican governors associations entered 2022 having raised record amounts of money  over $70 million each  in what they say is a sign that voters are increasingly focused on state races. Cooper attributed some of the increased interest to Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

The RGA is bullish about defending Republican governorships in Arizona and Georgia, and is heavily focused on picking up a handful of blue states in the West, including Oregon and New Mexico.

At the top of the list is Nevada, where Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo is among Republicans most prized recruits this election cycle and is challenging Gov. Steve Sisolak.

In Oregon, GOP hopes rest on an independent candidate siphoning enough support from the Democrat and allowing the Republican to pull out a victory.

Democrats, meanwhile, are confident they will take back governorships in Massachusetts and Maryland, two blue states currently led by moderate Republicans, after far-right Republicans won their partys nominations.

Pennsylvania, a top presidential battleground, is another state where the GOP nominee could hurt Republicans chances in November. GOP voters chose Doug Mastriano from a crowded field, picking a Trump-backed candidate who opposes abortion rights without exceptions, spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and organized bus trips to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the day of the violent insurrection. He faces Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Asked about the race during the discussion at Georgetown, Ducey was blunt.

Another axiom that we have at the RGA is that we dont fund lost causes, and we dont fund landslides, he said.

In Michigan, a swing state where Trump and his allies also tried unsuccessfully to overturn his 2020 loss, Trump-backed nominee Tudor Dixon won a chaotic GOP primary. Democrats have repeatedly criticized Dixon for her stance against abortion, including in cases of rape or incest. A measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution also will be on the November ballot, and Democrats are hoping it will help their candidates.

First-term Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has millions more in her campaign fund than Dixon, but said after an appearance at the Detroit Auto Show that she was taking nothing for granted.

This is Michigan, and its always tight in Michigan, she said.
1. Yes. All council members should get a good idea of whats at stake for Fort Hoods future.

2. Yes. Sending a large delegation shows the citys commitment to the Army post.

3. No. Its a waste of taxpayer money. Sending a smaller group would be more efficient.

4. No. Harker Heights and Copperas Cove arent sending anyone. The trip is unnecessary.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say what the value is, before knowing how the conference turns out.

Vote

View Results
A young president at the U.N. General Assembly touted millennial status symbols like coffee, outdoor adventure and Bitcoin. Another admitted in front of the famous green marble that it was harder to govern a country than to protest in its streets. A foreign minister, once shunned for having only a bachelors degree, warned against indifference.

Shaped by the borderless internet, growing economic inequality and an increasingly dire climate crisis, the Generation Y cohort of presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers and other excellencies is making their mark at the largest gathering of world leaders.

The past week at the United Nations offers a glimpse of the latest generation of leaders in power, as a critical mass of them  born generally between 1981 and 1996  are coming to represent countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.

Some millennial leaders were making their debuts at the 77-year-old diplomatic institution built in the aftermath of WWII, while there were other notables who didnt show up but had already arrived on the world stage. Those include Kim Jong Un, who took over the reclusive North Korea in his 20s, and the 36-year-old Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who faced controversy recently for a video of her dancing at a private party that went viral.

Jennifer Sciubba, an author and political demographer affiliated with the Wilson Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, said many came into power buoyed by their generations disaffection for the status quo, and in that sense millennials and baby boomers are echoes of each other. One stark difference: Life by most measures was getting better after WWII, yet many young people today dont harbor the same hope.

A mistake would be to say, Younger generations, theyre more liberal, and therefore well see a turn to the left as these people come to the age of influence, Sciubba said Theyre not monolithic. Dissatisfaction with the status quo  it can show up on either end of the political spectrum.

Sciubba also noted that it was merely a matter of time before the millennials took their place in the world order. She said the definition of generations are arbitrary, shorthand for us to understand people." That's a truth evident on the UN stage, where differing ideologies from the same Gen Y were on full display.

On Tuesday, during the first day of the General Assembly, two young presidents shattered that myth of the millennial monolith when they spoke of their contrasting plights.

There was the 36-year-old president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, who used his air time to lick his wounds after citizens overwhelmingly rejected a new progressive constitution he had championed.

As a young person who was on the street protesting not very long ago, I can tell you that representing unrest is a lot easier than producing solutions, Boric said.

The failed proposal was set to replace a dictatorship-era constitution with a new charter that would have fundamentally changed the country to include gender equality, environmental protections and Indigenous rights. The stinging loss was not unexpected, with supporters blaming misinformation online for eroding support for it.

Chiles youngest-ever president said the lesson he learned was that democracy is humbling.

With great humility, I wish to tell you today that a government can never feel defeated when the people speak, Boric said. Because unlike in the past, when differences in Chile were settled through blood and fire, today, Chileans have agreed to face our challenges in a democratic fashion. And Im telling you about this because Im certain that one of the major challenges for humanity today is that of building democracies that really talk to and listen to citizens.

Meanwhile, the selfie-loving El Salvador President Nayib Bukele  his glamorous wife and young daughter in the audience  said wealthy countries should not interfere with developing nations trying to chart their own paths. His speech came just days after the 41-year-old was accused of pushing toward authoritarianism when he announced he would seek re-election despite a constitutional ban.

Rosario Diaz Garavito, the founder of The Millennials Movement, an NGO that works to engage young people in Latin America on the U.N.'s goals, said the diverging leaders both deftly disrupted the usual party politics at home and have proven to be among the most polarizing leaders in the region at a time when multilateralism should be embraced.

We tend to go from the right wing to the left wing  all the time. And this is actually separating us, Diaz Garavito said. They have shown they can think differently, in different ways, but we need to now be able to find common ground as a region.

Another thing united them: Neither wore a tie, opting for more causal attire to speak from the General Assembly podium, a place where virtually all male leaders stick to suits with ties or national dress.
WASHINGTON  The United States is preparing to circulate a resolution at the United Nations Security Council on Monday that would establish a new framework for sanctioning Haitis gang leaders, and is not taking international intervention off the table as the country spirals into lawlessness, a senior State Department official told McClatchy.

Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols said in an interview that gang leaders fueling Haitis worst security crisis in decades are in the crosshairs, and their actions to destabilize Haiti will be met with international travel and financial sanctions.

The Biden administration is hoping for swift passage of the resolution in the coming days, Nichols said.

The resolution will create a United Nations framework to place sanctions on gang leaders, and those who support and facilitate and fund their activities, he said. Those sanctions would target their financial resources and ability to travel.

The Haitian government has all but lost control over security in the Caribbean nation, and U.S. officials say the country reached a crisis not seen since the early 1990s.

On Friday, specialized teams of the Haiti National Police from Port-au-Prince were still trying to access a womens prison just north of the capital after dozens of women escaped. Gangs blocked the police response by setting fire to a police substation and firing on officers. At the same time, a powerful gang leader  a former police officer named Jimmy Cherizier, who goes by the moniker Barbecue  was holding more than 188,000 barrels of fuel hostage, blocking access in and out of the countrys largest fuel terminal.

You will get access to the terminal when we die, Cherizier said, directing comments to interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry while holding up an M-4 automatic weapon and standing amid the flaming barricade his gang coalition had erected in front of the Varreux fuel terminal.

Haitis neighbors have called for robust action from the U.S. and other permanent members of the Security Council. At least one, the Dominican Republic, has publicly requested a return of a multinational peacekeeping force, arguing that Haitis instability and rampant gang violence are increasingly becoming a threat.

Such a move would require Haiti to once more go under what is known as Chapter 7, which is an article of the U.N. charter that enables the Security Council to deploy international forces in a peacekeeping mission. After 13 years, the U.N. Security Council, pushed by the U.S. and others, withdrew its military and peacekeeping operations in Haiti in 2017.

If Haitis government asks for such assistance, the international community would certainly consider such a request, Nichols added.

In lieu of a return of blue-helmet peacekeepers, the U.S. has been focused on bolstering the countrys beleaguered 12,000-plus Haiti National Police force.

The Biden administration has been vetting members for a new SWAT team for the Haiti National Police, as part of an effort with France to train members of a new anti-gang unit in Port-au-Prince. Canada and the U.N. have been pushing for support for a $28 million fund where donors can put their money to help fund the force.

This is not the first time sanctions have come up with respect to Haitian gangs. In January 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Cherizier and two former members of then-President Jovenel Moises government for their involvement in a 2018 massacre in Port-au-Princes La Saline neighborhood.

Cherizier continues to roam freely, tightening his grip on the capital through his heavily armed coalition known as G-9 Families and Allies.

Over the summer, China pushed for an end to weapons supply to Haitis gangs and tried to push an embargo as the U.N. Security Council considered extending its political mission in the country. Though Beijing voted for the extension, it was disappointed that the final resolution did not have tougher language on a gang arms embargo.

Though recent protests flared up after the government announced a hike in fuel prices, the government and others have blamed the violence and pillaging on arms traffickers, smugglers and oligarchs opposed to recent efforts at the seaports to crack down on $600 million in uncollected duties and the shipment of illegal arms and weapons.

At the same time, they would like the U.S. to play a more active role in sanctioning and arresting Haitians, especially in light of recent comments by both a top Biden aide and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week that oligarchs and the elite are contributing to the instability in Haiti.

Nichols said that the U.S. would like to see the resolution include sanctions against those who would provide illicit weapons to the gangs in Haiti, but noted the resolution had yet to be circulated among Security Council members.

He said the threat of sanctions in the last few days has had a calming effect on the situation on the ground in Haiti, although details of the potential resolution have not previously been made public.

In his address to the U.N. General Assembly this week, President Joe Biden called on the world to take action on Haiti, which he said is facing an enormous human crisis.
WASHINGTON  Americans who were educated on congressional proposals aimed at preventing another Jan. 6 attack prefer Senate reforms to a more far-reaching House bill, the University of Arizona's National Institute for Civic Discourse found in an informed opinion poll conducted over the summer.

The House and the Senate have crafted competing bipartisan proposals that would reform how Congress counts electoral votes.

Although the two bills are similar, they diverge on a so-called objection threshold.

Current law allows one member of the House and one member of the Senate to object to an elector or slate of electors, making it relatively easy for a minority of politicians to cast doubt on the legitimacy of an election. That's exactly what happened ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The House's legislation would raise the objection threshold to one-third of each chamber; the Senate's measure would raise it to one-fifth of each chamber.

In the informed opinion poll  unlike traditional surveys, participants read detailed policy briefs before taking a position  75% of participants supported raising the threshold to one-fifth of each chamber. That number included 93% of Democrats, 77% of independents and 53% of Republicans.

Only 55% of respondents supported the more stringent one-third threshold. That included 72% of Democrats, 59% of independents and 37% of Republicans.

Senators introduced their legislation in July and believe it has the best chance of becoming law because it has enough Republican support to avoid a filibuster. Senate negotiators added two more co-sponsors to their cause Thursday, with Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., becoming the 21st and 22nd co-sponsors.

The legislation is set for a markup in the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday, but the proposal is unlikely to see a floor vote in the upper chamber until after the midterm elections.

The House, meanwhile, unveiled its version this week and passed it on the floor Wednesday in a 229-203 vote. Nine Republicans joined all but one Democrat, who didn't vote, in support of the measure.

The path forward is unclear, but supporters of the reforms hope an update to the Electoral Count Act of 1887 will make it to the president's desk before newly elected members of Congress take office in January.

The survey also found that additional provisions Congress is pursuing are broadly popular. Clarifying that the vice president's role in the electoral count is ministerial earned 89% support. The idea that legislatures must abide by laws on the books on Election Day unless there's a catastrophic event received 80% support, and provisions requiring Congress to honor court rulings and limiting grounds for objections to a state's slate of electors received 78% and 77% support, respectively.

The poll originally asked participants about a one-third and one-fourth objection threshold. The latter isn't under consideration by either chamber, but a question about a one-fifth objection threshold was added this week, and participants who already had completed the brief and questionnaire were asked to respond to it by email. That sample size is roughly 900 participants, but the results are nearly identical to the full sample of responses to the one-fourth threshold question, which suggests participants believe the one-third threshold is too high.
South Africa: Cabinet briefed on Eskom's plans to avoid load shedding

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has briefed Cabinet on the capacity of Eskom to mitigate the intermittent load shedding.

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet met to follow up on interventions to end load shedding and several other issues.

According to a Cabinet statement following its virtual meeting on Wednesday, Cabinet said it also received a progress report from the newly-appointed Technical Committee of the National Energy Crisis Committee.

Further announcements will be made following the conclusion of the intensive deliberations of these reports, the statement read.

South Africa has been experiencing high levels of load shedding for the past two weeks as the State power utility Eskom battles to keep the lights due to numerous plant breakdowns.

Cabinet expressed regret at the disruption and inconvenience caused by load shedding to businesses and households, particularly happening at the time when government is engaged with the interventions announced by the President in July 2022.

Delivering his Heritage Day message, President Ramaphosa said in the recent two weeks, the country has been seeing a rise in load shedding, which is disrupting lives and the economy and causing havoc from a social and health point.

However, he told citizens that government was dealing with the crisis head-on.

Even as we face these challenges as South Africans as we have done in the past. We have persevered and I ask once again, let us persevere, he said.

The challenge is being addressed. It's a complex one and we will be speaking soon about the various measures that we are taking to make sure that we address this challenge.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-09-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijan has been invited to the summit of the European Political Community to take place in the Czech capital Prague on October 6-7, Azernews reports.

In addition to the 27 European Union member states, 17 other countries are also invited to the meeting. Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Britain received the invitations.

The invitations were signed by EU Council President Charles Michel and Czech Prime Minister, current EU President Petr Fiala.

The EU seeks to create a platform for political coordination of the countries of the European continent with the European political union, the idea of which was put forward by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The idea is aimed at addressing common interests by strengthening political dialogue and cooperation, thereby increasing security, stability, and prosperity in Europe.

No official statements or official decisions are expected following the results of the first meeting, which will be held on October 6.
KEARNEY  Kealey Franzen was still in her junior year studying agriculture education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln when potential employers began reaching out to her about teaching at their school.

We had some schools reaching out to us as juniors saying there was a high demand already, Franzen said. There were a lot of open positions yet to be filled. Our advisors kept telling us that this is a great opportunity to impact a community that really, really wants agriculture.

Franzen is a Kearney High School graduate and is in her final undergraduate year at UNL. She has already accepted a position as the agriculture education teacher at Gibbon Public Schools, a school that had been searching for an educator to start an ag program for over a year.

There are currently 209 agriculture and FFA programs in Nebraska. At the end of the 2021-22 school year, there were 73 ag education teacher vacancies across the state. Career education areas, which includes ag education, was in the top five endorsement areas with the largest number of unfilled positions in 2021-22, according to the Nebraska Department of Educations 2021-22 Teacher Vacancy Survey.

Growth of agriculture education

An interest in agriculture education programs in Nebraska schools is growing, with nine new programs added this year, leading to high demand for qualified teachers.

The demand for career education programs stems not only from the schools, but also from interested students and families, said Dr. Stacie Turnbull, agriculture, food and natural resources career field specialist and state director of agricultural education at NDE.

We have a population that is starting to understand more of providing career experience for students. Agriculture is a huge industry in Nebraska, she added. There are good careers in agriculture. Ag education and FFA does a really good job of preparing students for those careers. Parents have contacted (schools) and told them they want ag education in the schools. Parents are realizing the importance of that.

Along with the career opportunities in the ag sector, the school programs give students unfamiliar with the topic a better understanding of food production.

All consumers are becoming more and more removed from the farm. There is a need to help our students understand what food production is. We are all eating, but we are not all producing our own food, explained Turnbull.

Kearney was one such school who had felt the demand for an agriculture program and started their own in 2016, said KPS Director of Human Resources Melissa Herrmann.

We have a very supportive ag community and a lot of leaders in agricultural business in our region, Herrmann said. There is a high demand and high level of interest among our students.

The demand for agriculture classes was so high at Kearney High School that two more teachers were hired to provide more course offerings for students. With a trio of instructors, KHS offers an array of options from plant and animal science to natural resources, floriculture and small and large animal science.

We offer more diversity and give kids a really well-rounded experience, said Herrmann.

Filling in the gaps

Kearney has not been immune to the struggle of finding qualified ag education teachers. The school currently has two agriculture education teachers. The third position is being filled by a teacher with a theater endorsement. Herrmann explained that the instructor does have a background in ag and an interest in the field. It is a way for the school to continue to provide an assortment of classes, she added.

Long-term substitutes are a common practice for many areas of teaching, including ag educators.

Eight programs will have long-term substitutes serving as classroom agriculture educators and/or FFA advisors; three of those long-term substitutes are retired agriculture educators who are returning to the classroom to help fill the void, Turnbull said. These educators will provide high-quality instruction to students in a short-term situation as the school continues to look for a long-term classroom educator.

Other schools utilize the community college system to provide dual credit courses for students when they are unable to find a classroom instructor. For others, the position is vacant, and classes are unable to be offered to students.

Elm Creek Public Schools is one such school who was unable to find an ag educator or long-term substitute for 2022-23. They have hired a teacher who is still in college and will begin teaching next fall.

Its one of those that they are in such short supply. We are just having to hire people when they have a year left of college to finish, said Elm Creek Superintendent Dr. Bret Schroder. We advertised it. We reached out to different colleges and different states. There are not a lot of candidates out there.

The school is not able to offer agriculture classes this year, but they are able to maintain their FFA program under the guidance of Coleen Hodges, a language arts teacher with a background in FFA.

Programs like this, programs like shop, programs like internships get (students) out and experience what the actual job entails, opportunities to get out and truly experience what possible employment areas are really like, Schroder said.

Gibbon Public Schools designated $154,000 of its Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund to start an agricultural program in 2021. They spent the entirety of last year searching for an agricultural educator, and they offered the job to six candidates before they found Franzen, said Gibbon Public Schools Superintendent Vernon Fisher.

We did anticipate it would be difficult. We knew that the supply of teachers certified in this area is short. We knew the demand is really big, Fisher said.

When Franzen interviewed for the position, she was feeling confident about the opportunity. She hadnt even left the parking lot when she was offered the job.

She has some really good ideas about the FFA program and how we can build that program, Fisher said. Im really excited to be able to offer our community a program of study that is directly connected to our community. If you look at our community, there is a really strong ag base around the school and business. Our kids can hopefully stay here and work and contribute to the health of our community.

Franzen was a sophomore at Kearney High School when ag education first started in 2016, and she has firsthand experience on how to establish a successful program. She has already been reaching out to current ag educators to get advice about what curriculum to teach.

Im teaching the next generation of kids about agriculture and how it impacts everything, she said. Its a great profession because why wouldnt you want to educate and help these students be the best version of themselves and promote ag to others?
The Ridge and Valley Beekeepers Club will meet at the Gays Mills Community Commerce Center, 16381 Hwy. 131, Gays Mills, Sunday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m.

The speaker is Patrick Sizemore, Apiary Inspector, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. Sizemore will be speaking on overwintering bees in our district with a Q&A to follow.

This meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to attend.

Contact ridgeandvalleybeekeeping@gmail.com with any questions.
EMS providers throughout Wisconsin will receive nearly $32 million in EMS Flex Grants, including over $2 million in the 32nd Senate District. This funding will support EMS providers as they meet the needs of their communities and continue their critical, life-saving work. State Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) said, EMS providers throughout western Wisconsin help keep our communities safe and provide life-saving care to citizens in need.
BOSTON (AP)  A soldier from Massachusetts who went missing during the Korean War and was later reported to have died in a prisoner of war camp has been accounted for using modern scientific techniques, military officials said.

Army Cpl. Joseph J. Puopolo, 19, of East Boston, was accounted for in August, according to a statement Friday from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

It was the news his family  including his now 99-year-old sister Elizabeth Fiorentini  has been awaiting for decades, Fiorentinis grandson and Puopolos grandnephew, Richard Graham, said in a telephone interview Saturday.

We have all heard about him, and we all knew of him, and we all knew he was a war hero. We always hoped we'd find him, he said. But I never thought my grandmother would be here for it.

Fiorentini had not seen her brother since she was in her 20s, and had mixed reactions on hearing the news that his remains had been identified.

In her mind it was like he died again, Graham said.

Puopolo, an artilleryman with the 8th Army, was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, after his unit attempted to withdraw from Kunu-ri, North Korea, following the Battle of Chongchon, according to the military. Four former POWs reported in 1953 that Puopolo had died at a POW camp in February 1951.

After the war, the sides exchanged remains, but not all could be identified and those were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, the agency said.

A set of previously unidentified remains were disinterred in December 2019, and identified as being those of Puopolo through dental and anthropological analysis, mitochondrial DNA analysis and circumstantial evidence, the agency said.

The family hopes to hold a burial service for Puopolo in another month or so either in a family plot in Malden or the veterans' cemetery in Bourne, Graham said. Puopolo was one of six children, all of whom had large families of their own, and as many as 60 or 70 relatives might show.

He has not been forgotten, Graham said.
By Trend

The official meeting, chaired by the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, was held at the Central Command Post on September 24, Trend reports referring to the country's Defense Ministry.

Deputies of the Minister of Defense, commanders of types of troops, and chiefs of main departments, departments and services of the ministry participated in the meeting. Commanders of the Army Corps and formations stationed in the liberated territories were also involved in the meeting via video teleconference.

First, the memory of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, and martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, were honored by observing a minute of silence.

The minister of defense delivered to the meeting participants the tasks assigned to the Azerbaijan Army by the President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev.

He emphasized that the Supreme Commander-in-Chief highly appreciated the decisive retaliatory measures taken by the Azerbaijan Army to suppress a large-scale provocation committed by the Armenian armed forces on September 12-14, 2022.

It was noted that the successful retaliatory measures, taken at night by units of various types of troops cooperating simultaneously with each other in several directions in a mountainous area with difficult terrain, became another innovation contributed to military science by the Azerbaijan Army. These battles will be researched and analyzed by the world's leading military experts.

During the meeting, there was analyzed the current operational situation in the direction of Azerbaijans Kalbajar and Lachin districts, as well as in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily stationed.

Hasanov gave specific instructions to increase the military personnels vigilance and to immediately and decisively suppress any possible provocation of the Armenian armed forces.

The minister also gave instructions to the relevant officers on completing the winter preparatory work in the units according to the plan and delivering the necessary supplies to the units stationed in mountainous areas.

He noted the importance of quick completion of the necessary measures, related to the organization of the Azerbaijan Army Units service and combat activities in new deployment points, instructed by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, in cooperation with other government agencies.

The minister highlighted the significant role of the work carried out by troops to improve the service and living conditions in maintaining the combat and moral-psychological state of servicemen at a high level.

Then Hasanov gave instructions to keep the martyrs' families and servicemen, who lost their health, in the spotlight and to sensitively treat their concerns.

At the end of the official meeting, high-ranking officers were given specific instructions on organizing the troops service and the ideological work, further improving military personnels service conditions, social and living conditions, and medical support, as well as continuing engineering activities in the liberated territories.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2022

Has London Scheduled a Crimean Missile Crisis for October?

Sept. 23, 2022 (EIRNS)There is one thing, and one thing only, which could save the world, and that is that America should make war on Russia during the next two years, and establish a world empire, by means of the atomic bomb. Bertrand Russell, September 1945.

How did we arrive here, at what former Marine weapons inspector Scott Ritter refers to as one second to midnight? The doomsday clock is literally one second to midnight and we in the West have only ourselves to blame. Who has decided for us that thermonuclear war should be declared on Russia? When was that decided, and why were we not (mentally) present?

In a sense, that decision can be said to have been made just after April 12, 1945, the date of the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As to who has decided for thermonuclear war, consider the words of the London Economist of 2007, as it spoke, futuristically, about what it projected to be the deployment of the as-of-then unelected Barack Obama: In the dangerous second decade of the (21st) century, when Vladimir Putin returned for a third term as Russian President and stood poised to invade Ukraine, it was the EU that pushed the Obama administration to threaten massive nuclear retaliation.

Is it Britain that, on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the October 1962 Cuban Missiles Crisis, is pushing the world toward thermonuclear extinction? Former German CDU defense spokesman Willy Wimmer, in delineating the changed strategic reality that now confronts the world once the referenda are concluded in the next week, in the four areas now occupied by Russias special military operation, chose to remind the world that NATO had violated international law in launching war against Serbia in 1999. That military action was done under the guise of something called Responsibility To Protect. R2P was first introduced to the public by Londons Tony Blair during a speech he gave at the Chicago Economic Club. It took Tony Blair one speech in 1999 to trap the Western world in an unending series of interventionist wars. We may care about the people of Tibet, Baghdad and Libya, but are we the knight-errant of the human race? asked author Geoffrey Wheatcroft, in a 2011 article, Once Upon a Time in Westphalia. Perpetual war, scrapping the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, for over three centuries a cornerstone of civilized conduct in war, has been British policy since 1999. Now, if unchecked by the efforts of individuals and organizations working with the Schiller Institute, Anglo-American-instigated perpetual war will go thermonuclear, no matter what is said to the contrary.

The driving necessity behind promoting costly, unwinnable wars is the moral and economic bankruptcy of the neoliberal system. But it is the Malthusian, predatory mind-set, and the addictive culture of death into which the trans-Atlantic world has descended, which terminally grips the already-supplanted Anglo-American masters of the universe. The dead hand of the British Empire, King Charles, rests and weighs upon the brain of the world. The weapons of war are pointed also at the populations of Europe, and revolt is in the air and the streets against this self-inflicted madness. In truth, however, the populations of Europe and the Americas were always seen as expendable, lending a macabre irony to the slogan, now, we are all Ukrainians. Heat, food, health will all be taken away, now, unless they fight. These populations must be brought to realize that the financial oligarchy have also placed them on a universal kill list. Helga Zepp-LaRouche, United States Senate candidate Diane Sare, and the thousands of others named on the Ukrainian lists are merely the first.

Recall Britains Mad King Charless words at last years COP26 Halloween Climate Change Summit: With a growing population placing an increasing strain on the planets finite resources, we have to reduce emissions urgently.... Here is needed a vast military-style campaign to marshal the strength of the global private sector. Every available resource is to be deployednot to stop global warming, but to conduct total war against Russia and China, and anyone opposing that total war policy. The purpose behind the global warming pretext is now being fully revealed.

That most bellicose Prime Minister Liz Truss has just called for an economic NATO, revealing, as Helga Zepp-LaRouche and the Schiller Institute had consistently contended, that the sanctions policy was actually, in the words of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, all-out financial nuclear war. Lets be clear. We want to target the heart of the Russian system, we target Vladimir Putin, we target the oligarchs, but we also target the entire Russian economy. No doubt Truss, the former Foreign Secretary, will also now seek to implement, especially against those African, South American and Asian nations seeking to join the Belt and Road Initiative, the recommendations of the Chatham House June 2022 report, NATO Must Prioritize Climate Change as a Security Issue.

We have now arrived at one second to midnight, with the United States and Great Britain directly deploying the fascist Azov Battalion, reinforced with many trained specialists and NATO personnel and weapons, fighting an Afghansi-style war on Russias border, using what has been termed the Resistance Operations Concept. As of a few days from now, though, if things go as planned, those forces may find themselves inside of Russia, as a result of the referenda now concluding. The Economist is calling for more weapons, more training, and more money for Ukraine. Then, there is the May 20 article by Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), This War Still Presents Nuclear RisksEspecially in Relation to Crimea: If a red line were not accepted by Ukraine, Russia might then feel that it had to consider a series of further escalatory options, such as putting its nuclear forces on higher alert. Faced with the alternative of the likely loss of Crimea, Putin might believe that Ukraine (with U.S. encouragement) would be likely to blink first. It would be a moment of extreme peril, with all the parties seeking to understand the intent of each other even as they looked to pursue their national interests.

Precisely because of the peril inherent in such a situation, a nuclear crisis of this sort could make it easier for leaders to make difficult compromises.

All saner persons, especially those of any influence whatsoever, have to join the Schiller Institute and speak out now. Hundreds, thousands of people should move everything off their schedules as possible, to deploy for the month of October. Contact others you know and give them the opportunity to participate. In the name of what the world fought fascism to preserve, in honor of the 100 million that died as casualties of one type or another in those years, and in recognition of our debt to those yet to be born, including on other planets, we must not fail humanity in what may turn out to be, in the subsequent weeks, days, and hours, the most dangerous period in all of human history.
Protests have spread across Iran in recent days. They began after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died while being held by the morality police for violating the countrys Islamic dress rules.

What caused the protests in Iran?

Irans morality police arrested Amini on September 13 in Tehran. She was visiting there from her hometown in the countrys western Kurdish area. She collapsed at a police station and died three days later.

Police held her for reportedly wearing a head covering, or hijab, too loosely. Iran requires women to wear a head covering in a way that completely covers their hair in public.

The police denied Amini was mistreated and said she died of a heart attack.

Aminis family said she had no history of heart problems. The family said they were prevented from seeing her body before she was buried. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi promised an investigation into her death.

The demonstration started after her funeral in the Kurdish city of Saquez last Saturday. Many Iranians have come to see Aminis death as part of the Islamic Republics severe policing of dissent and violent treatment of young women.

What is happening in Iran?

The street protests began with women taking off their legally required head coverings, with some cutting their hair in public. Then, protestors in the capital Tehran and other Iranian cities set police stations and vehicles on fire.

Nine security force members were killed in the unrest. An official said that 76 others were injured in the Mazandaran area. And police in the Kurdistan area said more than 100 security forces were wounded.

Reports by Kurdish rights group Hengaw said 15 people had died in Kurdish areas and 733 had been injured. A video, posted on the social media Twitter account 1500tasvir, showed in the northeast, protestors shouted We will die, we will die but we will get Iran back.

Reuters news agency said it did not have independent confirmation of the rights group report or the video.

The watch group Netblocks reported that the internet was disrupted in the country. It is a possible sign that officials fear the protests will increase.

The United States Treasury Department said the U.S. placed sanctions on Irans morality police. It accused them of abuse and violence against Iranian women and of violating the rights of peaceful Iranian protestors. It also blamed the morality police responsible for the death of Amini.

How are women treated in Iran?

Iranian women can go to school, work outside the home and hold public office. But they are required to cover themselves in public by wearing hijabs and long, loose-fitting robes. Unmarried men and women are barred from spending time together.

The rules, which date back to the days after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, are enforced by the morality police.

Enforcement was eased under former President Hassan Rouhani. In 2017, the head of the force said it would no longer arrest women for violating the rules.

But under Raisi, who was elected last year, the morality police returned to enforce the rules. The U.N. human rights office said in recent months women have been hit in the face, hit with sticks, and pushed into police vehicles.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Joseph Krauss reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional reporting from Reuters.

________________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

loose  adj. not tightly fastened, attached, or held

disrupt  v. to cause (something) to be unable to continue in the normal way

sanction  n. an action taken to force a country to obey international laws by limiting trade or aid to the country

robe  n. a long, loose piece of clothing that is worn on top of other clothes to show that someone has a high rank or an important job

________________________________________________________________________

What do you think of how women are treated in Iran?

We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works:

Write your comment in the box. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is the blue circle with D on it. It is free.

Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.
By Trend

The Azerbaijani community in New York held a picket in front of the UN headquarters, the State Committee for Work with the Diaspora of Azerbaijan told Trend.

The rally participants protested against the recent large-scale provocations committed by the Armenian armed forces units on the border with Azerbaijan and took a stand against the official Irevan's aggressive policy.

The compatriots waved Azerbaijani and Turkish flags, and also chanted "Karabakh is Azerbaijan!", "Azerbaijan wants peace!", "Armenia distorts the facts, deceives the world community!", "Armenia, withdraw your illegal troops from Karabakh!", "Armenia, sign a peace agreement!", "Armenia, stop the aggressive policy!", "Armenia, don't be a provocateur in the region, stop military provocations!" , "Landmines planted by Armenia kill the civilian population!", "Armenia, stop mining our lands!", "Armenia, inform us about the fate of the missing Azerbaijanis!", "Armenia destroyed the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan in Irevan!".

The youth demanded the UN to take tough measures against Armenia, which infringes upon the international law. The protesters also informed local and foreign diplomats, as well as the community, about the aggressive policy pursued by Armenia on the historical lands of Azerbaijan.

The New York police were providing safety of participants during the two-hour action.

The picket, which coincided with the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, was also attended by the Turkish community members.

The action was organized by the US-Azerbaijan Women's Association and the New York-Azerbaijan Cultural Center, which are member organizations of the Coordination Council of American Azerbaijanis.
Local

featured top story

An indicator of future violence: Acts of stranglers often reach further than their victims' throats

JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Law enforcement officials work the scene of a shooting around 4 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Bigs convenience store at 2701 N. Raguet St. (the former Cherrys Grocery) in this file photo.

EDITORS NOTE: This story is one in an occasional series on crimes against women.

The morning of Sept. 9, a woman showed up at St. Lukes Health Memorial saying her partner had assaulted and strangled her earlier that day. She faked a seizure so she could receive help.

A few Lufkin police officers responded to the hospital to take her statement, an affidavit provided by Justice of the Peace Billy Ball states. Around 5 a.m. that day, 40-year-old Abel Lopez assaulted and strangled the woman while saying, Stop making me do this, according to the affidavit.

Hours later, after the woman left the hospital, Lopez showed up at her home and picked a fight about how she was dressed, the affidavit states. A roommate separated the two and calmed him down as police arrived.

Lopez was charged with two counts of assaulting a family or household member with a previous conviction, violating a protective order with two previous convictions and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is facing more than $100,000 in bonds.

Each count was considered a felony because he was out on bond for a previous accusation of assault/family violence and had two prior convictions for the same.

He also is one of 34 individuals in Angelina County arrested on accusations of strangulation so far in 2022.

What is strangulation? Dr. William Smock asked at a June conference put together by the Family Crisis Center of Deep East Texas. When I put pressure on Sallys neck, obstructing airflow, blood flow or both.

Smock is a police surgeon for the Louisville Metro Police Department in Kentucky. He used the opportunity to break down the impact of domestic violence, specifically strangulation, on other violent crimes in the community and law enforcement safety for officers and victims advocates in East Texas.

Why do we care about strangulation?

Strangulation is an act of violence that is considered deadly conduct because only a few pounds of pressure can result in the death or serious impairment of an individual, Smock said.

Though the terms are used interchangeably by laymen, choking and strangulation are different. A person chokes on something but is strangled by someone.

Strangulation is deadly force, so its no different than if I took my gun and shot someone. Im applying deadly force, he said.

It is exceptionally difficult to prove or prosecute because a strangler, using the right techniques, can leave no evidence of assault. And if they survive the attack, domestic violence victims are also likely to recant their stories and hinder investigations or prosecution, Smock said.

In Angelina County, at least two men have been accused of strangulation but had their cases dismissed only to be charged with more violent crimes later.

John Wayne Galloway was accused of assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation in 2014. The case was dismissed. He later was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon two more times, one of which led to a six-year prison sentence.

Lekendrick Oliphant also was accused of assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation in 2014. That case also was dismissed. He now stands accused of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault of a date, family or household member with a deadly weapon on Jan. 18, 2022.

Dismissed cases do not mean the person was acquitted, but for some reason the judge or prosecutors prevented the case from reaching trial. It is considered a win for the accused because they will not face the allegations in trial.

Women recant frequently, and it is often not because the incident did not happen but because by moving forward they stand to lose their homes, support and the father of their children, District Attorney Janet Cassels said in an early December 2021 interview.

But these acts tend to escalate and they do get more dangerous over time, she said.

Victims who survive strangulation are 700% more likely to become a victim of domestic homicide in the future, Kelsey McKay, an assistant district attorney in Travis County wrote in a 2014 article for the Texas District & County Attorneys Association.

And even if the incident does not kill the victim immediately, it is believed that strokes in women under 45 are likely caused by previous strangulation, Smock said. Because the act forces brains to go without oxygen or blood flow, even if there is no evidence of a problem to the visible eye, other tests are necessary to make sure the victim does not succumb to the damage later, he said.

People in these situations need to report what happened, Smock said. And they need to see a doctor and find resources to help them out of the situation.

But the job isnt solely the victims to handle. Law enforcement officers should learn the right questions to ask victims of domestic violence and check to see if they had any incidents of strangling, Smock said.

Those who say they have been strangled should be sent to someone who knows what to look for  this is often a SANE Nurse, Smock said.

Strangulation is an indicator of future violence

If the impact on the victims is not enough, violence directed toward women and children, especially strangling, is a likely indicator of a persons willingness to commit a mass shooting or to shoot a police officer, according to data collected by agencies across the nation and world.

I truly believe that men who strangle are the most dangerous men on the planet and I will tell you why I think that: Its because one, they are the ones who kill police officers and they are our mass shooters, Smock said.

The man who used a semi-truck to run over 80 people in Nice, France, in 2016 was a known strangler, Smock said. So was the shooter at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016 and the Colorado Springs, Colorado, Planned Parenthood shooter in 2015.

This has become such a problem that the state of California has created a strangler registry so police officers know when they are pulling over a potentially more dangerous individual, Smock said.

A study conducted by Lisa Geller, lead author of the paper and state affairs manager of the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, found that more than two-thirds of mass shootings were conducted by someone who either killed a family member or had a record of domestic violence.

Geller concluded that 65 of 110 mass shootings between 2014 and 2019 were related to domestic violence. Ten of them were perpetrated by someone with a history of domestic violence.

In 2017, 72% of the police officers shot were shot by stranglers, Smock said. He pointed to the Sept. 9, 2021, Lufkin shootout that led to the death of 43-year-old Richard Woods.

Woods ex-girlfriend accused him of cutting her car battery cables and strangling her, causing her to lose consciousness three times, according to a press release provided by the Angelina County Sheriffs Office at the time. Police noted the woman was bleeding, bruised and had red marks on her face and neck, as well as a swollen bump on the side of her forehead.

He was wanted by the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole with a warning about violent tendencies.

Around 4:15 p.m. Sept. 9, local officers converged upon the Bigs convenience store at 2701 N. Raguet St.

However, when police confronted Woods, he reportedly pulled a handgun out. A deputy fired at Woods, causing him to fall; a Lufkin police officer said he saw Woods crawling toward his gun and fired his weapon to end the threat.
High teacher turnover hurts students and negatively affects learning. Ariel Skelley/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Many school districts across the United States are in the midst of a crisis: a teacher shortage. Part of the problem is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are other reasons why teachers are leaving their jobs at higher rates than before. On Aug. 29, 2022, SciLine interviewed Tuan Nguyen, an assistant professor in the College of Education at Kansas State University, about why teachers are quitting and what can be done to slow or stop the trend.

Tuan Nguyen talks to SciLine about teacher burnout.

Below are some highlights from the discussion. Please note that answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Can you share some data on typical rates of teacher turnover?

Tuan Nguyen: Before the pandemic, about 15%, 16% of teachers turn over every year. About half of that is teachers switching from one school to another, and then the other half, about 7%, 8%, is teachers leaving the profession every year.

What is known about why teachers leave their jobs?

Tuan Nguyen: Generally, there are three main buckets, or categories, as to why teachers leave their jobs for other schools or leave the profession.

One is whats known as the personal factors  things related to the teachers, their characteristics, such as their age, race, ethnicity and gender, their qualifications.

Another bucket is related to schools, such as  school characteristics and school resources, working conditions.

And the last area is known as external factors. These are things that are happening at the national or state level that are somewhat beyond the school control. We think about NCLB  No Child Left Behind.

How does teacher turnover affect student learning?

Tuan Nguyen: We know that teachers are the most critical factor of student learning, and that when we have high teacher turnover, that is detrimental to student learning.

What you have here is the loss of teaching knowledge and expertise. Districts also have to spend additional resources in order to recruit and train new teachers  usually a novice teacher or a teacher who is underqualified. And we know from research that underqualified teachers and novice teachers are more likely to leave the profession.

So then what you get is this cycle of churn, where you have teachers leaving, replaced with new or underqualified teachers, who themselves are more likely to leave. And that leads to more turnover next year.

What makes teachers likelier to stay in their jobs?

Tuan Nguyen: There are many things that we can actually do to help teachers stay where they are.

One is retention bonuses, so that if they stay for one or two years, then they get an additional bonus on top of their salary.

Many teachers are not paid very well. They have to moonlight. They have to have a second or a third job. And now theyre asked to buy equipment and resources from their own pocket in order to do that job. That doesnt really incentivize teachers to stay.

Is there any research on how the pandemic  including health risks, the switch to remote learning and new pressures from parents  has affected teachers job satisfaction?

Tuan Nguyen: National surveys have shown that a significant portion of teachers  55%  said that they would like to leave teaching as soon as possible. So even if those 55% do not leave their job, and we havent seen evidence of that, what that tells me is that teachers are stressed out and theyre burnt out.

What policies can make teaching a more attractive long-term career and reduce teacher turnover?

Tuan Nguyen: We have to think about making salary competitive so that its comparable to other professions, but also make targeted policy decisions and incentives for hard-to-staff schools and subjects.

For instance, we know that economically disadvantaged schools tend to have a really hard time attracting teachers.

We also know that STEM teachers, special education teachers and bilingual education teachers are in high demand. We need those folks. So we need to make targeted incentives to get those folks into teaching, right?

We also need to raise the prestige and respect of teachers and the teaching profession. You know, thinking about how we can provide career ladders or promotions to teachers so that they can continue and build on their craft. There are many, many things that we can do. And Im optimistic that  we can do some of those if we can align our interests and think about policy solutions that can solve some of these problems.

___

Watch the full interview to hear about the teacher shortage crisis.

SciLine is a free service based at the nonprofit American Association for the Advancement of Science that helps journalists include scientific evidence and experts in their news stories.

Tuan D. Nguyen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

___
A career as a lawyer, adjunct professor and administrative law judge would be plenty enough for most people.

Nick Schweitzer, though, has managed to add playwright and amateur scientist to his list of titles, while also being an advocate for freethinking  which is not necessarily the same as atheism, he says, as it tries to be more inclusive of a variety of God-dubious, science-based ways of looking at the world.

The 75-year-old West Sider was born in Madison, raised in Wisconsin and Illinois, went to college out east, worked in Washington, D.C., and returned for good to the place of his birth in 1982. He has two adult daughters, two granddaughters, and he and his wife have been reading to each other before bed for just about the entirety of their 52-year marriage.

Youve created Madison-based public science displays on the electromagnetic field, the atom, the Earths layers, geology, anthropology and a permanent one on the solar system. How did they come about?

Ive been doing this or something like this for a couple of decades. It started with the solar system. When we were in Washington, I thought a beautiful display for the Smithsonian would be to have, on the Washington mall, the solar system laid out. We live across the street from Rennebohm Park, and theres a nice straight sidewalk here which runs about a quarter of a mile. It wasnt too long after we moved here that I approached the Parks Commission asking to put up the solar system.

So I got permission from the Parks Commission to put in the solar system here, and the impressive thing about that and the geological timeline is that the scale is so totally different. So the sun is at one end, Mercury, Venus, Earth and then there are Mars and Jupiter and Saturn and Uranus and Neptune, and Pluto is like at the end of the quarter-mile. But everything else is within the first 3 feet. Its totally proportional.

These are temporary signs. But then I did it the next year and got the UW Space Place  a fellow named Jim Lattis is the head of that  he had had a similar idea. We worked together and the next summer we got permission from the Madison bike path people to put it in on the bike path. So the sun is at Monona Terrace, Mercury is before you turn the corner, by the boathouse is Venus, Earth, Mars, etc., Jupiter is out on Monroe Street, and Neptune is out at Epic Systems. And Pluto is in Mount Horeb, 26 miles away. It gives you a slightly different sense of scale. It is using distance as an analog.

And writing plays? Youve had 20 produced, including ones on Bob La Follette and Madisons sesquicentennial, and one coming up in December called The Panto-lorian at Madisons Bartell Theatre.

I need some creative outlet. Ive loved theater from the beginning. Ive tried to write short stories and poetry and I dont feel Im very good at that. Somehow drama just works for me. Im able to see interactions, write dialogue, etc. So Ive been doing that for as long as Ive been in Madison. I have lots and lots of plays on the shelves that will never be produced. Like I call myself an amateur scientist, Im just a dilettante playwright. I have three plays that I have written that are Shakespearean in length and tone, and those are among the least producible, Im sure, but they were exercises for me.

Youve thought a lot about God or the lack thereof, including setting up a booth at the Dane County Fair to counter a booth on creationism. Youre an atheist?

Atheist is a hard word. Im more comfortable with the word freethinker because its not quite as in your face. We are still closely attached to the First Unitarian Society. There is another congregation in Sauk County. Its called the Free Congregation of Sauk County. I have been president of that for the last couple of years. They are an old free-thought society from Germany. There were at least a hundred different Freie Gemeinde, free-thought societies, around the country. Were the last. They basically said theres no dogma. Theres no religious authority. We want to base our lives on science, art, wisdom from all areas, including the great religions. So I am tremendously connected to this free-thought society. I have been trying to connect with other free-thought societies in the U.S. and around the world, especially Germany. I want to become a spokesperson for free thought, religious freedom in the U.S. and maybe do a little proselytizing.

Youve run unsuccessfully for office a few times. What was that like?

I discovered I am not a politician. I dont like debates. I dont think fast on my feet.

Is not being a politician a good or bad thing?

I would have enjoyed the responsibility that goes along with making decisions, trying to influence laws. I would have enjoyed, I hope, exercising my skills, such as they are, in trying to make things better. I think I would have really detested some of the things that one does as a politician.

How have you had time for all your disparate interests?

Im not that much of a workaholic. Im patient. Getting this (geology) timeline has taken me three years, even retired. I just keep plugging away at things. Many of the plays have sat on the shelf in various stages, and I get to them on a vacation or some other time.

How did you and your wife, March, develop the habit of reading to each other before bed?

We do it as something to stay together and share things. The one we just finished is a biography of Alexander von Humboldt called The Invention of Nature, which is a fantastic historical story. We tend to read biographies.

Who picks the books?

We take turns.

And how long have you been doing this?

I guess you could say our whole married life. I think the first book we took turns reading was Pride and Prejudice. That was her choice, and I realized what a wonderful book it was.
Legislators, please listen to doctors.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court removed the constitutional protection for safe and legal abortion, weve seen an avalanche of news about lives harmed by the resulting abortion bans across the country. As a physician who provides abortion care as part of my medical practice, I fear for the health of women if more state legislatures go down the same road and enact extreme abortion bans.

To understand what is at stake, Here are some real examples of what I see in my clinic:

I care for patients facing new diagnoses of cancer, where abortion care can save or extend their life. An abortion allows them to start treatment and spend valuable time with family.

I care for patients whose lives are in danger due to dire medical emergencies such as severe kidney or heart disease, molar pregnancy or life-threatening infection. Access to safe and legal abortion care is critical to saving their lives.

I care for adolescents and teens with unplanned pregnancies, sometimes the result of rape or incest. Abortion care can give these teens their lives and futures back.

I care for parents who struggle to provide for the families they already have. More than half of women seeking abortion care already have children and many live in poverty.

I care for patients who have received devastating news about lethal birth defects. An ultrasound can lead to an unexpected, excruciating choice. But its their choice to make.

Many patients I care for simply want autonomy over their bodies and the freedom to make the best decisions for themselves.

In my state of North Carolina, our patients already face tremendous challenges accessing abortion care, including:

A mandatory waiting period of 72 hours.

No abortion provider in 91 counties.

Limited resources making care unaffordable.

Inequities in care that disproportionately impact communities of color.

More abortion bans will further these inequities.

Many of us know someone who has had an abortion. For me, that person was my grandmother, who was diagnosed with an unplanned pregnancy and cervical cancer in the early 1970s. At that time, North Carolina allowed abortion in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother. My grandmother received care that saved her life, and I am a better person for knowing and being loved by her.

I am honored to care for my patients and provide access to safe, evidence-based care. Our patients are the experts of their lives, and they deserve to make health care decisions with the guidance of their health care provider  and without political meddling.

When doctors say that access to safe and legal abortion saves lives, we mean it. Please listen.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has proposed a national U.S. abortion ban barring the procedure after 15 weeks. This push to restrict abortion access across the country follows a rash of new state laws passed by Republicans after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

If American history is any guide, these efforts will ultimately neither reduce abortions nor remain settled law.

I am a historian who has studied American culture and law in the wake of the 1873 Comstock Act -- the first U.S. effort to restrict access to birth control and abortions. My research finds that previous state and federal efforts to regulate the sexual expression and reproduction of Americans led to unintended consequences -- and, in the long term, these laws failed.

Already, I see signs that new anti-abortion laws are triggering a similarly undermining backlash.

In 1873, Congress hurriedly passed a law making it illegal to send obscenities through the U.S. mail. The legislation was branded the Comstock Act after its most vigorous proponent: Anthony Comstock, a U.S. postal inspector and evangelical Christian who believed sexual activity was a sin unless it occurred between a married man and woman for the purpose of procreation.

Birth control and substances used to induce abortion were included in the definition of obscenity. The law also banned mailing erotic images and literature. In Comstocks expansive view, this category included images of athletes wearing tights.

State versions of the original Comstock Law soon swept the U.S. By 1900, 42 states had passed similar legislation outlawing the production, sale, possession or circulation of obscene matter.

These statutes ruled until the Supreme Court declared a right to privacy in medical decision-making nearly 100 years later, in Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965. This is the same ruling that was cited eight years later to protect the right to have an abortion in the now defunct Roe v. Wade.

Comstock zealously enforced the laws hed advocated for, both as a detective for the privately funded New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, and as an inspector for the U.S. Post Office Department. In attempting to eradicate contraceptives -- including condoms and early forms of diaphragms -- Comstock organized the arrests of many defendants.

But he had difficulty getting prosecutors, juries and judges to see the seriousness of many of the crimes he investigated. In the late 19th century, wealthier Americans already regularly used birth control.

Of all the indictments prior to 1878, pending in the Court of General Sessions, not one has been tried the past year, Comstock wrote in his 1879 annual report.

Enforcing new anti-abortion laws is similarly unpopular with many legal professionals today. Shortly after the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Dobbs, more than 80 elected prosecutors vowed not to bring indictments in cases involving abortion.

As they recognize, conservative courts in jurisdictions with zealous anti-abortion prosecutors will soon be filled with a host of extremely sympathetic defendants: relatives who assist children who are victims of rape in obtaining an illegal abortion, doctors saving the lives of mothers at risk, and those who choose to help pregnant cancer patients in making the best decisions for their health.

Enforcement of Americas new Comstock laws will likely again make witnesses and defendants more sympathetic in the eyes of judges and jurors -- and the public -- undermining whatever support remains for these laws.

Beyond prosecutions, the tactics necessary to prevent women from obtaining abortions are even less practical today than they were in the late 19th century.

Enforcing anti-abortion laws may include restricting interstate travel, blocking interstate and international postal services and attempting to censor information about sexual health. All of these would require laborious investigations and extensive cooperation from law enforcement agencies and private corporations.

And thats assuming that any of these methods survive court challenges.

By the time of Comstocks death in 1915, backlash to his zealous overreach had provoked growing solidarity among activists and attorneys determined to defeat his agenda.

Once again, post-Dobbs, disparate individuals and groups are raising their voices in common cause. Obstetricians have begun lobbying politicians and forming their own pro-choice political action committees. TikTok influencers are rallying young citizens to vote for pro-choice politicians.

Kansas roundly rejected an anti-abortion referendum in August 2022. And more states will soon vote on state constitutional protections for abortion, including Michigan.

Viewing the past as prologue suggests unpopular anti-abortion laws will cause unintended consequences that, in the long run, will render them ineffective and ultimately futile.
The Virginia State Police (VSP) are investigating a fatal crash which occurred at 4:01 p.m. Thursday on Route 8, at its intersection with Ashby Drive.

The crash occurred while the vehicle was being pursued by the Patrick County Sheriffs Office.

The fleeing vehicle, a stolen 1987 Jeep Comanche, was traveling south on Route 8 when it attempted an abrupt turn onto Ashby Drive, ran off the right side of the roadway and down a steep embankment.

The driver, Joseph Lee Eugene Duncan Jr., 28, of Galax, was not wearing his seatbelt and died at the scene, a VSP release states.

The Virginia State Police Crash Reconstruction Team assisted with the crash.

The crash remains under investigation.
By Trend

Another group of Ukrainian children who have lost a parent due to the situation in Ukraine has arrived in Azerbaijan, organized by the Agency for Social Services under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan, the ministry told Trend.

As many as 29 minor children will be placed in the country's camps for children and will undergo social rehabilitation for 15 days in Baku and Gabala.

Individual psychological consultations, group therapy, meditation, yoga classes, psychosocial training, and master classes will serve to stabilize the emotional state of children, as well as their integration into society. The camp participants will also have a chance to improve their English language skills.



During this period, the agency will arrange excursions to historical sites and museums for the effective cultural leisure of children, as well as will undertake teamwork on various topics.
So far, seven cases, including one death, have been confirmed to have contracted Ebola from Sudan, WHO said in a statement, referring to a rare strain of the virus. Forty-three contacts have been identified and 10 people suspected of having contracted the virus are receiving treatment at the regional referral hospital in Mubende, the UN agency said.

Our experts are already on the ground working with experienced Ugandan Ebola control teams to strengthen surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures, said Abdou Salam Gueye, regional director of emergencies at the WHO Regional Office for Africa. So far, the only death has been reported in the central district of Mubende, about 150 kilometers west of the capital Kampala.

Uganda has a history of Ebola outbreaks, a disease that has killed thousands across Africa since it was first discovered in 1976 in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. The last reported cases in the country were in 2019, with at least five deaths, after the virus was imported from the DRC, which was battling a major outbreak in its northeastern region, according to the WHO. In a previous outbreak in 2000, 200 people died.

A case of Ebola was also reported in August in the Congolese province of North Kivu, bordering Rwanda and Uganda, less than six weeks after an outbreak in eastern DRC  the 14th in the countrys history  was declared over. Ebola is often fatal, but vaccines and treatments are now available for the hemorrhagic fever, which is transmitted to humans by infected animals.
Somalia announced Friday in New York its decision to open an embassy in Rabat and a consulate general in Dakhla.

Somalia decides to open an embassy in Rabat and a consulate general in Dakhla, said the Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abshir Omar Jama, after a meeting with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Somalia and Morocco support their mutual sovereignty and territorial integrity, said the head of Somali diplomacy in a press statement.

The two countries have long-standing relations based on friendship and solidarity, he added, paying tribute to the support of King Mohammed VI to African countries and his vision for Africas development and stability.

The Somali minister also said that a roadmap of cooperation will be signed between the two countries.

This meeting took place in the presence of Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Omar Hilale.
The recognition of serious human rights violations in the Tindouf camps is necessary to achieve justice for the victims and their reparation, stressed participants in an international conference, Thursday in Geneva.

The voices of the victims of executions, abductions and torture are rising day by day, putting the international community before its responsibility to recognize their right to justice, stressed the participants in this conference, organized by the International Observatory for Peace, Democracy and Human Rights in Geneva (IOPDHR) and the NGO Promotion of Economic and Social Development (PDES), which enjoys special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

IOPDHR president, Aicha Douihi, noted a legal chaos in the camps of Tindouf, where arbitrary measures and impunity prevail, stating that the inhuman living conditions, the lack of census and protection mechanisms, as well as the status of refugee emptied of its meaning create a climate conducive to the proliferation of human rights violations.

For his part, the Spanish expert on terrorism, Chema Gil, noted that the polisario, with its ideology and arbitrary practices, creates an unstable space and conducive to the development of international organizations that threaten the security of the Sahel-Saharan region, saying that the polisario provides the link between terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking.

The activist Maghlaha Dlimi recounted how she suffered from the repressive practices of the polisario, describing her deportation to Cuba when she was only a child and detailing the systematic violations of human rights by the polisario apparatus.

The lawyer and activist Naoufal Bouamri emphasized that the victims of the polisario must be recognized as such and receive reparations and psychological support, calling on international society to mobilize in their favor.

In addition, Sophie Michez, a lawyer at the Brussels Bar, highlighted the striking contrast with the trials of Gdeim Izik, where dozens of foreign observers were able to ensure that the conditions for a fair trial were met and the right to a defense guaranteed, despite the atrocity of the crimes committed.

Lorenzo Penas Roldan, international lawyer of terrorism and international security, said that the polisario relies on a political and legal climate conducive to serious violations of human rights in the camps of Tindouf, noting that in the absence of security, separation of powers and control mechanism, the situation in Tindouf will continue to produce systematic and permanent violations of human rights.
The Tell Us Something storytelling series is back this month, and as you can imagine, people aren't lacking in material.

We have stories that are really vulnerable, touching, raw and hilarious all at the same time, said Marc Moss, the executive director of the nonprofit.

The theme for the Tuesday, Sept. 27, event at the Dennison Theatre at the University of Montana is Letting Go. After the past few years, people no doubt have stories and Moss thinks theyre starting to feel more ready to share them, although some may still feel too raw.

As always, they are true, personal anecdotes, told in 10 minutes live on stage without notes, and they never disclose names beforehand.

We have stories about an unfortunate incident at a Russian ballet in New York that leads to all sorts of hilarious results, he said. Others include someone who needs to let go of one dream to pursue others, and an encounter at a car wash that relates to a certain kind of request for public exposure  one that relates to reconstructive surgery after surviving cancer.

Note that this installment is at the Dennison. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 with an intermission. (It will return to its usual spot in the Wilma on Dec. 15.)

Regardless of venue, Moss said his pitch remains the same:

Its important to come together and listen to one anothers stories, Moss said. It helps us learn about ourselves, listen to others and it also expands our knowledge of the world.

***

During the pandemic, Tell Us Something officially became a 501(c)(3) this summer after working under the auspices of the Missoula Community Foundation.

It returned to the Wilma last March, with a sold-out event, and held another event outdoors at Bonner Park that also reached capacity.

This installment, theyve been offering free tickets to people who might not otherwise be able to pay to attend a cultural event. The stewardship program is a partnership with the Missoula Electric Cooperative. Moss has reached out to Here Montana, Empower MT and Missoula County Public Schools Indigenous representative to distribute free passes. Anyone whos interested can email Moss at marc@tellusssomething.org.

Theyre looking at strengthening their board and their programming, with events in Helena and Butte. Corporate storytelling workshops, like one with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, are ahead. Theyve worked with the Creative Pulse program at the University of Montana and want to eventually get certified with the state Office of Public Instruction to offer teachers credit classes for professional development.

They included American Sign Language interpreters, and anyone in the deaf community who wants to reserve a seat upfront can contact Moss.

Moss said that in the long term, the nonprofit status could help them with compensation for staff, and he's able to pay himself now as well.

Theyre collaborating with Imagine Nation Brewing Company on a TUS beer with artwork by a local creator, and will have an event there for the release.

In November and December, theyll have an art show at Dram Shop Central, exhibiting framed posters from going back more than a decade. They worked with local and regional artists on the posters, including Matt LaRubbio, Josh Quick, Hailey Faust, Max Mahn and more.

Interest in pitching stories has returned to normal levels, with around 20 to 30 people. Anyone with an anecdote can call 406-203-4683. The theme is, Its the Little Things.

Last month, Moss held a Tell Us Something at Burning Man  he saw a call for performances on center stage and reached out. He put out a call for stories with their pitch line. Those will likely go online early in the week on their site, where the archive of stories is available as well.
The Missoula County Sheriffs Department Cold Case Unit solved a 30-year-old murder case involving a houseless man.

On Sept. 13, 1992, a partially buried body was found in an area known as Orange Avenue Ranch or Peace Tree Camp. Detectives determined the victim, William T. Adams, spent the night at the Poverello Center on the evening of Aug. 25, 1992, according to a press release from the Missoula County Sheriffs Office.

Adams, also known as the Cadillac Man, died from a knife wound to the chest and massive head trauma a few days later, sometime on Sept. 2 or Sept. 3. No suspect was identified during the initial investigations, the press release stated.

Adams body was found in a shallow grave near a hillside with a broken knife in his chest. His clothing was pulled over his head, seeming like he was dragged to the location. Several items of clothing tainted with blood were recovered at the scene. Through DNA testing, investigators determined the identity of the person suspected of killing Adams, Leonard D. 8 Ball Owen.

Both Adams and Owen were unhoused and known to travel by train. Owen had an extensive criminal history, including violent crimes, the press release stated.

Owen is deceased.

Our Cold Case Unit has proven invaluable, Missoula Sheriff T.J. McDermott stated. Their dedication and perseverance to seek the truth and close these cases is appreciated by many, including law enforcement, past and present, and family members that experience closure.

The cold case team was established in 2019 by McDermott.
Linda Hartless and Barb Kasauskas, who both live in trailer homes in Missoula, have heard horror stories all their life of people getting displaced and forced to move when a trailer court is sold.

So when they found out that the trailer court where they live was being sold, they were worried they might meet the same fate.

Its scary, Kasauskas said. I mean, where do you put your home? And a lot of people dont have the financial means, so its pretty scary. And we had the same anxiety here, you know? Because thats a scary thing for people that they are losing their home.

They both live in Old Hellgate Village, a 34-home trailer court on Mullan Road. Hartless has lived there for 15 years, and loves her mountain view and the fact that she can hear birds singing. Kasauskas has been there 10 years and loves the peace and quiet of the place.

And now theyve managed to work out a way so that they can all stay as long as they want.

The community of Old Hellgate Village has banded together with the help of a nonprofit called NeighborWorks Montana to form a Resident-Owned Community. Essentially, the owners of the 34 homes have pooled their money together to take out a loan to buy the entire property as a collective. Now Kasauskas is the board president of Old Hellgate Village Inc., and Hartless is treasurer.

Resident-Owned Communities, sometimes called Resident-Owned Cooperatives, are gaining in popularity across the country. Trailer court residents own their homes but not the land underneath, and are often at risk of displacement or large rent increases.

There are now at least 1,000 trailer courts in the U.S. that have been converted to Resident-Owned Communities, and there are 17 in Montana, representing nearly 700 homes.

According to the American Community Survey, 10% of houses in Montana are mobile homes compared with 5.5% for the U.S. overall.

Kasauskas said she and her neighbors got a letter from NeighborWorks Montana in June informing them of the possibility.

Its kind of their vision to keep these kind of parks up and running for the low-income in the community and not be bought out by developers, Kasauskas explained. And so the seller decided to go that route with it and give us the opportunity to purchase it.

Their lot rents will be going from $500 to $600 per month to cover the loan, but both Hartless and Kasauskas said they probably would have had that much of a hike before too long if the court was kept by a private landlord.

Instead of the lot rent going to the previous owner, itll go to the loan we took out for the purchase, Kasauskas explained.

Of course, it took a little bit of work to get everyone educated about the process. Kasauskas and Hartless talked to their neighbors about the advantages.

I think we got 100% buy-in, Kasauskas said. There were a lot of questions, but in the end every resident who was eligible wanted to sign on.

Hartless said shes been so relieved since they decided to go that route. Shes seen the rent prices in Missoula, and she knows there are very few open spots at any trailer courts in the area.

Just being able to sleep at night, instead of thinking, Oh my God, what happens if they sell this place to a developer? What am I gonna do? she recalled. Where would I live? I have limited income and Im retired.

They now have the peace of mind that they cant get displaced.

Were buying the property, which, if we behave ourselves, we dont have to worry about that ever again, Hartless said, laughing.

Both women said Adam Poeschl, the ROC acquisition specialist at NeighborWorks, was extremely helpful throughout the process.

It has been a lot of work, Kasauskas said. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but we knew that we wanted to save our community. So somebody had to do it, why not me?

They also are now more invested in where they live, financially and emotionally.

I think that owning it as a community, being able to come together and make decisions that we would like to see for the park, like repairs and maintenance, is a big advantage, Kasauskas said. I personally would like to see maybe a nice park for the kids, and we can make those decisions as a community of what we want to do with the spaces and instead of having a landlord make those decisions, or having to wait for a landlord to be able or willing to make those repairs.

They have plans for a big get-together after they officially close in October. Hartless said all the residents were friendly toward each other before, but theyve really all gotten to know each other better now.

And one of the other plus sides is I have met a lot of my neighbors I didnt even know by name, she said. I walked around when I first took over the treasurers job and Ive made a lot of new friends. Hopefully we can do some community-building things where everybody can get to know one another.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  A fugitive defense contractor nicknamed Fat Leonard who claims to have incriminating sex photos of U.S. Navy brass could become the latest bargaining chip in Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros efforts to win official recognition from the Biden administration, according to experts.

But its unclear how hard the U.S. government will fight for the return of Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian owner of a ship servicing company in Southeast Asia who is the central character in one of the largest bribery scandals in Pentagon history.

He fled home custody in San Diego on Sept. 4 and was arrested by Venezuelan police Tuesday attempting to board a flight at the Simon Bolivar International Airport outside Caracas. Francis had his first court appearance Thursday, according to a law enforcement official in Venezuela who spoke Friday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss judicial proceedings.

The official, who had been briefed on the case, said now it is up to the United States to make the next move. U.S. authorities have 30 days to formally request his extradition, something that the official viewed as unlikely given that the Biden administration recognizes opposition leader Juan Guaido  not Maduro  as the countrys legitimate ruler.

Venezuela and the United States have an extradition agreement but it's not clear if U.S. authorities have made a formal request. In an email, a Department of Justice spokesperson said the agency does not comment on extradition-related matters. Even under normal circumstances, extraditions can take many months or even years to complete.

The Biden administration doesnt officially recognize Maduros socialist government, has no embassy in Venezuela and has imposed crushing sanctions on the country that have further embittered relations.

U.S. indictments against Maduro and several members of his inner circle on narco-terrorism or money laundering charges has been a major irritant between the countries. The most serious case involves businessman Alex Saab, who was apprehended on a U.S. warrant in 2020 while making a fuel stop in Cape Verde en route to Iran. Maduro considers Saab a Venezuelan diplomat and has spared no effort fighting to bring him back.

I have no doubt the Venezuelans will make hay of (Francis' arrest), especially because they have felt the effects of the long arm of the U.S. justice system, said David Smilde, a longtime expert on Venezuela who teaches at Tulane University.

Francis is the mastermind of a huge bribery scheme that ensnared dozens of Navy officials. Francis admitted to wooing them with sex parties in Asia in exchange for classified information on Navy ship routes that he used to benefit his Singapore-based company.

Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 and faced up to 25 years in prison. While awaiting sentencing, he was given home confinement in San Diego to receive medical care. He provided information to U.S. prosecutors that secured the convictions of 33 of 34 defendants.

But with the case nearing its end and his sentencing hearing just weeks away, he cut off his ankle monitor and disappeared across the border into Mexico. Venezuelan authorities say he then went to Cuba and then Venezuela, and was planning to go to Russia when he was apprehended.

In his heyday, the towering man with a wide girth and gregarious personality wielded huge influence as a main point of contact for U.S. Navy ships across Asia. His familys ship servicing business, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd. or GDMA, supplied food, water and fuel to vessels for decades.

He plied officers with Kobe beef, expensive cigars, concert tickets and sex parties at luxury hotels from Thailand to the Philippines. In exchange, commanders went as far as steering their ships, mostly from the Navys 7th Fleet, to ports he controlled so he could cover up as much as $35 million in fake charges.

Its unclear what information, if any, Francis has that could bring further embarrassment to the U.S. Navy. Still, Smilde said he wouldn't be surprised to see Francis pop up in a Venezuelan-government produced confession video hinting that he has more salacious details.

I'm sure the Venezuelans would delight in that, he said.

Neither U.S. nor Venezuelan officials have released details about how Francis spent his time on the run or what he planned to do in Russia, but his travels to three countries in a period of two weeks indicate he had access to money and other help.

Its unclear if Francis had contacts in Russia offering to protect him, and if he did, what they wanted in return. Francis bragged about still holding compromising photos and videos of Navy officials.

What really worried the United States the most was these officers being corrupted by me, that they would be corruptible by the foreign powers, Francis said in an interview with podcaster Tom Wright, who created a nine-part series on the case last year.

Jason Forge, a former federal prosecutor in San Diego involved in high-profile extradition cases out of Mexico, said Francis may try to convince Venezuela that he's got something to offer, but Forge doubts he truly does. Francis, who was put under house arrest after undergoing surgeries, according to court documents, also has been a costly prisoner because of his failing health.

Even assuming he has embarrassing photos and videos of various naval officers, unless theyre of Hunter Biden at one of the parties, I just dont see the U.S. caring," he said, referring to Biden's son.

U.S. officials point out that Venezuela doesnt appear to have stopped Francis on his way into the country and could easily deport him on their own without any judicial proceeding.

Goodman reported from Miami.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  A South Carolina farmer is suing several state agencies in federal court on grounds they conspired to deny him his due process rights after authorities in 2019 destroyed his hemp crop, which was grown in unregistered fields.

In a federal lawsuit filed Sept. 16, John Trenton Pendarvis alleges the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Department of Agriculture and attorney generals office all denied him due process after Department of Agriculture officials discovered unreported hemp crops during a check of his Dorchester County property on July 30, 2019.

According to the lawsuit, Pendarvis filed an amendment application and said that extensive droughts had forced him to move his crops location. However, Derek Underwood, assistant commissioner of the Agriculture Departments Consumer Protection Division, insisted that the farmers oversight was a willful violation of the states hemp farming program, according to emails shared in the complaint. He then began seeking approval to destroy the crop.

The legal mechanism for seeking such approval is unclear, which is where Pendarvis alleges the governments procedure violated his due process rights.

South Carolina has taken a stringent approach to all matters relating to cannabis over the years. The state remains one of a handful where medical marijuana is illegal after a seven-year effort to join about 38 other states in legalizing medical marijuana failed this spring.

Despite this, the state jumped at commercial hemp cultivation a few years ago.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018  a federal bill which was signed into law by President Donald Trump almost four years ago  defined hemp as a cannabis plant containing no more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis, which means it lacks the psychoactive properties of marijuana. Under the new federal law, states could expand commercial hemp cultivation and South Carolina followed suit.

Hemp has a wide variety of applications. It is used to make products like rope, paper and textiles. The seeds can be made into nondairy milk and the oils are used in soaps, among other vegan alternative products. Hemp is also used to make a variety of supplements, including products that contain hemp-derived cannabidoil, or CBD.

Republican Gov. Henry McMaster in March 2019 signed the Hemp Farming Act. Lawmakers found that the plant could potentially serve as a cash crop that would enhance the economic diversity and stability of our states agricultural industry.

Standard regulations still apply. Participating farmers must report their hemp crops coordinates to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and cannot grow plants that exceeds the federal THC limits. Farmers must correct any negligent violations.

Pendarvis, a fourth-generation farmer, was the first person charged with a misdemeanor crime under the states hemp farming program.

Top legal officials criticized the 2019 laws unclear enforcement mechanisms in emails detailed in the complaint. South Carolina Solicitor General Bob Cook said that the statute is ultra murky and gives no direction whatever to law enforcement." Without clarity, the state attorney generals office advised that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division seek judicial authorization to ensure Pendarvis receives due process.

But according to the complaint, officials didn't follow through.

After failing to get a local judge to sign their seizure and destruction order, SLED agents  without detailing their intent to destroy the crop  obtained an arrest warrant for Pendarvis from another magistrate. Emails shared in the complaint show that agents took this action despite the original judge offering to hold a hearing in the matter, which SLED's general counsel Adam Whitsett declined. Officials in the attorney general's office then amended their guidance to agree with SLED's conclusion that the hemp farming participation agreement  which allows the destruction of crops growing in an unlicensed area  amounted to the valid consent necessary to pursue their plan.

Pat McLaughlin, Pendarvis' attorney, told the Associated Press that nowhere in the agreement do farmers waive their right to challenge such findings.

SLED agents destroyed the hemp crop that same day. Pendarvis alleges that seven requests to call his lawyer were not granted by the agents, who told him the Department of Agriculture was lined up with everything were here for.

In an emailed statement to the AP, South Carolina Attorney Generals Office Communications Director Robert Kittle said the lawsuit lacks merit. A SLED spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment while litigation pends.

The Department of Agriculture pointed to a 2019 statement where the department said it is required to report violations to law enforcement, who decide whether to take action. The statement also reiterated SCDAs enthusiasm for the hemp farming program.

McLaughlin said law enforcement officials never explained the consequences to Pendarvis until they arrived over six weeks after the initial discovery to destroy the crop.

They want the benefit of the doubt in this but they didnt give any of it to the farmer, McLaughlin said.

-

James Pollard 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.

-

Correction: An earlier version of this story used the wrong first name for South Carolina Solicitor General Bob Cook.
HOLDENVILLE, Okla. (AP)  Working as a prison guard in Oklahoma is becoming an ever more dangerous job as the state, with one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States, struggles with violence and understaffing at detention facilities. Long hours, dangerous conditions and remote, rural locations have meant fewer guards and a system plagued with increased killings and violence.

Three inmates were killed in separate incidents this year at the same private prison in rural, east-central Oklahoma where a correctional officer was fatally stabbed by an inmate over the summer, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Davis Correctional Facility, a 1,700-bed mens prison in Holdenville operated by Tennessee-based private prison operator CoreCivic, has been operating at only about 70% of its contractually obligated staffing level, according to a 2021 audit of the facility provided to the AP after an open-records request.

Alan Jay Hershberger, a 61-year-old veteran correctional officer from Missouri who previously worked at a CoreCivic facility in Kansas, was traveling to Oklahoma to work at the prison for six-week stints at a time, according to his family. On July 31, Hershberger was supervising about 30 inmates in a recreation yard at the prison when 49-year-old inmate Gregory Thompson walked past him, pulled a 16-inch, homemade knife from his waistband and plunged it into Hershbergers back, according to an affidavit from Oklahoma Department of Corrections investigator J. Dale Hunter.

The victim immediately grabbed his side and quickly walked out of the A Unit South door toward a second correctional officer ... and collapsed, Hunter wrote. The defendant followed behind the victim and began shouting, On the set and On the Crips, prison slang indicating the action is the responsibility of the Crips prison gang of which the defendant is a validated member.

Thompson, who is serving a no-parole life sentence for a 2003 murder conviction, has gang affiliation and a history of prison violence, including a 2010 first-degree manslaughter conviction in a case in which Thompson stabbed another inmate to death in 2009 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Despite his history, Thompson was held among the general population at Davis Correctional Facility, according to the DOC.

He should not have been in general (population), knowing how violent he was and his history, said Jessica Scott, a correctional officer who worked with Hershberger during a six-week stint at Davis. Administrative segregation is where he should have been.

Scott, who has worked at two other CoreCivic prisons in Kansas and Tennessee, said the facility at Holdenville had more problems maintaining appropriate staffing levels, cell doors that didnt lock properly and inmates who were particularly violent and noncompliant toward staff.

It was by far the worst, said Scott, who now works at a state prison in Kansas. Theres a reason Im not there anymore.

Thompson has been charged with first-degree murder in Hughes County. His public defenders declined to comment on the case.

CoreCivic did not respond directly to questions about Thompsons offender-level status or its staffing ratio at the time of the killing, but acknowledged the company is taking steps to improve staffing levels.

CoreCivic is committed to the health and safety of our employees, the individuals in our care and our communities, CoreCivic spokesman Matthew Davio said in a statement. Were also committed to attracting and retaining qualified, professional staff at Davis. However, both public and private correctional facilities have faced staffing challenges across the country.

Davio said the company used additional funding this year from the Oklahoma Legislature to increase pay for officers at the facility and also has advertised for openings and launched recruiting efforts at military bases and local colleges. A billboard along a highway near the prison, located 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Oklahoma City, advertises starting pay at $22.10 per hour.

Still, another inmate was killed at the prison earlier this month, the third this year, according to the DOC. Correctional officers watched as 32-year-old Darren Padron strangled his cellmate, 27-year-old Dustin Patterson as he pleaded for his life, according to an affidavit from a DOC investigator.

Correctional officers reported they witnessed Darren R. Padron attack Patterson with various strangulation techniques including a lateral neck restraint, pushing his elbow into Pattersons throat as he lay prone, and utilizing Pattersons shirt as a ligature, the affidavit states.

The officers told DOC investigators that Padron refused to comply with verbal directives and continued to strangle Patterson even after multiple deployments of pepper spray.

Padron also has been charged with first-degree murder. Court records dont indicate the name of an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Prison records show both Thompson and Padron have been moved to the maximum-security Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

CoreCivic, formerly the Corrections Corporation of America, has a long history of problems with inmate violence at its prisons. In one of the deadliest prison attacks in Oklahoma history, four inmates were stabbed to death in 2015 at a prison operated by CCA. Those attacks followed a violent outburst a few months earlier in which some 200 to 300 of the prisons roughly 1,600 inmates were involved in a brawl that resulted in 11 prisoners being taken to the hospital.

Just last month, the private prison company agreed to settle a federal lawsuit over a Tennessee inmates killing in which low staffing levels were blamed.

While some of it is simply the nature of the work, prisons are now also competing against oil field jobs that pay better. The Legislature approved a pay raise for prison guards this year to help combat hiring challenges, boosting recruits in a hopeful sign of improvement.

Private facilities are not alone in their struggle to decrease violence and hire and retain staff. Oklahoma has long had one of the highest average annual homicide rates among all the state prison systems in the country from 2001 to 2019, with 14 homicides per 100,000 inmates during that time. South Carolina topped it only slightly with 15 homicides per 100,000 inmates, according to a 2021 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Bobby Cleveland, a former state lawmaker and director of an association that represents prison workers in Oklahoma, said understaffing at both private and public prisons has indeed led to more violence.

He suggested gradually reducing private prisons.

Theyre constantly going on lockdown because of staff shortages. Youve got more drugs coming in, you get more phones coming in. And what happens is you get inmates fighting over the contraband and who controls it, he said, adding When youre short staffed, youre going to have more problems.

Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy
A final, more detailed analysis of damage to the Custer Gallatin National Forest caused by this years flooding is pegged at $38.5 million, the agency announced Friday.

It will take several years to bring recovery back to the forest, said Mariah Leuschen-Lonergan, a public affairs officer for the forest.

Damage has been documented at 150 sites across the forest, including 66 along roads, 26 road bridges, 13 recreation sites, 25 trail sites and 12 trail bridges.

The forest was initially awarded $5.7 million in ERFO funds by the Federal Highway Administration designated only for Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads.

Upon submitting the request for the initial $5.7 million in emergency funding, we knew this only accounted for a portion of the damage needs (approximately 25%) for our transportation infrastructure, said Mary Erickson, Custer Gallatin Forest supervisor, in a statement.

Not covered by the federal highway dollars, the Forest Service has identified 88 recreation sites, trails, roads, bridges, and watershed repairs at a price estimated at more than $10 million.

These facilities and repair needs serve the public and permittees, including outfitters and guides, campground concessionaries, organization camps, recreation residence holders, range permittees, local communities, and the local tourism industry, the Forest Service said.

Finding money for the work will require the agency to request internal Disaster Relief Supplement funds, as well as seeking partnerships with other groups.

Underway

In the meantime, the Chicken Creek Bridge on the West Rosebud Creek has been repaired to allow recreation access to the popular Mystic Lake Trail, re-opening the route to the public.

On the Main Fork Rock Creek, south of Red Lodge, a contract has been awarded for repairs to the bridge across Rock Creek at the Parkside Campground, as well as work to reroute Wyoming Creek after it jumped its banks and flooded the campground and road.

Along the popular Beartooth Highway  which also suffered extensive damage that was repaired in a separate construction contract negotiated by the Montana Department of Transportation  Greenough, Limberpine and M-K campgrounds were closed the entire summer and Parkside was open on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parts of the two roads to the Glacier Lake and Hellroaring Plateau trailheads, which are across from the campgrounds, are covered with downed trees and rocks. Leuschen-Lonergan said work on those roads is dependent on weather, which could push it back to next year.

Repairs to Mill Creek, in the Paradise Valley, and the Taylor Fork, south of Big Sky in the Gallatin Canyon, are also scheduled for October.

Just outside of Red Lodge, up the West Fork Rock Creek, the Forest Service hopes to have a contract let soon to repair a bridge and washed out areas of the road. That route is a popular cross-country ski trail in the winter and provides access to the Quinnebaugh Meadows Trailhead for summer hikers.

In the works

Still in the design phase is a temporary road to East Rosebud Lake, with the possibility of a contract for construction coming sometime next year.

Weve completed the aerial topographic surveys, which allows us to evaluate a route for a temporary road, Leuschen-Lonergan said. She added the damaged road is so littered with rocks and debris that using it even for a temporary road seems unlikely.

The lake is one of the few places on the forest where cabin owners have had their only access route cut off following the flooding. The historic mid-June deluge destroyed about 3 miles of the road into the cabins, as well as blocking access to three popular trailheads. Vehicles stranded by the flood at East Rosebud Lake were flown out by helicopter this summer in a deal negotiated by cabin owners.

Despite the widespread damage, the Custer Gallatin National Forest hosted about 20 displaced outfitters and guides, permitted for work in Yellowstone National Park and by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, to help them maintain their businesses through the summer.
Indias Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board participated in the recently concluded OTM 2022 in Mumbai, showcasing the sustainable tourism of the state of Madhya Pradesh (MP), which enables socio-economic development for a complete tourism experience.



The Principal Secretary Tourism & Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB), Sheo Shekhar Shukla, said: Madhya Pradesh has a lot to offer to every traveller. A good number of tourists visit nature centric pollution free destinations and get themselves rejuvenated and relaxed. Our state also offers Yoga, Meditation, Panchkarma & Spa centres. Madhya Pradesh, the heart of incredible India, embodies a blend of architectural grandeurs, pristine and unexplored destinations and cultural values. It is indeed a one stop destination for both national and international tourists. The state is endowed with a rich heritage and is known for numerous monuments, palaces, fortresses, stupas, diverse wildlife, beautifully engraved temples and hill stations.



We have played an active role in shaping the tourism sector to welcome our guests. Participation in this expo will definitely connect us with prominent tour operators and travel agents and help us to showcase the tremendous tourism potential in Madhya Pradesh. This event will definitely help us to achieve our goals of increasing footfalls to the State, he added.



MPTB is working strategically towards getting more domestic and international tourists, promoting new travel circuits in different segments to the tourist exploring history, heritage, culture, adventure, wildlife, spiritual, rural & wellness destinations, food and arts & crafts.



Madhya Pradesh is a versatile state having variety of tourism products, we have activity filled tourist destinations, wildlife safaris, rural, natural scenic beauty, adventure activities, camping, water sports, cuisines, heritage, tribal culture, handicrafts, wellness and mindful tourism and many more things to explore and experience. We have adopted sustainable and responsible tourism practices in the state in a big way.



We are into promotion of Homestays, Gramstays and Farmstays as a safe and culturally rich stay option for the guests to experience the rich rural culture, food and traditions of the State and have healthy non polluted tourism. We have also created itineraries for our source markets to promote Destination Madhya Pradesh, he added.



Madhya Pradesh has become the hub of film shooting now and a good number of filmmakers are coming to Madhya Pradesh to shoot their films. Government is promoting film tourism in a big way by providing subsidies and all permissions and clearances through single window online system.



Madhya Pradesh offers an assortment of attractions to everyone who loves to travel. It is the state with the forest area of 77,700 sq km filled with Sal Trees, Bamboos and mixed forest. It has numerous wildlife hotspots with 11 National Parks & 24 Wildlife Sanctuaries.



The UNESCO world heritage sites of Khajuraho, Bhimbetka & Sanchi are the iconic sites in in the state. Madhya Pradesh being the Tiger State of the India also gained the tag of The Leopard State and the Ghadiyal State of the country.



Madhya Pradesh is not only home to two Jyotirlingas Omkareshwar and Mahakaleshwar. Burhanpur and Bhopal exhibit the Mughal Architecture. Gwalior and Mandu are the some of the beautiful architectural sites, whereas Indira Sagar, Gandhi Sagar, Tawa and Bargi are the spellbinding water bodies. Cultural events like Khajuraho Dance festival, Tansen Festival and Allauddin Music fest are among the major events that grab attention of large number of tourists every year.



The State also has an annual event calendar which help tourists in planning their trips to Madhya Pradesh throughout the year.  TradeArabia News Service
The first crop of pheasants reared at Montana State Prison were released this week on wildlife management areas across the state ahead of the weekend youth hunt.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Adam Grove arrived at Lake Helena Wildlife Management area Friday morning to release about 45 birds. As he flipped crates, both roosters and hens flushed from their confines and flew out across the grass and cattails. Grove planned to release another 135 at Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area that afternoon.

FWP spokesman Greg Lemon said Friday the agency has seen some added excitement at youth hunting kickoff events around the state. The releases are aimed at recruiting new hunters rather than establishing or bolstering pheasant populations.

Although only male pheasants may be shot by hunters, hens were included in the releases.

The purpose of those birds is to release them and in reality, there is going to be a percentage of chicks that are hens, Lemon said.

Youth bird hunting weekend Montanas youth pheasant and waterfowl weekend runs Sept. 24 and 25. Licensed hunters, age 15 and under, will be able to hunt pheasants, ducks, mergansers, geese and coots statewide on these two days. The two-day youth hunt is open to: Legally licensed 12-15 year olds who have completed hunter education and who are accompanied by a non-hunting adult at least 18 years of age; and properly certified and legally licensed apprentice hunters 10-15 years of age who are accompanied by a non-hunting adult "mentor" at least 21 years of age. Pheasant release sites North Shore WMA

Canyon Ferry WMA

Lake Helena WMA

Freezout Lake WMA

Grant Marsh WMA

Yellowstone WMA

Vandalia WMA

Cree Crossing WMA

Sleeping Buffalo WMA

Fresno WMA

Rookery WMA

Isaac Homestead WMA

Fridays release was the culmination of a nearly 18-month at times controversial process that started at the Legislature last year. House Bill 637, a wide-ranging wildlife management bill, included an appropriation of $1 million toward a new state pheasant rearing and release program. With a mix of federal and state wildlife dollars, the program is housed at the state prison and operated by inmates, with a goal of producing up to 50,000 birds annually.

Last month, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission authorized the program for the next five years with the stipulation that FWP provide annual reports on spending and hunter satisfaction.

The goal though for this program is to recruit youth hunters to harvest birds and provide more opportunities, Deb ONeill, special projects director for FWP, told the commission. We do know a bird in hand will inspire hunters to continue hunting.

Officials with the prisons work program, Montana Correctional Enterprises, have lauded the pheasant rearing program after the prison lost a major contract for its inmate-run dairy. The loss of a $1.5 million contract with Darigold resulted in a major reduction of the prisons dairy cow herd and loss of inmate jobs.

Development of the pheasant rearing program has helped to fill that void, officials say.

Its really helped backfill the loss of the dairy program, Gayle Butler, Montana Correctional Enterprises administrator said in a previous interview. It keeps inmates trained, educated and working, and even if they dont plan to raise pheasants when theyre released, those are important job skills.

But a number of conservation groups and some state lawmakers have slammed the releases as returning to a long-abandoned policy. The state once ran a number of pheasant-rearing facilities, but shuttered those operations in 1982 in favor of focusing on habitat for wild birds.

Criticism includes fiscal, ethical and biological concerns, arguing that given the low survivability of pen-raised pheasants, $1 million would be better spent on habitat.

Its wishful thinking to put thousands of birds on the landscape and somehow sort of magically turn these teenage girls and boys into hunters, Thomas Baumeister, a former FWP employee who now volunteers with Montana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, told the commission. It sounds good, it feels good, folks it doesnt work. It takes a lot more to recruit hunters and retain hunters.

Groups also raised concerns about disease after an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza earlier this year.

FWP and the Montana Department of Corrections said biosecurity measures such as testing would minimize the potential for disease spread.

FWP is also proposing legislation to redirect some funding from a separate program for bird habitat.
Jim Markel Sr. thinks everyone should take a trip to Vietnam. The food is so good that he gained weight while he was there. And the beaches are just fantastic.

Theyre really getting tourist oriented over there, he said. Ive talked to people who have been on a cruise to Vietnam.

Markel Sr. was last in Vietnam in 2018. But it took him a long time to get there.

Markel Sr. served two tours in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The first was 18 months in 1964-1965, as a Private in the Army. He returned as part of the Army Special Forces, the Green Berets, in 1969-1970.

He volunteered to go. And volunteered to go back.

It just didnt seem like the job was finished, Markel Sr. said.

After he returned Stateside in 1970, he never went back. He was suffering from PTSD, though he wasnt even aware that the term existed at the time.

"For years afterwards," he remembered, "I was miserable."

He spent more time in the Army, and eventually wound up in the Marine Corps, which sent him to Billings in 1985.

So much of the war in Vietnam was unfinished. Markel Sr. became yet another in a long list of folks irreparably hurt by Americas involvement in Vietnam, who had never been given a chance to heal.

This trip was an attempt to do that. For Markel Sr. to not just heal himself, but his family, too. He brought along his son, Jim Markel Jr. And lucky for everyone else, they brought along cameras to capture it.

The Markels trip back to Vietnam is the premise behind Return, a new documentary made by Billings-based filmmakers Pete Tolton, who directed, and Stan Parker, who produced. Return makes its world premiere, a special home-town sneak peek on Saturday evening at the Babcock Theatre.

The film has been in development for years, long before plane tickets were bought or travel plans were set. The first tentative interviews started six years ago.

Stan and I have been friends with Jim Jr. for a while, and wed always talked about doing a trip together, said Tolton. The trio had worked together on some marketing for Red Oxx, the Billings luggage company Markel Jr. owns.

Ive always been interested in film, said Markel Jr. In addition to the Red Oxx work, hed worked with Tolton and Parker on Makoshika, a 2016 documentary about the Bakken oil boom directed by Jessica Jane Hart that Tolton and Parker also had credits on.

We just hit it off, Markel Jr. explained. We worked well together. The three of us, he paused. Well, four of us now.

The Markels had always talked about doing a trip to Vietnam. Markel Jr., who also served in the armed forces, had been overseas but never to the country his father served in.

It was just the right time, Markel Sr. said.

They spent 21 days in Vietnam filming.

When I first got off the airplane, Markel Sr. remembered, the smell, the heat, the people, it all hit me at once. I was back. It was just like that.

He was uneasy, and considered turning right back around and getting back on the airplane.

But then we got greeted by a really nice guy, he said. And we had a guide and a driver. It was fantastic.

They managed to visit every place that Markel Sr. had served during his time in the country.

They havent changed, Markel Sr. said about the spots that they stopped at.

He also immediately picked back up Vietnamese, a language he hadnt used in 45 years.

It just came back, Markel Sr. said. It was unreal.

That was really cool to see, added Tolton, the director.

The whole documentary shoot was very loose. They had no permits, had asked no permissions from the Vietnamese government.

It was quick and dirty, said Markel Jr.

We shot on mirrorless cameras, Tolton said. Little ones, so we could pretend we were tourists.

Theres still some distrust with the Vietnamese government. But none with the Vietnamese people.

But the big thing that everyone involved in the documentary was amazed at were the Vietnamese people.

This documentary is about the people, Markel Sr. said. He was particularly concerned about the South Vietnamese who had fought with the Americans during the war.

They went through a lot after the war, he said. We were supposed to get them out. But we didnt.

Getting to see what had happened in the country after hed left was very emotional for Markel Sr.

I get uptight just thinking about it, he said.

That emotion is all over Return. Because this isnt just Markel Sr.s story. Its Markel Jr.s, as well.

This experience made [my father] who he is, Markel Jr. said. Our interactions are influenced by that.

Markel Jr. was born in a foreign country. He was raised on military bases throughout the world.

That puts stress on a family, he said. So you move on, learn to operate as an island.

This process of returning to Vietnam and getting to spend time together and frankly talk about their relationship, it helped bridge that island.

In Vietnam, the place that caused so many wounds in his psyche, Markel Sr. finally found closure.

Id recommend it for anyone who has PTSD, he said. If you face the situation, you can find healing. I found it to be a healing experience.

Letting cameras into that healing took a lot of trust. This was so personal, so intimate. The Markels had to be okay with being filmed as they reached these revelations.

Its one thing to say youre a filmmaker, Markel Jr. said, but its another to tell someones story and have their trust. Its a big responsibility. And you only get one chance at it. I had my own relationship with Pete and Stan that I value greatly. They were able to extend that relationship around my father, as well, and tell his story.

I only want to take 25% credit for this film, Markel Sr. added. The other 75% goes to [Tolton and Parker].

After a while, Markel Sr. said, he stopped even noticing that the cameras were there. The moment was big enough to brush off any distractions.

And the story needed to be told.

I want to help someone else, Markel Sr. said. I cant relate to Iraq and Afghanistan, but I can tell them what I faced. And how Ive overcome. It never goes away. But it helps.
With the foundation of a wide-ranging community meeting two weeks ago in place, a newly formed group went to work Friday on trying to combat the frightening spike in fentanyl overdoes in Butte-Silver Bow County.

The community action team identified some immediate ways alarming people  especially kids, teenagers and young adults  that it only takes one pill to kill, and will start crafting on a more comprehensive shock campaign to follow.

About a dozen team members discussed other needed steps to fight the fentanyl epidemic locally, including longer-term education efforts in schools and potential opiate treatment options for addicts who are jailed.

But there was consensus in the group that some things need to be done now, not later, and there is no time for niceties in the messaging.

We cant be kind about this, said Leo McCarthy, who has led a campaign to curb underage drinking since his 14-year-old daughter Mariah was killed by an underage drunk driver in Butte in 2007. We need to be in their faces about this.

Bill McGladdery, director of the Town Pump Charitable Foundation, said it was prepared to offer logistical and monetary support for a public awareness campaign.

There are some national efforts already underway, he noted, including a one pill can kill social media campaign by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. There are materials about fentanyl in some schools in Oregon.

He and others said those efforts should be tailored locally and be done quickly.

This is one that unfortunately we cant drag out several months trying to figure out what we want to do, McGladdery said.

J.P. Gallagher, Butte-Silver Bows chief executive, formed the community action team on fentanyl a few weeks ago after talking with Father Patrick Beretta, parish priest at St. Patrick and Immaculate Conception churches.

Beretta had presided over recent funerals for three young men who died because of accidental fentanyl overdoses and he wanted to contribute to a solution.

The team includes Sheriff Ed Lester, local health officials, school administrators, medical professionals and others, and in some ways replicates a group organized in early 2014 after a rash of teen suicides in Butte.

That effort did not end teen suicides but it reduced the number of those tragedies and many of its elements are still in place, especially in Buttes schools.

The group held a community meeting two weeks ago that drew a packed house of concerned citizens and those suggesting solutions. Fridays meeting was much smaller and was meant to spur action on what Gallagher called a new plague.

Beretta said Friday that besides a shock campaign aimed primarily at teenagers and young adults in their 20s, parents need to be partners in protecting their children from fentanyl and other drugs.

We need the support of an entire community to empower parents, educate parents, on how how do you talk to your children? Beretta said. There are some experts who can tell you how to communicate about drugs.

At his daughters funeral in 2007, McCarthy challenged people in Butte to change the culture that accepts underage drinking and brushes aside drinking and driving. It grew into Mariahs Challenge, a program that provides scholarships to high school students who pledge to steer clear of drugs and underage drinking.

The program has grown, has a website and McCarthy and others visit schools and other venues to spread their message.

McCarthy told the action team Friday that he would help spread the message about fentanyl through Mariahs Challenge. He also said the campaign indeed needed shock because people are dying from fentanyl.

When I present, I show a picture of Mariah on the gurney and I leave it up there, he said. That is the biggest shock value in my presentation, and if they didnt think or hear or remember what I said, that image is in their mind.

If there was a parent willing to talk about losing their son or daughter to a fentanyl overdose, he said, it could help. Beretta told him he already knew two parents who would.

The group plans to meet every two weeks and their first task is to formulate an orchestrated, collaborative campaign. But they agreed to take some immediate steps.

Ron Davis, who owns several radio stations in Butte, said he would start relaying the message on the air next week. Information could be distributed at upcoming open houses at schools and links to national campaigns will be shared.

Getting the message out cant wait, Davis said.

I think if we wait for a full campaign, were going to lose more lives, he said.
The Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department at Montana Technological University is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a variety of events starting Sunday.

Some highlights of the week ahead include a bladesmithing workshop Tuesday and Wednesday, and a technical symposium with a variety of speakers from the mining and materials sciences industries.

In addition, a representative from Nucor, a steel and steel products company thats been a supporter of the department, will be a keynote speaker at the symposium Thursday and plans to make a momentous announcement, said Jerry Downey, head of the department and campus director of the Material Sciences Ph.D. program.

The department has a lot to be proud of, Downey said, including being on the cutting edge of research in the field and having a 100% job-placement rate for its students.

Our graduates have gone on to enjoy extremely lucrative and productive careers, he said.

Downey completed his bachelors degree at Montana Tech, and has been on the faculty for 17 years. Hes been the head of the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering department for four years.

The department has evolved over the years, but has managed to keep some of its roots. For example, the department has a few new pieces of equipment, including a 15-kilowatt Induction Plasmosis, but it also a has a couple pieces of equipment Downey said he used when he was getting his bachelors, such as a Jaw Crusher, which reduces the size of large rocks or other material via compression.

"It's very robust equipment," he said. "So it's stood the test of time, obviously."

He also said the department is working on a couple different research projects with the United States Army Research Laboratory. One looks at aspects of materials that would be of benefit to the Army, specifically to the warfighters.

For example, this might include looking at the synthesis of a chemical compound like tungsten carbide or carbide ceramics and how this can be applied to soldiers in the field, he said.

Another project in the very early stages is looking at new and improved ways to recover rare-earth elements from natural and secondary sources, which could be critical for both civilian and military purposes, he said.

Downey said that since the departments inception in 1922, its graduated 1,300 students, which make up 12% of all bachelors degrees and 30% of all masters degrees at Montana Tech. He said its important to note that although the program typically graduates between 10 and 20 students a year, it has the capacity to hold four to five times more students.

Right now, the metallurgical and material sciences department is working on several different outreach programs, including inviting high school teachers to a week-long summer camp, and visiting high schools across the state starting in October to get the word out about the program.

The department has been involved in Upward Bound for years, he said, a program where local would-be first generation college students visit the campus and can learn about different areas of study.

In June 2023, the department is planning to hold a summer camp for prospective students.

So we would invite students from throughout the state that are interested in STEM education to come and spend a week with us, Downey said. And well have some hands-on experiential learning activities, as well as some field trips and other fun things for them to do while theyre here."

The Ph.D. program, which was established in 2013, was Montana Techs first doctorate program. Downey said the program has graduated 12 students, and has 13 more in the program now.

Although the program is small, Downey said its size has its advantages. For one, he said, the faculty is able to be on a first-name basis with each candidate and maintain an open door policy to be available when they need help.

Grant Wallace, who received both his masters degree in metallurgical engineering and mineral processing and Ph.D. in materials sciences from the university, said the community within the department is one thing special about the program.

Wallace is now a research associate with the department and teaches some undergrad classes. He originally came to Butte from Kentucky to earn a masters degree, but said faculty within the department eventually convinced him to pursue his doctorate. Now, he sees his future being in academia, which he didnt before.

He credits the size and structure of the Ph.D. program with helping to interest and prepare him for a career in education.

Its a small department where everyone is involved in teaching and research, Wallace said. He said that at other schools, grad students may not always get educational experience, and that Montana Tech is more unique because of the size and ability to work with the undergraduate student body.

Working here with students in sort of an advisory role prepared me for a future in academia, which is where I see myself going, he said.
POPLAR  The Fort Peck Cultural Resource Department on Friday brought museum items out for the public to view up close and touch in its first Live Museum Event.

The event included a dry meat soup cook-off, a pop-up museum show and a parade. In the pop-up museum, cultural items from the 1830s to the early 1900s were displayed under a tent near the powwow grounds in Poplar. Not every item in the museum collection was displayed in the pop-up, as some are fragile and not appropriate for public handling. The Cultural Resource Department recently repatriated many of the items from the University of Montana.

People ate soup and drank tea as they admired the headdresses, tools, beaded pouches, saddle bags, beaded cradleboards and a painted drum.

Freedom Crawford took Snapchat photos of the items as he walked through the tent.

This shows that we were the original occupants of this land, he said of the event. Our grandmothers and grandfathers sacrificed their lives for us to exist today. This is our way of honoring them. And this is how we teach our children about them.  We show these things to our children so that one day they will pass it down to theirs. Hollywood and textbooks get our history wrong. This is our history. This is the real history.

As Terry Martinez strolled through the pop-up museum, he bent down to look closely at the tools.

These artifacts, they belong here, he said. It feels good to see them. You dont see these items every day. These are reminders of our relatives.

Albert Foot Sr. sipped his soup as he admired a saddle bag.

See this quill work? he said as he touched red porcupine quill details on a saddle bag. Our relatives gave their lives to this.

The Cultural Resource Department had wanted to bring the items out for a parade, but some light rain changed their plans. Instead, many of the objects stayed under the pop-up museum tent, and the parade proceeded under the nearby arbor.

Army veteran Lance Four Star led the parade holding an eagle staff. More veterans followed. Women held story blankets, and children in regalia danced as they marched. Painted horses wore masks on their faces and one donned a beaded cradleboard draped over the saddle.

Its called a Live Museum Event because we are revisiting items, said Johnnie Huerta, Fort Peck Tribal Museum coordinator. We are awakening a memory. Were showing the community were still here. Were alive, and we will not be put away in a box.

Huerta said the tribes sovereignty made the event possible.

Because we are sovereign, I can take something out of its case and show it to my cousin and say, Hey, look at this. Its part of your family, she said. But if this museum were in Missoula, and you asked a worker Hey, can I touch this? Its my grandmas, you just wont get that opportunity. Our sovereignty gives us freedom to interact and handle our own items how we wish.

Four Star smudged Cultural Resource Department staff prior to the event.

Thats the washing, said Dyan Youpee, director of the Fort Peck Cultural Resource Department, who organized the event. Thats the prep we do. We dont wash our hands with water and soap before this. We arent going to do this wearing gloves. We are doing this our way.

Huerta said she hoped the parade would inspire people to bring cultural items out of their own personal collections.

For our community to see these items out, its a healing process, Huerta said. Were a living culture, so people may see these items and think, Oh, grandma has a dress like that! Maybe she should take that dress out. These items, they arent meant to be put away. If kids and grandkids see them put away, they see that we arent embracing our identity.

As Doreen Martell watched the parade pass under the arbor, she wished she had brought her blanket for display.

My grandma made it for me, she said. It wouldve been perfect for this.

Martell smiled as children, wearing regalia, marched past.

This is good, she said This is really good.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  President Andrzej Duda of Poland on Friday awarded the country's top civilian honor to a communist-era pro-democracy fighter who recently was accused in the media of manipulating evidence while investigating a presidential plane crash in Russia that killed 96 prominent Poles.

Duda said he awarded The Order of the White Eagle to Antoni Macierewicz, 74, for his contribution to Poland's sovereignty and democratic changes, and for his service to the country.

In the 1970s Macierewicz co-founded a dissident organization, the Workers' Defense Committee, or KOR, that laid foundations for the nationwide Solidarity movement that in 1989 toppled communist rule in Poland. Macierewicz was repeatedly incarcerated for his activities.

The small ceremony where Duda awarded him the distinction took place 46 years since KOR's founding. Two other co-founders, Miroslaw Chojecki and Piotr Naimski, also received the honor.

Macierewicz went on to serve as defense minister during 2015-2018 and is a close associate of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of Poland's governing Law and Justice party.

He was appointed head of a special government commission investigating the 2010 crash that killed Kaczynski's twin, then-President Lech Kaczynski, and 95 other Poles.

Macierewicz has insisted the presidential plane crash was an assassination planned in Moscow. A recent report by Polish news channel TVN24 alleged that Macierewicz and his commission manipulated and hid evidence that did not support the assassination theory.

Earlier, a professional commission for aviation incidents said the crash in adverse conditions resulted from errors by the crew and the control tower at Russia's Smolensk airport.

Many government critics said Friday that the young Macierewicz merited the award for his courage in opposing the communist regime but that his later activity made him an inappropriate recipient now.

The leader of the opposition Polish People's Party, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said it was an incredible scandal that the The Order of the White Eagle went to a man whose main achievement is sowing hatred and lies.
Energy minister Gwede Mantashe has suggested a strong correlation between South Africas constant rotational power cuts and the global energy crisis.

This is despite the worldwide energy crisis starting towards the end of 2021, where load-shedding has been a problem in South Africa since 2007.

He compared the energy crisis in South Africa to the constraints experienced in the EU since Russias invasion of Ukraine, even though this only happened on 24 February 2022.

The US, UK, and EU placed sanctions on Russia following the invasion, and it responded by restricting gas supplies to countries like Germany.

According to S&P Global, the constraints experienced could persist for years.

When you explain the [energy] crisis to society, South Africans see themselves as an island. The energy crisis is a global phenomenon. South Africans dont accept that, Mantashe told eNCA reporters.

They think its a South African crisis.

However, it is illogical to correlate load-shedding in South Africa with the global energy crisis. Eskoms rotational power cuts were an issue long before Russia invaded Ukraine.

South Africas load-shedding is the result of ongoing corruption, theft, poor maintenance, incompetence, and sabotage.

In April 2022, Eskoms current CEO Andre de Ruyter revealed that the power utility had to write off R1.3 billion in spare parts at the Tutuka power station because they couldnt be tracked down.

He also said the power utility was aware of continued collusion between maintenance contractors and coal suppliers to sabotage its generation equipment.

Theft of spare parts means Eskom has to spend more money and often delays maintenance as it doesnt have the spares on hand.

We are also aware of collusion taking place between people with maintenance contracts, maintenance management, and coal suppliers in order to, for example, disrupt the operation of mills by adding very hard objects to the supply of coal into a mill, he added.

While De Ruyter essentially took over a sinking ship, he has also failed to keep his promise of ending load-shedding by September 2021.

Load-shedding from 2007 to 2021

Rotational power cuts were first implemented in South Africa in 2007 when Eskom shed 176GWh of energy, according to CSIR data.

Eskom ramped up load-shedding significantly in 2008. However, these levels are almost negligible compared to the power cuts South Africa has experienced since 2019.

Eskom shed 476GWh of power in 2008, with South Africans having a reprieve from its rotational power cuts between 2009 and 2013.

Load-shedding picked up again in 2014 when Eskom shed 203GWh of power.

In 2015 South Africas rotational power cuts reached levels close to what South Africa has experienced over the past three years, with Eskom shedding over 1,300GWh of energy.

South Africa again had a reprieve from Eskom power cuts in 2016 and 2017, and the power utility only shed 192GWh of power in 2018.

However, things kicked up a notch from 2019 onwards, with Eskom shedding 1,352GWh, 1,798GWh, and 2,455GWh in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively.

The CSIRs data for the energy Eskom shed between 2007 and 2021 are summarised in the table below.
Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Dive into hometown history With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
A bill addressing how to handle up to 400,000 wild pigs that are roaming across California has been signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Senate Bill 856, authored by state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, will loosen regulations and lower hunting fees for killing the wild pigs, which have been found in 56 of the state's 58 counties, excepting only San Francisco and Alpine counties.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register.

The bill passed without any votes in opposition in both the state Senate and Assembly and was sent in late August to the governor. SB 856 allows someone to kill an unlimited number of wild pigs as well as prohibiting someone from intentionally releasing a pig to live in the wild, among other changes in state law.

Newsom approved the bill Thursday, the same day that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the state's Fish and Game Commission held an online forum on the issue of wild pigs and possible solutions to mitigate the damage and danger they pose around the state.

The growing number of the pigs isn't just a California problem  they were found in 544 counties nationwide 40 years ago, but are in 1,915 counties as of 2020, said Ari Cornman, wildlife advisor for the Fish and Game Commission.

Their numbers have grown quickly because the pigs reproduce quickly and are "incredibly intelligent," Cornman said. The animals are nocturnal, can find ways to elude control methods, and they also "eat just about anything and live in just about any habitat," he said.

Eric Sklar, a member of the state's Fish and Game Commission, described the wild pigs as "a complicated problem and the solutions are complicated."

Despite provisions of SB 856 that will make it easier to hunt wild pigs in California, including allowing the use of artificial lights to hunt them at night, Roger Baldwin, a professor at UC Davis specializing in human-wildlife conflict, said some other states don't allow wild pig hunting at all, finding that the pig numbers grew and popped up in new places because people were transporting the animals around for hunting opportunities.

Other states use methods banned in California, such as "aerial control," allowed in Texas, in which crews go up in helicopters and shoot the wild pigs from above, said Dennis Orthmeyer, state director with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services.

Orthmeyer said he had seen an instance of 2,600 wild pigs being removed from a Texas property in a week, but the practice of aerial control of a game mammal is outlawed in California.

The state's ongoing drought is also exacerbating the problem by causing the pigs to go into more urban areas to find water and food, according to Chris Lopez, a member of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and of the Rural County Representatives of California.

"The drought is pushing the pigs out of the hills down toward human life," Lopez said. "They're more willing to interact with humans or at least get close."
Visitor registration is now open for IBTM World 2022, which will take place at Fira, Barcelona, from November 29 to December 1, with the worlds leading buyers and suppliers expected to be in attendance.

The flagship Barcelona show, which will focus on culture creation as its theme, has confirmed several of the worlds best-known destinations and suppliers, including several who are returning to the event for the first time since the pandemic.

Brazil will return to the event after a three-year hiatus, with a 160 per cent increase in stand space compared to 2018 when they last participated at IBTM World. In addition, Distant Frontiers, one of Indias largest DMC networks, will return after a three-year absence.

Also in attendance will be the convention bureaus of Spain, Ireland, Brussels, Croatia, The Czech Republic, Canada, Malaysia, Jordan, Bahrain, Canada, Miami, Las Vegas and Boston, as well as Melia Hotels and Barcelo Hotels.

Hosted Buyer recruitment is gathering pace, with prestigious corporate, association and agency Hosted Buyers due to attend, including European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security (EUMASS), Pfizer, Cosmopolis, International Stereoscopic Union, Saudi Telecom Company, UNICEO (United Network of International Corporate Events Organisers), The British Pain Society, Maritz Global Events, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, citigroup inc., and CWT Meetings & Events.

A number of destinations have already applied for IBTM Worlds Culture Roadshows initiative, designed to explore how destinations use their unique cultures to create limitless potential for events. The theme of 'culture creation' will permeate the event, from the inspirational Knowledge Programme sessions to the networking events.

David Thompson, Event Director, IBTM World, comments: With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the UK finds itself mourning the loss of an intrinsic part of British culture. The Queen loved being involved in a wide range of events outside of her ceremonial duties and she knew the true cultural value of events.

At a time when many of us are more disparate than ever, we look forward to bringing people together from around the world to create new, cross team, cross business cultures. -TradeArabia News Service
RBC: Number of cases for evading army in Russia from spring to announcement of mobilization reaches maximum in 10 years

Minister: Italy will be able to survive winter with current level of gas flow, if 'catastrophic events' do not occur

Russia extradites Norwegian accused of major fraud to Norway

German power producer RWE to buy clean energy company for $6.8 billion

Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs start meeting in Geneva

Eslami: Iran's nuclear power generation capacity is scheduled to reach 10,000 megawatts

Spanish MP to Ursula von der Leyen about murder of Armenian POWs: And this is your reliable partner?

Armenian FM discusses video of execution of Armenian POWs with Philip Reeker

Bloomberg: OPEC+ group to consider cutting oil production by more than 1 million barrels per day

Delegation from Bundestag arrives in Taiwan: China protests

Secretary of Armenian Security Council to go on working visit to Brussels

Afghan authorities disperse women's rally in Herat

Pope appeals to Vladimir Putin to 'stop this spiral of violence and death'

Crown Prince of Kuwait accepts resignation of government after parliamentary elections in country

Armenian FM meets with EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar in Geneva

Former Ombudsman: Armenia must immediately apply to International Criminal Court

Address by Alen Simonyan to National Minorities: You have been and continue to be members of our extended family

Denmark declares gas leakage in damaged Nord Stream 1 pipeline stopped

Ombudsman's Office about video of Armenian soldiers' shooting: We have identified the authenticity of the video

Liz Truss says she should have done more to set stage for her economic plan

Foreign Ministry: Armenia demands clear evaluation of blatant war crimes by Azerbaijani Armed Forces

Pashinyan: Armenia will use all available international mechanisms to bring Azerbaijan to justice

Latvian Prime Minister's Party wins parliamentary elections

Marukyan: Azerbaijani political and military authorities must be hold accountable for this and other atrocities

Armenian PM sends congratulatory message on National Minorities Day

Applications to international courts will be filed tomorrow in connection with shooting of Armenian POWs

Bosnia holds presidential and parliamentary elections

Armenian Defense Ministry on video of execution of Armenian POWs: No doubts about authenticity

Le Figaro: International media and authorities verify gruesome video of execution of Armenian POWs by Azerbaijanis

Brazil's presidential and parliamentary elections begin

Toivo Klaar: Another horrible video has emerged of Armenian prisoners of war apparently being executed

Blinken says U.S. will help Ukraine on issue of territories

Defense Ministry: As of 10 am, situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged

At least 129 killed in stampede at football match in Indonesia

EU leaders to discuss security of their critical infrastructure

Lebanon says it received proposal from US for maritime border agreement with Israel

Italy's Eni works with Gazprom to solve the problem of Russian gas supplies stoppage

Prime Minister: There are problems in relations between OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs

France can supply Ukraine with up to twelve new Caesar howitzers

Over half of Britons think Liz Truss should step down as PM

Kyiv's bid for accelerated NATO membership comes as surprise to Biden administration

Baykar plant in Ukraine to start assembling high-altitude UAV model Bayraktar Akinci

Erdogan sues German MP for calling him cesspool rat

OSCE may send mission to Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Erdogan doesn't rule out meeting with Pashinyan

Armenian Defense Ministry urges to stop collecting food, clothing, money for servicemen

Kuwait government tenders resignation following parliamentary elections

Joint command and staff exercise held during CSTO military exercises in Kazakhstan

Over 30 killed in Iran terrorist attack

Aliyev announces plans to double Azerbaijan natural gas supply to Europe by 2027

Pashinyan: I am confident that Armenia-Cyprus cooperation will continue to be strengthened, expanded

Finland, Sweden, Turkey may discuss NATO membership process this month

Artsakh security council meeting to be held at parliamentary forces proposal

US court orders Iran to pay $34.8M in compensation to late journalists family

Armenian parliament speaker to leave for Moscow

Hurricane Ian death toll exceeds 40 in Florida

Armenian community stages protest ahead of Azerbaijan presidents Bulgaria visit (PHOTOS)

California Governor signs bill declaring April 24 state holiday in remembrance of Armenian Genocide

2 Azerbaijanis severely injured after stepping on landmine in Karabakh

FM: Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan

Turkey does not recognize joining of 4 regions to Russia

South Korea leader threatens with crushing response to North if it uses nuclear weapons

Group of soldiers stage coup in Burkina Faso

Biden signs law providing $12.4bn in additional aid to Ukraine

Japan envoy to Armenia expresses concern about current situation after recent Azerbaijan military aggression

Nicaragua severs diplomatic ties with Netherlands

Armenia PM congratulates on 73rd anniversary of People's Republic of China

World Bank approves additional $530M in aid to Ukraine

Newspaper: Russians getting familiarized with options Armenia is discussing with the West

Armenia soldier, 19, found dead in combat position

Newspaper: Artsakh, Azerbaijan representatives to negotiate with each other?

Italy strengthens naval surveillance and control of pipelines

Russia vetoes UN Security Council draft resolution that does not recognize unification of new territories

In phone conversation with Erdogan, Putin gives principled assessment of sabotage of Nord Streams

First African-American woman to officially join U.S. Supreme Court

Biden warns Putin that he will not get away with annexation of new territories to Russia

U.S. Congress approves $12.3 billion in aid for Ukraine

'Armenian Crossroads': Pashinyan talks about difficulties in unblocking communications with Azerbaijan

Pashinyan: Russian authorities must not take actions which cast doubt on sincerity of official positions

Pashinyan: Next session of delimitation and demarcation working group to be held in November

Nikol Pashinyan does not rule out meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Prague

Blinken: U.S. will take action in UN Security Council to hold Russia accountable for referendums

Defense Ministry: As of 10 pm situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged

Pashinyan: Statement of Ministry of Defense says Russian Federation, but my statement does not say anything about Russia

Israel says it will not recognize results of referendums on annexation of new territories to Russia

Germany allowed arms exports to Saudi Arabia

Putin speaks at rally-concert on Red Square: We know to whom we owe today

Pashinyan: Nancy Pelosi's visit to Armenia is not anti-Russian

Stoltenberg: Ukraine's admission to NATO requires consent of all members of alliance

Pashinyan about Ter-Petrosyan's proposal: Quite wide range of people are aware of negotiation process

Pashinyan: We don't close door to anyone

Pashinyan: It is impossible to speak of memorial service for era of peace that has not yet begun

Pashinyan: Names of deceased should be published through institutionally planned mechanism

Japan spends record 2.8 trillion yen on interventions in foreign exchange market

Nikol Pashinyan interviews with Public Television

Poghosyan: During global rift, Armenia may have to choose one side

U.S. imposes sanctions against Armenian company Taco LLC for supporting Russia

MFA: Armenia repeatedly proposes mirror withdrawal of troops

US keeps stealing Syrian oil

Zelenskyy: Ukraine will not negotiate with Russia as long as Putin is president


The devotees at the shrine of Sheikh Taqi include a large number of Hindu men and women who flock to the shrine to take the blessings of the Sufi saint and seek a solution to their problems.

TCN Staff Reporter

Support TwoCircles



PRAYAGRAJ (UTTAR PRADESH)  Situated on the opposite bank of Holy Sangam (confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers), the dargah (shrine) of Makhdoom Sheikh Taqi is one of the fine examples of mixed Ganga-Jamuni culture of Prayagraj (earlier known as Allahabad).

Besides the revered shrine of Sheikh Taqi, Sangam boasts of several revered places like Bade Hanuman Temple and sacred ghats. Situated close to the holy waters, the shrine is visited by thousands of devotees every year which include people of all faiths who arrive here and pray for their wishes to be fulfilled.

An annual fair is held at the shrine located in Haveli village on the last Wednesday of the Islamic calendar. The devotees include a large number of Hindu men and women who flock to the shrine to take the blessings of Sheikh Taqi and seek a solution to their problems.

Interestingly, several Hindus from nearby villages arrive here wearing traditional kurtas (a loose collarless shirt of a type worn by people in South Asia) and skull caps out of their devotion to the revered Sufi saint.

Wearing a kurta and skull cap at the shrine of Sheikh Taqi does not affect my original identity as a Hindu and neither has it ever hurt my religious sentiments. No one at the dargah ever forced me to come here in traditional Muslim attire but it is my devotion and faith towards the saint which compels me for it, Sanjay Kumar Verma, a lab technician by profession, told TwoCircles.net

Sanjay is a regular visitor to the shrine. He has a personal story which explains his devotion.

My wife was very ill at one time. No doctor could treat my wifes illness and her condition was deteriorating with each passing day. I never believed in blessings and divine intervention but on the advice of a friend, I brought my wife to the dargah of Sheikh Taqi in a wheelchair. After a few visits, the condition of my wife improved miraculously and she even started walking. Today, my wife has completely recovered from her prolonged illness and I strongly believe that it is only due to the blessings of Sheikh Taqi, Sanjay said.

Not only Sanjay, but Karan Kumar, Rakesh and a few others cover their heads with caps as they enter the Dargah for paying their respects at the mazar (graveyard) of Sheikh Taqi and other members of his family who are buried beside his grave.

I observed that people usually cover their heads while entering the dargah and so I also started practising it. There is no obligation for Hindus to cover their heads but I do it out of respect to the tradition of the revered place, Rakesh said.

Local Congress leader Irshad Ullah offered a chadar (blanket) at Sheikh Taqis mazar on Wednesday (September 21) and prayed for the success of Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Allahabad is the ancestral home of the Gandhi family and is the centre of Ganga-Jamuni culture for centuries. This city is blessed by Sheikh Taqi who is a symbol of communal harmony. With his blessings the divisive forces will be defeated soon, Irshad Ullah told TwoCircles.net.

The visitors to the shrine on the last Wednesday of the Islamic calendar include iron tradesmen and persons of all faiths who deal with machines and tools.

It is believed that wishes are fulfilled if a person travels and crosses a river to visit the dargah of Sufi saints on the last Wednesday of the Islamic calendar. Devotees include people of all faiths and arrive here from even far-off places, said the secretary of the dargah committee Syed Mamnoon Hasan Shah, who belongs to the 41st generation of Sheikh Taqi as per his genealogical records.

Sheikh Taqis father Makhdoom Shaban Biyabani came here from Sindh over 650 years back and devoted his life to the service of the poor and oppressed. During the time, the region was ruled by a tyrant king. Sheikh Taqi ended the reign of the cruel king through his spiritual powers, Mamnoon Hasan said.
Donald Trump-Kim Jong-un personal letters published

RBC: Number of cases for evading army in Russia from spring to announcement of mobilization reaches maximum in 10 years

Minister: Italy will be able to survive winter with current level of gas flow, if 'catastrophic events' do not occur

Russia extradites Norwegian accused of major fraud to Norway

German power producer RWE to buy clean energy company for $6.8 billion

What foods are dangerous to combine with coffee?

Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs start meeting in Geneva

Eslami: Iran's nuclear power generation capacity is scheduled to reach 10,000 megawatts

Spanish MP to Ursula von der Leyen about murder of Armenian POWs: And this is your reliable partner?

Armenian FM discusses video of execution of Armenian POWs with Philip Reeker

Bloomberg: OPEC+ group to consider cutting oil production by more than 1 million barrels per day

Delegation from Bundestag arrives in Taiwan: China protests

Erling Haaland's incredible record (photo)

Secretary of Armenian Security Council to go on working visit to Brussels

Manchester City vs Manchester United - 6:3 (photo, video)

Afghan authorities disperse women's rally in Herat

Pope appeals to Vladimir Putin to 'stop this spiral of violence and death'

Four good rules for heart

Crown Prince of Kuwait accepts resignation of government after parliamentary elections in country

Armenian FM meets with EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar in Geneva

Van miss out on win in regulation time

Lazio win without any problems: 4-0 (video)

Former Ombudsman: Armenia must immediately apply to International Criminal Court

Address by Alen Simonyan to National Minorities: You have been and continue to be members of our extended family

Denmark declares gas leakage in damaged Nord Stream 1 pipeline stopped

Ombudsman's Office about video of Armenian soldiers' shooting: We have identified the authenticity of the video

Bella Hadid shows on runway 'liquid dress': Apparently, this is clothing of future

Liz Truss says she should have done more to set stage for her economic plan

Foreign Ministry: Armenia demands clear evaluation of blatant war crimes by Azerbaijani Armed Forces

Pashinyan: Armenia will use all available international mechanisms to bring Azerbaijan to justice

Latvian Prime Minister's Party wins parliamentary elections

Action movie 'Bullet Train' with Brad Pitt makes over $100 million at U.S. box office

Royal family is back in middle of scandal

Marukyan: Azerbaijani political and military authorities must be hold accountable for this and other atrocities

Four fruits rich in potassium that help protect joints

Ancelotti: Benzema is in very good shape and will be in starting lineup

Armenian PM sends congratulatory message on National Minorities Day

Applications to international courts will be filed tomorrow in connection with shooting of Armenian POWs

Bosnia holds presidential and parliamentary elections

Animal rights activists demand Steven Spielberg to remove monkey scene from 'The Fabelmans' movie

Armenian Defense Ministry on video of execution of Armenian POWs: No doubts about authenticity

Le Figaro: International media and authorities verify gruesome video of execution of Armenian POWs by Azerbaijanis

Brazil's presidential and parliamentary elections begin

Toivo Klaar: Another horrible video has emerged of Armenian prisoners of war apparently being executed

Pregnant Kelly Osbourne talks about serious illness

Blinken says U.S. will help Ukraine on issue of territories

Football match ends in tragedy: 127 victims

Defense Ministry: As of 10 am, situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged

At least 129 killed in stampede at football match in Indonesia

EU leaders to discuss security of their critical infrastructure

Lebanon says it received proposal from US for maritime border agreement with Israel

Italy's Eni works with Gazprom to solve the problem of Russian gas supplies stoppage

Prime Minister: There are problems in relations between OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs

France can supply Ukraine with up to twelve new Caesar howitzers

Over half of Britons think Liz Truss should step down as PM

Kyiv's bid for accelerated NATO membership comes as surprise to Biden administration

Baykar plant in Ukraine to start assembling high-altitude UAV model Bayraktar Akinci

Erdogan sues German MP for calling him cesspool rat

OSCE may send mission to Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Erdogan doesn't rule out meeting with Pashinyan

Armenian Defense Ministry urges to stop collecting food, clothing, money for servicemen

Kuwait government tenders resignation following parliamentary elections

Joint command and staff exercise held during CSTO military exercises in Kazakhstan

Over 30 killed in Iran terrorist attack

Premier League: Arsenal beat Tottenham, are current leaders

Aliyev announces plans to double Azerbaijan natural gas supply to Europe by 2027

Pashinyan: I am confident that Armenia-Cyprus cooperation will continue to be strengthened, expanded

GIF22 faces: 5 FAST questions to Monique Morrow

4 years pass without Charles Aznavour (VIDEO)

Finland, Sweden, Turkey may discuss NATO membership process this month

Artsakh security council meeting to be held at parliamentary forces proposal

Messi's private jet makes 52 trips this summer

US court orders Iran to pay $34.8M in compensation to late journalists family

Armenian parliament speaker to leave for Moscow

David Beckham is first to comment on conflict between wife, Victoria, and daughter-in-law, Nicola Peltz

Hurricane Ian death toll exceeds 40 in Florida

Armenian community stages protest ahead of Azerbaijan presidents Bulgaria visit (PHOTOS)

California Governor signs bill declaring April 24 state holiday in remembrance of Armenian Genocide

2 Azerbaijanis severely injured after stepping on landmine in Karabakh

FM: Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan
When gasoline prices jumped to a record high of more than $5 a gallon in June, analysts and politicians rushed to blame Russia, Fortune wrote.

The Biden administration even called the rise in fuel prices "Putin's price hike" at the time. In the months since, however, gasoline prices have fallen by about 26 percent, even as the war in Ukraine continues to escalate.

Researchers at an alternative asset management platform called ClockTower Group argue that the war is not the biggest risk, and in fact it is Iraq.

Marco Papic, chief strategist at ClockTower Group, notes that the U.S. is trying to force Saudi Arabia to increase oil production while trying to improve relations with Iran after the Trump administration pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

He argues that dealing with both players, who are well-known adversaries, will only exacerbate tensions between the two regional powers, which could eventually lead to sectarian conflict in neighboring Iraq, the world's fourth-largest oil exporter. And if that conflict affects Iraq's crude oil production, oil prices will undoubtedly rise, as will gasoline prices.

The real risk to oil supply is the Iran-Saudi tensions, likely to dramatically increase as the U.S. struggles to keep both sides happy, Papic wrote in a Monday report, adding that Washington will have to choose one over the other.

Bank of America commodities and derivatives strategist Francisco Blanch echoed Papich's argument in a similar post, writing that he believes prices for Brent crude, the international benchmark, will average $100 a barrel in 2023, and production disruptions in countries like Iraq will be a key upside risk.

Papic believes the U.S. could find itself in a losing scenario in the Middle East. He argues that if the U.S. rejects Iran by accepting an agreement with Saudi Arabia to increase oil imports, it would force Iran to retaliate in Iraq by supporting militias to fuel violence in the region. He noted that Iran has supported the militias four times this year alone, launching rockets at oil refineries and striking buildings near the U.S. consulate.

He also explained that Iraq has traditionally served as a buffer state between Iran and Saudi Arabia, adding that Iraq's oil hub of Basra has already been the scene of violence this year.

At the moment, most investors are focused on Ukraines offensive in Kherson and Kharkiv as being relevant to oil prices. It may yet prove to be so, given a potential menu of likely reactions from Moscow, Papic wrote. However, the greatest risk to the global oil supply may be Shia-on-Shia conflict in Iraqwere the negotiations over the nuclear deal to fail.

Negotiations on a nuclear deal with Iran are not easy and are unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.

At the same time, if the U.S. makes a deal with Iran, Saudi Arabia, the world's second-largest crude oil exporter, will certainly be offended, Papic added.

Our fear is that whichever choice the U.S. makes, somehow the blowback will end up on Iraqs doorstep, Papic argued. Two regional powers duking it out in a buffer state would normally not be something that investors would have to worry about. But this buffer happens to be the worlds fourth largest crude exporter.

Papic said tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia mean that Iraq's domestic politics will take on tremendous global significance in the coming months.

A civil war in the worlds fourth largest oil exporting nation would certainly add to the already ample amount of geopolitical risk premium in oil prices, he added.

Papic noted that betting on oil for quick profits no longer seems like a viable option for investors.
On September 23, the International Committee of the Red Cross had the opportunity to visit the Armenians held captive as a result of the fighting in September of this year.

In a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, Red Cross Communications Manager Zara Amatouni told Armenian News-NEWS.am that they have established communication between the detainees and their families.

She did not provide information on the number of Armenians detained in Azerbaijan.

Amatuni explained that such data is confidential.

Other details in connection with the visit I can't give either, said the head of the Red Cross communications programs in Armenia.

Earlier, representative of the Armenian captives at the ECHR, lawyer Siranush Sahakyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the number of Armenians captured as a result of the Azerbaijani aggression on September 13, 2022 is about 20, but the collection of facts is not yet complete.

Amatuni explained that ICRC representatives visited other Armenians held in Azerbaijan in early September.

As for the prisoners of war held as a result of the 44-day war against Artsakh, the confirmed number of prisoners of war, according to Sahakyan, comes to 33.
OSU launches national Counter-UAS Center of Excellence, announces $15M contract

Media Contact: Jacqueline Sit | Gooden Group | 405-888-3683 | jsit@goodengroup.com

New center and partnership agreement position OSU as the preferred aerospace defense provider for Fort Sill

The Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) at Oklahoma State University has launched a Counter-UAS Center of Excellence and a new partnership aimed at strengthening national defense by developing counter-measures to thwart malicious Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

The agreement solidifies OSUs position as the preferred aerospace defense provider for the U.S. Army base at Fort Sill. The agreement includes receiving a $15 million Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) subcontract from Amentum to assist federal agencies in technology development to counter threats from drones and other UAS through the Counter-UAS Center of Excellence (CUAS COE). These DoD IAC MAC task orders (TOs) are awarded by the U.S. Air Force's 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron to develop and create new knowledge for the enhancement of the DTIC repository and the R&D and S&T community.

By working together, we are setting the national standard for counter-UAS. The possibilities for the future of aerospace at OSU in Oklahoma and for the United States are far reaching and it's all built on a bedrock constructed from decades of experience, OSU President Kayse Shrum said. This center will change what's possible with national security. It will advance research and strengthen the Oklahoma economy as we merge civilian and military worlds into a partnership that will exponentially improve the mission of both."

As a part of OAIRE, the center is a vital component of OSUs aerospace infrastructure, which extends across the state of Oklahoma, Dr. Shrum said.

We are working with industry and federal agencies to coordinate and evaluate technology to ensure the U.S. retains the lead in UAS and counter-UAS technology for the foreseeable future," Shrum said.

The partnership announcement was delivered Friday during the launch event celebrating the opening of the national CUAS COE, which was held at the Hamm Institute for American Energy at OSU in the Oklahoma City Innovation District.

"We are working with our partners in both military and civilian sectors of the government and supporting industry as we help to develop and evaluate new solutions at the center part of our land grant mission to keep Americans safe and secure, defending all degrees of freedom." - Dr. Jamey Jacob, director of the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education

The new center was established in partnership with the DOD via the National Defense Authorization Act. The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command contracted with OSU to initiate the CUAS COE with $6.5 million in appropriated funds across FY2021 and FY2022, with $5 million in additional funding pending for FY2023.

As the counter-UAS arm of OSUs Unmanned Systems Research Institute (USRI), this new center brings together resources and research to place Oklahoma at the forefront of this vital specialty area charged with safeguarding the nation from the weaponization of drones.

What I've seen as a soldier from the OSU USRI team  from what's going to be the Center of Excellence for counter-UAS at OSU  is very encouraging to see the open dialogue, communication, thought and brilliant minds that put a lot of effort and work to solve these problems, said Col. Todd Daniels, assistant commandant for the air defense artillery school at Fort Sill.

Formalized in September 2022, the agreement will fund a series of projects at the center for up to $15 million over the course of the next 4 years.

These projects will involve developing, evaluating and improving technologies to identify, track and mitigate threats posed by drones to infrastructure and other sites that are critical to homeland security.

They also will involve the training of existing and potential professionals to understand and deploy counter-UAS technologies and techniques.

At the event, Dr. Jamey Jacob  the current director of the USRI and professor of aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology  was named director of OAIRE.

The Oklahoma aviation aerospace industry has $44 billion of annual economic activity and is the second largest industry in the state behind energy, Jacob said. With the advent of the new advanced air mobility industry, Oklahoma has an opportunity to leverage its expertise in aerospace and autonomous systems to lead in the newest and fastest growing field of aviation and secure a global impact throughout the 21st century.

The CUAS COE was established in partnership with the DOD through the National Defense Authorization Act to provide high-level research and engineering staff at locations in Oklahoma City, Stillwater and Fort Sill in Lawton.

We are working with our partners in both military and civilian sectors of the government and supporting industry as we help to develop and evaluate new solutions at the center part of our land grant mission to keep Americans safe and secure, defending all degrees of freedom, Jacob said.

Another mission of the center will be to improve facilities that allow the CUAS COE and U.S. Army partners to quickly and easily operate UAS systems for research, testing and training.

Drones have the potential to transform sectors of the United States economy, including agriculture, law enforcement, public safety, disaster evaluation and response, fire detection, border security, weather forecasting, construction and utility monitoring, U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas said. It's exciting that as this technology grows, OSU is leading the way in aerospace R&D. The Unmanned Systems Research Institute is a true powerhouse of UAS and counter-UAS technology.

The center also plans to host an annual counter-UAS symposium to bring together representatives from across the government to discuss new threats, technologies and best practices along with connecting with private industry to meet governmental CUAS needs.

Outside of counter-UAS efforts, USRI also addresses multiple aspects of unmanned systems research and development, including: drone development; use of drones for human health and safety; advanced air mobility; NASA applications for autonomous operations; and development of novel drone applications.
Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul of the Supreme Court said on Friday that while every citizen must be made aware of legal provisions to deal with counterfeiting and smuggling, they should also in turn understand the importance of buying genuine goods. "In order to create mass awareness about the ill effects of counterfeiting and smuggling, it is necessary to reach out to all sections of the society. India will have to adopt innovative and interactive measures to reach out to its consumers," he asserted. Addressing the eighth edition of 'MASCRADE 2022', organised by FICCI-CASCADE, Kaul said that it is imperative for all the stakeholders to prepare well to meet the emerging threats and challenges associated with counterfeiting and smuggling in consonance with the changing nature of the illegal activity. "This is critical at a time when India is making strong progress to become a manufacturing hub for the world, supporting innovation in every sector and focusing on people-centric development models," he added. Kaul added that smuggling, counterfeiting, tax evasion and illicit trade are impacting legitimate economic activities. They also deprive the government of revenues for investment in vital public services, dislocate millions of legitimate jobs and cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem and human lives, he added. Earlier, Bibek Debroy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said that as consumers and citizens, "we ask the government to do various things, but it is actually up to us how we tackle counterfeits and smuggled goods. The broader issue is consumer mindset". "If the consumer regards a commodity as something where the after-sale service is unimportant, it tends to be much more price sensitive as they don't care about the quality," stated Debroy. However, he averred that as systems become more organised, the importance of the grey market becomes less and less. He also suggested sensitising consumers using vernacular languages. Justice Manmohan Sarin, former Lokayukta, NCT of Delhi, and think-tank member, FICCI CASCADE, said that there is enough discretion in the existing laws to carry out the judicial powers for attaining the desired objectives. FICCI-CASCADE Anti-Counterfeiting and Anti-Smuggling Awards were given to enforcement officers, school children and journalists during the valedictory session. Sanjeev Tripathi, former Chief of RAW and think-tank member, FICCI CASCADE, also shared his perspective during the valedictory session. Narendra K. Sabharwal, Chairman, FICCI IP Committee and former Deputy Director General, WIPO and think-tank member, FICCI CASCADE, alluded to various studies, particularly by OECD, that have underscored the enormous impact of counterfeit and pirated products on international trade and noted the figure could be in excess of $460 billion per year. Sabharwal noted that the counterfeiters have become increasingly sophisticated in subverting the system using artificial intelligence applications to create comparable or even better counterfeits. "Some estimates point that one out of five products sold on e-commerce sites might be fake," he added. He also suggested that keeping a watch on the product promotional efforts adopted by counterfeiters and cyber squatters are some measures that can prove effective in tackling online infringement. The event saw participation from several senior functionaries from leading international organisations, such as World Customs Organization (WCO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Interpol, United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Organization for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD), US Homeland Security, and Australian Border Force. During the two-day event, experts from India and abroad made highly-informative presentations and spoke at multiple insightful plenaries, highlighting the significance of empowering consumers to take on the battle against illicit trade by boycotting smuggled and counterfeit goods. --IANS san/arm ( 604 Words) 2022-09-23-22:44:03 (IANS)
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 24 (ANI/PRNewswire): Woxsen University announces the establishment of International Student Advisory Board (ISAB), consisting of students from Woxsen University and nominated students from Woxsen's partner varsities such as Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Universidad Externado de Colombia (Colombia), Pontifical Catholic University of Parana (Brazil), HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management (Germany), Al Akhawayn University (Morocco). Woxsen University, in addition to its established International Advisory Board and the various modalities of professorship engagements at the global level, has now set a new vertical to engage the student community and absorb the best practices from the key stakeholders in an academic environment - The students and lifelong learners - in addition to a growing set of initiatives and operating centers. ISAB is set to discuss international best practices, organise joint events for a global student community, develop joint initiatives decided by the board, voice student's opinions, give exposure to a vast international network of university candidates. Additionally, Woxsen University has embraced multiculturalism by bringing onboard individuals engaged in diplomatic activities within India and across the globe through the newly formed 'Diplomats' Club', that serves as a diplomatic advisory board, inaugurated with the first episode of 'The House of Diplomats.' Trending topics of interest are discussed from a geo-political standpoint through this club. The House of Diplomats is complemented by another brand-new talk show termed 'India 2047', where the progress of country and the key pressing areas to be addressed are discussed by individuals occupying positions of strategic importance. In the same pioneering spirit, Woxsen University continues to elevate the status quo of quality delivery by global academicians with guest lectures from Dr Mohanbir Sawhney, Kellog School of Management (USA); Dr Prasad Padmanabhan, St. Mary's University (USA); Dr Szucs Krisztian, Dr Tamas Sebestyen and Dr Zsolt Bedo, University of Pecs (Hungary); Dr Peter Bamberger, Tel Aviv University (Israel); Dr Jean-Luc Boulnois, Babson College (USA); Dr Carlos Scheel, Tecnologico de Monterrey (Mexico); Dr Pontus Warnestal, Hamlstad University (Sweden), among others. The collaboration with global scholars is further pursued in the area of high-quality research with case study publication and articles released in ABDC-A, SCI and IEEE indexed journals. Woxsen University, located in Hyderabad, is one of the first private universities of the state of Telangana, India. Renowned for its 200-acre state-of-the-art campus and infrastructure, Woxsen University offers new-age, disruptive programs in the fields of Business, Technology, Arts & Design, Architecture, Law, Liberal Arts & Humanities. With 92+ Global Partner Universities and Strong Industry Connect, Woxsen is reckoned as one of the top universities for Academic Excellence and Global Edge. Woxsen is Ranked #13, All India Top 150 B-Schools by Times B-School Ranking 2022, Rank #16, All India Top Pvt. B-School, BusinessWorld 2021 and features in India's Best B-Schools beyond IIMs by Dalal Street Investment Journal. This story has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/PRNewswire)
Earlier, in 2019, MXAL had acquired a 51 per cent equity stake in QLL which paved its entry into lubricant manufacturing in the African markets. With the ongoing acquisition of the 49 per cent, MXAL will take total control over QLL's entire operations.

MIL's Managing Director, Deepak Raval said "This acquisition of 49 per cent in QLL is a part of our on-going global expansion plan. We now have total control over QLL's operations which will facilitate our expansion programme."

The company is presently in the midst of implementing an ambitious Rs 25-crore expansion programme which involves tripling its manufacturing capacity. Note:For further details on the company please refer to the below-mentioned link:http://www.maximusinternational.in/document?file=1658315428_company-profile2022.pdf

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)
Diplomats from five countries participated in a workshop organised here to support marketing, branding and exports of fisheries products from Madhya Pradesh.

According to an official statement released after the event, representatives from five countries shared 'expression of interest' with Madhya Pradesh government to support the fisheries sector in the state.

Ikko Watanabe, First Secretary (Food and Agriculture), Embassy of Japan; Badri Prasad Tiwari, Counsellor (Economic), Embassy of Nepal in India; Do Duy Khanh, First Secretary, Embassy of Vietnam; Donnawit Poolsawat, Consul-General, Royal Thai Consulate-General in Mumbai and Seewraj Nundlall, Counsellor (Investment & Trade) Market Development (Asia Division), High Commission of the Republic of Mauritius shared their expression of interest at the event.

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) supported the Department of Fisherman Welfare & Fisheries Development, Government of Madhya Pradesh in organising the event as 'technical partner'.

Expression of Interest (EoI) was shared by the diplomats for fostering international cooperation to promote the fisheries in Madhya Pradesh and also for collaboration in their respective countries with the support from the stakeholders of fisheries in Madhya Pradesh and India at large, said Atul K Thakur, Joint Secretary, State Development Council, PHDCCI.

Thakur said the PHDCCI mobilised diplomats from five countries and brought a knowledge report on Madhya Pradesh fisheries.

"The diplomats shared their expression of interest to collaborate with the Government of Madhya Pradesh in the fisheries sector," he said.

Addressing the event, Tulsiram Silawat, Minister of Water Resource & Fisherman and Fisheries Development, Government of Madhya Pradesh assured the industry, diplomats and other stakeholders for support through progressive policies and the state government's commitment for ease of doing business.

Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan, Lead Adviser & Head (Trade and Commerce), NITI Aayog, Government of India, virtually addressed the event.

National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB). National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and various other cooperative institutions participated in the initiative organised by the Department of Fisherman Welfare & Fisheries Development, the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the MP Fisheries Federation. (ANI)
Convergence and capacity building are vital policy areas concerning agriculture in India, Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said on Saturday. Speaking at an event to release FICCI compendium on "enhancing farmers' income", Ahuja said contextual and correct information to anybody associated with agriculture has the potential to unlock a lot of value. In this regard, Ahuja alluded to the Digital Agriculture Mission, which essentially tries to digitalise the farmer in terms of identity, linking up the farmers' land and geo-referencing it, and crops grown. "These are some of the basic things we are trying to put in the agristack," he said. "We have made some headway; hopefully, next year, we should show substantial results," he added. Ahuja said, "I'm seeing the benefits information contextualised to the various partners in the agricultural ecosystem can bring". On the occasion, Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, spoke on backstopping agriculture startups that are coming up with innovative technologies and solutions to enhance farm incomes. In this regard, Kumar alluded to the three C's-- convergence, capacity building, and collectives like (FPOs and cooperatives) as the vital elements. Elaborating on convergence, Kumar said, "if the government can package the schemes in such a manner that you give more benefits, in a unified manner to the businesses or startups, I think they will be able to sustain their business." Similarly, on capacity building, he noted, "when we talk about capacity building for farmers or extension workers, it's not like that. It is for everybody in the ecosystem." Mr Kumar also alluded to developing climate-resistant crops, reducing carbon footprints using technology, and developing infrastructure. Elaborating on the compendium, TR Kesavan, Chairman, FICCI National Agriculture Committee & Group President, TAFE, noted the need to document the best practices and give them to people so that "people can touch, feel, do and understand the practices." He added, "small and marginal farmers are going to be one of the greatest strengths of the country. Some of the case studies in the compendium tell how they are changing." The FICCI compendium of guidelines presents select case studies, and successful projects and interventions rolled out by various organisations in achieving higher crop connectivity, resource use efficiency, cropping intensity and diversification towards high-value agriculture. (ANI)
Engineering goods exports to China and the European Union fell in August due to demand slowdown while the shipments to the United States rose during the month, Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) of India said on Saturday. Continuing the downtrend, engineering goods exports to China nosedived over 70 per cent in August 2022 to $173.7 million as compared to $619.5 million in the same month last year. As per EEPC India analysis, engineering exports to the European Union (EU) fell 27.3 per cent year on year to $1.47 billion. With the demand from China, the EU, and other key markets slowing down substantially, overall engineering exports in August 2022 dropped by 12.64 per cent to $8.4 billion as compared to $9.6 billion in August 2021. The 15 per cent export duty on steel continued to weigh on engineering exports as India's iron and steel exports dropped by 62.2 per cent in August 2022 on a year-on-year basis. Cumulative engineering export during April-August 2022-23 was recorded at $46.6 billion as against $45.1 billion during the April-August period of 2021-22, managing 3.33 per cent growth. After a spell of positive year-on-year growth since February 2022, Indian engineering exports for the first time dropped drastically in the month of August 2022. "The preliminary data indicates that fall in iron and steel exports have been the biggest contributor to this decline - iron and steel exports in the month of August 2022 declined by 62.2 percent over the same period last year. In cumulative terms, the decline was around 37 percent. The 15 percent export duty on certain steel products has seriously daunted India's export capability in many potential markets including EU countries," said Mahesh Desai, Chairman, EEPC India. Desai stated that the industry believes that if the duty continues it will seriously impact our exports, especially at a time when global conflicts are generating new opportunities in many markets. "The iron and steel sector is already going through several challenges such as the continuation of the EU safeguard on Indian steel and the impending EU GSP withdrawal," he added. Amid slowing demand from various markets, the United States (US) continued to register growth and remained the top importer of Indian engineering goods in August 2022. Engineering shipments to the US grew 14.2 per cent year-on-year in August to $1.58 billion as against $1.39 billion in the same month last year. Cumulative growth during the April-August period was higher by 33.7 per cent. As per the Quick Estimates of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, the share of engineering in total merchandise exports was recorded at 24.44 per cent in August 2022 while the claim was 24.10 per cent on a cumulative basis. "Several international agencies have predicted an economic slowdown in the US - the biggest market for Indian iron and steel. In such a scenario, we feel that the government should reconsider the export duty on steel such that the industry can make the most of the opportunities and also at the same time face the global challenges," EEPC India Chairman said. (ANI)
According to sources privy to developments, the app and web portal will provide real time information to motorists on the move, about the nearest active charging stations available on their route.

BEE is the central nodal agency for developing these softwares and work on this is expected to be completed soon, sources informed further.

Power Ministry had issued guidelines for developing these softwares in January this year.

Sources said that the mobile app and web portal providing live data on charging infrastructure will help in improving mobility services.

The government is also working at installing smart meters on electric poles at dedicated locations and make small charging stations across highways, cities and even villages.

Electric vehicle owners would be given smart cards for charging batteries of their vehicles anywhere.

BEE would be developing these chargers, which would include chargers for charging light electric vehicles like two-wheelers and three-wheelers, sources said.

According to BEE, these chargers will have a built in provision to measure and register electric energy delivered and a provision for electric vehicles' charging upon user authentication through the mobile app.

Such chargers would be mounted on electric poles in public parking spaces, sources informed further.

--IANS ans/pgh

( 258 Words)

2022-09-24-19:00:07 (IANS)
Taking to Instagram, actor Randeep Hooda dropped the teaser which he captioned, "Being a CAT is not as easy as it seems This exciting story is coming soon, only on @netflix_in #Tudum."

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci4Qnt_AeB_/

Written by Balwinder Singh Janjua, Rupinder Chahal, and Jimmy Singh, 'CAT' is a crime thriller set against the backdrop of the Punjab hinterlands. In the series, Randeep will be seen essaying the role of an undercover spy.

Excited about the project, Randeep earlier said, "Working with Netflix is always a pleasure. I had a tremendous time during 'Extraction' and the love it got me from around the world was phenomenal. 'CAT' again has all the elements to appeal to a global audience. It has given me an opportunity to explore new facets as an actor in a simple but intriguing script. Can't wait to see the audience reaction to the series."

Soon after the teaser of the film was out, fans swamped the comment section with heart and fire emoticons.

"Most Authentic Actor," a fan wrote.

Another fan wrote, "After long time good stuff is coming and am damn excited."

The film will stream exclusively on Netflix.

The official release date of the film is still awaited.

Apart from this, Randeep will be also seen in an upcoming web series 'Inspector Avinash' opposite Urvashi Rautela.

He also has 'Unfair and Lovely' alongside Illeana D'cruz and in director Mahesh Manjrekar's 'Swatantra Veer Savarkar'. (ANI)
Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal are a couple who don't like anything conventional and have been the ones to do things differently. Their wedding preparation is going on in full swing and from what we can see, they have some quirky elements lined up for their wedding celebrations including their invites. Well, contrary to what many Bollywood actors do when they get married, Richa and Ali have decided to not go with the "no phone policy" at their wedding functions. The reason for that is that they want the mood of the functions to be fun and want their guests to be at maximum ease. Their invite also stated that "Leave your phones and enjoy yourself. Don't worry about capturing this moment on camera. Capture it in real time". The actors strongly feel that people can be at more ease when they don't have restrictions imposed on them. They want people to have their phones and still have a good time! Well, we must say, quite a good move! Richa and Ali's wedding is also going to be a sustainable one. The soon-to-be wedded couple is known for their love for nature and the environment. The couple has jointly decided to put in efforts with the help of their teams who are planning their wedding to make all the events eco-friendly. In simple terms, this means that small efforts here and there like including decor using natural elements recycled or repurposed wood and sustainable items are going to be put in place. Richa and Ali are also focusing on reducing food wastage at all of their wedding functions by curating food experiences that are more sustainable and have hired experts who can help them in doing so. The teams across have been briefed to minimise plastic waste and use recyclable plastic during the functions. Their wedding festivities will begin on September 30. There are likely to be three pre-wedding functions - Cocktail, Sangeet, and Mehendi. All three functions, as revealed by our source, are likely to be held in New Delhi. Although the outfit Richa is going to be wearing for her wedding isn't known to us yet, the jewellery has been picked from Bikaner. For the Delhi functions, the actress' jewellery is being custom-made by a 175 old jeweller family from Bikaner. The Khajanchi family are a revered family of jewellers who are known for their statement heirloom pieces and they will be designing signature pieces for Richa. Richa and Ali first met on the sets of 'Fukrey' in 2012 and soon fell in love. (ANI)
Johnny Depp and his lawyer Joelle Rich are dating but according to a new report by TMZ, the couple's isn't exclusive. This week, it was revealed that the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor had a romantic relationship with Rich, one of the defence lawyers who defended him in his libel case against the Sun in 2018. The verdict in that trial, in which Depp's attorneys argued that the Sun had defamed the actor by calling him a "wife beater," came down in late 2020. 12 specific incidents of the "Edward Scissorhands" star physically abusing his ex-wife Amber Heard were deemed to be "basically accurate" by the court presiding over the case. The appeal was quickly submitted by Depp's counsel, but it was rejected in March 2021. zRich wrote in a statement she gave to Deadline at the time that she "seriously questioned" the verdict. She nevertheless maintained optimism over Depp's pending legal actions in the US against Heard. "Complete, irrefutable evidence of the truth in the U.S. libel case against Ms. Heard where she will have to provide full disclosure," she predicted the US trial would show. Heard, who had a romantic relationship with Depp from 2012 until 2016, was required to speak about her experiences of abuse during that time even though it was Depp who had filed the cases that started both the US and UK court battles. The US lawsuit took place in a courtroom in Fairfax, Virginia, during the course of April and May of 2022. It was based on the allegation that Heard had defamed Depp by referring to herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse" in a 2018 op-ed for the Washington Post. The jury infamously found Heard guilty of defaming Depp on June 1, 2022, and they ordered her to pay him USD 15 million in damages. In addition, they gave the "Aquaman" actress $2 million in restitution for Heard's public defamation by one of Depp's attorneys. Although there were speculations that Depp had a love relationship with Camille Vasquez, one of his defence attorneys at the US trial, the lawyer categorically denied those reports. Since then, it has been shown that Rich did in fact attend the trial at the Fairfax courthouse. This isn't Rich's first encounter with internationally renowned figures while working in her field. According to Page Six, the lawyer, a partner at the firm Schillings, successfully defended Meghan Markle in the Duchess' 2019 case against the Daily Mail over the publishing of a private letter to her estranged father, winning on behalf of her client in 2021. (ANI)
Hollywood actor John Cusack, who had earlier extended support to the farmers' protest and the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act in India, has now expressed his solidarity with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. Cusack came out in support of Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' on Saturday as he took to Twitter and wrote, "Indian parliament member Rahul Gandhi is walking to Kashmir - from Kerala." A while later when a Twitter user thanked him for his support to Rahul, John responded by saying, "Yes - solidarity - to all anti-fascists everywhere!" The 3,500-km long 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' 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. This comes as the election for the new party president is scheduled to be held. Congress' presidential election will be held on October 17 and the election results would be declared on October 19. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday, while confirming his candidature for the upcoming Congress president election, said that Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that "no member of the Gandhi family" would become the next party chief. Party MP Shashi Tharoor has also given an indication of contesting polls and had met Sonia Gandhi on Monday. He met Congress Central Election Authority chief Madhusudan Mistry on Wednesday. Coming back to John Cusack, he is a celebrated actor popularly known for his work in films like 'Serendipity', 'Con Air', '2012', and 'High Fidelity'. He is also known to be quite vocal about global issues on social media. (ANI)
As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2020 released by Registrar General of India (RGI), the country has been witnessing a progressive reduction in IMR, U5MR and NMR since 2014 towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets by 2030.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has congratulated the nation on this achievement and thanked all health workers, caregivers and community members for relentlessly working towards reducing child mortality.

"There has been sustained decline since 2014, as revealed by SRS 2020. India is poised to meet 2030 SDG targets of child mortality under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with focused interventions, strong Centre-State partnership and dedication of all health workers," he stated.

Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) for the country has shown significant decline of 3 points (Annual Decline Rate: 8.6 per cent) from 2019 (32 per 1,000 live births in 2020 against 35 per 1,000 live births in 2019). It varies from 36 in rural areas to 21 in urban areas.

U5MR for Female is higher (33) than male (31). There has been a decline of 4 points in male U5MR and 3 points in female U5MR during the corresponding period.

The highest decline of U5MR has been observed in the state of Uttar Pradesh (5 points) and Karnataka (5 points).

The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has also registered 2-point decline to 28 per 1,000 live births in 2020 from 30 per 1,000 live births in 2019 (Annual Decline Rate: 6.7 per cent). The Rural-Urban difference has narrowed to 12 points (Urban 19, Rural 31).

The Neonatal Mortality Rate has also declined by 2 points from 22 per 1,000 live births in 2019 to 20 per 1,000 live births in 2020 (Annual Decline Rate: 9.1 per cent). It ranges from 12 in urban areas to 23 in rural areas.

--IANS avr/pgh

( 333 Words)

2022-09-23-21:20:03 (IANS)
According to a study of over 1 million adults from eight countries, moderate use of black, green, or Oolong tea is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The findings, being presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden (19-23 Sept), suggest that drinking at least four cups of tea a day is associated with a 17 per cent lower risk of T2D over an average period of 10 years. "Our results are exciting because they suggest that people can do something as simple as drinking four cups of tea a day to potentially lessen their risk of developing type 2 diabetes", says lead author Xiaying Li from Wuhan University of Science and Technology in China. While it's long been known that regularly drinking tea may be beneficial for health because of the various antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic compounds tea contain, less clear has been the relationship between tea drinking and the risk of T2D. So far, published cohort studies and meta-analyses have reported inconsistent findings. To address this uncertainty, researchers conducted a cohort study and a dose-response meta-analysis to better define the relationship between tea consumption and future T2DM risk. First, they studied 5,199 adults (2583 men, 2616 women) with no history of T2D (average age 42) from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), who were recruited in 1997 and followed until 2009. The CHNS is a multicentre prospective study looking at the economics, sociological issues and health of residents from nine provinces. At the outset, participants filled in food and drink frequency questionnaires and provided information on lifestyle factors such as regular exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption. Overall, 2,379 (46%) participants reported drinking tea, and by the end of the study, 522 (10%) participants had developed T2D. After adjusting for factors that are known to be linked with increased risk of T2D, like age, sex, and physical inactivity, researchers found that tea drinkers had a similar risk of developing T2D compared to non-drinkers. And the results did not change significantly when analysed by age and sex, or when participants who developed diabetes during the first 3 years of follow-up were excluded. In the next step of the study, the researchers did a systematic review of all cohort studies investigating tea drinking and the risk of T2D in adults (aged 18 or older) up to September 2021. Overall, 19 cohort studies involving 1,076,311 participants from eight countries [1] were included in the dose-response meta-analysis. They explored the potential impact of different types of tea (green tea, oolong tea, and black tea), frequency of tea drinking (less than 1 cup/day, 1-3 cups/day, and 4 or more cups/day), sex (male and female), and the location of the study (Europe and America, or Asia), on the risk of T2D. Overall, the meta-analysis found a linear association between tea drinking and T2D risk, with each cup of tea consumed per day reducing the risk of developing T2D by around 1%. When compared with adults who didn't drink tea, those who drank 1-3 cups daily lowered their risk of T2D by 4%, while those who consumed at least 4 cups every day reduced their risk by 17%. The associations were observed regardless of the type of tea participants drank, whether they were male or female, or where they lived, suggesting that it may be the amount of tea consumed, rather than any other factor, that plays a major role. "While more research needs to be done to determine the exact dosage and mechanisms behind these observations, our findings suggest that drinking tea is beneficial in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, but only at high doses (at least 4 cups a day)", says Li. She adds, "It is possible that particular components in tea, such as polyphenols, may reduce blood glucose levels, but a sufficient amount of these bioactive compounds may be needed to be effective. It may also explain why we did not find an association between tea drinking and type 2 diabetes in our cohort study because we did not look at higher tea consumption." Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea that's made from the same plant used to make green and black teas. The difference is how the tea is processed--green tea is not allowed to oxidise much, black tea is allowed to oxidise until it turns black, and oolong tea is partially oxidised. Despite the important findings, the authors note that the study is observational and cannot prove that drinking tea reduced the risk of T2D, but suggests that it is likely to contribute. And the researchers point to several caveats, including that they relied on subjective assessments of the quantities of tea consumed and they cannot rule out the possibility that residual confounding by other lifestyle and physiological factors may have affected the results. (ANI)
In view of the increasing untoward situations in the premises of health institutions like violence, harassment and physical assault on doctors and health officials, the Odisha Government on Friday issued guidelines to prevent law and order situation in health institutions. Commissioner-cum-Secretary Department of Health, Shalini Pandit has written a letter to all District Collectors; Superintendents of Police; Director of Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar; Director of RGH, Rourkela and all CDM and PHOs to take the steps to prevent law and order situation in the health institutions of the state. In a letter to authorities, Health Secretary stated, "It is noticed that violence, harassment and even physical assault to doctors and health officials on duty are being reported from different parts of the State. The government has "zero tolerance" towards violence against Doctors. Hence, it is required to take exemplary action against the miscreants." In view of the increasing untoward situations in the premises of health institutions like manhandling of doctors and staff of the institutions, Health Secretary directed to install the CCTV cameras at vital locations of the hospitals for monitoring of the activities in the hospital. "Visitors pass is to be introduced for the indoor patients. Two entry passes are to be issued per patient for attending the patient during the official visiting hour and the attendants entering the ward should be frisked out by the internal security guards," the guidelines read. It further said that all the regular and contractual employees of the Hospital should be provided with an ID card. Internal security should patrol in the campus and take steps for the removal of unauthorized vehicles and vendors. "Signage highlighting The Odisha Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage of Property) Act, 2008 should be placed in front of the health institutions," it said. Two security hubs may be deployed to the crowded Departments of the DHH and the telephone number of the two hubs may be made available through the display of signage." Health Secretary also asked to develop a public redressal system in which the aggrieved attendants may approach the Superintendent/ Head of Office of Health Institutions at the time of need rather than taking the law into their hands. The same along with the phone number may be displayed in conspicuous places of the campus of the Health Institutions. The Superintendents of Police of concerned Districts shall take immediate strict and appropriate action as per Law against the miscreants in order to discourage people from such activities. (ANI)
RTHK: Stone laid to mark Queen Elizabeth's resting place

An inscribed stone slab marking the UK's late Queen Elizabeth II has been laid in the Windsor Castle chapel where her coffin was interred, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday.

The new black marble stone laid into the floor simply records the birth and death dates of the monarch who ruled for 70 years and died at the age of 96: Elizabeth II 1926 - 2022.

The queen's coffin was laid to rest on September 19 in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel.

Her coffin was interred in an intimate ceremony following her state funeral in Westminster Abbey.

The ledger stone also records the deaths of the Queen's parents, King George VI and Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and her husband Prince Philip, who died last year.

The stone is engraved with the star of the ancient chivalric Order of the Garter, to which the queen and the other royals belonged.

The queen's sister Princess Margaret's ashes are interred in the same chapel.

The late monarch commissioned the memorial chapel as a permanent resting place for her father, King George VI, and it was completed in 1969.

Elizabeth often prayed in St George's Chapel, which dates back more than 500 years.

Her husband Philip left instructions for his remains to be transferred from the Royal Vault beneath St George's to the memorial chapel on his wife's death.

Windsor Castle reopens to the public on Thursday and people will be able to visit St George's Chapel. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-09-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
JD-U Parliamentary Board President Upendra Kushwaha said that there was "no enthusiasm" among the people who attended the rally of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Bihar's Purnea on Friday. He claimed that Amit Shah was forced to ask people again and again to clap for his speech and show enthusiasm. "The people who came into the rally were clapping only after Amit Shah requested them. This clearly indicates that there is no attraction of people towards the BJP. The people of Bihar do not trust the saffron party anymore," he said. The people of Bihar are smart now, and they are well aware of the lies of BJP, he added. JD-U spokesperson Abhishek Jha said: "BJP is blaming us for breaching its trust but I want to ask BJP why its alliance partners are leaving it. They have the ideology to backstab its alliance partners. They should not forget the 2015 Vidhan Sabha election of Bihar when PM Narendra Modi had conducted 42 rallies across the state and won only 53 assembly seats. The people of Bihar will teach them lessons in the upcoming elections." RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari said: "Amit Shah did not talk about the special status of Bihar that people were expecting. They are miffed with the lies of BJP and will teach them a lesson in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The people of Bihar will whitewash the saffron party in Bihar in 2024 and no one would take its name in 2025 Assembly election." --IANS ajk/vd ( 267 Words) 2022-09-23-22:12:03 (IANS)
The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi held a cultural event on the occasion of the International Day of Sign Languages on September 23. The event not only celebrated inclusivity but also put the spotlight on the role of museums in uniting communities. NGMA has made great strides towards making the museum a democratising space, one that gives access to all including those who are differently abled. NGMA brought together children and young adults across all communities to celebrate the special day. The spectacular lineup of performances began with a guided tour of the exhibition of mementos received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in sign language. Visitors with visual impairment were also taken on a special tour of the exhibition of mementos received by the Prime Minister. The availability of a catalogue in Braille, audio guides and 'touch and feel' exhibits further enriched their experience at the museum. This was followed by the National Anthem also in Sign language, by the Sai Swayam Society for the Speech and Hearing Impaired. The scintillating performance by these young artists set the stage for the next few performances including a puppet show, magic show and a musical performance by Anhad, a gifted band of visually impaired people. Temsunaro Jamir, Director of NGMA said, "Bearing in mind the significance of the ongoing International Week for the Deaf, we have introduced several innovative solutions to keep those with hearing and visual impairment, engaged with happenings at the museum. This will ensure wider participation in the fourth edition of the series of auctions first launched in 2019. The fact that all proceeds contribute towards the noble cause of rejuvenating our National river Ganga, makes the tremendous effort put into these events, worth it. All communities should be able to participate in big numbers to bring the visionary ideas of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fruition." NGMA initiated several creative museum practices with the idea of inclusivity at the locus. To make the International Day of Sign Languages more meaningful, we have organised special tours in sign language for the Deaf and Hearing-impaired. In addition, for the very first time in the history of the museum, we have also published a catalogue of select items in Braille along with an audio guide app. (ANI)
A senior Mizoram police official said that the people living along the 510-km long unfenced border with Myanmar must remain alert against unofficial recruitment of Indians by the unauthorised agents.

According to an official statement issued by the Mizoram police, it was reported recently that some IT companies engaged in digital scam and unlawful crypto activities, located in the remote eastern border areas of Myanmar, are recruiting Indian workers from different places through their agents on the pretext of potential employment opportunities in the IT sector.

After initial recruitment, the Indian workers are facilitated to enter Myanmar illegally without proper documents, leading to entrapment of Indian workers, the statement said.

It said that, in view of such activities, the general public is hereby cautioned to exercise due diligence and verify the antecedents of the recruiting agents, before taking up any employment abroad.

It is advisable to have all requisite information like job description, company details, location, employment contract etc. duly verified, before accepting any overseas employment, the statement said.

--IANS sc/arm

( 207 Words)

2022-09-23-23:20:06 (IANS)
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will inaugurate "Arogya Manthan 2022" to celebrate four years of the implementation of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and one year of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) on September 25. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the two-day event will see active participation from global and national experts from the healthcare sector along with representatives from academia, think-tanks, industry, and media. The Union Health Minister kick-started the celebrations by interacting with beneficiaries of AB-PMJAY from across the country on Friday. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Electronics and Information Technology; Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog will grace the event. Senior Government officials from the states and UTs will also be present. AB-PMJAY completed four years of its implementation on September 23, 2022, and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) will be marking its first anniversary on September 27, 2022. Fortnight-long celebration in the form of 'Ayushman Pakhwara' to mark the anniversary of AB- MJAY is already underway in all states implementing the scheme, from September 15 to 30. Under the 'Ayushman Pakhwara', 33 states and UTs participating in AB-PMJAY are organizing awareness programs, health check-up camps and mass drives for Ayushman Card generation for beneficiaries of the scheme. A Digi Health Expo will bring innovators from the public and private sector exhibiting innovative digital health solutions. The two-day event will have a total of twelve sessions covering a comprehensive list of agenda. On the first day, it will have sessions on Universal Health Coverage in India, Promoting Interoperability in Digital Health, Enhancing the Efficiency of PM-JAY, Adoption of Digital Health, Health Technology Assessment for Evidence Informed PM-JAY Decisions and Privacy and Security Issues related to Digital Health. Sessions lined up for Day-2 include Best Practices by States Implementing ABDM, Digital Health Insurance in India, PM-JAY Best Practices by States, International Best Practices in Digital Health, Ensuring Access, Affordability and Quality in Healthcare through PM-JAY and Way Forwards for Digital Health in India. The National Health Authority (NHA) will also present the Ayushman Utkrishtata Puraskaar 2022 (Ayushman Excellence Awards) to felicitate the top performing states, Pradhan Mantri Arogya Mitras and public hospitals under the PMJAY and best-performing states and UTs, districts, private and government health facilities and digital health solutions under ABDM. The winners of ABDM Hackathon Series Round 1 will also be awarded at the ceremony, the ministry added. (ANI)
As many as 11 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot to douse the flames.

Notably, no casualties have been reported so far.

"A factory near Halol road caught fire. Over 56 employees are there and 11 fire tenders working to douse the flames. It has two-wheeler parts like tyres and oil which are highly flammable. No casualty yet, units placed across the area so we may cover areas one by one," said Parth Brahmbhatt, Chief Fire officer.

Further details are underway. (ANI)
Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday emphasized that with the advent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is now a force to reckon with and India's voice is heard by all. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday unveiled the book Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas, a collection of selected speeches of the Prime Minister, along with Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Union Minister Anurag Thakur in a function organized by the Directorate of Publications Division. [{159697f0-0abd-4cfd-8e79-b10de83b7903:intradmin/ANI-20220923233921.jpg}] Addressing the book launch of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas, the former Vice President said, "The book is a significant contribution to widen the understand of the challenges being faced by the nation and the concerted efforts being made to overcome them." Naidu further said that the current government is working under the broader philosophy of 'Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhawantu'. "Good schemes have been launched earlier also but only the current Prime Minister, leading from the front, is ensuring all programmes adhere to set timelines and targets, he is hands-on and ensures continuous monitoring and eventual delivery. With his gift of enormous communication skills, PM Modi can connect with all the people of the country alike," he said. Naidu recalled the time the vision of opening crores of bank accounts appeared unattainable, but under the able leadership of PM Modi, the target was achieved very quickly. Counting Direct Benefit Transfer as the biggest achievement of the Government, Naidu said, "It freed people from the shackles of middlemen, ensuring endpoint delivery of welfare measures. When previously schemes were identified either as Government or political, PM Modi understood that realization of a goal depended hugely on the involvement of the people. Swachha Bharat Abhiyan was thus envisioned by the Prime Minister as a Jan Andolan (people's movement)." Naidu summed up commenting that "For long people have said that India does not speak from a position of strength and stature. With the advent of PM Modi, India is now a force to reckon with and India's voice is heard by all." During the occasion, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said that a common thread runs through the book and that is the Prime Minister's concern for marginalized sections and women empowerment. He highlighted that the twin issues of availability of toilets and water connectivity had needed urgent Government intervention for a very long but had been lagging even as many Governments came and went. "It was the only the current government that took up this mission on war footing from the beginning," he said. Speaking on triple talaq, Khan said that getting rid of this evil, which had been thriving for centuries, is no small achievement. Frustrating as it was, married Muslim women lived under the constant threat of divorce. Recalling an anecdote when the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had counted as his biggest failure, his inability to give Muslim women the same rights as Hindu women, Khan said, "The effect of this historic decision will be felt many years later when political and sociological thinkers analyse this decision and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be remembered as the emancipator of Muslim women. He credited the Prime Minister for braving all odds and opposition and yet delivering on this promise." He further added that before PM Modi, the development of the country was only the responsibility of the Government and its bureaucracy. "However, PM Modi has ensured that development of the country becomes a programme of Jan Bhagidari, where people of the country become equal stakeholders in the process and the results, and this has realized the concept of true democracy," he added. The book is a compilation of 86 speeches of the Prime Minister from May 2019 to May 2020 on various subjects Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Apurva Chandra, Director General, Directorate of Publications Division, Ms Monideepa Mukherjee and several other senior officers of different media units of the Ministry were also present on the occasion. According to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the book focuses on 86 speeches of the Prime Minister from May 2019 to May 2020 on various subjects. Divided into ten thematic areas, these speeches reflect the PM's vision for 'New India'. These well-distributed sections are - Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Economy, People-First Governance, Fight Against Covid-19, Emerging India: Foreign Affairs, Jai Kisan, Tech India-New India, Green India-Resilient India-Clean India, Fit India-Efficient India, Eternal India-Modern India: Cultural Heritage, and Mann ki Baat. The book portrays the PM's vision of a new India, which is self-reliant, resilient and capable of converting challenges into opportunities. The Prime Minister combines leadership qualities, visionary thinking, and foresight with excellent communication abilities to connect with the masses through his exceptional oratory style. The same is reflected in this book. The English, as well as Hindi books, are available at the sales outlets of the Publications Division and the Books Gallery at Soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, New Delhi. They can also be purchased online through the Publications Division's website as well as the Bharatkosh platform. The e-books are also available on Amazon and Google Play. (ANI)
Assam Cabinet on Friday took several key decisions pertaining to setting up floating solar plants in beels, seat reservations in medical education, city gas distribution pipeline and others. Taking to Twitter, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "In today's Cabinet, we took several key decisions pertaining to setting up floating solar plants in beels, fodder production on mission mode, seat reservation in medical education, microfinance benefits Phase-II rollout, city gas distribution pipeline and others." For the installation of Floating Solar Power Plants, the user rights of beels under Assam Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd (AFDCL) to be transferred to Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) after an agreement between AFDCL and APDCL As per the cabinet decision, the ownership of the beels will still remain with AFDCL. AFDCL, which has 186 Beels covering around 12,266 hectares, will simultaneously lease out the Beels. For boosting fodder production, Assam Fodder Mission will be set up for a period of 7 years with a proposed budget of Rs 120.20 crore (of which Rs 30 crore will be contributed by the Government of Assam via APART. The objective is to provide training and capacity building of 40,900 beneficiaries and to create employment opportunities for 85 dairy farmers in the advanced feed processing sector. The Cabinet also passed a decision to give a Durga Puja bonus to tea workers, for which Rs 18.02 crore will be released as a loan to Assam Tea Corporation Limited for payment of bonus to its employees and workers for the ensuing Durga Puja. To streamline the process of laying the City Gas Distribution Pipeline (CGDP), the Deputy Commissioner to give digging permission for Right of Way (preferably within 15 days and not exceeding 30 days from the submission of the detailed plan) As per the decision, Jurisdictional Circle Officers to reclassify/ reclassify-cum-transfer agricultural land up to 10 bigha for industrial purpose only for laying of CGDP and Assam Agricultural Land (Regulation of Reclassification and Transfer for Non-Agricultural Purpose) Act, 2015 not to apply on leasing out of land already allotted to AIDC/AIIDC/ASIDC for industrial purpose only (laying of City Gas Distribution Pipeline system). The decision will create an atmosphere for industrial investment by making land readily available and empower Circle Officers to ensure fast disposal of petitions relating to the reclassification of agricultural land as proposed The state cabinet also lands for research set-up and for this the government has decided to give 1 bigha, 5 lessa land at Betkuchi village in Kamrup (M) to the All Bodo Students' Union for setting up Academic Research and Career Information Centre. For ensuring Water Availability and smooth implementation of Neer Nirmal Pariyojana, the cabinet allotted an additional 146.38 crores for the completion of Large Multi-Village Schemes in 3 districts - Kamrup (M), Jorhat and Hailakandi. The cabinet allocated Rs 8.44 crore to Kamrup (M), Rs 32.34 crore to Jorhat and Rs 5.60 crore to Hailakandi. To provide relief for micro-finance borrowers, category II of Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme 2021 will be rolled out with 6 amendments in existing guidelines and approval to concurrence to financial sanction of the required amount Category II involves borrowers whose payments are overdue by 1-89 days, i.e., for accounts which are overdue but not NPA The rollout will cover around Rs 1.07 lakh beneficiaries which include the provision of the overdue amount to the lenders and incentive amount to the beneficiaries district-wise by October 2022. To ensure inclusiveness in medical education the state cabinet has decided to rollout Schedule III of Medical Colleges and Dental Colleges of Assam (Regulation of Admission into 1st-year MBBS/BDS courses) Rule 2017 and (Amendment) Rules, 2021 to be amended w.e.f. Academic Session 2022-23. The representation of MBBS seats for 6 communities within OBC will be increased by two seats and three seats to be reserved under the Ex-Servicemen quota for Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) studies. The cabinet also took the decision for age relaxation in medical colleges The upper age limit at entry-level posts in medical colleges to be increased from 38 to 40 years for the General category, 41 to 43 years for OBC/MOBC and 43 to 45 years for SC/ST category applicants. This decision will incentivise and motivate PG doctors to offer their services as faculty in the Medical Colleges. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to Delhi police and other respondents on the plea moved on behalf of Ex MCD Councillor Tahir Hussain. The petitioner has sought the quashing of an FIR registered at Khajuri Khas police station in connection with the North East Delhi violence of February 2020. Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta issued notice to Delhi Police in the matter. The bench has directed the Delhi police to file a reply within 4 weeks. The Additional public prosecutor for the Delhi police accepted the notice. The court will further hear the petitions on January 25, 2023, along with three other similar matters. Advocate Rizwan, the counsel for petitioner Tahir Hussain submitted that this petition is for quashing and clubbing of the FIR. The counsel submitted that the FIRs are related to rioting, arson, damaging the public and criminal conspiracy. He further questioned that if the petitioner has been accused of a larger conspiracy of Delhi riots, then how can he be accused of other smaller/ other conspiracies related to riots. Another bench on September 16 directed to place the matter before the chief justice after noting that the other petitions moved by the petitioner are pending before the court of justice Mendiratta. Then the matter was listed before the bench today. Tahir Hussain is also an accused in a case related to a larger conspiracy of North East Delhi riots, 2020. He was booked under UAPA by the Special cell of Delhi along with Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Safoora Jargar and others accused in the matter. He is also an accused in the matter related to the alleged murder of IB personnel Ankit Sharma. He is also an accused in some more cases related to riots. He is also an accused in a money laundering case related to riots. He has been in custody since his arrest in the case. (ANI)
The All India Bar Association (AIBA) has sought a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) in the face of its involvement in terror activities after law-enforcement agencies conducted searches against it at multiple locations across 15 states. Adish C Aggarwala, Senior Advocate and Chairman of All India Bar Association, stated, "This is the right time to ban this organization as nobody should be allowed to be involved in activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. It is clear that the PFI, its leaders and members were involved in violent protests in different parts of the country against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, forced conversions, the radicalisation of Muslim youths, money laundering and links with banned groups" It is under these circumstances that the NIA has identified terror networks and busted the whole infra. The concerted raids by the NIA at 93 locations spread across 15 states in India displayed the extensive terror network spun by the Popular Front of India (PFI). The arrests of more than 100 elements, besides the seizure of incriminating materials, have foiled potential disruptive activities on our soil, the statement said. India is a secular country and no one can be permitted to destroy the secular fabric of India. The criminal and violent acts carried out by the PFI over a period of time - such as the chopping off the hand of a college professor in Kerala, cold-blooded killings of people linked with organisations espousing other faiths, collection of explosives to target prominent people and places, support to Islamic State and destruction of public property -- have had a demonstrative effect of striking terror in the minds of the citizens. The AIBA in its statement stated that the Union Home Ministry to ban PFI without any delay and expeditiously. More such arrests should be made without fail so all terrorist possibilities could be rooted out. NIA should gather all relevant information quickly and lay the chargesheet without any delay. NIA should stay active in courts and ensure that none of the arrested top rung leaders of PFI gets bail from any court. The Centre should set up special courts to exclusively try PFI-related cases, treating them as terrorism cases. The Centre should urge the Supreme Court to disallow the courts below from entertaining any cases relating to the PFI. NIA should commence trial and secure the conviction of PFI leaders and activists 100%. Any acquittal should be analysed threadbare and any possible loophole on the prosecution side should be plugged, said the AIBA statement. (ANI)
Filing of nominations for the post of Congress president is scheduled to begin today with a contest between Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and former union minister Shashi Tharoor on the cards. The nominations will be filed till September 30 and results declaring the new Congress chief will be announced on October 19. This will be the first time in 25 years that Congress will see a non-Gandhi chief after Sonia Gandhi replaced Sitaraman Kesri as party chief in 1998. The last time the party had a non-Gandhi chief was in 1997 when Sitaram Kesri defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot Chairman of Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistri will be available in Congress headquarters in the national capital to take the nomination papers as returning officer of the election. Yesterday, Rajasthan chief minister Gehlot made it clear that there will be no candidate from the Gandhi family this time. Speaking to ANI Gehlot said, "I have requested him (Congress MP Rahul Gandhi) multiple times to accept everyone's proposal of becoming the Congress President. He clarified that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next chief." Gehlot further said, "It's decided that I'll contest (for the post of Congress President). I'll fix the date soon (to file his nomination). It's a need for the Opposition to be strong, looking at the current position of the country. Earlier, after meeting Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, former CM of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, "In our meeting today, we spoke about the party and how to strengthen it. She said that she has a neutral stand regarding the congress president election." Till now, Gehlot has made it clear publically that he will contest the elections, while another name that is most likely to give him a contest is Shashi Tharoor who is also in the fray and had met Madhusudan Mistri. Sources close to former union minister Manish Tewari had also said that he is also considering the possibility of contesting the polls. The crux of the story that emerges is that the Congress party is all set to witness a tripartite or more contest. Earlier, Madhusudan Mistri said that more than 9,000 delegates will be voting in the polls. Anybody can contest and 10 delegates will be needed to support his or her candidature. The last date for filing nomination is September 30. (ANI)
The Congress has resumed its Bharat Jodo Yatra, after a day's break, from Perambra junction in the Thrissur district of Kerala on Saturday. Workers and people of Thrissur came out in large numbers to support Rahul Gandhi and all the Padyatris as the Bharat Jodo Yatra resumes after a break. On Thursday night, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had come to Delhi and the party has resumed its Yatra today with him. The yatra, which began at 6.30 am from Perambra junction reached Amballur junction at 10 am for their morning break. The yatra will then resume at 5 pm from Talore Bypass junction after which the leaders, workers, and supporters of the party are scheduled to take an evening break at Swaraj Round road at Vadakkumathan South Gate at 7 pm. All the yatris of the Bharat Jodo Yatra shall stay at Thope Stadium in Thrissur as the yatra reaches it 16th day of the 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. The march aims to cover as many as 12 states in five months. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next few 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. The Bharat Jodo Yatra took its "much deserved break" right before the day of the filing of the nominations for the Congress presidential poll in the national capital today, which will be concluded on September 30. Congress' presidential election will be held on October 17 and the election results would be declared on October 19. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday, while confirming his candidature for the upcoming Congress president election, said that Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that "no member of the Gandhi family" would become the next party chief. "I said earlier that I will request him (Rahul Gandhi) to accept this post when all the Congress Committees are passing resolutions in this regard. He made it clear that no one from the Gandhi family will become the next chief. He said he has decided this due to some reasons, a non-Gandhi family member will become the party chief," Gehlot had said addressing the mediapersons while being a part of Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala. Earlier on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi emphasised the "one person, one post" norm and said he believes the commitment to the party's Udaipur declaration would be maintained in the election for the party's topmost post. Describing the post of Congress president as an "ideological post", Rahul Gandhi said the position "represents a set of ideas and belief system and vision of India". Answering a question during a press conference on the 15th day of the Bharat Jodo Yatra here, Gandhi said, "You are taking on a position. It is a historic position that defines and has defined a particular view of India. It is not just an organisational post. The Congress president is an ideological post, it is a belief system. My advice would be whoever becomes the president should remember that he represents a set of ideas and a belief system and a vision of India." "What we had decided in Udaipur. 'One person, one post' is a commitment of Congress and I expect that commitment will be maintained (on party's presidential post)," he added. The Congress had decided on a set of organisational reforms during the Udaipur Chintan Shivir held earlier this year. The declaration said that the principle of "one person, one post" should be followed. Party MP Shashi Tharoor has also given an indication of contesting polls and had met Sonia Gandhi on Monday. He met Congress Central Election Authority chief Madhusudan Mistry on Wednesday. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court recently granted anticipatory bail to Ex Additional Director General of Police (Law and order) in a cheating case. He is an accused in a case registered at Police station Inder Puri, Delhi. The case was registered in 2016 against a private company and its directors and its employees. It was stated by the police that the company was allegedly involved in cheating people on the pretext of giving a good return on investments. Justice Anu Malhotra granted anticipatory bail to the accused noting his age and clean past antecedents. The court said that the applicant/accused is stated to be aged 75 years with no previous antecedents against him and has joined the investigation pursuant to the directions given on August 4, 2022, in view thereof, the applicant in the event of arrest be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond in the sum of Rs 50,000 with one surety in the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial court. The bench noted in the order of September 20, the submission of advocate Arpit Batra, counsel for the accused, that apart from his having earlier been posted as Head of the Department (HOD) in the company Davis Value Cards Pvt. Ltd. in which he was upgraded as a Director and as a consequence thereof signed routinely on the documents of the company, the applicant has no other role to play. During the hearing on the bail plea, Delhi filed a status report stating that the accused, Rajdeep Maan and Arun Sood were the applicants in the bank opening form in Laxmi Vilas Bank. It was also stated that the cheated money was deposited through 4 cheques. It was submitted by the State that the applicant/accused was officially a director of the company from January 17, 2014, and thus he would have knowledge of the working process and the intent of the company to cheat and commit fraud with persons. The court was informed by the State that all other accused in the instant case are absconding and three of them, namely Arun Sood, Sumit Verma and Rajdeep Maan have been declared proclaimed offenders but the main allegations are levelled against Arun Soon and Rajdeep Maan. The petitioner had moved a plea through advocates Arpit Batra and Saurav Sharma seeking anticipatory bail. It was submitted by the counsel that the petitioner was an employee and was entrusted with the task of examining and inquiring into complaints filed by the then customers of the company. It was also submitted that the customers used to purchase holiday packages from the company. Whenever a customer filed his grievances, the Managing Director of the company sought legal opinion from the petitioner as the purpose of the appointment of a senior retired police officer was to check the negligence committed by the employees of the company and to give a legal opinion. He was never involved in the day-to-day business of the company and also did not exercise any administrative or financial control over the affairs of the company. (ANI)
Supreme Court judge Justice DY Chandrachud while speaking at an event on Saturday said that despite laws mandating disability-friendly infrastructure, public transport, Govt and private buildings, hospitals, libraries, parks and many other spaces continued to be inaccessible for Person with Disabilities. Justice DY Chandrachud remarks came while speaking at Third Professor Shamnad Basheer Memorial Lecture'. He was addressing the topic "Making Disability Rights Real: Addressing Accessibility and More". Justice Chandrachud said despite laws mandating disability-friendly infrastructure, public transport and many other spaces continued to be inaccessible for PwDs. Justice Chandrachud also remarked that some entities do not even pretend to comply with such laws, while others comply with them only with a view of getting their building and occupancy permits. Justice Chandrachud pointed out that he has noticed that some ramps are so steep that an able-bodied person cannot walk down without falling over, let alone a person who uses a wheelchair. "This is just the tip of an enormous iceberg of problems with the implementation of disabilities-friendly policies," Justice Chandrachud said. Abidi once requested professor Stephen Hawking, who once visited India to deliver a lecture, to help in the disability rights movement. Professor Hawking declined but informed him that he was going to visit Qutub Minar and other monuments in Delhi. Abidi and his colleagues approached the ASI and requested them to install ramps at these historic sites that were on Prof Hawking's agenda. ASI has built ramps overnight and installed them at all monuments. Prof Hawking and his spouse visited Qutub Minar and made a wish for the ramps to stay even after they leave. Justice Chandrachud stressed that Governmental or private entities must ensure that laws and policies are being complied with. Justice Chandrachud also spoke about the movie titled 'Margarita with a Straw', where the character Laila is a young student who has cerebral palsy. In the movie, Laila's band participated in a music event and was declared a winner but the happiness was short-lived when the judge of the competition shared that they awarded Laila's band first place because Laila, a disabled person, wrote the lyrics. Laila was unhappy as he felt that the judge pities her and that the award is a consequence of her pity feeling. Justice Chandrachud referred to this as a story for every judge in the country and said that "when we do justice to the disabled, we do justice not out of pity but justice in recognising their rights under the law and the constitution." People with disabilities are required to be treated as equals. Justice DY Chandrachud remarked that someone born with a disability or becomes disabled later in life as disabilities can be of many forms, they can be physical, mental, intellectual or learning-based. He also pointed out some disabilities are invisible and many chronic illnesses are also disabilities. Justice DY Chandrachud also pointed out that there is a tendency for people to view disabled people as being very different from able-bodied people. Justice DY Chandrachud also commented that the stereotypes that disabled people are burdensome or are defenceless victims also prevail in society and the differences between able-bodied people and people with disabilities give rise to immense stigmas in society. Justice Chandrachud also spoke about discrimination against disabled people and remarked that these harmful stereotypes have a pernicious effect on disabled people and hinder access to educational scapes, public spaces, employment opportunities as well as free and full participation in society. (ANI)
The Vanatara resort in Rishikesh owned by expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya, who is an accused in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, was set on fire by angry locals on Saturday. Anger over the horrific crime poured onto streets in other parts of Uttarakhand as well as locals jammed the bus station in Pauri. Protestors also gheraoed District Magistrate's office in Pauri. In Rishikesh, locals protested against BJP MLA Renu Bisht and vandalised her car. The MLA had to be escorted away by the police to safety. Locals also set the Vanatara resort in Rishikesh on fire. The resort is owned by BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya. Three accused, including Pulkit, have been arrested in the murder case. The body of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari who was reported missing a few days ago was also recovered on Saturday from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be formed to probe the case. "The body of daughter Ankita was recovered this morning. This heartbreaking incident deeply pains my heart," Dhami tweeted. "In order to ensure the harshest punishment for the culprits, an SIT has been formed under the leadership of Deputy Inspector General of Police P. Renuka Devi ji and ordered an in-depth investigation of this serious matter," Dhami wrote. The development comes after three persons, including Pulkit Arya, were arrested on Friday after they confessed to having pushed Ankita into the canal after an altercation. Additional Superintendent of Police Shekhar Suyal said today "The deceased's brother and father were here and they identified the body. The body found at the barrage is of Ankita Bhandari." "The search operation was going on from 7 am, we took out the body of a woman, her relatives came here and identified it as the body of Ankita Bhandari. The body has been taken to AIIMS in Rishikesh," said a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) official. While talking to ANI, Chief Minister Dhami said, "Strictest action will be taken against all the culprits, regarding this, we have formed SIT under the leadership of DIG P Renuka Devi, which will get to the bottom of the whole matter, investigate it and work to bring the culprits to justice. The perpetrators will not be spared." On Friday Uttarakhand authorities had also bulldozed portions at the Vanatara Resort owned by Pulkit, where Ankita Bhandari was working as a receptionist. CM Dhami said that district magistrates have been ordered to take action against all resorts inside Uttarakhand which have illegal constructions. (ANI)
The Ninth Session of the Governing Body (GB9) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) concluded in New Delhi on Saturday, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The six-day GB9 session of ITPGRFA was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi on September 19, 2022. More than 400 eminent scientists and resource persons from 150 member countries participated in the deliberation during the 9th session of GB. First contribution towards Benefit Sharing Fund of Treaty from India In a historical first, the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) contributed Rs 20 lakhs (~USD 25,000) to the Benefit-Sharing Fund (BSF) as the first collective contribution from the Indian seed sector, during the GB-9 meetings. The BSF is the funding mechanism of the Treaty used for support of the capacity building, Conservation and sustainable use projects among the Contracting Parties of the Treaty. "Dr Sunil Archak, ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, India, was appointed as Co-Chair, along with Dr Michael Ryan, Department of Agriculture, Canberra, Australia, on the Working Group on 'Enhancement of the Multilateral System (MLS)'. A fully functional user-friendly and simple MLS is crucial for the success of the ITPGFRA," read a statement by the Ministry. Elements of enhancement would include measures for increased benefit sharing mechanism, expansion of crops and accessions available through the MLS, while also taking into cognisance changes in scientific, technical and policy environment globally. Based on meetings in the last five years of Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on Farmers' Rights (FRs), Co-Chaired by Dr RC Agrawal (India) and Svanhild Isabelle Batta Torheim (Norway), and the working group/plenary deliberations during the GB9 meeting, a resolution on implementation of Farmers Rights under Article 9 was finally agreed upon ensuring equilibrium and justice. The Co-chairs acknowledged the contributions of the experts, stakeholders and delegates of the GB9 to arrive at the resolution which was difficult, but achieved, nonetheless. The GB called upon the Contracting Parties to update inventory of national measures, best practices and lessons learnt for national implementation of Farmers' Rights under the Treaty, as per the national legislation. Further, the Treaty Secretariat was requested to publish the options for realization of Farmers' Rights, including Option Category 10 (legal measures for the implementation of the Farmers' Rights), which was noted as the Co-Chairs proposal, based on India's experience under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001 where FRs are well balanced with Plant Breeders Rights were included in the resolution as the Co-Chairs. The GB9 also called upon the Treaty Secretariat to include in its multi-year programme of work (MYPOW) for the possible impact of digital sequence information (DSI) on Farmers' Rights. The GB9 welcomed the offer of the Government of India to host a global symposium on Farmers' Rights to share experiences and discuss future work on Farmers' Rights and also for the assessment of the Implementation of the Farmers' Rights as per the Treaty Article 9 in various countries which are Contracting Parties. In a major breakthrough in the GB9 of ITPGRFA, Contracting Parties acknowledged the intervention made by India and supported by many African nations, regarding the effect due to institutional reform within the CGAIR system on funding of genebanks globally, and CIFOR-ICRAF and ICRISAT in particular. The GB emphasised the need to ensure the long-term safety of the Article 15 IARC genebanks and the distribution of germplasm held 'in trust' by the CGIAR centres and other Article 15 genebanks, and for long-term solutions by strengthening the Treaty and the Crop Trust mechanism. (ANI)
A Special NIA Court on Saturday sent 10 PFI workers to NIA custody till September 30 in Kochi. These PFI workers were booked in UAPA cases and arrested by NIA this week from different locations in Kerala. Earlier they were remanded to judicial custody by the Court. The accused who were sent to NIA custody are, 2nd accused Karamana Ashraf Moulavi (National in-charge, Education wing of PFI), 4th accused Sadiq Ahmed (PFI Pathanamthitta District Secretary, 5th accused Shihas (PFI Zonal secretary), 6th accused Ansari P, 7th accused MM Mujeeb, 8th accused Najumudeen, 9th accused Sainudeen TS (PFI Kottayam District Secretary), 10th accused PK Usman, 11th accused Yahiya Koya (PFI State Executive Member), 13th accused K Muhammedali (National in-charge, Expansion wing of PFI). The court directed NIA to produce the accused at 11 am on September 30. Earlier in a major breakthrough linked to the largest-ever action against the Popular Front of India (PFI), the Central investigating agencies have found inputs against the outfit for "organizing a training camp with an intent to cause disturbance during Prime Minster Narendra Modi's visit in Bihar's capital Patna on July 12 this year". Besides, during the course of the investigation, the agencies have found details of numerous bank accounts of PFI. The revelation came in two separate remand copies of the Enforcement Directorate-- one submitted before a special judge in Lucknow against Muhammed Shafeeque Payeth, resident of Kozhikode in Kerala, and the other against Perwez Ahmed before a special court in Delhi.Both Payeth and Ahmed were arrested from Kerala and Delhi respectively on September 22 during a first-ever largest search operation conducted by a joint team of ED and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and state police forces, arresting 106 PFI members from 15 states.Payeth, a resident of Kozhikode in Kerala, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate around 5.35 am on September 22 from his flat there while Ahmed was arrested from Delhi.Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation, the ED's remand copy mentions, so far has also revealed that "more than Rs 120 crore have been deposited in the accounts of PFI and related entities over the years, and that a very large part of the same has been deposited in cash". The ED informed the court that the inputs were received after the details related to individuals and entities were obtained and their bank statements were analyzed.Statements of various functionaries of PFI and related entities have also been recorded, the agency claims, mentioning the investigation of Bihar Police as well as of NIA. "As many as 12 cases against PFI and its related entities and individuals have been investigated by the NIA and charge sheets have been filed...Investigations have further established the criminal conspiracy of PFI in raising and collecting funds through unknown and suspicious sources from within the country as well as abroad and the subsequent transfer, layering and integration of such funds for eventual use in their continuous unlawful activities over time which include, but are not limited to inciting violence and fomenting trouble leading to Delhi riots of February 2020," the copy mentions. The remand copies also mentioned the visit of PFI and CFI members to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh with an intent to "disturb communal harmony, inciting communal riots and spreading terror, plan to form a terrorist gang - a collection of deadly weapons and explosive devices to simultaneously launch attacks on important and sensitive places and individuals in UP with an intent to undermine the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation and to disturb communal harmony". The remand copies further revealed that the PFI was also "organizing training camp with an intent to cause disturbance during Hon'ble Prime Minister's Patna visit on July 12, 2022". The outfit is also charged with "preparing, printing and possessing incriminating literature having potential to pose threat to the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation". The ED informed the court that it has been conducting an investigation against PFI and its related individuals and entities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 under the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) dated May 2, 2018, on the basis of various cases registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other Law Enforcement Agencies invoking Scheduled offences under Sections 120B, 121, 121A of Indian Penal Code, Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substance Act, Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act and Sections 13, 16, 17, 18 and 18(A) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. These cases of the predicate agencies pertain to unlawful activities carried out by PFI and its related individuals and organizations to indulge in criminal conspiracy with an intent to disturb communal harmony, spread terror, incite communal riots, impart training to their cadre to use explosives and weapons, form a terrorist gang and collect deadly weapons and explosive devices to simultaneously launch attacks on many important persons and sensitive locations. The criminal conspiracy and activities in several of these cases had the potential to pose threat to the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation, reads the remand copy. The NIA in its one of the two separate First Information Reports in the Phulwari Sharif terror module case has also mentioned a plan to disturb the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bihar by some suspected persons. Both the FIRs were registered on July 22-- first mentions about a plan to disturb the PM's visit by some suspected persons who had assembled in the Phulwari Sharif area on July 11 while the other is linked to the interception of one Margub Ahmad Danish alias Tahir by Bihar Police on July 14 for his alleged involvement in anti-India activities and radicalization of impressionable youth using various social media platforms. (ANI)
A food festival named Aalaav was organised in Srinagar to celebrate traditional food and encourage more women to set up a food business. The festival was organised by the Department of Rural Livelihood Mission of Jammu and Kashmir to celebrate traditional food and novel nutritional formulations. Many women from the self-help groups took part in the festival. The department had invited all the women groups which earn their livelihood and give employment to other young women. All the participants in the festival prepared and displayed famous vegetarian dishes of Jammu and Kashmir on the stalls, in order to promote the self-help groups. The aim was to boost the young girls and women toward the food business and also to raise awareness for more women to set up business units in rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Also, the festival aimed to make them aware of the schemes of the government under which they get financial assistance to set up these units to earn and provide employment. Indu Kanwal, the Mission Director of Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission told ANI that the festival was organised with the motive of promoting vegetarian food in Kashmir and also creating awareness among women. "This is the first vegetarian food festival of its kind. There are two main motives behind this. Firstly, since Jammu and Kashmir are mainly known for non-vegetarian food, we want to prove that vegetarian food can be that tasty. These foods have medicinal values and have an age-old history. The second motive is to create awareness among the women to set up business units to earn and provide employment. The whole festival is completely organised by women and we have more than 5 lakh women in the self-help groups. Catering is just one such field where the women can show their potential and under the UMEED initiative we want to promote such opportunities," Kanwal said. Gulshan, one of the participants thanked the UMEED initiative and said that it will provide a great platform for the younger women to set up their businesses. "We were provided with this opportunity by UMEED, and we are thankful for that. We got the opportunity and after we showed interest, we also started the business. Now many women are presenting their vegetarian foods at the festival. This has provided a great opportunity to many younger women to set up their businesses," Gulshan said. Rumina, another participant said that presenting food stalls at the festival is a very profitable venture for the young girls and said that more such initiatives should come up. "This provides a great platform for the young girls to set up their businesses. At this festival, we are able to earn around Rs 3000-4000 from each stall, so it's really profitable. We would want more of such festivals to be organised at other rural locations to promote the businesses," Rumina said. Asha Kumari, the festival coordinator talked about the food items presented at the festival. She also talked about the special food item named 'Muringa', which is presented at the festival and is of high nutritional value. "I am the festival coordinator here and have been a part of the SHG since 2014. This is a vegetarian food festival. We are making different forms of food like Rajma, rice, dal and many other items also. But, one of the main attractions here is 'Muringa', it is a local dish which is of high nutritional value. . I have been getting a lot of opportunities so far and I am very hopeful of getting more opportunities in the future as well," Asha Kumari told ANI. (ANI)
Amid the buzz of PayCM posters in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday termed the campaign as 'dirty politics', saying there has been a steep decline in the values and morality of Congress leaders. Speaking to reporters, Bommai said if Congress wanted to raise any issue, then the party could have produced documents and then demand an inquiry. "They come to the House without any issue and proper homework. This shows the sharp decline in the values of Congress leaders. What they were doing was nothing but tarnishing names without having any morality," said the Chief Minister. "The Congress Party is under the illusion of coming to power without having any concern for the people but by doing dirty politics. This will not happen in Karnataka as the government will take legal action against it," added Bommai. Asked about a pre-poll survey that predicts 95 to 100 seats for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2023 Assembly polls, the Chief Minister said surveys carry discrepancies in predictions. "I know the pulse of people more than anybody else. I have been in politics for almost 35 years and I am confident that BJP will come back to power next year". He said a decision regarding the Cabinet expansion will be done after getting the nod from the BJP high command. On raids on Popular Front of India (PFI) offices and office-bearers in the State, the CM said both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Karnataka Police have taken suitable action regarding PFI's activities in the State. Another round of so-called 'PayCM' campaign on social media regarding various possible scams that have allegedly happened under Basvaraj Bommai's chief ministership in Karnataka has started. The posters and the screenshots are believed to be circulated by the Congress party targetting the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state with corruption allegations. After 'PayCM' posters that were pasted on walls in some parts of the state capital Bengaluru, Congress now released a series of 'PayCM' screenshots that speaks about various scams including the cash for CM post, the infamous 40 per cent commission, PSI scam, assistant professor and junior engineers recruitment scam etc. The PayCM posters depict payments received via an online transferring platform with the reasons behind the payments mentioned in the description box of the transaction. One of the posters says Rs 30 lakh was received for the 'Junior Engineer' post, with another saying 40 per cent received with description 'contractors'. One more said 'Payment failed' for CM post with a transaction value worth Rs 2,500 crore written on it. Besides running a campaign against the ruling BJP, Karnataka Congress has been targetting BJP ministers who have allegedly been part of the scams. The Congress leaders and workers are showcasing the 'PayCM' QR code from their phones. The first such PayCM campaign was first reported on Wednesday when posters featuring Basavaraj Bommai's photograph surfaced in Bengaluru. The posters had a QR code with Bommai's photograph in the middle with the message "40 per cent accepted here". The QR code would take people to the "40 per cent Commission Government" website recently launched by Congress to file complaints against the Chief Minister. On this campaign by the Congress, Bommai earlier this week termed it as a conspiracy to tarnish his as well as Karnataka's reputation. Speaking to reporters, Bommai had said: "This is a systematic campaign not only to tarnish the State's image but also of my image. Instructions have been given to the authorities concerned to immediately book a case. The government will make efforts to put an end to any attempts made to tarnish the image of Karnataka". (ANI)
Dr M Srinivas, who took over as the new Director of AIIMS, Delhi, on Friday, had several accomplishments to his credit as an administrator and doctor during his tenure at ESIC Hospital, Hyderabad, and now has his task cut out at one of the busiest hospitals and key research institutes in the country. During his tenure at ESIC hospital, Hyderabad, Dr Srinivas drastically brought down referrals to private hospitals. The referrals at the hospital now pertain only to specialities which are not available there including cardiac Cath Lab and Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy equipment. On the first day after taking charge as AIIMS Delhi Director, Dr Srinivas, 56, went to the paediatric surgical ward and AB5 ICU and interacted with the staff. The staff members ANI spoke to lauded his simplicity. "We are expecting positive changes, he is extremely humble," said a staff member. The new AIIMS Director has also issued the memorandum on submitting files in e-mode except for confidential ones. "All concerned are hereby informed that henceforth all the files be submitted to the undersigned in e-file mode only unless the matter is confidential and cannot be submitted in e-filing mode," an office memorandum said. He took over office at about 11 pm on Friday and was back in the hospital on early Saturday morning at around 6 am. Dr M Srinivas is back at AIIMS, Delhi after a six-year deputation at ESIC Hospital where he also served as a Dean. Credited with major transformation at ESIC Hyderabad, he also started biometric attendance at the hospital, a move which is expected to be replicated at AIIMS. Dr Srinivas's achievements at ESIC Hyderabad include establishing undergraduate (MBBS Course), postgraduate courses in 22 departments, 25 super speciality departments and 12 super speciality courses. During the Covid pandemic, he converted the hostels and OPD of ESIC hospital to isolation wards in a few days. The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday appointed Dr Srinivas as the new director of the prestigious All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here. The official order said Dr Srinivas has been appointed for a period of five years or till he attains the age of 65 years. He succeeds Dr Randeep Guleria and is one of the youngest directors of the prestigious institution. (ANI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the State government would bring a suitable amendment to the existing rules to end the practice of the confiscation of properties of farmers by banks by issuing notices. He was speaking at the 30th remembrance of Jagadguru Shivakumara Shivacharya Swamiji of Taralabalu at a function organised by Sirigere Taralabaalu Jagadguru Bruhanmutt here on Saturday. The CM said banks would serve notices on farmers for non-clearance of loans and attach properties of farmers. By bringing an amendment to the present rules, the government would end the practice of confiscation of farmers' properties by banks and also allow peasants to clear loans at ease. The CM said he has formulated the Vidyanidhi scheme for the kids of 14 lakh farmers and the same has been now extended to the children of agricultural labourers, weavers, fishermen, auto rickshaws and taxi drivers. He also highlighted that the scheme aimed at providing employment to them through education. "The government does not want the children to stop studying due to a lack of funds and it wants to ensure a bright future for them. Several programs have been chalked out in all departments including water resources. In spite of giving zero per cent loans to farmers up to Rs 3 lakh still, they are facing problems due to nature's fury," he added. CM Bommai stressed that the declaration of the Upper Bhadra scheme as a national project is in its final stages. Once it gets the nod from the Union Cabinet, Rs 14,000 crore grant will come to Karnataka and it is enough to complete this project soon. "Our government will follow the principles and ideology of Taralalbaalu Bruhan Mutt, contemporary and progressive thinking and remain 'Stithapragna' without bothering to praise or criticism. This mutt loves farmers and the working class and the same thing will be done by us also," he added. The state chief also underlined that the senior pontiff had dedicated himself to the cause of society, fought against social evils and worked for the welfare of humanity and said,"The life of the seer has been their source of inspiration and a guiding path. The seer never stepped back and walked forward by not bothering about difficulties in running the mutt administration. He built his life and mutt by taking on politicians, government and the system. The life and achievements of the seer are adorable." (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday presided over a high-level meeting with senior officials from all concerned departments, including the health department, to discuss the rising number of dengue cases. The meeting was attended by top officers and Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDM) from all related departments, in addition to the Chief Secretary. During the meeting, a discussion took place over the implementation of necessary actions to control the rising number of dengue cases as soon as possible. The officials informed the Chief Minister about the measures being implemented to avoid dengue cases and raise public awareness. "Usually it does not rain at this time, yet we are seeing rains right now. As a result, the potential of a rise in dengue cases in the coming days has grown," Kejriwal said at the meeting. CM Kejriwal spoke with officials to explore ways to intensify the efforts to combat the rising number of dengue cases. The CM directed all the concerned departments to work unitedly by establishing harmony among themselves. The officials said that along with making people aware, the compliance of the guidelines is being checked from door to door. People are being instructed on how to prevent the spread of dengue fever. Where there is negligence in compliance with the guidelines, challans are also being issued. According to Delhi government statement, it has been determined that school children will be involved in the awareness campaign. Children in schools will be assigned special homework. Through this, the children will be requested to inspect their homes to ensure that there is no water stagnation. Chief Kejriwal further asked all government officials to keep an eye out for dengue. The officials have been instructed to examine their offices every day to see if there is any standing water where dengue mosquitoes can breed. Such locations have been instructed to be inspected and cleaned immediately. Water logging occurs at construction sites as well, and occasionally employees do not pay attention to it, allowing dengue mosquitoes to breed and workers to become infected. In light of this, directives have been issued to all building sites requiring contractors to ensure that water does not stagnate on their sites or around them or if water becomes stagnant, then they must clear it or add kerosene or any other oil to prevent mosquito breeding, said the statement. All resident welfare associations (RWA) have been asked to go door-to-door in their respective areas to raise awareness and encourage people to follow the recommendations in order to protect their families from dengue. The statement said the DMs, SDMs, Tehsildars and other officers would visit their respective districts to carefully enforce the dengue prevention programmes. During the meeting, CM directed the employees to rigorously adhere to the dengue prevention measures. Every Saturday, officials will inspect construction sites and hospitals where there is a high likelihood of water logging and will take appropriate measures if the recommendations are not followed by those responsible. In this context, orders have been issued to not allow any form of negligence in hospitals. As the breeding of dengue mosquitoes on hospital grounds may result in patients and family members becoming infected with the disease. The Delhi Government has also appealed to the people, saying that if the entire city banded together to fight dengue, the disease could be easily avoided. An appeal for maximum collaboration will also be sent out through a public awareness campaign. He directed the officials to ensure the compliance of all the guidelines by visiting the construction sites every Saturday. At the same time he also said that to make the ongoing awareness campaign against dengue successful, the cooperation of stakeholders like school children, RWAs, construction site workers should also be sought among others. As part of the action plan against dengue, 35 hospitals have been identified for early diagnosis and supportive treatment. Case-based monitoring and quick response is being done by the departments. Further, vector management is being done by the departments, in which larval source management and fogging are being done. Monitoring, supervision and evaluation are being done at all levels by various organisations. Coordination and partnership between various departments of the Delhi government are being ensured. (ANI)
With a video showing that 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were allegedly raised during a PFI protest outside the District Collector's office here on Friday against the crackdown by NIA-led multi-agencies, Pune Police have said they will probe and verify the videos and action will be taken accordingly. "We have received some videos, we will investigate and verify them completely and take action accordingly," said Sagar Patil, DCP Zone II, Pune. 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were heard outside the District Collector's office yesterday in Pune city where PFI cadres gathered against the recent ED-CBI-Police raids across 15 states. Due to high ambience noise in the original video feed some parts of the slogans in the video were faint. Information about slogans was further corroborated by reporters at the spot. Some protestors were detained by Pune police and case registered of unlawful assembly against protestors. Police also arrested some protestors. Joint teams of the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and police had conducted multiple raids across 15 states of the country against PFI on September 22 and arrested over 106 members. Reacting to the sloganeering incident, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister said stringent action will be taken. "We will take stringent action against any person raising Pakistan Zindabad slogans in Maharashtra". Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane took to Twitter and warned those raising such slogans. He also sought a ban on PFI. The largest-ever crackdown that was conducted against the Popular Front of India (PFI) members spread across 15 states was code-named "Operation Octopus", sources said on Saturday. The searches were conducted in connection with five cases registered by the NIA following "continued inputs and evidence" that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisations. A large number of criminal cases have been registered in different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent acts. Criminal violent acts "carried out" by PFI include chopping off the hand of a college professor, cold-blooded killings of persons associated with organisations espousing other faiths, collection of explosives to target prominent people and places, support to Islamic State and destruction of public property. They have had a demonstrative effect of striking terror in the minds of the citizens. The PFI had on Friday called for a 12-hour shutdown in Kerala, which turned violent in parts of the state. Stone-pelting was witnessed at various places, including at the RSS office at Mattannur in Kannur. Two police officials were also injured in the incident in Kollam.The Kerala High Court initiated a suo motu case against PFI leaders who called for a strike in the state against the arrest of its members by the NIA. As per a Kerala HC order on January 7, 2019, nobody can call for a bandh in the state without prior notice of seven days. Taking cognizance of the matter, the court directed the police to ensure that "adequate measures are put in place to prevent any damage/destruction to public/private property of Government/citizens who do not support the call for hartal". "Adequate police protection shall also be granted to all public utility services that apprehend violence, at the hands of those supporting the illegal hartal," the court added. (ANI)
BJP leader Sonali Phogat's brother has accused party leader Kuldeep Bishnoi of murdering his sister. The revelation was made by Rinku at Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat which was held in Hisar. The Khap spokesperson Sandeep Bharti while talking to ANI said that after allegations by Sonali's family members, Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat has decided that Kuldeep Bishnoi should explain his stand before Mahapanchayat. Sonali Phogat's brother Rinku Dhaka said, "I had sent one of my acquaintances to the hospital after Sonali's death, and Sudhir Sangwan, who is one of the accused in the murder, had enquired whether the person was sent by Kuldeep." "One of our acquaintances was in Goa. After Sonali's death, we called him and sent him to the hospital. When he reached, Sudhir Sangwan met him and asked where was he from. When he said that he is from Hisar, Sudhir immediately asked if Kuldeep has sent him. He didn't say anything, but Sudhir again asked the same question in the car," Rinku Dhaka said. Khap Mahapanchayat spokesperson said, "Today in the panchayat, the family openly told that the leader Kuldeep Bishnoi appears to be the conspirator in this matter. The police have acted to divert the investigation, but the family and Sarv Khap believe Kuldeep is under suspicion. In the previous Khap Panchayat also, many representatives had levelled allegations against him. Therefore, Kuldeep should clear his stand before the Khap." "Otherwise, there will be a big Mahapanchayat of Sarvsamaj in Adampur on 23 October and if the family is not satisfied then they will think against them to take a decision. A delegation will meet the Chief Minister and ministers of the Central Government, including family members, to explain the suspicion that the CBI probe is not affected. Goa Police has done its investigation in a weak manner," Bharti further said. Sonali Phogat's daughter Yashodhara, while talking to ANI, said, "Being a minor I am not yet qualified to handle the political legacy, so I handed over this legacy to my Aunt Rukesh Poonia. There is no pressure on her. My aunt is a well-wisher. On which the Sarva Khap Panchayat agreed." A meeting of Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat was held in Hisar today regarding the death of Sonali Phogat. Sonali had contested the assembly elections in 2019 on a BJP ticket, where she was defeated. After Kuldeep joined BJP, he allegedly had gone to Sonali's farmhouse and a few days later Sonali died. Sonali's family is linking her murder with the Adampur by-election. Sonali Phogat was murdered in Goa on August 23. She was accompanied by her PA Sudhir Sangwan and her partner Sukhwinder. Sonali's family alleges that Sudhir and Sukhwinder have murdered her using drugs because Sudhir wanted to grab Sonali's property. Sonali's brother Rinku Dhaka filed a case of murder against Sudhir Sangwan and Sukhwinder by giving a complaint to Goa Police. Both are currently in police custody. Sonali's post-mortem report found injury marks on her body. Based on this report, Goa Police registered a murder case against Sudhir and Sukhwinder. Currently, the matter is being investigated by the CBI. Demanding a CBI inquiry, the Sarv Khap Panchayat held a maha panchayat and gave an ultimatum to the Haryana government. After this, the Haryana government wrote a letter to the Goa government demanding a CBI inquiry, which was accepted. So far, five people including the owner and drug supplier of Goa's Curlies Resort have been arrested in this case. (ANI)
An Indian Army official was arrested in connection with the 'leaked objectionable videos' case linked to the Chandigarh University in Mohali, said the Indian Army official on Saturday. According to an Army official, "During the ongoing investigations by Punjab Police in a sensitive case, it has revealed that a serving Army soldier is likely to have been involved in acts chargeable under sections of the IPC and IT Act." "Immediately on receipt of information from the Police authorities, all possible assistance was extended to Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh Police to arrest the soldier and hand over his custody for further investigations," the official added. The Army official further emphasized that the Indian Army practices zero tolerance towards such acts and will continue to provide all assistance for the early conclusion of the investigation. Earlier, three accused including a girl student from the college were arrested in connection with the case. She had reportedly said that she had made videos of some girls and sent them to a person in Shimla. This comes days after the 'objectional videos' row broke out followed by massive protests showcased by the students in Mohali. Protesting students alleged that a student made videos of girls students while taking a bath. The videos were also allegedly posted on social media. The protesting students had claimed that after the videos went viral, some girl students living in the hostel attempted suicide. However, the police refuted the claim. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had ordered the setting up of a three-member-all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT) of police officials to probe into the case. The SIT team is under the supervision of senior IPS officer Gurpreet Kaur Deo. "SIT will go to the bottom of the conspiracy. No person is to be spared if found involved. One student and two others were arrested. Thanks to DGP Himachal Pradesh for excellent co-operation. Electronic devices were seized and sent for forensic examination," said DGP Punjab, Gaurav Yadav. Earlier in the day sources said that the Chandigarh University varsity has been shut for students till September 24. The decision comes in the wake of massive protests by students demanding action against the allegations that objectionable videos of several students at the girls' hostel of Chandigarh University in Mohali were recorded by a fellow hosteller and shared on social media. (ANI)
As part of the amnesty scheme, those who completed 10 years in prison and were reported for good conduct were released.

Earlier in the second week of August, 21 life convicts were released from prison.

It may be noted that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had announced on the floor of the Assembly the release of 750 life convicts as part of the 113 birth anniversary celebrations of former Chief Minister and DMK ideologue Annadurai.

So far, 96 life convicts have been released from prison.

--IANS aal/arm

( 127 Words)

2022-09-24-20:54:02 (IANS)
A Young university student who aims to become an engineer designed and manufactured a racing car. The "Formula SAE Japan 2022" is an opportunity for students to develop skills for object creation "Monozukuri", which will contribute to the expansion of the industry. A total of 69 teams will enter the competition and participate in various events for five days. Shinsuke Kanome from the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan said, "The judge is concentrating on two categories: the test of design for a car manufacturing process, a presentation to sell a car; an examination of the cost of making a car, and a driving test being held today." Japanese car and parts manufacturers are sponsoring the event and team to help train young car engineers. The Kyoto Institute of Technology team is known to be a strong team and has 66 members. The team is adjusting the racing car for the endurance race on the last day of the competition. Kengo Yoshida of Kyoto Institute of Technology said that they have been working on remodelling the engine by making our own engine parts. "There are many carbon parts on the car body. By replacing the material with a lighter material, the overall weight of the car becomes lighter. We have been working on such car body manufacturing because light machine realises speed up." The endurance and efficiency races will run 20 laps of the course. After driving for 10 laps, the driver changes and competes for driving time and fuel consumption costs. Kyoto Institute of Technology won the overall score and became the champion of 69 teams. "I felt about each for a long time, and I was worried. I was able to feel relieved because the driver change was carried out smoothly and the race passed without any problems. On the last drive, I just watched carefully," Kengo Yoshida said. The university student said, "I have a lot of thoughts after making a car. We have worked very hard to manufacture the car, so we are very relieved that we can complete the race. I'm so happy." "I would like to thank all the team members and sponsors who have worked with me so far. Next year, we will manufacture cars that will speed up and aim for a higher ranking as revenge," added the student. Young engineers backed up by automotive giants and first-hand industry experience will become major participants and contributors to the automotive industry on a global level. (ANI)
On recognising the weaknesses of the Security Council in dealing with global challenges, the L.69 group of countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific have committed to instilling "new life" in their efforts towards achieving reform of the UN Security Council. L.69 group and other reform-minded countries, joined hands to call for a more inclusive, responsive and participatory international governance architecture. They called for urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council to reflect the contemporary global realities. "We commit to 'instil new life' in our efforts during the 77th session of the General Assembly, and urgently call on all Members States of the United Nations to join hands to achieve a comprehensive reform of the Security Council," according to the statement released by Ministry of External Affairs. L.69 group is of pro-reform member states, including primarily developing countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. The meeting on "Reinvigorating Multilateralism and Achieving Comprehensive Reform of the UN Security Council", was held in New York and was chaired by the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves and co-hosted by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. According to the statement, the high-level meeting of the members of the L.69 group commemorated the 15th Anniversary of their founding. The grouping underlined that the lack of progress in Security Council reform has serious implications, not only for the continued relevance of global governance institutions but also for global peace and security and delivering on the purposes, principles and promises of the United Nations Charter. "At today's high-level meeting, the participants - both the members of the L.69 group and other reform-minded countries, joined hands to call for a more inclusive, responsive and participatory international governance architecture. They called for urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council to reflect the contemporary global realities," the statement reads. After the meeting, the participants participated in a "Call to Action" joint statement where they said that the United Nations require urgent and comprehensive reforms and emphasised that the security council must be reflective of the "aspirations and perspectives of the developing world" that form the majority of UN global membership. 32 countries including India highlight the reforms required in the UN Security Council in their joint statement. The signatories of the joint statement stated that they reaffirm that adapting the United Nations to contemporary world realities necessarily requires urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council, the principal organ for international peace and security. "We recognize that a resilient world urgently needs reformed and effective multilateralism to deliver solutions for the pressing and evolving challenges of our time, developmental challenges, poverty, climate change, pandemics, global food security, international conflicts and crises, and international terrorism," the statement reads. According to the statement, the heads of delegations were convinced of the need to restore faith in effective multilateralism, "we stand united, as a group of pro-reform like-minded States, determined to work towards a more inclusive, responsive and participatory international governance architecture," the statement reads. The head of delegations recognised that a reformed Security Council must better reflect the contemporary United Nations membership, including through enhanced representation of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which comprise approximately 20 per cent of the United Nations' membership. An expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories, as well as reform in its working methods, is indispensable to making this body more representative, legitimate and effective, delegations reiterated. "We reaffirm our support for the representation of Africa in line with the Common African Position, as contained in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration," the statement reads. The head of delegations affirmed the need for a formal negotiation process, guided by the decision-making modalities and working methods laid out in the Charter of the United Nations and in line with the rules and procedures of the General Assembly. (ANI)
The two leaders met at a reception for world leaders participating in the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Express Tribune reported.

During the meeting, Biden expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of several lives due to the devastating floods in Pakistan and also sympathised with the affected families, the report said.

According to an official statement, Sharif expressed his gratitude to the US President for his condolences and sympathy.

The premier also thanked Biden for supporting Pakistan and for urging the international community to help the flood victims.

Sharif also thanked the US government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) chief for her visit to Pakistan and offered his gratitude for sending aid for the flood-affected people.

Sharif, along with other world leaders, was invited to the reception by the US President.

This was the first interaction between Biden and Sharif. Since being elected as the US president, Biden had not spoken to either former Prime Minister Imran Khan or his successor Sharif.

Despite being informal, the meeting is significant given the fact that the Biden administration during Imran's government largely ignored Pakistan, Express Tribune reported.

However, since the change of government, there has been a flurry of engagements between the two countries.

Earlier, in his address to the UN General Assembly, Biden made a fervent pitch for extending help to Pakistan where floods had caused huge devastation.

--IANS san/arm

( 280 Words)

2022-09-23-23:00:03 (IANS)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday participated in the India-CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Ministerial meeting and exchanged perspectives on health cooperation, digital linkages and capacity building. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "A warm and friendly India-CARICOM Ministerial meeting this afternoon. Discussed our development partnership, health cooperation, digital linkages and capacity building. India-CARICOM is a true example of South-South solidarity." CARICOM group of countries in the developing world is considered to be one of the most advanced regional institutions. Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Saint Kitts and Nevis, together form CARICOM. "Our meeting today strengthened a mutual resolve to make the voice of the Global South heard in world councils," he added. Jaishankar, who is on a 10-day visit to the United States, interacted with his counterparts from Madagascar, Moroccan and Span on the fifth day of his stay in New York. Jaishankar is in the US for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting. He met the Foreign Minister of Madagascar, Richard Randriamandrato. "Good to meet FM @RichardJRand of Madagascar, a maritime neighbor. Glad to note the unfolding of our development partnership. Exchanged ideas on scaling it up further. Also discussed current global developments." Jaishankar tweeted. Apart from that, the External Affairs Minister also met Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares. "A good meeting with FM @jmalbares of Spain. Our bilateral cooperation has progressed since his Delhi visit in June this year. Spain has been a reliable friend in enhancing India-EU partnership. We also discussed the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific tensions," Jaishankar said in a tweet. Meanwhile, on Day 4 in New York, Jaishankar interacted with foreign ministers from three different countries and attended the BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting where they exchanged perspectives on the global situation, international economy and regional issues. He met the Foreign Minister of Paraguay. "Wonderful to see my dear friend Foreign Minister Julio Cesar Arriola of Paraguay again. The #UNGA is such a great meeting place," Jaishankar tweeted. Apart from that, the External Affairs Minister also met the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Nicu Popescu and his Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "So glad to meet DPM and FM @nicupopescuof Moldova. Thanked him for support during #OperationGanga. Appreciate his enthusiasm for expanding our ties. Look forward to seeing him in India soon." While meeting with the Mexican Foreign Minister, Jaishankar and Ebrard discussed the Ukraine conflict and the need for a cessation of hostilities. "India and Mexico are strong partners in the UN Security Council," he said in a tweet.(ANI)
A former Chinese Vice Minister of public security accused of taking over 646 million yuan bribes, was sentenced to death, just weeks before a crucial Communist Party reshuffle to be held on October 16. The former Vice Minister, Sun Lijun has been stripped of all his political rights and all his personal property was confiscated, according to Global Times. The crime of accepting the bribes rewarded Sun the death sentence with a two-year reprieve. And after completing that, his sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment, with no possibility of commutation or parole, according to Global Times citing a court ruling. He was also sentenced to eight years in prison for manipulating the stock market and was fined 1 million yuan, in addition to a further five years for illegally possessing firearms. The court thus decided to hand down the death sentence with a two-year reprieve. From 2001 to April 2020, Sun used the influence accumulated through past positions to seek gains for others and illegally accepted money and property worth 646 million yuan. In the first half of 2018, Sun manipulated related individuals to engage in stock market dealings, helping certain individuals to avoid losses of 145 million yuan. Sun was also found to have illegally possessed two firearms, reported Global Times. A similar incident was reported on Wednesday, where three ex-police chiefs on charges of taking bribes were punished. Gong Daoan, a former vice-mayor of the Shanghai government and former director of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, was sentenced to life imprisonment for taking bribes of about Yuan 73.4 million (USD 10.4 million), by the Tangshan Intermediate People's Court, Hebei province. The court also deprived Gong of his political rights for life and confiscated all of his personal property, and his illegal gains will be handed over to the State treasury, reported China Daily. In another case, Deng Huilin, former vice-mayor of the Chongqing municipal government and former head of the Chongqing Public Security Bureau, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for taking bribes of about Yuan 42.7 million by Baoding Intermediate People's Court in Hebei. The court also fined him Yuan 4 million and Deng's illegal gains will be handed over to the State treasury, reported China Daily. Separately, Liu Xinyun, former vice-governor and police chief of Shanxi province, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after a court in Hebei province combined punishments of his corruption-related convictions on Wednesday. The Intermediate People's Court in Langfang, Hebei, sentenced Liu to 12 years in prison for the crime of bribery, with a fine of Yuan 1 million, and also gave him another four-year prison term for the abuse of power. In combination, the prison term is 14 years, reported China Daily. Gong Daoan, Deng Huilin and Liu Xinyun were sentenced over bribery charges following claims of disloyalty against President Xi JinpingTrials came just three weeks before the ruling Communist Party's national congress on October 16 at which Xi is expected to extend his rule for the third time. Since coming to power in 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched a series of campaigns nominally about fighting corruption but aimed at eliminating political opponents and establishing his political prestige. (ANI)
As part of a regular and ongoing dialogue between India and Sri Lanka, the island nation's High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda has met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and reviewed the status of the relations between the two countries. "As part of the regular and ongoing dialogue between them, High Commissioner @MilindaMoragoda met with the National Security Advisor of India Shri Ajit Doval today (22). The discussion centered on a comprehensive review of the status of the relations between India and Sri Lanka," SL High Commission in India tweeted. Since the beginning of 2022, Sri Lanka has experienced an escalating economic crisis and the government has defaulted on its foreign loans. Sri Lanka is battling food and fuel scarcity affecting a large number of the people in the island nation. The economy has been in free fall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. India has extended around USD 4 billion in bilateral assistance this year for the people of Sri Lanka. In a bid to sustain it from debt, India also extended its continuous support to Sri Lanka in all possible ways, particularly by promoting long-term investments from New Delhi in key economic sectors in Colombo for its early economic recovery and growth. "We have also noted the conclusion of a Staff Level Agreement between IMF and Government of Sri Lanka. Its further approval within IMF is contingent upon, inter alia, on Sri Lanka's debt sustainability. We continue to be supportive of Sri Lanka in all possible ways, in particular by promoting long-term investments from India in key economic sectors in Sri Lanka for its early economic recovery and growth," the spokesperson of the High Commission had said. On August 22, India handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer to its crisis-ridden neighbour. Highlighting India-Sri Lanka's close and longstanding relationship, the High Commission noted that the people of Sri Lanka continue to avail of scholarships for higher education and skills training in premier Indian institutions. India under its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, has always come forward to help the debt-ridden island country. India has extended 8 Lines of Credit (LOCs) to Sri Lanka amounting to USD 1,850.64 million in the past 10 years. India has been at forefront of extending economic assistance to Sri Lanka as per their requirements and is one of the countries that have provided the maximum amount of assistance in time of need. Sri Lanka is also facing a foreign exchange shortage, which has, incidentally, affected its capacity to import food and fuel, leading to power cuts in the country. The shortage of essential goods forced Sri Lanka to seek assistance from friendly countries. (ANI)
A 13-year-old girl belonging to the Hindu community in Pakistan's Sindh province has reportedly been abducted last week while she was returning from the market. According to reports, the victim's family alleges that the police have refused to file an FIR in the case. Earlier, another Hindu married woman was also abducted and forcibly converted to Islam and is being allegedly held captive by one Muslim family in the province. Pakistan's dilemma of forced conversions and marriages put minority women at risk and the issue of securing rights for minority women has become particularly complex in the country. As Pakistan moves in an increasingly conservative Islamist direction, the situation for Hindus, Christians and other religious minorities, especially that of women, is worsening, reported International Forum for Right and Security (IFFRAS). The situation faced by the Hindu and Christian groups in Pakistan is bad in general, but women from these communities are the worst victims of discriminatory attitudes of the authorities, political groups, religious parties, the feudal structure and the Muslim majority. Religious minority women and girls are abducted, forcibly converted, forcibly married and abused, and their families are unsuccessful in their attempts to challenge these crimes using legal avenues, reported IFFRAS. While the abductions, forced conversions, forced marriages and abuse are perpetrated by individuals, the fate of religious minority women and girls is often sealed as the existing laws or handling of such cases deem any legal recourse unavailable or ineffective. Human rights groups have documented the plight of Pakistan's religious minorities for years, but it is only recently that these minorities have become the focus of popular discourse because of revelations on social media regarding their treatment, reported IFFRAS. On the evening of August 20 in the Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Dina Kaur, a teacher belonging to the Sikh community, was forcibly abducted and converted to Islam. Despite massive protests by the Sikh community in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province over the incident, local police have failed to initiate any investigation into the abduction and forcible conversion of Dina Kaur. The plight of women in Pakistan is increasing day by day as a fresh report has stated that nearly 6,754 women and girls were abducted in the country's Punjab province in the first half of 2021. Out of that, 1,890 women were raped, 3,721 were tortured and 752 girls were raped, Duniya News reported. (ANI)
A protest rally was held against Pakistan on Friday in front of the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, New York amid the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The protest saw participation from various groups including Jeay Sindh and the Indus Freedom Council. People from Bangla, Hindu and Afghan groups also participated in the protest. "We are here today to protest against the Pakistani army and militant groups. They murdered three million Bangladeshi people and raped several hundred thousand girls and women. They also displaced millions of people," said one of the protestors. "We want United Nations to sanction Pakistan. We want them to recognise this genocide. At the same time, they are doing the same genocide in Pakistan --- against the Baloch people, against the Sindhi people. Today the Sindhi people are protesting against Pakistan. They want independence," a protestor added. Earlier on Thursday, the World Sindhi Congress (WSC) held a large protest in front of the United Nations office in Geneva during the ongoing 51st session of the Human Rights Council. The protest was joined by the exiled leaders of Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and human rights defenders from various countries of Europe. The speakers reiterated that Pakistan continues to commit heinous crimes against Sindhi, Baloch, and Pashtun people through enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, persecution of religious minorities and looting. WSC representatives said Sindh is witnessing the worst devastation in its thousands of years' history, impacting more than 20 million people, which has turned more than 10 million people homeless. Lakhu Luhana, Secretary General of World Sindhi Congress said, "The Pakistan government is saying it is a climate change. Yes, there is climate change but it's not scientifically established that it was climate change. We have got more than enough evidence that they did it deliberately to drown Sindh and the Sindhi people". He added, "There are now millions impacted and millions who are homeless. Thousands of villagers have been displaced and it's an active act of genocide, therefore, it is the duty of the international community to investigate the genocide of Sindhi people". (ANI)
When asked by Arab News if he plans to marry, Bilawal Bhutto replied, "Of course, I have plans to marry." But added that he is in "no rush."

Bilawal Bhutto, the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), took over as the 37th Foreign Minister of the country in April this year.

He is the son of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.

Bilawal Bhutto is considered one of the key architects who helped oust Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan from power in April.

The Pakistan foreign minister is currently in New York to attend the 77th session of UNGA.

On Friday, Bilawal Bhutto called for generous international support during the next phases of rehabilitation and reconstruction due to the Pakistan floods.

Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UNGA, he called for "climate justice" for Pakistan.

"This is a tragedy of monumental proportions," the Pakistan FM was quoted as saying by The Nation newspaper in New York.

According to Bilawal, the total flood damage in Pakistan was over USD 30 billion, 10 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), with one-third of the country under water. (ANI)
China took a back seat from its declaration, at the Leaders' Summit on Climate in April last year where President Xi Jinping had stated that Beijing will control coal-fired power generation projects and limit the increase in coal consumption over the 14th Five-Year Plan period between 2021-2025. "China will strictly control coal-fired power generation projects, as well as strictly limit the increase in coal consumption over the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) and phase it down in the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030)," he had said. However, the Chinese President is chewing on those remarks this year, as China on April 2022 announced it was adding 300 million tonnes of coal mining capacity to its already world-record holding production levels, The Honk Kong Post reported. It is to be noted that China's five-year plans are the core rules that outline its economic goals, development programmes, and general changes for the next five years. However, barely over a year into the 14th Five-Year Plan, which Xi Jinping is believed to have specified, China has been forced to change its declared direction regarding coal and coal-fired power plants. Deputy head of the Office of the Central Finance and Economic Commission Han Wenxiu stated that during the draft phase of the plan, Xi "personally made modifications and approved the text and has put in a significant amount of efforts on it." Considering this it's an unavoidable conclusion that Xi is aware that he over-promised China's ability to transition away from coal in 2021, The Hong Kong Post reported. The Honk Kong Post reported citing Greenpeace's Beijing office said that not only has coal mining capacity increased this year, but China has also approved the construction of 8.63 gigatonnes (GW) of new coal-fired power plants between January and March 2022. According to the environmental organisation, that new capacity in little over three months is equal to over half - 46 per cent - of the total additional capacity permitted in 2021. Wu Jinghan, a climate and energy campaigner in Greenpeace East Asia's Beijing office, the rise in coal is linked to a new wave of rhetoric stressing energy security. "Instead of a steady source of energy, energy security has become a code phrase for coal." Ironically, China's "energy dilemma occurred in part because of China's reliance on coal," Wu noted as quoted by The Hon Kong Post. Despite this, government messaging on 'energy security' has risen... The coal industry looks to be resuming full operation." When China stated in September 2021 that it would no longer finance coal-fired power stations outside of China, most of the globe was shocked and even pleased. Before reading too much into that policy, interested parties should read the whole of the 14th Five-Year Plan, which covers China's growth strategy until 2025. Li Shuo, a senior global policy adviser for Greenpeace said, "This mentality of ensuring energy security has become dominant, trumping carbon neutrality." Over 70 per cent of coal power plants in the world are financed by Chinese banks under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This is worthy to be noted that China claims that the BRI promotes green development and strengthens eco-environment protection however none of this holds true as far as the reality is concerned. (ANI)
The recent visit of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan and subsequent support shown by many Middle East countries to China, reflects the changing political alignment in the region, according to Europe Asia Foundation. The London-based forum contended that China's fast-growing influence started with economic engagement such as trade and investment in the region which should be a cause for concern for western countries including the United States. With the aim to increase its clout, China has quietly engaged with countries in building infrastructure through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). What has helped Beijing in this endeavour is the perceived disengagement of the US from West Asia, which has enabled China to deepen its engagement in the region. "China's interest in the Middle East has primarily been economic - as well as to secure energy supplies - but it is now turning to a more strategic focus," according to the London-based forum. China invested 330 billion USD in 2021 and continues to diversify its trade activities in the region with the aim to achieve unrivalled regional trade dominance. 2022 was no different. Representatives from a number of Gulf countries including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman visited China's coastal province of Jiangsu for a series of meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Participation of Gulf countries in the Beijing Winter Olympics, despite US resistance, also showcased China's diplomatic prowess. "Trade imbalance has seen a surge as Chinese products enter the Middle East in recent years. Analysts point out that people in the region are becoming accustomed to Chinese products and developing their familiarity with them," the Europe Asia Foundation report said. China is offering new opportunities for Middle Eastern businesses, thereby deepening ties with countries in the region. "To facilitate business activity and investment, China has signed a range of tax agreements and bilateral investment treaties that offer fair treatment and protection for foreign investors with many countries in the region. At the same time, Beijing is in the process of negotiating free trade agreements," the forum said. Besides trade activities, China is trying to control its narrative in the Gulf region. "Mass opinion polls in the Arab States highlight China's popularity while favourable coverage in Arab media is constant. Beijing's narrative is being pushed. It was demonstrated by recent responses in regional newspapers to Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan," the Europe Asia Foundation report said. According to the London-based forum, the sympathetic coverage is shaped by the broad support for the 'One China policy amongst Arab governments, backed by Beijing's economic incentives. Another worrying sign for the US is the Islamic world's silence on China's crackdowns in Xinjiang. This gives Beijing the upper hand in approaching its diplomacy from a transactional framework in the region. The Middle East countries' silence on the repression and incarceration of Muslims in Xinjiang is seen as a double standard, given their harsh criticism of several countries on much lesser issues. (ANI)
Pakistani netizens are protesting on social media against the Pakistan government for providing tax exemptions on the import of bullet-proof vehicles by the top brass of military officers, media reports said. Following the protests, the federal law enforcement agency has yet not issued a notification over the same, Dawn media reported. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Member Customs Policy signed an official notification to this effect here on Friday but it was not yet placed on the law enforcement website, reported The News International. After getting approval from the federal cabinet, the notification has exempted senior army officers from payment of all duties and taxes on the import of bulletproof vehicles up to 6000cc after their retirement. The News International confirmed citing top official sources that the exemption of Customs Duty, Sales Tax, Withholding Tax and Federal Excise Duty (FED) would be applicable on the import of bulletproof vehicles up to 6,000cc by the military officers, including Lieutenant Generals, services chiefs, Chief of the Army Staff and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). However, as per reports, there will be certain conditions attached to this permission including allowing the exemption of duties and taxes on the import of such vehicles by the said officials on their retirement. Furthermore, the process will only be followed on the recommendations of the Ministry of Defence. All four-star generals have been permitted to import two vehicles after retirement. Moreover, three-star officers will be able to import one duty-free bulletproof vehicle after retirement, reported Dawn. For the sale of such vehicles, the owners would be required to obtain prior permission of the law enforcement agency. The notification while quoting relevant sources said that if the vehicle is disposed of before a five-year period, the law enforcement agency will recover all duties and taxes applicable at the time of import of such vehicles. Another source cited by the media outlet claimed that the decision to allow duty-free bulletproof vehicles was earlier taken by the cabinet in 2019. However, he did not elaborate on why the decision was not implemented even after three years, reported Dawn. (ANI)
The Taliban have announced that it plans to review and revise the curriculum in view of Afghan culture, international educational standards, and Islamic law. Ahmad Taqi, the Taliban spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education said 35 academic curricula have already been finalised, and a single academic curriculum will be set up across Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported. "We have adopted those international norms that we support and are working to align Afghanistan's curriculum with those norms so that we can compete with other countries in curriculum," said Taqi. There are 165 different educational curricula available nationwide, of which 20 bachelor's degree curricula and 15 master's degree curricula have already been finalized, the Afghan news agency reported citing statistics from the Afghan Education Ministry. Earlier this week, the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada reshuffled several national and provincial positions, including the acting education minister. This reshuffle comes as the Taliban has been under fire for the exclusion of girls from high schools in Afghanistan. The Taliban say they are working on a plan to open secondary schools for girls but have not given a specific timeframe. Last week, the United Nations reiterated its call for the country's de facto authorities to take urgent measures to reopen high schools for all. "This is a tragic, shameful, and entirely avoidable anniversary," said Markus Potzel, the acting head of UNAMA, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. "The ongoing exclusion of girls from high school has no credible justification and has no parallel anywhere in the world. It is profoundly damaging to a generation of girls and to the future of Afghanistan itself," said the UN envoy, who is also the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. According to the UN mission in Afghanistan, the Taliban have failed to deliver on various promises that they will enable their return to the classroom. The ban prevents girls attending grades seven to twelve, primarily impacting girls aged between 12 and 18. "The denial of education violates the most fundamental rights of girls and women. It increases the risk of the marginalization, violence, exploitation and abuse against girls and is part of a broader range of discriminatory policies and practices targeting women and girls since the de facto authorities assumed power in the summer of 2021," the United Nations Assistance Mission (UNAMA) said in a statement last week. The UN has called upon the Taliban to reverse the slew of measures they have introduced restricting Afghan women and girls' enjoyment of their basic rights and freedoms. (ANI)
A total of 84 people have been arrested by Sri Lankan police as several protestors gathered in Colombo raising their voice against what they claimed was "suppression", media reports said. The protest was organized by the Socialist Youth Union in Colombo. However, it soon turned tense as police fired tear gas and used water canons to disperse protestors at Dean's Road, Maradana in Colombo, reported The Daily Mirror. Among those arrested were two monks and four females, the media outlet said citing police. Several protestors also got injured and were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. According to the Sri Lankan outlet, NewsWire the people were holding a protest raising their voice against "suppression". While the police fired tear gas, a few protestors sought shelter inside the Viharamahadevi Park, which was recently announced as an alternative site to stage protests. The Police withdrew after the protesters entered the park. On Friday, an Extraordinary Gazette notification was issued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe declaring several areas in Colombo as high-security zones. Wickremesinghe issued the notice declaring several areas in Colombo as High-Security Zones including the area surrounding the Parliament Complex, Presidential Secretariat and President's House. Sri Lanka continues to reel under a severe economic crisis. Earlier, protesting the dire conditions, Sri Lankan protesters had broken into then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence and set it on fire. They were angered by the unprecedented economic crisis. During those protests, several journalists were also attacked by the security forces after which more protestors gathered in the area. Notably, Sri Lanka is suffering its worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948, which comes on the heels of successive waves of COVID-19, threatening to undo years of development progress and severely undermining the country's ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sri Lanka has been suffering a diesel shortage since February, which led to hours of daily power cuts. At present, Sri Lanka is struggling with acute food and electricity shortages, forcing the country to seek help from its neighbours. India has been at forefront of extending economic assistance to Sri Lanka as per their requirements and is one of the countries that have provided the maximum amount of assistance in time of need. In 2022, India extended around USD four billion in bilateral assistance to Sri Lanka. (ANI)
A Sikh student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte was allegedly detained on the campus for wearing Kirpan, one of the integral parts of five Sikh Kakars, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed, sharing a video of the incident. The BJP leader shared a video in which it was shown that the US police tried to take the Kirpan from the Sikh youth and later detained him when he resisted. "Despite numerous global campaigns to create awareness about Sikh Kakaars, it's disheartening to see the Campus Police at University of North Carolina detain a Sikh youth for his Kirpan. I condemn the discriminatory attitude of University authorities towards Sikh students," Sirsa tweeted. He condemned the incident and demanded an apology from the Campus police and University Administration that detained the youth. "We demand an apology from Campus Police and Univ Admn at @unccharlotte that detained a Sikh youth for his Kirpan, a quintessential part of Sikh Kakars. We are in constant touch with @IndianEmbassyUS and @MEAIndia to ensure the Amritdhari student is released with due respect," Sirsa, a former legislator, said in a tweet. "I must appreciate the Sikh student who explained the significance of Kirpan with such faith. We demand an apology from @unccharlotte admn on this racial attitude. I also urge @DrSJaishankar Ji to address the issue of discrimination faced by Sikh students at global level," he added. The video was initially shared by the student, who posted it on Twitter saying that the police handcuffed him for resisting letting the officer take his Kirpan out of the miyaan. "I wasn't going to post this, but I don't think I will receive any support from @unccharlotte. I was told someone called 911 and reported me, and I got cuffed for "resisting" because I refused to let the officer take my kirpan out of the miyaan." The Kirpan is an integral part of the Sikh religion and Article 25 of the Indian Constitution allows the wearing and carrying of kirpans by Sikh persons. It is one of the five Kakars. According to the World Sikh Organization of Canada, Kirpan is an article of faith that plays a role in the Sikh religion. The kirpan is worn by initiated (Amritdhari) Sikhs, both men and women, and is one of five articles of faith, often called the 5Ks; Kesh, Kangha, Kara, Kachhera, Kirpan. Sikhs wear them as a reminder of their commitment to the tenets of their faith, including justice, charity, morality, humility, and equality. Mandated to be worn always, it is an integral part of the Khalsa Sikh's person, and not wearing the kirpan at any time, day or night, constitutes a grievous transgression for a Khalsa Sikh. (ANI)
A blast near the Wazir Akbar Khan area of Kabul city on Friday sparked strong international and domestic reactions. Taliban's spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid on Twitter condemned the blast and said attacking mosques and targeting worshippers is a "major and unforgivable crime." Former President Hamid Karzai also "strongly" condemned the blast and called it a "terrorist act" against Islamic and human principles, reported Tolo News. The US embassy for Afghanistan on Twitter said that Washington "strongly condemns today's vicious attack on worshipers outside the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in Kabul." "Such an attack against people professing their faith is unjustifiable," the embassy said on Twitter. "We offer condolences to the families of the victims and hope those injured recovers swiftly," reported Tolo News The UN Assistant Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a tweet Another bitter reminder of ongoing insecurity and terrorist activity in Afghanistan - today's explosion outside a downtown mosque in Kabul caused numerous casualties, including fatalities." On Friday afternoon a blast occurred nearby the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque, killing nine people and wounding 41 others, including children. A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Abdul Nafay Takor, said that the blast was due to a car bombing, reported Tolo News. According to reports, the explosion occurred when the worshipers were leaving the mosque, reported Tolo News. Kabul has recently seen a surge in security incidents. Notably, the explosion comes days after a blast was heard near the Russian Embassy southwest of Kabul city. The blast resulted in the death of two Russian Embassy staff and the injury of several locals, Taliban spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said in a tweet. This explosion happened days after at least 20 people were killed in a blast that rocked a mosque in northwestern Afghanistan during Friday prayers. In recent months, a number of blasts have been reported in the capital city of Kabul, claiming dozens of innocent lives. Earlier on September 8, one person was killed and four people, including women and children, were injured when a grenade that belonged to the Taliban members in the Faryab province of northern Afghanistan exploded recently. The grenade explosion occurred in police district 2 of Maimana city, the provincial capital of Faryab, Khaama Press, citing the officials who also said that two people had been detained in connection with the grenade explosion This series of blasts comes on the heels of one year of the Taliban's brutal rule in Afghanistan. Rights groups said the terror outfit had broken multiple pledges to respect human and women's rights. After capturing Kabul in August last year, the Islamic authorities have imposed severe restrictions on women's and girls' rights, suppressed the media, and arbitrarily detained, tortured, and summarily executed critics and perceived opponents, among other abuses. Rights groups say that the Taliban's human rights abuses have brought widespread condemnation and imperilled international efforts to address the country's dire humanitarian situation. (ANI)
"NASA is foregoing a launch opportunity Tuesday, Sept. 27, and preparing for rollback, while continuing to watch the weather forecast associated with Tropical Storm Ian," the space agency said in its press release.

During a meeting Saturday morning, teams decided to stand down on preparing for the Tuesday launch date to allow them to configure systems for rolling back the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Engineers deferred a final decision about the roll to Sunday to allow for additional data gathering and analysis. If Artemis I managers elect to roll back, it would begin late Sunday night or early Monday morning.

"The agency is taking a step-wise approach to its decision-making process to allow the agency to protect its employees by completing a safe roll in time for them to address the needs of their families while also protecting the option to press ahead with another launch opportunity in the current window if weather predictions improve," the press release added.

NASA continues to rely on the most up-to-date information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Space Force, and the National Hurricane Center. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Russia, Cyprus, Jordan and Venezuela on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Jaishankar held wide-ranging discussions. Jaishankar earlier met Lavrov at the BRICS Foreign Ministers' annual meeting on the margins of UNGA, where members exchanged their support for the continued cooperation of BRICS members in areas of mutual interest, including through regular exchanges amongst their Permanent Missions to the UN. Apart from Lavrov, Jaishankar also held discussions with Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides on Europe. In a tweet, Jaishankar wrote, "Continued the tradition of the India-Cyprus meeting on the sidelines of UNGA. Thank FM Ioannis Kasoulides for his warm sentiments towards India and his many insights on Europe." India had earlier thanked Cyprus for its unstinted backing of India's candidature for expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Among the other bilaterals was the meeting of Jaishankar with the Jordanian Foreign Minister. Ayman Safadi. Both the leaders exchanged views on West Asia and the global economy. "Great to see my good friend FM Ayman Safadi of Jordan. His perspectives on West Asia and the global economy were extremely useful," wrote Jaishankar following the meeting with the Jordanian counterpart. Jaishankar also exchanged views on the global political and economic scenarios in his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Venezuela Carlos Faria. The EAM will be in New York from September 18 to 24, while he will visit Washington DC from September 25 to 28, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). After concluding his visit to New York on Saturday, he is scheduled to visit Washington for three days starting Sunday for what the External Affairs Ministry said for "a high-level review of the multifaceted bilateral agenda and strengthen cooperation on regional and global issues to further consolidate the India-US strategic partnership". In Washington, Jaishsnkar is expected to meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior officials of the Biden Administration. A round table focused on science and technology is also on the agenda for Washington. (ANI)
Reiterating its claim over Taiwan, China on Saturday said peace across Taiwan can be ensured only when China is completely reunified with the self-governed island nation and any move to obstruct China's reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history. "Only when China is completely reunified can there be enduring peace across Taiwan. Any scheme to interfere in China's internal affairs is bound to meet the strong opposition of all Chinese and any move to obstruct China's reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Wang Yi said that all "stolen" territories including Taiwan shall be restored and reiterated that Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China's territory. "Since ancient times, Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China's territory...It is explicitly stated in the Potsdam Proclamation that all the territories that Japan has stolen from the Chinese including Taiwan shall be restored to China," the Chinese Foreign minister said. China's ruling Communist Party claims that Taiwan is part of its territory, despite having never governed it, and has refused to rule out the use of force to bring it under control. In line, after the US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last month, China has over time reiterated that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. China claims that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. China's Foreign Ministry condemned Pelosi for what it described as her "vicious and provocative actions," saying her trip to Taiwan amounted to "seriously interfering in China's internal affairs." China also increased its military activities around the Island nation. Amid the tension between US and China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday and stressed for preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Over an hour-long meeting, Blinken emphasized that the United States is committed to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, consistent with its longstanding one-China policy. Both leaders discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship. Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered his armed forces, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to develop the ability to capture Taiwan by 2027, revealed David Cohen, the Deputy Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Meanwhile, Taiwan has rejected China's "one country, two systems" formulation, believing that only the people of Taiwan can decide their own future. Taiwan has faced the threat of invasion ever since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek's defeated Nationalists fled there to set up a new government, having been chased out of the mainland by Mao Zedong's Communist Party. More than 70 years later, the Communist Party continues to view Taiwan as something akin to a breakaway province that must be "reunified" with the mainland at all costs -- and it has made clear it is prepared to use force, if necessary, to fulfil that objective. (ANI)
During his remarks at the 77th United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Pakistan's Prime Minister raised concern over the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that "Pakistan shares the key concern of the international community regarding the threat posed by the major terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan especially Islamic State- Khorasan (ISIS-K) and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as well as Al-Qaeda, East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)," reported Tolo News. Sharif's remarks sparked reactions from the Islamic Emirate and former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai. Karzai said in a statement that Afghanistan has been the victim of terrorism and that terrorist sanctuaries have been active under the Pakistani government in the country--and have been used against Afghanistan for decades, reported Tolo News. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said that the allegations were baseless. "Some countries, including the United States and Pakistan, expressed concerns ... that threat of terrorism still exists in Afghanistan," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. "These concerns, based on incorrect information and sources, are being brought up as the relevant parties are yet to hand over the seat of Afghanistan at the United Nations to its rightful, legal and political owners, the Afghan government," added the statement. Speaking at a gathering in Kabul, the acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi said that "biased circles in the world call Afghanistan a terrorist haven." Sharif also urged the Taliban to respect human rights and women's rights, reported Tolo News. Since its ascent to power in Kabul, the Islamic group imposed policies severely restricting basic rights--particularly those of women and girls. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Taliban dismissed all women from leadership posts in the civil service and prohibited girls in most provinces from attending secondary school. Taliban decrees prohibit women from travelling unless accompanied by a male relative and require women's faces to be covered in public--including women TV newscasters. The Taliban have also censored, limited critical reporting, and beaten journalists. Taliban forces have carried out revenge killings and enforced disappearances of former government officials and security force personnel. They have summarily executed people deemed affiliated with the Islamic State. Armed groups linked to the Afghan branch of the Islamic State have carried out bombings targeting ethnic Hazaras, Afghan Shias, Sufis, and others, killing and injuring hundreds. (ANI)
A man was killed and another was injured in a shooting in Pittsburghs Hill District neighborhood.

Allegheny County 911 told Channel 11 that police and EMS units were called to the 1800 block of Bedford Avenue just after 1 p.m.

Officials at the scene said one man was found fatally shot lying in a doorway and pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner later identified the victim as 46-year-old Warnell Boyd.

Officials also said another man was shot in the hand during the incident. He was taken to a local hospital in stable condition.

Pittsburgh police activity in the 1800 block of Bedford Avenue in the Hill District. #WPXI #PGH #Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/dnhlHkz8dT  Tony Ruffolo (@WPXITonyRuffolo) September 24, 2022

The investigation in ongoing.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

TRENDING NOW:

SKYLIGHTS 2022: Week 4 high school football final scores High school football player dies after on-field head injury Juvenile injured after police pursuit ends in Pittsburgh neighborhood, 1 person arrested Woman killed in wrong-way Westmoreland crash DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks will host the 3rd Annual Talbot Tidewater Celebration! The free event will take place on National Public Lands Day on Saturday.

The free family-friendly event will be held at the Ribault Club on Ft. George Island Cultural State Park at 11241 Ft. George Rd from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

The event coincides with National Public Lands Day and will also be a celebration of the natural spaces and rich history that can be found within the Talbot Island State Parks and Timucuan Preserve.

The day will feature games, exhibits and educational opportunities for all ages including the Junior Ranger Angler Fishing Clinic for youth 6 to 17. The one-hour clinic will provide lessons on casting, knot tying and ethical angling as well as local Gullah Geechee and Timucua fishing heritage.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

The first 75 registered kids who complete the clinic will receive a free fishing pole.

Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks has many other events planned for the day including guided hikes, archaeology talks, canoe rides, local art, nature exhibits and more. Smokey Bear and the Florida Wildlife Commissions Wildlife Alert Trailer will be there as well as community exhibitors, live music, food for purchase, and plenty of picnic space.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

More information about the Talbot Tidewater Celebration and National Public Land Day event can be found here or on the Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks Facebook page.

National Public Lands Day was established in 1994 and is held every year on the fourth Saturday in September. The purpose is to connect people with nature in their community. It was designed to encourage people to visit local parks and preserves and to promote environmental stewardship.





Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
He said he always kept people in mind  to blow up.

On Sept. 12, 1982, it was Rudolph Tyner, a South Carolina death row inmate, who Donald Pee Wee Gaskins had in mind.

South Carolinas most infamous mass murderer slayed his last victim 40 years ago, a man already sentenced to death for the double murder of a South Carolina couple.

On a Sunday afternoon inside the high-security Cell Block 2 at Columbias Central Correctional Institution, home of the states death row, a booby-trapped cup exploded in 24-year-old Tyners hand as he held it to his ear like a radio, reportedly while sitting on a toilet. He had been duped to death by his prison pal Gaskins, who was hired by a man on the outside to take out deadly revenge on Tyner.

Gaskins had confessed to executing 15 people  a man who owed him money, a wealthy farmer he robbed, a pregnant woman and her toddler, a runaway girl, his own 15-year-old niece and more. On that day 40 years ago, he did his last work.

Tyners death earned Gaskins, who already was serving 10 life sentences, a death sentence of his own. (It was, in fact, the second time Gaskins had been sentenced to death. His first sentence was overturned when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1976 the death penalty was unconstitutional, before it was later reinstated.) Gaskins was executed in the electric chair on Sept. 6, 1991.

When I think of Pee Wee Gaskins, I think of that night when (then-state law enforcement chief) Robert Stewart called me and said, ... Pee Wees dead. The relief I felt, said attorney and state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a prosecutor at the time who tried Gaskins for Tyners murder and secured his death sentence. In the weeks before Gaskins execution, he plotted to kidnap and kill Harpootlians then-4-year-old daughter.

Heres a guy who, he wasnt some Ted Bundy serial killer, Harpootlian said in a recent interview with The State. This was a guy who just killed people because, to him, they crossed the line, whether it was drugs or race or he thought they were somehow going to betray him or had betrayed him. His solution to the common, ordinary problems was to kill the problem.

Story continues

The Investigation Discovery show Evil Lives Here interviews Shirley Gaskins, the daughter of South Carolina serial killer Donald Henry Pee Wee Gaskins.

Today, in an age of true crime fanaticism, Gaskins still holds a macabre grip on people in South Carolina and beyond.

Five days before Gaskins execution, reporter Margaret OShea described the gory legend of Gaskins in an article in The State newspaper on Sept. 1, 1991:

By his own account, he knows what its like to crush a mans windpipe and watch the blood gush. Hes drowned a pregnant woman and a baby. Hes laced a soft drink with the acid used to develop photographs and watched it develop a corpse.

Hes beaten young girls to death with his fists, stabbed a woman in the chest with a long-bladed knife and shot people in the back of the head, execution-style. An autopsy showed that one of his victims died when a gun was held under her halter, with the muzzle pointed at her head.

Gaskins gave a 331-page statement in 1978, describing 15 murders as casually as most people tell what they had for breakfast.

Doreen Dempsey, 23; and Michelle Dempsey -- two victims of Donald Pee Wee Gaskins, a serial murderer from Prospect, S.C.

Gaskins was convicted of 10 known murders, including Tyners; he confessed to 15 and reportedly was suspected in still more. He pointed authorities to the buried bodies of at least 13 people.

A native of Florence County in South Carolinas Pee Dee region, Gaskins was distinguished by his unassuming stature  around 5-foot-2 and 120-something pounds with a falsetto voice. He was known to be clever, with a good sense of humor. But he could be mean. He drove a purple hearse with steel casket holders.

Another State newspaper reporter, Clif LeBlanc, in a 2015 article described Gaskins as a little man with a squeaky voice, dead eyes and a black heart.

A real odd bird, Harpootlian called Gaskins. He was either real nice, or he killed you.

Donald Pee Wee Gaskins, serial murderer from Prospect, S.C.

All of my life, it seems, cops were coming into our backyard or wherever digging for bodies, Gaskins half-sister Carol Hottell said in a 1991 interview with the Phoenix New Times newspaper. Ive had my whole life trying to learn how to cope, and Im still struggling. You read about or hear about a killing that your brother did, and you feel some guilt for being the same blood, for having the same mother.

We hated him for what he had done to all those people, Hottell told the newspaper. We found later that he killed my niece and had the body in the trunk when he came over to see us. We had coffee and cake, and it was like a little family gathering. He buried her about a half-mile from our place. We didnt know that for seven years.

Inside downtown Columbias infamous Central Correctional Institution, the diminutive murderer was trusted among his fellow inmates and prison staff in Cell Block 2. OShea reported that Gaskins ran a pawnshop of sorts within the prison, made loans to other inmates, trafficked in drugs and other contraband and doled out jobs for sex. He was trusted with making repairs in the cell block, so he had a set of tools. He called and wrote letters to news reporters. Hed go on hunger strikes and intentionally overdose on Valium.

Central Correctional Institution was South Carolinas first penitentiary. Convicts built the prison with granite blocks taken from a Fairfield County quary.

Tyner, meanwhile, was a young man from New York City who had been sentenced to death by the electric chair for the 1978 shotgun killings of Myrtle and Bill Moon, a husband and wife who owned a small grocery store in Murrells Inlet, which Tyner also robbed of $200.

But the long delay between Tyners sentencing and fate was too long for Tony Cimo, Myrtle Moons son from a previous marriage. Hoping to speed along the death of his mother and stepfathers killer, Cimo hired a man on the inside to take care of the job: Gaskins.

I dont feel the good Lord holds nothing against me for this, Cimo, a bricklayer from Murrells Inlet, told The Washington Post in a 1983 article. Tyner, he said, was like a rabid dog that needed to be done away with.

In 1983, Richard Tony Cimo holds a portrait of his parents, Bill and Myrtle Moon, who were killed in 1978 during a robbery in Murrells Inlet. Cimo is charged in hiring Pee Wee Gaskins to kill their murderer, Rudolph Tyner. Tyner was serving time on death row in Columbia when Gaskins used a home-made bomb to murder Tyner, who was a fellow inmate of Gaskins at the Central Correctional Institution in Columbia.

Through a small string of connections, Cimo made contact with Gaskins and, over a series of phone calls, they plotted the hit on Tyner. First, they planned to poison Tyner. The State reported that Cimo had boiled toxic oleander leaves and mailed them to Gaskins, who sprinkled it on Tyners food, which only resulted in making Tyner sick.

They then turned to explosives, C-4, which was smuggled in to Gaskins. That did the trick.

Gaskins later denied that he was responsible for Tyners death, but the recorded phone calls between him and Cimo were damning evidence.

Pee Wee made it easier than it should have been to secure the death penalty sentence, Harpootlian said.

Three other men, including two inmates, pleaded guilty to conspiring in the murder plot.

For his part, Cimo was sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiring with Gaskins; he was granted parole after serving less than three years of his sentence. Cimo died in 2001 at the age of 54.

Gaskins, at the age of 58, met his own end at 1:10 a.m. Sept. 6, 1991. In the hours before, he had slashed his wrists and arms with a razor blade he had lodged in his throat and regurgitated.

As LeBlanc wrote for The State in 2015:

It took 20 stitches to save him for the electric chair.
If you want to know who really controls Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. With 78% stake, institutions possess the maximum shares in the company. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. Hence, having a considerable amount of institutional money invested in a company is often regarded as a desirable trait.

In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Bristol-Myers Squibb.

See our latest analysis for Bristol-Myers Squibb

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Bristol-Myers Squibb?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

We can see that Bristol-Myers Squibb does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Bristol-Myers Squibb's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Bristol-Myers Squibb. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is The Vanguard Group, Inc. with 9.2% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 8.0% and 4.4%, of the shares outstanding, respectively.

Story continues

A deeper look at our ownership data shows that the top 25 shareholders collectively hold less than half of the register, suggesting a large group of small holders where no single shareholder has a majority.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.

Insider Ownership Of Bristol-Myers Squibb

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. As it is a large company, we'd only expect insiders to own a small percentage of it. But it's worth noting that they own US$103m worth of shares. It is always good to see at least some insider ownership, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 21% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. For example, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Bristol-Myers Squibb that you should be aware of before investing here.

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Join A Paid User Research Session

Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here
CHICAGO  Eight-year-old Cooper Roberts has returned to his home after being shot during the Independence Day parade in Highland Park, his family said Thursday.

Cooper is finally back home! happily declared an emailed statement from his parents, Keely and Jason Roberts.

Since the attack, Cooper has been separated from his parents, twin brother Luke, four sisters and George, his French bulldog puppy who he loves so much, the statement said.

Cooper has been intubated, gone days without eating, has endured weeks of pain and suffering, tears and questions, fears and agonies and several follow-up surgeries, but has determination and a fighting spirit, the statement said.

Cooper was hospitalized first at Comer Childrens Hospital and then the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, where he underwent daily rehab for the broken vertebrae, severe spinal cord injury and paralysis from being shot.

We are at a total loss of words to express how filled with gratitude, love and wholeness we now feel given that we are able to finally have Cooper back at home, the family said in the statement.

There was a time, not all that long ago, where we were desperately and feverishly praying just for Cooper to live. To be able to have Cooper home and our family all reunited together again is such an amazing blessing. He is able to live once again with his twin brother, Luke, and resume being one anothers very best playmates.

The power of family has helped them survive the trauma.

You take for granted how wonderful it is to be able to have all your children together and how important they are to each other until it is taken away, they said.

Since being home, there is a new normal for him, and he still faces a heartbreakingly cruel and unfair road ahead, according to the statement.

But he has decided to figure out new ways to play sports that he likes, including wheelchair tennis, which he is learning with his twin, Luke.

Since the very start, Cooper has inspired us. He is brave and kind. He is tough as nails yet incredibly tenderhearted. He cares more about others well-being than his own. He loves the world ... and it is because of the love and prayers you have all sent and continue to send to him that we believe he continues on a path of healing, the statement said.

Story continues

Like hundreds of other families, the Robertses and their twins attended the Independence Day parade in their hometown of Highland Park. Just minutes after it began, a gunman began to shoot at the crowd from a rooftop along the route.

Keely Roberts, a superintendent at Zion Elementary School District 6, was shot in the foot and leg, and Luke was wounded in the leg by shrapnel. Their four older daughters did not attend the parade.

In face of the tragedy, she highlighted the humanity and decency of those who didnt think twice and ran back into the scene and helped us, she said earlier. It was a beautiful act of kindness ... it saved my life, it saved my children. Cooper would not be alive today if it were not for the act of these people who just risked everything.

A day after the shooting, even after undergoing several procedures for injuries suffered in the mass shooting herself, Keely Roberts told doctors that she needed to be discharged from the hospital she was in so she could be with Cooper, who was at a different hospital. The mother of six has injuries that will require ongoing orthopedic treatment.

A GoFundMe page to cover the medical and financial needs the Roberts family will face as their journey of healing continues has collected more than $2 million.



(Chicago Tribune reporter Laura Rodriguez Presa contributed to this story.)

____
STORY: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas praised Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid for his public support of a two-state solution, but demanded Israelis demonstrate their commitment by immediately resuming long-stalled peace talks.

His words come a day after Lapid became the first Israeli leader in years to back a two-state solution from the podium of the United Nations.

In agreement with the Palestinians, based on the two states for two people, is the right thing for Israel's security, for Israel's economy, and for the future of our children. Peace is not a compromise. It is the most courageous decision we can make."

Lapids mention of a two-state formula echoed U.S. President Joe Biden's support for the long-dormant proposal.

Israel captured East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza  areas that Palestinians seek for an independent state  in the 1967 Middle East war.

U.S.-sponsored Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014.

Palestinians and rights groups say Israel has entrenched its control of the occupied Palestinian territories through its military rule over millions of Palestinians and persistent settlement construction.

Most countries deem Israel's West Bank settlements illegal. Israel disputes that, describing the territory as a biblical birthright and defensive bulwark.

Abbas said that while Western governments have supported the two-state formula, they effectively blocked it from happening by failing to recognize Palestine as a state and by shielding Israel from accountability.

A true test to the credibility of this stance, Abbas said at the UN, is for Israel to "return to the negotiation table immediately".

He asked the United Nations to recognize full state membership for Palestine and lay out a plan to end Israel's occupation.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / BEIT EIL/ HEBRON/ BETHLEHEM, JALAME CHEKPOINT, JENIN, NEAR JENIN, WEST BANK/ RAMAT HASHARON, ISRAEL, MAALE ADUMIM SETTLEMENT, NOFEI NEHEMIA JEWISH OUTPOST AND JORDAN VALLEY, WEST BANK / GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA / ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER AREA, ISRAEL / GAZA CITY, GAZA
Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Jon Cherry/Getty Images

A Jan. 6 rioter held a phone call with someone stationed in the White House on the day of the riot.

An advisor with the Jan. 6 committee said that he traced a call from a rioter to the White House.

He told CBS News that when he discovered the call it was a 'real a-ha moment.'

A former technical advisor to the January 6th Committee said that on the day of the insurrection, a call with a rioter may have been coming from inside the White House.

Denver Riggleman, a former Republican Congressman and technical advisor to the January 6th committee, told CBS News' "60 Minutes" that he traced a call between a rioter and the White House switchboard while the US Capitol was under siege. He told CBS that he felt that the call couldn't have been accidental and wanted to dig deeper.

"You get a real 'a-ha' moment when you see that the White House switchboard had connected to a rioter's phone while it's happening," Riggleman told 60 Minutes in a preview clip. "That's a big, pretty big 'a-ha' moment."

Riggleman said in the interview that he wasn't able to confirm who in the White House was on the other line. White House call logs obtained by the Washington Post showed that there was a seven-hour gap in the records available for January 6. 2021.

"I only know one end of that call," Riggleman said, looking concerned. According to CBS, Riggleman stopped working with the committee in April after helping conduct an involved analysis of phone records and data tied to the coordination of the insurrection.

The committee will hold a public hearing on September 28, in what could be the final session with previously unreleased witness testimony. Following next week's hearing, the panel will hear from Ginni Thomas, the conservative activist and the wife of Supreme Court Clarence Thomas.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A jogger runs past sprinklers at Ryan Bonaminio Park in Riverside on Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

A heat wave is coming to Los Angeles County, with temperatures expected to reach triple digits next week from the beaches to the San Gabriel Valley.

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat watch on Saturday, advising residents to limit time spent outdoors and ensure that elderly people, children and pets have somewhere to escape the heat.

"The days to watch are Monday to Wednesday," said David Sweet, a meteorologist at the weather service's Oxnard office.

Beach areas of L.A. County should expect highs on Saturday from the mid-70s to mid-80s, Sweet said. Sunday will hit the upper 80s, with Monday's high around 90 degrees.

Highs will be in the upper 80s in the beach areas Tuesday before possibly reaching 100 degrees on Wednesday, Sweet said.

The heat wave, which is expected to recede after Wednesday, will not be as extreme or as protracted as the one that blanketed the Southland for nine days earlier this month, Sweet said.

In the San Gabriel Valley, highs will range on Saturday from around 92 to 100 degrees, Sweet said, dropping to the mid-90s Sunday before rising to 101 in some places on Monday. On Tuesday, it could be as hot as 104 degrees, he said. Highs should drop to the mid-90s on Wednesday.

Sweet said there is no expectation of rain, unlike during the previous heat wave, when unusual storms showered the region. That rainfall was brought on by a tropical storm that came near the Southern California coast.

"Nothing like that this time," Sweet said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Olga Zhgun couldnt stay silent.

Zhgun, a 45-year-old film director, marched through the streets of Moscow with other anti-war protesters Wednesday night, just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to mobilize another 300,000 reservists to bolster his troops fighting in Ukraine.

Before the night was over, Zghun would end up in the back of a police truck, bleeding, after a police officer smashed her head with a club.

When Putin called for the mobilization, I knew I could not stay indifferent, Zhgun said. It was a turning point. Somebody had to protest. Otherwise, the world would think we are all supporting this.

Across Russia, demonstrators spilled into the streets this week in the countrys first nationwide anti-war protests since Russian troops invaded Ukraine back in February. The protests started in the Siberian and Transbaikal regions shortly after Putins announcement and spread to the Ural Mountains and European parts of Russia throughout the night.

HOW IT STARTED: Biden details new Russian sanctions as death toll climbs in Ukraine

THE ENTIRE WORLD IS LOSING: Six months into the Russia-Ukraine war, a look at where we go from here.

Thousands of activists marched in Russias major cities, chanting: No to war! No to mobilization! Russia without Putin!

Russias airports, train stations and highways were jammed as draft-age men fled the country to avoid being called into service. Many traveled to Central Asia, Turkey or Armenia, but the prices for flights tripled or quadrupled overnight, making them unaffordable for many Russian reservists.

Riot police detain a demonstrator during a protest against mobilization in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in Russia, effective immediately.

A risky strategy

Western analysts said the demonstrations and the exodus are clear signs that Putin is struggling in Ukraine and at home.

This is confirmation that the war is not going well and that Putin has not really mobilized the population in support of this war, said Will Pomeranz, director of the Wilson Centers Kennan Institute, a Washington-based think tank dedicated to Russian and Eurasia research.

Story continues

Confronted with steep battlefield losses, expanding front lines and a conflict that has raged longer than expected, the Kremlin has struggled to replenish its troops in Ukraine.

Until Putins callup of troops, the first since World War II, many Russians had been detached from the war, Pomeranz said.

Russia-Ukraine war: Russians protest, flee country as Putin's military mobilization begins; Blinken urges end to nuclear threats

There hadnt been a real call for sacrifices of the Russian population to engage in this war, he said. This mobilization was a test of Putins propaganda. And I think that, clearly, for those Russians who are now more vulnerable to being called up into the military, they do not want a part of this war.

Putin's mobilization of additional forces is a risky strategy, said Paul Stronski of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a nonpartisan think tank headquartered in Washington.

The war in Ukraine "was popular when Russia was winning, and it was popular when young Russian men were not at risk of being sent to war," said Stronski, a senior fellow at Carnegie's Russia and Eurasia Program

By sending more men into the conflict, "they're stepping into a situation that could certainly backfire," he said.

Police detain demonstrators during a protest against mobilization in Yekaterinburg, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in Russia, effective immediately.

SPREADING MISINFORMATION: Russias firehose of falsehood in Ukraine marks latest use of propaganda to try to justify war

'Awful times'

More than 1,300 anti-war protestors have been arrested in cities across Russia, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, according to the independent Russian human rights group OVD-Info.

In St. Petersburg, an opposition movement of young democratic activists called the Spring led protesters to St. Isaacs Square. Special mobile police units were waiting. Officers beat the activists with clubs, forced some of them to their knees and dragged them to police buses.

Some detainees were handed draft papers ordering them to report to local enlistment offices at 9 a.m. the following day. In Moscow, the prosecutors office warned that organizing or participating in protests could lead to up to 15 years in prison.

For Boris Vishnevsky, a local deputy, the political climate in Russia is deeply disturbing.

"Awful times, he said.

A demonstrator jumps on a police officer to prevent his friend from being detained during a protest against mobilization in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022.

Back in 1988, Vishnevsky participated in rallies by the Leningrad Peoples Front that inspired the Perestroika political reform movement. But now his hopes for democracy in Russia are fading.

Even in my worst nightmare, I could never imagine a mobilization for the war in Ukraine, Vishnevsky said. Russia has not seen mobilizations since 1941. If only we could see Putin, the only words we would have to say would be: Stop the fire.

By midnight Wednesday, police had detained 444 people in St. Petersburg and announced a special operation called Krepost, or fortress. Vishnevsky called police stations, asking that public officials let defense lawyers in to see their detained clients. Everywhere he called, the answer was no.

When he asked police why they conducted the fortress operation, the answer shocked him: Because the detainees could capture the room with weapons.

PIERCING THE PROPAGANDA VEIL: US, Schwarzenegger, hackers give Russians uncensored view of Ukraine war

Soldiers as 'cannon fodder'

Dmitry Tolkachev, a 28-year-old political scientist who opposes killing people in war, took a bus to Finland with a short-term visa in his passport on Thursday. The visa will allow him to remain in Finland for up to 90 days.

I respect the brave protesters a lot, Tolkachev said. But in Russia, one can die or go to jail for truth. I cannot do this.

The bus Tolkachev took across the border into Finland was filled with 25- to 45-year-old men escaping the draft, he said. He suspects Russian leaders will use corruption to protect their families from the mobilization.

In this respect, Russias political regime is similar to Central Asian states, said Tolkachev, who as a university student researched and wrote about queer issues.

Riot police detain a demonstrator during a protest against mobilization in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in Russia, effective immediately.

Many in Russia wondered how the Kremlin was executing the combat plan in Ukraine and how long the drafted soldiers would be trained for the war.

Videos of men saying goodbye to their loved ones flooded social media. Human-rights defenders reported mobilizations in remote villages in Buryatia, a poor Russian republic nearly 3,000 miles from Moscow.

Putin described the call-up of forces as a partial mobilization, but Stronski said it appears to be much broader.

Weve seen college-aged men being walked out of their classrooms and forced into service, he said.

Putins shadow private army, Wagner Group, continued recruiting convicts around Russian prison colonies.

Marat Gabidullin, a Wagner veteran, refused to join the military forces and fight in Ukraine. Gabidullin is angry with the men in power.

They are stubborn and dumb, he said. They send young people to wars, stealing their future... They will not train the army in such short mobilization period, so these drafted men are going to turn into cannon fodder.

Stronski, too, questioned whether the additional troops would benefit Russia's war machine.

You dont need men  you need men who are trained to fight, he said. Some of these people are just being taken from their workplace or being taken from their classroom and having just a couple of weeks of training before they are sent to the front. Theyre not necessarily going to be the same fighting force. How reliable will they be?"

This might not be the solution to Russias military troubles, he said. We could just be sending Russian men to their death.

PUTIN 'WON'T STOP' WITH UKRAINE: Why Americans should care about Russia's aggression against its neighbor

'History is repeating itself'

The day after she was attacked by police, Zhgun went to the doctor to treat her head wound. She learned she had a concussion.

Zhgun, who has been joining political rallies since the first Russia Without Putin protest in 2001, has had trouble finding a job since the fighting erupted in Ukraine. Employers did not like her anti-Putin statements on social media.

Zhgun fears for her country.

I am Jewish, she said. I can see that the history is repeating itself once again. Something awfully scary is happening in Russia.

Contributing: The Associated Press

'WAR CRIMINAL': As Biden gets personal with Putin, US, Russia relationship hits a dangerous crisis

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russian anti-war protests highlight trouble for Putin's war in Ukraine
NEW YORK (AP)  Looking to reintroduce the Philippines" to the world, new President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ambitious plans for his nation on the international stage and at home  if, that is, the twin specters of pandemic and climate change can be overcome or at least managed.

And if he can surmount the legacies of two people: his predecessor, and his father.

He also wants to strengthen ties with both the United States and China  a delicate balancing act for the Southeast Asian nation  and, like many of his fellow leaders at the United Nations this week, called on the countries that have caused global warming to help less wealthy nations counteract its effects.

Marcos, swept into office this spring, is already drawing distinctions both subtle and obvious between himself and his voluble predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who alienated many international partners with his violent approach to fighting drug trafficking and the coarse rhetoric he used to galvanize supporters.

Asked if Duterte went too far with his lethal drug crackdown, Marcos redirected the criticism toward those who carried out the plan.

His people went too far sometimes, Marcos told The Associated Press on Friday. We have seen many cases where policemen, other operatives, some were just shady characters that we didnt quite know where they came from and who they were working for. But now weve gone after them.

Marcos, 65, sat for a wide-ranging interview in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly's annual leaders meeting. Three months into his administration, he seemed energetic and enthusiastic  and eager to project his vision for the nation beyond its borders.

On Thursday, he met with U.S. President Joe Biden in a bid to strengthen the sometimes complicated ties that have ebbed and flowed between the two nations since the Philippines spent four decades as an American colony in the early 20th century.

There have been bits and pieces where they were not perhaps ideal, Marcos said. But in the end, that overall trajectory has been to strengthen and strengthen and strengthen our relationship.

Story continues

In addition to Duterte, Marcos also must draw distinctions between himself and the most iconic figure in the Philippines' public sphere: his late father, whose name he shares. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., hero to some and plundering dictator to others, ruled from the 1960s to the 1980s, including a tumultuous period of martial law and repression. He made the family reputation an indelible part of Filipino history.

Addressing the family legacy directly is something the son has been loath to do, at least explicitly, though he vehemently rejects use of the term dictator to describe his father's rule. To him, the political baggage of his parents is a remnant of the past.

I did not indulge in any of that political back-and-forth concerning the Marcos family," he said. "All I spoke about was, What are we going to do to get into a better place? And people responded.

Engaging, he said, would have simply been a retread  and an unnecessary one. It doesnt help. It doesnt change anything," he said. "So whats the point?

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 political opponents and activists and ruled by decree. Thousands of Filipinos disappeared under his rule; some have never been accounted for.

When it comes to his predecessor, Marcos treads a nuanced political line as well. Distinguishing himself from Duterte's in-your-face rule can benefit him at home and internationally, but Duterte's popularity helped catapult him into office, and the former president's daughter Sara is Marcos' vice president.

The extrajudicial killings associated with Duterte's yearslong crackdown provoked calls that his administration should be investigated from the outside, and he vowed not to rejoin the International Criminal Court  a precept that Marcos agrees with. After all, Marcos asked, why should a country with a functioning legal system be judged from elsewhere?

We have a judiciary. Its not perfect," he said. I do not understand why we need an outside adjudicator to tell us how to investigate, who to investigate, how to go about it.

Marcos cast the coronavirus pandemic as many other leaders have  as a balancing act between keeping people safe and making sure life can push forward.

We took a very extreme position in the Philippines, and we eventually had the longest lockdown in any country in the world," he said. "That was the choice of the previous government. And now, we are now coming out of it.

In recent days, he has both removed a national mandate to wear masks outdoors and extended a state of calamity  something he said he didn't necessarily want to do, but keeping the declaration in place allows more people to continue getting help.

It's not very encouraging when people look at your country and they see, 'Well, it's under a state of calamity.' Thats not good for tourists. Its not good for visitors. Its not good for business, Marcos said.

Encouraging ties with China, particularly given Beijing's aggressive maritime policies, might be a daunting prospect for a nation so closely and historically aligned with the United States. But, Marcos says, it's possible  and necessary.

It is a very fine line that we have to tread in the Philippines, the president said. We do not subscribe to the old Cold War 'spheres of influence. ... So its really guided by national interest, number one. And second, the maintenance of peace.

Peace comes in many flavors. Last week, Marcos traveled to the southern part of the nation  a predominantly Muslim area of a predominantly Catholic country  to express support for a multiyear effort to help a onetime rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, give up their guns and govern their autonomous region effectively.

While Moro has come into the government fold, smaller militant groups including the violent Abu Sayyaf have continued to fight the government and wage sporadic attacks, especially in impoverished rural regions with weak law enforcement. Marcos dismissed Abu Sayyaf as a group that no longer has a cause other than banditry.

I dont believe they are a movement anymore. They are not fighting for anything, Marcos said. They are just criminals.

Marcos did not specify precisely why the Philippines needed to be reintroduced, though the country's image took a hit from 2016 to 2022 under the Duterte administration.

The purpose, really, that I have brought to this visit here in New York ... has been to try to reintroduce the Philippines to our American friends, both in the private sector and in the public sector, he said.

And after the pandemic truly ends, he said, the nation needs to find a fruitful path and follow it.

We have to position ourselves. We have to be clever about forecasting, being a bit prescient, he said.

We do not want to return to whatever it is we were doing pre-pandemic," Marcos said. "We want to be able to be involved and be a vital part of the new global economy, of the new global political situation.

___

Ted Anthony, APs director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation, was Asia-Pacific news director from 2014 to 2018, based in Bangkok. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted and, for more AP coverage of the UNGA, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
A near-total abortion ban adopted before Arizona became a state was allowed to go into effect Friday by a Pima County Superior Court judge.

The law mandates two to five years in prison for anyone who provides an abortion or the means for an abortion. The only exception is to save the life of the mother. This is the law as it remains on the books at ARS 13-3603:

"A person who provides, supplies or administers to a pregnant woman, or procures such woman to take any medicine, drugs or substance, or uses or employs any instrument or other means whatever, with intent thereby to procure the miscarriage of such woman, unless it is necessary to save her life, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than two years nor more than five years."

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich sought a determination on the law after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its June decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case in Mississippi.

Follow coverage of reaction to the judge's ruling on Arizona's abortion law by Republic reporters here.

6 p.m. Sunday: 'Democrats have tried to politicize the issue': Lake slams Hobbs on abortion in Fox News appearance

Kari Lake, the GOP gubernatorial candidate for Arizona, appeared on Fox News's Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo on Sunday morning.

"I'm pro-life. I've never backed away from that and never will I. I want to protect lives and I want to help women," Lake said. "We've got to make sure we are giving women the support they need. I'm all for health care for women."

Lake asserted that "Democrats have tried to politicize this issue" and that Hobbs' position on abortion is "inhumane and immoral."

"We want to make sure that the scary moments when you find out you're pregnant, and it can be scary, that we are there with them providing assistance in any way possible," Lake said.

On June 24, Lake tweeted that the "culture of abortion is over" in response to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in its decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case in Mississippi.

Story continues

Roe v Wade and the Culture of Abortion is over.



A new chapter of Life has begun.



A chapter where we help women become the Mothers they are meant to be.



Thank you, God.  Kari Lake (@KariLake) June 24, 2022

4:30 p.m. Sunday: 'I vow to always interpret laws as written:' Abe Hamadeh issues statement in response to abortion ruling

Abe Hamadeh, the Republican nominee for Arizona's attorney general, was one of the first GOP candidates for top office in the state to issue a response to a county judges ruling reinforcing a pre-statehood law banning abortion in most cases.

"As Attorney General, I vow to always interpret laws as written, and not use the office to distort the law into my personal beliefs. The court's latest ruling affirms the intent of the Legislature. The role of the Attorney General often is to seek clarity on behalf of the state when a statue is legally challenged. This defense shouldn't be a partisan exercise, but a core responsibility to the people of Arizona to defend laws as they exist, not based upon what they think the law should be," Hamadeh said.

See my statement regarding the Pima County Superior Courts decision.  pic.twitter.com/OiXmZ8wgYx  Abe Hamadeh for Arizona AG (@AbrahamHamadeh) September 25, 2022

Saturday morning, Hamadeh's Democratic opponent Kris Mayes held a joint news conference with Katie Hobbs, the Democratic pick for governor.

Mayes said she would withdraw current Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovichs opinion favoring the law, calling it unconstitutional. Mayes argued the state constitution had an expressed right to privacy protecting abortion rights.

This outrageous law represents a clear violation of the rights of women in our state. Even worse, it will put the health of women at risk in a way we have not seen in our lifetime. Women and girls will die because of it, she said, later adding, Its unacceptable that Arizona women are now being forced back in time to 1901 and that the young women of this state now have fewer rights than I and other women have had our entire lives.

While Hobbs echoed Mayes' position, Hobbs' political rival Kari Lake has not yet issued a statement in light of Friday's abortion ruling.

8 p.m. Saturday: Speakers at abortion rights rally caution about dangers of a ban

Elsa Landeros, an organizer with Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom and one of the primary organizers of the rally, said that although the pre-statehood law includes an exception to save the life of the patient, it is effectively a total ban.

Abortion providers have shared with us that this is a total ban because most OBGYNs do not perform abortion, she said. Even in a situation where the patients life is at risk, they wont be able to be transported to an abortion provider in time to save their life, she said.

The effects of this ban are far more overreaching, more than just about family planning, even though the privacy of family planning should be enough, Landeros said. But the implications of this is that people will die.

When speakers began at 5:45 pm, the emphasis was on getting people out to vote in the Nov. 8 election  especially for Democratic attorney general candidate Kristin Mayes, gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs, and Maricopa County attorney candidate Julie Gunnigle.

Celina Washburn, an organizer with Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom, said that there are plans in the works for another constitutional amendment ballot initiative for 2024. She encouraged voters to vote no this November on three propositions  Propositions 128, 129 and 132  which she said would create barriers for us to qualify and pass initiatives.

The total amount of demonstrators in attendance grew to about 100 before the crowd dispersed at about 6:30 p.m.

 Madeleine Parrish

5 p.m. Saturday: Crowd of abortion rights demonstrators grows to 80

Speakers, which include Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs, are expected to begin addressing the crowd of about 80 demonstrators assembled at the Arizona state Capitol in protest of an abortion ban at 6 p.m.

Ylenia Aguilar, a candidate for the Osborn School District Governing Board, and Lorena Austin, a candidate for Arizona House of Representatives in District 9, as well as someone who had an abortion, are also expected to speak.

The organizers for the demonstration are Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom, Mision por Arizona and Arizona Human Rights Fighters.

I just hope that we continue having the dialogue because the majority of Arizonans support common sense access to abortion, said Bridget Augustine, a spokesperson for Mision por Arizona.

Augustine acknowledged the vast differing in opinions on how late access to abortion should be allowed.

Most agree there should be access allowed, and I think that dialogue needs to be front and center during this election, Augustine said. It needs to be an issue that is placed at the forefront because there are too many women who could die or be harmed if this old, old ban continues.

 Madeleine Parrish

5 p.m. Saturday: Demonstrators gather at Capitol to protest Arizona ban on abortion

Dozens are gathered near the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix on Saturday in protest of a Pima County judges ruling to lift an injunction that would greenlight an Arizona law that bans abortions in nearly all circumstances.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs is expected to be among several speakers at the evening's demonstration.

 Lillian Boyd

2 p.m. Saturday: White House press secretary denounces Arizona abortion ruling

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement on Saturday, characterizing Arizonas abortion ruling as dangerous and setting Arizona women back by more than a century.

If this decision stands, health care providers would face imprisonment of up to five years for fulfilling their duty of care; survivors of rape and incest would be forced to bear the children of their assaulters; and women with medical conditions would face dire health risks, her statement said.

Jean-Pierre said the decision exemplifies the disturbing trend across the country in which Republican officials at local and national levels are set on stripping women of their rights, including through Senator Grahams proposed national abortion ban.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham introduced a nationwide abortion ban Tuesday, which would prohibit the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy with rare exceptions.

The contrast between the President and his focus on moving the country forward and Republican officials obsession with taking our country backwards could not be more stark, Jean-Pierre said.

 Lillian Boyd

1 p.m. Saturday: Democrat candidates denounce abortion ruling outside AG office

During a Saturday morning press conference in Phoenix, Arizona Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs and attorney general candidate Kris Mayes spoke out against a county judges ruling reinforcing a pre-statehood law banning abortion in most cases.

Hobbs and Mayes took to a lectern outside Republican Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovichs Office. The states top lawyer asked the court to rule on the injunction following the United States Supreme Courts decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in late June. That decision overturned Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationally in 1973.

The law is extreme and a territorial-era ban that is cruel and life-threatening, Hobbs said, adding it makes no exceptions for rape or incest. Additionally, this law means that abortion providers can be thrown into jail for providing reproductive care.

Hobbs, who is currently serving as secretary of state, said if elected she would move to pull the law.

On day one, I will call a special session of the state legislature to overturn this draconian law, Hobbs said.

Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnsons ruling on the law, which dates to 1864 and led to the imprisonment of doctors and amateur abortionists, clarifies how it can be enforced. The only exception in the law is afforded to save the life of a pregnant individual.

Mayes said she would withdraw Brnovichs opinion favoring the law, and replace it with one calling it unconstitutional. Mayes, a lawyer, argued the state constitution had an expressed right to privacy protecting abortion rights.

This outrageous law represents a clear violation of the rights of women in our state. Even worse, it will put the health of women at risk in a way we have not seen in our lifetime. Women and girls will die because of it, she said, later adding, Its unacceptable that Arizona women are now being forced back in time to 1901 and that the young women of this state now have fewer rights than I and other women have had our entire lives.

Mayes also said the law will hinder Arizonas economic growth, suggesting companies and workers will not relocate to the state.

Both candidates urged those concerned with the impact from the laws reinstatement to vote in the Nov. 8 election.

People in their doctors offices today dont know whats allowed and the care they can get and this is harming peoples access to care today. So, voting in November is incredibly important so that we can move forward to restore rights, Hobbs said.

Mayes expressed certainty a ballot initiative on the issue would face voters come 2024.

The initiative would give voters an opportunity to ensconce in the Arizona constitution a permanent right to abortion and the right to reproductive care, Mayes said.

 Jose R. Gonzalez

8:05 p.m. Friday: Anger, frustration in Tucson

Protesters gather on Sept. 23, 2022, after a Pima County Superior Court judge ruled a law banning abortion could go into effect.

Protesters gathered in front of the Pima County Superior Courthouse in Tucson on Friday evening.

With megaphones, they chanted: "Abortion rights are human rights." Anger and frustration were apparent.

Im appalled that our courts are trying to institute laws that were written before the railroad arrived in my town," said Briggs Clinco. "This is some medieval action that is happening against human beings bodies. Its a violation of civil rights and basic health care.

Amy Fitch-Heacock, a spokesperson for Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom, called the ruling "absolutely abhorrent."

We are going back to a law that predates statehood and predates womens right to vote even," Fitch-Heacock said. "Its scary, and its going to lead to deaths.

She said she wasn't surprised by the ruling.

Weve seen over and over again that Arizona judges play a political game," she said. "This is less about justice and more about politics.

And she expects a prolonged fight.

I think this is going to drag out in the courts for months, and during that time pregnant people are less safe in Arizona," Fitch-Heacock said.

 Sarah Lapidus

7:30 p.m. Friday: Protesters gather in Flagstaff

Debra Block, one of the organizers of Flagstaffs protest, tearfully described feeling devastated when she learned of the ruling.

Its just unbelievable. Women couldnt even vote. We werent even a state, she said. Whats wrong with these people?

Block said she started fighting for abortion rights as a teenager. It gives her hope that a younger generation of women is keeping up the fight, she said, but she also feels sorry for them.

Look at these young women, she said, pointing to the line of young protesters who had gathered with their signs alongside her outside of Flagstaff City Hall.

What if they got pregnant and werent ready to have a kid? she wondered, before outlining obstacles that would now stand in their way.

Reagan Warner is a California native who moved to Flagstaff to attend Northern Arizona University. Adjusting to the new reality of living under very different laws when it comes to womens rights motivated her to support abortion rights and come out to the protest, she said.

Knowing that even in the case of an assault you have no right to your autonomy, even if youre not from here, Warner said.

With Warner was fellow NAU student Katherine Crawford.

It just makes me sick to know that a law created in 1864 ... still controlling our rights to health care, Crawford said. Its literally bringing us back to the Civil War era.

 Lacey Latch

7:15 p.m. Friday: Protest planned for Saturday evening in Phoenix

Elsa Landeros, a reproductive rights activist, stood outside the state Capitol on Friday evening and urged roughly two dozen people to return at 5 p.m. Saturday to protest the ruling.

Landeros asked those gathered Friday to share the news about Saturday's protest and encouraged reproductive rights organizations to participate.

 Perry Vandell

7 p.m. Friday: Sen. Sinema looking for 'commonsense proposals'

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema said on Twitter she's willing to work with "anyone to advance commonsense proposals ensuring women in Arizona and across the country can access the health care they need and have the ability to make their own decisions about their futures."

"Arizona women should not be forced to travel out of state for health care services, and Arizona doctors should not be criminalized for caring for women in need," Sinema said.

A womans health care decisions should be between her, her family, and her doctor. Todays decision removes basic rights Arizona women have relied upon for over a century and endangers their health, safety, and well-being. 1/3 https://t.co/QmSCvJHx1G  Kyrsten Sinema (@SenatorSinema) September 24, 2022

 Steve Kilar

6:30 p.m. Friday: Arizona Senate Democrats express anger

Arizona Senate Democratic Leadership blamed Republicans and expressed anger over Friday's ruling:

This ruling is the outcome of a decades-long attack on women, reproductive health, and individual liberty. The Republican party that has delivered this blow to millions of Arizonans knows exactly the kind of hell they were crafting. This will kill women, break apart families, and trap so many into generational cycles of abuse and poverty. It is hateful and disgusting," said the Senate Democratic Leadership in a statement. "No healthcare decision should be decided by the government.

 Steve Kilar

6:15 p.m. Friday: Ruling's political consequences

The ruling is likely to exacerbate the political consequences of the Dobbs decision in Arizona.

Supporters of reproductive rights rallied against that decision, and Democratic candidates have sharpened their messaging on the issue with the midterm election approaching, emphasizing Republicans' preference to restrict abortion or ban it entirely.

 Ray Stern and Stacey Barchenger

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona abortion ban: Live reaction across the state
Abortion rights protesters chant during a Pro Choice rally at the Tucson Federal Courthouse in Tucson, Arizona on Monday, July 4, 2022. Photo by SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP via Getty Images

An Arizona judge on Friday ruled in favor of a 1901 law that would ban nearly all abortions in the state.

A Pima County judge lifted an injunction that had been in place since Roe v. Wade in 1973.

The only exemption to the abortion ban is if the mother's life is in danger.

An Arizona judge on Friday ruled in favor of a 1901 law that would ban abortions in the state at nearly all stages of pregnancy.

Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson granted a request by Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich to lift a court injunction that had been in place since the Supreme Court's decision in the Roe v. Wade case, according to CNN.

"The court finds that because the legal basis for the judgment entered in 1973 has now been overruled, it must vacate the judgment in its entirety," Johnson wrote in the ruling, per CNN.

The law banning abortion was created more than a decade before Arizona became a state in 1912. It was part of a set of laws called the "Howell Code" which states that any person who provides abortion care  unless necessary to save the person's life  "shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than two years nor more than five years."

According to The Associated Press, the ruling will likely be appealed.

The decision came one day before a new law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy was set to take effect in the state. In March, GOP Gov. Doug Ducey signed the bill, which does not allow for an abortion past that timeframe  even in cases of rape or incest, according to Reuters.

In March, the governor wrote a letter: "In Arizona, we know there is immeasurable value in every life  including preborn life. I believe it is each state's responsibility to protect them."

Read the original article on Business Insider
ROMAN PETRENKO  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 13:22

A video shared on social media shows armed Russian soldiers going door-to-door in search of people to take part in the sham referendum in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Source: Dmytro Orlov, Mayor of Enerhodar, on Telegram; Astra, an independent Russian media project

Quote from Orlov: "The video shows three collaborators accompanied by two armed soldiers delivering Russian world straight to peoples homes. [Russkiy mir, literally "Russian world" or "Russian order," is the concept of total domination of Russian culture over other cultures; it gives rise to and "legitimises" Russias current expansionist, colonial politics - ed.]

The Ukrainian city of Enerhodar clearly refuses to welcome such guests. The streets are empty. Apartment doors are locked.

Meanwhile, we have received information from those unfortunate enough to have had a personal encounter with the [electoral] commission. People tell of an armed Russian soldier pointing a gun at a piece of paper [the voting slip] and persuasively indicating which box to tick."

Details: Russian journalists [from Astra] have spoken with the residents of Russia-occupied Vasylivka, who said that several local residents who attempted to protest against the referendum or "ticked the wrong box" had already been detained.

Quote from a Vasylivka resident: "The only way to avoid taking part in all this is to refrain from opening your door. Theyve already come to my house, kept knocking on my door for a long while, and quite insistently, but I didnt open the door. I sit quietly in my apartment, pretending no ones home."

Background:

The Kremlin-appointed authorities in occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson oblasts and the city of Melitopol (Zaporizhzhia Oblast) announced on 23 September that they had started referendums on merging the captured territories with Russia.

The Office of the President of Ukraine assured Russia and its accomplices in the occupied territories of Ukraine that sham referendums will not let the occupiers legalise the seizure of Ukrainian lands.

In Alchevsk, the Russian occupying authorities take into account even the "votes" of those who are either in captivity or have died, as Serhii Haidai, Head of the Oblast Military Administration, said.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Faced with stormy weather ahead of Tropical Storm Ian, which is expected to become a hurricane, NASA managers Saturday ruled out a third attempt to launch the Artemis 1 moon rocket Tuesday but held open the option of making a run at blastoff on October 2, the current backup date.

That would require leaving the $4.1 billion 330-foot-tall Space Launch System rocket exposed to the elements atop pad 39B, assuming assurances from forecasters winds would not exceed 74 knots, the certified safety limit. NASA's Artemis 1 management team deferred making a decision on whether to haul the rocket back to the protection of the Vehicle Assembly Building in hopes of more favorable forecasts overnight that might allow it to ride out the weather at the pad. A decision is expected Sunday. If rollback is ordered, the 4.2-mile-trip from pad 39B to the Kennedy Space Center's iconic Vehicle Assembly Building would begin late Sunday or early Monday. That would allow the agency "to protect its employees by completing a safe roll in time for them to address the needs of their families while also protecting for the option to press ahead with another launch opportunity in the current window if weather predictions improve," NASA said in a blog post. The Space Launch System rocket is the most powerful ever built for NASA, a gargantuan booster that will generate 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, enough to propel Orion crew ships into lunar orbit. The rocket's upcoming maiden flight  the Artemis 1 mission  will be unpiloted. NASA hopes to launch four astronauts on an around-the-moon trip in 2024 followed by a landing near the south pole in the Artemis 3 mission, optimistically targeted for launch in the 2025-26 timeframe. But first, the Artemis 1 mission must get off the ground, and the Orion capsule must successfully orbit the moon and safely complete a hellish high-speed re-entry at the end of the flight, proving the capsule's heat shield will protect astronauts returning from deep space. The SLS rocket can only head for the moon during launch periods allowing carefully mapped out trajectories that take into account a wide variety of factors, including the ever changing positions of the Earth and moon, the desired lunar orbit, proper lighting for Orion's solar arrays and optimized communications. After multiple fueling tests and work to address multiple problems, including repeated hydrogen leaks, NASA attempted to launch the Artemis 1 mission on August 29 only to be derailed by more trouble with liquid hydrogen plumbing at the pad. A second attempt September 3 also was called off by yet another hydrogen leak. After work to replace a suspect seal in a quick-disconnect fitting, NASA carried out a fueling test and while the fitting leaked initially, engineers were able to adjust flow rates and pressures to successfully fill the rocket's tanks, setting the stage for a third launch try Tuesday. Then Ian intervened. The current lunar launch period closes October 4, seven days beyond Tuesday. But two of those days  October 29 and 30  are not available because of trajectory constraints and three feature launch windows less than an hour long. NASA earlier reserved October 2 as a backup launch date and that's the target the agency is protecting by deferring a rollback decision to Sunday. If forecasters can give NASA managers confidence the rocket will not be buffeted by winds gusting above 74 knots, the SLS booster may be able to ride out the weather at the pad, preserving the October 2 option. But if the rocket isn't off the pad by October 4, the end of the currently launch period, it faces rollback to the VAB anyway to service batteries in its self-destruct system that cannot be accessed at the launch pad. The Space Force Eastern Range, which oversees all military and civilian launches from Florida, earlier extended a battery servicing waiver to allow launches through the end of the current period, but it's not known what options might be available after that. The next launch period opens October 17 and runs through October 31.

Story continues

Reflecting on the Las Vegas Harvest Music Festival shooting five years later

Coast guard commander talks Hurricane Ian rescue efforts and challenges ahead

Ginni Thomas testifies before Jan. 6 committee
A look at some of today's top stories, the weather forecast and a peek back in history.

Economists are forecasting a challenging 2023 with higher rates, slower growth, tougher times. Here's what economists said at this Phoenix event.

Among notable Mesa developments are a surfing lagoon, a library and an expanded Asian District. Here are the details on each.

Bad Bunny's World's Hottest Tour is coming to Phoenix. Here's everything fans need to know.

Today, you can expect it to be sunny and very warm, with a high near 102 degrees. Expect it to be clear at night, with a low near 80 degrees. Get the full forecast here.

For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com.

Today in history

On this date in 1869, thousands of businessmen were ruined in a Wall Street panic known as Black Friday after financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk attempted to corner the gold market.

In 1960, the USS Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was launched at Newport News, Virginia.

In 1968, the TV news magazine 60 Minutes premiered on CBS; the undercover police drama The Mod Squad premiered on ABC.

In 1996, the United States and 70 other countries became the first to sign a treaty at the United Nations to end all testing and development of nuclear weapons. (The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has yet to enter into force because of the refusal so far of eight nations  including the United States  to ratify it.)

In 2012, President Barack Obama told the ABC talk show The View there was no doubt that the assault of the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador, wasnt just a mob action but a sign of extremism in nations lacking stability. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused Obama of minimizing the Benghazi attack as a mere bump in the road.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ Briefing: Recession grows more likely, economists say in Phoenix
IRYNA BALACHUK, SEVHIL MUSAIEVA  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 14:55

Ukrainian soldiers who have been recently liberated from Russian captivity are in a shocking condition  almost all of 215 people suffer from extreme dystrophy.

Source: Olena Tolkachova, head of the Azov Regiment Patronage Service, in a commentary for Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "The condition of our soldiers is utterly shocking. Some relatives find it hard to even recognise their loved ones. Our guys are exhausted, contused, have a lot of hidden fractures and exacerbations of chronic diseases of various degrees".

Details: Tolkachova stated that all soldiers are getting proper medical care now; many of them are already being treated and rehabilitated.

She added that a team of doctors is working in concert "not to miss a single bruise, a single scratch".

Soon, the Patronage Service, jointly with the government, will send some of the liberated soldiers abroad for treatment and rehabilitation.

Tolkachova reported that governmental bodies are working in order to restore all documents and bank cards so that these people are able to receive salaries.

She also reported that the liberated soldiers are expressing their gratitude to the Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Office of the President for liberating them from Russian captivity.

Background:

On 21 September, 215 Ukrainian soldiers were liberated from Russian captivity within the framework of the exchange of prisoners of war.

Among the liberated POWs there are also border guards, policemen, marines, members of the National Guard of Ukraine, members of Ukraines Territorial Defence Forces, customs officials and civilians. In particular, Denys Prokopenko "Redis". Serhii Volynskyi "Volyna", Sviatoslav Palamar, Denys Shlega, Oleh Khomenko, commanders from the Azovstal plant, were liberated, as well as Mykola Kushch (Frost) and Kostiantyn Nikitenko, soldiers from Azov Special Operations Forces, who the occupiers planned to execute.

The five commanders of the Azov Special Operations Forces are in Turkey, under personal protection and security guarantees from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Viktor Medvedchuk [Ukrainian businessman and pro-Russian politician to whose daughter Putin is godfather - ed.] and 55 Russian occupiers returned to Russia as a result of the exchange.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  In the eyes of Belarus' foreign minister, the root cause of the war in Ukraine dates back 30 years ago to the end of the Cold War.

At that time, there was no official treaty  just a gentlemens agreement that opened a path for the West to secure its domination, in part through the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, Vladimir Makei told the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday.

With its drive to enlarge NATO, the West has essentially trampled upon the indivisibility of security, the vital principle, which states that one party must not seek to achieve its own security at the expense of other parties, he said.

Makei said NATO and the West, in their quest to expand eastward, overlooked the legitimate security interests of both Russia and Belarus." He described NATOs involvement in what he called illegal wars in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya and Syria, in addition to the Alliances attempts to encroach on some historical Eastern Slavic and adjacent lands.

Therefore, he claimed, it is the collective West that should fully bear the responsibility for the ongoing bloodshed in Ukraine.

Makeis arguments unsurprisingly mirror those made by Russia, an ally of Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described NATOs expansion to Russias borders as the top security threat to his country. When he first sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, he cited increasingly close military ties between Kyiv and the West as a key reason behind his action.

Belarus authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, has tied himself to Putin, which dissident Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attributes to a mutual understanding between the two leaders.

Lukashenko has to support Russias invasion of Ukraine, she told The Associated Press, because Putin supported him after mass protests against the official 2020 election results that gave Lukashenko a sixth term with 80% of the vote. Many Belarusians and international observers denounced the results as a sham, believing Tsikhanouskaya had won.

Story continues

As long as Putin is in power, she told the AP on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, there will be constant security threats to Ukraine  and to Belarus western border.

But to Makei, it is the power-hungry West that is the problem.

Most other countries ... want to create a polycentric or a multipolar world, with no single center of control, in which no one imposes its visions, interests and values on others, he said on Saturday. The West dominated the world for the past five centuries. Hence, it believes that it can go on with this kind of history indefinitely.

He ridiculed the economic sanctions imposed by Western allies against Russia as ineffective while also pointing to the harm he says they have instead caused other countries, all over the globe, by driving up energy prices and food costs.

Makei closed his remarks by offering up Belarus to help broker a ceasefire agreement and a comprehensive strategic peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine.

There is no alternative to talks, he said.

___

For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The fate of Belarus and Ukraine are interconnected, and both countries must fight together to safeguard their very existence because Russia doesnt view them as independent sovereign states, Belarus' opposition leader said Friday.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after Russian ally Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in disputed August 2020 elections that many thought she won, said in an interview with The Associated Press that there will be no free Belarus without free Ukraine.

As long as Russian President Vladimir Putin is in power, she said on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, there will be constant security threats to Ukraine  and to Belarus western border.

Tsikhanouskaya said neither country wants to be part of another Russian empire.

So Belarus is part of this problem and this problem, this crisis, has to be solved in this context, said.

Lukashenko had to support Russia after its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, she said, because Putin supported him after the 2020 contentious elections that sparked mass anti-government protests against the official election results that gave him a sixth term with 80% of the vote. Many Belarusians and international observers denounced the results as a sham.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has used Belarus as a staging ground to send troops into its smaller neighbor, and Moscow and Minsk have maintained close military ties.

Lukashenko, who has been president since 1994, said last month that Belarus warplanes have been modified to carry nuclear weapons in line with its agreement with Russia. And he warned the United States and its allies against carrying out a provocation against Belarus, saying targets have been selected for retaliation.

Tsikhanouskaya said the war in Ukraine was extremely unexpected and some Belarusians are especially opposed to the war against Ukrainians, our brothers and sisters.

More than two years since fleeing to Lithuania, Tsikhanouskaya said the opposition has notched a lot of achievements  first and foremost that people are not giving up despite the Lukashenko regime's terror and repression and its imprisonment of more than a thousand political prisoners, including her own husband.

Story continues

The opposition has managed to build a coalition of democratic countries who are fighting alongside with us, fighting this regime, creating multiple points of pressure, she said.

There are now six packages of sanctions, pushed for by the opposition, against the Lukashenko regime. The sanctions have put stress and pressure on the president, making him focus solely on remaining in power instead of what's best for the country, she said.

But Tsikhanouskaya said Lukashenko and his followers are adept at circumventing sanctions, using third parties. One way to prevent this is having the European Union follow the United States and impose secondary sanctions, she said.

She urged the international community to both keep up pressure against Lukashenko  suggesting new sanctions on Belarus exports of wood, potash and steel  and help Belarusian civil society, including human rights defenders, people of culture, politicians who are fighting with this regime so as to have the energy to continue.

Thousands of people have been imprisoned since Feb. 24 for opposing the war in Ukraine, she said, praising saboteurs who disrupted rail traffic heading from Russia to Ukraine through Belarus and who sent information about shipments to the Ukrainian military, an act that risked the death penalty.

People are scared, of course, Tsikhanouskaya said. We live like in a gulag actually in Belarus, but people have this energy to continue.

The opposition has organized something like a government in exile, Tsikhanouskaya said. Thanks to technology, she said she can communicate with people in Belarus, and now they are staying in safe mode, ready for a new wave of revolution when the moment comes.

She predicted that there will be a window of opportunity for the Belarus people, likely connected with victory in Ukraine, but nobody knows how long it will take.

Our task is not to be exhausted when the time comes, to have this energy, to continue to have this mobilization plan, transitional plan, Tsikhanouskaya said, and we hope it will not take too long because time is very important for Ukrainians, time is very important for our political prisoners, and time is important actually for the world, she said.

Tsikhanouskaya stepped in to lead the opposition after her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, was arrested two days after he declared his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election. The popular video blogger and activist known for his anti-Lukashenko slogan Stop the cockroach" was sentenced last December to 18 years in prison on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

She said her husband has been in a tiny punishment cell for more than a month, adding that conditions for political prisoners are far worse than for ordinary criminals. She fears for him and for thousands of other political prisoners as winter approaches as the temperature inside their cells is no warmer than the outdoors.

Tsikhanouskaya said she came to the annual meeting of world leaders to give voice to the people who are fighting the dictatorship and to urge that Lukashenko be held accountable for his crimes.

She said she really understands the importance of focusing on Ukraine, but we dont have to forget the role of Belarus in this regional crisis, and we dont have to forget about the people in Belarus who are also fighting and are also suffering because of the war and because of the dictator ruling our country.

___

Edith M. Lederer is chief U.N. correspondent for The Associated Press and has been covering international affairs for more than half a century. For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly.
P Yim / Getty

Bill Gates is sounding the alarm on political polarization in the US.

"Political polarization may bring it all to an end, we're going to have a hung election and a civil war," he told Forbes recently.

Gates, who has been the target of many conspiracy theories over the years, also pointed out the dangers of misinformation.

Bill Gates usually focuses on issues like poverty and infectious diseases through his charitable foundation, but another problem on his mind is the polarization of US politics.

"I admit that political polarization may bring it all to an end, we're going to have a hung election and a civil war," he recently said in the keynote conversation at this year's Forbes 400 Summit on Philanthropy. "I have no expertise in that. I'm not going to divert my money to that because I wouldn't know how to spend it."

Political polarization, he says, goes hand-in-hand with another issue: the spread of misinformation.

"The polarization and lack of trust is a problem," he continued to Forbes. "One of the best-selling books last year was a book by Robert Kennedy, saying that I like to make money and kill millions of people with vaccines. It's wild that sells well."

Over the years, Gates and ex-wife Melinda French Gates have donated billions to vaccine research, development, and delivery through their foundation. Gates has been the subject of conspiracy theories that claim he puts microchips in vaccines to track people. Earlier this month, Gates said people have yelled such accusations at him on the street.

"People seek simple solutions [and] the truth is kind of boring sometimes. Anybody who's got good innovations on reducing polarization, getting the truth to be as interesting as the crazy stuff, that would be well worth investing in," Gates told Forbes.

Gates' summer reading list for this year, which he announced in June, includes "Why We're Polarized" by Ezra Klein.

"I'm generally optimistic about the future, but one thing that dampens my outlook a bit is the increasing polarization in America, especially when it comes to politics," Gates wrote at the time in a blog post about his book picks.

Also during the Forbes keynote conversation, Gates said he and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, hope to keep their charitable foundation running for 25 more years to focus on tackling infectious diseases.

Read the original article on Business Insider
At the mayors request, Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee has resigned from the Boise Police Department.

The city announcement came Friday amid complaints from officers, reported by KTVB, and after an investigation into an allegation that he injured a subordinate in a neck restraints demonstration last year.

Mayor Lauren McLean appointed retired Boise Police Deputy Chief Ron Winegar to take on the responsibility of acting chief, according to the city news release. He is expected to start on Tuesday. Winegar retired from the department in June 2021, according to his LinkedIn page.

Winegar is well-known to the community and to the department, having spent 27 years as a Boise police officer, the city news release said.

Mayor McLean: Were creating a path forward

McLean told the Idaho Statesman on Friday she was having conversations about management and examining Lees role within the department.

KTVBs story about the officer complaints against Lee, which were filed last spring, was posted Thursday night.

Friday morning, in response to a question about her confidence in Lees leadership, McLean said, That is the biggest question.

In light of the information that I saw last night, Ive had conversations with him, McLean told Statesman Opinion Editor Scott McIntosh. Im talking today with the union. Im talking today with the City Council. And were creating a path forward.

In 2021, Lees salary was $185,411, according to previous Statesman reporting.

Lee has come under scrutiny in recent months after an investigation by the Clearwater County Prosecutors Office determined that it was a close call as to whether Lee committed a crime. A Boise police sergeant alleged Lee seriously injured him by demonstrating a hold on him during a briefing in October 2021.

The prosecutors office recommended no criminal charges against Lee, despite probable cause to support a criminal charge of felony battery. Clearwater County Prosecuting Attorney Clayne Tyler said he wasnt sure the state could prove the offense beyond a reasonable doubt, according to a letter obtained by the Statesman.

Story continues

I have questions, council member says

Boise City Council members had mixed reactions to the news. Lee became chief on July 1, 2020.

I was surprised and saddened to hear this news, City Council Member Patrick Bageant told the Statesman in a Friday text. Over the past two years, Chief Lee has impressed me greatly, and I truly wish him and his family the very best.

City Council Member Luci Willits said the mayor has complete discretion to hire and fire the police chief.

However, I have questions and I look forward to getting answers, Willits told the Statesman by text.

Council President Pro Tem Holli Woodings told the Statesman in a text that leading through change takes absolute trust, and sadly Chief Lee lost the trust of many of our officers. We asked a lot of him  from policy changes to hiring practices  and he delivered. I believe Boises residents will benefit from his time here and I wish him the best.

Earlier this month, the Statesman requested any and all complaints, digital or physical complaints, that were submitted to the Office of Police Accountability regarding Lee in the past year. On Sept. 15, the city denied the request, citing Idaho Public Records Act exemptions for personnel records.

The Boise Police Department has also previously denied multiple requests by the Statesman to interview Lee. The Boise Police Department didnt respond to the Statesmans request for comment Friday.

Lees resignation will take effect Oct. 14, but he will be placed on leave until then, according to the city.
ABC News

Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a member of Republican leadership in the upper chamber, said Sunday that he does not "condone violence" after Donald Trump lashed out at Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell and suggested McConnell had a "death wish"-- but Scott stopped short of condemning the former president. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social website last week, wrote that McConnell must have a "death wish" after supporting a continuing resolution to fund the federal government. Trump went on to criticize McConnell's wife in racist terms, writing that he should "seek help and advise [sic] from his China loving wife, Coco Chow!" Trump was referring to Elaine Chao, who is Taiwanese.
NEW YORK  The front line of Americas culture war now runs straight through the nations school libraries  with conservatives in dozens of states outlawing books and instruction and the left working to shield targeted authors.

Far from the trenches in states like Florida and Texas, organizations in deep-blue New York are stepping into the fray by directly lending 25,000 books to non-residents since spring, including thousands of students living under the bans. The Brooklyn Public Librarys Books Unbanned program provides access to its eBook collection and learning databases for people between the ages of 13 and 21.

The library's program is reaching into Oklahoma, which enacted some of the most sweeping laws last year to ban materials that might cause anyone to feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or gender identity.

One Oklahoma high school teacher resigned after suffering backlash for introducing students to the program. Now colleagues, students and community members are making yard signs, and kids are wearing shirts to school advertising the program with a barcode that connects to the BPL website on phones.

The QR code has become  for lack of a better phrasing  its become a symbol of resistance locally in my state, former Norman High School English teacher Summer Boismier said in an interview. She says she quit in protest, and her teaching license is now in jeopardy, after she provided the code to students.

Proponents say they are protecting children from sexualized material, political indoctrination and concepts designed to impart guilt on white students. Detractors, meanwhile, say the policy chills discussion around institutional racism and deprives LGBTQ children resources to better understand themselves.

Similar bans have been instituted in a push thats seen hundreds of titles nixed in nearly 3,000 schools across 26 states, according to the nonprofit free speech group PEN America.

Story continues

The group No Left Turn in Education, which supports some bans, says it opposes schools that impose the orthodoxy of the left, as well as books containing sexually explicit imagery.

The school is not a playground for politicians, founder and president Elana Fishbein said. The school is to educate kids to give them the tools that they need to eventually succeed in life. ... It should be neutral territory.

Restricting books isnt new, but the bans  some statewide and others only affecting specific school districts  are increasingly part of a larger, nationwide clash over classroom discussions of race and gender identity that has seen conservative activists push money and candidates for school board positions. The right in particular has seized on education issues in upcoming November elections after Republican Glenn Youngkins pledge to give parents more power over what their children learn in school helped propel him to victory in Virginia last year.

But in Wisconsin, for example, Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, said in June that if he loses reelection in November, Republicans will ban books, especially those pertaining to LGBTQ issues.

Back in Oklahoma, Boismiers departure galvanized parents in the area to hand out flyers and T-shirts with the QR code that students are wearing to school. Heather Hall, who owns a local bookstore, said Books Unbanned has been a lifeline for her middle-schooler, River, who uses they/them pronouns.

How extraordinary is it that I am in Norman, Oklahoma  I have my kid who is going through some stuff in middle school and has access to these very kind people all the way across the country, she said.

Before the academic year began, Boismier covered potentially violative books in her classroom with butcher paper that included the QR code for Books Unbanned. That prompted a parent to complain that students could access pornographic material, including Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe that explains what it means to be nonbinary and asexual.

Boismier said that she was initially told she was being placed on administrative leave. But the school district denied that claim, saying she was never placed on administrative leave, suspended or fired and that Boismier chose to resign.

Nick Migliorino, the superintendent of Norman Public Schools, recently said the parent alleged that Boismier made derogatory and divisive remarks about state legislators during class time and used her classroom to make a political display expressing her own opinions.

Migliorino also said there was no violation of the Oklahoma state law or State Department of Education rules and that the issue was not about any books actually on the teachers shelves or the use of the public library QR code.

The city, Oklahomas third largest with a population of roughly 120,000, is considered one of the red states more moderate burgs. Donald Trump nonetheless won the area by 14 points in the 2020 presidential election. The area also grapples with a dark history: until 1967, it was a sundown town that barred Black people from owning homes or even staying out after nightfall.

Liberal Brooklyns intrusion is frustrating conservatives like Oklahoma Education Secretary Ryan Walters, who says some books are inappropriate for kids and wants Boismiers license revoked.

Rather than being more concerned about the kids and their development and is this appropriate for kids at that grade level, theyve decided to take an ideological bent here  not an academic exercise  but an ideological one in pushing this into our schools, Walters said in an interview.

The Brooklyn library says disseminating information is part of its core mission. And when more states began outlawing books in schools and libraries, the library system felt compelled to defy them.

Were saying this is what libraries do, we provide access to these materials, BPL president and CEO Linda Johnson said. Literature is such a powerful thing and its something which allows you to get to know yourself better, your world, it allows you to see new things and we dont think anyone should be shut out of that regardless of where they live.

Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Associations Office for Intellectual Freedom, lamented various states efforts to silence LGBTQ individuals, as well as Black, indigenous and people of color. She called Oklahoma a nexus for legislative activity that seeks to remove such books and tightly control young peoples education.

Fishbein from No Left Turn in Education says books such as Jelani Memorys A Kids Book About Racism and Anastasia Higginbothams Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness teach students to hate the United States.

Books Unbanned went viral since it launched in April, and the library was deluged with more than 5,100 inquiries from teens nationwide, Johnson said.

The program is making inroads elsewhere across the country.

Texas American Federation of Teachers president Zeph Capo said it is reversing efforts by conservative groups like Moms for Liberty that are leading book-banning efforts even if putting books in front of teens isnt necessarily slowing them down.

The library code is not stopping them from continuing to push these policies in an attempt to disrupt the schools, said Capo, whose statewide union has 66,000 members, including educators, retirees and school employees. The library code may be, I would say, is making them ineffective in keeping books away from kids, absolutely.

Texas is the epicenter of the nations classroom book bans, having nixed more texts this year than any other state, according to the Texas Tribune.

In October 2021, state GOP Rep. Matt Krause asked schools throughout the state if they have any of the roughly 850 books on a list that he compiled that focus on race and sexuality. Some school districts in Texas began removing those books.

Lone Star State parents can also temporarily remove their students from classes or activities they deem incompatible with their religious beliefs. They can also check instructional materials and see their students records.

New Yorks other public library systems  the Queens Public Library and the New York Public Library  have undertaken efforts similar to BPL. The NYPL, which serves the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, made banned materials free through their free e-reader app in April and May.

Tony Marx, the New York Public Librarys president and CEO, said it is not a big city pushing liberal agenda but about libraries doing their jobs to make knowledge and information accessible.

What Brooklyn is doing is fabulous, Marx said. What any of us can do to help resist this effort to constrain what the public can read is essential and  we should do everything we can. The simple fact is that its outrageous that this is happening.
A map showing the location of the Manzanita fire in the San Bernardino Mountains southwest of Running Springs

Firefighters have stopped forward progress on a brush fire in the San Bernardino Mountains that shut down Highway 330 on Friday afternoon.

Crews held the Manzanita fire to 27 acres, San Bernardino National Forest officials said.

Firefighters will remain on scene overnight to contain the blaze.

The fire broke out around 3:35 p.m. near Highway 330 and Forest Road 1N09, about nine miles from Running Springs, forest officials said.

Firefighters are working a vegetation fire near Hwy 330 and forest road 1N09. Aircraft assisting with water and retardant drops.  San Bernardino National Forest (@SanBernardinoNF) September 23, 2022

Pictures posted to Twitter showed a smoke column visible from Redlands.

Personnel from the forest service, San Bernardino County fire, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Running Springs Fire Department, California Highway Patrol and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department responded, officials said.

Highway 330 was closed in both directions from Highland Avenue to Live Oak, according to Caltrans District 8. Motorists are being told to avoid the area.

Caltrans had not updated the road closure status as of 7 p.m.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed a bill that prohibits parking minimums for housing, retail and other commercial developments within a half-mile of major public transit stops. (Associated Press)

Citing the need to address Californias twin crises of housing affordability and climate change, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that bars local governments from mandating parking spaces as part of most development near transit stops.

Critics say the new law could backfire, but supporters argue that by eliminating a costly piece of new projects, Assembly Bill 2097 will result in lower-cost homes in urban centers, a plus in a state with sky-high home prices, rents and a growing homeless population.

"This is one of the biggest land-use reforms in the country, said Michael Manville, an urban planning professor at UCLA's Luskin School of Public Affairs, adding that only Oregon has done something similar.

In signing the bill Thursday, Newsom emphasized its potential environmental benefits as well. With more housing in walkable neighborhoods with public transit, he said climate change-inducing car trips will be reduced.

Housing solutions are also climate solutions," the governor said.

When the bill, authored by Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), becomes law in January, parking minimums will no longer be allowed for housing, retail and other commercial developments within a half-mile of major public transit stops.

Cities can impose parking for hotel developments, and developers can still build parking spaces for any type of project if they choose to.

Although the bill isn't limited to housing projects, much of the debate focused on AB 2097's impact to affordability given the Golden State's housing crisis.

A wide body of research indicates that adding new housing  even market rate  puts downward pressure on home prices and rents on a regional level, though it's less clear what happens in the blocks next to a new development.

Housing developers say it can cost tens of thousands of dollars for each parking stall, and parking requirements have forced them to kill projects altogether, or build fewer homes than they otherwise could.

Story continues

"This bill will give developers flexibility to bring cost down for renters," Friedman said. "It gives renters more options and allows them to self-select if they want to have less cars and use transit for a reduced rent."

The effects of the new law could be minimal at first, in part because banks may initially be skeptical of lending to projects without parking. But in the long run, Manville said he expects it to lead to an increase in housing supply and cheaper units for those who don't want a parking space.

Michael Schneider, executive director of Streets for All, said he hopes developers take advantage because people need to be incentivized to use Los Angeles' Metro system, which is undergoing a multibillion-dollar expansion, including extending the Purple Line, also known as the D Line, to connect the Westside to downtown L.A.

We were telling people yes, we're building this really expensive subway that can whisk you to downtown [in] 15 minutes, but were also encouraging you to drive and making driving super convenient, he said. And whether or not you own a car, the cost of building a parking space is going to be included in your rent.

Some developers are interested in using the new law  to an extent.

Ken Kahan, president of apartment developer California Landmark Group in Los Angeles, said he likely won't build projects with no parking since many Angelenos still want or need a car in a city with an often frustrating transit system.

But if he plans a project that is adjacent to major transit, and renters are likely to be younger adults accustomed to ride-hailing services such as Uber, trains and buses, he may build significantly fewer stalls than he would otherwise.

Kahan said he would then rent the apartments without parking for less than the apartments with parking, something that would be financially possible because the project would cost less to build overall.

"I can provide a less expensive apartment ... [and] I can still make the same return," Kahan said.

As the bill wound through the Legislature, some raised concerns it could inadvertently have a negative effect on affordable housing.

That's because the state and some local governments have established density bonus programs that allow developers to build less parking and more units if they include some below-market homes in their projects.

In Los Angeles, according to the city's planning department, a city and state density program have led to the approval of nearly 73,500 housing units since 2015, including 15,256 affordable units.

"Nearly all the projects that made these units possible have taken advantage of parking incentives," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti wrote in letter opposing AB 2097.

The mayor warned that the measure would remove those incentives to build affordable units and potentially lead to fewer below-market homes.

In a nod to such concerns, the bill was amended to allow cities to impose parking minimums near transit if they found the lack of parking requirements would hurt the city's ability to meet state goals for low-income housing.

But Garcetti wrote that the amendments didn't go far enough and he worried the process for reimposing parking requirements would be too cumbersome and "infeasible in a city the size of Los Angeles."

Supporters of the bill say such fears are overblown to begin with.

Kahan, the Los Angeles developer, has used the density bonus programs to build mixed-income projects and said the new law is unlikely to cause him to use them any less.

That's because the programs allow him to build more market-rate units overall, which he called a greater financial benefit than parking breaks.

"The biggest, most important carrot is unit count," Kahan said.

Manville of UCLA said many developers think the same way since more units equal more revenue.

In 2019, San Diego eliminated parking requirements for multifamily housing near transit, but the number of affordable units built through density bonus programs increased, according to a study by Manville and developer and adjunct USC professor Mott Smith.

Manville said that before San Diego nixed parking requirements, for-profit and nonprofit developers likely couldn't build all the density bonus units they were entitled to because required parking spots cost too much or simply couldn't fit onto small lots.

If a similar trend plays out statewide, it could mean more homes for the lowest-income Californians.

Parking requirements have been an absolutely slow moving disaster," Manville said. "We are turning the ship around.

Times staff writer Rachel Uranga contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Re. John Weisbecks letter Sit as a councillor first (Castanet, Sept. 23)

Im writing in response to a letter by John Weisbeck.

I want to start off by saying its funny to read back-to-back posts by John and his wife Alli McNeill in support of (Kelowna Mayor Colin) Basran. I guess one letter wasnt enough.

John wrote his letter about the need to be on council first before being mayor, and took the opportunity to take jabs at (mayoral candidate) Tom Dyas, whos the former president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce.

(Weisbeck) says he knows you have to be on council first, before being mayor, because he was on council before, and then says that (former councillor) Andre Blanleil said the same thing, so it must be true.

Whats funny about that statement is neither John nor Andre have ever been mayor, so how on earth would they know?

I did a quick Google search and none of the current mayors of Vancouver, Regina, Winnipeg and Toronto, to name a few, served on council before being mayor. Kelownas a special place in Canada, but we certainly dont have a special requirement to be mayor.

Dyas has worked in the financial and insurance business for 37 years. Hes been on the advocacy committee of the Kelowna chamber for nine years, was president of the chamber for two years, and sat on numerous boards including the Journey Home Task Force, Child Advocacy Centre Board, Airport Advisory Committee and more.

Thats his most recent experience.

Basran was a TV personality and then a realtor for an extremely brief stint. Ill take Dyas experience over Basrans any day of the week.

Look at the results under Basran. We have the highest crime rate in Canada, thats some legacy hes leaving. But wait, thank goodness he was on council first. Clearly that experience paid off in spades.

Thanks for the advice former non-mayor residents, but Ill take the long-term Kelowna businessman and volunteer over the two-term mayor and former TV personality whos left us with the highest crime rate in Canada.

Cassandra Lake, Kelowna
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian rescuers were still searching on Saturday for at least 10 missing Chinese nationals after a boat with more than 40 people on board sank near islands off the coastal town of Sihanoukville, the provincial government said.

At least one body has been found, and there were reports that Vietnamese authorities had rescued nine people, the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration said on its Facebook page.

Vietnam's Mot The Gioi newspaper reported nine people had been rescued late on Friday off the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, citing authorities there.

Chinese Ambassador Wang Wentian and Preah Sihanouk provincial Governor Kuoch Chamroeun on Saturday visited some of the 21 survivors found by Cambodian rescuers, the provincial government said.

Authorities said the boat sank early on Thursday off the town of Sihanoukville, popular with tourists and gamblers.

It was not clear what caused the boat to sink. Authorities have been questioning survivors, who were taken to a nearby island.

The provincial government has given no details about the identity of the Chinese nationals, and it was not clear if any Cambodians were among those rescued or the missing.

Cambodia is popular with tourists and business people from China but many Chinese people have been unable to travel over the past couple of years because of Chinese COVID-19 restrictions.

One of the survivors, 27-year-old Chengui Sheng from China's Fujian province, told authorities the boat had been carrying 41 people, including three women, the provincial government said.

Sihanoukville is home to several casinos and the town has in recent years also seen police raids on suspected cybercrime operators, some with links to China, police have said.

(Reporting by Prak Chan Thul in Phnom Penh and Vu Khanh in Hanoi; Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Robert Birsel)
IRYNA BALACHUK  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 13:25

Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, who led the siege of Mariupol, has been appointed to the post of Deputy Minister of Defene of Russia; thus, he is now responsible for the logistical support of the Russian army.

Source: Ministry of Defene of the Russian Federation on Telegram

Quote by the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation: "Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev has been appointed to the post of Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, who is responsible for the logistical and technical support of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation."

Details: Army General Dmitry Bulgakov was dismissed from the post of Deputy Defence Minister of the Russian Federation due to a transfer to another office.

The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation did not specify what position Bulgakov is moving to.

For reference. Mizintsev previously held the position of head of the National Defence Management Centre of the Russian Federation.

Mizintsev led the operation in Syria, and later the bombing of Mariupol.

British, European and Ukrainian media called Mizintsev the "Mariupol butcher" and accused him of brutal behaviour against the civilian population during the siege of Mariupol.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Rumors about the Cheesecake Factory adding a location at Birkdale Village in Huntersville are gaining traction. A pending building permit has been filed in Mecklenburg County for a project called Birkdale Village Cheesecake Factory.

It lists 8701 Townley Road as the address. That 8,579-square-foot space was formerly home to Gap, which closed in late April when its lease expired.

ALSO READ: Brown Bag Seafood ready to open first local restaurant in Huntersvilles Birkdale Village

Birkdale owner North American Properties said it could not confirm Cheesecake Factory as a tenant.

We cant comment on leases that are still in negotiation until its been finalized by all parties, says Britni Johnson, NAPs director of public relations.

This would potentially be the second location for The Cheesecake Factory in the Charlotte market. Its first opened in December 2002 in SouthPark.

Read more here.

(WATCH BELOW: Former students seek to memorialize legacy of historic Huntersville school)
Reuters

Russia's first mobilisation since World War Two, declared by President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 21, has led to widespread discontent among officials and citizens over the way the draft has been handled, including complaints about enlistment officers sending call-up papers to clearly ineligible men. "In 10 days, several thousand of our countrymen received summons and arrived at the military registration and enlistment offices," Mikhail Degtyarev, the governor of the Khabarovsk region in Russia's Far East, said in a video post on the Telegram messaging app. Degtyarev said the removal of the commissar, Yuri Laiko, would not affect the mobilisation plan set by Putin.
China and India on Saturday called at the United Nations for a negotiated end to the Ukraine war, stopping short of robust support for traditional ally Russia.

After a week of pressure at the United Nations General Assembly, Russia's foreign minister took the General Assembly rostrum to deliver a fiery rebuke to Western nations for what he termed a "grotesque" campaign against Russians.

But no major nation has rallied behind Russia, including China, which just days before the February invasion of Ukraine had vowed an "unbreakable" bond with President Vladimir Putin.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on both Russia and Ukraine to "keep the crisis from spilling over" and from affecting developing countries.

"China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis. The pressing priority is to facilitate talks for peace," Wang said.

"The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture."

During his visit to the United Nations, Wang met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, in their first talks since the war began.

Earlier this month Putin acknowledged Chinese "concerns" about Ukraine during a meeting with his counterpart Xi Jinping.

- Limiting material support -

US officials have been heartened by what they see as China's lack of concrete backing for the war and say that Beijing has declined requests to send military equipment, forcing Russia to rely on North Korea and Iran as its own supplies dwindle.

China's reaction to Russia is being closely watched for clues on its approach to Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that Beijing claims as its territory.

Wang held firm that China would take "forceful steps" against any interference, insisting that efforts to prevent "reunification" with Taiwan would be "crushed by the wheels of history."

India, unlike China, has a warm relationship with the United States but it has historic ties with Russia, its traditional defense supplier.

Story continues

"As the Ukraine conflict continues to rage, we are often asked whose side we are on," said India's foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

"Our answer, each time, is straight and honest -- India is on the side of peace and will remain firmly there," he said.

"We are on the side that calls for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out."

- Russia on offensive -

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a news conference declined to answer whether there has been any pressure from China. In his speech, he sought to cast blame squarely on the West.

"The official Russophobia in the West is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque," Lavrov told the General Assembly.

"They are not shying away from declaring the intent to inflict not only military defeat on our country but also to destroy and fracture Russia."

The United States, he said, since the end of the Cold War has acted as if it is "an envoy of God on Earth, with the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and wherever they want," Lavrov said.

He also blasted the European Union as an "authoritarian, harsh, dictatorial entity" and said the bloc's leadership forced one member state's leader -- Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades -- to cancel a planned meeting with him.

Western powers are looking at further sanctions after Putin called up reservists and made a veiled threat to use nuclear weapons, and have vowed not to recognize results of referendums on Russian annexation being held in occupied territories.

They have welcomed Lavrov's isolation, noting how he only showed up at a Security Council session on Thursday to deliver remarks and not to listen to others.

Russia enjoyed one rare voice of support Saturday at the General Assembly. Mali's interim Prime Minister Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, appointed by coup leaders, hailed the "exemplary and fruitful cooperation" with Moscow.

The junta has welcomed Russia's Wagner Group security firm, despite Western allegations of rights abuses, as France pulled out troops who had been struggling to contain a jihadist insurgency.

sct/mlm/caw
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  China underscored its commitment Saturday to its claim on Taiwan, telling assembled world leaders that anyone who gets in the way of its determination to reunify with the self-governing island would be crushed by the wheels of history.

The language was forceful but, for Chinese leadership, well within the realm of normal.

Only when China is fully reunified can there be true peace across the Taiwan Strait, Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said at the U.N. General Assembly. He said Beijing would take the most forceful steps to oppose external interference.

China regularly and vehemently defends its claim to Taiwan, which separated from the mainland after a 1949 civil war and now functions with its own government. A visit last month by the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, markedly ratcheted up tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The language, while pointed, reflected China's typical intensity about the island; its claim seldom goes unmentioned in major international speeches. Taiwan is a core issue of China policy, and Wang's appearance at the leaders' meeting  instead of his boss, Chinese leader Xi Jinping  was a signal that the speech was not necessarily a significant one.

The PRC government is the sole government representing all of China, Wang said, referring to China's formal name, the People's Republic of China. The one-China principle has become a basic norm in international relations.

He added: "Any move to obstruct Chinas reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history."

China exercises regular pressure worldwide on any entity  country, corporation, mapmaker  that even implies Taiwan might be a separate nation. At the Olympics, for example, Taiwan must compete as Chinese Taipei. The mainland government's muscle has isolated the island's government, though a few U.N. members continue to have diplomatic relations with Taipei rather than Beijing.

Story continues

On Saturday at the U.N. meeting, just a few speakers before Wang, the prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, spoke forcefully about allowing Taiwan to raise its profile in international organizations, including the World Health Organization.

How can we stand askance, in relative silence and contented inaction, in disregard of Taiwan's legitimate right to exist in accord with the wishes and will of the Taiwanese people? he asked.

Wang's appearance at the 2022 in-person edition of the U.N. General Assembly came after two years of remote, pandemic-era speeches by China's top leader. Xi did not attend this year's event, which Russian President Vladimir Putin also skipped. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke on Wednesday.

The United States and China have an uneasy diplomacy and are at odds over many core issues. They have sparred for decades over human rights, most recently the mistreatment of ethnic Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region of western China. Beijing views U.S. criticism as hypocritical and an act of interference in its internal affairs.

This is always reflected in remarks from China's leadership. Wang's speech used lightly coded phrases and references that critiqued Washington without coming out and saying so. For example, Wang said, We stand firmly against attempts to politicize human rights, and We must uphold equity and oppose bullying  both references to longtime irritations it has with U.S. policy.

While Taiwan and human rights perennially stand in the way of China-U.S. relations, Wang and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did meet in person on the General Assembly's sidelines Friday.

U.S. officials said Blinken ramped up the Biden administration's efforts to press China to end provocative actions against Taiwan. China's Foreign Ministry, in a summary of the meeting, said Wang told his counterpart that "the current China-U.S. relations are facing grave impacts, and there are lessons that the U.S. side needs to learn from."

It said the two discussed the U.S. sides recent erroneous acts on the Taiwan question. However, it also said: Both sides believe that the meeting was candid, constructive and important, and agreed to maintain communication.

After the takeover of China by Mao Zedong's Communist forces in 1949, Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists decamped to Taiwan and kept their separate government going. It was recognized by the United States until 1979, when Washington established relations with Beijing.

___

Ted Anthony, director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation at The Associated Press, was APs news editor for China from 2002 to 2004 and Asia-Pacific news director from 2014 to 2018. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tanthony and for more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
The U.S. Coast Guard came to the rescue of two people whose boat was beginning to sink off the Florida coast this week.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector in St. Petersburg received a report of a 20-foot vessel taking on water approximately 14 miles west of Casey Key, Fla., around 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

USCG Station Cortez, located in Bradenton, responded to the call with its 45-foot Response Boat-Medium vessel and removed two people from the sinking boat.

The Cortez crew then dewatered the boat until commercial salvage arrived.

US COAST GUARD OFFLOADS $475M OF COCAINE, MARIJUANA IN MIAMI

Both passengers onboard the boat were taken back to shore without medical concerns, the Coast Guard said.

CUBAN MIGRANTS SENT BACK BY COAST GUARD, WARNS OF HURRICANE DANGER

Fox News Digital reached out to Station Cortez Friday for a statement on the rescue and received the following:

"We always encourage mariners to perform a function check of boat machinery, such as bilge pumps, prior to getting underway."

The station also highly recommended having an installed VHF radio or a handheld VHF radio tuned to Channel 16, which is the International Hailing and Distress frequency.
Thomas Patrick Hamner in a "tug-of-war" with police at the Capitol riot. DOJ

Thomas Patrick Hamner from Colorado was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his participation in the Capitol riot.

Hamner showed up to the riot with a "Guns don't kill people, Clintons do" shirt.

At the riot, he engaged in a "tug-of-war" with officers over a bike rack being used as a barricade, the DOJ said.

A federal judge sentenced a Colorado man to 30-months behind bars on Friday for his participation in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a release from the Justice Department.

On the day of the insurrection, Thomas Patrick Hamner, 49, hopped over barricades blocking the West Lawn of the Capitol building, investigators said. Then he joined a slew of "violent rioters" who pushed against police attempting to keep them from advancing further, the release says.

While part of that crowd, Hamner "engaged with a tug-of-war with a Capitol Police officer and an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department over a bike rack that was being used as a barricade," according to the DOJ.

Hamner showed up to the riot wearing a "Guns don't kill people, Clintons do" shirt, according to evidence compiled by investigators.

He was arrested in November last year and pleaded guilty to a felony charge of interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder in May.

He was indicted on that charge, as well as five others that he had pleaded not guilty to, the release says. Besides the stint in prison, Hamner will also have to pay a $2,000 fine and faces three years of probation when he's released, the DOJ said.

The Capitol riot left five people, including one police officer, dead. Members of the Proud Boys, which is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, were also present.

Organizers were emboldened by former President Donald Trump's urges to protest the results of the 2020 election with him, despite Democrat Joe Biden's election victory.

In February, insurrectionists scrambled to delete photos and social-media posts proving their participation in the Capitol riot. Some broke their cellphones, scrubbed their social media accounts, and tried to wipe hard drives that might contain photos and other proof of their involvement.

Story continues

But others boasted of their involvement, making it easier for the FBI to catch and charge them.

So far, more than 919 people have been charged in connection with the insurrection, according to Insider's database.

Hamner's attorney did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Constance Wu said she was sexually harassed while filming "Fresh Off the Boat." Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Constance Wu discussed her new memoir, "Making a Scene," at The Atlantic Festival on Friday.

Wu said a "Fresh Off the Boat" producer sexually harassed her during the show's first two seasons.

Wu said she did not speak out because she didn't want to ruin the show's reputation.

Constance Wu accused a "Fresh Off the Boat" producer of sexual harassment and intimidation during the show's first two seasons.

Wu spoke about the accusations Friday at The Atlantic Festival while promoting her upcoming memoir, "Making a Scene." Wu, 40, became a household name in 2015 for portraying Jessica Huang on the six-season ABC sitcom.

Wu said she was initially "resistant" to including the claims in her memoir but eventually did with the encouragement of her publisher.

The "Fresh Off the Boat" cast. ABC

"I eventually realized it was important to talk about because I did have a pretty traumatic experience my first couple years on that show, and nobody knew about it because that show was historic for Asian Americans," Wu said.

"It was the only show on network television in over 20 years to star Asian Americans, and I did not want to sully the reputation of the one show we had representing us," Wu added. "I kept my mouth shut for a really long time about a lot of sexual harassment and intimidation that I received the first two seasons of the show."

Wu felt she couldn't speak out about the alleged harassment and intimidation until the show became a success.

"After the first two seasons, once it was a success, once I was no longer scared of losing my job  that's when I was able to start saying 'no' to the harassment. 'No' to the intimidation from this particular producer," Wu said.

The "Crazy Rich Asians" actress said she struggled with the aftermath of the alleged harassment.

"I thought, 'You know what? I handled it, nobody has to know. I don't have to stain this Asian American producer's reputation. I don't have to stain the reputation of the show," Wu said. "But the thing is, bad feelings don't go away just because you will them to. They are inevitably going to come out somewhere."

Story continues

In the same conversation, Wu addressed a controversial tweet from 2019 in which she complained about the show being renewed for a new season. Wu said she made the tweet in reference to the alleged harassment on set.

Constance Wu also addressed her controversial 2019 tweet during The Atlantic Festival. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

"I made some very profane, reckless tweets that sort of ignited this whole pile-on of hatred towards me because I just had a hit movie, 'Crazy Rich Asians,' so it looked really bad from the outside. Like, 'Oh, she thinks she's this big movie star," Wu said. "When really, I wanted to have a fresh slate where I didn't have to start a show with all these memories of abuse."

Representatives for Wu and ABC did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

"Fresh Off the Boat" aired for five years before being canceled in 2020. The series also starred Randall Park, Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler, and Ian Chen.

"Making a Scene" will be available on October 4 under its publisher, Scribner, according to The New York Times.

Read the original article on Insider
Can Taiwan become the next Ukraine? This is a question that defence and foreign policy experts have been pondering over for months, even before Beijings military exercises began following Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan.

The situation has escalated quickly in the last couple of months. US president Joe Biden recently said that the US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, his most explicit statement on the issue.

The comments have been met with strong opposition from China which has taken up the issue formally as a complaint with the US.

The tensions reignited when US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. China still claims the island nation as its own territory and wants to block any outside interference in. In response, China announced military exercises with live-fire drills that went on for weeks threatening the nation of 23 million people and its $700bn economy.

During this exercise, missiles were fired over the capital Taipei for the first time, drones flew over Taiwans offshore islands and warships sailed across the median line of the Taiwan Strait in what the self-governed islands military said amounted to a practice blockade.

The drills disrupted shipping and air traffic substantially for the island nation, and further raised concerns about potential conflict in the region even as the world deals with the global impact of Russias war with Ukraine in eastern Europe.

Now with the US coming out in clear support of Taiwan, in what experts view as a shift in Washingtons long-maintained One China Policy, the stakes are higher than ever.

But can this conflict in Asia soon turn into a war? Experts are divided over this.

Michael Chang, who managed the 1996 Taiwan missile crisis when he was deputy secretary general of Taiwans National Security Council, told local media during the drills that it could be a preview of a Chinese invasion scenario.

Live-fire exercises are a show of military power that involve the use of live ammunition to create training conditions that are as close to real combat scenarios as possible.

Story continues

Taiwanese officials have clearly stated that a Chinese blockade of island or the seizure of an offshore island would be considered an act of war and Taiwan would not surrender, an unnamed senior Taiwanese security official told Reuters using unusually strong and direct language.

While Chinas military capabilities far exceed that of Taiwan and the demonstration of military capabilities is certain to add pressure, the island nation has been preparing for any eventuality and has been living under the fear of a Chinese invasion for decades.

The conflict between China and Taiwan dates back to the era of civil war during Mao Zedong. Chairman Mao founded the Peoples Republic of China by winning a civil war in 1949, sending the nationalist Kuomintang government to retreat to Taiwan, which has been self-ruled ever since.

Beijing still views the island as part of its territory and has vowed to eventually unify it with the mainland, using force if necessary.

Chinese president Xi Jinping is displayed on a screen as Type 99A2 Chinese battle tanks take part in a parade (AP)

But the timing of the conflict makes things trickier as it comes when Xi Jinping, Chinas most powerful leader since Chairman Mao, eyes an unprecedented third term.

China is also far more formidable now under Mr Xi than it was during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1996, the last time Beijing fired missiles near the island nation.

Xi doesnt want to be seen as a leader who is entering into his third term  which is historic  with a hint of weakness, and he wants to go down in history as a leader who unified Taiwan, Harsh V Pant, a foreign policy analyst at Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation (ORF) tells The Independent.

So certainly the costs for Taiwan will rise.

However, he explains that Chinas current aggression mainly stems from the fact that Beijing had already backed itself into a corner on the issue of US House speaker Ms Pelosis visit, which it failed to prevent, and had to seem like it was doing something.

Once it [China] raised the decibel level so high, it meant that now it had to react, he says, adding that a full blown war with Taiwan may not be in Beijings best interests either.

Observers largely agree that these drills are a domestic face-saving exercise by China to balance the outrage it whipped up over Ms Pelosis visit and its failure to prevent it.

Professor Pant adds that Beijing was testing Americas resolve by threatening to escalate the situation over Ms Pelosis visit but it knew that its options were limited.

China also knows that full-fledged war with Taiwan at this stage is something that could be more catastrophic for its own interests, Prof Pant adds.

There have also been concerns that the US and China can go to war over Taiwan, but experts agree that neither country has the appetite for the tension to escalate so far.

But it does not mean the heightened tensions will not have their own large-scale impact, on Taiwan and on the world, including on ties between the US and China, which are witnessing an unprecedented strain.

Pelosi was given Taiwans highest civilian award during her visit to Taipei (Taiwan Presidential Office)

Experts say Ms Pelosis visit and Chinas subsequent response has changed the status quo in the region in the long term.

I do not anticipate things will escalate further, but rather the new status quo will stay at this level of escalation, Lev Nachman, a political scientist and assistant professor at National Chengchi University in Taiwan, tells The Independent.

In the last week, weve seen military jet threats move from the Taiwans air defence identification zone (ADIZ) to the median line. This is significantly closer to Taiwan and shows Chinas intention of raising the stakes of these military threats, he adds.

In the short term, Taiwan may have to worry about economic concerns more. Chinese military action might not be as straightforward as a full frontal assault on Taiwan: it could include actions like a blockade to try to force Taiwan to accept Chinas rule, strategists say.

While experts said trade is working as usual despite the fire drills and looming fear of further tensions, Taiwan was initially left scrambling for alternate routes for aviation and shipments just as Ms Pelosi left on 3 August.

Chinas military planners have long discussed a blockade of Taiwan, but until now, they most likely saw practising such a move as too provocative, security experts say. The ability to enforce a blockade would give Beijing leverage to bring Taiwan to the negotiating table during a conflict.

The Rocket Force under the Eastern Theatre Command of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) conducts conventional missile tests into the waters off the eastern coast of Taiwan (Reuters)

I doubt there will be a formal trade route blockade... even now weve seen trade routes return to normal despite Chinas claims that they will continue military drills, says Mr Nachman.

The economic factors most likely to happen from this are either from the sanctions imposed by China on Taiwan, or the broader risk perceptions of investing in Taiwan in the short term.

Overall, Ms Pelosis visit, while historic and symbolic of the strongest support from Washington so far, is turning out to be of a considerable cost for Taiwan.

Officials within China are questioning the resolve of the US and its allies to support Taiwan. While the countries have condemned the drills, they did not directly intervene to halt the blockade rehearsal.

Seeing how the US and its allies responded to the drills, how confident can Taiwan leaders be in counting on them to come to the rescue should the PLA attack? a former Chinese defence official told Reuters.

But analysts say Taiwan knew the cost it would have to pay and seems to be reacting calmly to the situation.

In the short term yes, arguably if Pelosi had not come, these drills and sanctions would not have happened, at least not right now, says Mr Nachman, adding that there is a symbolic value of her visit from Taiwans perspective.

Whether or not the advantages will outweigh the disadvantages, I think time will tell.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Ontario's police watchdog has cleared two Toronto police officers who shot and killed a man seen walking with what appeared to be a rifle near a school earlier this year.

Officers responded on May 26 to reports of a person with a gun  the Special Investigations Unit said it was later determined that the man was carrying an air rifle.

The SIU says the 27-year-old man was walking "nonchalantly" that afternoon with what appeared to be a rifle, with the firearm sometimes concealed in his jacket and sometimes in plain view.

The watchdog says the man suffered from mental illness and had had a particularly difficult time coping with his mental health the week before.

It says police ordered the man to drop his weapon several times but he raised it and pointed it at them, after which two officers fired at the man  he died at the scene.

SIU Director Joseph Martino says there are no reasonable grounds to believe either officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man's death.

"The complainant had in his possession a rifle that gave every appearance of being able to inflict grievous bodily harm or death if fired. He had been ordered to drop the weapon but did not do so," Martino wrote in his report on the case.

"It is evident that the officers shot the complainant in the genuine belief that they were about to be fired upon."

Martino said the shots fired by the two officers amounted to "reasonable defensive force." He noted that while the man's weapon turned out to be an air rifle, the officers would not have known that at the time.

"For all intents and purposes, the officers would have reasonably apprehended that their lives were on the line when the complainant very deliberately raised the rifle at them," he wrote.

"The complainant constituted a real and present danger to public safety, particularly given his proximity to a school that was in session, and the officers were not free to vacate the area."

The fatal police shooting happened near William G. Davis Public School.

The Toronto District School Board said four schools nearby were temporarily placed in lockdown due to the police investigation in the area.
Sep. 24Rich Porter, an Indiana State University alumnus and chair of the ISU Foundation board of directors, and his wife Robin have contributed $1.15 million as the university launches the Be So Bold fundraising campaign.

The donation will endow the Rich and Robin Porter Cancer Research Center through their estate, as well as establish a scholarship for graduate-level nursing students and support the track and field program.

"Cancer is a journey," Rich Porter said. "We at the Rich and Robin Porter Cancer Research Center want you to know we walk that journey with you. Through the funding we have supplied and the dedication and commitment from the Porter fellows, we hope for a good ending for all who travel through life with cancer."

The Porters established the Rich and Robin Porter Cancer Research Center in 2020. At the Center, genomics students are offered the opportunity to further expand their research skills and findings to make an impact on the world of cancer research.

The Porters have deep ties to the nursing profession and Sycamore Athletics program. Their support for the master's nursing program stems from the work their daughter Michelle and son-in-law Max do in the field.

Their support for Sycamore Athletics dates to Rich's time as a hurdler on the ISU Track and Field team.

"Rich and Robin Porter have a deep commitment to their causes and to Indiana State University," said ISU President Deborah J. Curtis. "We're so grateful for their generosity, including this substantial gift at the outset of the Be So Bold campaign. It will impact Sycamore students for generations to come."

Andrea Angel, vice president of the division of University Advancement and CEO of the ISU Foundation, said of the Porters, "Their generosity has helped set us up for success in our fundraising efforts for the Be So Bold campaign, and I could not be more grateful for their kindness."

To learn more or make a gift to the Be So Bold campaign, visit BeSoBoldISU.com.
BOCA RATON  A 59-year-old Boca Raton man is facing a DUI manslaughter charge after a crash along Yamato Road that killed a motorcyclist last November.

Separate blood draws on the night Eric Brown died showed Miguel Oduardo had blood-alcohol levels of 0.206 and 0.140, both above Florida's legal threshold of 0.08 for intoxication, according to a city police report.

Circuit Judge Kirk Volker set Oduardo's bail at $50,000 during a hearing Thursday at the Palm Beach County Jail. Volker also ordered that Oduardo be placed on house arrest and fitted with an ankle monitor upon his release.

Oduardo, who police arrested Wednesday, remained in custody as of Friday morning. A message left for his attorney Thursday was not immediately returned.

For subscribers: 'She loved to fight for people's rights': Assistant public defender Nicole Jones-Pierce dies at 44

Life without parole: Man pleads guilty to killing 2 relatives on July 4 weekend near West palm Beach

Boynton road rage: Man wounded by retired DEA agent in August road rage shooting dies

According to an arrest report, the crash took place at about 8 p.m. Nov. 27 as Oduardo was attempting to turn left from eastbound Yamato Road onto northbound Northwest Fifth Avenue, near Interstate 95.

Police investigators say Oduardo failed to yield as he turned, crashing his Toyota Tundra pickup into Brown's westbound Kawasaki motorcycle and throwing Brown to the pavement. The bike was lying in the middle of the road when a second vehicle struck it.

An ambulance drove Brown, 40, of suburban Boca Raton to Delray Medical Center, where he died, the report said. Neither Oduardo or the second driver was injured.

Sign up for our Post on Boca Raton weekly newsletter, delivered every Thursday!

Oduardo, listed in the report as the owner of a fencing company, told investigators he had drank a couple of beers at a friend's house that evening after working all day at a construction site. He told investigators he was driving home at the time of crash.

Story continues

Oduardo said he did not see any vehicles or headlights as he was turning. DNA evidence collected to the pickup's steering wheel showed that Oduardo was a likely match, the report said.

An officer noted that Oduardo's eyes appeared to be "red and glassy" and that his speech was slurred. His breath also smelled of alcohol, the report said.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton man facing DUI manslaughter charge in motorcyclist's death
When Lauren McKinnon heard a new public elementary school was opening close to her home in Dallas, it was good news; but when she learned the school would offer an all-girls education format with a focus on STEM, she was excited, knowing inequities often exist for girls  like her daughters  in math and science.

But something else stood out about the school that attracted McKinnon: its potential for a student body that looked more like Dallas as a whole.

The school, Solar Prep for Girls, opened in 2016 as a Transformation School, one of several efforts underway to reverse decades of white flight from the school system. The school district is currently 71 percent Hispanic, 21 percent Black and 5 percent white, and 86 percent of its students are eligible for federally subsidized lunches.

No paywall. No pop-up ads. Keep the 74 free for everyone with a donation during our Fall Campaign.

In contrast, the city of Dallas is more evenly divided racially and ethnically: Its 41 percent Hispanic, about 29 percent white and 24 percent Black.

Solar Prep and other 50/50 schools in Dallas have no attendance boundaries. Students are admitted by lottery, with some seats open to families who live outside of the school district. Half of the students admitted must live in one of Dallas socioeconomically disadvantaged census blocks, while the other half are drawn from more affluent areas. The district provides transportation to students within its boundaries.

The district currently has 13 such schools. As a group, these 50/50 schools draw thousands of applicants and have proven so popular that the district plans to open 11 more over the next three years, including two that will open when the school year resumes Aug. 15.

Im Caucasian and I grew up in a lower socioeconomic group, so I know that color does not equate to income, but in Dallas, our hypothesis was that we were going to get some diversity, McKinnon said. We got lucky with Solar and havent looked back.

Story continues

The demographic breakdown at Solar Prep for Girls, where McKinnons daughters Elizabeth and Vivienne attend first and second grade, respectively, is 20 percent white, 17 percent Black and 52 percent Hispanic.

The district sees its 50/50 Transformation Schools as one way to eliminate pockets of concentrated poverty and slow down enrollment declines.

The city of Dallas is so segregated that, by using the 50/50 model, we can easily achieve racially diverse schools, said Nancy Bernardino, a co-founder of Solar Prep for Girls. We cant admit by race, but this approach has given us that opportunity.

Solar Prep for Girls was the districts first 50/50 school. To get that diverse mix, the district uses the most recent census tract data available to create a socioeconomic map, and then places each of the citys 827 census blocks in one of five buckets. The first bucket represents the wealthiest neighborhoods and the fifth represents the poorest.

The calculus that the school district uses to determine economic status includes median income along with other factors, such as parental level of education, home ownership and single parent status. Research shows that kids from both low-income and affluent families do better in school when theyre in socioeconomically mixed classrooms. Dallas school leaders are finding that these deliberately diverse schools are popular with parents on both ends of the spectrum.

Martha Castro, whose youngest daughter Sofia is in second grade at Solar Prep for Girls, said the school culture has made a noticeable difference in her daughter.

She stands up for herself and speaks out when she doesnt like something, said Castro, a single parent who works as a housekeeper. Since the school opened, I wished one of my daughters could go there, she said, but her older children were already in high school.

Castro, who is Hispanic, likes the way teachers at the school encourage the girls to believe that they can do whatever they want in life. Castro and her daughters live 30 minutes away in Mesquite, a suburb east of Dallas.

I have never seen her more confident, Castro said. I truly believe thats because of the school.

The districts attempts to achieve a measure of integration while avoiding specific racial quotas have received national attention.

A lot of school districts that have very few white or middle class students give up on integration, which I think is a mistake, said Richard Kahlenberg, director of K-12 equity and a Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation. With DISDs demographics, a lot of outsiders would say that integration is irrelevant. Dallas thankfully proved them wrong because they looked at the metropolitan area, rather than just the existing school population, and thought more broadly about the possibilities.

The district also sees the program as a way to slow down the number of students leaving the system. Like so many urban districts, DISD enrollment is declining steadily  by more than 10,000 since the 2018-19 school year. DISDs experiment to reverse decades of segregation and student population loss enrolls just under 6,000 students  a small district within a district.

DISD, like many school districts, shies away from integration efforts that explicitly take race into account. In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against districts in Seattle and in Jefferson County, Kentucky, which had used a racial tiebreaker to achieve racial balance in some of their schools. Such a policy was a violation of the equal-protection clause of the 14th Amendment, the court said in a 5-4 decision.

The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority.

The court decision did not forbid race from being a part of school integration efforts, but said that such efforts face strict scrutiny and must be narrowly tailored. Since that decision, guidance from the federal Department of Education, which does not carry the weight of law but is often relied upon by school districts, has varied, changing with the occupant of the White House.

The Obama administration, for example, released a document outlining ways that districts could take race into account in school admissions policies without running afoul of the law. Then, during the Trump years, the department rescinded that guidance, saying it went too far. As a candidate, President Joe Biden said that he would remove the Trump-era guidance, but the department has not issued new guidelines.

Dallas isnt the only district that uses a diversity by design approach. Louisville  one of the districts whose integration policy was struck down in the 2007 Supreme Court case  places schools in geographic clusters of diverse neighborhoods based on census block characteristics, including household income and adult educational attainment. Since 2001, Cambridge, Massachusetts has used a controlled choice socioeconomic school assignment model.

In Dallas, historic and ongoing residential segregation, concentrated poverty and competition from charter schools pushed the district to innovate. Residentially, its one of the most segregated large cities in the country. While north Dallas is mostly white, most Black Dallas residents live in south Dallas. Both east and west Dallas are deeply Hispanic.

Segregation concentrates Black and Hispanic students in high-poverty schools, said Sean Reardon, professor at Stanford Universitys Graduate School of Education. Using data from every school district across the country, Reardon tracks educational outcomes, economic status and race. As schools become more segregated, gaps in learning rates widen, he said. Where there are achievement disparities, they can be explained by the fact that in segregated districts, Black and Hispanic children generally attend high-poverty schools, while white students generally attend low-poverty schools, Reardon said.

Theres nothing magical about the whiteness of classmates in integrated schools that rubs off and improves test scores, said Kahlenberg, with the Century Foundation. Its the concentrations of poverty that are troubling.

In 2014, DISD officials opened the Office of Transformation and Innovation to tackle the problems of enrollment declines and segregation. The district surveyed parents to find out what kind of schools they wanted. Among the most popular choices were college prep, Montessori and international baccalaureate programs. The district added single-gender and STEM schools to that list to create a portfolio of new, thematically appealing schools that use a 50/50 socioeconomic diversity enrollment formula.

But successful school integration, said Bernardino, the co-founder of Solar Prep for Girls, isnt just about enrollment. Before opening the school five years ago, Bernardino visited socioeconomically diverse schools in other cities. What she saw was that putting a diverse group of children together in a classroom isnt enough on its own to change outcomes.

When we went to visit these schools, they were diverse, but the practices were still very traditional, Bernardino said. Students were self-segregating and adults still targeted certain children to come up and speak. These leaders thought that doing the lottery would be enough.

During that planning year, Bernardino and her co-founder, Jennifer Turner, worked hard to get the word out about the school, visiting every Head Start program and day care center they could. It was easy to fill seats for both socioeconomic buckets the first year. But once the two co-principals were busy running a new school and didnt have time for as much outreach, the number of applications from economically disadvantaged families declined. There werent enough to fill half of available seats, so the principals headed back out into the communities. They knocked on doors, set up booths at Cinco de Mayo and Martin Luther King Day events and helped families fill out applications.

Moms need to meet me and feel a connection with the principal, Bernardino said. Letting their 4-year-old travel across the city and not knowing if they can get to her if something happens, thats what they sacrifice. That was the biggest challenge.

This year, 45 percent of students at Solar Prep for Girls are from economically disadvantaged families. Bernardino said the school is intentional with every practice while creating an equitable culture that values all students.

We wanted to set the tone for how much inclusion we wanted to see in the classroom, she said. The founders worked with teachers to develop language and activities to make race and ethnicity explicit subjects of conversation in classrooms. We had girls coming from all sides of Dallas and all the sudden they were expected to socialize around people they never normally socialized with. We wanted them to know they can bring their whole selves here.

The commitment to inclusion extends to the parent community. Parents formed a PTO, instead of a PTA, so there wouldnt be any membership dues. A nonprofit foundation, created to support Solar Prep for Girls and Solar Prep for Boys, which opened in 2018, does all the fundraising for the schools and pays for all extras, including field trip fees, uniforms and $200 per student for classroom STEM supplies.

The city of Dallas is so segregated that, by using the 50/50 model, we can easily achieve racially diverse schools, Nancy Bernardino, co-founder of Solar Prep for Girls

Half of our families are below the poverty line. Thats a huge barrier when you say everybody has to buy a $10 T-shirt, said McKinnon, the parent with two daughters attending the school. At every parent meeting, when somebody has an idea like a pizza night, we talk through how every family can access it. Does this event interfere with bus schedules or second shifts?

The variety of schools is also attracting families whose children have struggled in traditional public schools. Monica Sosa gave up her job teaching at a community college so she could homeschool her daughter Emma, who is autistic and has ADHD. Then she read about Hybrid Prep, another 50/50 school, on the DISD website. Students attend school from home three days a week and spend two days on campus, just south of wealthy Highland Park.

Each student gets a MacBook Air, an iPad, an Apple Pencil, and a hot spot so that on remote days they can work on simulations in a gamified learning metaverse. The school attracts students who do better when they can work remotely part of the time.

Its the best fit so far, Sosa said. Emma started fourth grade at Hybrid Prep this year. All the kids are a little quirky, so a kid like mine makes sense.

District officials see student achievement, along with attendance and teacher retention data, as indicators that theyre on the right track. But more persuasive than anything is the sheer popularity of the schools. Last year, the district received 25,000 applications for 5,800 seats in the 50/50 schools. A third of those applications were from families whose children werent already attending a DISD school. While some of those applications were for kindergarteners, many were for children who had been attending a private or charter school.

The application data is one of the big indicators of our success, said Angie Gaylord, Deputy Chief of Transformation and Innovation for DISD. Its transforming the perception of a large urban district.

Nonetheless, academic achievement is the end game. Students in grades 3-8 at 50/50 schools largely outperformed their peers in other DISD schools on reading, writing and science tests last year.

The Dallas Intermediate School District currently operates 13 50/50 schools that enroll an equal share of students from affluent and low-income. The district plans to open 11 more of these economically diverse schools in the next three years.

Whether students in 50/50 schools will continue to achieve at higher rates remains to be seen, but data shows that students in general perform better when they attend socioeconomically diverse schools. Academically, this may benefit low-income students the most. In a National Assessment of Educational Progress math test administered in 2017, low-income fourth graders in more affluent schools scored about two years ahead of low-income students in high-poverty schools. According to research by Reardon, at Stanford, segregation is one of the most potent contributors to ethnic achievement gaps.

Other research suggests that school choice programs, like the one in DISD, can influence segregation in either direction, depending on how theyre implemented. For example, choice programs that dont factor in students socioeconomic status can actually make segregation worse, according to a research brief by the National Coalition on School Diversity. Thats because well-connected and wealthier parents are able to work the system to their advantage. However, school choice programs that do take socioeconomic factors into consideration are often more successful at achieving integration.

When kids of different socioeconomic backgrounds go to school together, said Casey Cobb, a professor at the University of Connecticuts School of Education and author of the research brief, the class-based differences are predictive of better student outcomes, including graduation rates and attendance.

While the demographics of the schools are important to the district, those issues take a back seat once children are inside the schools.

Solar Prep School for Boys is located in North Dallas. Nearly a third of the boys are white, 15 percent are black and 44 percent are Hispanic. As with all other 50/50 schools, Solar Prep for Boys is about half socioeconomically disadvantaged.

When we went to meet-the-teacher night, I did have one concern, said Aschanti Williams, a regional project manager for T-Mobile whose son Wesley is in the second grade. I was really afraid that itd be very cliquey, that the rich kids would be over here and poor kids over there. When we made it there, you could not tell the difference between a high-income parent or low-income parent. We were all just merged together, hanging out.

Aschanti Williams said that Solar Prep for Boys, a single-gender Transformation School in North Dallas, stresses values such as curiosity, humility and grit to its students, including his youngest child, Wesley. Credit: Nitashia Johnson for The Hechinger Report.

Wesley is Williams fifth and youngest child. He and his wife chose Solar Prep for Boys because of the values the school instills, the Solar Six: curiosity, self-awareness, empathy, humility, leadership and grit. He admired the way the principal talked about the school as a community that holds all boys accountable for their actions and never gives up on any of them.

Diversity is more than just race, said Williams, who is Black. Its income. Its culture. Its everything.

Williams home in Oak Cliff, an older neighborhood near downtown Dallas, is about a 30-minute ride from Solar Boys. When he drives his son to school some mornings, he has him practice the school pledge in the car: I control my destiny through the ability to acquire knowledge. I believe success is determined by effort and perseverance and not by chance.

One morning, as he pulled into the schools semi-circle driveway, Williams noticed that the car in front of him was beat up. Its door colors didnt match and it was belching smoke. Behind Williams was a shiny new Chevy Escalade. Williams and his son waited in their Toyota Camry.

In the outside world, all three owners of those vehicles would be treated differently, he recalled. But those kids walk through the door, and all that goes out the window.

This originally appeared in The Hechinger Report and is published here in partnership with the Solutions Journalism Exchange.
The U.S. government has warned China against giving any support to Russia related to its invasion of Ukraine.

Well detail the specifics of the warning, plus more on new Pentagon reforms meant to make housing, moving and groceries cheaper for troops.

Plus: A letter from employees within the Department of Homeland Securitys watchdog office urges President Biden to fire their boss.

This is Defense & National Security, your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. For The Hill, Im Ellen Mitchell. Subscribe here.





US warns China against aiding Russias Ukraine war

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi against Beijing providing any support to Russia related to its invasion of Ukraine, during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

China maintains close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin but has held back from explicitly endorsing the invasion and avoided carrying out actions that would directly position itself as violating U.S.-led global sanctions on Russia.

The message: Blinken reiterated the United States condemnation of Russias war against Ukraine and highlighted the implications if the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] were to provide support to Moscows invasion of a sovereign state, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in the statement.

He underscored that the United States remains open to cooperating with the PRC where our interests intersect.

Blinken stressed the need for the U.S. to maintain open lines of communication with Beijing to de-escalate tensions, Price said in the statement.

Timing: The meeting came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing following President Bidens remarks in an interview published Sunday that the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China decided to invade.

[Blinken] emphasized that the United States is committed to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, consistent with our longstanding one China policy, Price said.

Story continues

The Secretary stressed that preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is critical to regional and global security and prosperity.

Devolving relations: The U.S. position toward Taiwan  and Bidens statements that American forces would defend the democratic island, which have been issued repeatedly  have infuriated the Chinese, which view the island as a rogue territory that will eventually unify with the mainland.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have continued to devolve over a host of security, military, geopolitical, economic and environmental issues.

Read the full story here





Military to up housing allowances, cut grocery costs

The Pentagon will undertake a series of reforms meant to make housing, moving and groceries cheaper for troops and their families as nationwide inflation cuts into service members salaries.

In a memo issued Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin outlined several actions the Defense Department will take to improve how we support our service members and their families, Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.



Austin wants our military men and women to be able to come home, to put food on the table, and to have the money in their pocket that they need to be able to live a healthy life, a comfortable life while they serve our nation, Ryder said.

Tight budgets: The changes follow record-level U.S. inflation and a robust labor market that means the military services must compete for talent with the private sector.

To meet active-duty recruitment goals this year, several of the services have introduced enlistment and recruiting bonuses.

Congress has also attempted to soften the blow of inflation by including in the annual defense authorization bill a 4.6 percent pay increase for service members beginning in January. The legislation is expected to be signed into law by the end of the year.

Unrelated: Ryder stressed that the new round of changes is part of a benefits reform package across the military and not related to the inflation uptick.

Absolutely not, Ryder said when asked about the correlation, noting the alterations come after the Pentagon chief met and spoke with service members across the country and globe over the past 20 months to identify areas of most concern.

The changes: The biggest shifts will affect housing costs and allowances given for those changing bases, as well as lower prices at military commissaries. Those alterations will take effect in the next couple of weeks, Ryder said.

Military families can expect to see savings of at least 25 percent on grocery bills, compared to their local marketplace, he noted.

Service members living in 28 high-cost areas, meanwhile, will be given increases in their housing allowances beginning Oct. 1. And all troops will get offsets for moving costs and child care.

Read that story here





Employees ask Biden to remove DHS watchdog

A group of employees who work for the internal watchdog at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are calling on President Biden to remove their boss, saying theyve lost hope the ship will right itself.

The request comes after numerous congressional panels have asked DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari to step aside from various investigations after he failed to alert lawmakers in a timely manner that Secret Service text messages for Jan. 6 had been erased.

A plea: An anonymous letter shared by the Project on Government Oversight was signed by concerned DHS OIG employees representing every program office at every grade level who added that for fear of retaliation, we cannot identify ourselves.

Providing effective oversight of the newest and third largest Cabinet department is difficult enough, it should not be made more difficult by our own leadership, the employees wrote.



We need help. We can no longer be silent when faced with continuous mismanagement of DHS OIG at its highest levels. IG Cuffari has made clear that he wishes to remain in his position, even in the face of prolonged, deserved criticism in the media, from Congress, from other oversight entities and from his own staff. A true leader would recognize the effect of his actions on his workforce and understand the right thing to do would be to step aside. However, IG Cuffari is not a true leader. He instead acts to weaken and undercut his career staff at every step.

A rocky tenure: Cuffari has faced scrutiny nearly his entire tenure as the DHS watchdog since being nominated by former President Trump in 2019, tapped for the role after working as an adviser on military issues for Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R).

In the past he has been accused of removing information from OIG reports and failing to act on a startling sexual harassment survey at DHS or a request to investigate the Secret Services role in clearing protesters from Lafayette Park so Trump could take a photo holding a Bible.

But the revelation that he failed to alert Congress to missing Jan. 6 texts both from Secret Service agents and two agency leaders has ignited the most recent criticism.

Read the rest of the story here





ON TAP FOR MONDAY

Veteran Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough will speak to media at part of the George Washington Universitys Project for Media and National Security Defense Writers Group, at 8 a.m.





WHAT WERE READING

Thats it for today! Check out The Hills Defense and National Security pages for the latest coverage. See you next week!





VIEW THE FULL EDITION HERE

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs and attorney general candidate Kris Mayes, both Democrats, spoke out Saturday against a Pima County Superior Court judges ruling reinforcing a pre-statehood law banning abortion in most cases.

Hobbs and Mayes took to a lectern at a morning press conference outside Republican Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovichs office off North Central Avenue and East Palm Lane in Phoenix. The states top lawyer asked the court to rule on the injunction following the United States Supreme Courts decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in late June, which overturned legalized abortion.

The law is extreme and a territorial-era ban that is cruel and life-threatening, Hobbs said, adding it makes no exceptions for rape or incest. Additionally, this law means that abortion providers can be thrown into jail for providing reproductive care.

Hobbs, who is currently serving as Arizona's secretary of state, said if elected she would move to pull the law.

On day one, I will call a special session of the state Legislature to overturn this draconian law," Hobbs said.

Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnsons ruling on the law, which dates to 1864 and led to the imprisonment of doctors and amateur abortionists, clarifies how it can be enforced. The only exception in the law is afforded to save the life of a pregnant individual. The ban was adopted into law in 1901.

Mayes said she would withdraw Brnovichs opinion favoring the law, calling it unconstitutional. She argued the state Constitution had an expressed right to privacy protecting abortion rights.

This outrageous law represents a clear violation of the rights of women in our state. Even worse, it will put the health of women at risk in a way we have not seen in our lifetime. Women and girls will die because of it, she said, later adding, Its unacceptable that Arizona women are now being forced back in time to 1901 and that the young women of this state now have fewer rights than I and other women have had our entire lives.

Story continues

Mayes also said the law will hinder Arizonas economic growth, suggesting companies and workers will not relocate to the state.

Both candidates urged those concerned with the impact from the laws reinstatement to vote in the Nov. 8 election.

People in their doctors offices today dont know whats allowed and the care they can get, and this is harming peoples access to care today. So, voting in November is incredibly important so that we can move forward to restore rights, Hobbs said.

Mayes expressed certainty that a ballot initiative on the issue would face voters come 2024.

The initiative would give voters an opportunity to ensconce in the Arizona Constitution a permanent right to abortion and the right to reproductive care, Mayes said.

The two candidates were joined by Dr. Baharak Tabarsi, a Phoenix-based family physician who identified herself as a registered independent. Tabarsi said fellow medical professionals are troubled by Friday's abortion ruling.

"I belong to several social media groups with plenty of physicians local in Arizona and there's confusion, there's chaos. And I will use the word 'moral injury,' towards clinicians having our hands tied behind our backs," the physician said.

Tabarsi, who said she fled Iran because of persecution, drew parallels between women's rights there and Arizona's new abortion ban.

I know firsthand the consequences of what can happen when women are controlled and oppressed, she said. "I cannot imagine living in a state where my body is now once again controlled by my government."

Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on Twitter @jrgzztx.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dem candidates Katie Hobbs, Kris Mayes condemn Arizona abortion ban
Dick Simpson has been an institution within an institution for 55 years as a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Simpson, UIC professor emeritus of political science, has thrived in Chicagos political and academic spheres over the decades as:

44th Ward Alderman from 1971-1979

executive board member of the Illinois Political Science Association

a former congressional candidate

political consultant, author

transition team member for the likes of former Attorney General Lisa Madigan, former Mayors Jane Byrne and Harold Washington

and a campaign contributor to then-Cook County Commissioner Jesus Chuy Garcia when he ran against Rahm Emanuel for mayor and Mayor Lori Lightfoot

As he wrote in the preface of his 2017 memoir, The Good Fight: Life Lessons from a Chicago Progressive, I know how the sausage is made, because Ive been a sausage-maker.

If Chicago politics has a conscience, it is embodied in Dick Simpson, said former Chicago Tribune publisher, editor-in-chief and Pulitzer Prize winner Bruce Dold. Going back to his City Council days, it wasnt that he and other independents could pull off legislative victories. It was that, fortunately, there was a small band of thoughtful people who thrived on standing up to power. They provided what little check there was on the authority of Richard J. Daley. Dick Simpson, Abner Mikva, Bill Singer, Marty Oberman, they were pretty fearless. The thing with Dick is, he has remained a trusted critic for decades.

Simpson retired this year from UIC and the politico/activist that shone a light on local political corruption for years was honored by college alumni last week , for his body of work and advocacy on behalf of American democracy. Having seen the rubber stamp City Council among mayoral tenures, as well as the Council Wars (1983-1986) firsthand, its easy to see why time and again, Simpson tasked the public, voters, and residents to return to government by the people, not over the people.

Story continues

We spoke with Simpson about his transition from the front row seat hes held all these years and found that the words that he wrote in 2017, I would like what wisdom I have gained to flow into the world. To help us all in the good fight, remain true. The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Q: Teaching for as long as you have at UIC and the institutional knowledge that you have about the city, when people remember Dick Simpson, what do you think theyll remember most?

A: Ive always seen my role as primarily a teacher, even though Ive been a political leader and an author. I see my books as part of my teaching, and my media presentations as part of teaching, its just teaching in different ways. Also, my role as an ordained minister for 20 years are all part of teaching in one way or another. I see my identity as teacher. Other people see me in different ways.

Q: Is there anything that people dont know about you?

A: Im sure there are a lot of things. For instance, now that I have a little more time, Ive been able to take up piano again with lessons at Old Town School of Folk Music. Family is important and Im lucky that my daughter and her family have moved back to the Chicago area from Vermont.

Q: What will you miss the most in your former professional roles?

A: From UIC, probably the teaching. Although its possible, Ill end up going back occasionally to teach a future class but thats very uncertain. I wont be teaching full time. I assume my last book will be out next year and I probably wont do more books but I dont really know. I do still like to be involved in politics and government. And Im glad when I have the opportunity to do it.

Q: Are you on anybodys roster to help this election season?

A: Yes, I am. Im on Lightfoots finance committee. Im trying to help her get reelected. I will help almost any aldermanic candidate that comes and asks about how to run their election or if government officials, aldermen or others are trying to implement some policy or program and I can help with advice, I will give it. Ive always viewed that across partisan lines as part of my role as teacher that the state of Illinois paid my salary to be a mostly free consultant most of the time to people in politics and government.  I wouldnt provide advice for someone who was advocating a white supremacist or fascist kind of program, but Ive advised Republicans and Democrats, independents for the last five decades.

Q: What does retirement look like for you? More books, travel?

A: I have two more books in the pipeline, one in late September, which is the third revised edition of 21st century Chicago. And I have a book thats coming out this time next year called Modern Mayors of Chicago. And it goes from Harold Washington to Lori Lightfoot with a chapter on each mayor written by whoever the best expert on that mayor is that we knew of. I think will be interesting right after the 2023 election.

Q: What are your thoughts on all these longtime aldermen retiring, as a former alderman yourself, is this a good thing?

A: Weve had two other major periods where a large number of aldermen were retired and replaced. The first was at the end of Council Wars, with the 1983 and 1987 elections. I think many of the aldermen are retiring now because like everyone else, theyre sort of burned out by the COVID-19 period, it was very hard to run their offices, to handle city services. They had to learn new technologies like Zoom, like all of us did. And a number of them have been in office for a very long time. In terms of the City Council, as best I can tell, the retirements are not likely to change the balance. A North Side alderman, several of whom have retired like Michele Smith, will be replaced by other moderate liberal aldermen that probably wont be made committee chairman like many of them have been. But Scott Waguespack will continue to be the most important member of the City Council as head of the Finance Committee so the North Side will still have basically the same kind of aldermen. The rest its hard to tell exactly whos going to win the elections in the various wards. I think the big issue will be whether as many progressive aldermen get elected the next time around, and most of the retirements arent from that bloc.

Q: What are your thoughts about voting precincts being closed before the November election? Isnt anything less, when it comes to voting, a bad thing?

A: In general, thats true, but we have two major changes in Illinois. The first was automatic voter registration, which meant that registering voters was immensely easier. And that happened at the same time with opening up the early voting sites. The second thats really major is the mail-in ballots. You no longer have to give an excuse like Im gonna be out of town or Im sick. The increase in the voting by mail is huge. It also changes the way we run campaigns because now you have to peak your advertising and contact with the voters a month early instead of waiting until the last two weeks, which was the tradition. I think it would be better not to have proposed to close quite so many precincts, but Im not sure thats going to be the main question. The main questions are whether we will develop more participatory neighborhood government and whether we will find more ways for citizen input and policymaking. The link for the administration has opened some of those paths, but theyve not opened up neighborhood government and we dont have a regular channel other than the budget hearings for voter impact. Thats going to be very important in the next four years that we require something like neighborhood government and that we require better channels of communication with City Hall for the voters to directly affect policies and effective decisions by departments.

Q: Theres work being done in terms of Bronzeville lakefront development. What are your thoughts about how thats coming along?

A: There are three new major neighborhoods that are going to be created in the next decade in Chicago  the Lincoln Yards, Neighborhood 78 on the Near West Side, and the former Michael Reese Hospital area in the Bronzeville area. One problem is there isnt a uniform system for allowing input. Take the Lincoln Yards example. Community and the aldermen fought very hard to get more public parkland built into the proposal and while they made some gains, that really didnt happen in the way that the communities or the aldermen in the area wanted. The others Ive followed less closely. But what bothers me most is that it takes a vote by the plan commission, a vote by the City Council, but it doesnt require any particular level of community participation. And were talking about building three new towns that are each more than 20,000 units of commercial and riverfront developments. These would seem to be projects  because theyre so massive  that should have a regularized participatory structure to allow partaking neighborhood concerns into their development. Because they will have profound effects on the neighborhood.

I learned back in my aldermanic days that we have to create these structures (regularized participatory structures) by law. When I was alderman, I gave power to citizens in the 44th Ward. We had a ward assembly, a community zoning board, and a traffic review commission. And I simply pledged my vote to the outcome of their decision making. Citizens wont participate unless they know theres actually going to be an impact. They wont attend a town hall meeting forever unless theres a guarantee that their vote in the end is going to make a difference. So you have to embed this in law. Theyve done it in many American cities. Washington, D.C., has a strong neighborhood council system. New York has a strong school council system and so forth. Other places around the world have even better systems. Because we were governed by the machine for 150 years, we have never created a legal system that guarantees citizen participation rights and a structure thats permanently there that they can use to have their views known and effective.

Q: Were losing a lot of elders who served as community organizers and activists during the civil rights movement. Are there proteges out there to carry the torch for a more participatory democracy?

A: One of the courses I taught at the university was the political science internship program. And in fact, were starting a fund to be able to provide stipends for political science students who couldnt otherwise afford to be interns because they have jobs to get through college. Ive had students hold positions from the county board to ambassador, senator, presidential candidates. Im impressed with the fact that theres still this desire on the part of many people that Ive seen as students to go out and change the world in positive directions. So yes, we lose elders. And Im sure I will pass away before too many years, but we do have a large cohort not only of elected officials behaving much better in office, but a cadre following behind them and future generations who want to change the world.

drockett@chicagotribune.com
Former President Donald Trump, left, speakING in North Carolina and an oil painting of Jesus, right, by Paris Bordone. Getty Images

Donald Trump shared a Truth Social post comparing him to Jesus Christ.

The post said the former president is "second greatest" only to Jesus.

Trump's supporters, and even Trump himself, have made similar comparisons before.

Former President Donald Trump shared a post on his Truth Social account on Friday, declaring him as "second" only to Jesus.

The post by Truth Social user @austinnegrete said: "Jesus is the Greatest. President @realDonaldTrump is the second greatest."

It accompanied an image of a painting of Jesus by artist Dan Wilson.

Trump "ReTruthed," or reposted, the Jesus comparison to his 4.1 million Truth Social followers.

It isn't the first time that the former president's supporters have compared him to Jesus.

In 2019, Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk claimed Jesus was treated more fairly before his crucifixion than Trump was treated throughout his first impeachment.

"When Jesus was falsely accused of treason, Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers," said Loudermilk during a debate on the House floor, per TIME magazine. "During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than the Democrats have afforded this President in this process."

In the same year, The Washington Post reported that white, conservative evangelicals who approved of Trump's performance as president promoted the idea that he was heaven-sent.

Local religious leaders pray alongside President Donald Trump during an "Evangelicals for Trump" rally in Miami, FL on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Photo by Scott McIntyre/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

Trump has made these grand proclamations himself. In August 2019, Trump told reporters in reference to trade with China: "I am the chosen one." He also shared tweets describing him as the "King of Israel" and "the second coming of God."

And in October 2020, per the Independent, he claimed to have had a conversation where somebody told him he was the most famous person in the world. Trump told his supporters in North Carolina that Jesus Christ was actually more famous than him.

Insider contacted Trump's post-presidency office for comment on Saturday morning but did not immediately receive a response.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The simplest way to benefit from a rising market is to buy an index fund. Active investors aim to buy stocks that vastly outperform the market - but in the process, they risk under-performance. That downside risk was realized by The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) shareholders over the last year, as the share price declined 43%. That falls noticeably short of the market decline of around 22%. At least the damage isn't so bad if you look at the last three years, since the stock is down 23% in that time. More recently, the share price has dropped a further 15% in a month. We do note, however, that the broader market is down 11% in that period, and this may have weighed on the share price.

With the stock having lost 8.1% in the past week, it's worth taking a look at business performance and seeing if there's any red flags.

See our latest analysis for Walt Disney

While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

Even though the Walt Disney share price is down over the year, its EPS actually improved. Of course, the situation might betray previous over-optimism about growth.

It's fair to say that the share price does not seem to be reflecting the EPS growth. So it's well worth checking out some other metrics, too.

Walt Disney's revenue is actually up 28% over the last year. Since we can't easily explain the share price movement based on these metrics, it might be worth considering how market sentiment has changed towards the stock.

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

Walt Disney is a well known stock, with plenty of analyst coverage, suggesting some visibility into future growth. If you are thinking of buying or selling Walt Disney stock, you should check out this free report showing analyst consensus estimates for future profits.

Story continues

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 22% in the twelve months, Walt Disney shareholders did even worse, losing 43%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 0.9% per year over half a decade. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. Before forming an opinion on Walt Disney you might want to consider these 3 valuation metrics.

But note: Walt Disney may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Join A Paid User Research Session

Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here
CAIRO (AP)  President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt on Saturday met with Sudans leader in Cairo for talks that focused on ties between the two neighbors, officials said.

El-Sissi welcomed Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of Sudans ruling sovereign council, at the Cairo international airport. The Sudanese leader stopped in Cairo on his way home from New York where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly on the political stalemate in his county following a military coup he led nearly a year ago.

According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, the two leaders held talks in the Itihadiya presidential palace. The statement offered only generalities about bilateral ties including trade, economic and military cooperation.

They also discussed regional topics including Ethiopias controversial, unfinished dam on the Nile Rivers main tributary. Egypt and Sudan want an international agreement to govern how much water Ethiopia releases downstream, especially in a multi-year drought, fearing their critical water shares might be affected.

Sudan and Egypt have deepened ties since the ouster of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019 amid a public uprising against his nearly three-decade of rule. The two nations signed an agreement to strengthen military cooperation in March 2021.

Egypt, however, fears ongoing political turmoil could destabilize its southern neighbor. The turmoil has worsened following the military coup in October last year. The military takeover removed a Western-backed, civilian-led government and upended Sudans short-lived transition to democratic rule.

After months of deadlock and U.N.-brokered talks between the military and pro-democracy groups, Burhan announced the militarys withdrawal from the talks with civilians, to allow political parties to form a transitional government.

The pro-democracy movement, which includes dozens of political parties and protest groups, have yet to agree among themselves on a transitional government, which prompted Burhan to blame them for the gridlock.
Michael Moore is feeling optimistic about the midterm elections despite what many pundits are saying. The Real Time with Bill Maher guest predicts that a massive voter turnout in the Fall will help Democrats keep control of the three branches of government.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker said that he had not felt this optimistic about an election for a while and reminded viewers that he predicted on the HBO talk show that Donald Trump would win the 2016 election. Moore said that he had a good sense about what was going to happen living in the midwest.

More from Deadline

I think the opposite is going to happen this time, he predicted. I think theres going to be such a landslide against the traitors, especially the 147 Republicans who just hours after the insurrection voted to not certify the elected president of the United States, Joe Biden, and I think there is going to be so many people coming out to vote.

Moore thanked the Supreme Court for reminding women that they are, in fact, second-class citizens recalling the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The filmmaker also reminded viewers that Kansas, a red state, voted earlier this year in favor of peoples right to choose to have an abortion.

I think theres going to be a massive turnout of women, he added citing figures on the influx of women registering to vote in Kansas.

Moore was optimistic about voting out the Republican traitors in November adding more bold predictions saying, We are going to get two to five new Democratic senators after this election. I believe were going to keep the House, I think the pundits are all wrong.

I think theres a real revolution, a non-violent revolution going on in favor of democracy  people dont want to lose it, Moore ended.

Story continues

Watch Michael Moore on Real Time with Bill Maher below.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
Photo: The Canadian Press An Edmonton Police Services logo is shown at a press conference in Edmonton on Oct. 2, 2017. Last week, 110 commercial vehicles were pulled off the road by Edmonton Police Service's Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit for failing to meet various safety compliance regulations. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Police say 110 commercial vehicles were pulled off the road in Edmonton last week for failing to meet various safety compliance regulations.

Edmonton police say its commercial vehicle investigation unit held a three-day inspection event between Sept. 13 and 15 on Yellowhead Trail and Whitemud Drive.

Police say 238 vehicles checks were completed and only 69 vehicles passed inspection.

They say more than $36,000 in fines were issued for 551 violations.

Figures provided by Edmonton police from its vehicle inspections in the sprint indicate that there were 182 fewer violations this time around.

Police say cargo securement was the most common violation.
Servicemen stand in front of a tank during the 'Vostok-2022' military exercises at the Sergeevskyi training ground outside the city of Ussuriysk on the Russian Far East on September 6, 2022. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images

Russia has called up 300,000 reservists to be drafted to Ukraine.

A former US Army general said this was a sign of weakness, suggesting they will lack proper training.

Mark Hertling said he had witnessed how the Russian army is "poorly led and poorly trained."

A former US Army general said that Russia's announced mobilization of 300,000 reservists was a "jaw-dropping" sign of weakness.

Mark Hertling, who commanded the US Army Europe, explained in a Twitter thread that he has personally witnessed how the Russian army is "poorly led and poorly trained."

The poor training, coupled with the decision to draft in recruits with little experience, is likely to spell disaster for Russia, he said.

"Mobilizing 300k "reservists" (after failing with depleted conventional forces, rag-tag militias.. recruiting prisoners & using paramilitaries like the Wagner group) will be extremely difficult," Hertling said.

"And placing "newbies" on a front line that has been mauled, has low morale & who don't want to be portends more [Russian] disaster."

Putin announced on Wednesday the partial mobilization of the country's military reservists, with Russian officials stating that 300,000 reservists will be drafted immediately.

Only those with combat experience will be called up, and students and current conscripts will not be included, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Since the announcement was made, reports have emerged about Russians trying to flee to avoid deployment, and plane tickets out of country selling out.

Insider reported that recruits being drafted this week were totally unsuitable and included a 63-year-old man with diabetes.

Horrible leadership by "drill sergeants"

Hertling, who for a time also commanded all basic and advanced soldier training for the US Army, said that during two visits to Russia he found the army's training to be "awful."

He compared Russia's army training with the US', which typically involves new soldiers getting 10 weeks of basic training across several sites from "very professional drill sergeants," and many going on to get more specialized training.

Story continues

The former general cited a Moscow Times article from July, six months into the invasion of Ukraine, which said that soldiers were being sent to the front line with minimal basic training.

Sergei Krivenko, the director of the human rights group Citizen. Army. Law. told the outlet: "I've been regularly approached by parents whose children signed a [military] contract and ended up in Ukraine just a week later."

The article also quoted one Russian soldier who said he received just five days of training before being sent to combat in Ukraine.

Hertling said when he visited Russia, he noted that Russian army training faced many issues, including "horrible leadership by drill sergeants," and cited an article about hazing.

He said that officers told him theirs was a "one year" force, with some, often the poorest, volunteering or being elected for leadership roles.

By comparison, Hertling said that Ukraine's army more closely follows the US model after having received training from US personnel in both individual and unit training techniques since 2014.

The issue of Russian army training, according to Hertling, starts "in basic training, and doesn't get better during the [Russian] soldier's time in uniform."

Insider reached out to Hertling for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
TOKYO (Reuters) - A lavish, taxpayer-funded funeral for Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has triggered a public backlash against the ruling party he led for years.

Some opposition lawmakers are boycotting Tuesday's state funeral and a man set himself alight in an apparent protest against the $12 million event, to be attended by foreign dignitaries including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Here is what you need to know about why the funeral for Abe - Japan's divisive but longest-serving premier - has become a lightning rod for public anger.

WHY ARE PEOPLE OPPOSED?

Opposition has largely been fuelled by revelations of links Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had to the Unification Church, which became widely known after he was gunned down on the campaign trail in July.

The suspect in the shooting accused Abe of promoting the group, which critics call a cult due to its mass weddings and aggressive fund-raising tactics. The suspect said the church had impoverished his family, according to police.

Since then an investigation by the LDP has concluded that 179 of its 379 lawmakers had interacted with the church.

The rising cost of the funeral, which the government estimates at 1.65 billion yen ($11.5 million), has added fuel to the fire at a time of economic hardship for many.

Japan's last fully state-funded funeral for a prime minister was for Shigeru Yoshida in 1967. Subsequent ones have been paid for by both the state and the LDP.

HOW HAS OPINION SHIFTED?

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced his intention to host the state funeral six days after Abe was slain. At the time, the public was split in its support for the event, polls showed.

But as evidence of links between the LDP and the Unification Church mounted and the estimated costs of the funeral rose, opinion shifted. Some 62% of respondents in a recent poll by the Mainichi newspaper opposed the funeral, citing reasons such as Abe not being worthy of the honour and the high price tag.

Story continues

The issue has pummelled Kishida's approval ratings. His support fell to 29% in a recent Mainichi poll, considered a danger level that means the government may run into trouble carrying out its political agenda.

In a grisly show of opposition less than a week out from the funeral, a man in his 70s was hospitalised after setting himself on fire near the prime minister's residence on Wednesday in an apparent protest against the funeral, local media reported.

WHAT HAS THE GOVERNMENT SAID?

Kishida has apologised and pledged to win back public trust by asking LDP lawmakers to sever ties with the Unification Church. He has acknowledged the funeral lacks overwhelming public support but has repeatedly sought to justify his decision.

He has praised Abe's domestic and diplomatic contributions as well as his legacy of his lengthy tenure as reasons why a state funeral is warranted.

During his two stints in office, from 2006 to 2007 and 2012 to 2020, Abe's nationalist rhetoric and muscular defence policy riled many Japanese wary of any change to the country's pacifist constitution drawn up after World War Two.

(Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Editing by John Geddie and William Mallard)
When Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman took up the cause of Dennis and Lee Horton, long-incarcerated brothers serving life sentences for second-degree murder, he vowed to strenuously advocate for their release, even if it ended his political career.

Even if he lost the next election and every election after that, Lee Horton, 56, recalled the Democrat telling his sister.

He was going to fight until he got us home, Horton told NBC News in a telephone interview.

The Horton brothers, who maintain their innocence in a deadly 1993 armed robbery, left prison last year, their sentences commuted by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf after a recommendation by the state Board of Pardons that Fetterman chairs. And true to Fettermans foreshadowing, Republicans are now emphasizing the case as he runs for Senate in one of the years most hostile races.

Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, left, and Dennis Horton, right, listen to Lee Horton speak during a rally at the UFCW Local 1776 KS headquarters in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., on April 16. (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call via AP file)

Fettermans GOP opponent in November, celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, casts him as soft on crime, pointing to how he has championed clemency for the Hortons and others convicted of similar felonies. Pardons and commutations have soared since Fetterman took office in 2019, consistent with his progressive philosophy on criminal justice reform.

But the campaign attacks have omitted both context  such as recommendations of leniency from judges, prosecutors and prison officials  and the nuances of a state law that requires life sentences for second-degree murder. For example, the getaway driver in a fatal shooting can be punished just as severely as the person who pulled the trigger.

Oz and the outside groups supporting him have spent millions of dollars to hammer home the issue. Since Aug. 1, Republicans have outspent Democrats $24.5 million to $21.9 million on advertising in the Senate race, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. Many of the ads from the Oz campaign, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the GOP-aligned Senate Leadership Fund super PAC have focused on crime.

We all know Fetterman loves free stuff, a narrator says at the end of one recent 30-second digital ad from Ozs campaign. But we cant let him free murderers.

Story continues

The attacks also include near-daily email blasts to reporters and an Inmates for Fetterman website, paid for by Ozs campaign, featuring mugshots of those whose commutations Fetterman has supported, including the Hortons.

Oz has even called on Fetterman to fire the two brothers, who now work for his campaign as field organizers. The Hortons were involved in mentoring and anti-violence programs while in prison, where their clemency case received support not only from Fetterman but also prison administrators familiar with their character.

Several questions remain unanswered about the investigation that led to the Hortons' convictions. The brothers have said they were pulled over by police in Philadelphia after offering a ride to a friend, not knowing he was fleeing the scene of a crime. Witnesses had identified them as assailants, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported, but police files turned over decades later identified another man as the shooter.

John believes there are people who deserve to spend the rest of their life behind bars in prison, but he also supports common sense bipartisan policies to free the wrongly convicted and provide second chances for deserving and nonviolent offenders, Joe Calvello, a spokesperson for Fetterman, said. Johns work on the Board of Pardons was widely praised, including by elected Republican officials. All Dr. Oz and his team are engaging in is gross fear mongering.

Ozs focus on crime and clemency has also angered advocates for criminal justice reform.

What I dont love  what frustrates me about what Im seeing  is funny memes about felons for this person or that person, said Holly Harris, a former Kentucky Republican Party official who leads the Justice Action Network, a national bipartisan organization. I dont like seeing cruelty. Cartoonish memes really devalue the hard work of so many people that we know.

The race between Fetterman and Oz to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is one of the most competitive in the nation this fall and could determine control of the evenly split Senate. Recent polls have shown Fettermans once-wide lead is now shrinking.

Several Republican strategists who spoke to NBC News attributed the narrowing margin to Ozs focus on crime  and not his campaigns relentless attacks on Fettermans reluctance to debate as he recovers from a stroke. When asked this week about Fettermans health, Sen. Rick Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said the Democrat has to come clean on both his condition and what Scott called his radical policies on crime.

Oz spokesperson Barney Keller said the nuance surrounding the clemency cases does not undercut the campaigns core argument that Fetterman is out of step with voters on crime, an argument many Republican candidates are making against Democratic opponents heading into November.

Dr. Oz is surging in the polls because the more people learn that John Fetterman is the most pro-murderer candidate in the entire country, the more people recognize that Dr. Oz will better represent Pennsylvania and its values than John Fetterman ever will, Keller said.

The Oz campaign's messaging has put Fetterman on the defensive. He has responded with his own ads.

Doc Oz in his Gucci loafers is attacking me on crime, Fetterman says in one TV spot that details his earlier work as mayor of Braddock, a town near Pittsburgh. Public safety is why I ran for office.

Fetterman has also said that the opportunity to oversee the Board of Pardons is one reason why he ran for lieutenant governor. Under state law, the lieutenant governor chairs the pardons board.

Clemency had largely fallen out of favor in Pennsylvania, especially in murder cases after a convicted murderer released from a life sentence in 1994 went on to kill a woman and commit other violent crimes in New York. State law was later changed to require unanimous Board of Pardons approval to recommend commutations for those serving life sentences.

Criminal justice experts have long cited Pennsylvanias mandatory life sentence for second-degree murder as excessive. Shawn Bushway, a senior policy researcher for the nonprofit Rand Corp., said that the punishment is often disproportionate, does little to deter crime and keeps behind bars people who are unlikely to reoffend if released.

Its not ultimately a victims decision, its a societys decision, said Bushway, who is also a professor of public administration and policy at the State University of New York at Albany. It does seem reasonable that you should consider the costs and benefits on both sides. And I dont think there are a lot of benefits here for those kinds of extra-long sentences.

Between 1995 and 2014, a mix of Democratic and Republican governors commuted only six life sentences in Pennsylvania, according to state records. Wolf, who took office in 2015, commuted five in his first term as governor, but clemency has risen sharply since Fetterman became lieutenant governor in 2019. In his second term, Wolf has already commuted 47 life sentences, at the urging of the pardons board.

John took a fair-minded approach to clemency cases, voting to give second chances to the wrongfully convicted and deserving elder inmates, but also voting to deny hundreds of applications where he felt clemency wasnt merited, said Calvello, the Fetterman spokesperson. In making clemency decisions, John scrupulously reviewed clemency applications and consulted with corrections officials, prison wardens, judges and DAs. One question John would always ask was, Would you want this person as your neighbor?

In search of political liabilities, Oz and his Republican allies have mined Fettermans comments about clemency and the cases he has championed. Independent fact-checkers have rapped them for broad brush attacks. Fetterman has not, as one Oz ad implies, called for eliminating all life sentences for murderers. Rather, he has said he favors ending the mandatory life sentence for second-degree murder.

Oz has also hammered Fetterman for agreeing with a state corrections officials assessment that one-third of Pennsylvanias prison population could be released without posing a threat to public safety. The attacks parse words and imply that Fetterman has directly fought for such a measure, but he has not, Calvello said.

Ozs emphasis on the Horton brothers and five others highlighted on the Inmates for Fetterman website leaves out certain details as well. All but one of the men featured had been serving life sentences on second-degree murder convictions, with a variety of mitigating circumstances in their favor. All had served at least a quarter-century behind bars. In one case, the district attorney asked in a sentencing exhibit that serious consideration be given to any clemency request. In another case, the prosecuting attorney  by that point a judge  spoke at the clemency hearing on the inmates behalf. And under state law, none would have been released had the pardons board and the governor not been in agreement.

One of the men whose mugshot appears on the site  the only one convicted of first-degree murder  remains incarcerated after Fetterman was the only person on the five-member pardons board to cast a vote in favor of clemency. Wayne Covington, imprisoned since 1970, has been deemed a minimal risk to public safety by prison officials as far back as 1991, according to published reports. Covington also made headlines in 1994 after discovering fossilized dinosaur footprints while working on prison grounds. He donated many of the tracks to museums and schools.

Unlike others who had their sentences commuted after admitting to the crime and expressing remorse, the Hortons have maintained their innocence.

The pardons board denied clemency at a December 2019 hearing, but Fetterman continued to push for the Hortons, believing they had been wrongly convicted. The board returned a year later with a unanimous decision in favor of commutation.

Dennis Horton, who is 52 years old and now goes by the name Freedom, said Fetterman could have given up after the 2019 vote.

This is what we always got from lawyers, from the courts and so on and so forth, Horton said. But not from John Fetterman.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
rally

"We have to keep our country gay," Donald Trump stammered at a campaign rally in North Carolina on Friday.

Clearly reading from a teleprompter, Trump misread the canned words sent his way.

"Remember I was going to say, I was going to use an expression," he said. "We have to keep our country gay, puh, puh, but it's not, I mean, for some reason, it's not great anymore."

Twitter leapt, of course.

Trump was at the rally in Wilmington, N.C., to support Republican Senate candidate Ted Budd, a congressman who's stated the pro-LGBTQ+ Equality Act, currently awaiting a vote in the Senate, was "the triumph of cancel culture over facts, reason, and empirical knowledge."

The cheering audience didn't seem to be affected by the fact that Trump, his company, and his children were sued this week by the New York attorney general, who accuses the Trump Organization of massive fraud. Trump also faces a possible indictment for allegedly stealing top-secret classified documents and lying to the FBI about having them. He also is being investigated by the Justice Department for possibly instigating the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, and faces another possible indictment in Georgia for trying to overturn his loss there in 2020. Among other legal threats, Trump also faces lawsuits from people involved with the Capitol riot and from writer E. Jean Carroll, who accuses him of rape.
Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York

During her brief visit, she had several high-level meetings, launched a charity foundation, and held the first fundraiser at Metropolitan Opera. The first lady attended the General Assembly, proudly observed the standing ovation her husbands speech got at the UN, and got assurances that partners will continue to support Ukraine.

During the meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Zelenska asked him to persuade Russian officials to share information on the whereabouts of more than 7000 Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia.

Read also: Russia guilty of war crimes in Ukraine, UN report says

I have to take every opportunity to do the work. And I can say that the support is still huge for Ukraine, Zelenska said. So many people were approaching me and asking what else can they do, how else can they help.

The visit to General Assembly helped the Ukrainian first lady to meet new people, new heads of state, as well as first ladies she already knew. I can say that weve almost talked like friends. No more formal speeches. We immediately get to the point.

At every meeting with other first ladies, Zelenska talked about Ukrainian refugees, living in their countries. More than 7,5 million Ukrainians, mostly women, and children have fled only to other European countries since February, UNHCR has reported. Overall 14 million Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes due to Putins war, according to the UN.

Thousands of Ukrainian kids went to foreign schools in September. The first lady of France Brigitte Macron told Zelenska that Ukrainian children are brilliant.

I was pleased to hear they learn foreign languages very fast. Yet I urged our partners to allow our kids to include Ukrainian language, literature, and history studies in their curriculum, Zelenska said.

It can be done if they also join Ukrainian school studies online.

Read also: First Lady Zelenska presents new charity aimed at rebuilding Ukraine at Metropolitan Opera in New York

Story continues

Zelenska has also discussed the ongoing evacuation of Ukrainians diagnosed with different forms of cancer, and other patients for treatment abroad. We are creating a community with other first ladies, where everyone is on the same page, Zelenska said.

On Sept. 21 Zelenska attended Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys pre-recorded speech at the General Assembly Hall. She liked the vibe of the assembly and was proud when she saw more and more people showing up in the half-empty hall just before her husband was supposed to speak.

That meant people wanted to hear what he had to say, Zelenska said. More than 100 countries voted for the resolution to allow Zelenskyy to address the assembly via video conference, with only seven countries voting against it.

Zelenska curiously observed the reaction of those seven delegations during the standing ovation in the hall after Zelenskyys speech ended. They looked awkward and insecure. It felt good for me, Ukraines first lady said.

The next evening, on Sept. 22 Zelenska presented The Olena Zelenska Foundation, a charity aimed to help the renovation of Ukraine. People want to help Ukraine. They donate to many big international foundations. Yet they want to know where their money goes, Zelenska said.

Through her foundation, the Ukrainian first lady wants to connect the donors with those getting their help. The foundation will be aimed at restoration of hospitals, educational and other social infrastructure facilities. We directly know what we need to rebuild from the Ukrainian regional councils that provide us the information, Zelenska said.

People here are amazed by the resilience of Ukrainians. And that inspires me so much, Zelenska said.

Read also: Zelenskyy presents Ukraines formula for peace at the UN General Assembly

Ukrainian first lady also met British Prime Minister Liz Truss on Sept. 21 in New York. Truss reaffirmed her support for Ukraine and promised the UK will help to rebuild Kyiv's Oblast towns and villages destroyed by the Russian invasion.

The United Kingdom will continue to send military aid to Ukraine and will allocate 3 million pounds to support Ukrainian scientists who were forced to flee the country. The UK remains one of the biggest partners of Ukraine. They are involved in so many projects, Zelenska said.

During the meetings with Truss and Guterres Zelenska once again urged leaders to help Ukraine get information about the whereabouts of Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia. Russian authorities claim more than 500,000 Ukrainian children were relocated to Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Yet Zelenska said Russian data cant be trusted. According to our information, more than 7750 Ukrainian children were forcibly taken to Russia. Those children might just disappear in Russia, Zelenska said. It is just horrible and we need to talk about it more. We need to search for them.

Earlier NV reported UN has no access to the Ukrainian children studying in Russia and occupied territories of Ukraine. Therefore, theres no possibility to verify the information about the mass reeducation of Ukrainian children Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told NV at UN Headquarters in New York on Sept. 15. Russia, this totalitarian state has closed all doors, cut all ties to the reality, Zelenska said.

Both Truss and Guterres promised to use all the available diplomatic tools to find out where Russia holds Ukrainian children.

Read also: Russia votes against Zelenskyy addressing UN Security Council

I hope that with their help the issue will move from a dead point, Zelenska said.

So far Ukraine has managed to return only 50 children from Russia. About 1,000 kids face adoption in Russian families.

Zelenska came to New York from London, where she visited Queen Elizabeth II's funeral ceremony. She hasnt seen her kids for more than a week. The same week her older daughter Oleksandra started her studies at one of the universities of Kyiv. She studies online so I am not worried about her. While my son goes to school. And that is always worrying, Zelenska said.

During the high-level meetings, Zelenska was constantly checking the air raid alarm app on her phone. It is very unsettling when you see an air raid siren in Kyiv Oblast while your son is there, Zelenska said. So far both tell me they are fine. They do their homework and eat their breakfast. My son takes his emergency kit to school with him.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The ledger stone at the King George VI memorial chapel, the Queens final resting place (Royal Collection Trust/The Dean and Canons of Windsor )

The first picture of the new ledger stone installed at the Queens final resting place in Windsor has been released.

Queen Elizabeth IIs name has been inscribed alongside her mothers, fathers and husbands on the stone in the King George VI memorial chapel in St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, where the monarch was buried.

The black stone slab has been set into the floor after replacing the old stone that had the names George VI and Elizabeth inscribed in gold lettering.

The fresh stone now contains, in list form, George VI 1895-1952 and Elizabeth 1900-2002 followed by a metal Garter Star, and then Elizabeth II 1926-2022 and Philip 1921-2021.

All four royals were members of the Order of the Garter, which has St Georges Chapel as its spiritual home. The Order of the Garter is the most senior knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. It was founded by Edward III in 1348.

The stone is made from hand-carved Belgian black marble with brass letter inlays, to match the previous ledger stone. The picture, released by Buckingham Palace, shows the stone surrounded by floral tributes and wreaths.

The Queens burial site is opening to visitors next week as Windsor Castle reopens to the public following her funeral. People can pay their respects at St Georges Chapel from 29 September.

The Queen was laid to rest with the Duke of Edinburgh on Monday evening in a private service attended by the King and the royal family, which followed her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and committal service in Windsor.

When Philip died 17 months ago at the age of 99, his coffin was interred in the royal vault of St Georges, ready to be moved to the memorial chapel  a pale stone annexe added to the north side of the building behind the North Quire Aisle in 1969  when the Queen died.

The Queen was laid to rest with her late husband, Prince Philip (PA)

The Queens sister Princess Margaret, who died in 2002, was cremated and her ashes were initially placed in the royal vault before being moved to the George VI memorial chapel with her parents coffins when the Queen Mother died weeks later.

Story continues

The King George VI memorial chapel, which sits within the walls of St Georges Chapel, was commissioned by the Queen in 1962 as a burial place for her father King George VI, and designed by George Pace and finished in 1969.

The chapel will reopen to visitors next week on all days the castle is open to the public, excluding Sundays when it is only open for worshippers.

The royal family is continuing its period of mourning for the Queen, to be observed until seven days after the funeral.

King Charles was pictured with his red box for the first time in photos released this week. The image shows the King carrying out official government duties in the Eighteenth Century Room at Buckingham Palace last week.

Red boxes contain papers from government ministers in the UK and the realms, as well as Commonwealth representatives.

The King with his red box in Buckingham Palace (PA)

Documents are sent from the private secretarys office to the King, wherever he is around the world, in a locked red despatch box. These include papers that require a signature, briefing documents and information about forthcoming meetings.
Story at a glance

Two openly gay candidates next month will go head-to-head in a federal general election for the first time in U.S. history.

Should either Robert Zimmerman, a Democrat, or George Santos, a Republican, win in November, they will become the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent the district and the fourth out LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from New York.

More than 1,000 openly LGBTQ+ people this year ran for public office in the U.S.

In a first, two openly gay candidates next month will go head-to-head in a federal general election.

Robert Zimmerman, a Democrat, and George Santos, a Republican, are vying for a seat in New Yorks 3rd congressional district left open by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), who last year launched a bid for governor of New York and said he would not seek reelection in Congress.

The district leans Democratic  President Biden won it by 10 points in 2020  but the race is still considered competitive by the Cook Political Report.

Should either Zimmerman or Santos win in November, they would be the first openly LGBTQ+ person to lead the district, which represents Long Island and Queens, N.Y. The congressman-elect would join two other out gay members of Congress from New York  Rep. Ritchie Torres (D) and Rep. Sean Maloney (D). Rep. Mondaire Jones (D), the first openly gay Black person to serve in Congress, lost his bid for a second term in Augusts primary election.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

We all bring our personal stories into public life, Zimmerman told Changing America in a recent interview. The question is, do they prompt us to help others?

Growing up in Nassau County in the 1960s and 70s wasnt easy for Zimmerman, 67, who knew he was gay at an early age.

At that time, it was a very isolating place for those of us that were gay, he said.

As a teenager, on nights when his friends took girls to school dances, Zimmerman sat alone at a table at the Seven Seas Diner in Great Neck, N.Y., watching the clock.

Story continues

I didnt want to admit to my folks I didnt have a date, he said. Its just what you did.

Once, after confiding in one of his school teachers that he thought he might be gay, Zimmerman was referred to conversion therapy  a discredited practice that aims to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity. Its since been outlawed in 20 states, including New York, and the District of Columbia.

I wasnt gonna go there, Zimmerman said, but when youre young, its kind of hard to shake the idea that maybe youre not well.

After decades of feeling voiceless, Zimmerman as a young adult decided to speak up for himself and his community, spending years on Capitol Hill working for Democratic congressmen. Its a mission he carries with him today, as renewed threats to LGBTQ+ rights like marriage equality and privacy are introduced by state and federal officials.

I have fought those fights, and Im not going to let another generation of LGBTQ+ young people be shoved back in the closet, Zimmerman said. Its not going to happen on my watch.

Zimmerman and Santos are two of 101 openly LGBTQ+ candidates to seek a seat in Congress this election cycle, the most in U.S. history, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which has endorsed Zimmerman in the race.

LGBT candidates are more electable than ever before, Cesar Toledo, the groups political director, told Changing America in an interview.

Toledo said more races between openly LGBTQ+ candidates are expected to happen moving forward as the number of out LGBTQ+ people running for public office continues to spike. More than 1,000 ran for office this year, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which advocates for equitable representation in government.

This is a new, beautiful problem we have, Toledo said.

Still, just 17 out LGBTQ+ people have won seats in the House in Congress 232-year history, and only two have been elected to the Senate.

Among openly LGBTQ+ Republicans who launched congressional bids this year, Santos is the only one to make it to a general election. All current members of Congress that openly identify as LGBTQ+ are Democrats.

Santos did not respond to multiple interview requests from Changing America, but told NBC News this week that he sees no contradiction between his sexual orientation and the politics of his party.

As a lifelong Republican, I have never experienced discrimination in the Republican Party, Santos said. I am an openly gay candidate. I am not shy.

In July, House Republicans overwhelmingly voted against passing the Respect for Marriage Act, which would enshrine marriage equality in federal law. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), one of the lead negotiators on the measure in the Senate and the chambers first openly gay member, announced last week that action on the bill would be delayed until after the midterm elections, with Senate Republicans seeking stronger religious liberty protections.

Santos has also been an ardent supporter of measures largely unpopular among his LGBTQ+ peers.

In an Instagram post in April, Santos praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for protecting traditional values and the innocence of children by signing the states controversial Parental Rights in Education bill into law.

The legislation has been dubbed the Dont Say Gay law by its critics for its heavy restrictions on talk of sexual orientation and gender identity in K-12 classrooms, which the measures proponents  including Santos  have equated to grooming and child abuse.

According to Zimmerman, the two mens shared sexual orientation is the beginning and end of our similarities.

Zimmerman said hes prepared to work collaboratively with far-right congresspeople if he is elected next month.

Part of the challenge of governance is that you sit at the table with people who dont believe youre entitled to the same rights they have, he said. But we have to come together, in a bipartisan way, to get things done.

As of August, Santos had out-raised Zimmerman by about $600,000 and had $790,000 in cash on hand compared to Zimmermans $478,000.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Florence Pugh has said that she will always be grateful for her experience filming Dont Worry Darling.

The actor stars opposite Harry Styles in the psychological thriller, which has seen its release plagued by rumours of a feud between Pugh and director Olivia Wilde.

In the most recent development in the alleged drama, a source has claimed that Wilde and Pugh broke into a screaming match on set during filming.

Yet as Dont Worry Darling was released on Friday (23 September), Pugh shared a compilation of photos from the set to Instagram. Wilde featured among the photos of the cast and crew.

Its here.. and ready to be seen. @dontworrydarling is in cinemas! Pugh wrote. We met so many talented people, visited some insane locations, worked hard in the desert dust and looked good whilst doing so.

She continued: Thank you to all those who have bought tickets and those who have already seen it  whenever I watch massive impressive movie moments on massive screens I always remind myself that there is a boom just inches from the frame Im watching. Or marks on the floor just below the actors waists.

Its crazy to think that each set up and scene takes a large portion of a day to execute, and on this one.. there was a lot to execute! Explosions, car chases, cocktail balancing, underwater sequences, running, drinking, more running.

Pugh then reminded fans that the film had been filmed at the height of the pandemic, with her photos showing everyone involved in the project wearing masks.

This film was such an epic story on such a large scale to shoot, all while during peak Covid times, she said. For that I will always be grateful. To all of you who helped make this, your dedication and love was seen daily  thank you.

In a recent interview with Vulture , an anonymous source who spent significant time on set told the publication that tensions between Pugh and Wilde reached a boiling point when the two got into a screaming match.

Story continues

The source alleges that news of the hostility eventually reached studio executives, with Toby Emmerich, the highest-ranking Warner Bros exec, forced to step in as a referee of a long negotiation process to guarantee Pughs participation in the film in any way.

A response supplied to The Independent from co-chairpersons and CEOs of Warner Bros, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, said: We are so proud of the work that Olivia Wilde has done making this incredibly beautiful and entertaining film and look forward to collaborating with her again.

It continued: The studio is very grateful and appreciative of the tireless support by Olivia in bringing her vision to life from production through release. Any suggestion of conflict between the studio and Olivia is simply not true.

Wilde has previously suggested that the feud is nothing but invented clickbait, while Pugh has neither commented on or refuted the rumours.

You can read a full timeline of all the behind-the-scenes drama from Dont Worry Darling here.

Dont Worry Darling is in cinemas now.
News  International

One dead, 19 missing as boat capsizes off Cambodia
Photo: Vancouver is Awesome File photo Dan Toulgoet

Vancouver police say more than 88,000 calls from citizens to the non-emergency line in 2021 were abandoned  often after lengthy delays  before they could be answered by the dispatch service contracted to take the calls.

A police staff report that went before the Vancouver Police Board Thursday said the lost calls to the regions E-Comm dispatch centre translated to an average of 240 per day.

These abandoned calls likely included several crime reports that have remained unreported and undocumented in the police data, said the report, authored by Simon Demers, the VPDs director of planning, research and audit section.

Even worse, there is evidence that some crime victims in Vancouver do not even try to call the non-emergency line in the first place because they know it is plagued by long delays and they are not willing to wait for several minutes before talking with an E-Comm call taker.

As a result, the report continued, the official crime data from 2021 is likely to be incomplete and underestimate the true level of crime in Vancouver, which has seen unprecedented fluctuations in types of crime since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.

1,700 break-ins to homes, businesses

In a presentation to the police board Thursday, Demers said the departments analysis of the 88,000 abandoned calls suggests there would have been an additional 1,700 reports of break-ins to homes and businesses last year.

Added to those crime reports would have been 1,000 thefts, 600 assaults, 500 calls related to mischief and 200 for fraud, said Demers, whose report focused on the crime severity index in Vancouver, which remains higher than the national average.

The number of abandoned calls in 2021  88,000  was not available in April when Vancouver Is Awesome revealed that 18,680 calls out of 46,154 in the first three months of this year also went unanswered. That equates to 40.5 per cent of calls lost.

Most citizens are probably not aware that when they contact 911 and the VPDs non-emergency line, they are actually reaching E-Comm, which is located in a building at East Hastings and Cassiar streets, near the Pacific National Exhibition.

Calls that are medical in nature get transferred to BC Emergency Health Services.

City pays $24 million to E-Comm

The city is paying $19 million this year to E-Comm to handle police calls, and an additional $5 million to cover dispatch services for Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.

The $24-million investment was highlighted in a Vancouver Is Awesome story published in February that examined whether the city was getting good value for the funds it provides E-Comm for services.

In April, E-Comm's executive director of communications said in an email that the agency recognizes the impact abandoned calls have on police departments in terms of crime reporting statistics and the negative feedback they receive from the public.

We continue to work with our partners to find ways to leverage technology to help improve the caller experience, E-Comm said. At the same time, we are looking at new call-handling models and innovative ways to recruit new staff and retain our existing staff, while addressing E-Comms longer-term funding requirements."

Police Chief Adam Palmer at Thursday's Vancouver Police Board meeting with Mayor Kennedy Stewart. Photo Mike Howell

Police Chief Adam Palmer and some members of the police board have previously been vocal about the number of abandoned calls, saying it was an important lost statistic when accounting for Vancouvers crime rate.

At the same time, Palmer told the board that some of the frustrated callers likely filed an online report or called 911 to get a response to what initially prompted them to contact police.

On track for 100,000 abandoned calls

Asked Thursday whether the situation has improved since April, Palmer said the most recent data he examined suggests Vancouver is on track to reach 100,000 abandoned calls this year on the non-emergency line.

Palmer said Howard Chow, one of the departments deputy chiefs, sits on a committee with other police leaders in the province and together are working with E-Comm to reduce the number of abandoned calls.

The provincial government is also involved.

We've got serious concerns on a number of issues, the chief said in an interview after the police board meeting. Number one  the crime statistics will be out of whack. Everybody's crime statistics are going to be lower than the real crime statistics because people just can't get through [to the call taker].

Added Palmer: I can make crime in the city go to zero, if we just don't answer the phone. If you're not answering the phone and taking the calls, you're not going to have any crime. But we do have to answer the phone and take and respond to peoples calls when they need our assistance.

Palmer said he was also concerned about the departments reputation, with citizens concluding the VPD doesnt want to take a non-emergency call. Concerns over police inaction have already appeared in complaints to the police board, the chief said.

Vehicle break-ins far below pre-pandemic levels

The departments most recent publicly available crime statistics end in August.

Compared to the first eight months of 2021, assaults went up 6.3 per cent over the same period in 2022. Robberies, meanwhile, increased by 23.9 per cent and attempted murders jumped to 114 per cent, or 15 from the seven recorded last year.

Thefts went up 25.5 per cent. Break-ins to homes dropped 13.8 per cent and businesses by 6.5 per cent.

Historically, the biggest driver of property crime is break-ins to vehicles, which increased by 2.8 per cent over the first eight months of 2022. But the number of thefts from vehicles as of August (4,780) is still significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels, when 16,488 were recorded for all of 2019.

Police have said the pandemic has had a dramatic effect on crime. While at the height of the pandemic, police say there were fewer people in the streets and driving vehicles. Crime is expected to increase as more people return to workplaces, socialize and attend events involving crowds.

Now that social restrictions are being relaxed, property crime in Vancouver is increasing back to historical baselines, said Demers in his report, adding that such a trend was predictable based on academic research conducted in Australia, China, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Demers noted that while many crime types declined during the pandemic, some researchers found that foot traffic and business activity declined even more, which means the risk of a person becoming a victim of a crime in a public space may have actually increased.

In Vancouver, police say they are seeing an average of four assaults per day where a person is attacked by a stranger. Those types of assaults are not new in the city but the volume is unprecedented, according to Palmer.

I've been a cop here for 35 years, and through my entire career, we've had incidents of stranger assaults, random attacks  that kind of thing  but the magnitudeIve never seen anything like it, he said, noting many of the incidents are connected to suspects living with a mental illness.

Some are more minor, but some are very serious, including stabbings, homicides and attacks where people will attack multiple people in a neighbourhood before we catch them.
WASHINGTON  The White House switchboard called one of the rioters on Jan. 6, 2021, a former House staffer told CBS's "60 Minutes."

Denver Riggleman, a former U.S. House of Representatives member from Virginia, military intelligence officer and senior technical adviser to the House panel investigating the Capitol attack, said he knows who received the call, but not who placed it. He didn't name the rioter in an excerpt released by "60 Minutes," which will air Sunday.

"From my perspective, you know, being in counterterrorism, you know, if the White House, even if it's a short call, and it's a connected call, who is actually making that phone call?" Riggleman asked.

Insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump breach the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

While working for the committee, Riggleman analyzed call records, texts and online activities of hundreds of people suspected of playing roles in the attack. He called the discovery of the call a "pretty big 'aha' moment."

Ginni Thomas: House Jan. 6 committee comes to agreement to interview Ginni Thomas, wife of Justice Clarence Thomas

He spoke with "60 Minutes" to promote the publication of his book "The Breach." The program released an excerpt Friday.

Jensen trial: Jan. 6 rioter Doug Jensen, among first to breach Capitol, guilty on seven criminal counts

Riggleman's interview also appeared before the committee holds another hearing Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: White House switchboard called rioter Jan. 6: former House staffer
Sep. 24PALESTINE  The Palestine Wildcats found themselves in an 18-0 hole at the half of their district home opener against the Kilgore Bulldogs.

The Wildcats struggled to sustain many drives in the first half as their first two drives ended in three-and-outs.

Kilgore had put together back-to-back scoring drives on their first two possessions. A potential touchdown pass was broken up by Palestine's Taj'Shawn Wilson on third-and-six that forced Kilgore into a 31-yard field goal by Leo Yzaguirre.

Kilgore eventually found the endzone on their second drive thanks to a 73-yard touchdown pass from Da'Marion Van Zandt to PJ Wiley that put them up 9-0 following the missed extra point. Palestine's Perry Cole had boomed a 68-yard punt that had spotted Kilgore on their two-yard line to start the drive.

Palestine's offense found a quick burst of energy from Elijah Walker as he picked up 14 yards on his first carry of their third possession. Another seven yards from Walker had them favorably in front of the chains. However, Palestine proceeded to go backward on tosses to Wilson and Walker  placing them in a 4th-and-12 situation.

Kilgore's scoring streak came to a halt on their third possession when Roosevelt Rollins was stood up by Perry Cole on a fourth-and-one. The turnover on downs set Palestine up on Kilgore's 38-yard line.

A dime from Hudson Dear to Jon Denman moved the chains down to the Kilgore 15. Momentum steadily rose for the Wildcats when a facemask penalty on Kilgore put them on the KHS 8. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, their promising drive ended two plays later as Dear attempted to hit Ty Stedman across the middle of the endzone. A tipped pass found the awaiting hands of Kilgore for their first interception of the night.

The touchback brought Kilgore out to their 20. Isaiah Ross blasted off tackle down the right sideline for a 75-yard gain. A crushing unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Palestine wiped out back-to-back sacks for the Wildcats front. Instead of a third-and-goal from the 15, Kilgore accepted a first-and-goal from the five. One play later, Ross broke through the defense for a five-yard touchdown. The missed extra point kept Kilgore in front 15-0.

Story continues

Kilgore added another field goal on a 38-yard try before halftime to take an 18-0 lead.

Offensive struggles continued for the Wildcats in the second half as their opening possession ended in a three-and-out after Dear missed Wilson deep down the left sideline. Kilgore also was held to three downs and out, but quickly got the ball back on a fumble by Triston Gardner.

A play later, Ross found his second touchdown of the night on a 60-yard sprint to the end zone. Palestine's offense continued to spiral as Kilgore's Zaylon Stoke snagged his second interception of the night and returned it for a 55-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter.

Neither side found the end zone over the final quarter and a half as Kilgore stamped their 32-0 district opener win. Palestine travels to Tyler next week where they'll play the Chapel Hill Bulldogs
George M. Johnson (Photo: Illustration: Chris McGonigal/HuffPost; Photo: Vincent Marc)

George M. Johnson (Photo: Illustration: Chris McGonigal/HuffPost; Photo: Vincent Marc)

It was sometime during 2019, before COVID turned the world upside down, that I had the first meeting with my publisher. Her team and I sat in a room around a table and discussed the strategy  the marketing and promotion, mostly  for dropping my first book, which Id recently finished. I was truly living my dreams. Amid the excited conversation, something in my spirit told me to ask a question: What happens if you need security at an event? They all looked puzzled. One of them asked why Id need that. I know this book will be banned, I replied. I dont know when or how widely, but I know that it will be.

A report from PEN America this week showed that my book, having survived various criminal complaints, was the second-most banned in the United States, with bans in 29 school districts. States continued efforts to ban my work is not easy to wake up to daily. For the past year, there have been constant Google alerts, messages on social media from people calling me a pedophile or groomer, and other unsavory attempts to deny my story and the very existence of Black queer people everywhere. I never thought I would be at the center of a political issue moving into an election  nor should I ever have been.

My book, All Boys Arent Blue, is a young adult memoir about my experience growing up Black and queer in America. In my story, I discuss growing up in a Black family who loved and affirmed me; the good, bad and ugly truths about what teens really deal with; and my journey through gender and social identity. My life was and still is full of joy, but also include some painful moments involving nonconsensual sex, as well as my experience with losing my virginity. Unfortunately, my sexual experiences have been deemed an issue  pornographic by some. To be clear, this book is for ages 14-18 and it contains truths that many of us have experienced and are healing from. Peoples backlash, in all forms, is being used to disguise the real issue.

Story continues

Books about our experience are not too explicit just because they discuss gender, race and other crucial topics that teen readers need to process as they learn about themselves and the world they live in. These bans are the product of a system that upholds an alternative history of the United States and the world we live in  and thats dangerous to an impressionable teen. Queerness is not a monolith; it has, so far, existed through one main lens  white and patriarchal  and continues to erase or deny the painful history many of us in this country suffer through.

Our books (the banned ones, if you will) often tell stories that are uncomfortable and important. Book banning is nothing new in the U.S., but it has rarely been seen at this magnitude in recent decades. But we cant just talk about book banning without discussing the suppression of storytelling. Textbooks, historically, contain many inaccuracies. Books written by enslaved people, that described their reality, had to be written under pseudonyms to protect the authors. Some of the greatest literary icons of our time  Toni Morrison, James Baldwin and even Harper Lee  have had their books banned despite their works being part of the landscape and foundation for many generations of writers. Their words simply didnt fit into the neat narrative that white America is somehow still trying to preserve.

But that is why writing and other types of storytelling are such revolutionary rights. Books persist even when oppressors dont want them to. They change lives, provide community, and serve as a lifeline for those who feel unseen, unheard and alone.

When I first wrote my memoir, I kept reminding myself that this was not for the 33-year-old version of me. This was for my 10-year-old self who had important things to say and had been silenced for so many years. And as I wrote about my experience, I felt lighter. I felt freer. I felt I had tapped a power I never knew existed.

And then I watched as reader after reader, from teenagers to people well into their 70s, discussed how this book made them feel  how the stories healed and informed them. I was told that my simple existence (me being out here and sticking to my intentions) was something that they could hold on to on their roughest of days. And thats the truly revolutionary thing about art. Toni Morrison once said, If there is a book you want to read and it hasnt been written yet, then you must write it. Thats what I did. And while all the book bans are weaponizing my words, I know that theyre providing armor for those who have gone through anything I did.

That being said, all the resistance to my book  which is a symbol of my life and reality  has affected my mental health. Every attempt at a ban is a reminder that people do not want me to simply live. Im fortunate that I have ancestors I can always lean on. During the most painful and trying moments, I can grab my grandmothers diamond pendant and channel her energy, sing some of her favorite church hymnals aloud and then sit in silence allowing her voice to resonate. Dont let these people get to you, shed always tell me. You are doing what you were put here to do.

I rest when I need to because thats a radical act of resistance on its own. I try my best not to push myself beyond my capacity. I have boundaries now. And thats my advice to anyone telling an important story about their identity. There will be pushback, but taking care of yourself first will help you stand strong in your mission. Through it all, my own journey is only in its infancy. I have more books to write and more stories to dismantle this system. And Ill be damned if anyone denies my right to write them.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
JEDDAH (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday after a meeting with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that he wants to deepen the energy partnership between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters, Scholz said that the partnership should go beyond fossil fuels to include hydrogen and renewable energies.

Germany, until recently heavily dependent on Russia for gas, has been seeking to diversify its energy supply since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Scholz, on a two-day trip to the Gulf, said he also addressed issues involving human and civil rights in talks with the prince.

Prominent German politicians from an array of parties called on Scholz to address the matters in an article on Saturday in Der Spiegel.

"You can assume that nothing was left unsaid," he said when asked if he had also discussed the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul four years ago triggered a global outcry and put pressure on Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler.

A U.S. intelligence report released a year ago said the prince had approved the operation to kill or capture Khashoggi, but the Saudi government denied any involvement by the crown prince and rejected the report's findings.

In a sign of thawing relations, U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron have visited the country and met with the prince.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Tom Sims, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
The Renaissance Center, headquarters of General Motors, on the Detroit River in downtown Detroit.

GM employees who have been working remotely due to the pandemic will be required to return to the office at least three days a week, starting later this year, the automaker confirmed Friday.

An internal message to employees, first obtained by Automotive News and confirmed by GM on Friday, attributed the shift in GM's Work Appropriately policy to the progress made against the pandemic, saying "the COVID-19 situation has dramatically improved."

"As the COVID landscape has dramatically improved, and as we accelerate our transformation and enter a rapid launch cycle, we are evolving Work Appropriately to drive the best collaboration, enterprise mindset and impact. Effective later this year, employees who transitioned to working remotely some or all of the time during the pandemic will pivot to a more regular in-person work cycle, and they will now be expected to work three days on-campus each week," GM spokesperson Maria Raynal said in a statement via email Friday. "Were committed to maintaining flexibility to ensure our employees can attend to personal commitments, and we will share details with them in the coming weeks."

More:GM to reinstate a dividend and start stock buybacks, signaling confidence

More:GM's joint venture considers location near Michigan border for 4th battery plant

According to an article in Crain's Detroit business, GM's message to employees was attributed to "the senior leadership team," listing CEO Mary Barra, President Mark Reuss and 12 other top executives. The message, which also cited the desire to encourage more collaboration moving forward did not say specifically when the new policy would take effect.

On April 20, 2021, GM laid forth a new philosophy that signaled a culture shift for the 113-year-old automaker called Work Appropriately.

Work Appropriately gave many salaried employees flexibility to work wherever they could best do their job. GM viewed it as a hiring and retention tool because GM has more access to talent by not requiring all its employees to move to Michigan or make daily commutes.

Story continues

GM's new return-to-office plan couldn't come fast enough for the Renaissance Center. The site of GM's headquarters effectively became a ghost town when COVID-19 sent office workers packing to work from home. Among them: roughly 5,000 GM employees.

GM has been unable to provide any figures on how many employees show up to RenCen offices daily because Work Appropriately means the number fluctuates daily.

Without them, it was quite quiet. Back in June, it was questioned about what was going to happen to the RenCen because of how empty it became, plus GM owns part of the building.

Since the pandemic, RenCen lost Deloitte LLP as a tenant, and Blue Cross Blue Shield moved about 50 of its 2,000 workers to a smaller office in Detroit.

Free Press staff writer Jamie L. LaReau contributed.

Free Press staff writer JC Reindl contributed.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: GM workers will return to office at least 3 days a week
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP)  Two U.S. military veterans who disappeared three months ago while fighting with Ukrainian forces against Russia arrived home to Alabama on Saturday, greeted by hugs, cheers and tears of joy at the state's main airport.

Alex Drueke, 40, and Andy Huynh, 27, had gone missing June 9 in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border. The Alabama residents were released as part of a prisoner exchange. The pair had traveled to Ukraine on their own and bonded over their shared home state.

Its them! a family member shouted as the pair appeared at the top of an escalator at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, one of Alabama's largest cities.

Smiling but looking tired, the two were pulled into long emotional hugs by family members after their connecting flight home. Then they were whisked to a waiting car.

Surreal. I still have chill bumps. I always imagined this day. I always held not just hope but belief in this day. But I thought it was going to be two or three years from now at best, said Drueke's aunt, Dianna Shaw.

There are prisoners of war who have been held for months and years. There are people who have been detained wrongfully for years and for this to come about in three months is, just, unimaginable to me," she added. Even though Im living it, it feels unimaginable, and I dont want people to forget all the Ukrainians who are still being held.

The families of the two men announced their release on Wednesday. The men were among 10 prisoners released by Russian-backed separatists as part of a prisoner exchange mediated by Saudi Arabia. The Saudi embassy said five British nationals and others from Morocco, Sweden and Croatia also were freed.

Darla Black, whose daughter is engaged to Huynh, said she thought, there he is. There he is as Huynh came into view.

I had to get my hands on him to actually believe it. Im just overwhelmed with gratitude. We got our miracle, Black said.

The men had arrived Friday at New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Were looking forward to spending time with family and well be in touch with the media soon, Drueke said shortly after arriving in New York with Huynh. Happy to be home.
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Saturday afternoon that expands the state of emergency to include all of Florida.

DeSantis issued an executive order on Friday declaring a state of emergency for 24 counties in the potential path of Tropical Depression 9, now named Tropical Storm Ian.

Read: Tropical Storm Ian gains strength as it heads towards Central Florida, track moves slighty west

DeSantis also requested a federal pre-landfall emergency declaration in anticipation of impacts from the storm. His office said that declaration will make resources and support available as well as free up funding for emergency protective measures. Under the emergency order, members of the Florida National Guard will be activated and on standby awaiting orders.

Because Tropical Depression 9 strengthened into Tropical Storm Ian, he said the conditions have increased safety precautions for all communities and infrastructure in Florida.

Read: Eye on the tropics: Heres where you can get sandbags in Central Florida

DeSantis said the Florida Division of Emergency Management has been working closely with the National Hurricane Center to monitor the tropics and said there is still a risk of storm surge and heavy flooding.

The state of emergency previously applied to: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and St. Lucie.

Read: NASA delays launch of Artemis I due to Tropical Storm Ian

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.
Edgley swam continuously for two days and nights

An adventurer has finished one of the "biggest challenges of his career" after swimming continuously for more than two days and nights in Loch Ness.

Ross Edgley, 36, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, spent 52 hours and 39 minutes in the water and covered a distance of about 49 miles (79km).

He ended the challenge at Fort Augustus on Friday, short of his original aim of swimming 100 miles (160km).

The challenge was in support of a sea kelp conservation project.

"It was one of the biggest challenges of my career physically and mentally, but the important purpose behind it really motivated me to push myself as far as I did and I'm so proud to have inspired people to make a difference," he said.

Edgely, who became the first person to swim 1,780-miles around Great Britain in 2018, swam continuously without touching land or a boat for the whole period he was in the water.

Overnight temperatures dropped as low as 5C and at times he faced winds of up to 20 knots.

"I wanted to thank everyone for their immense support and in particular the incredible hospitality I have received here in Scotland," the adventurer said.

Edgley made the attempt to raise awareness of the Scottish kelp seaweed forests with support of Skye whisky distillery Talisker and Parley for the Oceans, a non-profit environmental organisation.

"The longer I've been working with Talisker and Parley the more I've learnt about sea kelp and how essential the preservation of these amazing sea kelp forests are," he said.

Edgley believes he has broken the record for the longest ever open water swim in Loch Ness, in a wetsuit, but that has not been verified.

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk.
(Reuters) -British drugmaker GSK plc has poached Burberry Group's finance chief to create a rare all-female executive leadership team, Sky News reported on Saturday.

GSK could announce as soon as Monday morning that it has recruited Julie Brown to replace Iain Mackay, who has served as its chief financial officer since 2019, the report added.

On Friday, Burberry announced that its finance chief Julie Brown will step down in April 2023 after more than five years in the role.

The 60-year-old British national, who joined Burberry in 2017 from medical products maker Smith & Nephew, would also leave her role as chief operating officer and will take up an opportunity in a different industry, Burberry said on Friday.

GSK declined to comment. Burberry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Saturday.

(Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in BengaluruEditing by Peter Graff)
Photo: The Keefer Yard/Facebook. The Keefer Yard announced that it is officially closed via social media post on Sept. 23, 2022.

A beloved patio will be no more at a popular Vancouver watering hole.

The Keefer Bar, which made the cut for North America's 50 Best Bars list, announced unfortunate news on Friday.

"The Keefer Yard is finished," wrote the owner in a social media post.

The patio began as a pandemic project to help people gather safely with friends, writes the post. "It brought a feeling of normalcy during a dizzying time," the owner added, and helped the bar remain open when indoor dining was struggling.

Despite the outdoor space bringing together the community, from hiring local artists to paint murals to donating proceeds from the mini-putt to local charities, The Keefer Yard has come to a close.

"We've been working with the city try to make The Keefer Yard a permanent place," the owner explains. "It breaks our hearts to say we were unsuccessful in landing the permit we needed to keep our doors open."

Though there will no longer be a patio, The Keefer Bar will remain open.

The owner also expressed gratitude to everyone who made The Keefer Yard possible. "It's been a tough couple of years, but seeing the happiness The Yard brought you all made our days much brighter."
Hi, friends! Welcome back to Week in Review, the newsletter where we very quickly sum up the most read TechCrunch stories from the past week.

Want it in your inbox every Saturday morning? Get it here.

most read

GTA 6 footage leaks : Roughly 90 clips of the next Grand Theft Auto game leaked out this week, with the uploader claiming to have hacked Rockstar Games' internal Slack. Rockstar confirmed the "network intrusion," adding that they are "extremely disappointed" to see things leaked this way but that development will "continue as planned."

Wipro fires 300 employees for moonlighting : India's IT giant Wipro "has fired 300 employees in recent months who were found to be moonlighting for competitors," writes Manish, with Wipro chairman Rishad Premji calling moonlighting an "act of integrity violation.

Revolut hacked : Banking/financial services startup Revolut confirmed this week that hackers were able to breach details for a "small percentage" of its customers. The company declined to get specific about exactly how many customers that works out to, but a breach disclosure filed with authorities in the company's home country of Lithuania suggests it's around 50,000.

Brelyon's wild monitor : Want something more immersive than a standard monitor but don't want a VR headset strapped to your face? Brelyon is trying to reimagine the display, and they've raised $15 million from a pretty impressive roster of investors to get it done.

Kia and Hyundai sued over design flaw : Earlier this year, a TikTok went viral that publicized a not-very-complicated way to steal certain models of Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Now a class action lawsuit has been filed against the automakers, with the complaint claiming the cars were deliberately built without engine immobilizers," which Rebecca describes as an "inexpensive and very common device" meant to prevent this issue.

Google's new Chromecast : Two years ago, Google launched a 4K version of the Chromecast  the first Chromecast to come with a dedicated remote, rather than requiring a smartphone for everything. They're now bringing the same design plus a remote to the more affordable HD (1080p) model. The HD model will cost $30, while the 4K version will cost $50.

Facebook users sue Meta over iOS tracking: "The complaint," writes Taylor, "alleges that Meta evaded Apples new restrictions by monitoring users through Facebooks in-app browser, which opens links within the app."

audio roundup

You like podcasts? We've got podcasts! Good ones. Great ones. Award-winning ones, even! This week:

The Equity team asked, "What does breaking into venture capital look like today, and how is it changing?"

My friends on Found talked to the co-founders of Change about how/why they built a crypto-centric API for charitable giving.

The Chain Reaction crew talked about  what else?  the recent massive changes to the way Ethereum works, and the perhaps-surprising impact "the merge" had on the market.

techcrunch+

Most stuff on TechCrunch is free. So what's behind the TechCrunch+ paywall? Here's what TC+ members were reading most:
Gov. Gavin Newsom won support from Latinos during last year's failed recall. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

Gov. Gavin Newsom has embraced the role of migrants advocate on the national stage, dueling with Republican governors who are trying to score points with xenophobic voters by transporting asylum seekers out of their states to liberal destinations.

But his defense of migrants abused by GOP leaders comes at a puzzling time for California immigrants awaiting his signature on a bill that would protect tens of thousands of them from abuse. Many fear hell veto it later this month.

Hes criticizing another governor for being anti-immigrant, but hes doing the same here in the state, Xochitl Nunez, a 52-year-old single mother and Tulare farmworker from Mexico, told me. Hes doing the same with farmworkers.

Nunez is one of thousands of people who marched 335 miles in triple-digit heat with the United Farm Workers last month to pressure Newsom to sign Assembly Bill 2183, which passed the state Legislature with overwhelming support. The bill would make it easier for state farmworkers to unionize by allowing them to vote by mail in union elections if an employer agrees not to interfere with the effort. If an employer wont agree, voting would occur through a union-led petition process.

More than 70% of farmworkers are undocumented, which means theyre often vulnerable to forms of retaliation that jeopardize their existence in this country, where many have U.S.-citizen children, homes, jobs and other deep roots. They dont just fear losing their jobs; they fear being deported.

Last year, Newsom vetoed a previous version of the bill, blaming inconsistencies and procedural issues related to the collection and review of ballot cards. The bill was later revised to include 90% of the changes that his team requested, according to the United Farm Workers. This year, Newsoms spokeswoman Erin Mellon cited continuing concerns about election integrity.

But on Thursday, she sounded more optimistic. She told me: The administration is in ongoing conversations with labor leaders to reach an implementable agreement that allows farmworkers to effectively organize.

Story continues

Meanwhile, the farmworker Nunez and others are holding vigil outside the state Capitol.

While marching, Nunezs feet swelled so much that her toenails fell off. One of her many blisters wont heal. She missed work and is behind two months on rent and other bills. But its worth it for her. She has experienced sexual harassment in the fields and knows its a common problem that will persist with impunity without change.

Another farmworker from Mexico, 47-year-old Cynthia Burgos, a Bakersfield resident, told me about her rape in the fields and lack of consequences for the perpetrator. If something happens to you, the ranchero says, Leave, she told me. On the other hand, if we had a union, theyd have to fight for our rights.

The farmworkers have powerful allies: President Biden himself issued a four-paragraph statement supporting the bill for Labor Day. It is long past time that we ensure Americas farmworkers and other essential workers have the same right to join a union as other Americans, he said. Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also expressed support for the bill. And last Wednesday, guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine performed outside the Capitol in solidarity with the people holding vigil there.

Newsoms attention has largely been elsewhere.

This is absolutely sick  profiteering off of the trafficking of children sounds a whole lot like the business of coyotes, he tweeted a day after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flew dozens of migrants to Marthas Vineyard, a Massachusetts vacation hub popular with Democrats. The relocation under false pretenses prompted a class-action lawsuit last week. A Texas sheriff is also investigating.

Newsom was quick to demand action. He asked the Justice Department to launch a probe and challenged DeSantis to a debate. Ill bring my hair gel. You bring your hairspray, he tweeted, coopting a DeSantis jab about vanity.

Newsoms pro-immigrant stance in a country that is increasingly hostile to brown and Black newcomers isnt just rhetorical. He has approved healthcare for undocumented seniors and COVID-19 aid for people regardless of immigration status. Nativists launched last years recall effort in part because they saw a threat to the xenophobia at the heart of Trumpism. Latino voters, seeing an ally in Newsom, helped defeat the recall.

If the governors greatest strength is the immigrant community behind him, his Achilles heel is his elite air, which Republicans are eager to exploit, however hypocritically. That air is inseparable from his coziness with growers, given his background as a vineyard and winery owner. By turning his back on farmworkers, Newsom would be giving Republicans real fodder to attack him.

And hed be behaving like a typical establishment Democrat: defending migrants only when its an opportunity to bash Trump and his ilk.

He should sign the bill not only because its politically smart, but also because its right to protect farmworkers. They work very hard to put food on our tables, and sometimes they dont have enough to put food on their table, United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero told me. That is wrong.

Last week, Newsom gave closing remarks at a climate summit in New York about the wildfires, drought and extreme heat in California. Not once did he mention the immigrant farmworkers disproportionately suffering under these conditions. When he spoke of the strength of the states economy, he neglected to mention that the backbone of it are the very people whose demands hes hesitating to meet.

Newsom must learn to more consistently inhabit the role that California delivered to him: the anti-Trump. He can be a true advocate for the people whove made this nation strong.

@jeanguerre

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
State Rep. Minnie Gonzalez went to Puerto Rico five years ago to help residents deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. This time, she was there to witness the devastation of Hurricane Fiona in real time.

It was horrible. I was terrified. Me and my husband were looking through the windows, the wind, the water. It was terrible. It was terrible. Now I can understand the people that went through Maria. I understand what they went through, she said.

Gonzalez, D-Hartford, said that she went to Puerto Rico with her family to spend time with her sister, who has pulmonary fibrosis, way before Hurricane Fiona was expected to arrive. She said that she had heard that it would just be a tropical storm.

I came here and  I never thought about something like this. Then, when I heard about the storm, people would say, Well, thats a tropical storm. People are telling us, Dont be scared. Dont get scared. You know, nothings going to happen. A lot of rain, she said.

But once Hurricane Fiona arrived, Gonzalez said that people became very frightened, especially after experiencing Hurricane Maria.

Now people  were running.  They were scared. People that went through  Maria, they were really scared. My husband and I were not prepared. We would not be prepared, because we dont have a generator, she said. We were not prepared. Were not prepared for that. To see [the hurricane], being in a house or look into the window, with all that wind and all that rain, I thought it was the end of the world.

Gonzalez spoke to The Courant on Friday after a press briefing during which U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, the Hispanic Federation and Americares provided updates on aid to Puerto Rico.

Murphy said he and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, both D-Conn., signed a letter with several Congress members urging the Biden administration announce that the federal government is going to pick up 100% of the cost of remediation and disaster work in Puerto Rico. He said Congress should provide emergency assistance to Puerto Rico.

Story continues

Now we have a disaster fund that has enough money in it for the short term. We will be able to get the money we need to Puerto Rico this month and next month, but soon we are going to need a supplemental appropriation to deal with cleanup costs that is in the billions of dollars, Murphy said.

Cora Mally, Americares director of international emergency response, said the agency is prepared to deliver critically needed medicines and relief supplies from its global distribution center in Stamford to help survivors recover. Our relief workers are ready [with] chronic disease medication, insulin, tetanus, vaccines, hygiene kits and first aid items as we speak. We are also prepared to provide emergency funding to help repair damaged health centers in the hardest hit communities.

Hispanic Federation Vice President for Policy and Strategic Engagement Ingrid Alvarez-DiMarzo said the organization was able to establish operations in Puerto Rico with an office and permanent staff after Hurricane Maria, and the staff was on the ground helping residents prepare for Hurricane Fiona and deal with the aftermath.

The federation also quickly launched a $100,000 Emergency Assistance Fund, which is nowhere near enough to respond to imminent needs of the most vulnerable on the island, she said.

Were happy to report that our entire team and their families are safe and faring well, and that they have tirelessly been working to prepare for Hurricane Fiona. In anticipation of Fiona touching down, the team distributed over 11,000 solar lamps, Alvarez-DiMarzo said. As soon as roads begin to clear, theres another 20,000 solar lamps to be distributed. We also delivered power generators to some of the islands most vulnerable patients on dialysis. We plan to distribute more in the days to come.

Alvarez-DiMarzo said as of Friday morning, 63% of households didnt have electricity and requests were coming in for water, while diesel is running out, causing supermarkets and gas stations to close. She said the federally qualified health centers are stressed because of the lack of diesel to keep generators going, and they have pending requests for generators for medically compromised residents on the island.

The federation is committed to partnering with community-based organizations in Puerto Rico as they mobilize supplies to them, she said.

Alvarez-DiMarzo said one of their main requests to the federal government is to facilitate delivery of help and finances to nonprofits on the ground, who in many cases, assess needs and distribute aid faster and more efficiently than the government can.

Gonzalez said that there was no water or power Friday in her hometown in Puerto Rico. She had just gotten out of a line, where she waited for a couple of hours to purchase gas for her sisters generator that she bought on her behalf five years ago during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The generator has to remain filled with gas, as her sister depends on oxygen at all times.

Gonzalez said a woman in her hometown told her that she and her husband almost died when a mountain came down on her house during the storm. The mudslide pushed her car into the living room and they were somehow able to get out of the house, she said

Americares Senior Director of Latin America and Caribbean Programs Dr. Brenda Rivera Garcia said in a live update from San Juan that as floodwaters start to recede, utility crews are now able to directly reach those areas in southern Puerto Rico, but theyre still in the dark. Some 63% of households are still without power, 97% are without potable water, 56% of hospitals and 88% of community health clinics are still working under generator power. Theyre all lacking basic utilities to take care of families and their health needs.

Rivera Garcia said that the Americares Puerto Rico team is working closely with the community health clinics across the island, as the centers are often the first individuals on site to provide help and resources to their patients.

State Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr. said this is a personal situation as Puerto Rico is home for him.

Ive taken over six trips of relief back to Puerto Rico. And every time I go, my heart is glad while Im there and my heart is broken when Im leaving, because I know that its only a matter of when, not if I return with the same problem, he said. Here we are. The Tropical Storm Fiona did so much damage  from a standpoint of flooding, mudslides and physical property. The death toll is low. But as Ingrid said, its very early in the process and we dont know whats going to happen with those that are already compromised.

Reyes said he has cousins that are in a foot of water five days after the storm, his sister is there and his niece who is a nurse, in a town 15 miles from Eduardo, cant go to work unless she goes around the whole island but even then does not know if she can get there.

To donate to Puerto Rico aid with Americares go to https://bit.ly/3dGpWka and with The Hispanic Federation to https://bit.ly/3DPnulR.
Sep. 24Hawaii island police are investigating the fatal shooting of a horse in the Honomu area earlier this week.

On Monday morning, Hilo officers responded to a report of a horse that had been shot and killed in the Akaka Falls Road area, the Hawaii Police Department reported. Officers arrived at the scene and found a dead horse with an apparent gunshot wound to its torso.

Police believe that the horse was accidentally shot in the night by hunters after it was mistaken for a feral pig.

A suspect has been identified and, after conferring with Hawaii County's prosecutor's office, police have generated criminal cases for hunting license, night hunting on private land, animal cruelty, criminal property damage and reckless endangering offenses.

HPD noted that it is illegal to hunt at night on both public and private lands, and hunting in residential neighborhoods is prohibited.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact HPD's non-emergency number at 808-935-3311. Anonymous tips can be provided to CrimeStoppers number at 808-961-8300.
Sep. 23MIDLAND  The Holy Cross Catholic High School Crusaders will compete against Dell City in their first homecoming game on Saturday. The Crusaders come into the game with 2 wins and 1 loss. During halftime, they will celebrate their first home coming court at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Astound Broadband Stadium.

Holy Cross Catholic High School is in its fourth year of instruction and is the only Catholic high school in the Permian Basin, serving freshmen-seniors. Each year the school has grown in enrollment and is excited to have 66 students enrolled this school year, a news release said.

Along with increased enrollment comes growing programs, such as football, volleyball, basketball, track, guitar, Student Council, Honor Society and much more. Holy Cross challenges each student to live as a Christian witness in service to others, forming young men and women spiritually, academically, socially, and physically. The school accepts all walks of faith and welcomes the community to come see their campus and learn more about all Holy Cross has going on.

This is the school's first year to participate as part of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) in sports. The school's goal is to build and develop a competitive sports program, so becoming a member of TAPPS was a step in the right direction. The students have great spirit and bring a great sense of sportsmanship to every game.
Firefighters dug a channel to help the steed which had got into trouble near Darlington. (Facebook/County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service)

A horse has been rescued after it got stuck in a sinkhole in a boggy field.

Firefighters were forced to dig a channel to help the steed that had gotten into trouble in Cockfield Fell, near Darlington in County Durham.

Pictures showed the animal trapped in the sinkhole, with only its head sticking out.

Luckily County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue were at the scene and got to work helping to free the animal.

The horse met up with a friend and then galloped away as if nothing had happened. (Facebook/County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service)

Firefighters dug out a channel, creating a step that gave the horse a way out by climbing up on it.

The horse was then seen meeting up with a friend and galloping away as if nothing had happened.

The fire service posted the images on social media, writing: Horse in a 'hole' - lotta trouble!

Our crews came to the aid of this horse who had become stuck in a sink hole in Cockfield Fell earlier his month

Our firefighters managed to dig out a channel to create a step which assisted the horse in self rescuing and was able to get back on it's hooves Great result all round! #TeamWorkMakesTheDreamWork #EveryNeighHeroes

Crews from Kidlington Fire Station and Wheatley rescued a horse after it fell in a ditch. (Facebook/Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue)

Another horse got itself into some bother this week in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

Crews from Kidlington Fire Station and Wheatley rescued the animal when it fell into a ditch.

An image showed a team of rescuers pulling the animal to safety.

The fire service wrote on Facebook: Crews with the assistance of a local Vet, successfully freed a 27 year old horse from a ditch and assisted it safely back to the warmth of its stables.
The Houma Police Department charged a woman with attempted first-degree murder after she reportedly threw her 18-month-old from Liberty Bridge into Bayou Terrebonne on Friday.

The child has been transported to a local hospital and is in stable condition, said Chief of Detectives Travis Theriot.

Asha Randolph is in custody.

The incident is under investigation, and the police department will release further details at a later time, Theriot said.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Correction: A previous version of the story identified the child as a 3-year-old, based on information from Houma PD. The story has been updated to reflect corrected information.

This weekHouma man found guilty of attempted murder of another felon

Local newsNew details regarding UTV crash that led to the death of a Lafourche teen

This article originally appeared on The Courier: Houma Police charge mother with attempted murder of her baby
Peter Szijjarto

According to the minister, there is a clear procedure that governs the issue of tourist visas even when there is no agreement for a simplified process.

Read also: Ukraine irked by Hungarys continued friendliness with Russia

Its a somewhat more complex and slow procedure, compared to when there is such a treaty, Szijjarto said in New York, attending the UN General Assembly.

But even when theres no agreement, it doesnt mean we dont issue visas. Of course, we will continue doing so, in accordance with the procedure.

The minister added this includes Schengen visas, as well.

Read also: European Parliament says Hungary no longer a democracy, but electoral autocracy

There was no decision to stop issuing Russians with Schengen visas, said Szijjarto.

The EU agreed on July 31 to suspend the agreement with Russia which simplified visa issuance to Russian citizens.

Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania later announced a set of measures to restrict Russian tourists from entry, eventually joined by Finland. Germany and France remain opposed to a blanket ban on Russian tourists entering the EU.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
A flooded street is seen in the Juana Matos neighborhood of Catano, Puerto Rico, after Hurricane Fiona on Sept. 19. Credit - AFP/Getty Images

As Hurricane Fiona battered Puerto Rico, wiping out power across the island, the real estate influencer and crypto investor Hayden Bowles posted a message on TikTok. An official emergency has been declared, which means in the tax program, your physical presence time is suspended, he says to the camera, looking cheerful. So I am headed out of the island.

Bowles video was met with a fierce backlash by Puerto Rican commenters, many of whom felt it epitomized the crypto communitys extractive relationship with the island. In the last couple years, Puerto Rico has received a flood of crypto entrepreneurs, investors and influencers who have sought to take advantage of the islands tax benefits. While these transplants argue they are bringing jobs and capital to the island, local organizers say they are driving up housing prices, privatizing beaches, erasing culture and destroying communities.

The emergence of cryptocurrency business activity is among many of the islands climate concerns. The mining of certain crypto-assets have significant climate impacts, contributing to annual greenhouse gas emission levels in the U.S. that are roughly similar to the diesel fuel used by railroads nationwide, according to a recent White House press release.

These tensions have come to a head once again during the hurricane that has killed at least eight in Puerto Rico and posed a grave threat to the countrys agricultural future. Local organizers say promises that crypto leaders made about hurricane preparedness and relief years ago have not been kept; that many newcomers have simply left the island in its time of need; and that new crypto fundraisers have been started without community input.

Dean Huertas, a content creator and activist, responded to Bowles quick-exit message with a viral TikTok that called out tax beneficiaries who chose to leave the island.

Story continues

People come here to exploit and displace the local population while having the benefit of leaving whenever they please, Huertas tells TIME. False promises have been made, and if promises have been kept to people, its for their own people in their gated communities.

Read More: Solar Power Is Helping Some Puerto Rico Homes Avoid Hurricane Fiona Blackouts

Other members of Puerto Ricos crypto community, however, are trying to shake off their reputation as colonizers, and have committed themselves to relief efforts this week. They argue that they can play a unique role in the recovery, both through local efforts and by tapping into cryptos enormous global wealth, and that their detractors simply dont understand. Its just ignorance: A lack of awareness and knowledge of what crypto means to the island, says Alexander Diaz, a founding member of the newly formed crypto-fundraising organization, Puerto Rico DAO.

Why crypto came to Puerto Rico

Brock Pierce, center, with Josh Boles, left, and Matt Clemenson on the roof of the Monastery Art Suites, which they rented out as a headquarters for their cryptocurrency business, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, January 2018. Dozens of entrepreneurs, made newly wealthy by virtual currencies, moved to the island to avoid taxes and to build a society that runs on blockchain. Jose Jimenez-TiradoThe New York Times/Redux

The main reason crypto entrepreneurs are flocking to Puerto Rico lies in laws passed by Puerto Rican legislators in 2012. Act 20, also known as the Export Service Act, services businesses looking to lower their corporate tax rates and eliminate taxation on the dividends they distribute to investors. Act 22, also known as the Individual Investors Act, hoped to lure new, wealthy residents to the island by offering them a zero-percent tax on capital gains. In the U.S., in comparison, investors pay as much as 37% on short-term capital gains and up to 20% on long-term gains.

And as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum skyrocketed over the last two years, crypto investors realized they could cash out much more of their gains if they moved to Puerto Rico. All they had to do was spend at least 183 days on the island each year. Real estate prices had also sunk in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island in 2017.

In recent years, a community began to form, with high-profile influencers like Logan Paul and Brock Pierce moving from the mainland. More than 4,500 individuals and businesses have relocated their homes or businesses, primarily from the mainland U.S., to Puerto Rico under the Acts, according to a study commissioned by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce. Many companies, like the investment firm Pantera Capital and the blockchain infrastructure company DLTx, set up outposts in San Juan. I get a call almost every week about someone moving into the neighborhood, Johnston tells TIME.

But locals dont qualify for the capital gains tax exemption, which explicitly benefits non-Puerto Ricans. The tax incentives are upsetting, says community organizer Marilyn Figueroa. Puerto Ricans here arent able to benefit from them in the same way, so it feels like our homeland is being sold off. Last month, Figueroas rent was more than doubled after an outside investor bought the apartment building shed lived in for two years in Santurce. Up until days before the hurricane, she was forced to begin living out of her car.

Read More: How Puerto Ricans Are Fighting Back Against the Outsiders Using the Island as a Tax Haven

Gustavo Diaz-Skoff, the founder of online technology platform BASED, says that crypto entrepreneurs who arrived in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria came with many promises to help mitigate the damage of future disasters. But he says barely any of their proposals came to fruition. From the most high-tech ideas, such as a decentralized energy grid being backed by blockchain, to low-techlike buying a gallon of vinegar, putting it in some water and spraying some walls to help us clean the fungi Maria left behindthey didnt happen, he says. Even if a tenth of the promises were met, the island would be in a very different situation today.

Days before Hurricane Fiona, Puerto Rican pop superstar Bad Bunny and independent journalist Bianca Graulau released a 22-minute video for his song El Apagon, which highlighted the damage that wealthy migrants, including crypto professionals, are causing on local communities, including closing schools, forcing evictions, and reducing access to beaches. The only thing these investor millionaires have done for us is rock us to sleep, says Jorge Luis Gonzalez, a resident of Puerto Rico, in the video.

A car's headlights light an otherwise dark street in the Condado community of Santurce in San Juan, after the passage of Hurricane Fiona, Sept. 19. AFP/Getty Images

Puerto Rico DAO: key fundraiser or tax write-off?

On September 19, after power went out in Puerto Rico, a new account on Twitter appeared called Puerto Rico DAO. The account purported to raise money for Puerto Rican aid groups, and its posts were quickly shared around the global crypto community. Rapid cross-border fundraising is one of the main current strengths of crypto, its aficionados argue: a Ukrainian official said in Marchwithin weeks of Russias invasionthat the country had received nearly $100 million in crypto donations. (A DAO, or decentralized autonomous organization, is a new form of digital collective in which decision-making and resources are spread among the organization.)

Still, many on social media are raising questions about this new organization. Puerto Rico DAOs website claimed that it would send money to three local organizations, including the Foundation for Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Community Foundation. But representatives for both of those organizations responded with confusion.

We dont know who they are or about this initiative they have, Libni Sanjurjo, the communications officer of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation, wrote to TIME in an email on September 21. Alexandra Lugaro, the executive director and policy leader of the Center for Strategic Innovation of Foundation for Puerto Rico, tweeted that the Foundation had not received a single cent or cryptocurrency from said organization.

Lugaros statementas well as other angry Twitter posts against Puerto Rico DAOled to users mass-reporting the groups account, which was suspended on September 22. Figueroa, the community organizer, is advising the public to instead donate to Puerto Rican-led grassroot organizations. We dont trust these organizations or the government to show up for us, she says. Theyre self-interested and havent served to be helpful.

On the day the groups account was suspended, TIME held a video conference with several members of Puerto Rico DAO, including Brittany Kaiser, a controversial Cambridge Analytica veteran who played a key role in cryptocurrency fundraising for Ukraines war against Russia; Alexander Diaz, and Keiko Yoshino, the executive director of the Puerto Rico Blockchain Trade Association. All three were still living in Puerto Rico during the power outage and said they were contributing their time and money to local relief efforts. Yoshino, while on the video call, was helping to unload two trucks of dry foods, canned goods and other emergency supplies in the southern city of Ponce.

On the call, the team acknowledged that they might have moved too fast in setting up their website. We rushed that part: It was done before we actually started contacting them, Diaz says. He says that they have since met with the two aforementioned organizations, who are on board and looking forward to receiving crypto donations from the DAO.

However, both organizations refuted this characterization in follow-up emails. It isnt true. I let them know that we do not accept cryptocurrencies, that if they make a contribution they would have to make the change and make a check to the Foundation, Mary Ann Gabino, the senior vice-president of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation, wrote to TIME. Alma Frontera, the vice president of operations and programs at the Foundation for Puerto Rico, wrote to TIME later that day that the foundation does not have any agreement with the DAO. We are focused on the relief and recovery of the communities of Puerto Rico as part of our continued efforts to pursue a socio economic transformation for the island.

Yoshino says that Puerto Rico DAO has collectively put more than $40,000 of members own money toward operations and assistance, and that the groups main publicity and fundraising campaign would begin on Monday (September 26). Kaiser says one hundred percent of all crypto donations will go straight to yet-to-be-chosen local partner organizations, which will be selected based on an internal DAO vote. No one is getting paid for this: Were 100% volunteer, Kaiser says.

Yoshino stressed the local organizations themselves would choose how to deploy and use the funds. Were partnering with grassroots organizations: Were just providing support and resources and following their lead, she says. Were just facilitating.

Kaiser is confident about the long-term impact that Puerto Rico DAO can have on the island despite the initial wariness. She points to her eventual success in Ukraine fundraising after initial setbacks, as more than $100 million in cryptocurrency flowed into the country from around the world. When we launched Aid for Ukraine, many people thought we were a scam and we had to work hard to overturn that, she says.

As the DAO moves toward becoming operational, Yoshino says she and others in the crypto community will continue to volunteer and aid efforts on the ground, including delivering food, water and off grid solar energy systems. David Johnston, the COO of DLTx, tells TIME that crypto entrepreneurs have been offering housing and supplies to those in need. As someone that wants to be vested in the next 5 to 10 years in the growth of Puerto Rico, I think everybody wants to show the community can respond and play a positive role where government and other agencies may take months or longer to respond, he says.

Another one of the main operations that needs assistance at the moment is the rescuing of coffee crops, which have been flooded and will rot if not harvested immediately. Coffee plants take 5 years to yield, so to lose them would be economically disastrous for many farmers.

BASED founder Diaz-Skoff has been part of those efforts this week. And he says that while the technological revolution that was promised for the island has yet to materialize, hes appreciative that members of the crypto community have joined in on the grueling work. Technology isnt going to fertilize our soil or harvest our plants, he says. But I know there are members from the community that are actually getting their hands dirty and going out there. Its a matter of synchronicity, empathy and listening to the needs of the people.

Even so, artist River L. Ramirez, whose family originates from Rincon, a West Coast town at the center of the islands fight against the privatization of their beaches, isnt confident that crypto-led efforts will ever be capable of benefiting Puerto Ricans. The problem is them being there in the first place, they say. Whatever help they provide is a lie, because ultimately their choice to still live in Puerto Rico is in favor of themselves and their monetary gains of evading taxes.
You think you know the place you grew up in  in my case, the northern suburbs of Chicago  but then a novel comes along that makes you see it with new eyes.

That novel is Adam Langers Cyclorama, and it reveals hidden depths about the world I come from, while also delivering a page-turning novel that is by turns funny, despairing and even affirming, a complex and powerful mix.

Advertisement

Langer, whose 2004 debut, Crossing California, was recently named as one of the 10 best 21st century Chicago novels by Chicago Magazine, is the underappreciated bard of Chicagoland, someone who can capture both the physical and spiritual presence of a place and its people.

Crossing California is set in the West Rogers Park neighborhood of Langers birth, while Cyclorama is set in Evanston, where Langer attended high school. Cyclorama is split into two sections, dated 1982 and 2016. In 1982, a production of The Diary of Anne Frank is being mounted at a fictional magnet school, presided over by director Tyrus Densmore, a sad and petty tyrant who appears to derive great pleasure from emotionally and physically manipulating his young actors.

Advertisement

"Cyclorama" by Adam Langer, published in August 2022. (Bloomsbury Publishing)

While each chapter focuses on a different character, it is Densmore who controls everyones fate. For example, young leading man Declan, certain he will be cast as Peter Van Daan (Anne Franks boyfriend) is relegated by Densmore to a secondary role, sending him spiraling. Carrie, Declans girlfriend, plays Anne, and uses Declans demotion as a way to free herself from Declans overbearing nature as she grows closer to her co-star, Franklin.

Other minor and major dramas are established among the characters, with Densmores caprice at the center. Everyone, including the high schools journalism teacher, knows Densmore is inappropriate (or worse) with students, but no one does anything about it.

The students are flattered by Densmores attention, even as it becomes obviously abusive. When he makes sexual jokes, or leaves pornography laying around, or grabs a crotch or two, he tells them that this is how the adult world works, and dont they want to be adults? Densmore dangles a solo trip with him to New York City for one of the cast, where everyone knows Densmore will attempt to prey upon the chosen one, but its still a badge of honor.

I experienced a cringing nostalgia reading the 1982 section, recognizing it as a different time when teachers like Densmore were allowed to get away with abuse under the guise of treating students like adults supposedly for their own good. How many of us heard whispers about things we knew to be wrong, but did nothing about?

Fast forward to 2016, right around the election of President Donald Trump, and we see the consequences of Densmores unaddressed abuse on the now grown-up, one-time performers. An incident once buried in 1982 surfaces, and each player has a choice on whether or not they will finally speak up.

The entire cast of the novel comes alive so vividly; Id love to see the story translated to stage or screen. Langer even brings great depth to the villain of the story. Densmore is a small-time Trump-like figure, a bluffer who runs a confidence game to make others think hes uniquely gifted, and that his attention is worth something, a self-deluding man who makes others party to his own delusions.

Anne Franks last line in the play is In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

Langer manages to craft a story that will have you simultaneously agreeing with and scoffing at Ms. Frank.

Advertisement

That is an interesting feat.

John Warner is the author of Why They Cant Write: Killing the Five-Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities.

Twitter @biblioracle

Book recommendations from the Biblioracle

John Warner tells you what to read based on the last five books youve read

1. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Advertisement

2. That Summer Jennifer Weiner

3. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

4. Book Lovers by Emily Henry

5. Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra

 Beverly P., Chicago

This is an occasion that calls for J. Ryan Stradals Kitchens of the Great Midwest, which straddles both the serious and lighter drama that is reflected in Beverlys list.

Advertisement

1. Speedboat by Renata Adler

2. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

3. No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood

4. The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy

5. Stoner by John Williams

 Maria T., Chicago

Advertisement

Someone has been sampling the New York Review of Books Classics series, with books number 1, 4 and 5 coming from that imprint. I see a draw toward a book that delivers a particular kind of deep and satisfying emotional ache. For me, thats Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. Connell.

1. Crossroads Jonathan Franzen

2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

3. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

4. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

5. To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara

Advertisement

 Lisa P., Evanston

Pretty heavy list of books here. Im going to lean into it and recommend another weighty read, Telephone by Percival Everett.

Get a reading from the Biblioracle

Send a list of the last five books youve read and your hometown to biblioracle@gmail.com.
Dmytro Lubinets will seek a meeting with the leadership of the International Committee of the Red Cross over POWs

Read also: Red Cross chief to visit Russia to discuss increasing access to Ukrainian POWs

According to Lubinets, not a single member of the recently-freed Ukrainian POWs ever met with ICRC representatives during their internment in Russia.

I think ICRC has failed to fulfill its mandate, and we ought to say so publicly, said Lubinets.

Read also: Ukraine returns 215 people from Russian captivity, including Azovstal defenders

Their mandate should compel the aggressor state to fulfill its obligations under the Geneva Convention.

The ombudsman noted that ICRC officials were present when Mariupol defenders surrendered to Russian forces, and therefore were responsible for ensuring these POWs were treated in accordance with international law.

Read also: Information Ramstein, Or How to Win the Information War

Lubinets is expected to meet with ICRC in Geneva, Switzerland, in early October.

Ukraine and Russia exchanged POWs on Sept. 22, with 215 Mariupol defenders being swapped for 55 Russian soldiers and Viktor Medvedchuk  a fugitive pro-Russian politician and personal friend of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Uyukar Domingo Peas, an Ecuadorian Indigenous activist, says if there are still "reservoirs of natural resources" in the world, it is "because we have protected them for thousands of years."

Peas has been fighting against the destruction of forests for three decades and regrets that states and companies continue to destroy the Amazon despite the urgency of the climate crisis.

"The Amazon must remain intact for the youth and the rest of humanity," the 58-year-old from the Achuar nation told AFP, lamenting that governments and corporations have not sought the ancestral knowledge of Indigenous peoples to save the planet.

Peas was speaking at Environment Week, a series of independent events involving Indigenous peoples from around the world that is being held in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

An estimated 80 percent of the world's tropical forests -- about 800 million hectares -- are in Indigenous territories, according to organizations that defend them.

Many Indigenous people blame capitalism for the destruction of their forests.

"We want companies and banks to stop investing for money and invest for the common good" because "climate change harms every human being," he said.

He is calling for funds to implement the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Initiative, which aims to protect 35 million hectares in the Amazon rainforest of Peru and Ecuador, and is home to 30 Indigenous communities with around 600,000 people.

He hopes that the nine countries that share the Amazon -- often referred to as the lungs of the planet, spread over nearly 300 million hectares with three million inhabitants from more than 500 peoples -- will also join this initiative.

- 'Bioeconomy' -

Peas advocates for a new "bioeconomy," with new sources of energy, tourism programs and other initiatives to ensure that Indigenous youth do not migrate away from their homelands.

"We want to take care of the jungle and live off the jungle," he said.

Story continues

Compared to the large sums needed for the oil and mining projects that pollute their lands and rivers, Peas' initiative requires just $19 million over 10 years.

"Mother Earth does not expect us to save her, she expects us to respect her," said Nemonte Nenquimo, the Ecuadorian chief of the Waorani nation.

- 'Where does the money go?'-

The Covid pandemic and "the collective hysteria of oil-dependent countries" following the conflict in Ukraine have dealt a severe blow to the Indigenous climate struggle, said Levi Sucre, of the Bribri community, an Indigenous people living between Costa Rica and Panama.

With priorities set on economic recovery, Indigenous rights "have regressed alarmingly in the last two, three years," he told AFP.

He said that the most alarming case is that of Brazil, where the government "deliberately ignores the Indigenous peoples."

Indigenous peoples' representatives complain that the resources agreed upon at climate meetings barely ever reached them.

Monica Kristiani Ndoen, a young Indonesian Indigenous leader, said that "the challenge is to access climate funds directly."

"The question is where does the money go?"

For the Venezuelan Gregorio Diaz Mirabal, general coordinator of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA), the problem is that "we are not present in the meetings where the decisions are taken."

"If you want us to continue to provide oxygen, rivers, forests, drinking water, respect our house," he said.

af/cn/ybl/aha/ssy
A man from Iowa who was among the first rioters to enter the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection was found guilty on seven charges Friday, including five felonies.

Doug Jensen was found guilty of all charges he faced, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia, including felony charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding a law enforcement officer; obstruction of an official proceeding; interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon; and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon.

He was also found guilty of two misdemeanor charges.

Jensen was arrested two days after the insurrection and pleaded not guilty to all counts, according to the U.S. attorneys office. He was arrested in Des Moines.

Jensen received national attention following the riot after a video that appears to show him leading a group of rioters up the stairs inside the Capitol went viral. The group seems to pursue Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman.

Jensens attorney, Christopher Davis, attempted to secure his release from jail in June 2021, with Jensen saying in a court filing that he feels deceived, recognizing that he bought into a pack of lies. Jensen said in the filing that he is a victim of conspiracy theories that were fed to him over the internet.

He said that he came to the Capitol on Jan. 6 to support former President Trump and to show that he was a true patriot.

Prosecutors said in a document charging Jensen that he intentionally placed himself as a leader of the mob. They said Jensen is a supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theory and wanted his shirt seen on video so Q could get the credit.

USA Today reported that Jensen will be sentenced on Dec. 16.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched an artillery attack on Iranian militant opposition bases in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq on Saturday, Iranian state television reported.

"Headquarters of anti-Iranian terrorists" based in northern Iraq were targeted by the Guards, state TV said, in reference to Kurdish rebel groups based there.

Iran has blamed armed Iranian Kurdish dissidents of involvement in ongoing unrest in the country, particularly in the northwest where most of Iran's up to 10 million Kurds live.

"These operations ... will continue in order to ensure viable border security, punish criminal terrorists and hold officials (of the Kurdish Regional Government) accountable towards international regulations and their legal duties," the Guards said in a televised statement.

Iranian officials have often called on the KRG to curb the activities of Iranian Kurdish groups in the area. They also say Israeli agents are based in the region, which is denied by KRG.

Iran has repeatedly targeted Kurdish rebel groups in Iraq's Kurdish region. There have been frequent clashes in the remote and mountainous border region between Iranian security forces and militant groups opposed to the Tehran government.

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by David Clarke and Mike Harrison)
Mykhailo Podolyak

According to him, "after years of sanctions, isolation, an abominable reputation  Irans elite still has not realized how to rise from the bottom of civilization."

Read also: US believes Iran preparing to supply Russia with drones  media

Russias first use of an Iranian drone in the full-scale war was reported on Sept. 13. The Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down a Shahed-136 in Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast.

In early September, the United States imposed sanctions against three companies from Iran that produce attack drones that are supplied to Russia.

The city of Odesa was attacked twice by kamikaze drones from the Black Sea on Sept. 23. Two drones destroyed an administrative building in the port area. Another Iranian Shahed-136 UAV was shot down over the sea  the blast wave damaged several houses, and one person was killed.

Read also: Attack on Odesa by kamikaze drones causes destruction, kills 1

Four more kamikaze drones were destroyed by air defense forces during an air raid alert. Among them was the first confirmed instance of the use of a multi-purpose strike UAV of Iranian production, the Mohajer-6, which is designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, and firing.

One Shahed-136 attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the contact line in the village of Bereznehuvate in Mykolaiv Oblast in the evening, Operational Command South reported. Another Iranian drone was downed while trying to strike in the direction of Pivdennyi port.

Read also: Russians use Iranian combat drone in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

The day before, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned the charge d'affaires of Iran because of the country's supply of weapons to Russia, which the aggressor uses in the full-scale war. The Foreign Ministry stated that this is an unfriendly act that seriously harms Ukrainian-Iranian relations. As a result, the Ukrainian government has decided to strip the Iranian Ambassador of accreditation, and the number of diplomatic staff of the Iranian Embassy in Kyiv will be significantly reduced.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran on Saturday criticised a U.S. move to make exceptions to sanctions in order to help provide internet to Iranians during nationwide protests, state media reported.

It said this was in line with Washington's hostile stance towards Tehran.

"By reducing the severity of a number of communications sanctions - while maintaining maximum pressure - the U.S. is seeking to advance its goals against Iran," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani was quoted by state media as saying.

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
The Biden administration has ramped up pressure on Israel and Lebanon in recent weeks to reach a resolution to a decades-old dispute over maritime borders, including a tiny swath of the Mediterranean Sea that is rich in oil and gas.

For decades, Israel and Lebanon have been locked in non-direct negotiations, mostly with the help of U.S. mediators, over an 860-square-kilometer area of the sea that both countries hope to explore for oil and gas resources.

Negotiations between the two countries, which have no diplomatic ties and have fought multiple wars, were renewed two years ago and appeared to be making progress this week.

While comments by both Israels caretaker Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, and Lebanese President Michel Aoun indicate a deal could be forthcoming, ongoing tensions between the neighbors still risk being undermined by the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah, particularly as Israel appears determined to push ahead with production at Karish, a new offshore gas rig not far from the disputed waters.

HEZBOLLAH THREATENS TO 'SEVER' THE HAND OF ISRAEL IF IT ATTEMPTS TO TAP DISPUTED OFFSHORE GAS

Tony Badran, a research fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital this week that for the deal to collapse at this point it would take something dramatic, especially because the U.S. seems intent on pushing Israel to give into Hezbollahs demands for Lebanese sovereignty over the entire area under dispute.

The U.S.  first under Obama, then Trump and now with Biden  has been pushing for a solution as a way to create new revenue sources for Lebanon, a country on the brink of economic collapse, said Badran.

"Israel had already begun drilling in fields that are all outside the disputed area, and the Obama administration, per the U.S. mediator at the time, wanted to encourage international companies, which are reluctant to work in areas of dispute or conflict, to come and operate in Lebanon," said Badran.

Story continues

"The dispute has not affected Israels ability to develop and export its gas  even the smaller Karish field is not in the disputed area. The dispute only affected Lebanons ability to drill," he added.

HEZBOLLAH, ALLIES LOSE THEIR MAJORITY IN LEBANON PARLIAMENT

Eager to pump money into Lebanon, the Biden administration has made concluding this deal a key priority, sending the U.S. State Departments senior adviser for global energy security, Amos Hochstein, to the region. It is especially eager to wrap up negotiations before Israelis head to the polls Nov. 1 and before production begins at Karish.

Badran said the U.S. is hoping Israel will give up claims on the entire disputed area as a way to placate Hezbollah, which has threatened to torpedo the talks and attack Israeli interests in and around Karish.

"From the chatter coming out of Lebanon, however, it appears that, so far at least, Hezbollah is pleased with what the Biden administration is offering," he said.

Lebanese protesters sail in boats with slogans affirming Lebanon's right to its offshore gas wealth near a border-marking buoy between Israel and Lebanon in the Mediterranean waters off the southern town of Naqoura Sept. 4, 2022. Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP/via Getty Images

On Monday, a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister said production at Karish would "commence without delay, as soon as possible" despite the threats from Hezbollah or U.S. pressure.

Lapid, who was in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly, said he had given his negotiating team "very clear parameters" to reach an agreement with Lebanon. His National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata met with White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk on the sidelines of UNGA to discuss the matter. The meeting was characterized as "good and productive" by Israeli officials.

A spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister, who spoke anonymously to address the issue, said, "Israel believes that it is both possible and necessary to reach an agreement on a maritime border between Lebanon and Israel in a manner that will serve the interests of the citizens of both countries. Such an agreement will be greatly beneficial and strengthen regional stability."

DEADLY PROTESTS IN IRAN CONTINUE FOR A 9TH DAY: DEATH TO THE DICTATOR

In Lebanon, President Aoun also indicated this week that there was progress.

"The negotiations to demarcate the southern maritime border have become in their final stages, in a manner that guarantees Lebanons rights to gas and oil exploration in the specified fields in its Exclusive Economic Zone," Aoun said Monday, according to local media reports.

Speaking at a meeting with the U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka, Aoun added that "communication with U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein is ongoing over some technical details related to the demarcation process," and he expressed hope that "exploration in Lebanese waters will contribute to reviving the Lebanese economy, which witnessed a major decline over the past years, in addition to strengthening security and stability in the south."

A military vessel of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon is pictured off the coast of the southern Lebanese town of Naqura on the border with Israel Nov. 11, 2020. Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP via Getty Images

"We heard the Lebanese President Michel Aoun saying this week that he is pretty much ready to arrive at an agreement, so it would be very surprising if Hezbollah undermines that," said Amir Avivi, CEO of the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF).

The IDSF is an NGO with 4,000 members who were former officers in various Israeli defense organizations that has been monitoring developments closely.

"I think they will actually try to take credit for this deal and say that theyre actually the ones who managed to make Israel make more concessions," Avivi said.

HEZBOLLAH SUPPLIES IRANIAN FUEL TO LEBANON  DESPITE US SANCTIONS

Avivi said Israel was interested in reaching a deal with Lebanon in hopes it will bring stability to its northern neighbor and benefit the region overall. He also said it was important to view the dispute beyond just Israel and Lebanon but within the broader context of other regional players, namely Russia, France and Iran.

"Russia has a strong presence in the area of Lebanon and Syria, and I can say that it is definitely not interested in seeing a deterioration of the situation or even a large operation of a war between Israel and Lebanon," said Avivi, adding that Russia was also in the process of pulling back from the area as it fights the ongoing war in Ukraine.

France is also a very dominant force when it comes to Lebanon, a former colony, he said. With a growing economic and energy crisis in Europe, Mediterranean gas sources are becoming increasingly precious.

"There is the understanding that Israel actually might be a solution, to a certain extent, for getting gas to Europe, and this is very much dependent on Karish being operational," he said.

As for Iran, Avivi said that the hardline Islamic regime was facing a dilemma over whether to bolster Hezbollah as a threatening deterrence along Israels northern border, which could draw Israel into another conflict with Lebanon, or pull back out for fear Israel could destroy the group completely.

"If we find ourselves in a situation where Israel engages in a large operation that destroys Hezbollah capabilities  and this is exactly what will happen  Iran will lose probably its strongest force in deterring any attack from Israel on itself," Avivi said, adding that Israel has the intelligence and capabilities to do so.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly Thursday, Lebanese Prime Minister Mohammad Najib Azmi Mikati referred to the dispute over its maritime borders, saying that he "reaffirmed Lebanons absolute commitment to its sovereignty wealth and rights in its territorial water and exclusive economic zone."

However, he added that Lebanon has a "sincere desire to reach a negotiated solution that is long overdue."
Sep. 23Lawyers on both sides of the Valley Cemetery rape case have filed papers that sum up the 1 1/2-day trial that took place earlier this week, leaving the future of suspect Amuri Diole in the hands of a judge.

Hillsborough County Superior Court Judge Diane Nicolosi has until Wednesday to rule whether Diole, 29, is a sexually violent predator, a designation that could lead to his commitment for an indefinite period. Otherwise, he will be freed from the Valley Street jail on Wednesday.

Diole is accused of raping a woman in the Manchester cemetery in April 2021.

Nicolosi has already ruled Diole is mentally incompetent to stand trial, not likely to be restored to competency in 12 months and a danger. But an effort to have him committed to a psychiatric hospital failed in August, and state law says he can only be jailed for 90 days following a ruling of incompetency.

The sexual predator designation appears to be the last option to keep him off the street.

Earlier this week, the victim testified through tears about the two-hour-long rape and assault in the Manchester cemetery.

In a written filing, Diole's public defenders said the victim's story does not hold up. Diole supposedly punched her five times in the face, but prosecutors provided no photographs or medical records to back that up. She claimed the heroin in her pocket must have fallen from Diole's pocket into hers during the attack.

Police never tested clothes found at the scene for DNA, blood or fingerprints. And 50 people were in the area but saw nothing.

"Her story about being dragged across the street by her hair and assaulted for two hours is unsupported by physical and corroborating evidence presented by the state," reads a filing by public defenders Kim Kossick and Thomas Stonitsch.

Prosecutors say the recording of the victim's 911 call, taken during the actual rape, confirms her account, as does body cam video of police officers to whom she fled.

Story continues

"The victim was in a panic after the trauma of the attack that was obvious on the video," reads the prosecution memo, written by First-Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney Shawn Sweeney.

The judge will also have to decide whether Diole's incompetency was so severe that it substantially interfered with his lawyers' ability to represent him.

Were Diole competent, he could have decided whether to testify, his lawyers wrote.

"If he chose to do so, he could have testified that any sexual acts, if they occurred, were consensual. His lack of competency deprived him of making that choice," his lawyers wrote.

The rape trial is the third time that a judge found Diole incompetent to stand trial. The first was for drug possession, the second for an assault.

Prosecutors cite testimony from a state forensic examiner, who determined that Diole could engage in conversation and dispute statements that he disagreed with, a basic level of competency.

"Regardless of his limitations, the evidence that he is a sexually violent predator is compelling," Sweeney wrote.

The case is believed to be the first time that prosecutors have tried to use a provision in the sexual predator law that allows for confinement of a suspect deemed incompetent to stand trial.
WASHINGTON  A federal jury on Friday convicted a QAnon believer who chased down U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman on Jan. 6, 2021, finding the defendant guilty on all charges against him.

Doug Jensen, an Iowa man who was one of the first 10 rioters to enter the Capitol during the insurrection, went on trial this week and was found guilty on seven counts, including felony charges of civil disorder, and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 16. Jensens wife, April, cried as the verdicts were read.

Jensen has been in pretrial custody since last year. He had been released in a high-intensity pretrial program, but a judge ordered him detained again after he violated the conditions of his release by live-streaming an event hosted MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who has promoted conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

On Jan. 6, Jensen filmed videos from the base of the Capitol building, where he proclaimed  inaccurately, but with tremendous confidence  that he was at the White House. Storm the White House! Thats what we do! he said in one video.

The government and Jensens defense team made their closing arguments Friday, before the jury of 10 men and two women began deliberating in the afternoon.

Related video: Capitol Police Officer Goodman testified in Doug Jensen Jan. 6 trial

Prosecutors argued that Jensen "was the rioter who would not back down" in his determination to the prevent the peaceful transfer of power.

Every barrier he encountered that day, he was ready to topple, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hava Arin Levenson Mirell said. He scaled a 20-foot wall to reach the Capitol, inhaled clouds of pepper spray like it was oxygen, and passed through police lines.

Goodman, the USCP officer who testified at Jensen's trial, had no back-up when he faced off with rioters, Mirell said. And the mob, led by the defendant," didnt withdraw despite being asked to by authorities.

Story continues

That was not a game of follow the leader, Mirell said. Jensen was "weaponizing that mob.

In his closing statement, Jensens attorney, Christopher Davis, painted his client as a "confused man" and "lone wolf" who had fallen for QAnon conspiracy theories. The pandemic did very strange things to people and apparently, Mr. Jensen was one of them," he said.

Davis said it took his client roughly 24 hours to figure out that he was at the Capitol, not the White House, adding, that "shows you how confused and how jumbled his head is."

He argued that his client did not lay a hand on anyone and denied that Jensen took part in some of the chaotic scenes on scaffolding as prosecutors have alleged.

The government sought to dismiss those defenses in their rebuttal. The law does not require physical contact for the assault of an officer charge and if Jensen really was confused, he wouldn't have been able to come so close to Vice President Mike Pence during the riot, prosecutors argued. That doesnt happen by confusion, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Allen said.

After Friday's verdict, Jensen's lawyer spoke to reporters and said, "In my personal opinion, I think Mr. Jensen had a lot of issues, had a lot of problems back when all this occurred. And its just sad."

Davis described his client as a typical Midwesterner, and a "blue collar worker."

More than 850 people have been arrested and more than 350 convicted in connection with the Capitol attack.

This week, the FBI arrested five individuals associated with the far-right America First movement, and a judge also sentenced a former Army reservist and Adolf Hitler enthusiast who stormed the Capitol to four years in prison.

CORRECTION (Sept. 23, 2022, 6:15 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misspelled Hitler's first name. It is Adolf, not Adolph.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Today, our nation faces many threats to our rights and to our freedoms and we must stand united, Vice President says Kamala Harris to Wisconsin voters

MILWAUKEE (AP)  Vice President Kamala Harris met with college students and Latino leaders in Milwaukee on Thursday, a visit meant to energize voters just under seven weeks before an election in which Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson are on the ballot.

Harris also spoke at a meeting of the Democratic Attorneys General Association, urging them to fight back for abortion rights and against those she called extremist, so-called leaders who were attempting to make it harder to vote.

Harris singled out Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, who is up for reelection in November, for filing a lawsuit to challenge Wisconsins 1849 abortion ban that has no exceptions for rape or incest.

Josh, our administration has your back, she said to applause.

Vice President Kamala Harris talks to students in a political science class on the campus of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Harris also faulted Republicans pushing laws making it more difficult to vote and backing sham audits into the 2020 presidential election results.

Republicans in Wisconsin have passed numerous bills that would have made it more difficult to vote absentee, but Evers vetoed all of them. Republicans also approved an investigation into the 2020 election that did not turn up any evidence to question President Joe Bidens victory in the state. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos fired the investigator, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, last month.

Today, our nation faces many threats to our rights and to our freedoms and we must stand united, Harris said.

The vice president also met with students and met privately with local Latino leaders at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in an attempt to energize two groups that dont always turn out to vote.

About 7.6% of Wisconsins population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, according to the 2020 census. The largest concentration is centered in Milwaukee and spills over into nearby Kenosha and Racine counties.

Story continues

In 2020, however, Latinos made up an estimated 3% of Wisconsin voters, according to AP VoteCast. That figure suggests there are plenty of eligible Latinos not voting in support of either party.

This election cycle, both parties are focusing their efforts on gaining the support of Latino voters in Milwaukee, the states largest Democratic stronghold.

Before Harris visit, state GOP leadership and the partys candidate for attorney general condemned the Biden administration for rising inflation and crime rates. They spoke at the Republican National Committees Hispanic Community Center on Milwaukees south side.

The RNC opened its Hispanic Community Center in Milwaukee more than a year ago as part of nationwide efforts to reach minority voters, and its been holding election integrity events there since June that are aimed at recruiting partisan poll watchers.

The Hispanic community is very conservative both fiscally and socially, said Preya Samsundar, the GOPs communications director for the Midwest. She added that the community centers door-knocking efforts and events have been successful so far in bringing Latino voters into the Republican Party.

But despite the partys efforts, just a mile down the road in a small Puerto Rican cafe and restaurant on the south side, voters knew little of the Hispanic Community Center or who was on the ballot this year.

I really dont know the people who are running, and sometimes I think that nothings going to change, said Juan Ortiz from behind a bakery display stocked with traditional Puerto Rican pastries.

Ortiz said he has cast ballots for Republicans and Democrats, but he only votes in presidential elections. His reason is simple and represents the challenge both parties face mobilizing voters this year: I think whoevers in the top controls the whole thing. It doesnt matter what whoever wants to do if theyve got to ask the big people.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today!

The post Kamala Harris talks abortion, appeals to voters in Milwaukee appeared first on TheGrio.
Harold Washington greets supporters while campaigning in the Loop only days after winning the Democratic nomination for mayor. (Charles Cherney, Chicago Tribune)

Everyone wants to be mayor, or so it seems, as the list of candidates and potential, Im-still-thinking-about-it, contenders swells. Election Day for the mayors race is Feb. 28, 2023. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, a runoff election will be held on April 4, 2023.

There have been, in the citys long and politically colorful history, 56 mayors, drawn to the job for various reasons, venal and admirable. Few of them, I would argue, were as fascinating or important as Harold Washington, the citys 51st mayor and the first Black mayor, who sat on the fifth floor at City Hall from his election on April 29, 1983, until his unexpected death on Nov. 25, 1987.

Advertisement

This complicated and charismatic character comes vividly back to life in a new documentary film, long in the works but well worth the wait. Titled Punch 9 for Harold Washington, it has been shown at a few film festivals and premiers here at the Gene Siskel Film Center as part of the Chicago International Film Festival before settling into a longer run on Oct. 7 at AMC theaters here and across the country.

Mayor Harold Washington is joined by an enthusiastic crowd during a visit to the Robert Taylor Homes in 1987. (Jose More/Chicago Tribune)

Advertisement

I am proud of what we have made, director Joe Winston told me earlier this week. Yes, its taken a long time. It was like what my wife went through giving birth to our two children.

Ive been observing Winstons career for a long time. He was born and raised in Hyde Park, attended Kenwood Academy and grabbed a degree in psychology from Yale University before coming home and hosting and producing a cable access program called This Week in Joes Basement. I was this papers television critic at the time and greatly admired the show, describing it as iconoclastic, witty and intellectually aggressive and a provocative, challenging, inventive and sometimes infuriating delight.

Since then, Winston worked as a freelance editor for a variety of broadcast, corporate and advertising clients. He made a fascinating documentary about the then-relatively unknown event called The Burning Man Festival, a kooky gathering of thousands of people who watched the burning of a four-story man made of wood and neon; and The Strange Little Man Who Lives in My Fathers Lab, a true story of a man who, pretending to be a physics graduate student, conned his way into being allowed to camp at a desk in the lab of a University of Chicago physics professor who was Joes father, Roland Winston.

He then adapted Thomas Franks Whats the Matter with Kansas? which Roger Ebert named one of the best documentaries of 2009, and produced Citizen Koch, a documentary about big moneys political influence, focusing on the billionaire Koch brothers. He has won awards and prizes for his work and was first drawn to Washington by the election of Barack Obama as president.

Winston never met Washington but remembers filming him when he was making a speech at Rockefeller Chapel and being captivated. It has been marvelous for me to watch old clips and hear recordings of him. He was brilliant and had so much to say.

And so in 2015, he began in earnest the long road that has become Punch 9.

Should you see it? Of course you should.

For those of us alive during Washingtons time, it effectively refreshes our memories. For others, and there is a generation that has come of age with no memories of the man, it will be a revelation, fast-paced and wildly entertaining.

Advertisement

It makes brilliant use of archival footage, much of it coming from that repository of such cinematic treasures known as Media Burn. It gives us a finely paced overview of mayoral politics and its principal players, from Richard J. Daley to Jane Byrne to Richard M. Daley.

Harold Washington, Richard Daley and Jane Byrne, in the mayoral debate on Jan. 31, 1983, are "at ease" for a moment after the last question was answered. It was their fourth and final debate. (Anne Cusack / Chicago Tribune)

It is unconventional in that it spends very little time on Washingtons background or his personal life, though it does speak of rumors of homosexuality and tax troubles (he didnt file for many years), and gives glancing attention to his relationship with the late Mary Ella Smith, the schoolteacher who was Washingtons companion for more than 20 years, becoming his fiancee the year he was elected mayor.

That focus is understandable since Washington was such a towering figure and there is enough footage of him to prove that point. I had a very high opinion of the man going in but listening to the words of those who knew him has only increased my admiration, says Winston.

Still, the film is not idolatrous but evenhanded. As with most documentaries, Punch 9 is punctuated by talking heads, enough to populate the city council. There are big names, such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Obama, Don Rose and, at welcome length, David Axelrod, who covered Washington as a young reporter for the Tribune.

Though fierce Washington rivals, former 10th Ward Ald. Edward Vrdolyak and 14th Ward Ald. Edward Burke, did not participate, Winston was able to snare  Remarkably easy to do too, he says  former 33rd Ward Ald. Dick Mell, who memorably stood on his desk during the to do known as Council Wars and here proves a thoughtful commentator.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 18 Angry supporters of Mayor Harold Washington jeer the council proceedings after Ald. Ed Vrdolyak seized control of the podium on May 2, 1983. Vrdolyak had taken control of the meeting after Mayor Washington left, and had himself elected vice chairman of the committee. (Ernie Cox Jr. / Chicago Tribune)

Among the best interviews is one with Alton Miller, the mayors former press secretary who spent considerable time with Washington and was alone with him when he died. (Do yourself a favor and find a copy of Millers insightful 1985 book, Harold Washington: The Mayor, the Man.)

Advertisement

One of the films most rough-and-tumble sections involved the wild primary battle against incumbent Byrne and states attorney Richard M. Daley. That was followed by the general election against Republican Bernie Epton, which was much closer than most remember, 51.7% to 48%.

There are few more touching moments in the film than watching Eptons son Jeffrey talking about how the nasty racist invective of that race did not come from his father but from those who supported him. He cries on camera.

This is a film of chaos and conflicts, ugliness and joy.

It takes a lot of people to make a movie and Winston is ever expressing gratitude for his team, calling them exceptionally talented and devoted to this story. That group includes Raymond Lambert, who won a Peabody Award as executive producer on the PBS documentary about Maya Angelou.

Winstons two children, Milo and Beckett, were little when the Punch 9 journey began, which was when Winston told me There is a tendency to look back at Harold in one-note terms. He should not be seen merely as some sort of icon, a Black Santa Claus. He was a titanic and progressive figure and he is in danger of being forgotten.

His kids are older now and Milo, a freshman in high school, had this to say when his father showed him the finished film, Dad, thats the least boring documentary I have ever seen.

Advertisement

One smart kid.

rkogan@chicagotribune.com
A Kansas City man is facing a murder charge, along with three other felonies, after he was arrested Thursday on suspicion of killing John Greer, a 23-year-old fatally shot in mid-August in the Linwood Homeowners-Ivanhoe neighborhood.

Davon D. Canady, 22, was charged on Friday with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of unlawful weapon use in connection with Greers killing, records filed in Jackson County Circuit Court show. Authorities requested that Canady be held in the Jackson County jail on a $250,000 bond.

On the night of Aug. 9, Greer was found mortally wounded inside a residence in the 3500 block of Wayne Avenue after Kansas City police were summoned there on a report of a shooting. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators found that the shooting unfolded outdoors and then Greer ran into a house after being shot. Witnesses told police they heard gunfire coming from an empty lot up the block. Afterward, several men were seen getting into a black Chevy Monte Carlo and taking off down Wayne Avenue.

Surveillance footage from the area captured photographs of the Monte Carlo, including its license plate number. But detectives were told by the Missouri Department of Revenue that the tag was either altered or fake, according to court papers.

Witnesses later told police that Greer was visiting the 3500 block of Wayne Avenue when he was challenged by Canady to a fight. Canady was allegedly there with a group at the time.

Canady tried to strike Greer with a handgun, witnesses said, then handed the firearm off to another person. Then, Canady and Greer began to tussle one-on-one, a witness said.

Greer was winning the fight until another man from Canadys group shot Greer in the back, witnesses said. Canady was then seen taking the gun and shooting Greer a second time, according to court papers.

Canady was arrested by Kansas City police late Thursday morning in the 7200 block of Baltimore Avenue during a surveillance operation. He was wanted for questioning in Greers murder for the past month, according to court papers.

As of Friday, court papers did not list a defense attorney for Canady who could speak on his behalf.
A 34-year-old Kansas City man has been found guilty, by a Jackson County jury, of murder in the killing of his girlfriend after she and her son were both shot to death inside their West Side residence 19 months ago.

Dmarius M. Bozeman stood trial for one count of second-degree murder and seven other felony charges, including three counts of armed criminal action, stemming from the killing of Khasheme Strother, 35, who died alongside the eldest of her five children, Raymon Hill.

Jurors delivered the verdict Thursday, finding Bozeman guilty on all counts, according to the Jackson County Prosecutors Office.

Strother and Hill were shot to death on Feb. 17, 2021 inside their townhouse in the 1900 block of West Pennway Terrace in Kansas Citys Westside North neighborhood. Police officers were summoned there by a 911 call that Bozeman made in which he admitted to shooting both, according to court records.

Bozeman was shot in the leg when police found him. During an interview with detectives, he allegedly said he fired two warning shots after a fight with his girlfriend and then saw she was wounded. Bozeman said Hill then came into the house and shot at him, and he returned fire in self-defense.

Three of Strothers children were inside the home at the time. They told police Bozeman had been in a physical fight with their mother right before the shooting unfolded, and described a history of domestic abuse.

A sentencing hearing for Bozeman had yet to be scheduled as of Friday.
IRYNA BALACHUK  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 10:26

Aysen Nikolayev, the head of the Republic of Sakha (also known as Yakutia), is demanding that men who have been mobilised by mistake be brought home.

Source: Nikolayev on Telegram

Quote from Nikolayev at a meeting on mobilisation: "There are cases of the mobilisation of citizens who should not have been drafted. For example, cases of the conscription of parents with large families, those who have four or more children under 16. To rule out such cases, I have ordered local self-government bodies to increase their interaction with military enlistment offices.

All those who were mobilised by mistake must be sent back."

Details: He added that this work has already begun, and in the future it would be monitored by his administration and the government of Yakutia, together with the Republics Military Committee.

Nikolayev also said he had proposed that the government take measures to support the mobilised mens families.

The measures comprise a one-off payment to the family of 200,000 roubles [US$3,400], an exemption from kindergarten fees, free school meals, and tickets to children's health camps.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Doug Jensen of Des Moines was convicted by a jury in Washington, D.C., of seven federal charges he faced for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The jury deliberated four hours Friday before finding Jensen guilty of civil disorder, assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer, and other offenses.

More: Jan. 6 rioter Doug Jensen, among first to breach Capitol, guilty on seven criminal counts

What did prosecutors say?

During the week-long trial, prosecutors and officers who defended the Capitol described Jensen as a "leader of the mob" that stormed the building.

"Doug Jensen would not be stopped on Jan. 6 until he got what he came for: to stop the peaceful transfer of power," prosecutors said in their closing argument.

The prosecution's case leaned heavily on extensive video and photographs of Jensen parading through the Capitol, along with testimony from several members of law enforcement who clashed with him in the building.

"Jensen was the rioter who would not back down," prosecutors argued. "If it wasn't all recorded from at least 10 different angles, it'd be pretty hard to believe."

More: Who is Doug Jensen? Tracing a QAnon believer's path to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

What did Doug Jensen's lawyer say?

Defense attorney Christopher Davis sought to distinguish between rioters who came "dressed in costume" and those "dressed for battle."

Davis argued that Jensen, who is expected to be sentenced in December, was one of the former and did not pose a serious threat to the officers he encountered.

Davis said the pandemic "did weird things to everyone"  perhaps Jensen more than others, he argued. He repeatedly described Jensen as "a confused man."

"He believed (QAnon)," Davis said. "He honestly believed it.  There's no other explanation for what he did that day."

As the guilty verdicts were announced, Jensen's wife, April, quietly cried as she sat in the second row of the courtroom behind him. Jensen blew a kiss to his wife when he came in to receive the verdict and she blew a kiss back when he was on his way out.

Story continues

In custody before the trial, Jensen remained in custody after the verdicts.

What crimes did Doug Jensen commit?

The most serious charge against Jensen was obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum 20-year sentence, compared with maximum terms of five years for civil disorder or one year for entering restricted grounds or impeding a police officer.

He was found guilty of five felony offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office: "assaulting, resisting, or impeding a law enforcement officer, obstruction of an official proceeding, interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon.

He also was found guilty of the misdemeanor offenses of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

More: Officer testifies in Doug Jensen trial: the Des Moines man was a 'leader of the mob' in U.S. Capitol riot

How much jail time will Doug Jensen face?

"The felony charges carry a total statutory maximum of 53 years in prison and potential financial penalties. The misdemeanor offenses carry a combined statutory maximum of one year of incarceration and potential financial penalties," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Defendants typically dont receive maximum sentences allowable under federal guidelines.

Longer sentences so far from Jan. 6 crimes have tended to go to defendants who attacked police officers. The longest was 10 years given to a retired New York police officer and Marine veteran, Thomas Webster, who attacked and choked an officer.

Prosecutors have recommended seven years, two months for Iowan Kyle Young, who pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting or impeding a police officer. He is set to be sentenced Sept. 27.

More: Read the transcript of Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot suspect Doug Jensen's FBI interview

Photos and videos of Doug Jensen at the US Capitol, law enforcement interaction were key

The prosecution's case leaned heavily on extensive video and photographs of Jensen parading through the Capitol, along with testimony from several members of law enforcement who clashed with him in the building.

Capitol police Officer Eugene Goodman  who a reporter's viral video showed being pursued by Jensen up a Capitol stairway  and other officers who testified in the trial portrayed Jensen as "aggressive, "arrogant," and at one point, the "leader of the mob."

Jensen's pursuit of Goodman "was not a game of follow the leader; that was Officer Goodman in survival mode," prosecutors said.

We've been the news Iowa depends upon since 1849. Subscribe to help us continue our mission.

Doug Jensen posted photos of himself in D.C. on social media

In a now-deleted Facebook post, Jensen posted a photo of himself standing near the Washington Monument in the same sweatshirt and T-shirt. The T-shirt has an eagle and large Q on the front.

Before Jensen's Facebook page disappeared, many of Jensen's posts consisted of images in support of President Donald Trump and QAnon.

He also posted on Twitter a screen grab of him confronting police and tagged two people whose accounts were suspended. In another tweet of a screen grab, he captioned the photo, "Me "

Jensen also posted a video on TikTok, saying he's being turned into the "poster boy" for the riots in Washington, D.C., and not to believe the news.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What we know about Doug Jensen, Iowan convicted after Jan. 6
SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 19:58

The Kremlin is discussing the possibility of introducing martial law and banning men from leaving the country. Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver an address to the Federal Assembly on 30 September in the same way he did in 2014.

Source: Meduza, quoting the Russian media outlet Verstka

Details: According to information from Verstkas sources in the Russian parliament, Putin's address to the Federal Assembly will be delivered on 30 September by analogy with 2014, when Russia unlawfully annexed Crimea.

This means that members of parliament and senators will probably assemble in the Kremlins St George Hall, where Putin will inform them of the results of the sham referendums held in the occupied territories. This will be followed by the signing of an "agreement" on the "accession" of those territories. Alternatively, Putin may go to the State Duma [the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia - ed.].

The possibility of introducing martial law is also being discussed in the Kremlin currently. According to Verstkas sources, this could happen if Ukraine continues to attack the so-called accessed territories, that is, the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories where sham referendums on joining Russia are to be fabricated.

Two sources close to the Kremlin called the plan to introduce martial law "undesirable, but possible".

Furthermore, according to one of the sources, the ban on leaving Russia for men that are subject to conscription may be announced even before Putin's address, because the government views the flood of men leaving the country as "alarming".

This plan will be discussed by the president and representatives of parliament and the government at the beginning of the week, and that is when the final decision will be made.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work!
A sheriffs deputy in Western Kentucky shot a burglary suspect who attacked a woman and child with a hammer, then tried to assault the deputy too, state police said.

Daviess County sheriffs deputies were called to the 9000 block of U.S. 60 West in Owensboro Friday morning about a man with a hammer breaking into homes, Kentucky State Police said in a news release.

Deputy Alex Cooms was in the area when he observed a frantic woman and a juvenile running from a house, state police said. The woman told Cooms they escaped after being assaulted by a man with a hammer inside their home.

When Cooms went inside the home, he confronted Gregory A. Embry, 39, of Owensboro, who was armed with a hammer. Embry attempted to attack Cooms with the hammer when he discharged his service weapon striking Embry, according to police.

Embry was in critical condition at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Friday evening, state police said. Cooms, 31, of Owensboro, was not injured.

State police said they are investigating, and criminal charges are pending.
Chad Clifton and David Johnston seek on Capitol CCTV Department of Justice

A disgraced South Carolina attorney has pleaded guilty to charges related to the storming of the Capitol.

David Johnston was identified from TikTok and Facebook live videos.

He was charged alongside his neighbor Chad Clifton, with whom he traveled to Washington DC.

A South Carolina attorney has pleaded guilty to charges related to storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

David Johnston, 66, from Summerville, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison, according to court documents.

The documents read that Johnston entered the Capitol after traveling to DC to attend a rally for former President Donald Trump.

The court presented a number of photos and screenshots from videos of Johnston in the Capitol building, wearing a Trump hat.

According to South Carolina news site The State, Johnston was a lawyer at the George Sink personal injury law firm but was fired after his arrest in May 2022.

David Johnston seen in videos at the Capitol siege Department of Justice

The charges against Johnston have been made in conjunction with those against Chad Clifton, Johnston's neighbor. The two stormed the Capitol after traveling to Washington DC together.

However, Clifton is still considering a plea deal offered by the prosecutor, reported The Post and Courier.

In days after his arrest in May, Johnston was fired by his law firm and his license to practice law in South Carolina was suspended by the state's supreme court.

The pair were identified after two anonymous witnesses identified them from their TikTok and Facebook live videos, which Clifton captioned "Storming the capital building" and "Yes, this was right after storming the Capitol," court documents read.

A search warrant was issued to investigate Clifton's Facebook account, in which it was found he described his involvement in the storm as a "great day."

CCTV footage from the Capitol also shows Johnston and Clifton there, who could be identified through corroboration with their social media documentation.

Read the original article on Business Insider
According to the NSDC, the Kremlin could potentially lose influence over ten regions of Russia

NV invited Anton Muraveinyk, chief analyst at the prominent Ukrainian NGO Come Back Alive, to have a conversation on this very topic.

NV: Tell us about your research into the possibility of Russia disintegrating?

Muraveinyk: First of all, a disclaimer: we cant reveal every detail of our report  due to security considerations. The full report will be classified, with conclusions made available to major stakeholders: the Ukrainian government and some organizations and international partners.

We began the work on the Transformation of Russian Statehood project back in July-August 2021. Our experts felt Kyiv was not doing enough to resist Russias creeping aggression, so we decided to think about how the Russian state can be made benign, so that it was no longer a threat to Ukraine. Most scenarios still envisage Russia remaining our neighbor after the war. And most of them suggest that whatever entity replaces the current Russian regime would still remain an existential threat to Ukraine.

In terms of security, we must first point out that Russia is not a unitary, but a heterogeneous state. This means that to study Russia, one must examine its vast array of diverse regions and republics, with their specifics and particular ethnic compositions. Some of the Russian federal subjects have minorities outnumbering ethnic Russians, others  dont.

Read also: World must be ready for Russias disintegration, US general says

Additionally, we paid special attention to cybersecurity and the IT industry, in general. Cyberwarfare is a crucial dimension for us. As Ukraine is beseeching the United States for ATACMS missiles with their 300-kilometer range, cyberwarfare has the potential to attack, say, Vladivostok  some 7,000 kilometers from Kyiv.

Next, we examine the proverbial diplomatic front, as our current successes in the war would have been impossible without Western support. Ukraines economy is essentially in ruins, and we rely on critical financial, material, and security assistance to keep going. Its imperative that we, together with our international partners, keep ramping up diplomatic pressure on Moscow.

Story continues

For instance, its perfectly reasonable to suggest that Russia doesnt have the right to remain on the UN Security Council, as the seat it occupies was given by the UN Charter to the Soviet Union. Thats something that was acceptable for 30 years, but now its an opportunity we can exploit.

The economy section of our report was particularly challenging to prepare. The situation with Russias economy is very fluid, so we decided to focus on identifying its most vulnerable points. Despite being a major exporter of natural resources, Russia is plagued by a number of logistical and supply chain woes  due to both its enormous size and international sanctions. Entire sectors of the Russian economy are exposed and could slide into decay. As the sanctions hurt the economy, it contracts, people lose their jobs, and rising unemployment drives potential discontent  up to and sometimes including clamor for greater autonomy.

Nevertheless, we have to understand that its unlikely some major event would cause Russia to suddenly collapse and shatter. Instead, we ought to seek out enemy weak spots that we could target to make the eventuality more likely. Thats we attempted to do in our study.

NV: What could be the primary reasons for a potential Russian transformation and collapse, and how is the war related to those?

Muraveinyk: Both the Russian populace and the world were being told for decades that Russia is a huge, powerful, and mighty country. But Ukrainians have proven thats not true. The Russian public and special interests realize that their country is becoming weaker with every passing day. An entity on a stable downward trend has no chance to survive, long-term. Thats why I think Russian transformation is a matter of time.

Read also: Putin's Russia might repeat the fate of the USSR

An ethnic conflict could erupt in one of its regions, social unrest  in another. In some other place, people might start protesting the lack of jobs, caused by international sanctions. Different Russian federal subjects can have different causes for turmoil.

It is only when they start struggling with putting food on the table that the Russians tend to realize something has gone wrong. Furthermore, the potential for ethnic and religious strife is still there  Russia is made of dozens upon dozens of ethnicities, who at certain points were subjugated, following numerous conflicts. Thats a window of opportunity for Ukraine to exploit.

NV: Did the recent Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast affect any of these disintegration undercurrents in Russia?

Muraveinyk: Of course. This was a stunning operation, heavily affecting Russian morale.

This is where Id like to mention the communication section of our study. Our analyst, responsible for this topic, pays close attention to Russian Telegram channels. She studies the network of Telegram channels associated with the state apparatus. These were set up as another branch of Kremlins propaganda machine, aimed at maximizing their reach of wide Russian audiences. The Kharkiv operation turned them into a double-edged sword, as they all were broadcasting and injecting sheer panic into the minds of Russian citizens, prompting even more of their troops to abandon their positions and run. In the end, it turned into a rout.

By the way, the phenomenon of Telegram as a Russian social network is barely understood in the West, so we pay extra attention to it.

According to Anton Muraveynyk, the spread of panic in the Russian segment of Telegram during the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region played in favor of the Armed Forces of Ukraine DR

NV: What are the states that could potentially emerge from the Russian collapse? Which region is the most likely to become independent first?

Muraveinyk: I cant say exactly which ones are likely to fall first. The Secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, Oleksii Danilov, said he thinks at least ten Russian regions that could decide to secede from Russia. Its a speculative point, and I dont think we should be talking about it a lot. There is no clear indication of what will happen to Russia itself.

NV: Who could become most influential in how this whole thing plays out, who is likely to replace Putins political elite?

Muraveinyk: If the regime in Moscow falls, most officials will instantly change camps. Some Russian regions have well-established, influential local elites, who would quickly mobilize their resources to establish firm control on the ground.

Areas with significant ethnic and religious differences could have much more chaotic transitions. Its impossible to predict who would emerge on top under those circumstances.

NV: How long do you think it will take for Russia to collapse?

Muraveinyk: We still dont know how quickly these processes will develop, or even if they will develop at all. To be frank, anyone who says Russia will disintegrate in a year or two is clearly clueless.

NV: What are the risks Ukraine and the world would face if Russia starts collapsing?

Muraveinyk: As marvelous as it sounds, Russian disintegration presents a whole set of risks. Chiefly, those stem from the great many nuclear warheads spread all across Russia, meaning that one nuclear power can suddenly become 10-15 nuclear states. Its an open question if this would improve global security or not.

Russia becoming a collection of states is also a problem for Russians themselves. These hypothetical countries wont be self-sufficient, and would have to sign a whole array of treaties and agreements  or they could start waging war on one another. Its nasty for Ukraine to have such conflicts nearby, even if they dont directly involve us. We would have to decide what to do with waves of refugees at our borders.

I think we ought to prepare for the worst. The war is far from won. Although as weve seized the initiative on some fronts, were still struggling on others. Even we liberate all of our territories and return to 1991 borders, the risk of artillery and missile strike will persist, and the war wont be over just then. In any case, Ukraine has to be ready for Russia or its successor states remaining a constant security threat.

Read also: The most comprehensive answer to the question: is Russia a fascist state?

NV: What are the upsides of Russias demise  besides a clear Ukrainian victory?

Muraveinyk: Well, if Russia is replaced with a collection of smaller, inconsequential states with most of them giving up nukes, the world will be safe from the threat of Russia as a nuclear terrorist state. Moscows malign influence extends far beyond Ukraine  to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

As the West is ever more fixated on China as the primary threat to global security, the removal of the Russian threat would make things easier for everyone there. And were talking about the global interest in removing Russia as a security threat  not a state per se. That can be achieved in many ways, disintegration being just one of them.

NV: Can Russia avoid total collapse, given the current repressive regime?

Muraveinyk: Of course it can. The best possible scenario for Russians  including the Russian army  is a change of government. A palace coup would allow their military to walk away from the war with at least some shred of prestige and credibility. If that happens, the commanders will claim they were forced into a criminal war against Ukraine and simply withdraw.

Russia will then remain in its current borders, renounce claims on Ukrainian land, and the new government will endeavor to reform and rebuild a new Russia.

NV: Are the Western leaders ready for a potential Russian collapse, or do they still hope to keep the country intact somehow?

Muraveinyk: Nuclear weapons and energy is the cardinal global concern, a matter of global security. The situation with Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) makes it clear the world has no mechanisms to deal with these kinds of crises. Turns out, an aggressor state can break every convention and treaty imaginable and suffer no tangible consequences. The international community cannot secure even a single nuclear facility  something the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were supposed to do.

From this point of view, the West would prefer a simple palace coup in Moscow, making it then a matter of containing Russia. But thats a temporary solution, at best. Im not sure the West is ready for a decisive resolution of this question. Nevertheless, its something we should talk about, so that the world is ready for might start happening to Russia.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
A Los Angeles television station parted with a popular anchorman after he went on air to criticize managements handling of a colleagues departure, officials said Sept. 23.

Mark Mester will not be in the anchor chair when KTLAs Weekend Morning News airs on Sept. 24, one week after he appeared to go off-script to rip the station for not staging a more grand goodbye to his longtime co-anchor Lynette Romero.

Mark Mester is no longer employed by KTLA, according to a statement Friday by Irving, Texas-based Nexstar Media Group Inc., which owns CW affiliate Channel 5 in Southern California. As this is a personnel matter, we will decline further comment.

On Sept. 17, Mester seemed to choke back tears in telling viewers that the station should be ashamed of itself for not giving Romero a celebrated sendoff.

I want to start off right now by offering up an apology to you. What the viewers experienced was rude, it was cruel, it was inappropriate and we are so sorry, Mester told viewers in an emotional nearly four-minute testament to his former co-worker. I also want to say sorry to Lynette Romero. I love you so much, you literally are my best friend. You did not deserve what happened to you on Wednesday.

Mesters monologue was delivered alongside three colleagues and accompanied by reels of Romeros work and pictures from her personal life.

Three days earlier, KTLA weekday morning anchor Sam Rubin announced on air that Romero had left the station.

The words Rubin read on air last week mirrored a statement that Nexstar, which owns the station, made Sept. 23 to NBC News, attributing it to KTLA Vice President and General Manager Janene Drafs.

After 24 years, Lynette Romero has decided to move on from anchoring our weekend morning news. We really wanted her to stay, and KTLA management worked hard to make that happen, according to Drafs statement.

Lynette decided to leave for another opportunity. We had hoped she would record a farewell message to viewers, but she declined, the statement said. Lynette has been a wonderful member of the KTLA family and we wish her and her family the best.

Story continues

The barebones sendoff, though, didnt satisfy Mester.

Although he praised Drafs on air Sept. 17, he took issue with unnamed bosses for the manner of Romeros exit. Mester said Romero had left KTLA to pursue another opportunity.

It was unfortunate ... it was inappropriate and we are so sorry about that, he said of KTLA management. Lynette deserved to say goodbye. It didnt happen. I dont know who wrote the script. I dont know who handed it to Sam Rubin. Regardless, this was a mistake. We owe you an apology, and we owe Lynette an apology.

Mester did not respond to messages seeking comment on Sept. 23.

Longtime TV reporters and anchors will often receive loving, on-air sendoffs when they retire or leave their job.

But when those on-air personalities leave for a competing network or station, the separation is often immediate with little or no mention by the soon-to-be former employer.

KTLA did not say if Romero had secured another job, and she could not be reached for comment on Sept. 23.

TV news contracts typically include no-compete clauses, preventing a reporter or anchor from working at a rival station for a set period of time, often six months.

Mester thanked Romero for her mentorship and said he learned that dignity and grace were the keys to success.

And that is how were going to say bye to you today, Mester said on air. Were going to offer you dignity and grace, which is what the station should have done from the beginning.

Mester told viewers that an airplane dragging a WE LOVE YOU LYNETTE! message was flying over the station at that very moment. He shared a video of the prop plane pulling the banner on his Instagram, writing: Now is the perfect time to tell @lynetteromero you love her!

This story was originally published on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
A judge Saturday denied bail for an 18-year-old man who prosecutors say beat, robbed and carjacked 61-year-old Jin Yut Lew, leaving him for dead in the Chinatown area in April.

Lew, who was left permanently disabled after the attack, is still not doing well and needs round-the-clock care, according to police.

Advertisement

Termaine D. Patterson, 18, appeared before Cook County Judge Maryam Ahmad after being charged with attempted murder, aggravated vehicular hijacking, armed robbery and illegal use of a credit card.

According to Ahmad, Patterson was on bond for another unrelated carjacking - which happened an hour and a half prior to the April attack of Lew.

Advertisement

Pattersons family joined the courtroom via zoom as they listened to the prosecution recount the incidents that unfolded on the morning of April 7.

At approximately 4:45 a.m. city workers found Lew, lying in the street in the 2500 block of South Princeton Avenue and called 911.

Lew, who was driving a black SUV was approached by a blue vehicle that Patterson admitted to stealing shortly before the attack, according to prosecutors.

Though police said the beating was not captured on video, Patterson and at least two other people were seen on video going through his pockets, taking his keys and a credit card which officers recounted via surveillance videos.

Patterson and the others allegedly punched Lew in the head with fists and feet before fleeing in Lews 2008 Lexus SUV, leaving him in the street.

Lew was taken to the hospital with multiple skull fractures, a brain bleed, and severe swelling to the head, prosecutors said.

The next day, he was reported missing by his family and was later identified as Lew.

Patterson, who was scheduled to finish high school in January, was also seen on surveillance entering a Shell gas station while wearing a mask, prosecutors said.

Advertisement

After he pulled it down at one point, revealing his face, he made a $20 purchase with Lews credit card, prosecutors said.

Later that day, Patterson, who was wearing the same clothing from what was seen on surveillance at the gas station, went into North Riverside Park Mall and made a purchase of approximately $49, also with Lews card, according to prosecutors.

An officer processed palm prints that matched those from Lews vehicle and Patterson identified himself in still photos of himself inside the vehicle and admitted to stealing it.

When you have someone so young facing these types of charges and is already on bond for possession of another stolen motor vehicle in this court, [Patterson] presents a real and present danger to the community, Ahmad said.

Patterson is due back in court on September 30.

Lew is still not doing well, Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said at a Friday evening news conference at police headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Ave., to announce the charges against Patterson. He needs 24-hour care.

Advertisement

Jin Yut Lew, was found bleeding from the head on a sidewalk in the 2500 block of South Princeton Avenue when officers responded to an EMS call April 7, according to Officer Jose Lemus-Cortez, a spokesman for Chicago police. (Alford Lew )

Three others are still being sought, Deenihan said.

A juvenile was also arrested in connection with the case, but was charged only with possession of a stolen motor vehicle after he was found a few days after the attack in Lews SUV, Deenihan said.

Ald. Nicole T. Lee, 11th, who briefly spoke at the news conference, said the attack happened a block from her house.

We were so glad when an arrest was made, Lee said.

Deenihan revealed more details of the attack during the Friday evening news conference.

After his family reported him missing, police were able to use video surveillance of that area and found hed been followed by a vehicle that had been carjacked, Deenihan said.

Advertisement

Four people were inside that car, which was also seen fleeing after video showed people running near Lews SUV and then leaving the scene in it.

Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. >

We realized Lew was robbed of all his belongings and car too, said Deenihan.

Detectives used license plate readers and tracked both vehicles, eventually finding them and figuring out where Lews credit card was used, Deenihan said.

Eventually, video captured some of their faces, and based on the locations of Lews vehicle, police placed the attackers in the area, Deenihan said.

Lews family prayed for his recovery, but he suffered a coma and severe and career-ending brain injuries, according to his family and police at the time.

Were praying for him to get out soon, said Alford Lew, 35, who spoke of his familys agony on the phone in the waiting room of Stroger Hospital a few days after his father was hospitalized.

Advertisement

As they hoped for his recovery, Alford Lew reflected on his dads hardworking life as a chef.

As a father, he provided all he could to ensure my brother and I got a good education. In the Chinese restaurant community, he was a well-respected head chef who over 40 years gave many new immigrants their first starts and trained them in his kitchen, the son said, according to a GoFundMe site organized by relatives, which had raised more than $100,000 as of Friday night.
Jose Luis Camargo washes a skillet outside his camp under an elevated ramp linking the 110 to the 105 Freeway in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

When the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority this month published a spreadsheet breaking down its homeless count by every census tract in the county, those with knowledge of Venice were incredulous.

LAHSA said there were no unsheltered people  no tents, no inhabited cars or RVs and no people living outdoors  in the northwest quarter of Venice, which is notorious as ground zero for homelessness.

It wasn't just the number  so wildly wrong it couldn't be a statistical error  that shocked them.

How, they wondered, had LAHSA blown the most closely watched census tract in the county, one scoured regularly by residents conducting their own tallies and more recently by a team of professional surveyors working for the Rand Corp.?





LAHSA did not respond to questions about the Venice numbers but released a statement Friday evening defending the integrity of the count.

"During the Count, we received several reports of user and technological errors resulting from a lack of training and poor internet connectivity," said Ahmad Chapman, LAHSA's communications director, in the statement. "Despite these errors, we are confident in the accuracy of this years homeless Count because LAHSA and its partners took several steps to account for what was happening in the field."

Whether the result of human error or a systemic flaw, the botched Venice count has heightened criticism of the annual point-in-time count as inaccurate.

"I just don't think a point-in-time count makes sense of really helping people," said Connie Brooks, a Venice resident who participates in the unofficial counts that consistently show more than 200 homeless people in the area.

In City Hall this week, Council President Nury Martinez introduced two motions asking for an audit of this year's count, which was conducted over three days in February, and those of prior years and an evaluation of whether to hand future counts to a third party.

One of the motions cites wide disparities in the increase or decrease of homelessness in various parts of the city since the last count in 2020. Though the average across the city was a modest 1.7% increase, some council districts had large swings; the most extreme were an 80% increase in a west San Fernando Valley district and a 40% decrease in the Westside district that includes Venice.

Story continues

Those disparities raised concern that the count is failing to accurately represent the progress somecouncilmembers have made in providing shelter and housing and may reflect decreases in some districts resulting from shelters being opened in others. The distinctions matter because, under a settlement in a federal court case, the city is responsible for providing shelter or housing for 60% of the unsheltered homeless people found in each council district.

Councilman Kevin de Leon, who seconded the motion, questioned the new count's finding that there were 231 fewer people in shelters in his Northeast district than in 2020, yet there were 1,818 more people on the street.

Between the two counts, De Leon opened hundreds of shelter beds, including a tiny home village in Highland Park, two Project Homekey motels in El Sereno and a 483-room shelter at the L.A. Grand Hotel. (A second tiny home village in Eagle Rock opened after the 2022 count.)

De Leon's chief of staff, Jennifer Barraza, acknowledged that the "decompression" of shelters  the reduction of beds to allow for distancing during the pandemic  could explain some of the discrepancy, but she found other inconsistencies. For example, she said, she could not understand the 6% decrease in homeless people in skid row, where there are hundreds of shelter beds.

"Those beds were also decompressed," Barraza said. The people in them "either went somewhere else or they weren't counted. It does feel like there's a lot of stuff that isn't told in the data we got."

Similarly, the count found an increase of 225 RVs in Boyle Heights, Barraza said.

"I'm not sure if the jump in RVs is accurate," she said.

Councilman Bob Blumenfield said he was mystified by the 60% increase in unsheltered homeless people reported in his west San Fernando Valley district, even though more than 200 people got off the street into shelter.

"I go out in our community for homeless outreach at least once a month, and my staff is on the streets everyday," Blumenfield said in a statement. "The increase of people who are unsheltered per the LAHSA Count does not reflect the reality that we see. More transparency over this process would be incredibly welcomed because we are simply not getting answers that add up."

Blumenfield said his staff who volunteered for the count kept paper records because they found the phone app to be glitchy. They also found census tracts outside his district that were included in his count.

"Math is math and these discrepancies, paired with app glitches as well as map problems, raise some serious questions, he said.

Jason Ward, associate director of the Rand Center for Housing and Homelessness in Los Angeles, said he launched his survey in three high-profile neighborhoods  Venice, Hollywood and skid row  to fill in the gap from when the 2021 count was canceled and to gather data that the once-a-year count miss.

"How does it change over time?" he wanted to know. "Does it change if you do it day or night?"

Rand's team of experienced street workers had an advantage over the massive force of lightly trained volunteers who scour thousands of tracts for the annual point-in-time count.

"I feel like we're basically doing the same thing as the [point in time] count but doing it in a systematic way, with well-trained teams that are doing it consistently over time."

Ward said he was surprised that LAHSA had not flagged the Venice count as a problem when it showed that the number of unsheltered people had dropped from 509 to 0.

LAHSA had ample warning that something was amiss. Shortly after the street count in February, a blogger named Christopher LeGras published an account of software glitches he experienced as a volunteer counting the Venice tract. He said a new phone application allowing counters to tabulate their findings while in the field crashed. He instead texted his numbers to a LAHSA worker but was not certain they would be included.

LeGras posted a screen shot from his phone showing that he recorded 85 homeless people, 43 apparently inhabited cars, 29 vans, 27 campers/RVs and 67 tents or makeshift shelters, together representing close to 300 unsheltered people.

Those numbers closely matched the records of the Rand researchers who inspected that census tract over three nights in January. On average, they found 86 people, 38 cars/vans, 18 RVs and 55 tents or makeshift shelters.

In a post after the LAHSA results were published, LeGras unleashed a rebuke.

"The lived experiences of both housed and unhoused people in Venice leaves zero doubt that the crisis has continued at an extreme level of intensity despite high profile  not to mention highly expensive  efforts by the City to address it," he wrote.

In its statement, LAHSA's Chapman said in areas where the app or volunteers did not record the data, staff conducted their own count.

But that doesn't explain how zero homeless people were counted in that critical census tract.

The botched Venice numbers may take some shine off the 38.5% decrease that Councilman Mike Bonin, in a celebratory tweet, credited to "the largest and most successful place-based homelessness intervention programs in Los Angeles, moving nearly 300 people indoors from tents on Venice Beach and in Westchester Park."

Adding the 250 to 300 people missed in the Venice count would leave Bonin's district with a still-impressive 29% improvement.

But the resident activists whose distrust of the point-in-time count led them to conduct their own see a broadly distorted picture. Though a ribbon of tents and makeshift shelters was largely removed from the Venice boardwalk in 2021, dazed people still wander the nearby streets, one of which is lined with RVs and another with tents.

To restore confidence in the count, they say, a different model is needed.

"We all feel that the way to help people is to get accurate numbers in real time," said Brooks. "How does a onetime point-in-time count help get people into housing? I understand that's how funds get allocated. But how does it help individuals on the street?"

They point to a model being developed by a national initiative called Built for Zero. The group is working with about 105 communities, including Jacksonville, Fla., and Denver, to help them use what they call "by name" data  information, gathered by shelter and outreach workers, about individual people  to maintain a continuous picture of homelessness.

"That's the end state we want to get to  that communities have at their fingertips at any point in time how many people are experiencing homelessness," Built for Zero Director Beth Sandor said. "It's not a once-in-a-year phenomenon. It's never going to be completely perfect. It's a dynamic problem. People are always moving in and out of homelessness. But that there is some high degree of confidence that we are covering the geography and the majority of the population."

For Los Angeles, that could be a big lift, said Ward, the Rand researcher.

"It seems really great when your population is manageable and small enough," he said. "I don't know whether that's feasible in L.A. That's a lot of people to know by name."

Times staff writer Dave Zahniser contributed to this report

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Louise Fletcher, the veteran actress who won an Oscar for her performance as the ruthless and menacing psychiatric ward administrator Nurse Ratched in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, has died. She was 88.

The actress "died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family at her home" in Montdurasse, France, her agent David Shaul confirmed to EW. A cause of death was not revealed.

Born in Birmingham, Ala., to deaf parents, Fletcher began her acting career appearing on television shows throughout the 1950s, including Lawman, Bat Masterson, Maverick, and The Untouchables.

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 05: Actress Louise Fletcher attends the season 2 premiere of "Shameless" at Haus Los Angeles on January 5, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic Louise Fletcher

After taking a decade-long break in the early '60s to raise her two children, Fletcher returned to the silver screen as Mattie in Robert Altman's 1974 crime drama Thieves Like Us  a role that caught the attention of director Milos Forman, who later cast her as the villainous nurse in his adaptation of Ken Kesey's hit 1962 novel.

As Nurse Ratched, Fletcher ruled the fictional Salem State Hospital with an iron fist, manipulating patients and frequently clashing with Jack Nicholson's Randle McMurphy, the devious convict faking insanity to avoid prison. Her portrayal of the vicious health advisor earned her an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 1976 Academy Awards, during which she made waves by using American Sign Language to thank her parents in her acceptance speech.

"For my mother and my father, I want to say thank you for teaching me to have a dream," she signed. "You are seeing my dream come true." Fletcher also won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the role.

American actress Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched in 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', directed by Milos Forman, 1975. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Silver Screen Collection/Getty Louise Fletcher in her Oscar-winning role as Nurse Ratched in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'

The legacy of Nurse Ratched continues, and, more than 45 years later, inspired its own Netflix origin story for the character (played by Sarah Paulson), Ratched, which ran for a single season in 2020.

After gaining mainstream recognition, Fletcher continued to star in various film and television projects throughout the next 40 years, appearing as the grandmother in the 1987 horror film Flowers in the Attic and Aunt Helen in 1999's Cruel Intentions, and holding a long-running stint as Kai Winn on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the '90s. Her final role was in the Netflix comedy series Girlboss in 2017.

Story continues

Following news of her death, Marlee Matlin  who worked with Fletcher on the 1996 series Picket Fences  penned a tribute to the actress. "Sad to read of the passing of Louise Fletcher," she tweeted. "Brilliant actress & Academy Award winner. I remember her as the daughter of Deaf parents (CODA) who was the FIRST to sign her acceptance speech at the Oscars. And she was so lovely as my mother on 'Picket Fences.' RIP dear Louise."

Sad to read of the passing of Louise Fletcher. Brilliant actress & Academy Award winner, I remember her as the daughter of Deaf parents (CODA) who was the FIRST to sign her acceptance speech at the Oscars. And she was so lovely as my mother on Picket Fences. RIP dear Louise. pic.twitter.com/e9om1R4DtW  Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) September 24, 2022

Related content:
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty

They call me The Baby Maker.

I am a fertility doctor in Dallas, Texas, and I practice at the opposite spectrum of the abortion debate, I help people become parents. My patients, staff, and colleagues could not be more pro-family, pro-pregnancy, pro-life. That is all we do!

Im an Abortion Provider in Missouri. Heres How Life Will Change After Roe.

Let me welcome you into a day in my life.

I started the day returning a phone call to a local OB-GYN as I drove to a surgical center to perform a few procedures. She volunteers full-time as director of a conglomerate of clinics that serve indigent patients, and are funded by Christian groups. She wanted me to help her create a protocol to prevent miscarriages in women at risk. She then went on to tell me that their biggest challenge now is caring for women who are getting clandestine abortions or going to other states to have an abortion.

They are returning with infections, bleeding, and pieces of placenta left behind and they are having great difficulty finding practitioners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to care for these ladies after so much loss and heartache.

I arrived at the surgical center and my first case was a 46-year-old lady desperately trying to conceive via egg donation. She has abnormalities in the uterine cavity, and to correct them I must go through her cervical canal, which was stenosed. To overcome the stricture, we routinely use misoprostol, given in pill form. This medication is also used for gastric ulcers, constipation, and induction of labor. My patient could not use the medication preoperatively, as the pharmacist refused to fill the prescriptionsomething were seeing with greater frequencydue to fears that the medication would be used to terminate a pregnancy.

Later, I met with my second surgical patient, who was lucky enough to get her misoprostol filled. However, she shared with me the unfortunate case of her cousin, who was pregnant with a child that did not have a craniumand the brain was exposed to the outside world.

Story continues

This tragic situation is one of many that are discovered between 18-21 weeks of pregnancy. But this case was worsened by her inability to care for herself locally, forcing her to travel to New Mexico to end the pregnancy. Texas law gave her no other option.

Then I worked with a young couple that has been trying to conceive for two years through in vitro fertilization (IVF). In normal times they would start treatment with simple office-based fertility treatments. However, they were fearful that IVF, the most powerful treatment in our fertility armamentarium, may not be accessible to them if personhood laws take effectwhich would consider the millions of laboratory-created embryos in this country as persons, and thus directly jeopardize access to many of our technological advances, the disposition of embryos, and the ability of embryologists to safely work in this state.

My last patient of the day was pregnant after years trying to conceive. However, the embryo was implanted in the fallopian tube, which cannot sustain the fetus to reach viability. The patient was facing the loss of this pregnancy and possible tubal rupturewhich often leads to exsanguination into the abdomen, and if left untreated, even maternal death.

In Defense of Late-Term Abortions

This is an ectopic pregnancy, and when caught early, it can be successfully treated with an injection of methotrexate, minimizing visits to the emergency room, bleeding, loss of a fallopian tube, surgery, and further morbidity.

A major national pharmacy refused to fill the prescriptioneven though it was sent with a diagnostic code (CPT) for ectopic pregnancy (something we never had to do in the past). The pharmacys computer system flagged this CPT code, and the pharmacist said, no.

I politely explained to the pharmacist that Texas law specifically allows for the treatment of the mother if her life is in danger, or if it is an ectopic pregnancy, as it was in this case. I was unsuccessful in convincing the pharmacist of the necessity.

I got more frustrated and explicitly asked the pharmacist under what circumstance could the script be filled: When the CPT is for hemoperitoneum (a belly full of blood) is used, or when the patient is unconscious?

Methotrexate is used for many other conditions such as cancers and arthritis. A man with arthritis or lymphoma would not have an issue filling this medication. But how much does a woman have to suffer or be close to death so that we can properly care for them?

Even though all we do is grow families, the new wave of pro-life anti-abortion laws is directly jeopardizing the lives of women, and their ability to become mothers.

This may seem paradoxical, but poorly written pro-life legislation is doing exactly the opposite!

This Abortion Provider Was Welcomed With Open Arms. Then She Found Out About Her New Neighbors.

There are now delays in the diagnoses and treatment of women, as the access to common medications that we have used for decades in gynecological and obstetrical care is being significantly limited by fear and misunderstanding of the law. Attorneys are making medical decisions for patients, and healthcare staff are being asked to become attorneys and interpret the law.

The result of this obscene mess is a lack of resources and options for our patients, suboptimal treatment approaches, limitations in their counseling, and a constant fear that a link in the treatment chain will breaksuch as the dispensing of medications, the ability to perform a procedure, use a surgical facility, or rely on our medical support staff to care for the patient.

In short, women no longer have the full access to modern American medical care they once had. We have accepted in this society a paternalistic approach to female healthcare, limiting their resources to what was available decades ago, or occurs in third world countries.

This is the new America, the land where politicians and attorneys get to practice medicine, dictating who gets to be a parent, avert catastrophic bleeding or organ loss, the epidemiology of a virus and immunogenicity of a vaccine.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
George Washington University student Kai Nilsen and other student loan debt activists rally outside the White House a day after President Biden announced a plan that would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 a year in Washington, DC, on August 25, 2022. Photo by Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images

A new AJC poll showed that 54% of Georgia voters backed Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan.

Biden last month announced his plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student-loan debt for most borrowers.

Warnock and Abrams back Biden's plan, while Kemp and Walker are opposed to the framework.

A majority of Georgia voters expressed support for President Joe Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student-loan debt for borrowers, according to a new poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In the survey, 54% of likely voters indicated that they supported the president's debt-cancellation plan  36% of respondents indicated that they "strongly" supported it, while 18% expressed that they were "somewhat" supportive of the framework.

The poll also showed that 42% of respondents were opposed to the forgiveness plan, with 34% expressing strong opposition and 8% stating that they were "somewhat" opposed to the Biden policy goal.

The president in August announced that he would forgive $10,000 in federal student-loan debt for borrowers earning under $125,000 per year, with up to $20,000 in relief for those who received Pell grants and fall under the same income threshold.

The plan also caps the monthly repayment of federal student loans at 5% of an individual's income through a new income-driven repayment plan, along with the president's fifth  and final  extension of the student-loan payment pause through December 31.

Most Democrats, especially among the party's progressive flank, cheered the move. But Republicans have painted the plan as a giveaway that would burden taxpayers and blasted him for what they contend is his failure to address the high cost of tuition in higher education.

The same poll showed Biden's job approval rating in the state at 37%, with 58% disapproving of his performance.

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, who is locked in a tough reelection battle against former NFL player Herschel Walker, has been one of the most forceful advocates of student loan relief.

Story continues

"Easing student debt will provide long-term benefits for hardworking Georgians of all ages, as well as our economy," he tweeted after Biden announced his plan last month. "I'm grateful President Biden has listened to me & the people of Georgia."

Warnock also said that he would "keep fighting for additional student relief" by focusing on college affordability and pushing for the creation of more job-workforce programs.

Walker said during a recent campaign event that Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan was "not right."

Kemp, who is running for reelection against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams, recently signed onto a letter with 21 other Republican governors that urged Biden to "immediately" scrap his student loan framework.

"Rather than addressing the rising cost of tuition for higher education or working to lower interest rates for student loans, your plan kicks the can down the road and makes today's problems worse for tomorrow's students," the letter read.

Abrams has praised Biden's plan and last month used the president's announcement to take a swipe at Kemp's policies.

"For everyone of those who are complaining, where were you when Brian Kemp gave a tax cut to billionaires and millionaires?" Abrams said during an event in Camilla, Ga., per the Journal-Constitution.

"If they can have $10,000, so can our young people trying to get on their feet," she added.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution polled 861 likely Georgia voters from September 5 through September 16; the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Mali's military-appointed prime minister on Saturday lashed out at France as well as the United Nations in a grievance-filled address over his nation's deteriorating security.

Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, named last month by coup leaders as Mali's interim prime minister, accused France of having "stabbed in the back" the West African nation with its withdrawal of troops.

French leaders "have disowned universal moral values and betrayed the rich history of the Lumieres philosophers and turned themselves into a junta in the service of obscurantism," he told the UN General Assembly.

Maiga denounced the former colonial power for "neocolonialist, condescending, paternalist and vengeful policies" such as sanctions on the junta in Mali, which has seen two coups since 2020.

He instead saluted "the exemplary and fruitful cooperation between Mali and Russia," whose Wagner Group security firm has been hired by the junta in Bamako despite widespread concerns in the West.

Maiga also denounced UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who in a recent interview rejected the junta's claims that 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali were mercenaries.

Ivory Coast said that the soldiers, detained at the Bamako airport, were sent to provide backup to the UN peacekeeping force MINUSMA, one of the international body's largest and most dangerous missions.

"Mr. Secretary-General, Mali shall exert all legal consequences over your actions," Maiga said, before repeating his call for reform of MINUSMA.

Maiga also attacked the leaders of several West African nations that have put pressure on the junta.

He charged that Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum was not actually from Niger and accused Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara of "keeping power only for himself and his clan" by changing the constitution to have a third term.

The military in 2020 threw out Mali's elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, amid frustration over the failure to stop a jihadist insurgency.

France in August withdrew its last troops from Mali after a nine-year deployment, seeing little progress against the jihadists and sour relations with the junta.

abd/sct/mlm/bbk
Malis prime minister lashed out Saturday at former colonizer France, the U.N. secretary-general and many people in between, saying that the tumultuous country had been stabbed in the back" by the French military withdrawal. In the same remarks, Abdoulaye Maiga praised the exemplary and fruitful cooperation between Mali and Russia.

Maiga was directly criticizing U.N. Secretary-General Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by the fourth sentence of his speech to the General Assembly. And he slammed what he called Frances unilateral decision to relocate its remaining troops to neighboring Niger amid deteriorating relations with Mali's two-time coup leader, Col. Assimi Goita.

While it was Goita and his allies who overthrew a democratically elected president by military force two years ago, Mali's prime minister repeatedly referred to a French junta throughout his speech Saturday.

Move on from the colonial past and hear the anger, the frustration, the rejection that is coming up from the African cities and countryside, and understand that this movement is inexorable, Maiga said. Your intimidations and subversive actions have only swelled the ranks of Africans concerned with preserving their dignity.

France intervened militarily in 2013, leading an effort to oust Islamic extremists from control of the northern Malian towns they had overtaken. Over the past nine years, France had continued its presence in a bid to stabilize the country amid repeated attacks by insurgents. The French departure has raised new concerns about whether those militants will again regain territory with security responsibilities now falling to the Malian military and U.N. peacekeepers.

Maiga insisted Saturday that terrorist groups have been severely weakened since the August 2020 coup d'etat even though militants over the summer attacked the countrys largest military base, just 15 kilometers (9 miles) outside the capital, Bamako.

Story continues

In a more than 30-minute speech, he referenced everything from Victor Hugo to the Rwandan genocide. Maiga repeated unfounded claims that France colluded with Islamic extremists and spoke of nefarious elements with hidden agendas.

At one point he even called into question the nationality of Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum, whom he called a foreigner who claims to be from Niger.

We know that the people of Niger, brothers of Mali, are distinguished by very rich societal, cultural and religious values, Maiga said. Bazoum is not a Nigerien.

The Malian prime minister offered a grim assessment of the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MINUSMA, while openly praising the influence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group who have been accused of carrying out human rights abuses.

We must recognize that nearly 10 years after its establishment, the objectives for which MINUSMA was deployed in Mali have not been achieved, Maiga said. This is despite numerous Security Council resolutions.

The Malian prime minister had particularly sharp words as well for Guterres, criticizing his recent comments on the standoff between Mali and Ivory Coast over 46 detained Ivorian soldiers.

Maiga reiterated claims before the U.N. General Assembly Saturday that the soldiers were sent to Mali as mercenaries, which the Ivorian government has vigorously denied. Ivory Coast says the soldiers were to provide security for a company contracted by the United Nations, but Maiga maintained that there is no link between the 46 and the United Nations.

On Saturday, he said that soldiers had arrived in Bamako with weapons, indicating on their paperwork that they were painters and masons. Instead, he said, they came with the evil intention of destabilizing the country.

Three female Ivorian soldiers already have been released as a humanitarian gesture, but there have been no updates about the others.

Since friendship is based on sincerity, I would like to express my deep disagreement with your recent media appearance, in which you took a position and expressed yourself on the case of the 46 Ivorian mercenaries," he said in comments aimed at Guterres.

The nature of the offenses in the case does not fall within the remit of the secretary-general of the United Nations," he added.

Maiga, a government spokesman, was dispatched to New York to address the U.N. General Assembly instead of Goita. The coup leader instead attended celebrations Friday in Bamako marking Mali's independence from France in 1960.

Also in attendance at that event was the junta leader who seized power in Guinea a little over a year after Mali's coup d'etat. A third West African country, Burkina Faso, underwent a military coup in January, deepening fears that democracy is backsliding in the region amid mounting violence from Islamic extremists.

___

For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
The trial against a man accused of killing his girlfriend ended Thursday with an acquittal.

A jury found Jon-Christopher Clark not guilty of the second-degree murder charge he faced in the death of Kiera Bergman, according to the Maricopa County Superior Court. Clark was also found not guilty in a tampering with evidence charge against him in the case, according to the court.

Bergman's body was found Sept. 3, 2018 west of Phoenix after the 19-year-old went missing Aug. 4, 2018.

"At the end of the trial, we're still not going to know exactly what happened to Kiara but medical examiners will tell you ... their findings and your common sense and all the other witnesses will tell you, that is not an accident. That's murder," a prosecutor said at the Aug. 9 start of the trial.

Clark, then 23, and Bergman had fights, and the two were seen arguing outside of her apartment the day before her disappearance, according to court documents.

"She's trying to keep me in good spirits because it's my birthday. But I was kind of sad because we weren't really doing anything and then we just started getting into a little bickering, arguing and then she got upset and then she left," Clark told The Arizona Republic shortly after Bergman's disappearance.

A judge dismissed the case in early 2020, saying prosecutors mishandled Silent Witness records. In January, the trial moved to Pinal County after Bergman's family cited "complications" with a former attorney and the cause being held back in Maricopa County.

Ultimately, Bergman had an undetermined cause of death.

Clark's defense attorney said Clark was "cooperative" with investigators since the start and he was the first person to call police when Bergman went missing.

Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on Twitter @jrgzztx.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man acquitted in girlfriend's Maricopa County murder trial
Authorities are searching for a man accused of swiping a motorized wheelchair earlier this month.

Manchester Police issued a warrant for the arrest of 22-year-old Devyn Smith-Gutierrez in connection with the theft.

Police say on September 4th, officers responded to the area of Cedar and Pine Street where a victim reported their motorized wheelchair had been taken. The wheelchair is worth approximately $8,000, according to law enforcement officials.

Anyone with information regarding Smith-Guitierrezs whereabouts is asked to call police.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW








NETFLIX

Its been a long, turbulent rideno pun intendedfor Manifest fans, but finally, the first look at Season 4 has arrived.

If you missed the drama surrounding the drama, let us recap for you. Back in the summer of 2021, NBC canceled the hit series after its third season. Fans around the world rioted, and just a few months later, Netflix decided to pick up the show for a final season. There was a lot of mixed messaging (Netflix initially declined to renew the series, NBC was considering picking it back up). But were here now with actual footage.

Passengers of Manifests fateful flight are being murdered, having visions, and experiencing a lot of freaky stuff in the new trailer for the show. While the folks from Montego Air Flight 828 experience oddity after oddity, Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh) and Ben (Josh Dallas) continue to put the pieces together.

We didnt fly into the storm. It flew into us, Michaela says in the trailer. It chose us.

Theres another big reveal in the trailer: The passengers find the black box from their flight. For those who dont know, that could be the key holding all of the mysteries behind Flight 828, as it holds pertinent recordings from the flights air traffic control team. No matter whats hiding in that box, the survivors have each others backs, no matter what.

This first look debuted during Netflixs ongoing Tudum fan celebration, which has unveiled a whole slew of new content today. Fans of shows like Bridgerton, The Crown, and Emily in Paris have been surprised with season premiere dates, trailers, and more exciting news. But Manifest fans have been waiting a long, long time for good newsand they finally have it.

Manifest will return to Netflix November 4. The first three seasons are also streaming on Netflix.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
All of the artefacts on display were found by metal detector users on the island

A exhibition highlighting items unearthed by metal detectorists on the Isle of Man has gone on display.

The collection at Douglas's Manx Museum features items from both modern and ancient times, including broaches, swords and a toy cannon.

It includes items held by Manx National Heritage and others held by those who found them.

Curator of archaeology Allison Fox said it was a celebration of the variety of items found across the island.

The display includes two Bronze Age swords that date back more than 3,000 years.

Ms Fox said they had helped to give a "different idea" of life during the period as they had been "used in anger" and were not just for ritual purposes.

The exhibition includes two Bronze Age swords, which have given a "different idea" of life during the period, Ms Fox said

Also on show are several Romano-British brooches.

Of the 18 that have been found on the island, 13 were discovered by metal detector users, which Ms Fox said was a "really significant contribution to this particular category of artefact".

It is a legal requirement on the Isle of Man for all archaeological finds to be reported to Manx National Heritage (MNH) and taking items off the island requires and export licence.

While some items will be subject to a treasure inquest, many items are donated to MNH to be held in the national collections.

Ms Fox said the display illustrated a bit more about the "other kinds of things that are found far more often than treasure".

"We have an awful lot of treasure that's found over here, but there's so much more that's been discovered," she added.

Lost and Found Metal Detecting Discoveries on Man will be on display in the Cabinet of Curiosities at the museum until July.

Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and Twitter? You can also send story ideas to IsleofMan@bbc.co.uk
Hundreds of millions of Chinese farmers celebrated the fifth harvest festival on Friday, as the country expects a bumper harvest despite COVID-19 and extreme weather.

After overcoming the impact of last year's rare autumn floods in the north, late sowing of winter wheat, the sporadic resurgences of COVID-19 cases, and severe heat and drought in some southern regions, China has seen output increases in summer grain and early rice and is expecting another bumper harvest this year.

At an agri-expo park in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, one of the venues of this year's harvest festival celebration, residents from Xinjin District attended several farming-themed activities on Friday morning, such as product exhibitions, ceremonies to award "best-performing farmers," and fitness competitions.

"Thanks to technological advances, I have reaped bumper tangerine harvests and witnessed an increase in annual income these years," said Tan Jing, a participant who owns a tangerine planting area of over 2,000 mu (about 133.33 hectares) in Jinlong Village of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province.

For many farmers of breadbasket regions, the looming bumper harvest is hard-won after extreme weather like heat waves, droughts, and flash floods wreaked havoc on agriculture this year.

In Liaoning Province, dubbed one of China's "grain barns," heavy rains in the summer resulted in floods in nine cities, affecting hundreds of thousands of people.

Trying to protect their harvest from extreme weather, more Chinese farmers have turned to technology to improve farming techniques and boost crop yields.

Among them was Sheng Tieyong, who used drones to spray pesticides and fertilizers in his fields. Instead of plows and rakes, eight drones hang on the wall in his yard.

"It is more efficient, more accurate, and faster to use drones," Sheng said.

Sheng told Xinhua that the yield of his rainstorm-hit corn field is expected to reach about 11.25 tonnes per hectare, which remains at the same level as last year, thanks to his drones and other agricultural machinery.

Initiated in 2018, Chinese farmers' harvest festival coincides with the autumnal equinox each year, which is one of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese lunar calendar and usually falls between Sept. 22 and 24 during the country's agricultural harvest season.

China's total grain output consists of three parts -- early rice, summer grain, and autumn production. Autumn grain production makes up about 75 percent of the annual grain output. The country aims to achieve a grain output of more than 650 billion kg this year.
Q. While traveling through southern Florida, we saw a flock of green birds that looked like parrots. What could they have been? Arent parrots restricted to the tropics of South America and Africa?

A. They were probably monk parakeets, a type of parrot introduced to the United States from Argentina through the pet trade. Pet monk parakeets that either escaped or were intentionally released have been reported from a dozen states and have become naturalized in the subtropical climate of southern Florida. These gregarious birds are now found even in parts of New York City and Chicago. Whether you consider monk parakeets an environmental asset or a nuisance depends on your point of view. Some people enjoy seeing a flock of noisy, bright green birds flying about. But because they congregate in colonies and build stick nests on powerlines, which may cause power outages, their popularity wanes in some situations.

The term parrot refers to a wide variety of more than 300 species of birds that include parakeets. Parrots comprise three or more biologically distinct groups. In addition to parakeets, other well-known varieties are macaws, cockatoos, lorikeets and lovebirds. The fact that ornithologists recognize more than 15 species of macaws and 80 kinds of parakeets speaks to the genetic diversity of the overall group.

As for the global distribution of species, according to the book "Parrots: The Animal Answer Guide" written by Matt Cameron and published by Johns Hopkins University Press, parrots have representatives in tropical and subtropical regions on all continents. The greatest species concentrations are from Mexico into South America and in Australia and surrounding islands. Each of those regions has more than 150 species. A scientific publication from 1982 provides an indication of how significant parrots can be to some tropical ecosystems. In the study, the investigator recorded 17 different kinds of parrots in an area of less than 7 acres in New Guinea.

Among the questions people typically ask about any animal group are "What is the largest species and the smallest?" "How long do they live?" According to Parrots the largest of these birds is the hyacinth macaw of Brazil, a beautiful blue bird more than 3 feet long with an enormous head. The large head supports the gigantic beak that is necessary for crushing tough palm nuts, which make up the bulk of the birds diet. The smallest, the buff-faced pygmy parrot of New Guinea, is tiny enough to fit in a pocket. Generally, the larger a parrot, the longer its life expectancy; pet parrots can live from 10 to 60 years or longer.

Many parrots can talk, usually through simple mimicry, but studies with a grey parrot suggest a basic level of language awareness. The author notes that "it is unlikely that humans and parrots will be sitting down discussing the weather any day soon" but the capabilities of some species are remarkable. As for their intelligence, parrots are "among the smartest of all nonhuman animals." Research on captive parrots has demonstrated impressive cognitive abilities, with problem-solving and tool-using being observed among several species.

Are any parrot species endangered? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is yes. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, well over a dozen species are now critically endangered, meaning they have an "extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future."

The IUCN places twice as many more in the endangered category, and even more than that are considered vulnerable. The endangered and vulnerable categories mean the possibility of extinction is imminent.

Sadly, at least 19 species have gone extinct since Europeans reached the Americas. One of these, the Carolina parakeet, was the only parrot native to the United States. The last known specimens of this beautiful, once-common bird disappeared in the 1920s. Perhaps monk parakeets will fill part of the ecological void left by Carolina parakeets with the result being large green birds once again flying around many parts of the country.

Whit Gibbons

Whit Gibbons is professor of zoology and senior biologist at the University of Georgias Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. If you have an environmental question or comment, email ecoviews@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How many kinds of parrots are there? | ECOVIEWS
McKinsey, a global management consulting firm, has announced its Next 1B business acceleration program for Black-owned consumer and retail brands.

According to a McKinsey release, the program is eyeing the next Black Unicorn, startups with valuations of a billion dollars or more. The consulting firm reports in the last decade, less than five Black brands have reached the unicorn milestone.

We looked at this data and said, What role can McKinsey play in jump-starting growth for Black-owned businesses? Tabitha Strobel, an engagement manager at McKinsey said in the release.

The Next 1B program will assist Black-owned consumer and retail brands in the U.S. with essential resources to grow. The program offers two options for founders at different stages of growth,

Next 1B Founders is a ten-week program that will use McKinseys expertise and insight to deliver practical tools and leadership coaching to help brands below $15 million in revenue and is building a large community of Black businesses and entrepreneurs in retail.

Meanwhile, Next 1B Scalers will support brands with more than $15 million in revenue by providing them with a growth diagnostic, an execution plan and targeted support to ensure their growth. This part of the program debuted earlier this summer and McKinsey plans to expand the program through next year.

We spoke to over 30 Black founders while designing Next 1B and we heard common themes around lack of accessto capital, to networks and insider knowledge, and channels, Strobel added in the McKinsey release.

So, we designed Founders to address these challenges, to share knowledge, build networks, introduce capital partners, and share retailer support and expectations as brands scale.

Black businesses took a significant hit during the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic falling by 40%. However many Black men and women used the pandemic to start their own businesses and today Black businesses are more than 30% above pre-pandemic levels. Despite the growth, Black businesses are still struggling to obtain seed money which could become a larger problem with a recession looming and the stock market falling.

Story continues

One of the businesses McKinsey is helping is Myles Powell, the founder of 8Myles, a brand of comfort gourmet foods. According to Powell, the Next 1B Founders Program has helped him network and find a community of Black entrepreneurs.

It can be very, very lonely as an entrepreneur. When you can be with people who understand where you are operationally and mentallyits the community and camaraderie that makes this special, Myles said in the release.

In addition to helping Black retailers and consumer brands, McKinseys Next 1B program is also bringing together a litany of Black entrepreneurs and giving them the chance to listen and learn from each other and their experiences and possibly collaborate.
Chef Joyce Chen wore many titles during her dramatic life.

Immigrant. Mother. Entrepreneur. Inventor. American.

Born in Beijing and raised in Shanghai, Chen most notably popularized Chinese food in the United States with her innovative Cambridge, Massachusetts, restaurants, cookbook, PBS cooking show, supermarket sauces and oils and patented cookware and utensils.

Chinese food today is the most common ethnic cuisine in the nation, its rise coinciding with Chen's clever ability to make a foreign cuisine accessible to U.S. consumers.

MEET THE AMERICAN WHO DESIGNED THE MODERN SNEAKER AND CO-FOUNDED NIKE: OREGON TRACK COACH BILL BOWERMAN

America boasts an estimated 45,000 Chinese eateries, according to the Chinese American Restaurant Association. That's more than all the fast-food establishments in the U.S. combined.

"Chinese food has been available in the United States since the mid-1800s, when the first Chinese came to the country as laborers," China Daily, the nations largest English-language news portal, reported in 2014.

"But authentic Chinese food did prosper in America until the mid-20th century and that was largely because of one woman: Joyce Chen."

Chen blended her traditional recipes with American influences. She had a flair for hospitality, an effervescent personality, a ready smile and good old-fashioned hustle to make her fusion fare accessible in her adopted homeland.

"She took much of the mystery out of Chinese food," celebrated Chinese-American chef Ming Tsai told Fox News Digital. "You have to remember: In the 1960s, most Americans didnt even know what a wok was."

The determined immigrant survived the Japanese occupation of China in World War II, fled her homeland in 1949 with her husband and two small children  Henry and Helen  on the eve of the communist takeover, and soon landed in Cambridge. The Chens welcomed a third child, Stephen, in 1952.

"She 100% paved a path for many of us," said Tsai, who in many ways inherited Chens legacy.

Story continues

A James Beard award-winning restaurateur, Tsai is known for his "east meets west" fusion fare at his former celebrated Greater Boston landmark Blue Ginger. Hes hosted the cooking show "Simply Ming" on PBS for 18 seasons and today is the force behind Mings Bings, Chinese flatbreads sold in supermarkets.

Television personality and chef Ming Tsai credits Joyce Chen with popularizing Chinese food in America and paving the way for other Chinese American chefs to succeed. Here, he hosts "Simply Ming in your Kitchen" during the third annual Austin Food and Wine Festival at Butler Park April 27, 2014, in Austin, Texas. Rick Kern/WireImage

"She made people realize that Chinese food wasnt hard to cook if you had the right recipes and equipment."

Joyce Chen was born on Sept. 14, 1917, in Beijing to a prominent family.

In Chen's teen years, the family moved to Shanghai. She lived there when the horror of World War II landed on her doorstep.

Imperial Japan invaded Shanghai in 1937 and conquered the city after one of the largest battles of World War II.

MEET THE AMERICAN WHO CREATED THE NATION'S FIRST SPORTS BAR IN ST. LOUIS: WORLD WAR II VETERAN JIMMY PALERMO

Historian Peter Hamsen dubbed it "Stalingrad on the Yangtze," a reference to the horrific German-Soviet urban battle of World War II more well chronicled in western histories.

An estimated 250,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or wounded in the three month fight for the sprawling city, along with as many as 98,000 troops form the invading army.

China suffered terribly under Japanese dominion throughout World War II, with as many as 14 million people killed by war and deprivation, according to the 2015 documentary "World War II: Chinas Forgotten War."

Shanghai and other parts of China were liberated with the American-led defeat of Imperial Japan in 1945.

Thomas and Joyce Chen married in 1943 in the midst of the war and managed to build a thriving business running a clothing store, son Stephen Chen told Fox News Digital.

MEET THE AMERICAN WHO INVENTED BUFFALO WINGS, DISRUPTED ENTIRE CHICKEN INDUSTRY

The youngest of Chens three children, he is a repository of family history while running the company his mom started in 1984, Joyce Chen Foods.

The war, he said, "was a life-changing event. People who never would have moved came to America because they were being persecuted."

His mother was one of them.

Debate raged over what the communist ascension meant for the nation, both across China and in the Chen family.

"People in her family said, 'Don't leave, everything will be fine,'" Stephen Chen recounted.

Joyce Chen thought otherwise. In a dramatic twist of fortune, she got a tip from a friend with a troublesome connection  a member of the Communist Party.

RESTAURANTS IN DEEP-BLUE CITIES STARVED FOR DINERS WHILE FLORIDA IS FEASTING

"He said businesses are not looked upon favorably by the communist party," said Stephen.

The family jumped on one of the last boats to leave Shanghai before the communists seized power.

Her dramatic flight from China is cleverly chronicled in an unusual source, the 2017 childrens book, "Dumpling Dreams: How Joyce Chen Brought the Dumpling from Beijing to Cambridge."

"War in the News. The Heart of China split in two. Days of worry, nights of fear  even dumplings taste of tears," writes author Carrie Clickard, late of Gainesville, Florida.

"Joyce packs up and sails away from all her dumpling dreams and days."

Chen arrived in the U.S. armed with gifts for cooking food and building bridges.

She got her first taste of culinary success in America at a school fair for her children in 1957. She prepared savory egg rolls and cookies shaped like pumpkins.

She was shocked to see the egg rolls "sell like hot cakes," Stephen Chen said.

The legend of her homemade food spread quickly.

She opened her first eatery, Joyce Chen Restaurant, in Cambridge, in 1958. Chen wrote the "The Joyce Chen Cookbook" in 1962  and by 1973, the popularity of her first restaurant spurred the opening of three more restaurants.

Joyce Chen popularized traditional Chinese dumplings by giving them a name that resonated with Americans: Peking ravioli. Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

She brought her food to national television with "Joyce Chen Cooks" on PBS. The show was filmed in the same Boston studio as "The French Chef" hosted by Julia Child, a fellow Cambridge resident and regular at Chens restaurants.

In one of her most remarkable examples of marketing dexterity, Chen gave traditional Chinese dumplings a clever new name: Peking ravioli.

The turn of phrase tapped into America's familiarity with the Italian version of dough packed with savory flavors. The Peking ravioli dish today is found at countless Chinese restaurants across the country, most commonly in New England.

She also patented the flat-bottomed wok in 1970 by making the classic Chinese cookware, typically with a rounded bottom for open-fire cooking, useful on the American stovetop.

Chen offered other innovations that made Chinese food more accessible. She began numbering menus, still a common practice in Chinese restaurants today, and offered all-you-can-eat buffets, which allowed American consumers to dabble in flavors and foods they might not be familiar with, said Stephen Chen.

Her supermarket line of sauces and oils, Joyce Chen Foods, introduced in 1984, brought the authentic flavors of Chinese cuisine into millions of American homes.

The family still runs the company today, and its products are found in supermarkets all over the U.S.

After battling Alzheimer's disease for many years, Joyce Chen died Aug. 23, 1994. But her legacy still flavors American dining and cooking today.

"Mrs. Chen opened New England's first Mandarin Chinese restaurant in 1958 in Cambridge, Mass., introducing dishes like Peking duck, moo shu pork and hot-and-sour soup," The New York Times wrote in her obituary.

"Her regular patrons included John Kenneth Galbraith, James Beard, Julia Child and Henry A. Kissinger."

The legendary Danny Kaye was also a patron and friend, said Stephen Chen.

Chen was one of just five celebrity chefs immortalized by the U.S. Postal Service in 2014, alongside Child, James Beard, Edna Lewis and Edward (Felipe) Rojas-Lombardi.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Chen and her four colleagues "revolutionized the nations understanding of food," the USPS proclaimed when it issued the "Forever" stamp.

"By integrating international ingredients and recipes with American cooking techniques and influence, these chefs introduced new foods and flavors to the American culture."

Her innovative kitchen shears, one of several patents she holds for utensils and cookware, sit at the Smithsonian Museum today as part of its Julia Child kitchen exhibit.

Chen is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, where the city proclaimed the intersection of Concord Avenue and Alpine Street Joyce Chen Square. Cambridge hosted a dumpling festival in her honor for many years.

Early on, warned of the possibility that Americans might not welcome her, her family or her food, Stephen Chen recalled proudly that his mother told friends, "If I smile to them theres no reason they wont smile back."
Meghan Markle reportedly put an ultimatum on her relationship with Prince Harry during their courtship.

Meghan told Harry she would break up with him if he didn't publicly confirm their relationship, according to "Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown" by Valentine Low.

A source told Low that Harry was "freaking out" about the situation.

Meghan Markle told Prince Harry that she would end their relationship if he didn't publicly confirm they were a couple, according to a new book excerpt published in The Times of London.

In an upcoming book by Valentine Low, "Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown," two anonymous sources told the author that Meghan gave Harry an ultimatum regarding their relationship, causing him to panic

Video: Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the royal family

"She was saying, 'If you don't put out a statement confirming I'm your girlfriend, I'm going to break up with you," one source told Low.

Another source told the author that Harry was "freaking out, saying, 'She's going to dump me.'"

According to the book, Harry contacted Jason Knauf, the communications secretary for Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry at the time. Harry reportedly told Knauf to release a statement confirming his relationship with Meghan and to condemn the racist treatment she received from British tabloids.

Meghan told Harry's staff that she knew "how the palace worked," adding, "you don't care about the girlfriend," according to the book.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a Creative Industries and Business Reception on October 02, 2019. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

"Harry's staff knew that Meghan was different from other royal girlfriends. She had her own opinions and would let people know what they were. In the spring of 2017, more than six months before the couple were engaged, she told one of Harry's advisers: 'I think we both know I'm going to be one of your bosses soon,'" according to an excerpt from the book.

Story continues

Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Low also reported in March 2021 that the Duchess of Sussex bullied two senior members of Buckingham Palace staff when she was a working member of the royal family. The Times referenced an email Knauf sent to William's former private secretary, in which he reportedly voiced concern "that nothing will be done."

The report was published just days before Harry and Meghan's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey aired.

According to the royal biography "Finding Freedom," some of Meghan's former staff members retracted their claims that the duchess bullied them, Insider's Mikhaila Friel reported in September 2021.

"Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown" will be released on October 6.

Read the original article on Insider
Associated Press

Russell M. Nelson, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told members of the faith on Saturday that abuse was a grievous sin that shouldn't be tolerated and would bring down the wrath of God on perpetrators. Let me be perfectly clear: Any kind of abuse of women, children or anyone is an abomination to the Lord, Nelson, who members of the faith believe is a prophet, said in Salt Lake City at a church conference. The AP's investigation found the hotline the church uses for abuse reporting can be misused by its leaders to divert accusations away from law enforcement and toward church attorneys.
Michigan Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon. AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Michigan GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon mocked the kidnapping plot against Gov. Whitmer.

"Gretchen Whitmer sure is good at taking business hostage and holding it for ransom," Dixon said.

Two men were convicted in the plot, in which they sought to kidnap Whitmer from her vacation home.

Michigan Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon on Friday mocked the kidnapping plot against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, her opponent in the November general election.

During two campaign events, Dixon made light of the high-profile 2020 domestic terrorism plot, which was widely seen as a harbinger of the increased threat of political violence in the United States.

Two men have been convicted in the plot, in which they sought to kidnap the governor from her vacation home. Prosecutors said that the men had eyed destroying a bridge in order to cripple the governor's security detail and any responding police officers.

"The sad thing is Gretchen will tie your hands, put a gun to your head, and ask if you are ready to talk. For someone so worried about getting kidnapped, Gretchen Whitmer sure is good at taking business hostage and holding it for ransom," Dixon said at a campaign appearance in Troy, Mich., a suburb of Detroit.

Her comments elicited an audible applause from many of the attendees.

At a rally in Muskegon, a city in western Michigan, Dixon poked at an appearance that Whitmer made with President Joe Biden, who recently visited state and toured the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Once again, Dixon referenced the 2020 kidnapping plot to lob an attack at her opponent.

"The look on her face was like, 'Oh, my gosh, this is happening. I'd rather be kidnapped by the FBI,'" she said at the event.

Dixon then stated that her previous comments were not a joke.

"If you were afraid of that, you should know what it is to have your life ripped away from you," the Republican candidate said.

Per CNN, she later said: "I think when you're being attacked everyday, you have to have a little levity in things  we can still have fun."

Story continues

Democrats immediately criticized Dixon over her comments.

Maeve Coyle, a spokeswoman for Whitmer's campaign, said in a statement that the governor "has faced serious threats to her safety and her life" and said that Dixon's statements made her "unfit" to become a public servant.

"Threats of violence  whether to Governor Whitmer or to candidates and elected officials on the other side of the aisle  are no laughing matter, and the fact that Tudor Dixon thinks it's a joke shows that she is absolutely unfit to serve in public office," she said.

Insider contacted Dixon's campaign office for comment, but didn't immediately receive a reply Saturday.

Democratic Governors Association spokesman Sam Newton blasted Dixon's statements as "dangerous."

"Tudor Dixon's comments are dangerous, an insult to law enforcement who keep us safe, and utterly disqualifying for the role of Michigan governor," he said.

Whitmer, who was easily elected governor in 2018, has since been widely criticized by conservatives for enacting a range of COVID-19 restrictions, with the Republican-controlled state legislature suing her over her extensions of emergency powers during the pandemic.

However, as the 2022 election approached, Republicans fumbled in their gubernatorial nomination process, as several candidates  including onetime frontrunner James Craig  were removed from the ballot over forged petition signatures.

Dixon won the August GOP primary after receiving a late endorsement from former President Donald Trump, but she is currently trailing Whitmer in most public polling.

In a newly-released EPIC-MRA poll, Whitmer led Dixon by 16-percentage points (55%-39%).

Trump is set to appear alongside Dixon at an Oct. 1 rally in Macomb County, a populous suburban jurisdiction outside Detroit.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Associated Press

Thousands of people in hundreds of cars took over northern Nevada parking lots and intersections Friday night and into Saturday, performing stunts in souped-up vehicles and leading to crashes and arrests, police said. Police beefed up nighttime staffing after social media posts urged people from San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, to come to the sideshow in Reno, Police Lt. Michael Browett said. The disturbances started late Friday as several hundred cars and their occupants met in the parking lot of a still-open Walmart store.
The Air Force is on track to meet its 2022 recruitment goal by Sept. 30, but warns its limping across the finish line with less cushion than itd like.

As of Sept. 15, the active duty Air Force had brought in more than 25,000 new enlisted airmen, or about 97% of its goal of 26,151 people.

While the Air Force expects to close the gap in the final weeks of the fiscal year, it typically wants 25% more recruits than needed to fill its open spots. That gives the service some wiggle room in case people drop out of training or if its workforce suddenly needs a boost.

This year, it projects it will have a buffer of just 10%  about a months worth of recruits instead of the optimal three.

Well be landing on fumes, Air Force Recruiting Service boss Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas told Air Force Times in a recent interview.

Officials point to the hot job market, pandemic-era ripple effects, the obesity epidemic and disinterest in military service among younger Americans as the main culprits behind dwindling enlisted recruitment.

The Pentagon claims that three-fourths of Americans ages 17 to 24 are too overweight to join, or would need waivers for other medical issues or criminal histories. One in 10 would consider pursuing military service at all.

Though those often-repeated statistics focus on the portion of the U.S. that is historically most likely to enlist, they ignore millions more Americans who can join the Air Force until age 40.

Some say the military is overly preoccupied with eligibility and propensity data, and use it as a scapegoat to avoid hard discussions about changing those benchmarks and other factors.

The military needs to take as broad a view [as] possible of who can serve, what are the qualifications and how can we work to allow as many people to serve as possible, while not compromising on the quality of the people that join the services, said Thomas Spoehr, head of the defense program at the Heritage Foundation.

This recruiting crisis will cause the leaders to step back and take a long look at our processes, qualifications and standards, he said.

Story continues

Much ado about standards

The military is trying to convince people to join its ranks after two decades of increasingly unpopular wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria that  at least initially  drove a spike in recruitment among those eager to serve their country.

A 2011 Pew Research Center study found 33% of Americans ages 18-29 had an immediate family member in uniform, compared to more than 75% of those over 50  limiting their understanding of modern military life.

Todays workforce is more transient than in decades past, and struggles with more student debt, the rising cost of living and a volatile housing market. And military families, a typically steadfast source of new members, are turning to other pursuits.

Against that backdrop, the Air Force says its having one of the toughest recruiting stretches of the past quarter-century.

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Ramon Colon-Lopez listens to an enlisted accessions recruiter talk about Air National Guard recruiting in the Live Oak, Texas, Air Force recruiting station Feb. 9. His visit with Air Force Recruiting Service recruiters and leadership was meant to give the SEAC insight on how the Joint Force is approaching todays challenges. (Randy Martin/Air Force)

The big question culturally centers around the tension between expanding the pool of eligible candidates without lowering standards, said Katherine Kuzminski, a military personnel expert at the Center for a New American Security.

Across the active duty Air Force, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, the service brings in around 50,000 recruits each year.

Every year, the Air Force sets its personnel goals based on current retention trends and which career fields are understaffed. Then, it sets out to find people whose skills, character and even home lives meet the Air Forces own set of standards.

For example, Thomas pointed to a decision to do away with a ban on small hand tattoos, which he said ruled out about 1,500 potential recruits last year, and to the Air Forces evolving stance on single parents. In 2015, its policy changed to allow unmarried, single parents with custody of up to three children under the age of 18 to enlist.

Weve adapted to societal norms, Thomas said. Weve adapted to the trends in society, to the demographics.

During the COVID-era retention boom two years ago, Thomas said, the service could afford to turn away otherwise qualified people who ran afoul of a single standard, including for issues that can be waived. The service is now combing through those rules to ensure its not sacrificing too much quantity for quality.

Debate continues over whether factors like someones height-to-weight ratio should disqualify them from service altogether, when they could still pass fitness tests or may be well-suited for a desk job in a field like finance or acquisition. The same issue comes up when discussing potential disqualification for common conditions like diabetes, endometriosis and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

The normalization of therapy and increased screening for potential issues like ADHD over the last 20 years means that current potential recruits may face ineligibility for military service for conditions or challenges that existed in previous generations, but werent documented, Kuzminski said.

Naysayers argue that allowing people with conditions that may make them nondeployable in a crisis, regardless of their job, would weaken the Air Force.

We have no intent to lower standards, Thomas said. We need to continue to bring in a very high-quality airman.

Not just for teenagers

While most Air Force recruits are younger than 25, in part because of the services focus on that demographic, the service has to make up for lost time in wooing older millennials.

The active duty Air Force didnt allow people between the ages of 27 and 39 to enlist until 2014. That puts millennials  those between ages 25 and 41 this year  squarely in the Air Forces recruiting crosshairs.

Younger workers are more likely than previous generations to work at multiple places over the course of their careers, as well as to switch careers altogether. And following the past two years Great Resignation, in which nearly 50 million Americans quit their jobs to look for better pay, more flexibility and a greater sense of purpose, some millennials could turn to the military as an option they may have not considered before.

Air Force mentors attend a training session by Air Force Recruiting Service's Detachment 1 during an Aim High outreach event at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, Nov. 15, 2019. The event supports the Rated Diversity Improvement Strategy through youth engagement, community outreach, and professional development and networking. (Master Sgt. Chance Babin/Air Force)

Enlisting later in life has grown increasingly popular since the policy changed, but those airmen are still in the minority. Another lesser-known option is direct commissioning, which can bring in mid-career workers with advanced degrees to replace officers who begin leaving after five years or so.

The services should not stop trying to recruit Americans when they turn 24  although it is rare to get anybody even in their late 20s, Spoehr said. In todays environment, they shouldnt overlook anyone.

Spoehr, who commanded basic training units during nearly 40 years in the Army, argues that military service is largely a young persons game.

The long hours and physical training do wear on older people, he said.

In a study of Army recruitment, however, the federally funded think tank Rand Corp. found that older recruits dropped out of basic training more often, but those who stuck it out performed better than younger soldiers and stayed in the service longer.

The old mentality was that older recruits tended to be market failures  people who didnt make the cut in college or the civilian market, said Kuzminski, who worked on the study released earlier this year. Many of them had really thought through the decision more deeply before signing on, and were driven by both mission and predictability.

Military advertising doesnt often showcase the variety of jobs an airman can have throughout their career, which can appeal to people who may want to explore multiple options, who may not like the available jobs a recruiter pitches, or arent interested in specialty skills like flying.

Nor do ads often portray airmens families or hobbies, helping to fuel misunderstandings about how troops are allowed to spend their free time. For instance, just two of the 90 photos and videos posted on the official Air Force Instagram account since May have portrayed family, and none show off-duty life.

Two new ad campaigns for the Guard and Reserve are trying to bridge that gap.

Not everyone is drawn to the machismo of an ad like Own the Sky, which began airing in theaters ahead of Top Gun: Maverick, Thomas said. So instead of adrenaline-pumping airborne maneuvers, the ads for part-time airmen focus on off-duty time with family and in school.

The Air Force's airpower-centric ad

All the analytics and all the thought we put behind our ad campaign are to be able to throw a wide net, to be able to attract a very diverse population and people who  are motivated differently, he said.

The Air Forces legacy and social media advertising largely targets 17- to 24-year-olds, and can be tweaked to show up in the feeds of a slightly older audience. But its a recruiters job, not an ads, to make sure people understand the full scope of military benefits, Thomas said.

Many people are aware that military service can earn them a free college education. But older prospects may be more interested in Department of Veterans Affairs loans that make homeownership more accessible and affordable, as well as free health care.

When youre talking about everything from job skills, to travel to training to education to retirement, depending on who the applicant is, some of those things a recruiter will emphasize more than others, Thomas said.

Health records creating new hurdle

The Pentagons rocky rollout of MHS Genesis, a new electronic health record system designed to improve continuity of care during and after someones military service, has challenged our recruiting system in a particularly tough year, Thomas acknowledged.

Genesis aims to compile disparate health records in one place for easier access to a more complete medical history. But not everyone has information readily available to put into the system, dragging out the application process while MEPS, recruiters, and prospective airmen hash out those details.

Medical information may be discovered that can lead to more applicants requiring a waiver or being disqualified for military service, Air Force recruiting spokesperson Chrissy Cuttita said in February.

When asked about complaints that applicants are being turned away for reasons like a vitamin deficiency or a previous inhaler prescription that may not have surfaced before, Cuttita said the services goal is to root out the true medical risk someone could face once in the Air Force.

Applicants are not disqualified for medications per se, but for the condition that the medication is typically used to treat, she said. Also, a prescription history should match what the applicant claimed on their medical history.

Enlistment physicals have also been delayed while doctors learn the new software, she said.

Thomas described Genesis as a necessary contributor to lower recruitment because centralizing electronic health records is absolutely the right way ahead.

Its something we need to be able to make successful and we will, but its a challenge in the meantime, he said.

THC-positive no longer disqualifying

More applicants are testing positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, at Military Entrance Processing Stations as a growing list of states legalize weed, Thomas said. That typically gets someone permanently banned from joining the Air Force or Space Force.

To address that hurdle, the Air Force Recruiting Service is working on a new policy to waive positive tests in certain situations. If the person is otherwise qualified to serve and the Air Force believes they will act in good faith and forgo cannabis once in the service, Thomas said those would be grounds for a waiver.

Air Force Junior ROTC Leadership Development Manager Wayne Barron speaks to a group of cadets at Logan High School in Logan, Ohio, Aug. 29. Logan High School, which received approval to start an Air Force Junior ROTC program last year, just started its first full academic year. (AF JROTC)

We have to be realistic today, Thomas said. We need to exercise common sense.

Nathalie Grogan, another researcher at CNAS, said adjusting the rules on marijuana could play a role in opening the door to as much as one-third of young American men who may have disqualifying past criminal conduct.

The military services have little control over rules related to illegal substances, particularly in cases like marijuana where the drug can be legal at the state level but not federal.

Over-policing of growing minority populations and some states legalization of marijuana may be leading to an untenable trajectory if the standards remain unchanged, Grogan said.

Drug sobriety requirements are one piece of a larger conversation on how the communities of color that are disproportionately impacted by uneven law enforcement and sentencing, and recent criminal justice reforms to address those disparities, factor into military recruitment.

The military now bars from service most candidates with a significant criminal record or documented history of drug use. At the same time, arrests and drug use are increasing among American youth, Grogan said. Arrest rates are higher in low-income communities and communities of color.

Black people are more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people in every state, one factor that further complicates the militarys difficulties in recruiting a force that looks like America.

For a more modern approach to conduct waivers, Grogan argues the military should look at peoples social standing more holistically, including their criminal background and drug use. She also said the services can do more to recruit young women, who are less likely to have a criminal record than men.

Still, Kuzminski argues that screening applicants for bad behavior is better in the long run, noting that people who receive waivers for past misconduct are more likely to run afoul of rules during their service.

The military is more concerned with crimes committed than sentences received, and many convictions can be waived, Spoehr added.

The ones that cannot be waived typically involve felonies and violence: aggravated assault, burglary, manslaughter, robbery, he said. I think, for good reason, people with those types [of] records are probably not suited to military service.

Give it time

Its too early to tell how recent policy changes within each service  like those that affect military family planning and womens opportunities to serve, overhaul sexual assault prosecutions, and allow cadets with children to enroll at U.S. military academies  could affect recruitment.

In the meantime, experts and service members alike say the Air Force needs to stop relying on enlistment bonuses to hook people. Use that money to educate the public, build a savvier social media presence or help airmen, they said.

Kuzminski touted the Armys new preparation course for those who fall short of academic or physical requirements as a model for the other services.

It promises to expand the number of new recruits from the pool of individuals who are already interested in service but might otherwise be sidelined, and does so without having to reduce standards, she said.

Certain improvements can start with the Air Force Recruiting Service itself, too.

Air Force Master Sgt. James Robison, 330th Recruiting Squadron recruiter, provides instruction to cadets from Air Force ROTC Detachment 756 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, May 3. Warrior Day was a physically taxing event showcasing the real missions of Air Force special warfare airmen. (Air Force)

Some airmen have talked openly about their struggles with finding a recruiter who knows how to help them join a particular career field, like health care, or attempts to fight a medical misdiagnosis that kept them from enlisting. Others say they were given incorrect information about what waivers were available.

Asked whether that speaks to a need for better recruiter training, Thomas said theyre exceptions to the rule.

We do have those issues, and we work through them, he said. Occasionally, we do have some training issues. But all in all, our recruiters are well prepared to be able to walk them through  all of the information about each individual career field.
Vice Premier Han Zheng on Friday voiced full support for Macao in accelerating its infrastructure construction and appropriately diversifying the economy.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs, made the remarks at a video conference during which Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Ho Iat Seng gave a report on the SAR's current economic situation and other related work.

The central government fully recognizes the efforts the chief executive and the SAR government have made, and is giving Macao full support in containing COVID-19, easing difficulties for businesses, improving people's livelihoods, and appropriately diversifying its economy, Han said.

Noting that it has been one year since the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin was officially put into operation, Han called on Macao to seize the important opportunity that the cooperation zone presents and inject new impetus into the SAR's long-term economic development.

Guangdong and Macao should tap fully into their respective strengths, enhance their level of cooperation, and develop the cooperation zone into a new platform to boost Macao's appropriate economic diversification and a new space to facilitate the lives and employment of Macao residents, Han said.
Charlottesville city workers drape a tarp over the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in 2018. Debate over removing the statue continues today. AP Photo/Steve Helber, File

Historical monuments are intended to be timeless, but almost all have an expiration date. As societys values shift, the legitimacy of monuments can and often does erode.

This is because monuments  whether statues, memorials or obelisks  reveal the values of the time in which they were created and advance the agendas of their creators.

Many 9/11 monuments in the U.S., for example, serve both to remember and honor victims of the attacks while promoting national vigilance. These views garnered nearly universal support immediately after the attacks. Over time, however, as the costs and consequences of homeland security became clearer, unqualified support for this agenda has waned.

Current debates around racism confirm that Confederate statues and Christopher Columbus statues, both of which effectively commemorate white superiority, have expired, too.

The question then becomes: Whats a nation to do with expired monuments?

Russian children play atop a toppled statue of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Peter Turnley/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

Purpose of monuments

Over the past century, American public officials, citizens and historians have taken one of two paths. They either ignored expired monuments  the 20th-century approach  or, more recently, rejected them.

Ignoring problem monuments left the impression among many that officials endorsed the views they embodied. Today, people who see a host of monuments as illegitimate symbols of racism, authoritarianism and oppression have rejected this official indifference. Through protest or policy change, they have forced more open and productive discussions about race in America. Ultimately, many offensive monuments have been removed.

Removal eliminates the symbols of now-rejected values. But as historians and educators who have explored the instructive value of monuments, we believe statue removal can also limit the important conversations underway about their expired agendas.

Monuments provide an especially useful educational service because they serve double duty. They mark historical events or figures  the Battle of Bunker Hill, say, or Martin Luther King Jr.  and reflect the prevailing values of the time in which they were created. Monuments are also unique compared with other forms of cultural expression like art or literature in that they almost always reside in public spaces and are found in practically every town and city in America.

Story continues

These attributes make monuments ideal launching points for helping society assess its current values and compare them with what mattered in the past.

Expired monuments are a lesson: They teach that people can be tragically wrong about something even when that belief once had widespread public support and official approval. Simultaneously, they show that radical, marginalized or contrary voices can turn out to be right. Or they may be, like their opponents, creatures of a particular moment in time.

A 1933 statue of Confederate leader Jefferson Davis is removed from the University of Texas campus to be placed in a university museum, 2015. Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images

Reinventing monuments

Weve been studying how the function of expired monuments might be entirely reinvented so that their outdated agendas provide a cautionary tale.

Many thinkers, artists and public officials have put forward suggestions.

A common idea is to move expired monuments to museums, where they would be recast as art or as historic artifacts. The most creative proposals include making a Confederate statues graveyard or moving expired monuments to a sculpture park.

In all these settings, expired monuments would be stripped of the seal of official endorsement and clearly explained as once-venerated symbols of views now understood to be morally unacceptable. That raises larger questions about how societies can be blind to their own moral failures.

European countries offer some examples of how statues from painful chapters of history can be, as artist Jonathan Keats put it, forcefully repositioned in a radically new context.

Gorky Park in Moscow contains an area displaying old Soviet-era monuments that deprives them of their symbolic power. Statues of dictators Stalin and Lenin are no longer in a prominent public location and are clumped together in an apolitical manner.

In Estonia, old Soviet-era monuments are part of a history-rich museum exhibition that uses these relics of authoritarianism as a warning to future generations.

In post-World War II Germany, virtually all monuments to Hitler and the Third Reich were destroyed; perhaps some crimes are simply too abhorrent to be remembered so soon. But in 1986 an unusual monument against fascism was erected in Hamburg. Each year a portion of this vertical gray column was lowered underground until by 1993 it was completely gone. The 39-foot monument disappeared before it could expire.

The sunken monument can still be viewed underground. This tactic communicates that society needs to remember the dangers of fascism, but that a monument is not enough. Ultimately, only engaged citizens can attack injustice.

From valorizing to analyzing

Reinventing expired monuments uses outdated objects to teach about a societys past values while assessing  and perhaps challenging  its contemporary beliefs. In other words, it moves from valorizing monuments to analyzing them.

Thats rich terrain for educators. Teachers can use reinvented monuments to ask students to consider the validity of what American society believes, says and does.

Monuments expire because views change. But because present-day cultural values are themselves often difficult for people to see from another perspective, analyzing monuments also has the educational value of prompting deliberations about how future generations will reflect upon todays United States. How did this generation of Americans grapple with issues like racial injustice, climate change and economic inequality?

Future generations will hold current society to account, just as Americans today are scrutinizing the views and actions of past generations.

Reinventing rather than simply removing monuments requires confronting the past, recognizing current conditions and planning for the future  all while embracing the reality that historical change is a complex, messy and malleable process.

[Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversations newsletter.]

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Like this article? subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

It was written by: Alan Marcus, University of Connecticut and Walter Woodward, University of Connecticut.

Read more:



The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The mother of one of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre has described Alex Jones as the biggest bully Ive ever faced.

Scarlett Lewis, whose six-year-old son Jesse Lewis was murdered in the 2012 massacre, told CNNs Anderson Cooper that testifying at the far-right conspiracy theorists first defamation trial was the hardest thing she has done since losing her child  but that she had to stand up to try to stop him from bullying others.

Getting on the stand was something I felt like I had to do. I didnt want to do it, she said.

It was the hardest thing Ive done since Jesses murder but I think when your bully doesnt stop  I mean this is literally facing the biggest bully Ive ever faced  you have to do that so that he doesnt do that to other people.

Ms Lewis said that she thought about her sons bravery facing gunman Adam Lanza during the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School when she came to face with Mr Joness lies on the stand.

I think about Jesse. He faced Adam Lanza who was the Sandy Hook shooter and he saved nine of his classmaates lives before losing his own, she said.

And so I kept thinking about that when I was on the stand and thinking this was the easier of the two. And if he could do what he did at six years old I could certainly do this.

Last month, Ms Lewis confronted Mr Jones with the damage he had caused by spreading his lies that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax and that the victims and their families were crisis actors.

In heartwrenching testimony, the mother spoke directly to Mr Jones in the courtroom in Texas and questioned him: Do you think Im an actor?

I am a mother first and foremost and I know you are a father. My son existed, she told him.

I am not deep state... I know you know that... And yet youre going to leave this courthouse and say it again on your show.

Infowars founder Alex Jones takes the witness stand to testify on 23 September (REUTERS)

She continued: It seems so incredible to me that we have to do this  that we have to implore you, to punish you  to get you to stop lying.

Story continues

The right-wing extremist was ordered to pay $4.11m in compensatory damages and $45.2m in punitive damages to Ms Lewis and Jesses father Neil Heslin in that case.

When asked by TV host Anderson Cooper how she faced this bloated, damaged person in court, this half human, Ms Lewis said that she had feeling and compassion for Mr Jones.

My feeling and compassion for Alex Jones did help me on the stand, she said.

I dont want to give my personal power to somebody who is so hurtful and I did that through forgiveness and compassion but it doesnt mean that his words and actions dont make me angry.

Ms Lewis said that she chooses to embrace forgiveness and compassion  something which has helped her with post-trauamatic growth.

Her comments came as Mr Jones is currently facing his second defamation trial in a court in Connecticut.

The Infowars host took the stand in that trial on Thursday and Friday where he launched into a furious rant saying that was done apologising for causing a decade of harassment to the victims families.

Ive already said Im sorry hundreds of times. And Im done saying sorry, he shouted across the courtroom.

Scarlett Lewis testifies at the trial last month (GANNETT)

Jurors in Connecticut will decide how much Mr Jones must pay the families in damages in that suit.

Mr Jones began spouting false claims just hours after the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, claiming on his conspiracy site that the mass shooting was a giant hoax and that the victims were actors.

He continued to push the lies to his followers for years claiming it was a false flag operation.

While Mr Jones profited financially from spreading his lies, the victims families were subjected to years of in-person and online harassment and threats from his followers.
(Reuters) -SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Friday that he would activate the firm's satellite internet service, Starlink, in response to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's tweet that the United States took action "to advance internet freedom and the free flow of information" to Iranians.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday issued guidance expanding internet services available to Iranians despite U.S. sanctions on the country, amid protests around Iran following the death of a 22-year-old woman in custody.

A Treasury official briefing reporters said: "Our understanding of Starlink is that what they provide would be commercial grade, and it would be hardware that's not covered in the general license; so that would be something they would need to write into Treasury for."

A U.S. State Department spokesperson later said of Friday's updated license that it was self-executing and that "anyone who meets the criteria outlined in this general license can proceed with their activities without requesting additional permissions."

Musk could not be reached for comments or clarification regarding Starlink's clearance to operate in Iran.

Iranians have been protesting over the death of Mahsa Amini last week while in police custody after being arrested by the morality police for wearing "unsuitable attire".

Musk said on Monday that the company wanted to provide Starlink satellite broadband service - already provided to Ukraine for its fight against Russia's invasion - to Iranians, and would ask for a sanctions exception.

The U.S. State Department spokesperson added that if SpaceX were to determine that some activity aimed at Iranians requires a specific license, "OFAC would welcome it and prioritize it".

"By the same token, if SpaceX determines that its activity is already authorized and has any questions, OFAC also welcomes that engagement," the State Department spokesperson said.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Kanishka Singh; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Sandra Maler)
Nasa has called off the launch of its Artemis l moon rocket and Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across parts of the Sunshine State as Tropical Storm Ian is set to intensify into a powerful hurricane over the coming days.

The space agencys team announced on Saturday morning that  after holding a planning meeting  they had decided to postpone Tuesdays launch attempt amid concerns about the upcoming extreme weather.

NASA is foregoing a launch opportunity Tuesday, Sept. 27, and preparing for rollback, while continuing to watch the weather forecast associated with Tropical Storm Ian, the agency tweeted on Saturday morning.

The announcement came just hours after officials declared on Friday that the rocket was ready for its hotly-anticipated first test flight  marking the third attempt after two prior setbacks.

Now, team members will continue to monitor the weather to determine if and when to roll the rocket back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center away from the incoming hurricane.

Officials would have to begin moving the rocket no later than early Monday morning to beat Ians charted path towards the US.

The postponement of the highly-anticipated event came just hours after Mr DeSantis issued the emergency declaration for 24 Florida counties and urged residents to prepare for the incoming major weather event.

The severity and track of Tropical Depression Nine will continue to evolve. Because of this and the potential for dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall, strong winds, flash flooding, and the potential for isolated tornadic activity Governor DeSantis issued the State of Emergency for the following 24 counties, his office announced.

This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations.

The states National Guard has been activated to be on standby and Mr DeSantis has called on the federal government to also issue a pre-landfall emergency declaration as the storm encroaches.

Story continues

Tropical Storm Ian developed over the Central Caribbean Sea this week and is forecast to hit Florida as a Category 3 hurricane by the middle of next week.

The NASA moon rocket stands on Pad 39B before a launch attempt for the Artemis 1 mission (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The tropical storm is expected to keep strengthening near Jamaica and the Cayman Islands over the weekend.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that hurricane conditions are possible in the Cayman Islands early on Monday and a hurricane watch is in effect over the islands.

A tropical storm watch is also currently in effect for Jamaica where heavy rainfall, flash flooding and possible mudslides are expected in areas of higher terrain.

Early next week, Ian is then expected to chart its path to the west coast of Cuba  by which point it will have reached near hurricane strength.

It is expected to then slam the west coast of Florida early on Wednesday, bringing with it heavy rains and strong winds.

By then, it could be a Category 3 hurricane with wind speeds of up to 109 miles per hour (175 kilometres per hour).

Artemis I update: @NASA is foregoing a launch opportunity Tuesday, Sept. 27, and preparing for rollback, while continuing to watch the weather forecast associated with Tropical Storm Ian.



Learn more: https://t.co/A7M6KfWynN pic.twitter.com/Ul12GiPEte  NASA's Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) September 24, 2022

While forecasters say it is too early to determine the exact path and strength, parts of coastal Georgia now also lie within the hurricanes cone of uncertainty.

While Ian is still strengthening over the ocean, Hurricane Fiona has now made landfall in along Canadas Atlantic Coast.

Fiona, which transformed into a powerful post-tropical cyclone late on Friday, struck Nova Scotia early on Saturday, lashing the region with strong rains and winds of up to 92mph (148 km/h).

Homes in its path were pummelled and power lines downed, leaving more than 415,000 residences in Nova Scotia  around 80 per cent of people in the province  without power on Saturday morning, according to the regions power outage centre.

The hurrrican first ploughed into the Caribbean earlier this week, hammering Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Guadeloupe.

At least eight people were killed and thousands were left without power.
An artists conception of an asteroid passing close to Earth (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Nasa is just hours away from the culmination of its Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or Dart mission, which will see a spacecraft slam into an asteroid on Monday evening in a bid to prove its possible to change the space rocks trajectory in space.

Its a first of its kind proof of concept test of a technology that could one day save Earth from a civilization-ending asteroid strike, or even a minor infrastructure damaging one. The key will be ensuring Dart succeeds in striking its target, an asteroid called Dimorphos some 68 million miles from Earth, and then carefully measuring the results.

Dart is demonstrating what we call the kinetic impact technique for changing the speed of the asteroid in space and therefore changing its orbit, Nasa planetary defense officer Lindley Johnson told reporters at a Thursday press conference about the mission. This demonstration is extremely important to our future here on the earth, and life on earth.

At 7.14pm EDT on Monday, the Dart spacecraft will slam into Dimorphos at around 14,000 miles per hour. Nasa and other space agencies will be watching in the aftermath using ground and space based telescopes in order to see if the impact changes the speed at which Dimorphos orbits its larger asteroid companion, Didymos.

Neither Dimorphos or Didymos pose a threat to Earth, so the test provides a safe means to the principle of kinetic impact as a means to alter an asteroid's course.

This is the perfect natural laboratory, Nasas Dart program scientist, Tom Statler, told reporters on Thursday. We're doing this test when we don't need to on an asteroid that isn't a danger, just in case we ever do need to and we discover an asteroid that is a danger.

Scientists will consider the Dart impact successful if it changes Dimorphisms orbit around Didymos anywhere from 73 seconds to 10 minutes.

That may seem modest, University of North Dakota assistant professor of Space Studies Sherry Fieber-Beyer told The Independent in an interview, but if a hazardous asteroid is detected far enough in advance, a velocity change as small as a few centimetres per second implemented several years ahead of time could provide the change in the arrival time to convert a potential impact into a clear miss.

Story continues

The Earth travels along its orbit around the Sun at 29.79 kilometres per second, which means it crosses its own diameter of about 12,724 kilometres in just more than seven minutes.

So if a [near Earth object] initially on a trajectory to impact dead centre on the face of the Earth, arrives as little as five minutes early or late a potential disaster would be changed into a near miss, Dr Fieber-Beyer said.

While Dart will help Nasa better understand how a kinetic impact mission would work, that doesnt mean an actual mission would look exactly like Dart does.

Dart is specifically sized to have the desired effect on Dimorphos, Dr Johnson said. If faced with a real asteroid threat, It would depend on the size of the asteroid how much we would need to hit it. In the case of the kinetic impactor, it probably need to be larger than Dart, and we also might hit it with several kinetic impactors.

There are lots of mission options, but many depend on just what type of asteroid youre dealing with and how it will react to an impact, according to Dr Statler. The reality is that while Nasa has tracked asteroids and observed them and modeled them, we do not know exactly how these how these asteroids will behave, because we don't have samples of real asteroids on the earth, he said As a scientist, I fully hope to be surprised by the results of the experiment. Although as a planetary defender, I don't want to be too surprised.

Dart will help ground truth scientists understanding of asteroids and the materials they are made of. It could turn out that kinetic impact strategies are not appropriate for some of them, according to Dr Fieber-Beyer, particularly metallic iron-nickel asteroids.

A kinetic impactor will definitely work on a rocky body [asteroid], or a large comet, she said. If you have an iron-nickel asteroid, it's not going to happen.

Nasas Psyche mission will be the first to visit what scientists think is just such a solid metal bodied asteroid in 2026, providing the first direct assessment of such an asteroid. There may be alternatives to kinetic impactors for deflecting such a body, if it ever threatened Earth.

Some of the other things that have been studied are what we call a gravity tractor, Dr Johnson said, which is just taking a spacecraft keeping with the asteroid and using nature's tug rope, gravity; the mutual attraction between the spacecraft and the asteroid will slowly tug that asteroid out of its impacting trajectory into a more benign one.

Another alternative would be to use ion beam deflection, essentially strapping a thrust like that which powered Dart to Dimorphos to an asteroid to change its course. Thrusters use electrical energy to accelerate charged propellant particles out of a nozzle, generating weak, but very efficient thrust that can build up to a large velocity change over time.

Of course, a technique like that takes longer to implement, Dr Johnson said. We would have to have more warning time to be able to implement it.

And thats the main mission of Nasas Planetary Defense Coordination Office anyway, he added. While Dart marks the first test of a method to deflect an asteroid, the key thing is making sure we know where all the potentially threatening asteroids are, long before they could pose a threat to Earth.

 Hollywood and movies, they have to make it exciting. You know, we find the asteroid only 18 days before it's going to impact and everybody runs around as if they're on fire, Dr Johnson said. Thats not the way to do planetary defence.

There are just more than 2,250 known potentially hazardous near Earth asteroids, and Nasa hopes its upcoming Near Earth Object Surveyor mission, a space telescope currently in its preliminary design review phase, will help scientists locate any asteroids that could be hiding in the glare of the Sun.

Neo Surveyor will be able to find the population of asteroids 140 meters and larger within about a 10 year period, Dr Johnson said. Our strategy is to find that population out there with a mission like Neo Surveyor and know where all the potential hazards are, and then have sufficient time to then build the right campaign of missions to go out there.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NASA said on Saturday that it was scrapping Tuesday's plans to launch Artemis, the U.S. return to the moon after five decades, noting concerns about a tropical storm headed to Florida.

Tropical Storm Ian is expected to hit Florida, home to the Kennedy Space Center, next week, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Apart from weather and technical challenges like a fuel leak, Artemis I, the uncrewed test flight, signals a major turning point for NASA's post-Apollo human spaceflight program, after decades focused on low-Earth orbit with space shuttles and the International Space Station. [L1N30A063] Artemis will be headed to the moon, as a stepping stone for a future flight to Mars.

Named for the goddess who was Apollo's twin sister in ancient Greek mythology, Artemis aims to return astronauts to the moon's surface as early as 2025, though many experts believe that time frame will likely slip.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz; editing by Diane Craft)
By discovering just under 1 million fentanyl pills in an Avondale home this week, the Phoenix Police Department made the single largest fentanyl bust in the agency's history.

Two arrests were made following the drug bust on Wednesday.

Francisco Delgado, 26, and Jose Molina, 21, were arrested and booked into a Maricopa County jail on a number of felony charges, according to Phoenix police.

After following leads involving the possession of narcotics for sale, detectives obtained a search warrant for an Avondale home and a vehicle belonging to one of the suspects.

They discovered approximately 950,000 fentanyl pills and a firearm, according to Phoenix police.

According to Maricopa County data, the presence of fentanyl in drug overdose deaths has steadily been increasing in the state since 2019.

Last year, the Drug Enforcement Agency and Scottsdale police also seized a record number of fentanyl pills, totaling an amount that could "kill half the state of Arizona," according to state Attorney General Mark Brnovich.

Reach breaking news intern Ellie Willard at ellie.willard@gannett.com or on Twitter @EllieWillardAZ.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police seize nearly a million fentanyl pills at Avondale home
Elizabeth Debicki

SplashNews.com

The Crown continues.

On Saturday, Netflix announced the premiere date for the next season of its hit royal drama during the virtual Tudum: A Netflix Global Fan Event festival. The streamer confirmed that season 5 of The Crown will hit the platform on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

The next chapter will be the penultimate season for the show inspired by the lives of the British royal family. Though plans are in motion and actors have been cast for season 6, series creator Peter Morgan previously confirmed to Deadline that the curtains will close thereafter.

"The Crown is a love letter to [the Queen], and I've nothing to add for now, just silence and respect," Morgan said in a statement after Queen Elizabeth died on September 8. "I expect we will stop filming out of respect too."

Cameras did stop rolling for a few days, and production on season 6 resumed in Spain on September 14.

RELATED: Everything to Know About The Crown Season 5

Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown

Alex Bailey/Netflix

Throughout the series, The Crown has cast new actors to reflect the royals aging through the decades. Season 5 is set to star Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Dominic West as Prince Charles and Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana.

West's teenage son Seamus will also appear as a young Prince William. Earlier this month, the real-life father and son were pictured together on set recreating William's Eton drop-off day in 1995.

Dominic West portrayed HRH Prince Charles as he dropped Prince William, played by West's son Sean, off at Eton College on his first day

SplashNews.com

Netflix previously revealed The Crown's fifth chapter would debut in November, with Staunton sharing the news in a Twitter video.

"I'm delighted to be here, inheriting the role of Queen Elizabeth from two outstanding actresses. I will do my utmost to maintain the very high standard that they set," the 66-year-old actress said on set, regally seated at a desk much like the one the Queen used in real life.

"Hopefully I calm, collected and capable. My stomach, meanwhile, is doing somersaults. On behalf of the cast and crew, we look forward to bringing you the next season of The Crown in November 2022."

Story continues

Staunton takes the tiara from Olivia Colman, who played Queen Elizabeth in seasons 3 and 4 after Claire Foy originated the part in seasons 1 and 2. Both actresses won Emmys for their portrayal of the Queen.

A message from Imelda Staunton, our new Queen Elizabeth. Season 5, coming November 2022. pic.twitter.com/OfpgrPGOXx  The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) September 25, 2021

RELATED: Season 1 of 'The Crown' Hits Netflix's Top 10 List After Queen Elizabeth II's Death

During the week that Queen Elizabeth died, season 1 of The Crown shot to Netflix's Top 10, evidently connecting with a new audience for the first time.

Between September 5 and 11, Netflix subscribers streamed 17.6 million hours of The Crown, bringing the historical hit's first season to No. 7 on Netflix's Top 10 English-language series chart, Variety reported.

"HRH Queen Elizabeth II was in the hearts and minds of viewers," Netflix said in a statement, obtained by the outlet.
Students with Bethel Universitys student newspaper are holding an ice cream fundraiser this weekend to help offset a recent reduction in school support.

Makenzi Johnson, editor of the Bethel Clarion, wrote in an online column last week that the university had slashed the newspapers budget by 25 percent, or $10,000. As a result, the Clarion would reduce print publication this year from eight issues to four while relying more heavily on its online presence and social media.

Due to decreasing enrollment and increasing budget deficits, the Bethel administration cut the entire print budget of the Bethel Clarion student newspaper a few weeks before the school year started, reads an open letter issued Friday by Johnson, managing editor Sarah Bakeman and faculty adviser Scott Winter.

In order to print anything, Clarion staffers have worked with business classes to sell ads. The managing editor also works at Culvers in Saint Anthony, and her manager offered to give $1 for every Concrete Mixer sold (Friday) through Sunday to pay for Clarion print issues.

A manager at the 4004 Silver Lake Road NE restaurant confirmed the fundraiser, noting that Bakeman had worked at two Culvers locations over the course of four years.

Bethel sophomore Emily Hagen arrived at Culvers Friday evening with six friends from her Bible study, eager to support the paper.

It was on posters all around Bethel, she said. It was on Instagram. It is a big bummer. My roommate, it was her first year at the Clarion, and she was surprised.

Robin Bloedow, a Culvers assistant general manager, said business had been especially brisk for a Friday evening, and the fundraiser had drawn more customers than most.

Theyre coming out, Bloedow said. Theyre saying, This is for the Clarion.

Bethel spokesman Tim Hammer said the newspapers final budget cut was $5,000. Other student programming budgets were cut, too. As for the Clarion, he said, the mix of university funding and student-generated revenue provides our students with real-world experience managing budgets, making editorial decisions, and engaging with businesses to offset the costs of publications.

Related Articles
 Flash

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that China-U.S. relations have been severely impacted currently, and the lessons from which should be learned by the U.S. side.

Wang made the remarks during their talks at the site of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations. The two diplomats were attending the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

Wang said China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture, and it is imperative for the two sides, with an attitude of being responsible for the world, history and the two peoples, to adopt the right approach to getting along between the two major countries, and to work to stop bilateral ties from further deterioration and to re-stabilize them.

Wang specifically focused on the recent wrongful moves by the U.S. side regarding the Taiwan question, comprehensively elaborating the solemn position of the Chinese side. "The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and it carries significant weight in the minds of the Chinese people," Wang stressed.

"It is our mission to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and there is absolutely no ambiguity whatsoever about that," Wang told Blinken.

Wang reminded Blinken that the United States has made clear political commitments to China regarding the Taiwan question, including the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques reached decades ago and the more recent statements made repeatedly by the current U.S. administration that it does not support "Taiwan independence."

What the United States has done, however, is contrary to its commitments, in attempts to damage China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, obstruct the great cause of peaceful reunification of China, and engage in a so-called strategy of "using Taiwan to contain China," Wang said, adding that the U.S. side even publicly claimed to help defend Taiwan, which has sent a very wrong and dangerous signal.

The United States should return to abiding by the three Sino-U.S. communiques and the one-China principle exactly as they are, reiterate its one-China policy without added elements, and unequivocally state its clear opposition to "Taiwan independence" separatist activities of all forms, Wang said.

The Taiwan question is China's internal affair, Wang said, and the United States has no right whatsoever to interfere in the way the Taiwan question is resolved. China's stance on the resolution of the Taiwan question has been consistent and unambiguous, that is that China will continue to stick to the basic principles of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems."

The state councilor stressed that it's utterly impossible for a peaceful resolution to coexist with "Taiwan independence." The more rampant the "Taiwan independence" activities are, the less likely the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question will be, Wang said, adding that only by unequivocally opposing and deterring "Taiwan independence" activities can cross-Strait peace be truly maintained.

There exist common interests and profound differences simultaneously between China and the United States, a reality that will not change, Wang said. The two countries were aware at the very beginning of their engagement that they were dealing with one another with a different system, which has not become an impediment to forging bilateral cooperation based on common interests, nor should be a reason for confrontation or conflict between the two countries.

Wang expressed the hope that the U.S. side will correct its perception about China, and rethink and change its China policy guided by containment and suppression. Washington should abandon its intention to deal with the Chinese out of a position of strength, neither should it always contemplate about containing China's development or frequently resort to unilateral bullying.

The United States should create an environment conducive to the resumption of normal exchanges between the two sides, and promote the return of China-U.S. relations to a healthy and stable track of development, Wang said.

Blinken said U.S.-China relations are in a difficult situation, and bringing bilateral relations back to a stable track is in accord with the interests of both sides.

Noting the United States and China have successfully managed their differences in the past, Blinken said that the U.S. side is willing to engage in candid communication and dialogue with China, avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation, and find a path forward.

Blinken also reiterated that the U.S. side does not seek a "new Cold War," has not changed its one-China policy, and does not support "Taiwan independence."

Wang and Blinken also exchanged views on the Ukraine situation. Both sides considered the meeting as being frank, constructive and important, and they agreed to maintain communication.
Standing behind the counter of Poor Boys Family Diner in this southern New Hampshire town, Nikki Haley had a message for supporters of GOP Senate nominee Don Bolduc.

"All eyes are on New Hampshire, right. Because the majority goes through New Hampshire," the former Republican governor of South Carolina  who later served as ambassador to the United Nations in former President Donald Trump's administration  told the crowd.

Bolduc, a former Army general who ran as a populist MAGA-Republican style outsider during his second straight bid for the Senate in the key general election battleground state, last week narrowly captured the GOP nomination over longtime state Senate President Chuck Morse, a more mainstream conservative candidate who enjoyed the support of popular Republican Gov. Chris Sununu.

Bolduc is now challenging former governor and first-term Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan  whom the GOP views as vulnerable  in a race thats one of a handful across the country that may determine if Republicans win back the Senate majority in November's midterms.

FIRST ON FOX NEWS: HALEY ENDORSES SUNUNU, BOLDUC, IN BATTLEGROUND NEW HAMPSHIRE

"We need to come together. Everybody come together and beat Maggie Hassan," Bolduc urged the crowd, which was a mix of the candidates supporters and late afternoon customers at the diner.

The most recent public opinion poll in the race  from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center  indicates Hassan ahead by eight points among likely voters. One indicator of her lead is that Hassan enjoyed the backing of 98% of Democrats while Bolduc  following a combative primary  was supported by only 83% of Republicans.

THE LATEST POLL IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S CRUCIAL SENATE SHOWDOWN

"Bolduc will need to heal the intra party divide and increase his support among Republicans if he is to have a chance at defeating Hassan," UNH Survey Center director Andrew Smith said.

Story continues

Asked about party unity, Bolduc told Fox News that "Im just a brand-new nominee one week and a couple of days old. It takes some time, but were going to get there."

And he said the campaign stop in Londonderry with well-known national Republican leader like Haley, and a second later on Friday in Hollis, New Hampshire, were helpful in his mission to unify Republican voters.

"I am honored, humbled, and grateful to have her support," Bolduc said.

Haley, through her Stand for America PAC, has been crisscrossing the country this cycle on behalf of fellow Republicans running in the 2022 elections. According to her political team, Haleys held more than 50 events and raised more than $5 million.

And many of Haleys visits are coming on the heels of often divisive GOP nomination battles across the country this year.

"Im seeing them all come together. Were seeing them strong. Were seeing them passionate," she highlighted in an interview with Fox News.

THESE 11 SENATE RACES WILL DECIDE CONTROL OF THE SENATE

And pointing to pocketbook issues such as this years record inflation, which favor Republicans, Haley said: "thats what theyre [voters] talking about They want people who are going to work for them, not the other way around. And theyre not feeling that right now, whether its in New Hampshire with Maggie Hassan or whether its with Joe Biden in Washington D.C."

Haleys latest swing through the Granite State kicked began Thursday night, when she headlined a fundraiser in Rollinsford, New Hampshire, for Sununu  whos running for a fourth two-year term as governor. And following her events on Friday with Bolduc, she headlined a fundraising dinner for the Cheshire County GOP. Word of Haleys visit to New Hampshire was first reported by Fox News on Tuesday.

Besides being a crucial swing state, New Hampshire for a century has held the first primary in the race for the White House. Haleys travels this year have also taken her back to Iowa, whose caucuses for five decades have kicked off the presidential nominating calendar. And next week, Haley returns to Nevada, which votes fourth in the GOP presidential primary schedule, to team up on the campaign trail with GOP Senate nominee Adam Laxalt. Haleys home state of South Carolina holds the third contest in the Republican nominating calendar.

Haley, who says shes considering a potential run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, told Fox News that "if we dont win in November, there is no 2024."

And she also reiterated that "after November, well figure it out. But you know what Ive said  Ive never lost a race. Im not going to start now. If theres place for me, well put a 100% in, and well finish it."
Homes are flooded on Salinas Beach after the passing of Hurricane Fiona in Salinas, Puerto Rico, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo

Many people in Puerto Rico are still without power, nearly a week after Hurricane Fiona.

Officials and residents are calling on the island's electrical supplier to address the issue.

The deadly hurricane resulted in devastating floods and left many residents without homes.

People in Puerto Rico are still grappling with no power, days after Hurricane Fiona first hit the US territory.

The island's electric supplier has yet to restore power following the category 1 storm that struck Puerto Rico last weekend, where the island experienced catastrophic flooding, according to the Associated Press.

"It's not normal," University of Puerto Rico electrical engineering professor Marcel Castro-Sitiriche, told the outlet, regarding the Electric Power Authority and LUMA's timing. "They have not given a convincing explanation of what the problem is."

According to the report, Castro-Sitiriche noted that more residents should be connected to solar power, adding: "It is a shame that the government has not done that to save lives. "Additionally, the storm has also left many without water.

"We woke up without water. Most people don't have electricity, but thankfully I have solar panels. There's long lines for gas to power generators," Ruth Santiago, an environmental lawyer, and advocate told Insider's Paola Rosa-Aquino.

Many city and town officials are demanding answers on why this issue has not been addressed, with some calling it "unacceptable."

Hon. Edward ONeill Rosa Alcalde (@alcaldeguaynabo) September 23, 2022

One Hormigueros resident, Elizabeth Gonzalez, slammed the island's power grid  which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria in 2017. According to the report, she had to toss out meat and is dealing with trying to get more gas for her generator.

"It's useless, as simple as that," Gonzalez, whose husband is battling cancer, told the AP. "If a hurricane comes, if rain comes, or a little gust of wind, the power quickly goes out."

Read the original article on Insider
The COVID-19 pandemic shone a light on the vulnerability of nursing home residents and employees around the country.

Now even with the help of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, which the industry says have significantly improved conditions in nursing homes, employees and people with loved ones in nursing homes are sounding the alarm to Congress that they still need help.

In a House hearing this week, they pointed to widespread staff shortages and low pay for nursing home employees.

The crisis in our nursing homes is far from over, said Adelina Ramos, a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in Rhode Island. We continue to face severe staffing shortages. CNAs are burnt out, mentally, physically. Our pay is so low that some of us have to work two or three jobs.

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

Ramos said the lack of resources often forces workers to choose between helping one elderly resident in need over another.

I cant describe how painful it feels when we are forced to make those kinds of choices, said Ramos.

Testimony called for improved compensation for the workers tasked with caring for the elderly residents.

They also need the resources, compensation, training and support to deliver that care, said Dr. Alice Bonner, chair of Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition and senior advisor for aging at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Emotional testimony from a Brooklyn man highlighted the urgency to keep nursing home residents safe during a health crisis like the pandemic.

I had four family members die, said Daniel Arbeeny. My father, my uncle, my two close cousins of the virus. Three of them were in nursing homes.

TRENDING STORIES:

Arbeeny argues those nursing home deaths are because of a 2020 New York State directive that nursing homes admit COVID-19 patients.

Story continues

Arbeeny is suing the former governor of New York and other officials for failing to keep his father and other residents safe.

Those are the ones we are supposed to honor and protect, and we failed, said Arbeeny. We failed miserably.

Witnesses called for more accountability from nursing home owners and government agencies tasked with oversight of the facilities.

We are fed up with the lack of respect nursing home owners and lawmakers show our workforce, said Ramos. Change needs to happen now.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:
The COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on the vulnerability of nursing home residents and employees around the country.

Now even with the help of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, which the industry says have significantly improved conditions in nursing homes, employees and people with loved ones in nursing homes are sounding the alarm to Congress that they still need help.

In a House hearing this week, they point to widespread staff shortages and low pay for nursing home employees.

The crisis in our nursing homes is far from over, said Adelina Ramos, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in Rhode Island. We continue to face severe staffing shortages. CNAs are burnt out, mentally, physically. Our pay is so low that some of us have to work two or three jobs.

Ramos said the lack of resources often forces workers to choose between helping one elderly resident in need over another.

I cant describe how painful it feels when we are forced to make those kinds of choices, said Ramos.

Testimony called for improved compensation for the workers tasked with caring for the elderly residents.

They also need the resources, compensation, training and support to deliver that care, said Dr. Alice Bonner, Moving Forward Nursing Home quality coalition chair and senior advisor for aging at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Emotional testimony from a Brooklyn man highlighted the urgency to keep nursing home residents safe during a health crisis like the pandemic.

I had four family members die, said Daniel Arbeeny. My father, my uncle, my two close cousins (died) of the virus. Three of them were in nursing homes.

Arbeeny argues those nursing home deaths are because of a 2020 New York state directive that nursing homes admit COVID-19 patients.

Arbeeny is suing the former governor or New York and other officials for failing to keep his father and other residents safe.

Those are the ones we are supposed to honor and protect, and we failed, said Arbeeny. We failed miserably.

Story continues

Witnesses called for more accountability from nursing home owners and government agencies tasked with oversight of the facilities.

We are fed up with the lack of respect nursing home owners and lawmakers show our workforce, said Ramos. Change needs to happen now.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

TRENDING NOW:

Young boy chokes on fried piece of plastic covered in batter from Chick-fil-A, family members say Woman killed in wrong-way Westmoreland crash Boil water advisory issued for multiple Pittsburgh neighborhoods after water main break McKeesport Police investigating incident involving a child with a gun DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
New York City is working to become a greater safe haven for immigrants that cross the border through the Southern states. Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday that his administration is planning to provide relief centers to further support immigrants entering the city.

As informed in a press release, the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers will offer aid to individual and family asylum-seekers by providing them food, medical care, shelter and casework services The centers will be the first touch point for migrants arriving in the city, the release says.

More than 100 years ago, Ellis Island opened its doors to welcome in those yearning to breathe free. Now, more than ever, its clear that we are again dealing with a humanitarian crisis created by human hands. While other leaders have abdicated their moral duty to support arriving asylum seekers, New York City refuses to do so, Adams said.

As Travel Noire reported in August, Texas is forcing migrants to get on buses heading to New York since May. Some of the migrant families complained, stating that New York wasnt even their desired destination. The bus rides took 3 days. According to the Republican governor Greg Abbott, this is a response to President Bidens border policies that are overpopulating Texas.

Texas Vs NYC

Texas Governor Greg Abbott| Lynda M. Gonzalez/The Dallas Morning News Pool

Its the worst type of politics, Adams told Nightline. Its hateful politics to raise his national profile and, you know what, you should not be doing it by taking away the respect and dignity of people who are in need.

As ABC reported, Adams said during a June 21 press conference that the city would find shelter for migrants arriving from Texas under the states right to shelter law.

But as thousands of migrants arrived in New York City over the past couple of months, the shelter system has become strained.

As hundreds of migrants continue to enter New York City each day, we must take steps to ensure their health and safety as well as maintain our ability to provide essential services; thats why were proud to announce the launch of the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers. These centers will provide services such as wellness checks and temporary shelter when individuals and families first come to the city, said New York City Department of Emergency Management (NYCEM) Commissioner Zach Iscol.

The New York City Emergency Management agency and NYC Health + Hospitals will operate the new relief centers to support immigrants. Two centers will open in the coming weeks, with more to open as needed, the city said.
Books become bestsellers simply because they are by Kate Atkinson (Alamy/The Independent)

Kate Atkinson always did have a knack for book titles. Her novels  all 12 of them  have boasted names that were sometimes long and sometimes unwieldy, but always memorable. There was Behind the Scenes at the Museum, for example, or Started Early, Took My Dog. A God in Ruins would look striking in any font, while Human Croquet conjured up all sorts of intriguing visual images.

Nevertheless, when she presented her latest novel to her editor last year, relaying with habitual Atkinson confidence what she was planning to call it, there was a collective intake of breath.

Shrines of Gaiety, says Larry Finlay, her publisher at Transworld. He says it slowly, as if weighing each individual word. Shrines, of, Gaiety. Yes, there was definitely a little bit of oooh in response. But, he adds, diplomatically, I do think it works, actually. In fact, I think its rather genius.

Given shes produced multiple bestsellers for him over the past quarter of a century, perhaps Finlays reaction is unsurprising  but he stresses that there is a line, and that he is not always willing to cross it.

Take her second Jackson Brodie novel, he says, of Atkinsons ongoing crime fiction series, which is called One Good Turn. Kate originally wanted to call it The Jolly Murder Mystery. We had a row about that one.

Kate Atkinson occupies rarefied airspace within British literature. Effortlessly straddling the overlap between the literary and the commercial, shes one of the countrys most beloved novelists: her books become bestsellers simply because they are by Kate Atkinson. Her latest, then, will be another sure-fire hit, and likely wont be held back by its title, clunky as it undeniably is.

Shrines of Gaiety is a convergence of two of Atkinsons recurring genres: the historical novel and the police procedural. It tells the story of Nellie Coker, owner of a string of nightclubs in Londons Soho in 1926. Coker is indomitable, a woman for whom the law is there to be broken should it suit her purpose (it often does). Released from a brief stint in prison, she returns to her empire, which she manages with far more success than she does her six children. There are echoes of TVs Succession within Shrines of Gaiety, with its matriarch surveying her bloodline to decide who most deserves to take the business over, only to find each of the candidates wanting.

Story continues

Because this is a Kate Atkinson novel, there is a secondary plot, involving two runaways who arrive in London seeking fame and glamour, and a third, in which a weary police detective employs a spy to infiltrate Cokers clan in the hope of bringing her down permanently.

Its a book that teems with people and places, events and incidents, and is written with the garrulous enthusiasm for which its author has rightly become celebrated. If its occasionally suffused with cliche, then perhaps its because, as Atkinson once said, I like to take cliches and work with them. Here, things open with a bang, and take off like a rocket. Origins are lost in the midst of time. On almost each of its 435 pages, there are authorial asides conveyed in brackets, as if Atkinson were winking at us, the reader, while whispering arch digressions from the side of her mouth.

(What did Florence do with her time?) one reads. Another: (She was 25!) Another still: (She was her mothers daughter.) The book may well convey more bracketed sidebar information than any other novel written in the English language.

She immediately places you within a situation, and in a particular timeline, and you feel as if youve known her characters all your life

Joanna Cannon

Oh, she gets away with so much, doesnt she? Finlay says. So much breaking the fourth wall in the middle of what may otherwise be a really tense moment between characters. I have to say, he continues, I wouldnt allow any other writer to get away with that kind of thing  Id have my blue pencil out immediately!  but Kate? Kate makes it work beautifully.

Atkinson came to writing comparatively late in life. Born in Yorkshire in 1951, she worked as a secretary and a teacher and was married twice (she has two children, one from each marriage) before she started to take her writing seriously. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes, was published in 1995, when she was 43. It won the Whitbread Prize, beating Salman Rushdies The Moors Last Sigh. Joanna Cannon, the author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and Breaking & Mending, and a former junior doctor  who, like Atkinson, didnt turn to fiction until midlife  discovered her shortly after, in her local library.

And Ive been reading her ever since. Its all to do with connection at the end of the day, Cannon says, a connection a book makes with a reader. Its actually a very difficult thing to do, but Kate does it so well, and so quickly. She immediately places you within a situation, and in a particular timeline, and you feel as if youve known her characters all your life. Even minor characters are so well drawn.

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson (Penguin)

It was Hilary Mantel who suggested that Atkinson has a game-plan more sophisticated than Dickenss  a nod to the amount of activity in her books, and the number of characters that jostle for space. Rarely are there wallflowers. This was never more true than in her most celebrated novel, 2013s Life After Life, the story of a woman fated to live her life over and over again, always dying before her time, and often in unpleasant ways: suicide, murder, illness. It was a kind of unfunny Groundhog Day in which the protagonist must subliminally learn from the misjudgements and errors of previous lives in order to survive longer in the next. During one incarnation, for example, she manages to avoid the abusive husband she married in an earlier one; in another, she kills Hitler. The book won the Costa Award for Best Novel, as did its 2015 sequel, A God in Ruins.

As with her crime novels  which feature the crumpled-but-appealing detective Jackson Brodie, and ran for two series as Case Histories on the BBC, with Jason Isaacs playing the lead  Life After Life had a subsequent life of its own when it was turned into a BBC drama earlier this year.

I knew that many people had tried to adapt it over the years, mostly as a film, says Bash Doran, who wrote its screenplay, but I was very adamant it should be a piece of television. I thought it was an extraordinarily complex book, a piece of philosophy almost, and for me the challenge was not simply to focus on this superhero whose job ultimately was to kill Hitler, because it went so much deeper than that, and was so much more profound. It was about life, and how to live it. Kates an incredible writer.

Atkinson herself hasnt said much about either adaptation, but then, she says very little about most things. Unusually for a successful modern novelist, shes an enigma. She lives in Edinburgh, far from what she sees as the madding crowd, and rarely gives interviews. She has recently barred any of her future books from being entered in literary competitions, perhaps because of repeatedly being overlooked by the Booker (Their loss, posits Finlay), and she finds merely talking about her work taxing, once suggesting that to be asked what her books are about would be the most loathsome question. Why bother to write something if you then have to explain it? It is what it is. Its about things.

At the age of 70, then, Atkinson is a throwback, an old-fashioned writer, not on social media, never in the gossip pages. Shes someone who simply wants her work to exist on its own terms, on the page, and to be enjoyed  privately  by a reader who accords her the luxury of being left well alone so that she can get on with writing her next book, and the one after that.

(And, frankly, who can blame her?)

Shrines of Gaiety is published on 27 September
A coyote roams Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights in 2018. (Jessica W. Lynch)

If the people who write letters to The Times had their own city, the place would be a sanctuary for coyotes and other wildlife considered nuisances by so many in Los Angeles. That's one conclusion I've drawn reading the outpouring of reader objections to intensifying efforts around L.A., detailed this week by Times reporter Louis Sahagun, to eradicate coyotes from the neighborhood.

This isn't the first time readers have written in defense of the coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats and deer that were here long before the nation's second-largest city. Articles on the Griffith Park puma P-22 often draw adulatory letters, and reports of other mountain lions killed on highways spur calls for more highway crossings to prevent the animals' extinction from local wildlands.

So, while residents frightened by coyotes may have the ears of their City Council members, their calls to escalate the fight against coyotes don't have much support from our readers.



To the editor: When a 3-year-old was killed in Glendale in 1981, I was a young lieutenant on the Glendale Police Department and was part of the initial response. That girl died because the neighborhood in which she lived engaged in the chronic feeding of coyotes.

I followed coyote attacks all across America in the following years, and feeding seemed to be inescapably linked to the habituation of certain coyotes to view humans as food sources.

The Glendale Police Department subsequently engaged in a wholesale slaughter of coyotes but soon realized that was ineffective. In the following years we designed a public education program focusing on coexistence that highlighted removing food sources and providing advice on how to make residential locations less attractive to prevent coyote foraging. I ran that program for 10 years.

That did not mean problem coyotes weren't removed. Lethal means were in our toolkit, but only on a case-by-case basis. We also learned that the loss of a resident's free-ranging house cat was not a valid reason to stigmatize coyotes. There are many reasons why outdoor cats are not desirable, and providing food for coyotes is just one.

Story continues

Complaints and incidents declined dramatically in areas where residents did their part. The polarization depicted in The Times' article is not productive.

Mike Post, Winnetka

..

To the editor: Although the Manhattan Beach house cat Milkshake met her demise in the jaws of a hungry urban coyote, I need to call out the pet owner, who lets her cat wander outdoors. As a resident of a foothill community, I frequently see posters of lost cats and dogs, and can only assume that most have become coyote lunches.

Cats have no business staying outdoors. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists domestic cats as one of the world's worst non-native species. Even well-fed cats will hunt and kill and are responsible for disrupting ecosystems in a much more profound way than coyotes do.

They are a recognized threat to biodiversity and have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals and reptiles in the wild. Cats in the U.S. kill between 1.3 billion and 4 billion birds annually.

Cats need to be kept indoors for their safety and longevity, and for the health of the planet.

Susan McCreary, Monrovia

..

To the editor: There is so much that's disturbing with this article, it's hard to know what to address within the confines of a letter.

It's telling that Torrance City Councilman Aurelio Mattucci breaks into a smile while talking about dead coyotes not being able to reproduce. That's ghoulish enough without his adding, "Coyotes may have been here first, but we're here now." This depravity of thought has been around since early settlers started massacring Native Americans.

Coyotes are here because they're supposed to be here. It's a violent game of God we play when we decide a sentient being no longer deserves to live. All that Mattucci's tough talk does is shine a light on a socially acceptable form of xenophobia that for now can still be directed at non-human inhabitants of the Earth.

Timothy Viselli, La Canada Flintridge

..

To the editor: It is so sad when people are anti-nature. Coyotes, raccoons, possums, mountain lions  let's respect them and learn to coexist. A few bad encounters with humans shouldn't doom a whole species.

Far more dangerous than these, after humans, are domestic dogs that kill a number of people each year. Coyotes, under constant persecution, are at the pinnacle of survival.

Patricia LoVerme, South Pasadena

..

To the editor: As someone who lives across the street from Point Mugu State Park, I have had a front-row view of many coyotes over the years. We see them often multiple times a day and coexist peacefully, although we have lost cats. Like the Manhattan Beach resident in your article, we took a chance letting our cats out, and it didn't end well.

The difference is we blame ourselves, not the coyotes.

My 16-year-old Maine Coon is still among the living because I learned my lesson; she stays in the house or supervised in the yard. If a cat insists on going out, build or buy a cat playpen. The birds will appreciate it too.

And to enlist the help of the heartless group Evict Coyotes when coyotes cross human-made boundaries or take our cats is just plain wrong.

Jocelyn DeVault, Newbury Park

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Justice Scales and books and wooden gavel - stock photo Witthaya Prasongsin / Getty Images

An Oregon woman was jailed for nine days on $500,000 bail until she testified against the rapist, NBC reports.

According to NBC, the woman was held as a "material witness" after concerns she would not testify.

Her rapist was convicted a day after she testified.

A woman in Oregon was held in jail last week on bail set at an amount that her lawyer said was 'unattainable' until she testified against her rapist, NBC reports.

The 20-year woman was held in Jackson County jail for nine days from Sept. 6-15, with a bail set at $500,000 to ensure she would testify against her rapist, according to NBC.

According to the outlet, her lawyer Donald Scales said that the prosecutors asked that the victim be placed in jail as a "material witness" under a state law that allowed authorities to compel witnesses who are least likely to appear in court to testify.

"They were not affirmatively recommending jail," Scales said, according to NBC. "They essentially were saying to the judge that they did not have any confidence in her making it to court and it would still be a struggle" for them to supervise her."

Beth Heckert, the District Attorney of Jackson County, Oregon, told Insider in a statement that the move was a last-minute option, but not that rare.

"The decision was not taken lightly and is unusual but I would not say it has never happened before. The case had been pending for a while and my office had many contacts with the victim, she was cooperative. She was also very fearful of the defendant," Heckart said in a statement.

"Unfortunately as we got closer to a trial date, due to her drug issues, she couldn't be located. The police and family tried to locate her so we could proceed. We exhausted all other options except for the material witness warrant."

Scales called the material witness order a "last resort" and described the set bail as "unattainable," according to NBC.

"This was really a last resort balancing the needs of the victim and the needs of the community to have this case resolved," Scales told NBC.

Story continues

Scales requested the court for a less restrictive measure which involved an ankle monitor and commitment from her mother and older sister to keeping an eye on her but was denied, according to NBC.

"Her family was actually in support of us putting out the material witness warrant," Heckert said. "The charges were very serious, and the defendant had a history of similar charges, so we considered him to be a community safety risk."

The woman's rapist, Christian Sanchez, 30, was convicted on Sept. 16, a day after the woman testified in court, according to NBC.

"The charges were very serious and the defendant had a history of similar charges, so we considered him to be a community safety risk," Heckert said. "If you followed the facts of the trial, they were very horrific."

Sanchez was found guilty of rape, sodomy, kidnapping, assault, and unlawful use of a weapon, along with other crimes that occurred within a 7-month period in 2020, when the woman was 18, according to NBC.

According to court documents reviewed by The Associated Press, Sanchez held the woman against her will and used weapons, including a hammer, lighter, and a screwdriver, against the woman.

"If we did not have the witness at the time of trial, we would have had to release the defendant. The victim was completely cooperative at trial," Heckert said.

Read the original article on Insider
Pennsylvania State Police are looking for a motorcycle that was stolen out of an Indiana County apartment complex parking lot on Thursday.

According to officials, the motorcycle was reported stolen between 7:20 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. from Westgate Terrace Apartments in White Township.

The motorcycle is a blue 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250R.

The person who owns the motorcycle is a 21-year-old man from Indiana, Pennsylvania, police said.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Trooper James Hanley at 724-357-1960.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

TRENDING NOW:

SKYLIGHTS 2022: Week 4 high school football final scores High school football player dies after on-field head injury Juvenile injured after police pursuit ends in Pittsburgh neighborhood, 1 person arrested Woman killed in wrong-way Westmoreland crash DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
 Flash

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, making a keynote speech on Thursday at the headquarters of Asia Society, expounded on the right way for China and the United States to develop relations in the new era.

Following his speech, Wang also answered questions at the headquarters regarding the role of the head-of-state diplomacy in stabilizing China-U.S. relations, as well as on the status quo of the Taiwan question.

Wang said in his speech that the implications of the China-U.S. relations have gone far beyond the bilateral level to have global influence. It is the common expectation of the international community that China and the United States play a leading role in international affairs, shoulder the responsibility undertaken by major countries, stabilize the bilateral ties and promote global cooperation.

The heads of state of the two countries shared the view that efforts should be made only to improve rather than sabotage the bilateral relations, that China and the United States should not engage in conflicts or confrontation, and that the two sides should enhance communication and cooperation, Wang said.

He said that the United States repeatedly provokes China when it comes to issues related to China's core interests as well as its development rights and interests, all the while proposing that stability of the bilateral relations be maintained, that conflicts and confrontation between them be avoided.

Such acts are contradictory both logically and practically, he said.

The root cause for this inconsistency is the misperception of the United States about China, the world and itself, Wang said, adding that be it inciting "all-out confrontation" with China or agitating "strategic competition" with China, they all deviate from the right track of China-U.S. relations.

As for the right way for the two countries to get along with each other, Chinese President Xi Jinping has already presented a clear answer, that is Beijing and Washington should respect each other, coexist peacefully and forge win-win cooperation, he noted.

Without respect, there is no trust, and without trust, there is no way to avoid conflicts or to carry out real cooperation, Wang said, calling it important experience gained from China-U.S. exchanges and a basic prerequisite for China-U.S. relations to return to the right track.

China will not become another United States, Wang said, adding neither is the United States able to change China based on its own likes and dislikes.

Since neither China nor the United States can knock the other over, they should respect each other's choices, he said.

China is glad to see an open, confident, developing and progressive United States, and so should the United States respect the development path chosen by the Chinese people, which is socialism with Chinese characteristics, Wang said.

This path has brought the Chinese people real human rights and democracy, Wang said.

China will unswervingly follow the path and the direction it has chosen independently, and will march forward more steadily and make greater progress, he said.

On peaceful coexistence, Wang said whether China and the United States are partners or adversaries, and whether they should cooperate or confront with each other -- these are fundamental issues in China-U.S. relations on which disruptive mistakes must not be made.

Wang made it clear that China chooses peace, sticks to peaceful development, and regards peaceful coexistence as its most essential expectation for China-U.S. relations.

In order to realize peaceful coexistence, China and the United States should abide by the rules agreed by both sides, which, on a bilateral level, are the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques and the important consensuses reached between the two leaders, rather than domestic laws imposed upon one another, and which, on a global level, are the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Wang said.

On win-win cooperation, Wang said that no cooperation can be based on a "You-lose-I-win" scenario, and that win-win cooperation is not only possible, but also a must, which is the reality the two sides experienced over the past half-century, and also the common goal they should continue to strive for.

China does not deny that there are competitions between the two countries in such areas as economy and trade, and neither is China afraid of such competitions, Wang said.

What China does not agree, though, is to simply define China-U.S. relations as those of competitions, because by no means does such a definition represent the totality and mainstream of China-U.S. relations, Wang said, adding that in the meantime, competitions should have boundaries, and more importantly, be fair.

The two countries should have healthy competitions where they chase each other down, rather than unhealthy competitions where they fight each other to the death, he said.

Wang said the Chinese side is willing to forge more beneficial cooperation with the United States under the premise of equality and respect.

Win-win cooperation is inseparable from the necessary conditions and atmosphere, he said, noting that the U.S. side cannot be on the one hand harming China's core interests and on the other requiring China for unconditional cooperation.

In the Q-and-A session after the keynote speech, Wang stressed that the head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic leading role in China-U.S. relations.

U.S. President Joe Biden has made the commitments that the United States does not seek a new Cold War with China; it does not aim to change China's system; the revitalization of its alliance is not targeted at China; the United States does not support "Taiwan independence" and it has no intention to seek a conflict with China, which, apparently, have not been honored by Biden's governing team in either its detailed policies or its actions toward China, Wang said.

In his speech, Wang also elaborated on the Taiwan question, which he said is the core of China's core interests.

The one-China principle is the foundation of the political foundation for China-U.S. relations, and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques are the most important "guardrails" of China-U.S. relations, Wang stressed.

The Taiwan question has been posing ever bigger risks in China-U.S. relations, and it would very likely cause disruptive impacts on bilateral relations if handled improperly, he said.

From the Shanghai Communique in 1972, to the China-U.S. Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations in 1978, and to the August 17 Communique in 1982, the United States has put a clear commitment down in black and white that there is but one China in the world, that Taiwan is part of China, and that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China, Wang said.

Successive U.S. governments have all made it clear to abide by the one-China policy, and many U.S. presidents have stated their positions against "Taiwan independence," all of which have been put on record, he noted.

The Taiwan question arose as a result of weakness and chaos in the Chinese nation, and will surely be resolved as China realizes national rejuvenation, Wang said, adding that this meets the trend of history and reflects the aspiration of the people.

The United States should stand on the right side of history, he stressed.

The Chinese foreign minister said in the Q-and-A session after his speech that China has been clear in its policy on the Taiwan question, that is, it will strive for peaceful reunification with all-out efforts and utmost sincerity.

This policy has maintained continuity and stability, he added.


(Reuters) -Pfizer Inc Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said on Saturday he had tested positive for COVID-19.

"Im feeling well and symptom free," Bourla said in a statement.

Bourla, 60, back in August had contacted COVID and had started a course of the company's oral COVID-19 antiviral treatment, Paxlovid.

Paxlovid is an antiviral medication that is used to treat high-risk people, such as older patients.

Bourla has received four doses of the COVID vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.

The chief executive said he has not yet taken the new bivalent booster.

Developed by Moderna and the team of Pfizer and BioNTech, the new so-called bivalent shots aim to tackle the BA.5 and BA.4 Omicron subvariants, which make up 84.8% and 1.8%, respectively, of all circulating variants in the United States, based on latest data.

"Ive not had the new bivalent booster yet, as I was following CDC guidelines to wait three months since my previous COVID case which was back in mid-August," Bourla added.

In August, the FDA authorized Pfizer and Moderna's updated booster shots that target the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants.

A federal health agency said this week that over 25 million doses of the so-called bivalent shots had been sent out. That consisted of mostly the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, as production of the Moderna vaccine ramps up.

(Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office is investigating a reported shooting on the 1900 block of Kings Rd.

JSO reports that a man in his early 30s was shot with non-life threatening injuries in a Burger King Parking lot and was transported to a local Hospital.

JSO states that a possible ongoing dispute between the suspect and victim may have played a role in the shooting.

A suspect has been reportedly been taken into custody and the weapon was recovered at the scene.

JSO reports the shooting as an isolated incident.





[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
The Port Wentworth Police Department with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies, have captured all four suspects in the murder of Dion Farmer, 24, who was killed during the early hours of Aug. 13. The murder occurred in the parking lot of the Rice Creek subdivisions clubhouse on Miller Park Circle.

Port Wentworth Police arrested Desimond Butler, 19, on Aug. 13. Five days later, police arrested Michael Stevens, 18, with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service.

Keroney King, 18, turned himself in to police on Sept. 10.

Other news: Georgia law enforcement agencies fail to report crime data to FBI

More: Family of Diontae Robertson, missing since August, asks community for tips on his whereabouts

On Sept. 22, Port Wentworth Police, U.S. Marshals, Midway Police, and Liberty County Sheriff's officers arrested the final suspect, Jahaune Butler, 17.

All four suspects now are in custody at the Chatham County Detention Center.

This is a developing story.

Drew Favakeh is the public safety reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Port Wentworth Police, U.S. Marshals arrest suspects in Aug. 13 killing
Sir Elton John was moved to tears as President Joe Biden surprised the enduring music icon with a National Humanities Medal.

John, at the White House on Friday to perform at A+E and Historys A Night When Hope and History Rhyme, looked visibly shocked and humbled as the president addressed the thousands in the audience. Tonight is my great honor, and I mean this sincerely, to present the National Humanities Medal to Sir Elton John, Biden said.

More from Variety

A White House officer elaborated on Johns contributions, saying, The President of the United States awards this National Humanities Medal to Sir Elton John for moving our souls with his powerful voice, one of the defining songbooks of all time. An enduring icon and advocate with absolute courage, who found purpose to challenge convention, shatter stigma and advance a simple truth: that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Elton John fights back tears at the White House.

It was a bipartisan night on the South Lawn of the White House, which was packed with teachers, first responders, and veterans, as well as Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, former First Lady Laura Bush and her daughter Jenna Bush Hager, Anna Kendrick, activist Malala Yousafzai and tennis legend Billie Jean King. Paul Buccieri, president and chairman of A+E Networks Group, opened the evening by welcoming the guests to the White House.

Over the course of the brisk evening, John received a total of seven standing ovations as he delighted the crowd with some of his biggest hits, including Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man, Your Song and Im Still Standing.

John spoke throughout the night about the advocacy and work hes done since creating the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1991, adding that he wants to eradicate the disease by 2030. We can do it, and we will, he said defiantly.

Story continues

Joe Biden surprises a teary Elton John by awarding him with the National Humanities Medal. pic.twitter.com/oh7rITBWZr  Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) September 24, 2022

He also thanked George W. Bush, who was not in attendance, for his astonishing work to expedite the fight against HIV and AIDS. He addressed the former presidents wife, saying, President Bush accelerated the whole thing with his PEPFAR bill. We would have never gotten as far without President Bush  please tell him for me, give him a big hug. I just wish America could be more bipartisan on everything.

The AIDS epidemic, he mentioned earlier in the night, has always been bipartisan in America. I cant tell you how many times Ive rang [United States Senator] Lindsey Graham. And to his credit, hes always come through.

Past recipients of the National Humanities Medal, a recognition thats given to people whose work as deepens the nations understanding of the humanities, broadened our citizens engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans access to important resources in the humanities, include National Public Radio host Terry Gross, chef Jose Andres and Elie Wiesel.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the "crisis" in Ukraine, its foreign minister Wang Yi told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday, adding that the pressing priority was to facilitate peace talks.

"The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture," Wang said in his address.

"We call on all parties concerned to keep the crisis from spilling over and protect the legitimate rights and the interests of developing countries."

Russia's strategic partner China has been firmly on the fence, criticizing Western sanctions against Russia but stopping short of endorsing or assisting in the military campaign.

In a surprise acknowledgement, Russian President Vladimir Putin last week said China's leader Xi Jinping had concerns about Ukraine.

Wang also said Beijing would continue to work for "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, and that it should combat "independence separatist activities" while taking forceful steps to oppose any external interference.

"Only by resolutely forestalling separatist activities can we forge a true foundation for peaceful reunification. Only when China is completely reunified, can there be enduring peace across the Taiwan Strait," he said.

Wang met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken for 90 minutes in New York on Friday. After the meeting, China accused the United States of sending "very wrong, dangerous signals" on Taiwan after Blinken told Wang that the maintenance of peace and stability of Taiwan was vitally important.

Tensions over Taiwan have soared after a visit there in August by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi - which was followed by large-scale Chinese military drills - as well as a pledge by U.S. President Joe Biden to defend the democratically governed island.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols, Daphne Psaledakis and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Bill Berkrot)
Prince William "simply cant forgive" Prince Harry for the way things have unfolded for the royal family following his exit.

The claim was made by Vanity Fairs royal correspondent and author Katie Nicholl in her new bombshell book titled "The New Royals: Queen Elizabeths Legacy and the Future of the Crown." While the book is expected to drop on Oct. 4, Vanity Fair published an excerpt on Wednesday.

Nicholl, who appeared on "Dan Wootton Tonight" Thursday, claimed that the rift between the brothers has deepened over the years.

According to Katie Nicholl, the relationship between Prince William (left) and Prince Harry remains strained. Photo by Daniel Leavl-Olivas-Pool Getty Images

"William simply cant forgive [Harry], not just for his behavior and what hes done and how hes done it, but look at how much now rests on William," Nicholl explained. "He always thought Harry would be his wingman. Now hes doing it on his own. Thank goodness hes got Kate by his side."

QUEEN ELIZABETH 'EXHAUSTED,' 'HURT' FROM PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE'S DECISION TO STEP DOWN AS SENIOR ROYALS

In her book, Nicholl pointed out that "there were raised eyebrows at the palace" after Harry spoke of his meeting with Queen Elizabeth II on the "Today" show. During his appearance in April of this year, the 38-year-old said he wanted to ensure that his grandmother was "protected" and had "the right people around her."

"It wasnt clear whether Harry was referring to his father and William or the aides who were closest to the queen  such as her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, her personal adviser and in-house dress designer, Angela Kelly, and trusted courtier Paul Whybrew," Nicholl wrote. "It seemed Harrys drive to win back some of the trust that had been shattered post-Oprah was dashed. There was also still the matter of what Harry plans to disclose in his forthcoming memoir."

Prince William, Prince of Wales (left) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is carried in the state hearse as it proceeds towards St. George's Chapel on September 19, 2022, in Windsor, England. Getty Images

"For Charles and William, the situation with the Sussexes hasnt just been hurtful and upsetting on a personal level," she claimed. "There have been real repercussions, particularly for William, whose young family has been thrust into the spotlight prematurely. He always expected Harry would be his wingman; there was a long-term plan in place for the brothers to work together and support one another."

Story continues

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020 over what they described as the British medias intrusions and racist attitudes towards the former "Suits" star, 41. The couples decision was dubbed "Megxit" by the press.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"After Harry announced their departure, William summoned aides to address the future, in what has been referred to by some in Williams circle as the Anmer Summit," Nicholl claimed. "But William and Kate [Middleton] also felt a sense of relief that the drama was gone when Harry and Meghan left, as a source told me. To this day, William still cannot forgive his brother."

In the wake of quitting royal duties, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave an explosive TV interview to Oprah Winfrey, in which the couple described painful comments about how dark their sons skin might be, before his birth. The duchess also talked about the intense isolation she felt inside the royal family that led her to contemplate suicide. When Winfrey asked the duchess about tabloids insisting she made Middleton cry, Markle alleged it was William's wife who made her shed tears before marrying Harry.

"A lot of horrible things were said during the Oprah interview but what crushed Prince William was the fact that Harry would allow any criticism of his wife, the Princess of Wales, on international television," Kinsey Schofield, royal expert and host of the "To Di For Daily" podcast, claimed to Fox News Digital.

Catherine, Princess of Wales in the Ceremonial Procession, after the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022, in London, England. Photo by Mike Egerton - WPA Pool/Getty Images

"That exchange about 'crying' has created the worst animosity between the brothers because Harry knows how much bullying and harassment Catherine endured for nearly 10 years before she got married," she alleged. "Meghan is oblivious because she is so completely self-consumed. I think Meghan knows that she looked petty dragging Catherine during the Oprah interview and probably recognizes that she is no longer worthy of her friendship. Meghan betrayed their trust over something so insignificant."

"Meghan has no reason to fear Catherine because Catherine has a kind heart, but the Princess of Wales isn't going to give Meghan the time of day now," she claimed. "Meghan showed Catherine exactly who she is during that Oprah interview."

In August of this year, Markle told The Cut that "just by existing," she and Harry were "upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy."

According to sources, Meghan Markle's recent interview with The Cut has raised some eyebrows within the palace. Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage

"Its interesting, Ive never had to sign anything that restricts me from talking," said Markle, adding that she's "still healing."

CAMILLA THOUGHT PRINCE HARRYS IDEA OF BRINGING IN A MEDIATOR TO HEAL RIFT WAS RIDICULOUS, AUTHOR CLAIMS

"I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive," said the 41-year-old. "But it takes a lot of effort to forgive. Ive really made an active effort, especially knowing that I can say anything. I have a lot to say until I dont. Do you like that? Sometimes, as they say, the silent part is still part of the song."

Royal expert Shannon Felton Spence told Fox News Digital that "discontentment with the institution was brewing in Harry before he met Meghan."

From left: Prince William, then the Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, then the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry during 'The Patrons Lunch' celebrations for The Queen's 90th birthday at The Mall on June 12, 2016, in London, England. Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

"The dynamic of being the third wheel to William and Catherine was cute for the public, but must have been difficult for Harry," she explained. "Its very challenging to carve out your own identity within the institution, especially further down the line of succession, because the whole job is to promote the sovereign and fall behind the heir."

"What I find interesting about Katies point is the parallel between William needing a wingman and now being all alone, and what happened to the queen, who never expected to be queen, and it changed and challenged her relation with her sister, Margaret," Felton Spence explained.

QUEEN ELIZABETHS SISTER PRINCESS MARGARET STRUGGLED AS A 'SPARE,' PRINCESS DIANAS BIOGRAPHER CLAIMS

"They were the closest of sisters," she said when referring to Queen Elizabeth II and her younger sister, Princess Margaret. "But as the queen became sovereign and stepped into that giant role, it all becomes about the job. It really challenged her relationship with her sister throughout the rest of their lives. Margaret really struggled to find her place within the institution and behind her sister."

The Queen Mother with Queen Elizabeth II (right) and Princess Margaret at Badminton. Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

The queen passed away on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was 96. The Sussexes were on a planned trip to Europe for a series of charity events when the monarch died. The couple stayed in the U.K. through Monday for Elizabeths state funeral before her private burial. They participated in several outings honoring the late monarch, leading up to the funeral proceedings. At one point, William, 40, invited his brother and sister-in-law to join him and his wife, 40, to greet well-wishers.

In his first televised address to the nation as king, Charles said: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas," which sparked hope of a reconciliation.

On Wednesday, it was reported that the Sussexes had returned to California, where they reside with their two children.

KING CHARLES WONT GIVE OLIVE BRANCH TO MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY TO JOIN WORKING ROYALS, EXPERT CLAIMS

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to be back in California with their two children. Photo by Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson didnt immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment concerning Nicholl's book. However, a spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that the palace doesnt generally comment "on such books."

In 2019, Nicholl participated in the TLC documentary "Kate v. Meghan: Princesses at War?" which aimed to examine whether there is any truth to the speculation of unrest following Markle becoming part of the British royal family.

In the special, Nicholl claimed that William was increasingly worried about his brother and his whirlwind romance with Markle following their engagement in late 2018.

From left: Prince William, then Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, then Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 on March 9, 2020, in London, England. That year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they were stepping back as senior royals. Photo by Phil Harris - WPA Pool/Getty Images

"William was quite concerned that the relationship had moved so quickly," Nicholl claimed at the time. "And being close to Harry, you know, probably the only person close enough to say to Harry, This seems to be moving quickly. Are you sure? And I think what was meant as well-intended brotherly advice just riled Harry."

ROYAL SNUB? THE REAL REASON PRINCE HARRY'S UNIFORM WAS MISSING THE SYMBOL HONORING THE QUEEN

"Harry is hugely protective of Meghan," continued Nicholl. "He saw that as criticism, he interpreted that as his brother not really being behind this marriage, this union. And I dont think things have been quite right ever since."
Suella Braverman - Aaron Chown/PA

The Home Secretary has told police chiefs that the public expect officers to visit the scene of every burglary in a drive to get back to basics.

In her first major statement since taking up the post, Suella Braverman said police needed to stop wasting time on symbolic gestures and initiatives on diversity and instead focus on common sense policing.

In a letter to all 43 chief constables and police commissioners in England and Wales, she said she had been dismayed by the perceived deterioration of public confidence in police in the past few years following too many high-profile incidents, such as the murder of Sarah Everard, that had shattered public trust in communities across the UK.

She said there not only had to be a change in culture and standards but also a drive to bring down neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour.

Ms Braverman made it clear that this meant a big improvement in the charging rates not only for rape and sexual offences but also for neighbourhood crimes such as burglary.

Fewer than seven percent of domestic burglaries end in the offender being charged, while for theft it is four per cent and only one per cent for car theft.

It is absolutely vital that trust is restored, and to address this we must have visible and responsive policing, she wrote. It must deliver the publics priorities, and it must treat victims with the respect they deserve.

The public have a right to expect that the police get the basics right: driving down anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime, which can so easily rip through our communities. To put it simply, the public want to know that an officer will visit them after a crime such as burglary.

They want to feel safe in their cities, towns and villages. This is not just about doing your day job well  it is also about victims needing to feel supported and not ignored.

Unfortunately, there is a perception that the police have had to spend too much time on symbolic gestures, than actually fighting criminals. This must change. Initiatives on diversity and inclusion should not take precedence over common sense policing.

Story continues

Ms Braverman, a former attorney general who took over from Priti Patel as Home Secretary, reaffirmed Liz Trusss demand for police to cut homicide, serious violence and neighbourhood crime by 20 per cent.

While overall crime had fallen over the last decade, she said there needed to be a renewed focus on tackling neighbourhood crime and antisocial behaviour. Drugs, vehicle theft, vandalism and graffiti are not being treated seriously enough, she added.

Ms Braverman said she was deeply concerned by the failure to convert more offences under investigation into charges and subsequent prosecutions.

I want to investigate how we can improve charge rates which have dropped for many crimes, but none more so than for rape and sexual offences against women and children, she said.

Charging rates for crimes such as burglary and theft have halved in six years. This summer, The Telegraph revealed that police have failed to solve a single burglary in neighbourhoods covering nearly half the country over the past three years.

Charges rates for rape are even lower, having fallen to just one in 70 offences being solved. Ms Braverman urged more forces to take up Operation Soteria, under which officers focus on investigating rape suspects patterns of behaviour rather than testing the victims credibility. We need more police referrals and more CPS charges, she said.
Reuters

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian troops said on Saturday they had taken the key bastion of Lyman in occupied eastern Ukraine, a stinging defeat that prompted a close ally of President Vladimir Putin to call for the possible use of low-grade nuclear weapons. The capture came just a day after Putin proclaimed the annexation of four Ukrainian regions - including Donetsk, where Lyman is located - and placed them under Russia's nuclear umbrella, at a ceremony that was condemned by Kyiv and the West as an illegitimate farce.
 Flash

At the invitation of the Japanese side, Wan Gang, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, will attend the funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as the representative of the Chinese government, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

Noting China and Japan both are neighbors and important countries in the region, Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson, said to maintain and develop friendly and cooperative relations between China and Japan serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples.

Wang said as a responsible major country, China has made contributions to regional and world peace, stability and prosperity, which is witnessed by all.

"We hope that Japan will abide by the principles set out in the four China-Japan political documents, work with China in the same direction and jointly build a China-Japan relationship that meets the needs of the new era," Wang added.
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 17:01

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law amending the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to specify harsher penalties for desertion, looting and surrender.

Source: Interfax news agency, with a link to the official legal information portal of the Russian Federation

Details: In particular, the law introduces the concepts of "mobilisation", "martial law" and "wartime" to the Criminal Code.

Several new articles are also being introduced to the Criminal Code.

One of the new ones is Article 352.1 ("Voluntary surrender"). A Russian soldier can face 3-10 years in prison for this, if there are no indications of treason.

It is noted that "a serviceman who has committed a crime under this article for the first time may be exempted from criminal liability if he took measures to secure his release, returned to his unit or place of service, and committed no other crimes during his captivity."

The "Looting" article (Art. 356 part 1) has been amended to provide for a term of imprisonment of up to 15 years. At the same time, the law proposes to consider the commission of this crime "during a period of mobilisation, martial law or wartime" as aggravating circumstances (Article 63).

The penalty for unauthorised leave during a period of mobilisation and martial law (Article 337 of the Criminal Code) is more severe than in peacetime. An absence of 2-10 days is punishable by up to five years in prison (previously it was one year); for an absence of between ten days and one month, a serviceman may face up to seven years in prison (previously up to three years). A serviceman who is absent for more than a month could face a sentence of between five and ten years in a prison camp (previously up to five years).

The law notes that "a serviceman who has committed acts specified in parts 1, 2, 3 or 4 of this Article for the first time may be exempted from criminal liability if such unauthorised absence from his unit or place of service, or failure to report for duty without valid reasons, were the consequence of a combination of exceptional circumstances."

Story continues

It is established that the failure of subordinates to comply with a superiors order issued in the established procedure during martial law, in wartime, or in conditions of armed conflict or combat operations, and the refusal to participate in military or combat operations, are punishable with two to three years imprisonment (part 2.1 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code).

If such acts resulted in serious consequences, the penalty will be between three and ten years imprisonment.

In addition, the law provides that reservists will be subject to criminal prosecution for unauthorised leave from their unit or place of service, as well as for failure to report for duty on time without valid reasons during the period of their military training.

The law specifies that if such an act occurred during a period of mobilisation and martial law, and it lasted from two to ten days, there is a penalty of up to five years in prison (up to one year if there is no martial law). If the reservist was absent for a period of between ten days and one month, the penalty is up to seven years imprisonment (up to three years if there is no martial law or mobilisation). For an absence longer than a month, the prison term will be 5-10 years in a prison camp (or five years if there is no martial law or mobilisation at the time).

The law also introduces several articles on failure to fulfil the state defence order and violation of the terms of a state contract.

The signed amendments take effect starting from the date of their official publication.

Background: On 20 September, the Russian State Duma introduced the concepts of mobilisation and wartime into the Criminal Code; it also approved amendments on liability for desertion during mobilisation or wartime.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda!
A Washington, D.C., jury convicted high-profile U.S. Capitol riot defendant on all seven federal counts Friday, after four hours of deliberation.

Doug Jensen, a QAnon conspiracy theorist from Iowa, was accused of being among the first to breach the U.S. Capitol and was at the front of the mob that chased U.S. Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman up the stairs of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

FILE - Trump supporters, including Doug Jensen, center, confront U.S. Capitol Police in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. / Credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP

Goodman testified in the trial that he felt boxed in and engulfed by the mob led by Jensen. Prosecutors showed video from that day in which Goodman was seen leading the mob away from the Senate floor, where senators were sheltering at the time. He said that he ran across Sen. Mitt Romney in the hall and urged him to return to the floor, where he would be safer.

He also testified that he had suffered a blow to the head from an item thrown from within the mob. He recalled being overcome by bear spray at one point and retreating to the Capitol Rotunda to wash his eyes. While in the Rotunda, Goodman vomited into a bucket before running back outside to the confront the rioters, according to his testimony.

Goodman told the court that he responded to an urgent radio call when the doors of the Capitol were breached  he ran toward his post outside the Senate chamber, and then was credited with luring the mob away from U.S. senators, some of whom were still on the floor as their evacuation was underway.

Justice Department prosecutors argued Jensen "was there  so he could get Mike Pence." They noted that Jensen was seen "outside the door where the vice president was supposed to be," and added, "that doesn't happen by accident."

Jensen gained unique notoriety because of the footage and the distinctive black QAnon shirt he wore that day. He didn't testify in his own defense.

He has been held in pretrial detention and will remain in jail pending sentencing. Jensen had already violated pretrial release restrictions on cellphone use by watching a cellphone video feed of MyPillow CEO and Trump ally Mike Lindell.

Story continues

Jensen's attorney described him in closing arguments as a "terribly confused man on Jan. 6 who believed in QAnon and whose mindset was impacted by the pandemic."

He argued that Jensen should not be lumped together with the other more violent defendants at the Capitol that day because he didn't actually harm anyone: "This man never raised a hand. He never got physical. He never threatened anyone."

The defense also argued that the reason Jensen was at the Capitol was that he wanted the officers there to arrest the vice president and that Jensen truly believed that it needed to happen. Jensen, was carrying a knife in his pocket at the Capitol, but his attorney claimed he had it not because he intended to use it, but because he's a blue-collar worker.

The government, however, pointed out that Jensen had made multiple comments to officers he encountered that suggested his intentions were more violent than depicted by the defense. He had told USCP Inspector Lloyd to "surrender the building" and asked another officer at one point, "can't we just storm in there?"

Prosecutors said that Jensen didn't just happen to be at the front of the mob chasing Goodman. They said he weaponized the mob, that he had gone to great lengths to get into Capitol building, scaling a wall and jumping through a window he had watched others shatter.

Jensen will face sentencing on Dec. 16 and will remain in pretrial detention until then.

Former Pence aide Marc Short calls Trump's assertions on declassifying documents "absurd"

Global markets fall sharply over fears of a weakening economy

Impact of latest interest rate hike on U.S. economy and Americans
Sen. Raphael Warnock arrives for a rally in Conyers, Ga., on August 18, 2022. AP Photo/Jeff Amy

Warnock has a 47%-42% lead over Walker in the Georgia Senate race, per a new Marist Poll.

In the poll, Warnock was backed by 94% of Democrats, while Walker earned 83% support among the GOP.

The two candidates are set to meet for their first televised debate in Savannah on Oct. 14.

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia holds a five-point lead over Republican challenger Herschel Walker in the state's high-stakes Senate race, according to a new Marist Poll.

The survey showed Warnock with 47% support among registered voters in the Peach State, while Walker garnered 42% support and Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver sat at 4%; seven percent of respondents were undecided.

In the poll, a near-unanimous 94% of Democrats backed Warnock, while the senator peeled off 10% of Republicans and held a nine-point lead over Walker among independents (45%-36%).

Warnock performed strongly in the Atlanta metropolitan area; in the Atlanta suburbs, he edged out Walker by three-percentage points (47%-44%).

The senator  a Savannah native  earned 39% support in the state's GOP-heavy coastal and southeast regions, compared to Walker's 46% support.

Walker  a former University of Georgia football standout and first-time candidate  received the support of 83% of Republicans in the survey.

The ex-NFL player boasted a robust level of support in North Georgia, besting Warnock by 21 percentage points (54%-33%) in the deeply conservative area.

In Georgia, a longtime Republican bastion that in recent years has seen major Democratic gains at the statewide level  underlined by President Joe Biden's 2020 win and the 2021 runoff election victories of Warnock and Sen. Jon Ossoff  a rural-urban divide is apparent.

Georgia Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker, center, talks with state Sen. Butch Miller, left, and former state Rep. Terry Rogers in Alto, Ga., on July 21, 2022. AP Photo/Bill Barrow, File

Warnock held a massive 76%-19% lead among survey respondents residing in big cities and a 54%-38% advantage with suburban respondents, while Walker fared best with voters in small towns (55%-33%) and rural Georgia (61%-21%).

Democrats currently control the 50-50 Senate by the slimmest of margins  by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris' tiebreaking vote  and the Georgia contest has been seen as a marquee race that could determine which party leads the upper chamber in 2023.

Story continues

Warnock is seeking a full six-year term after winning the runoff election to fill the remaining term of Johnny Isakson, the veteran Republican lawmaker who retired from the Senate in December 2019 and passed away in December 2021.

Walker has near-universal name recognition in Georgia, due in large part to his long football career, which has given him natural inroads with conservative-leaning Bulldogs fans.

While Warnock has sought to highlight his push to cap insulin at $35 for patients on Medicare and his plan to reduce prescription drug costs for Americans  both of which were included in the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by Biden last month  Walker has tried to paint the senator as too closely tied to the commander-in-chief.

The Marist poll showed Biden with a 39% job approval rating in Georgia, with 55% disapproving of the president's performance.

(A recent CBS News/YouGov poll showed Warnock with a narrower 51%-49% edge over Walker.)

Warnock and Walker are set to meet for their first televised debate in Savannah on Oct. 14.

Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia. AP Photo/Megan Varner, File

Abrams vs. Kemp

In the state's other high-profile race, incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp holds a six-point lead (50%-44%) over Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams among registered voters in a rematch of their 2018 contest.

While Abrams earned 93% support among Democrats, she trailed Kemp with independents  securing 41% of their vote compared to 47% for the governor.

Kemp earned the support of 90% of Republicans and boasted an 18-point lead (58%-40%) among white college-educated voters, a demographic that has moved toward the Democratic Party in recent years.

The survey also showed Kemp winning the support of 14% of Black respondents, while Abrams  a former state House minority leader  was backed by 78% of Black Georgians who were polled.

Several recent reports have highlighted Abrams' need to boost her support among Black voters  notably Black men  as she seeks to become the first Black woman elected to a governorship in United States history.

Marist polled 1,202 registered voters from September 12 through September 15; the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Some Republican senators are privately expressing misgivings over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss (R) provocative decision to ship migrants from Texas to liberal enclaves such as Marthas Vineyard.

GOP lawmakers acknowledge sending planeloads of migrants to Marthas Vineyard, where former President Obama recently bought a house, plays well on Fox News and will likely ingratiate the Florida governor with Republican primary voters if he runs for president in 2024.

But the idea of shipping migrants thousands of miles across the country to Marthas Vineyard  an island off of Massachusetts with only 17,000 year-round resident and hardly enough housing even for seasonal summer workers  without any advance notice to local authorities, to make a political point, leaves some GOP lawmakers feeling uncomfortable.

One Senate Republican critic who requested anonymity to comment candidly on DeSantiss Marthas Vineyard gambit said it shows how much politics has changed since then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R) made his brand compassionate conservativism before the 2000 election.

It plays well to the base, but I just think of the humanity of it, said the GOP senator. It fires up a certain set of voters, but it turns another set of voters off.

The immediate media focus is on the shipping of people, added the senator, referring to the critical media coverage of DeSantis and other Republican governors such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbot and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who have sent migrants to Chicago and Washington, D.C.

A Reuters-Ipsos poll published Friday showed that only a third of Americans think its appropriate for Republican governors to fly or bus migrants to other states. Half of the Republicans polled and only 1 in 6 Democrats said it was OK.

Twenty-nine percent of Republicans and 55 percent of Democrats say they opposed the practice, according to the survey of 1,005 adults.

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), a leading voice in Congress on immigration issues, said DeSantiss aggressive tack would wind up turning off middle-of-the-road voters.

Story continues

He said laws may have been broken and that he would monitor how Republican governors are treating the migrants.

More information is coming out. In fact, a lawsuit has been filed against him for alleged misrepresentations to these people. Im just going to stay tuned and let the facts develop before making any legal conclusion, he said.

This is exploitation at its worse, he added. The MAGA Republicans will glory in this kind of outrageous conduct but normal, sensible, independent [people] Im sure will see through it.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), another leader on immigration issues, said there may be cause for Congress to investigate whether DeSantis improperly used federal COVID-19 relief money to fly migrants around the country.

A second Republican senator called DeSantiss decision to ship migrants from Texas a little strange because they were outside his states jurisdiction.

The senator added that Abbott, the Texas governor, who is also seen as a potential presidential candidate, has been more cautious, because hes only sent migrants from his own state and hasnt sent them any of them to Marthas Vineyard, a destination that seemed designed to provoke liberals.

The discomfort felt by some Senate Republicans was voiced publicly by former Trump White House senior advisor Jared Kushner, the former presidents son-in-law, who said it was very troubling to see DeSantis use 48 Venezuelan migrants as political pawns.

I personally watch whats happening and its very hard to see at the southern border. I also  we have to remember these are human beings, theyre people, Kushner told Fox News. So seeing them being used as political pawns one way or the other is very troubling to me.

The growing controversy over whether its appropriate to ship migrants to Marthas Vineyard or to Vice President Harriss official residence in Northwest Washington, D.C.,  as Abbott recently did  is creating some tensions in the Senate Republican Conference.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) praised the gambit last week as a good idea.

The GOP leader seemed pleased that the intense media focus on DeSantis had shifted some public attention to the huge influx of migrants at the southern border, an issue on which Republicans want to focus on ahead of the election, and away from the abortion debate, which has energized Democratic voters.

But other Republicans are stopping short of praising DeSantis, Abbott or Ducey in the same way.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she understands the frustration felt by border-state governors but that shes proposing to pass legislation to allow migrants seeking asylum to work legally in the United States while their cases make their way through the courts, instead of sending them to states around the country with no clear way of supporting themselves.

I understand the frustration of border state governors because the border is completely out of control. We have 2 million unauthorized crossings in a years time. The administration really needs to take control of this issue and figure out how we can appropriately care for those who are crossing because they are fearing in their own country, she said.

She said allowing migrants seeking asylum to work while the legal process plays out would ease the burden on nonprofit groups and communities that are now caring for them. It takes nearly five years, on average, for an asylum case to clear the legal backlog.

A third Senate Republican who requested anonymity to discuss how DeSantiss entry into the Texas border fray might play out politically and legally predicted the Florida governor would wind up with big legal bills.

Obviously to be in politics today you have to have enough campaign money to pay for lawsuits and lawyers, the senator noted.

Alianza Americas, a Chicago-based advocacy group representing migrants, this past week filed a lawsuit against DeSantis accusing him of organizing a premeditated, fraudulent and illegal scheme to advance his own political interests. The group is seeking to elevate the suit to class-action status.

DeSantis is also facing a criminal investigation by the sheriff of Bexar County, the home of San Antonio, who says the Florida governors allies lured Venezuelan migrants onto the plane to Marthas Vineyard under false pretenses.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who is eyeing a potential run for president in 2024, defended DeSantis by accusing Sheriff Javier Salazar, a Democrat who was elected to his office in 2016, of playing politics.

I think its silliness. Sheriffs are elected in Texas. Its not the first time someone is looking for a headline, but it is not remotely criminal at all for someone to offer a private jet, a flight to fly someone voluntarily to a billionaires paradise, he said, referring to Marthas Vineyard.

Other Senate Republicans are cheering on DeSantis and Abbott for putting Democrats on the political defensive.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said DeSantis doesnt face any political risk over his gambit on migrants, even though he is already facing a criminal investigation and a civil suit.

None, zero, he said of the chance the politics might backfire on the Florida governor. There are a bunch of liberals pushing back.

Its good for him. The publics with him. The public finds this, Everybody, come into the country, insane, he added. I said in December of 2020 that immigration would be a bigger issue in 2022 than it was in 2020. Why? Because these policies are insane. There is no deterrence to coming by the millions now, with no end in sight. What Ron and Abbott are doing is trying to make this real to the most liberal groups in the country.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
[INSERT 3]

Ryan Grantham, a 24-year-old Canadian actor who appeared in Riverdale and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, has been sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting his mother in 2020.

Grantham was initially charged with first-degree murder, but in March the actor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing his mother, Barbara Waite. In his sentencing on Wednesday, the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver imposed a mandatory term of life in prison for the offense, prosecutors said in a statement to BuzzFeed News.

[INSERT 1]

Grantham is not eligible to apply for parole until he has served 14 years behind bars. He is also banned for life from owning a firearm.

This is something that we anticipated, Talia Armstrong, one of the lawyers representing Grantham, told BuzzFeed News. We originally asked for 12 years, and the prosecutors asked for 17 to 18 years, so the judge fell at 14, which were very happy about.

In 2020, Grantham, who was 21 at the time, shot this mother in the back of her head while she played the piano. Shortly after the murder, Grantham filmed himself and the crime scene on a GoPro camera and, in the video, confessed to the killing.

The next day, he stocked up his car with guns and ammunition and began driving east with the intent of killing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, prosecutors said. But Grantham changed his mind and, instead of going after Trudeau, considered carrying out a mass shooting at his alma mater, Simon Fraser University.

Ultimately, though, Grantham decided to turn himself in to the police.

I cannot explain or justify my actions. I have no excuse, Grantham said in a statement to the court in June, the CBC reported. It hurts me to think how badly Ive wasted my life.

[INSERT 2]
Olena Shulyak, leader of the Servant of the People party

The bill has drawn criticism from a variety of anti-corruption observers, including the G7, as it removes the requirement for NABUs director to not cooperate with or be a member of an established political party.

Read also: G7 leaders to announce indefinite commitment to supporting Ukraine

G7 Ambassadors, as long-time observers of the fight against corruption, as concerned about Bill No. 7654, which we are watching closely: it creates legal risks and uncertainty around the procedure for choosing the leadership of key anti-corruption institutions, the G7 ambassadors said in a Tweet.

"The statement of the Group of Seven was already after the committee," responded the MP to a question as to why her support persisted seemingly despite G7 criticism.

There is a certain organization of the committee's work. Not all the committee members study this or that bill very thoroughly.

Shuliak stated that her main focus is urban development, and she was not part of the subcommittee that developed the draft, and is instead the deputy head of the Committee on the Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning.

Read also: Zelensky calls on G7 leaders to do whatever it takes to finish war by years end

I spoke openly at the committee itself that I did not have the opportunity to peruse with the novelties that this bill introduces, and I asked very direct questions to all those who spoke at the committee  representatives of the NAZK and NABU, she explained.

"I got the impression that not all the information could be openly conveyed to us to the fullest extent.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Russian military in occupied Crimea

Read also: Russian dictator Putin announces partial mobilization, threatens to use nukes

As much as 90% of mobilization notices in Russia-occupied Crimea have been issued to Crimean Tatars in what can be described as an act of genocide, Ukrainian NGO CrimeaSOS said in a message on its website on Sept. 23.

Preliminary reports suggest that Crimean Tatars received around 90% of all mobilization notices in Crimea, while constituting only 13-15% of the peninsulas population, said Yevhen Yaroshenko, an analyst at CrimeaSOS.

According to Yaroshenko, this kind of mobilization could lead to a hidden genocide of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people.

Read also: Russia bars men of draft age from leaving Ukraines Crimea

International law defines one of the forms of genocide as intentional efforts to establish conditions to completely or partially wipe out a particular ethnic group.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his Sept. 23 address that Ukraine has evidence of Russia seeking to mobilize Crimean Tatars to fight elsewhere in Ukraine.

This is a deliberate attempt by Russia to eradicate the Crimean Tatar people, a deliberate attempt by the aggressor to kill as many people on the territory Russia occupies, Zelenskyy said.

At the same time, the Kremlin is indiscriminately scouring the Republic of Buryatia, in the Russian Far East, for people to call up to fight in Ukraine.

Read also: Presidents Office comments on mass mobilization of Buryats and Sakha

According to the human rights watchdog organization Free Buryatia, seniors, handicapped people, and those recovering from medical procedures are being drafted regardless of their circumstances. Military commissars go door-to-door calling people up, sometimes at night.

This time Buryatia is remarkable because mobilization notices were being served at night, head of Free Buryatia, Alexandra Garmazhapova said in an interview with German newspaper DW on Sept. 23.

Read also: No further mobilization will be held in Chechnya, says regional warlord

Villages were thoroughly scoured (for people to call up). This is clearly not a partial, but a full mobilization I think this was one of the worst nights in Buryatia; nothing like this has ever happened before.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 20:38

Russia may announce the "accession" of the occupied areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts on 30 September.

Source: Russian propaganda agencies TASS and RIA Novosti, with reference to sources

Details: A source in the State Duma told TASS that the so-called procedure for the accession of the occupied territories to Russia may take place on 30 September.

Draft laws on the accession of the occupied territories to the Russian Federation may be submitted to the State Duma on the evening of 28 September, the source said. According to the source, the draft laws may be considered at an extraordinary meeting on 29 September.

RIA Novosti reports, citing a source in the Russian parliament, that Russian President Vladimir Putin may deliver an address to the Federal Assembly on 30 September.

"There will be a ceremonial event on 30 September," the source said, noting that it can be assumed from the level of the events organisation that the leader will be present at it. The source did not rule out that the president would deliver an address to the Federal Assembly on this day.

In addition, the source told RIA Novosti that the Federation Council [or Senate, the upper house of Russias parliament] may consider the agreement and the law on the so-called "accession of new [federal] subjects to Russia" on 29 September.

Background: Earlier, the Russian media outlet Verstka reported that Putin will address the Federal Assembly on 30 September by analogy with 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Crimea.

This means that members of parliament and senators are likely to assemble in the Kremlins St George Hall, where Putin will inform them of the results of the sham referendums held in the occupied territories. This will be followed by the signing of an "agreement" on the "accession" of those territories. Alternatively, Putin may go to the State Duma.

Journalists fight on their own frontline.

Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron.
Russia on Saturday toughened penalties for voluntary surrender and refusal to fight with up to 10 years imprisonment and replaced its top logistics general after a series of setbacks to its seven-month war in Ukraine.

The tough new amendments and personnel change come days after Russia instigated partial mobilisation with Kyiv taking back more and more territory in a counter-offensive.

It also comes as Kremlin-held regions of eastern and southern Ukraine voted for a second day on becoming part of Russia, dramatically raising the stakes.

Integrating the four regions into Russia would mean that Moscow would consider any military move there as an attack on its own territory.

Russia's invasion, launched on February 24, and Ukraine's recent gains have laid bare flaws, with some analysts seeing logistics as the weak link in Moscow's army.

"Army General Dmitry Bulgakov has been relieved of the post of deputy minister of defence" and will be replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, aged 60, the defence ministry said.

Russia's partial mobilisation announced on Wednesday will likely be one of his first big logistical challenges, with the hundreds of thousands of reservists being called up needing equipment and training before deployment.

Military-age men have sought to leave, with flights full and neighbouring countries receiving an influx of Russians, including Georgia where 2,300 private vehicles were waiting to enter at one crossing, regional Russian authorities said.

"We were talking to our friends and many are thinking about leaving," said Daria, 22, after fleeing Russia to Istanbul along with many of her compatriots.

"Not everyone wanted to leave in February. The (mobilisation) decision of September 21 forced many to think about it again."

More than 700 people were detained in protests on Saturday against the partial mobilisation, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info.

Now that President Vladimir Putin has signed the legislation, servicemen who desert, surrender "without authorisation", refuse to fight or disobey orders can face up to 10 years imprisonment.

Story continues

- 'Sham' -

Looting will be punishable by 15 years imprisonment.

A separate law, also signed on Saturday, facilitates Russian citizenship for foreigners who enlist in the Russian army as the Kremlin seeks to bolster the ranks.

On Friday, US President Joe Biden dismissed as a "sham" the voting on whether Russia should annex four regions of Ukraine, which ends next Tuesday.

Even Beijing, Moscow's closest ally since the war began, called on Russia and Ukraine not to let the effects of the war "spill over".

The voting is being held in Russian-controlled areas of Donetsk and Lugansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south.

For four days, authorities are going door-to-door to collect votes. Polling stations then open Tuesday for residents to cast ballots on the final day. Results are expected as early as late Tuesday or Wednesday.

"Ultimately, things are moving towards the restoration of the Soviet Union. The referendum is one step towards this," Leonid, a 59-year-old military official, told AFP.

The snap referendums were announced just this week after the Ukrainian counter-offensive seized most of the northeast Kharkiv region -- bringing hundreds of settlements back under Kyiv's control after months of Russian occupation.

Bad weather and stiff Russian resistance caused Ukraine's counter-offensive to slow to a brutal slog in Kupiansk in the eastern Kharkiv region on Saturday.

"For now, the rain is making it difficult to use heavy weapons everywhere. We can only use paved roads," Ukrainian army sergeant Roman Malyna told AFP.

Irpin, close to the capital, was recaptured after weeks of fighting and residents have rallied to start rebuilding before winter sets in.

Over 100 apartment blocks in Irpin -- dubbed a "hero city" by President Volodymyr Zelensky for holding back Russian invaders -- were badly damaged by shelling.

- Evidence of 'war crimes' -

Head of his building's residents' association Mykhailo Kyrylenko looked proudly at the new roof taking shape.

"People don't have much money, but they agreed" to donate funds to gradually restore the shattered homes, he told AFP.

Putin this week warned that Moscow would use "all means" to protect its territory -- which former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev said on social media could include the use of "strategic nuclear weapons".

Zelensky has denounced the polls, on Friday calling them "crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine".

UN investigators on Friday accused Russia of committing war crimes on a "massive scale" in Ukraine -- listing bombings, executions, torture and horrific sexual violence.

In the eastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian officials said they had exhumed 447 bodies from a site near the city of Izyum, which was recaptured from Russian forces.

The Kremlin has accused Kyiv of fabricating evidence of the alleged war crimes.

bur/gw
Western defense officials said Saturday that Russian forces are attempting to slow Ukrainian troops advancing south from the Kharkiv region by targeting dams and flooding cross points.

The United Kingdoms Ministry of Defense confirmed reports this week that Russian attacks on Sept. 21 and 22 relied on short-range ballistic missiles or "similar weapons" to hit the Pechenihy dam, which sits on the Siverskyy Donets River, where Ukrainian forces are advancing down.

The attacks followed a similar Sept. 15 strike in central Ukraine on the Karachunivske dam near Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys hometown, the Defense Ministry said in its daily intelligence update.

A view shows a hydraulic structure damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine September 14, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.

ICC TO RETURN TO UKRAINE NEXT WEEK TO INVESTIGATE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, 'PIERCE THE FOG OF WAR'

"As Russian commanders become increasingly concerned about their operational set-backs, they are probably attempting to strike the sluice gates of dams in order to flood Ukrainian military crossing points," the statement read.

But the ministry on Saturday assessed that Russias attacks "are unlikely to have caused significant disruption to Ukrainian operations due to the distance between the damaged dams and the combat zones."

TECHNICIANS IN UKRAINE IN A RACE AGAINST TIME TO REMOVE UNEXPLODED LAND MINES BEFORE WINTER

The attacks on civilian infrastructure come as Ukrainian forces have pushed forward not only in Kharkiv in the north but in the Kherson region in the south.

Russian forces have allegedly taken heavy losses, with nine to 10 Russian soldiers dying for every one Ukrainian soldier in the Kharkiv region this month, one official told Fox News Digital.

IZYUM, UKRAINE - SEPTEMBER 20: A Russian tank and a destroyed bridge are seen September 20, 2022 in Izyum, Ukraine. Izyum was occupied by Russians since April 1st causing major destruction and death to the small city. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have reclaimed villages east and south of Kharkiv, as Russian forces have withdrawn from areas they've occupied since early in the war. Paula Bronstein /Getty Images

Ukraines defense ministry has reported that nearly 55,000 Russian soldiers have been killed while some 9,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died since the war began nearly seven months ago, though Fox News Digital has not been able to independently verify these statistics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no sign of accepting defeat or ending the war by withdrawing his forces and instead this week called for a "partial mobilization" to send another 300,000 troops to fight in Ukraine.
Vietnam reports additional 1,176 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday

An additional 1,176 new Covid-19 infections were confirmed on Saturday, raising the national tally to over 11.47 million, according to the Ministry of Health.















Illustrative photo





According to the ministry's report, the national caseload has so far increased to 11,471,340.



On September 24, an additional 930 more patients recovered from the disease, raising the number of recoveries in the country to nearly 10.58 million.



On Saturday evening, no deaths from Covid-19 were recorded, the country's total fatalities stay at 43,146, accounting for 0.4 per cent of total infections.



By September 23, the country had injected nearly 260 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines.



The Ministry of Health has asked localities nationwide to vaccinate children aged between six months old to five years old against Covid-19.



According to the ministry, to date, nearly 260 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been used for people aged from five years old. Around 60 percent of children aged between five to 12 years old have been given a second Covid-19 vaccine shot. The rate is as high as 75 percent for people aged 12 years old and above.
UKRAINSKA PRAVDA  FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2022, 16:55

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the Russian army has lost five times more soldiers than the Armed Forces of Ukraine; he also announced Ukraine's daily casualties.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview to Ouest-France

Quote: "We have an estimate of casualties per day; however, it is not accurate. An estimated 50 people [are killed] per day. However, these are not accurate numbers, because we do not exactly know how many soldiers and civilians remain in this territory. Ukraines army has suffered five times less casualties than the Russian one.

The position of our military is not to announce the exact number of killed and wounded Ukrainian servicemen. The main issue is accurate data. I have information that I receive and that they provide me with. We have to be very careful with numbers, because we are talking about human lives."

Background:

At the end of August, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that almost 9,000 Ukrainian servicemen died in the war against the Russian invaders.

According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russia has already suffered over 50,000 casualties in military personnel in the war against Ukraine.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of playing with fire around Taiwan in a speech to the U. N. General Assembly on Saturday.

They are promising military support to Taiwan, Lavrov said. Clearly, the notorious Monroe Doctrine is becoming global in scope. Washington is trying to turn the entire world into its own backyard.

The Monroe Doctrine  a 19th century U.S. policy that forbid further European colonization of Latin America  essentially established a U.S. sphere of influence over the Western Hemisphere.

Tensions between the U.S. and China have remained heightened since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made a controversial visit to Taiwan last month. Beijing launched a series of military drills in the Taiwan strait following Pelosis visit, with Taiwan accusing China of rehearsing an invasion of the island.

President Biden affirmed in a recent interview with 60 Minutes that the U.S. would defend Taiwan against an attack. However, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned at the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday that any move to obstruct Chinas reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history.

The U.S. has maintained its one China policy since reestablishing relations with Beijing in the late 1970s. Under the policy, the U.S. walks a fine line, recognizing Beijing as the sole legal Chinese government while maintaining an unofficial relationship with Taiwan.

In his speech, Lavrov also more broadly railed against the U.S. and its allies, calling the European Union an authoritarian, harsh, dictatorial entity and harshly criticizing U.S. foreign policy.

At some point in the past, declaring that they were victorious in the Cold War, Washington erected themselves into an almost envoy of God on Earth, without any obligations but only the sacred right to act with impunity whenever and wherever they want, he said. And this can be done anywhere, against any state, especially if theyve somehow displeased the self-proclaimed masters of the world.

Story continues

Regarding Russia specifically, Lavrov claimed the official Russophobia in the West is unprecedented now, the scope is grotesque.

They are not shying away from declaring the intent to inflict not only military defeat on our country but also to destroy and fracture Russia, he said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 23:03

Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, said that Russia would not take the first steps in a dialogue with the West and that the longer Kyiv refuses to negotiate, the harder it will be to do so.

Source: Lavrov in a speech at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on Saturday, RIA Novosti

Quote: "We do not refuse contacts [with the West  ed.], and when relevant offers come, we agree. Our partners want to meet quietly so that no one finds out about it, please. But in the situation which we are in, Russia will not take any first steps."

Details: Lavrov also stated that Russia is not refusing to negotiate with Ukraine, "but those who refuse should understand that the longer they refuse, the more difficult it will be to negotiate in the end."

He also complained that the West had "thrown a tantrum" because of the so-called "referendums" in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine; the minister even recalled the words of Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"But the people who live there are basically just reacting to what President Zelenskyy recommended to them in one of his interviews in August 2021. Then, he advised everyone who feels they are Russian, for the sake of their children and grandchildren, to go to Russia. This is what the residents of the mentioned regions are doing now, taking with them their lands, on which their ancestors lived for centuries," he said.

Journalists fight on their own frontline.

Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron.
SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 20:42

So far three governors of Russian regions have criticised military enlistment offices for mobilising everyone, even those who are not subject to conscription. These governors have been joined by the so-called head of Sevastopol [the main city in temporarily occupied Crimea - ed.].

Source: Meduza

Details: Aysen Nikolayev, the head of Yakutia, was the first to state that military enlistment offices were mobilising citizens who did not meet the criteria of the Ministry of Defence. Next to object was the governor of Magadan Oblast, Sergey Nosov. They were followed by Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russia-appointed "head" of Sevastopol, who said he was going to "deal with those who have been mobilised by mistake".

Now Aleksandr Avdeyev, the governor of Vladimir Oblast, has reported that military enlistment offices have mobilised some citizens "by mistake". According to Avdeyev, they should return home.

According to Meduzas information, there have also been cases of citizens being unlawfully mobilised in Saratov, Volgograd and Nizhegorodsk oblasts and in the Republic of Buryatia.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work!
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 16:19

Mercenaries from Liga, the Russian private military company (PMC), have arrived in Minsk (Belarus). They might be involved in staging a false-flag operation on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.

Source: National Resistance Centre created by Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: The National Resistance Centre cites the Belarusian resistance movement, which says that 130 Russian Liga PMC mercenaries arrived in Minsk with weapons and ammunition on 20 September.

On 22 September, 300 sets of Ukrainian military uniforms, which were seized from warehouses in Kherson Oblast, were delivered to GardService, a Belarusian security company which is being used as the base for the Russian mercenaries.

Quote: "Possible subversive operations are expected in the vicinity of Pinsk, Ivanovo and Kobrin. Such operations play into the hands of Moscow, which seeks to involve additional forces in the war [in Ukraine], in particular [the Armed Forces of the Republic of] Belarus.

Details: The National Resistance Centre notes that GardService is more than a private security company. It is, in fact, considered to be the first PMC created in Belarus. It was created by a special decree issued by Aleksandr Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, in 2019. The company is based at the former training centre for Belarusian special forces.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Sep. 24Divin Mpinga scored with an assist from Joey Hanlon with 29 seconds left in the first overtime Saturday to lift South Portland to a 1-0 victory over Portland in a boys' soccer match at Fitzpatrick Stadium.

Mpinga, who was robbed by Bulldogs goalkeeper Ben Littell (one save) in regulation, completed a give-and-go with Hanlon to end it.

Michael Zaccaria, in his first varsity start, stopped seven shots for the Red Riots (7-0).

Portland is 4-3.

KENNEBUNK 1, SANFORD 0: Luke Tomasulo scored the only goal as the Rams (2-3-1) blanked the Spartans (0-7-1) in Sanford.

Dylan Jones recorded the shutout, making two saves. Sanford's Tommy Hickey finished with 12 saves.

FREEPORT 3, GRAY-NEW GLOUCESTER 3: Emmanuel Omeme scored two goals for Freeport (2-2-3) and Max Kenney tallied a pair for Gray-New Gloucester (3-3-1) as the Falcons and Patriots fought to a draw in Gray.

Owen Rusiecki also scored for Freeport. Aidan Hebert got the other goal for GNG.

MARSHWOOD 9, MASSABESIC 0: Nine players scored for the Hawks (6-1) in a win over the Mustangs (0-7) at South Berwick.

Milo Closson, Rowan Carter, Jason Singer, Luke Nelson, Dougie Starkey, Jeremy Turner, Wyatt Yager, Owen Boyer and Michael Burbank notched a goal apiece.

LINCOLN ACADEMY 3, MEDOMAK VALLEY 0: The Eagles (8-0) scored three goals in the second half and shut out the Panthers (0-6) in Newcastle.

Connor Cass struck from 25 yards out for the first goal. Jack Duncan beat two defenders and put in a low shot with 11 minutes remaining, and Pablo Jimenez Duran weaved through defenders for the final goal in the closing minutes.

Eli Pluecker stopped 10 shots for Medomak.

FOOTBALL

THORNTON ACADEMY 15, KENNEBUNK 13: The Golden Trojans (2-2) got touchdown runs from Caden True and Hayden Whitney in the second half, then survived a late 2-point conversion attempt and stopped another drive with an interception to hold on for a win over the Rams (2-2) in Biddeford.

Kennebunk led 7-2 at halftime after a 4-yard touchdown run by Jonah Barstow in the second quarter, but True put the Trojans ahead with a 35-yard run late in the third.

Story continues

Whitney then made it 15-7 with a 4-yard run early in the fourth.

Kennebunk had a chance to tie with 3:15 remaining after an unusual 30-yard scoring play. Jack Cornell threw a short pass to Greg Compton, who tried to extend the ball while being tackled. Jacob Morris, though, took the ball out of his teammate's hands and raced 25 yards for a touchdown. The conversion pass failed, however, as Morris couldn't hold on to a high pass from Cornell.

A fumble on Thornton's next possession gave Kennebunk one more chance, but Henry Lausier made his second interception of the fourth quarter  a diving grab at the Thornton 1.

Thornton got a safety in the first quarter on a blocked punt through the end zone.

FIELD HOCKEY

BIDDEFORD 2, THORNTON ACADEMY 1: Ayla Lagasse scored her second goal of the game 28 seconds into the second overtime, lifting the Tigers (8-0) over the Golden Trojans (4-3) in Saco.

Cece Keller earned an assist on the goal.

Lagasse gave Biddeford a 1-0 lead late in the first quarter when she knocked in a rebound. Arianna Agosto tied it on a breakaway with 6:16 left in regulation.

Biddeford goalie Cadence Goulet made five saves. Allison Marines of Thornton stopped 10 shots.

BRUNSWICK 3, LEWISTON 1: Ava Wolverton opened the scoring just three minutes into the game and later set up a goal by Felicity Jackson as the Dragons (5-3-1) beat the Blue Devils (1-6) in Lewiston.

Brunswick extended its lead to 3-0 in the third quarter on goals by Kiki Dinsmore and Jackson. Lewiston's Savannah Connor-Schade scored later in the third.

Kimberley McLaughlin made 15 saves for the Blue Devils.

EDWARD LITTLE 0, CAMDEN HILLS 0: Kasey Smith made 13 saves for Edward Little (3-5-1), while Tess Hodgkins of Camden Hills (3-4-1) stopped 15 shots in a scoreless draw at Rockport.

GIRLS' SOCCER

MARANACOOK 2, MORSE 2: Phoebe Bell and Natalie Mohlar scored for Maranacook (6-0-1), while Morse (1-3-2) got goals from Macie Shiers and Helen Robicheaw in a tie at Bath.

MARSHWOOD 11, MASSABESIC 1: Lilli Hammond and Sarah Theriault each scored three goals as the Hawks (7-0) cruised past the Mustangs (1-5) at South Berwick.

Jackie Arnold added two goals. Jadyn Eastman, Shelby Anderson and Lucy Parker also scored for the Hawks.

BRUNSWICK 1, CAMDEN HILLS 0: Eva Kousky scored with an assist from Kynli Van Leer, Sophia Morin made six saves, and the Dragons (5-0-1) edged the Windjammers (3-2-1) in Rockport.

Maddy Tohanczyn made 13 saves for Camden Hills.
Police officers in an active shopping mall shooter scenario at the 1,100-acre, $50 million State Preparedness Training Center, where the terrors of the future are simulated, studied and, perhaps, prevented, in Oriskany, N.Y., June 29, 2022. (Juan Arredondo/The New York Times)

The police officers crept through the remarkably realistic school hallway, ears trained for imitation gunshots. Sidestepping a child-size dummy, they advanced on the classroom where an actor was screaming.

Shots fired, the instructor called, urging the officers toward what would in real life be gunfire. What do we gotta do?

Officers  many of whom have never fired their weapon at another person, let alone been fired upon  must answer that question correctly. Whether a dozen arrive or just one, training dictates that they must engage, even if they risk death. The school shooting in May in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two adults died as police officers hesitated, demonstrates the price of failure.

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

The State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany, New York, is where the terrors of the future are simulated, studied and, perhaps, prevented as part of a vast infrastructure for tragedy. Since 2017, tens of millions have been spent by the federal government on mass shooter training, and states have spent even more.

And while some efforts aim at prevention  a new domestic terror unit inside the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services collates information from social services, schools and police departments to identify threats  most happen only once an attack has begun.

So across the nation, schools teach children how to flee and to hide and to fight, and hospitals prepare for entire classes to be admitted. But as children return to school this month, the memories of the previous bloody year make it clear that such efforts alone cannot stem the tide of violence.

The 1,100-acre facility, which costs more than $50 million, simulates a terrifying set of scenarios, from terrorist attacks to flash flooding. Its crowning glory is the Cityscape, an airplane hangar converted into a small town, complete with a bar, a school and a shopping mall  all built to be bombed out and shot up. There are framed photos on walls, coffee cups on cafe tables and, on a teachers desk, a VHS copy of the Shaquille ONeal throwback Kazaam.

Story continues

We put a lot of attention into making it as realistic as possible, said Jackie Bray, commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, which oversees training for the states police officers and emergency workers.

One of the reasons that we train, and one of the reasons that we train consistently, is that were asking people to do things that are really against an instinct, Bray added.

Whether efforts like these will suffice is difficult to say.

There are no national standards for police training, leading to variations town by town and state by state. Most forces are small and rural, lacking the resources or organizational support of city departments. And while the state covers training and even provides some lodging for New York officers, some resource-strapped departments may still struggle to take advantage.

Even the best preparation is no guarantee of success: A New York Times analysis of 433 actual and attempted mass shootings from 2001 to 2021 showed nearly 60% ended before police arrived. In all, data showed police subdued gunmen in fewer than one-third of all attacks.

You see these stories, and theyre terrible, and hope that theyre never something you have to deal with, said Sgt. Chris Callahan of the Saratoga Springs Police Department, who did an active-shooter course in June. You hope if it ever did  if I was ever called upon  that I would be able to harken back to this, to this training.

The quandary is hardly a new one. In a 1947 report, military historian S.L.A. Marshall noted that fewer than 25% of combat troops found the courage to actually fire their weapons during World War II. While his methodology has since been shown to be less than scientific, his conclusion has persisted as a symbol of the human proclivity for hesitance in the face of danger.

Mass shootings create a similar conundrum. When a shooter barricaded the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016, police waited nearly three hours to move in while victims bled out. Two years later, when a teenage gunman attacked students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17, an armed officer retreated to safety. In May, the nation watched as hundreds of officers in Uvalde stood by for nearly an hour at Robb Elementary School.

When a person encounters a threat, eyes dilate and heart rate increases, preparing the body to leap into action. The brains stimulus response is heightened, but the prefrontal cortex is restricted, compromising decision-making and hand-eye coordination.

Specialized military and SWAT teams often seek to recruit people who are naturally cool under pressure. But rank-and-file officers can do little in the face of biology, said Arne Nieuwenhuys, who studies human performance at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Their ability to deliberately control their response under high stress is simply very limited, he explained.

For those who come to the State Preparedness Training Center, learning how their bodies respond to stress is just one of the many lessons learned in courses that range from two to five days.

Envisioned by Gov. George Pataki in the wake of the attacks on 9/11, the center opened in 2006 to let police, firefighters and emergency medics train together. Enrollment has never reached the 25,000 a year that the governor hoped for; its peak, in 2019, was half that. The center was constructed with a combination of state and federal money and provides training free of charge to all New York law enforcement officers.

In active-shooter trainings, groups of 24 navigate hallways and clear rooms, among other drills. They practice responding to domestic incidents and to reports of gunfire in shopping centers and schools. After feedback from instructors, they run the exercises again.

In one scenario, officers must respond to shots in a mall. They arrive to eerie silence. Alert for clues, they scour each shop  the cafe, the Army-Navy store  before finding and engaging the gunman holed up in a travel agents storefront.

The imperative of this kind of engagement began after the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado. Police officers did what they had been trained to do: secure the perimeter. Then they waited for a SWAT team. In the meantime, nearly a dozen students died.

Stallman, the centers assistant director, has been instructing officers since those early days, and he remembers a lot of pushback.

It was extremely difficult to convince patrol officers that they needed to go in there, he said, because officers for years had left those tasks to specialized teams.

I dont have the vest, he said officers complained. I dont have the training that they have. I dont have the long guns that they have. Now youre telling me I need to go in and do their job?

Their concerns were not unfounded: A review of 84 active-shooter attacks by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University in San Marcos showed that one-third of officers who responded alone were shot.

Some departments did not necessarily change their thinking; some departments were a bit ambiguous as to whether that officer should wait for additional officers, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a law enforcement policy group. In the wake of Uvalde, if there was any ambiguity before, there isnt anymore about the responsibility of the first responding officer.

Stallman said that he hoped to help officers come to grips with idea that they must put themselves into situations that they might not walk away from.

That it is difficult, he said. But if they dont do it, then people die.

In the past, training programs had aimed to inoculate officers from their own stress  the idea being that an individual could build immunity to the fight-or-flight response with exposure. But relatively little attention has been paid to assessing the impact of training on real-life police work.

We dont even collect data on police shootings, let alone analyze whether or not the training that the officer had was instrumental in the success or failure, said Stephen James, a researcher from Washington State University who studies stress and policing policy.

James instead favors skills training that incorporates manageable amounts of stress to build confidence. Realistic programs like the ones in Oriskany can be helpful, he said, if they follow evidence-based curricula.

What we need to do, instead of trying to get people used to the stress side of the equation, is build the resource side of the equation, he explained.

Nieuwenhuys, the researcher in New Zealand, has begun to see something similar. In a 2010 simulation measuring the marksmanship of police officers facing an assailant who occasionally shot back, he found that officers were able to improve their performance in high-anxiety circumstances. Preliminary results suggest the effect could be replicable in more serious circumstances, he adds, but only if officers receive the right training.

Then there is the crucial question of whether any clinical result will be replicable when it counts.

Katherine Schweit, the former head of the FBIs active-shooter program, believes all training is valuable. But even so, there are no guarantees.

We all want a simple answer, Schweit said. Thats an impossible goal. And the reason its an impossible goal is because we are not machines. We are humans.

Outside the classroom at the Oriskany center, the officers sprang into action. Using the door frame as cover, they fired their bright blue imitation weapons into the room, felling the gunman with four neat pops.

Then they heard the screams in the next room  a hostage, held at gunpoint by a second shooter. They paused only a moment before unleashing a cloud of phantom bullets on the gunman, ending the standoff in 25 seconds flat.

Soon an instructor, E.J. Weeks, was giving feedback, offering praise for their communication and formation. Could they have moved more quickly?

We have to move direct, direct to that threat, mitigate the threat, Weeks reminded them. Stop the killing so that we can do what?

Stop the dying, the officers chorused.

 2022 The New York Times Company
ROMAN PETRENKO  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 10:22

The Security Service of Ukraine has identified the official of Russian Guard [also known as Rosgvardiya] who gave the order to torture Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied city of Kherson.

Source: The Security Service of Ukraine

Details: It appeared to be Oleksandr "Alfa" Naumenko, Police Colonel and the deputy head of the Rosgvardiya administration in Rostov Oblast.

According to the SSU, Naumenko has been in charge of Rosgvardiya representatives of illegal armed formations of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied Kherson since March.

On his orders, fighters illegally apprehend and torture local residents, break into peoples houses and seize their property.

It has been established that Naumenko personally participated in the dispersal of peaceful rallies in Kherson. He gave orders to use stun grenades and tear gas against Ukrainian citizens.

In addition, on his instructions, the Russian military kidnapped two Ukrainians and brutally tortured them for several weeks. They tried to get the information on the Ukrainian Armed Forces and their places of deployment from the captured civilians, and persuaded them to cooperate.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
The Snohomish County Sheriffs Office is using social media to express frustration about police reform legislation. In a new video, Sheriff Adam Fortney outlines the daily challenges law enforcement is facing. Hes joined in the five-minute video by fellow Snohomish County police chiefs, mayors and council members. It shows video of brazen criminals fleeing crime scenes as police stand by.

One issue the video highlights is the limitations on vehicular pursuits. Its a nod to House Bill 1054, which was passed last year. One element of the bill outlined new reforms for police during pursuits, requiring probable cause.

State Rep. Jesse Johnson sponsored the bill.

Its important to remember when were talking about reform, this is systemic transformation. So theres going to be pushback, says Johnson. But its necessary to build trust and legitimacy in the public.

Marysville Police Chief Erik Scairpon says law enforcement isnt asking for more pursuits, just more authority. He says the law is hindering officers from doing their jobs.

I cant tell you how frustrating it is as a police chief to receive a call saying, Hey, I saw people breaking into my car and I called 911. Your officers arrived, and the officers watched them drive away, says Scairpon. He says even in cases like that, police cant pursue under the law.

He says legislation creates more than brazen criminals.

Those law enforcement reforms were a shock to the system, frankly. They caused a large number of law enforcement officers to leave the profession, Scairpon said.

The video from Snohomish County ends by asking constituents to reach out to their state representatives.

But Rep. Johnson stands by the bill and says there have been no plans to make any amendments next session.

I think that the bill absolutely did what it was intended to, and what we wanted to do was limit police violence, people killed by police, said Johnson. I believe we did that with House Bill 1054.
(Bloomberg) -- A continued lack of strategic trust between the US and China could create an escalatory spiral that leads to a potential mishap between the two nations at a time when tensions are flaring over Taiwan, according to Singapores foreign minister.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The key missing ingredient in this relationship, from the perspective of a dispassionate third country, is that there is a lack of strategic trust between the United States and China, Vivian Balakrishnan said Friday in New York at an event hosted by the Asia Society, according to prepared remarks. I think the ultimate focal point for this is the Taiwan Straits, which is the reddest of red lines for Beijing.

Balakrishnan said hes observed on four separate trips to China in the past year that attitudes have become more assertive there, with a strong and growing nationalism and more muscular actions to defend international interests.

As Chinas strategic and economic influence has grown, so has their sense of vulnerability, given that Communist regimes must respond to the anxieties and the zeitgeist of their own societies, he said.

Other highlights from Balakrishnans speech:

There can be no good outcome for us in Asia if our countries are forced into two camps with a line in between.

On the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, he said it very studiously avoids any mention of market access. But anyway, to the extent that it reflects American acknowledgment that there are opportunities out across the Pacific and continued engagement -- that is positive. Singapore will stand fully shoulder to shoulder on this endeavour. But you need to do more -- that is the message.

Foreign policy and trade policy begins at home. You have got to embark on the necessary reform and investment in your domestic capacity. You need to build up social and political capital and then engage and re-engage the world with confidence. That is my pitch.

Story continues

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
For the sixth year, Florida Blue and Walgreens are teaming up to provide flu shots and other vaccinations to the public at Florida Blue Centers across the state this fall. Insurance cards from any carrier are welcome, but health insurance is not required. Everybody receiving a vaccine at a Florida Blue Center will receive a $10 Publix gift card, while supplies last.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

This Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. free flu vaccines and other boosters will be available at the following spaces:

Florida Blue Center Town Center, 4855 Town Center Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32246

Florida Blue Center North, 13249 City Square Dr, Suite 103, Jacksonville, FL 32218

Winston Family YMCA, 221 Riverside Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32202 (vaccinations only).

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

In addition to flu vaccines, COVID-19 boosters, pneumonia, TDAP and shingles vaccines are available. Get caught up on your vaccinations at a Florida Blue Center. The vaccines protect both you and those around you, helping to lower hospitalizations in our community.

Flu shots are available for persons ages 3 and older and 3D Mammogram Screenings (Town Center) and other health and community resources will be available as well.

The event is inviting families out to enjoy other fun activities they are hosting, like pumpkin decorating, family photos and live radio remotes.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

People with health insurance should bring their insurance cards with them, even from a carrier other than Florida Blue. Flu vaccines are covered at no cost for persons who do not have health insurance coverage.

Appointments are encouraged, but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Masks are encouraged inside the Florida Blue Centers.





Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Residents cast their votes in controversial referendums in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on September 23, 2022. Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Illegal "referendums" are underway in the occupied Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

Armed soldiers are going door-to-door to collect votes in the "sham" polls, per reports.

Some Ukrainians have been threatened with the murder of their families if they don't take part, per The Telegraph.

Armed soldiers are going door-to-door in Ukraine to collect votes and threatening Ukrainians with the murder of their families if they fail to participate in so-called referendums that would see Russia annex occupied parts of the country, according to The Telegraph.

Voting in the Kremlin-orchestrated polls, which were announced earlier this week, has begun in the four occupied Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

The "referendums" are illegal under Ukrainian and international law, per NPR. President Joe Biden on Friday described them as a "sham" and a "false pretext" to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force,

The voting is expected to end on Tuesday, but the results are likely predetermined.

Polling stations include transparent ballot boxes and armed guards who, on occasion, have leaned over and watched as people vote, according to The Telegraph.

In Novoaidar, Luhansk Oblast, The Telegraph reported that soldiers armed with machine guns had been seen approaching homes in order to collect votes.

"It is not possible to refuse because there are two people in front of you with weapons and are aggressive," said a local, per The Telegraph.

A woman in Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia, told BBC News that "collaborators" arrived at her parents' flat, accompanied by Russian soldiers, to give them a ballot to sign.

The door-to-door voting is for "security reasons", according to Russian state media.

Several Ukrainians living in the occupied territories have also been threatened with the massacre of their families if they refuse to participate, according to six of The Telegraph's sources.

"We are forced to go under the pretext of being shot. If we didn't go, they said that they would shoot or massacre the whole family," said a Ukrainian in Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast, who asked to remain anonymous, per The Telegraph.

"We're scared," the Ukrainian continued, according to the newspaper. "At the referendum, turnout is required or arrest or worse. Many are being forced with a threat to life."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Erin O'Flynn/The Daily Beast/Getty and Facebook

The son of Georgia mom Debbie Collier, whose mysterious death has shaken the Athens community, wants people to know she was a vibrant and strong soul and that he wont rest until those who cruelly took her life face justice.

But Jeffrey Bearden also is demanding respect and privacy during the darkest and most harrowing time for my family and wants the media to stop publishing speculation.

In an exclusive statement to The Daily Beast, Bearden said, I have been incredibly hurt and disturbed by some of the reporting and information shared regarding the investigation into my mothers death. I ask that all attention on the tragic story of my mothers death remain focused on aiding the police investigation.

It is not appropriate to approach myself or my family at their homes or on our personal social media accounts, he added. It is not appropriate to publish speculation about my family.

There is no place for the court of public opinion in the pursuit of justice for my mother and this speculation continues to be traumatic and hurtful for my family during the most difficult time we have experienced.

Bearden, 33, said the loss of his mother cant be put into words. She was my longest source of love, support, and encouragement, he told The Daily Beast. My mother was a very vibrant and strong soul. She was a person who valued kindness, empathy, and understanding throughout her entire life. She went through life recognizing the beauty and grace in everything she saw and experienced around her.

Cops Rule Out Key Theories in Case of Georgia Mom Found Dead After Eerie Message

Police say Collier was reported missing on Sept. 10 by her husband, Steve, and 36-year-old daughter Amanda Bearden. The report came a few hours after Bearden received a Venmo payment of nearly $2,400 from her mother, who was a real estate office manager.

They are not going to let me go love you there is a key to the house in the blue flower pot by the door, the Venmo payment read.

Story continues

Less than 24 hours later, authorities found the 59-year-old Colliernude and severely burnedin a ravine about an hour from her Athens, Georgia home.

A Habersham County Sheriffs Office incident report obtained by The Daily Beast says that Collier was found laying on her back, grasping a small tree with her right hand. The mothers remains were found near a burned tarp, and red tote bag. A rented SUV she had been using after crashing her car was also found near the scene.

Details of Colliers cause of death are still pending, though authorities are treating the case as a homicide. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest or support that this incident was related to kidnapping or that this is a suicide, the Habersham County Sheriff's Office said in a Wednesday night statement.

On Friday, the New York Post reported that Amandas boyfriend allegedly threatened to harm her entire family in a disturbing handwritten note last year. Andrew Giegerich, a former amateur MMA fighter, warned in green marker: If you or your family ever come near me again I will hurt them.

Amanda Bearden and Steve Collier could not be reached for comment.

In the meantime, Jeffrey Bearden is holding onto precious memories of his mom. She enjoyed many aspects of life and knew that daily life was filled with joy and beauty, he told The Daily Beast. She spent her time enjoying and making art. She valued listening to, dancing, and singing along with her favorite music.

My mother consumed herself with the holidays, as her focus remained on family and the value of being together over a home cooked meal. Each year, she would shower her family with thoughtful gifts as gestures to remind you of her constant presence and awareness of your life and your value to her.

Most importantly, she always loved, cared, and respected her family. My mother was persistent in her love throughout my entire life and I will persist until she is given the justice she deserves. Our lives have been irrevocably changed. Our grief is here and our pain is deep.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP)  A group of Sri Lankans held captive by Russian forces in an agricultural factory in eastern Ukraine said Saturday that they were beaten and abused for months before escaping on foot as the Russians withdrew from the Kharkiv region this month.

Recounting their ordeal to reporters in Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, one of the seven Sri Lankans said he was shot in the foot; another had his toenail ripped off and was slammed in the head with the butt of a rifle.

Ukrainian officials described their treatment as torture.

Every day we were cleaning toilets and bathrooms, Dilukshan Robertclive, one of the former captives, said in English. Some days Russians came and beat our people, our Sri Lanka people.

Four of the seven were medical students in the city of Kupiansk and three were working there when Russian forces poured across the border in late February and occupied large swaths of eastern and southern Ukraine.

The group said they were captured at the first checkpoint out of Kupiansk and then taken to Vovchansk, near the border with Russia, where they were held in the factory with around 20 Ukrainians.

They took our passports, other documents, phones, clothes, and locked us up in a room," said Sharujan Gianeswaran, speaking in Tamil to an Associated Press journalist by phone. "There were also Ukrainian people with us, and they were questioned and sent away in 10 days, 15 days or one month. With us they never spoke, because they could not understand our language.

Police said the factory housed a Russian torture center  one of 18 in the Kharkiv region.

They were bound and blindfolded. After that they were captured and then taken to the city of Vovchansk, said Serhiy Bolvinov, head of the investigative department of the National Police in Kharkiv.

Six among the group said they were held in a large upstairs room. The seventh, the only woman, was kept in a dark cell by herself, her companions said. The woman wept silently and did not speak as the group told their story Saturday.

Story continues

One man said he was shot in the foot by the Russian captors. Another had a toenail ripped off after the soldiers repeatedly bashed it with the butt of a rifle. The men showed their injuries to journalists.

Most of the time we could not understand what they told us and we were beaten for that, Gianeswaran said.

It dawned upon the Sri Lankans that the battle lines were shifting only when Russian soldiers ordered them to help load trucks with food and weapons.

As the last trucks raced away, the group asked fruitlessly for their passports and papers back, knowing that to move around without them would be impossible in a country filled with checkpoints.

Russian troops captured several cities and towns in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region early in the war. Ukrainian troops retook the area during a swift counteroffensive earlier this month.

When the Sri Lankans realized the Russians were gone, on Sept. 10, the group left the factory and started walking toward the city of Kharkiv, having no real idea how to get to the regional capital which had remained in Ukrainian hands.

We walked on that road for two days and were exhausted and hungry. We had no food or money to buy food, Gianeswaran said.

They slept on the side of the road and walked until they reached a river. But with so many bridges in the region destroyed by one side or the other in months of fighting, they could find no way to cross.

Finally someone noticed their plight, gave them shelter and called for a ride from security forces.

Police said the group was picked up in the Chuhuiv area, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) from where they started. They are in Kharkiv now, with no idea of what the future holds. Robertclive said they are psychologically damaged by their months in captivity.

But the men smiled when asked how they felt when they realized the worst of their ordeal was at an end.

They (Ukrainians) have given us food and clothing, Gianeswaran said. We thought we were going to die but we are saved and are being well looked after.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
HOLDENVILLE, Okla. (AP)  Working as a prison guard in Oklahoma is becoming an ever more dangerous job as the state, with one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States, struggles with violence and understaffing at detention facilities. Long hours, dangerous conditions and remote, rural locations have meant fewer guards and a system plagued with increased killings and violence.

Three inmates were killed in separate incidents this year at the same private prison in rural, east-central Oklahoma where a correctional officer was fatally stabbed by an inmate over the summer, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Davis Correctional Facility, a 1,700-bed mens prison in Holdenville operated by Tennessee-based private prison operator CoreCivic, has been operating at only about 70% of its contractually obligated staffing level, according to a 2021 audit of the facility provided to the AP after an open-records request.

Alan Jay Hershberger, a 61-year-old veteran correctional officer from Missouri who previously worked at a CoreCivic facility in Kansas, was traveling to Oklahoma to work at the prison for six-week stints at a time, according to his family. On July 31, Hershberger was supervising about 30 inmates in a recreation yard at the prison when 49-year-old inmate Gregory Thompson walked past him, pulled a 16-inch, homemade knife from his waistband and plunged it into Hershbergers back, according to an affidavit from Oklahoma Department of Corrections investigator J. Dale Hunter.

The victim immediately grabbed his side and quickly walked out of the A Unit South door toward a second correctional officer ... and collapsed, Hunter wrote. The defendant followed behind the victim and began shouting, On the set and On the Crips, prison slang indicating the action is the responsibility of the Crips prison gang of which the defendant is a validated member.

Thompson, who is serving a no-parole life sentence for a 2003 murder conviction, has gang affiliation and a history of prison violence, including a 2010 first-degree manslaughter conviction in a case in which Thompson stabbed another inmate to death in 2009 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Despite his history, Thompson was held among the general population at Davis Correctional Facility, according to the DOC.

Story continues

He should not have been in general (population), knowing how violent he was and his history, said Jessica Scott, a correctional officer who worked with Hershberger during a six-week stint at Davis. Administrative segregation is where he should have been.

Scott, who has worked at two other CoreCivic prisons in Kansas and Tennessee, said the facility at Holdenville had more problems maintaining appropriate staffing levels, cell doors that didnt lock properly and inmates who were particularly violent and noncompliant toward staff.

It was by far the worst, said Scott, who now works at a state prison in Kansas. Theres a reason Im not there anymore.

Thompson has been charged with first-degree murder in Hughes County. His public defenders declined to comment on the case.

CoreCivic did not respond directly to questions about Thompsons offender-level status or its staffing ratio at the time of the killing, but acknowledged the company is taking steps to improve staffing levels.

CoreCivic is committed to the health and safety of our employees, the individuals in our care and our communities, CoreCivic spokesman Matthew Davio said in a statement. Were also committed to attracting and retaining qualified, professional staff at Davis. However, both public and private correctional facilities have faced staffing challenges across the country.

Davio said the company used additional funding this year from the Oklahoma Legislature to increase pay for officers at the facility and also has advertised for openings and launched recruiting efforts at military bases and local colleges. A billboard along a highway near the prison, located 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Oklahoma City, advertises starting pay at $22.10 per hour.

Still, another inmate was killed at the prison earlier this month, the third this year, according to the DOC. Correctional officers watched as 32-year-old Darren Padron strangled his cellmate, 27-year-old Dustin Patterson as he pleaded for his life, according to an affidavit from a DOC investigator.

Correctional officers reported they witnessed Darren R. Padron attack Patterson with various strangulation techniques including a lateral neck restraint, pushing his elbow into Pattersons throat as he lay prone, and utilizing Pattersons shirt as a ligature, the affidavit states.

The officers told DOC investigators that Padron refused to comply with verbal directives and continued to strangle Patterson even after multiple deployments of pepper spray.

Padron also has been charged with first-degree murder. Court records dont indicate the name of an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Prison records show both Thompson and Padron have been moved to the maximum-security Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

CoreCivic, formerly the Corrections Corporation of America, has a long history of problems with inmate violence at its prisons. In one of the deadliest prison attacks in Oklahoma history, four inmates were stabbed to death in 2015 at a prison operated by CCA. Those attacks followed a violent outburst a few months earlier in which some 200 to 300 of the prisons roughly 1,600 inmates were involved in a brawl that resulted in 11 prisoners being taken to the hospital.

Just last month, the private prison company agreed to settle a federal lawsuit over a Tennessee inmates killing in which low staffing levels were blamed.

While some of it is simply the nature of the work, prisons are now also competing against oil field jobs that pay better. The Legislature approved a pay raise for prison guards this year to help combat hiring challenges, boosting recruits in a hopeful sign of improvement.

Private facilities are not alone in their struggle to decrease violence and hire and retain staff. Oklahoma has long had one of the highest average annual homicide rates among all the state prison systems in the country from 2001 to 2019, with 14 homicides per 100,000 inmates during that time. South Carolina topped it only slightly with 15 homicides per 100,000 inmates, according to a 2021 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Bobby Cleveland, a former state lawmaker and director of an association that represents prison workers in Oklahoma, said understaffing at both private and public prisons has indeed led to more violence.

He suggested gradually reducing private prisons.

Theyre constantly going on lockdown because of staff shortages. Youve got more drugs coming in, you get more phones coming in. And what happens is you get inmates fighting over the contraband and who controls it, he said, adding When you

___

Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy
(Getty Images)

Scotland manager Steve Clarke praised his side for showing the patience and composure to overturn a half-time deficit and defeat Republic of Ireland 2-1.

The Scots  playing their second game in 72 hours  trailed at the break to John Egans opener at a packed-out Hampden.

But Jack Hendrys second-half header and a late Ryan Christie penalty  following Alan Brownes handball  were enough to secure a crucial victory for Clarkes side as they moved back above Ukraine at the top of Nations League Group B1 ahead of Tuesdays showdown between the two nations in Krakow.

It was as tough a game as we expected, you could see Ireland had a clear week to prepare for the game, said Clarke. It took us a bit of time to get a foothold and by that time we had conceded from a set-piece which plays into Irelands strengths as they have good pace up front and are a good counter-attacking team.

Towards the end of the first half we had better control of the game. I said to the boys at half-time just to stay patient and keep working the ball into good areas.

I knew eventually the game would come back to us. At half-time it was about having a little reset just to calm the boys down.

You dont want to get them too frantic and starting to put the ball into the box from deep areas.

(PA Wire)

Eventually we go to 1-1 and the penalty was right. If you jump for the ball like that with your hands in front and it stops the ball going goalwards, its a penalty.

A point against Ukraine will earn the Scots top spot in the section and promotion to Group A.

At this moment in time Im just thinking about what my issues (in terms of injuries) are going into the game on Tuesday, rather than thinking about the consequences, he said.

We know we have to get a point. We know we have to go to a difficult place. We know we have to play very well.

If we do that then we get first place in the group. Then we can talk about the rewards of being first.

Clarke lost both full-backs Kieran Tierney and Aaron Hickey to injury during the match but insisted they were both taken off for precautionary reasons. Tierney was replaced under doctors orders after suffering a head knock while Hickey had a tight hamstring.

Story continues

Midfielder Scott McTominay is suspended for Tuesdays match in Krakow after picking up a second Nations League booking.

We know we have to get a point. We know we have to go to a difficult place. We know we have to play very well.

Steve Clarke on Ukraine showdown

Its disappointing, for something that happened so late in the game, but we have plenty of cover, many midfield players, said Clarke. If it has to be Ryan Jack or Kenny McLean we have good bodies to go into the midfield.

Ireland now go into their final game at home to Armenia knowing they can finish no higher than third in the four-team section.

Manager Stephen Kenny rued the way his side relinquished control at Hampden.

It was a tough game to lose because in the first half we showed real maturity, he said. I felt we had a high degree of control. We were comfortable in possession and didnt really concede any chances in the first half.

It was just disappointing to concede five minutes into the second half because we had started the second half well. The crowd really got up after that and they went into the ascendancy. I thought we responded well and created some really good chances but we just couldnt quite capitalise on them. The penalty was contentious, it was very harsh.
via Facebook/EBR Schools

The East Baton Rouge school system in Louisiana has been accused of tricking hundreds of high school seniors into attending a religious event this week disguised as a college and career fair.

After students arrived at the venuea church called the Living Faith Christian Centerthey say they found something much different than a career fair called the Day of Hope. While several colleges did have a presence at the event, students said the emphasis appeared to be on something else entirely.

The pupils were reportedly separated into two groups by gender, forced to register to vote in order to obtain the promoted free food, and listen to speakers share disturbing stories of rape, suicide, and abstinence. One teacher claimed in a Facebook post that some transgender students were bullied by their peers at the event.

Now, a group called Day of Nope is seeking to file a lawsuit over the episode and asking attendees to share their experiences via a new website. This was supposed to be a college fair, but the girls were talked to about abstinence, bullying, and death. And the guys played games, one student told ABC affiliate WBRZ, which reported on the latest backlash to the event.

Boys were encouraged to perform macho acts while girls were advised to forgive men who rape and assault them, says a GoFundMe for this litigation effort, which had raised $75 as of Saturday. Speakers subjected students to graphic tales and reenactment of suicide, which left some students with past loss due to suicide disturbed and upset with no emotional support to help them. Students were found in the bathroom weeping.

In violation of federal law, lunch was conditioned on completing voter registration forms and other election related materials were distributed to students, adds the fundraising page, titled Fight Back Against Day of Hope Trauma.

Brittney Bryant, a biology teacher who complained about the event on Facebook, fumed that boys were instructed to go outside while the girls were left in the church for girl talk. My transgender child was discriminated against for walking out.

Story continues

I stayed and listened to the discussion, Bryant added. They talked about rape, forgiving the offender in life, suicide, prayer leadership, and many more dark controversial topics. We had females in the bathrooms crying due to the topics of discussion.

Meanwhile, Bryant claims, the boys discussion was called real talk and included male chauvinistic competition for monetary reward, including doing pushups. They were hyped up and egged on, she wrote in her social media post.

A student named Alexis Budyach also took to Facebook to detail what she called a horrible experience that started with rap battles and singing competitions, harmless fun.

Her mother, Bonnie Kersch, told The Advocate that they had no idea the college fair would be held in a church. She felt she was duped into thinking that she was going for a college and career fair, Kersh told the Baton Rouge newspaper, that she was proselytized over and prayed over.

via Facebook/EBR Schools

After the ice-breaker, male students were asked to leave the room, Budyach said in her post. As a genderfluid person, I dont identify as either a boy or a girl, so this was a troubling situation for me, Budyach wrote. However, due to the nature of this program being in a church, I immediately assumed that I would be discriminated against if I went with the boys, so I stayed sitting down and kept my mouth shut. Then, as the girls were all alone, the host introduced three women meant to guide us on our journey in being young queens.

Budyach said the first speaker was a female pastor, who lectured about staying true to oneself and not trying to fit in with the crowd. One of the examples she used for this was how she had kept her virginity through high school and college, Budyach wrote. After she announced this proudly, she expected an applause. She mentioned how everyone knew her as the good Christian girl and that she was proud of it.

The second speaker, Budyach added, was involved in the education sector in some way and talked about how a guy she met on a dating app ended up attempting to kill her by strangling her. The woman allegedly told the students that she kept their romance secret, so no one would know if he did murder her. She used this to ultimately make the argument that if something needs to be kept secret, then it shouldnt be happening at all, Budyach wrote.

After this warning about domestic violence, Budyach says, the woman also emphasized that if she had waited for the man god meant for her, then it wouldnt had happened. She uses this to essentially shame the concept of dating around and took a soulmate-esque approach on the situation.

In addition, Budyach wrote, she explained that she had forgiven her ex boyfriend for his attempted murder, even if he wasnt sorry. Again, there could possibly be a valuable message, however its lost in the traumatic storytelling and religious imagery.

The third speaker was a nurse with a PhD, Budyach continued, and gave an extremely detailed description of the morning that she had found her sons body after he had hung himself.

Baptist Girls School Circle of Hope Hit With Sex-Trafficking Lawsuit

She explained that this happened because her son was bullied, Budyach claimed. She used this story to say that people these days are too mean to each other and we need to stick together. For the third time, a possibly useful message hidden behind an extremely traumatizing account of a day that we had no warning or idea that we were going to learn about.

When both student groups were called into the venue, a speaker named Donk gave the most fantastical story one could imagine, Budyach said.

He started by saying at the age of 9 he was shot in the stomach and saw his intestines fall into his hands. Then, he was paralyzed and in a wheelchair from the ages of 11-13 (not sure what happened from 9-11). One day, according to him, he was with his grandma who was snoring very loudly and he started to wiggle his toes and wasnt paralyzed anymore. Then, he started messing with the wrong crowd and ended up in prison with a life sentence + 90 years on two counts of armed robbery and a murder. He said how he was sad in jail and tried to kill himself with a bedsheet (which he demonstrated with a prop sheet he had on stage), but somehow he changed his mindset and got out of jail, Budyach wrote.

At the end of everything, the host made the audience make a choice. He said, If you want to eat, pizza is right outside those doors for you. If you choose change, if you want to get better, come towards the stage towards me. At this point we had not eaten and frankly, I was done being traumatized, so I left the building.

via Facebook/EBR Schools

In a statement, the school district appeared to defend the field trip, which was conducted in partnership with 29:11 Mentoring Families, a religious nonprofit for at-risk youth. (The groups website says, We believe by being Inspirational, Intentional and Intimate were able to redirect our students to Jesus Christ who defines their future and to change the world.)

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System has partnered with to provide additional support services for students in our district, the school system said. One of these initiatives is the Day of Hope event. The event was structured to assist students with exploring what options are available after high school, along with allowing students to participate in breakout sessions and student-initiated activities and projects. By providing entertaining activities with an educational focus, this event was an elevation of a traditional college and career fair.

Students were provided with lunch and a rare opportunity to mingle with their peers from other high schools in one setting. We look forward to seeing what our over 2,100 student participants will continue to achieve with the resources and knowledge gained from this event.

One Facebook video from Aug. 31 promotes the event with 29:11s founder Tremaine Sterling, who stands beside the school systems superintendent Dr. Sito Narcisse. Im so excited about this partnership, Narcisse says in the video. We have great things coming between EBR and 29:11 Academy. Its gonna be where all the seniors in all the high schools are going to participating. Just one of many partnerships that we have coming.

So save the date, Sterling adds, Its going to be amazing. Thousands coming under one roof, to grow, to get better.

Trey Holiday, a student who attended the event, told The Advocate that the college portion of the event included outdoor tents for only a few schools and programs.

It kind of felt more like a spiritual event than a career and college fair, he said.

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
The Memphis Police Department is searching for a man and two women who they said stole purses from Marshalls.

Police said the first incident happened at 1697 Germantown Parkway on Aug. 30.

MPD said they took 18 purses, valued at $800, from the store.

On September 22nd, the same man, along with another woman, took 18 more purses, valued at $800, from the same business, according to MPD.

The suspects, both times, got into an unknown car and fled the scene.

Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Trending stories:
Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen appeared before Judge Elizabeth Lehigh Thomakos during his March arraignment at the Tuscarawas County Courthouse in New Philadelphia.

NEW PHILADELPHIA  The criminal trial of suspended Dover Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen will apparently be delayed again.

Defense attorney Mark R. DeVan filed a motion in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court on Friday seeking postponement. An entry in the court's online records indicated the special prosecutor from the State Auditor's Office is not opposing the motion.

Dover Law Director Douglas O'Meara, who is among those expected to testify, said he was told the trial will not begin Tuesday, as had been scheduled.

The trial was previously postponed by a week due to the illness of a key prosecution witness.

More:Homrighausen trial delayed a week due to illness of key witness

Homrighausen has pleaded not guilty to charges of theft in office, four counts of soliciting improper compensation, two counts of dereliction of duty, having an unlawful interest in a public contract and representation by a public official.

Seven charges relate to the collection of fees for officiating at weddings.

The theft-in-office charge alleges that he pocketed $9,295 for some 270 ceremonies.

The charges of soliciting improper compensation involve accusations that Homrighausen took money for performing four weddings. The prosecutor has said those charges are meant to put "flesh on the bones" of all the theft charges. They are expected to be examined in detail at the trial.

Both dereliction of duty charges allege that Homrighausen failed to turn over wedding fees to the city treasury between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 4, 2021.

The charge of having an unlawful interest in a public contract relates to his involvement, from Nov. 1, 2012, to March 4, 2013, in the city's hiring of his son, Peter.

The charge of representation by a public official arises from Homrighausen participating in, and ruling on, an overtime grievance filed by the same son, then a city light plant employee, on Feb. 21, 2016.

It's not clear when the trial would start if the delay is approved.

Story continues

Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.

On Twitter: @nmolnarTR

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Suspended Dover mayor's trial will apparently be delayed a second time
Longyearbyen, the largest city in Svalbard on May 2, 2022. JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images

Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago by the North Pole, is one of the world's only visa-free zones.

But residents who can't support themselves or find housing can be expelled by the governor.

Insider spoke with four locals (one of whom was deported) about what it's like to work in Svalbard.

In a world where your passport dictates where you can live, travel, and work, there's a semi-frozen haven open to citizens of all countries  no complicated visa or employment permits required.

Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago 500 miles from the North Pole, is home to the world's northernmost human settlement. The 2,300 residents of the capital, Longyearbyen, include people of over 40 different nationalities, few of whom are "from" Svalbard, per say.

That's because you're not allowed to give birth on Svalbard  one of the many strange rules that govern existence on the remote collection of islands covered by ice.

There are surprises of course, whom the town endearingly calls "Svalbard babies" even when they're grown, Cecilia Blomdahl, a popular content creator based in Longyearbyen, said in an interview with Insider.

Among Svalbard's other odd rules left over from its days as a coal mining town include a monthly alcohol limit (24 beers, half a bottle of fortified wine, and one bottle of liquor), and a ban on cats to protect the bird population.

But the most important rule of all: Don't run out of money. And certainly don't find yourself without a home.

Cecilia Blomdahl's cabin in Longyearbyen, one of the few homes of its kind on the island. Courtesy of Cecilia Blomdahl

While the Svalbard treaty of 1920 permits anyone to live and work on the archipelago indefinitely, its open borders come with an asterisk: You must have enough money to support yourself and a roof over your head, or risk expulsion from the territory.

"You can stay here for as long as you can take care of yourself," Blomdahl said. "That means how you get to work, how you live, your housing  nothing will be provided for you."

Despite being a sovereignty of Norway, Svalbard employees pay an 8% income tax and local businesses contribute zero taxes toward the country's national insurance program (the mainland's current tax rate is 14% and 22% respectively). As a result, there are no retirement homes, public transport, homeless shelters, unemployment benefits, or really any social safety net you can think of.

Story continues

Nobody understands this trade off quite like Mark Sabbatini, the founder and editor of IcePeople, "the world's northernmost alternative newspaper," who was kicked off Svalbard in 2021 after living in Longyearbyen for over a decade.

He moved to the island from the US in 2008 with around $1 million dollars in the bank and ambitions to launch an English-language newspaper, Sabbatini told Insider.

Mark Sabbatini, founder and editor of IcePeople, the "world's northernmost alternative newspaper." Courtesy of Mark Sabbatini / Photo by Elizabeth Bourne

While running IcePeople, two of Sabbatini's apartments were condemned due to environmental issues he said were exacerbated by the area's rapidly warming climate. The first was built on top of thawing permafrost, and the second was located in a newly determined avalanche zone.

"At that point, I didn't have a whole lot of money and it was a big scramble every month to scrounge up stuff," he said. "I was begging, borrowing  not stealing, but pretty close."

After squatting in a friend's cabin during the pandemic, Sabbatini succumbed to his last resort: sleeping at the campground where a guide was killed in a polar bear attack the year before. That's when the governor gave him the boot.

"I was horribly miserable, but it was absolutely the right decision," Sabbatini, who now works at a local paper in Alaska, recalled.

"It's a very fair system. Your taxes are incredibly low, but the trade off is you get no social support," he continued. "If you're not paying for that system, why should you benefit from it?"

"The planning of the schedule for the dog employees has been much more difficult than the human one," Fiala said. Courtesy of Martin Fiala

Thanks to the local housing crisis, it's easier to find work on Svalbard than a place to live. Despite 2.5 months of complete darkness and below-freezing temperatures, the capital of Longyearbyen is a great place to be an entrepreneur, according to Martin Fiala, one of the co-founders of Cafe Huskies.

"If you have some idea, you're probably the only one who's doing it [in Svalbard]" he said. "I think if we set this up in a regular city where there's five other coffee places or shops on the same block, I don't think we'd be as successful."

But the area's remoteness also creates a separate set of challenges, Fiala explained, especially when it comes to shipping in goods from the mainland.

"If the coffee machine breaks, no one here can fix it and it would take weeks for us to get another one," he said, adding that "there's one guy in town who knows how to fix an industrial dishwasher."

"As soon as we save up some more money, we want to buy or rent another one and have it as a spare," he told Insider. "If there's ever a moon colony set up, I think we'd be perfect for it. It's really like a space station here."

Martin Fiala and his dog, Tequila: "Most of my job is to just to hike with my dog in like mountains. The price to pay is that it's exhausting and chaotic, but that's pretty awesome," Fiala told Insider. Courtesy of Martin Fiala

Fiala and his co-founders all have second jobs, which made the launch of Cafe Huskies less of a financial risk. He studied architecture but currently works as a nature guide  one of many professionals in the local tourist economy with hidden passions.

"Here, in tourism, you have a lot of people working in reception, guiding, driving a truck," he told Insider. "But they're also an economist, a chemist, a photographer."

Why do people of so many different backgrounds and careers continue flocking to one of the world's most remote towns? One answer, according to Fiala, is that the extremity of life in Svalbard serves as a "catalyst" for both the best and worst qualities of humans.

"If you're depressed and you have a drinking problem and you come here, you'll probably just end up just drinking through the winter," he explained. "But if you're trying to finish the book, you're just going to do it. Life here gets dialed up."

Read the original article on Business Insider
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP)  Andre Szmyt knocked in five field goals, including the 31-yard game-winner with just over a minute left, and Syracuse held off Virginias second-half comeback to beat the Cavaliers 22-20 on Friday night.

Syracuse led 16-0 at halftime, but Virginia recorded three second-half touchdowns to take a 20-19 lead with just under six minutes remaining in the game. The Orange (4-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) have won their first four for the first time since 2018 and got this one despite committing their first four turnovers of the season.

Were really fortunate to come out with the win, were excited about that, Syracuse coach Dino Babers said. The play was not perfect, thats for sure. But the record is.

Syracuse drove to the winning field goal with help from a critical facemask penalty on a third-and-7 play from the Syracuse 41 that was called on a sack of Shrader. That moved the ball into Virginia territory and a 12-yard scramble by Shrader after the Cavaliers' sixth sack moved the Orange into position for the winning kick.

Once they scored the touchdown, I kind of knew that it might come down to a field goal, Szmyt said. And we executed.

Brennan Armstrong was 19 of 38 for 138 yards and a 4-yard touchdown to Lavel Davis Jr. with 5:51 remaining to put Virginia up 20-19.

In the second half, we were able to find some run game, Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott said. We were able to find a couple of plays. Man, Brennan on that last touchdown throw, he had pressure off the edge. He stood in there, set his feet and delivered a strike. Those are the type of plays that we need him to make.

Syracuse responded with a 62-yard drive to the winning kick and Virginias final drive resulted in a turnover on downs.

The matchup reunited two of Syacuses first-year assistants, Robert Anae and Jason Beck, with their old squad. Anae and Beck coached at Virginia (2-2, 0-1 ACC) for the past five seasons before joining Dino Babers staff this offseason.

Story continues

We just all came together, said Virginia linebacker Chico Bennett Jr., who had two tackles for loss. Theyre a good football program. Coach Anae has coached them well. For us, weve got some things to work on. Rushing the passer was one of the big things we needed to do. We left something out on the field, but were going to get that back.

Syracuse started the game strong, with Trebor Pena returning the opening kickoff 57 yards into Virginia territory, and the Orange punching it in five plays later with Garrett Shraders 17-yard rushing touchdown.

Virginia kicker Brendan Farrell missed first-quarter field goal attempts from 51 and 49 yards, respectively. The second miss came after the Cavaliers had taken over at the Orange 37-yard line following a Sean Tucker fumble. For the second straight week, Tucker was unable to find many openings, finishing with 60 yards rushing on 21 attempts.

UVA got back in the game early in the second half when Armstrong pitched to Keytaon Thompson at the 1-yard line for a touchdown. The Cavaliers, trailing 16-6, wanted to attempt a 2-point conversion, but an illegal substitution penalty forced them to kick the extra point instead.

Trebor Pena fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, giving UVA possession 13 yards from the end zone. Perris Jones scored two plays later, cutting Syracuses lead to three, but the extra point was blocked by Jatius Greer.

Syracuses defense forced two turnovers, the first coming late in the first quarter when Armstrong kept a read option to the right side but ran into his own blocker. Syracuse capitalized by taking a 13-0 lead after a Szmyt field goal. He is 9 of 10 on field goal attempts this season.

TARGETING

Virginia linebacker Nick Jackson was ejected for targeting in the third quarter after a hit on Shrader. Jackson entered the game as the teams leading tackler. Syracuse defensive back Justin Barron was also called for targeting earlier in the half. Alijah Clark, Terry Lockett and JaHad Carter all left the game with injuries for Syracuse.

THE TAKEAWAY

Virginia: The Cavaliers again struggled offensively, totaling 287 yards and less than 21 points for the third straight game. A year after ranking among the top teams nationally in points per game, Armstrong and Virginias offense havent been able to match that success under first-year head coach Tony Elliott and offensive coordinator Desmond Kitchings.

Syracuse: Shrader rebounded from a sluggish performance against Purdue, finishing 22 for 33 for 277 passing yards. His go-to target was Oronde Gadsden II, who notched seven catches for 113 yards. Gadsden has emerged over recent games as a key slot receiver, and he recorded another stellar outing after catching the game-winning touchdown with seven seconds left in the game last week.

UP NEXT

Virginia continues its two-game road trip at Duke on Saturday night.

Syracuse hosts Wagner on Saturday afternoon.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the APs college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
The Taiwan counsel general is warning about a potential invasion of his country by China and is calling on the world's democracies to support his island nation.

"I am very, very concerned about a future potential Chinese invasion against Taiwan," said Counsel General Ambassador James J.K. Lee, the director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York.

"China has not renounced the use of force against Taiwan."

Ambassador Lee, in an exclusive interview with Fox News, outlined the international and domestic efforts to bolster Taiwan's defenses in the face of increasing Chinese aggression.

BIDEN SAYS US WOULD DEFEND TAIWAN IF CHINA LAUNCHES AN 'UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK'

"Many military experts estimate different timetable timelines for a possible invasion. But I believe peace can only be sustained through strength," Lee said.

He praised President Biden's show of support for the independent island nation when he recently told "60 Minutes" that U.S. Troops will help defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. White House officials have said the president's statement is part of a policy of "strategic ambiguity" that is intended to keep Beijing off balance, though the U.S. policy of "One China" remains in place.

"It highlights the U.S. determination to safeguard democracy. It also sends a clear message to Beijing that an ambiguity strategy is tipping toward clarity in response to Chinese intimidation against Taiwan," Lee said. "Ukraine will have told us that deterrence is critical. Preventative war is very critical. Our true success will ultimately measure not whether we can win a war over Taiwan, but whether we can prevent one."

CHANG SOUNDS ALARM ON TAIWAN: US MILITARY MUST BE READY FOR WAR WITH CHINA IN HOURS, NOT YEARS

The Biden administration is also reportedly considering slapping sanctions on China to deter a potential invasion.

Story continues

"Americans should know that Taiwans democratic future concerns the future of the free world. Chinese aggression against Taiwan would dislocate the entire region. Therefore, we should view Taiwan not as China's ultimate goal, but rather as the first domino in the quest for regional and global dominance," Lee said.

China has increased its provocations against Taiwan, which still considers itself its own territory. Recent large- scale military drills off Taiwan's coast and the continued warplanes that violate the country's defense zones are examples of Beijing's bluster. Only about 90 miles separate the two countries between the Taiwan Straight, which is about the same distance between Cuba from Florida.

CHINA RENEWS THREATS, CONDEMNATIONS AFTER US ANNOUNCES FORMAL TRADE TALKS WITH TAIWAN

"The United States and Taiwan should use this crisis as a catalyst to move faster toward a constructive security partnership," Lee says. "When you're facing such a big enemy giant on the other side, we do hope those freedom-loving, peace-loving countries can unite together and give Taiwan support. We need that."

Lee has also rallied support in New York for his nation and has been seeking to expand its role in the United Nations. The U.N. General Assembly expelled Taiwan in favor of communist China in 1971.

Observers say Beijing's belligerence has only backfired and has made defending Taiwan a top U.S. priority. Ambassador Lee says that China's moves have also strengthened the resolve of the Taiwanese people.

"The Chinese aggressive, coercive approach measure only strengthens our people's will to safeguard our democracy and freedom," he says.

"While Taiwan will do whatever it can to de-escalate the tension, we will never surrender our freedom."

Jennifer Johnson contributed to this report.
Texas Tech beat No. 22 Texas 37-34 in overtime after star Texas running back Bijan Robinson fumbled on the first play of overtime.

Texas (2-2) forced overtime as time expired in regulation on a field goal by Bert Auburn. But any hope the Longhorns had of coming back to win the game was dashed when Robinson was hit at the line of scrimmage after a handoff and the ball popped free.

The Red Raiders (3-1) got inside the Texas 10 on the first play of their possession and Trey Wolff kicked the game-winning field goal. Wolff had appeared to kick a game-winner with 21 seconds to go in regulation, but Techs exceptionally soft defense after the field goal helped Texas get into Auburns field goal range.

Tech quarterback Donovan Smith was 38-of-56 passing for 331 yards and two touchdowns. The Red Raiders were especially aggressive on fourth downs against the Longhorns and it paid off. Tech converted six of eight fourth-down attempts  the most the school has ever converted as a member of the Big 12.

Smith also rushed for 42 yards and a score. He took over as Tech's starting QB after Tyler Shough was injured at the start of the season and played mistake-free football after throwing five interceptions in Tech's last two games.

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 24: Jerand Bradley #9 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders rushes against defender Jerrin Thompson #28 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Getty Images)

Quinn Ewers doesn't play for Texas

Quinn Ewers made the trip to Lubbock but didnt play for the Longhorns. Ewers was injured in Texas Week 2 loss to Alabama and was replaced by Hudson Card.

Card got the start on Saturday and was 20-of-30 passing for 277 yards with two TDs and an interception. Robinson, meanwhile, was Texas star once again before the fumble. He had 16 carries for 101 yards and scored twice. His first TD was a sideline-dancing 40-yard run and he also had a 22-yard catch.

But Texas defense simply couldnt get off the field even as it limited Tech to less than six yards per pass. The Red Raiders kept converting those fourth downs and had the ball for over 35 minutes and ran 100 plays to Texas' 60.

Story continues

A huge win for Texas Tech

Saturdays game might have been the final time Texas plays in Lubbock. At least for a while, anyway. With the Longhorns set to go to the SEC in 2024, there arent any games scheduled between the teams in the northwest part of the state.

If the rivalry is over for the time being, Texas will still reign. The Longhorns are 54-18 against the Red Raiders and Saturdays win was the first for Tech in Lubbock since 2008 when Michael Crabtree made his famous catch to stun the Longhorns.

The victory also positions Texas Tech as team to watch in the middle of an incredibly even Big 12. The Red Raiders have games at Kansas State and Oklahoma State up next before home games against West Virginia and Baylor. Well have a great idea of where Tech stands in the conference after those four matchups.
A Texas woman was arrested after she went on a racist rant targeting a group of Indian-American women. Kali9/Getty Images

A woman went on a racist tirade against a group of Indian-American, according to reports.

Esmeralda Upton admitted to striking one of the women, who has now filed a civil suit against her.

Upton was charged with assault and terroristic threats. The incident is also being investigated as a hate crime.

A Texas woman is being sued after she was arrested for going on a racist rant against a group of Indian-American women who were speaking Bengali.

Bidisha Rudra and three of her friends were saying their goodbyes in a restaurant parking lot in West Plano, Texas on August 24 when Esmeralda Upton began yelling at them.

"I hate you fucking Indians," Upton yelled, per The Dallas Observer. "If things are so great in your country, then stay there."

Rudra and her friends  who are all US citizens  began to record the incident, which made Upton more enraged, and she attacked Rudra and her friends, according to the Observer.

"You turn off that phone or I swear to God I'll fucking shoot your ass," Upton said at the time, per the Observer. She also called the women "curry-ass bitches," according to The Dallas Morning News.

Upton would not leave the group alone until police arrived to separate the women, and she was permitted to leave the scene after she refused a breathalyzer test, per the Observer. Plano Police arrested Upton the following day on charges of misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury and terroristic threats, according to a police statement, which noted the department is investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Last week, Rudra filed a civil suit against Upton for compensatory and punitive damages, noting that she has developed high blood pressure, trouble sleeping, and a lack of appetite following the incident, per the Observer. The suit said Rudra has felt humiliation, anxiety, and embarrassment following the assault, as well as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, the Observer reported.

Story continues

"Life has not been the same since the incident, to put it lightly," Rudra told the Observer. "There's a lot of trauma, emotional distress, and a feeling of insecurity that keeps haunting me all the time. The assailant's words keep ringing in my ears when I go to sleep."

Rudra told the Observer she now fears for her family's safety and is afraid of Upton and "people who think like her, who are like her."



"Any minority is under some sort of threat in today's world," Rudra told the outlet.

According to an arrest affidavit seen by WFAA-TV, Upton continued her racist remarks to police officers, who described her as "very agitated and uncooperative." She told officers she became agitated when the group of women referred to her as a "white woman," and told officers she is "Mexican-American" and "Native American" and lives in a $1.5 million home. She initially told officers she is a "first generation" American, but later said she is "second generation," per WFAA.

Upton admitted to striking Rudra because the group was "videoing and saying all of this (expletive) that I wasn't doing. And that's what they do. Just like the Black people," Upton told police, per WFAA.

Upton posted a $10,000 bond, according to multiple reports. Court records show that Upton is representing herself as of Saturday. Police said more charges may be forthcoming.

Veronica S. Moye, a lawyer for Rudra, to the outlet "serious consequences" were needed against Upton  especially considering the alleged physical violence and threats to shoot the women.

"We think there has to be serious, serious consequences for Ms. Upton to send a message that this kind of behavior will be dealt with in the strongest possible way," Moye said. "An apology would be nice, but certainly would not remedy all of the harm that these women had suffered."

Upton could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Read the original article on Insider
Sep. 24A beloved icon of Hamilton Schools now has his legacy further solidified with this week's naming of the high school's media center after him.

Former Hamilton Board of Education member, teacher, school principal and district administrator Tom Alf was among the more popular leaders ever to have worked in the 9,000-student city schools.

Hamilton High School's media center is now officially the Thomas A. Alf Memorial Media Center after Thursday's ceremonies.

The event saw current school board members, city officials, Superintendent Mike Holbrook and Alf's family members gather there to honor him with the unveiling of signage and a large plaque bearing a list of his many contributions to the district.

The amiable, caring and plain-spoken Alf was 70 and had just won re-election to the school board for his latest, consecutive term when he died in November 2019.

The renaming of the high school's large media center "is indeed a high tribute," said Holbrook to the dignitaries gathered for the unveiling ceremony, but more so an honor of Alf's "enduring spirit."

"It was the spirit of dedication. Dedication to the education of the students of Hamilton City Schools and also the entire Hamilton community," he said of the former assistant superintendent.

"Tom was always a champion of students," said Holbrook, who worked with Alf and to this day remains impressed.

He quoted U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt's famous "The Man In The Arena" speech and said the often-cited speech reminded him of Alf's many personal sacrifices for the school system.

"Tom was in the arena," he said, adding Alf's decades of experiences and hard work are still benefiting students today and will into the future.

Alf's daughter, Sara Burk, said of her father, whom she described as "amazing," that his beloved home city of Hamilton always held a special place in his heart.

"He faithfully served and represented his hometown of Hamilton until his last day on Earth. On behalf of my family ... we thank you for this generous day and this ultimate tribute for our best guy," said Burk.

Photojournalist Nick Graham contributed to this story.
Tropical Storm Ian continued strengthening in the eastern Caribbean on Saturday  forecast to become a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it nears Cuba, then threatens Florida next week. Cuba has issued hurricane and tropical storm watches in anticipation.

Much of Florida remained in the cone as of the 11 p.m. forecast from the National Hurricane Center. But forecasters continued to nudge the track west throughout the day, taking much of South Florida out of it  from Palm Beach County to Monroe County.

Forecasters also cautioned that the track after 72 hours remained highly uncertain and a jog back to the east would also shift the cone along with it  along with wind from a storm expected to fuel up fast in hot western Caribbean waters.

Users are urged to not focus on specific forecast intensities in the 4- and 5-day forecasts and instead focus on the potential hazards Ian may produce across portions of Florida, the hurricane center said.

Jamie Rhone, acting director of the NHC, warned Floridians not to get fixated on the little changes in the track, which could just as easily move right back.

You may think because youre out of the cone, youre out of the woods, and thats not correct, he said in a morning broadcast before the updated 5 p.m. cone was released. You here in the South Florida peninsula have to maintain your guard.

The 11 p.m. track called for a landfall Thursday night south of Tallahassee, along Floridas sparsely populated Big Bend. That reflected the fourth hop west in the track.

No matter where Ian heads, heavy winds and rain could be felt across the state throughout the week. On Saturday afternoon, Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded his state of emergency declaration to the entire state, as the still-uncertain projected landfall track continues to wobble.

President Joe Biden also authorized FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts for those affected by Ian as he declared an emergency exists in the state.

The hurricane center, and officials in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, urged residents to finish hurricane preparations by Monday evening. Emergency managers in the Florida Keys delayed a decision on whether to call for evacuations, planning to wait until Sunday morning amid the deep uncertainty around the storms Florida track.

Story continues

READ MORE: Florida is in the storm cone. What it means for you and what you should be doing

The latest on Ian

Ians maximum sustained winds strengthened to 55 mph, according to the 11 p.m. update.

It was about 395 miles southeast of Grand Cayman and about 685 miles southeast of the western tip of Cuba. Ian continued to slow down a bit from the afternoon as it moves west at 13 mph.

Forecasters said the storm is now experiencing low sheer, high atmospheric moisture and is over superheated ocean water  setting the stage for rapid intensification into a hurricane while Ian moves over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

Rapid intensification is when a storm gains at least 30 mph of sustained winds in a 24-hour period.

Tropical Storm Ians track continued to shift west on Saturday, edging most of southeast Florida out of the cone.

Its currently projected to approach Cuba as a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds, and continue to strength up to 140 mph winds in the warm waters of the Gulf. However, the latest guidance suggested Ian could weaken back down to a Category 2 before making landfall in Florida.

READ NEXT: Your 2022 survival guide to tropical storms, hurricanes in Miami, Broward and the Keys

Where in Florida?

Ians approach to Floridas west coast early next week is still unclear, despite a trend west most of the day Saturday that moved Southeast Florida even more out of the cone.

The hurricane center said Saturday global modals are leaning toward a scenario where Ian will hit very strong southwesterly wind shear and weaken before approaching the Florida panhandle. However, forecasters say the potential impact of the storm should be focused on, not the track.

Ian is likely to have an expanding wind field and will be slowing down by that time, which will have the potential to produce significant wind and storm surge impacts despite any potential weakening, the hurricane center said.

Super-ensemble mean plots from @burgwx show a third consecutive cycle of a westward shift with the track of #TropicalStormIan in the models.



The 00z cycle will be key, as it will include new lower-level and upper-level observations of #Ian from @NOAA_HurrHunter and @53rdWRS. pic.twitter.com/brXuGoY021  weathertiger.substack.com - WeatherTiger, LLC (@wx_tiger) September 25, 2022

Michael Lowry, WPLGs meteorologist, wrote in his newsletter that the storms center on Saturday morning was a little south of where previous models expected it to be, which could have consequences for a Florida landfall later next week.

While we anticipated a brief turn westward, the southwesterly jog may indicate a competition ongoing between Ians mid-level center being blown southwestward by persistent wind shear and its formative low-level circulation chasing it, he wrote. The uneven distribution of thunderstorm activity south of the center could work to tug the system farther south and west in the short term.

Preps this weekend are based on the latest NHC track & timing. Here's a rough idea of where we are right now. This could change based on new advisories. At a minimum, much of Florida should at least prepare for power outages, based on the NHC forecast track. pic.twitter.com/liOUYDvurP  Craig Setzer (@CraigSetzer) September 24, 2022

One important factor in where exactly the storm goes is the ridge of air over the Northeast U.S. Models differ on when exactly it will begin to push south, and where it will steer Ian depends on when the storm interacts with that low pressure.

To help gather more information about that ridge, the National Weather Service in Aberdeen, South Dakota tweeted that dozens of NWS offices across the US are launching extra weather balloons, starting Saturday.

Small changes in the track can make a BIG difference in impacts across South Florida, the Miami NWS office warned.

The cone of uncertainty is getting smaller  but it still matters if youre outside it

Wind and rain predictions

South Florida and the Keys could see heavy rains beginning as early as Monday, along with some flooding. Current projections call for about 2 to 4 inches of rain across the Keys and southern Florida, the hurricane center said.

Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin on Sunday night in Grand Cayman, with hurricane conditions being felt early Monday.

The NHC predicts that Jamaica and the Cayman Islands could see three to six inches of rain, with some areas seeing maximums of 8 inches.

In Cuba, tropical storm conditions are possible by late Monday, with hurricane conditions being felt by Monday night or Early Tuesday. Western Cuba is forecast to receive about four to eight inches, with some regions seeing up to a foot of rain.

These rains may produce flash flooding and mudslides in areas of higher terrain, particularly over Jamaica and Cuba. Flash and urban flooding is possible with rainfall across the Florida Keys and the Florida peninsula through mid next week, the hurricane center said.

Floridians should complete their preparations by Monday night, the hurricane center warned.

Three other systems

The National Hurricane Center was tracking three systems as of Saturday night.

NHC was also monitoring three other systems, plus a tropical wave in the central Atlantic with a low chance of formation this week. By Saturday evening, Tropical Storm Hermine was downgraded to a depression and Tropical Storm Gaston pulled away from the Azores Saturday. Post-tropical Cyclone Fiona lashed Nova Scotia and Newfoundland with record-breaking winds and was expected to dissipate early next week as it approached Greenland.
Former President Trump railed against New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) during a rally in North Carolina on Friday after James announced a civil lawsuit against him and his family business over allegations of fraud earlier this week.

Trump traveled to the city of Wilmington, N.C., to campaign for Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) in his race for Senate against Democrat Cheri Beasley and for other Republican congressional candidates in the state. In his remarks, Trump said Jamess lawsuit is the best example of the lefts obsession with targeting political opponents.

Trump called James racist and slammed her for ranting and raving during her campaign for attorney general in 2018 that she would investigate him.

This is a gross prosecutorial misconduct, he said.

James announced the lawsuit on Wednesday after conducting a three-year investigation into allegations that the Trump Organization illegally inflated the value of its assets for the purpose of acquiring loans on more favorable terms and deflated them on tax forms.

The lawsuit also names three of his children who have played major roles in the business, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, and James said in her press conference announcing the lawsuit that the former president received help from former Trump Organization executives Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney.

The suit is seeking $250 million in financial penalties and asks the New York State Supreme Court to bar Trump and his children from serving as an officer of any corporation registered in New York.

Trump said at his rally that the Justice Department should investigate James for abuse of power and that she should be removed from office.

These prosecutors are out of control, he said. Theyre crazy.

Trump also criticized the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach him for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. He pointed to eight of them either choosing not to run for reelection or losing their primaries to Republican challengers, specifically mentioning Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), who lost her primary, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), who chose to not run again.

He said one witch hunt after another has happened to him during the past six years, including from the unselect committee, a reference to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Fox News Channel and radio talk show host Sean Hannity (L) interviews U.S. President Donald Trump before a campaign rally at the Las Vegas Convention Center on September 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump said Presidents could declassify documents "even by thinking about it."

Based on a previous interview, a political analyst says he may have "intended to send the boxes of materials."

Trump's claim may go against the idea that documents ended up in his home accidentally.

CNN political analyst Maggie Haberman said former President Donald Trump may have inadvertently deviated from the narrative that classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago ended up there accidentally.

In an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, Trump made the unfounded claim that Presidents are able to declassify documents simply by "saying: 'It's declassified'" or "even by thinking about it."

"Because you're sending it to Mar-a-Lago, or to wherever you're sending it," Trump told Hannity on Wednesday. "You're the president, you make that decision. So when you send it, it's declassified. I declassified everything," Trump added.

On a Friday episode of CNN New Day, Haberman fixated on Trump's phrase "you're sending it to Mar-a-Lago."

She argued the statement "seemed to indicate that he had intended to send the boxes of materials to his private club and home. Whereas there has been this line from people around him that this was all an accident, things were just shipped out."

Two sources familiar with the Mar-a-Lago raid and the DOJ'S investigation into the documents told NBC News in August that Trump's aides were hastily packing up documents near the end of his presidency  one of several possible justifications for the matter.

"So they've tried leaning in on the idea that this was some kind of accident and just now he seemed to suggest that this was intentional," Haberman added.

Trump also claimed the FBI planted information in Mar-a-Lago during the August raid, but then seemingly undermined the allegation.

"There seems to be confusion as to the 'picture' where documents were sloppily thrown on the floor and then released photographically for the world to see, as if that's what the FBI found when they broke into my home," Trump wrote in a September 1 Truth Social post: "Wrong!"

Story continues

He added: "They took them out of cartons and spread them around on the carpet, making it look like a big 'find' for them. They dropped them, not me - Very deceivingAnd remember, we could have NO representative, including lawyers, present during the Raid. They were told to wait outside."

Haberman is a White House Correspondent for the New York Times and a political analyst for CNN who has followed Trump extensively throughout his political career. Her upcoming book, "Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America," discusses details about how Trump handled his defeat in the 2020 election, including his attempt to seek advice from White House aides on whether he should refuse to leave office.

Haberman and CNN hosts John Berman and Brianna Keilar went on to discuss more about Trump, including the civil suit New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed against him.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Two Fresno men were arrested Friday in connection with the August armed robbery of a convenience store in Merced, according to police.

Merced detectives served two search warrants in Fresno with the assistance of the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC) and investigators from the California Lottery on Friday, according to a social media post by the Merced Police Department.

Detectives were investigating a robbery that occurred Aug. 28, 2022, at the Stop 2 Save Liquor Store in Merced. Three masked men entered and stole cash, lottery tickets and liquor bottles.

Two of the three men were armed with handguns and were identified by detectives as Fresno residents Robert Joe Hernandez, 27, and Emilio Tito Alvarado, 26. Both are documented Bulldog gang members, police said.

While officers were serving the search warrant at Hernandezs residence, he took off running and tried to discard two firearms, according to police. Hernandez stopped and was arrested after realizing his residence was surrounded by officers.

Alvarado was arrested after he and a family member arrived in a vehicle during the service of the search warrant at his residence.

Hernandez and Alvarado were taken to Merced and booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime and gang enhancements. Hernandez, recently discharged from parole, also was charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Detectives are still trying to identify the third suspect in the robbery.

Merced police are asking anyone with any information to contact Det. Christian Lupian at 209-385-7844 or lupianc@cityofmerced.org.


UKRAINIAN BRAVERY: In New York for the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Ukraines First Lady Olena Zelenska met with the U.N.s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Prime Minister of Great Britain Liz Truss, Frances First Lady Brigitte Macron and the U.N.s Population Fund executive director Natalia Kanem.

Zelenska reportedly praised U.N. officials for including the situation in Ukraine in this years report on children in armed conflicts, as it will ensure proper monitoring by the U.N. system of crimes against children committed daily by the Russian occupiers in our country. As of last month, more than one-third of Ukrainian children, about 2.2 million, had been forced to leave their homes, with some having to relocate multiple times, according to humanitarian agencies.

More from WWD

As Zelenska has taken a more public role in denouncing the Russian invasion and championing Ukrainian designers and brands in recent months, she has been wearing Ukrainian designs for key public appearances. For Thursdays visits to the 9/11 Memorial and the Ukrainian Museum, Zelenska appeared to be sending a message, wearing a Ukrainian-made belt from the Gunia Project. The brand draws upon its home countrys heritage and is committed to restoring and increasing awareness of the Ukrainian culture globally.

The handwoven belt was inspired by traditional elements of Ukrainian folkloric Krayka costume. It carried the message Brave like Ukraine, and required six hours of work by a craftswoman, according to a spokesperson for the Gunia Project.

At the Ukrainain Museum, Zelenska received a tour from its newly installed director Peter Doroshenko, who until recently had held that same post at the Dallas Contemporary for 11 years. Earlier in the week in New York Zelenska hosted a brunch with some of her female and male counterparts from Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Malta and other countries, during the Summit of First Ladies and First Gentlemen. She was also applauding with the U.N. delegates in New York when they gave her husband, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, a standing ovation for his formula for peace virtual speech.

Story continues

Best of WWD

Click here to read the full article.
KYIV (Reuters) - A total of 211 ships with 4.7 million tonnes of agricultural products on board have left Ukraine so far under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to unblock Ukrainian sea ports, the Ukrainian infrastructure ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry said eight ships with 131,300 tonnes of agricultural products are due to leave Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Saturday.

Ukraine's grain exports slumped after Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24 and blockaded its Black Sea ports, driving up global food prices and prompting fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East.

Ukraine, a global major grain producer and exporter, shipped up to 6 million tonnes of grain per month before the war.

Three Black Sea ports were reopened under a deal signed on July 22 by Moscow and Kyiv and the ministry has said these ports are able to load and send abroad 100-150 cargo ships per month.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk. Editing by Jane Merriman)
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  SATURDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2022, 23:31

Ukraine is initiating an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council in view of the sham referendums being held by Russia in the occupied territories.

Source: Oleh Nikolenko, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, on Twitter

Quote: "Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on Russias sham referendums in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

Russia must be held accountable for its further attempts to change Ukraines internationally recognised borders in a violation of the UN Charter."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work!
UKRAINSKA PRAVDA  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 17:29

Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to Irans statement concerning Iranian unmanned aerial weapons (UAVs) in service with the Russian army, in which Iran advised Ukraine to resist the influence of third parties.

Source: Oleh Nikolenko, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking to Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "The only third party is the Iranian drones that Ukraine is shooting down in its sky. Tehran bears full responsibility for the breakdown of relations with Ukraine. Iran must immediately stop supplying Russia with weapons to kill Ukrainians with, instead of justifying its behaviour with fantasies about external influence."

Background:

Ukraine has stripped the Iranian ambassador of his accreditation and significantly cut the number of diplomatic staff at the Iranian embassy in connection with Irans supply of UAVs to Russia.

In response, Irans Foreign Ministry "advised" Ukraine to "resist the influence of third parties that want to ruin the relations between two countries".

It was revealed in August that Russia had received "hundreds" of UAVs from Iran for use in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, despite Washington urging Tehran not to supply them.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respond to the fact that Russian forces are using Iranian-produced weapons.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work!
Oblast Oleh Synyehubov, governor of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, announced on Friday that some of the bodies exhumed from a mass grave in Izyum, part of the Kharkiv region, showed signs of torture.

There are bodies with ropes around their necks, with their hands tied, with broken limbs and gunshot wounds. Several men have amputated genitalia, wrote Synyehubov on Telegram.

The 30 bodies found to have traces of torture include those of military members and civilians.

Many of the remainder of the 436 bodies buried in the mass grave showed signs of violent death, according to officials.

The United Nations released a report the same day confirming evidence of torture in Izyum, in addition to sexual violence and cruel and inhuman treatment.

The UNs Independent International Commission of Inquiry into Ukraine found that the Russian army forced family members to watch as they committed crimes against their fellow Ukrainians.

Synyehubov claimed that there are other burial sites around the Kharkiv region, including three more that officials have discovered since the territory has been liberated from Russian troops.

Izyum was recaptured by the Ukrainian military earlier this month as its troops launched a successful counteroffensive that pushed the Russians out of multiple key cities.

Each of the bodies found is a separate story, Synyehubov said.

And we will find out the circumstances of each persons death, so that their relatives and friends will learn the truth, and the murderers will be punished.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the torture chamber in Izyum in an address last week.

Russia has repeated in Izyum what it did in Bucha, Zelensky said, referring to the mass burial sites found in the latter city after Russian withdrawal earlier this year.

And now we have just begun to learn the full truth about what was happening in Kharkiv region at that time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has apologized after a person who follows the Sikh religion was handcuffed for having a knife in the student union, university officials said.

According to a message sent to the UNC Charlotte community Friday, campus police responded to a 911 call regarding someone with a knife Thursday. Once at the student union, officers approached the person and put them in handcuffs. During the interaction, the university said police took an item from the person and then removed the handcuffs.

After further investigation, university officials said the object was a kirpan, an article of faith in Sikhism.

According to the Sikh Coalition, an organization that defends the civil rights of members of the religion, initiated Sikhs must have articles of faith with them at all times.

A day after the incident, the Charlotte Observer reported the person who was handcuffed posted a video on Twitter of the incident.

I wasnt going to post this, but I dont think I will receive any support from @unccharlotte, the person wrote on the post. I was told someone called 911 and reported me, and I got cuffed for resisting because I refused to let the officer take my kirpan out of the miyaan. @CLTNinerNews.

I wasnt going to post this, but I dont think I will receive any support from @unccharlotte . I was told someone called 911 and reported me, and I got cuffed for resisting because I refused to let the officer take my kirpan out of the miyaan. @CLTNinerNews pic.twitter.com/Vk9b0Tspvm    (@thatsamaan) September 23, 2022

UNC Charlotte officials said state law and university policy prohibit the possession of a knife or other edged instruments on campus.

Story continues

According to a message sent to the campus community, the university said it wants to use the incident as a learning opportunity and work together with students who follow the Sikh faith.

Together, we are confident we can find reasonable measures and educational opportunities that both protect the safety of our campus and the religious practices of our community members, the message said. We want every Niner to feel welcomed, supported and safe. We apologize that is not what this young man felt in our union yesterday.

On Friday, the Sikh Coalition posted on Twitter, saying it was aware of a disturbing video of the incident.

Spa Wan Eet Singh is a leader in the Sikh community, as well as a member of the Interfaith Network.

He told Channel 9s Glenn Counts that although a kirpan resembles a knife, it is not. It is a religious artifact.

ALSO READ: As classes begin, UNC Charlotte students face challenges with on-campus housing shortage

That is is a Sikh article of faith, (so) the notion around weapon does not stand, Singh said.

Count also spoke with Sikh Coalition member Dr. Suneet Kaur about this incident.

Its human nature to have this fear towards others, Kaur said. At the time that police were called, there was some serious misunderstanding and miscommunication, but this is an opportunity to help reverse that and help people to understand that this is part of our religion.

Both Singh and Kaur told Channel 9 that they were thankful that UNCC apologized for the incident. They said they believed that step will aid in the healing process, especially for the student who was involved.

Of course, (we) offered him some encouragement and advice, Kaur said. If it happened to any one of us or to any one of our children, wed be feeling so many emotions.

The chancellor of UNCC has promised that there will be future dialogue and effort to accommodate Sikh students in order to ensure this situation does not happen again.

(WATCH BELOW: UNC-Chapel Hill to rename dormitory, student affairs office)
A U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Friday as a show of force meant to send a warning to North Korea.

USS Ronald Reagan and ships from its accompanying strike group arrived at a naval base in the city of Busan prior to joint drills with the South Korean military.

Strike group commander Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly told reporters on the ship that the visit was intended to establish allied relations and increase interoperability between the navies.

When asked about sending a message to North Korea, Donnelly said, "We are leaving messaging to diplomats." He added that joint drills would ensure the allies could respond to all threats.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT YOON'S PROFANE REACTION TO BIDEN SPEECH CAUGHT ON HOT MIC

"It's an opportunity for us to practice tactics and operations," he said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has wanted more joint exercises and other displays of military force as a deterrence to North Korea. This year, the North has conducted a record number of missile tests and is believed to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.

North Korea has criticized previous U.S. military deployments and joint drills as war rehearsals.

The U.S. said last week that the carrier's visit was a "clear demonstration" of its commitment to deploy and exercise strategic assets to deter North Korea and boost regional security.

KIM JONG UN THREATENS TO USE NUCLEAR WEAPONS AGAINST US, SOUTH KOREA

But the U.S. Navy did not mention North Korea when announcing the visit. The branch said there would be a "regularly scheduled port visit" and emphasized that crew members would visit Busan to volunteer at orphanages and explore the K-pop music scene. Officials said the carrier would be in port for several days.

One crew member said they were looking forward to a break but that the geopolitical tensions were always top of mind.

"You can't ever really forget what we're all here for," the crew member said.

Story continues

This is the first visit to South Korea by a U.S. aircraft carrier since 2018. Many drills have since been scaled back or canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic or diplomatic efforts with North Korea.

Donnelly said questions about the role of the more than 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea in the event of a conflict in Taiwan are for policymakers above him. But he did say that operating with like-minded allies like South Korea is a vital part of the U.S. Navy's efforts to maintain regional security and stability.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Ventura City Hall at 501 Poli St.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct who version of this story misstated who attended a Sacramento dinner.

After months of public demand for financial transparency, the Ventura City Council on Monday will consider a review of city officials' travel and credit card expenditures and an independent audit of them.

The review and audit came after a City Council trip to Washington D.C. last year when five council members traveled to the National League of Cities Conference. The trip, which was not properly placed on an agenda and included discussions about city issues, was a violation of a state's open meeting law.

Mayor Sofia Rubalcava and Councilmembers Joe Schroeder, Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios, Lorrie Brown and Doug Halter  together a majority  attended the conference with City Manager Alex McIntyre.

'Unparalleled' view: Preservation of Ventura hillside property celebrated at news event

McIntyre later apologized for giving the council bad advice about a trip that led to the violation.

In late July, Ventura resident Glenn Overley brought up the issue of McIntyre paying for meals and wine with a state-issued credit card for local agencies on a separate League of Cities conference trip in Sacramento.

McIntyre used the credit card to pay for an eight-person meal on Sept. 23, 2021 in Sacramento. He shared the meal with councilman Schroeder, four other city employees and two Thousand Oaks officials.

McIntyre spent $323 for the meal, $115 for a bottle of wine and $234.60 for tip. In total, including taxes, the meal was about $711.

"The use of the...card to purchase wine and the unusually high gratuity should be further investigated to determine if that is within policy," Overley wrote to city officials.

In an email written to City Council members on Aug. 17, McIntyre acknowledged the city had received emails from community members voicing concern about the misuse of public funds.

Story continues

"Based on these emails, I believe that unfounded accusations are being made," McIntyre wrote.

He informed the City Council he later reimbursed the city for the wine. He also wrote to council that overtipping at the dinner was an "honest mistake" because he did not realize gratuity was already included.

"Going forward, city staff will reevaluate the city's existing travel policy and meeting expenses policy, which was last updated in November 2018," McIntyre wrote.

Council members will discuss approving the financial policy review and a forensic audit at 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

At a Sept. 12 City Council meeting, Councilman Mike Johnson asked for an "open, thorough and independent investigation" into the credit card issue.

Two days later, he elaborated in a Twitter post.

"The public is fed up (and) I'm fed up. I'm worried Ventura is on a bad road," Johnson tweeted. "There's more we must do for checks/balances (and) transparency."

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura City manager credit card use spurs policy review
The United Nations is ordering the evacuation of all non-essential international workers from Haiti, citing ongoing violence that has left workers vulnerable to kidnapping and attacks last week on U.N.-backed food warehouses across the country.

The evacuation order comes two months after the U.N. Security Council voted to extend the mandate of its Integrated Office in Haiti by a year and expand staffing, and ahead of a meeting Monday on the situation in Haiti. The United States is floating a resolution that would establish a new framework for sanctioning Haitis gang leaders, as well as those who supply financing and arms to gangs.

In a communique Friday, Gilles Michaud, U.N. undersecretary general for safety and security, cited a revised security risk for Haiti in approving the recommendation allowing the employees to return to their home countries.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, confirmed the order to the Miami Herald but did not say how many employees are affected.

Dujarric said the U.N. system in Haiti has prioritized its support to the government to provide life-saving activities.

To that end, U.N. personnel required on the ground to conduct these activities are remaining in country, while others will be working remotely, he said. The United Nations system is closely monitoring the evolving situation and readying its surge capacity for possible increased humanitarian needs.

Even before this week, Haitis security crisis worried international observers. Brazils permanent representative to the U.N. Security Council, for example, told colleagues in June that he had hoped to organize a visit to the country in July but decided to hold off because of the security conditions in Haiti and the United Nations Integrated Offices insufficient resources to guarantee the safety of the mission.

At the time, the U.N. had confirmed that two of its staffers had been kidnapped.

The United States, which warned U.S. citizens last fall to leave Haiti as the countrys security crisis deepened, has been operating with a reduced embassy staff for several years. In July 2018, the U.S. authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency personnel and their families. Since then, the embassy has been operating with reduced staff, which combined with the gang violence and the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to a backlog in the handling of visa applications of at least a year.

Story continues

The violence has only worsened since. For weeks Haiti has seen unprecedented levels of violence amid public demonstrations across the country against the government, and rising prices on food and fuel. In many instances, the demonstrations have turned violent as mobs, led by heavily armed individuals, set fire to private properties, ransacked hospitals and banks, and looted charity warehouses, many of them supported or run by the U.N.

In the wake of the violence, Haitians and foreigners have been forced to shelter in place. Embassies announced the temporary closures as protesters erected fiery barricades to block streets and pelted their building with rocks.

As the U.N. General Assembly got underway Friday, Dujarric told reporters that many U.N.-backed organizations have been directly targeted by looters during the recent violent protests, which began after the government announced a hike in the price of gas, propane and diesel in an effort to decrease $400 million in fuel subsidies and crack down on the black market.

At least two U.N. World Food Program warehouses, one in the city of Les Cayes and the other in Gonaives, were looted, and the offices of the facility in Gonaives was set on fire.

As unrest continues in Haiti, the Secretary-General condemns the violence in all forms witnessed in the country in recent weeks and calls on all actors to work together to de-escalate the situation and ensure a return to calm, Dujarric said.
Early voting will begin Oct. 12 at the Sandusky County Board of Elections' Countryside Drive office for the Nov. 8 General Election.

FREMONT  Oct. 11 is the deadline for voter registration or to change a name or address for the Nov. 8 General Election.

Residents can register to vote at the Sandusky County Board of Elections, 2020 Countryside Drive. The Board of Elections office will be open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 11. for registration deadline. Normal hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

You are qualified to register to vote in Ohio if you meet all the following requirements:

You are a citizen of the United States.

You will be at least 18 years old on the day of the general election.

You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote.

You are not incarcerated (in jail or in prison) for a felony conviction.

You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court.

You have not been permanently disenfranchised for violations of elections laws.

Voter registration forms are also available at: local libraries, any public high school or vocational school, Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), or any office or designated agency which provides public assistance or disability programs. You may also register or change your registration electronically at the Online Change of Address website: www.myohiovote.com.

Absentee/in-person voting for the Nov. 8 General Election will begin Oct. 12 at the board office.

Board of election hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct 12 to Oct. 14, Oct. 17 to Oct. 21, and Oct. 24 to Oct. 24. Additional hours including weekends are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 29; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 to Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 5; 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 6 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 7.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Voter registration deadlines set for General Election
Warpaint London PLC's (LON:W7L) periodic dividend will be increasing on the 25th of November to 0.026, with investors receiving 4.0% more than last year's 0.025. This takes the dividend yield to 4.6%, which shareholders will be pleased with.

See our latest analysis for Warpaint London

Warpaint London's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. Prior to this announcement, Warpaint London's dividend was making up a very large proportion of earnings and perhaps more concerning was that it was 451% of cash flows. This is certainly a risk factor, as reduced cash flows could force the company to pay a lower dividend.

Over the next year, EPS could expand by 6.9% if the company continues along the path it has been on recently. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 91%, which is on the higher side, but certainly still feasible.

Warpaint London's Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

Looking back, Warpaint London's dividend hasn't been particularly consistent. This suggests that the dividend might not be the most reliable. The dividend has gone from an annual total of 0.015 in 2017 to the most recent total annual payment of 0.06. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 32% a year over that time. Despite the rapid growth in the dividend over the past number of years, we have seen the payments go down the past as well, so that makes us cautious.

Warpaint London Could Grow Its Dividend

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Warpaint London has impressed us by growing EPS at 6.9% per year over the past five years. Recently, the company has been able to grow earnings at a decent rate, but with the payout ratio on the higher end we don't think the dividend has many prospects for growth.

Warpaint London's Dividend Doesn't Look Sustainable

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Warpaint London will make a great income stock. The payments are bit high to be considered sustainable, and the track record isn't the best. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.

Story continues

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've identified 3 warning signs for Warpaint London (1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing. Is Warpaint London not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Join A Paid User Research Session

Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here
Bev Kolpin, 57, a former sonogram technician at a Providence hospital who was billed $8,000 for a surgery despite being eligible for discounted rates, at home in Gresham, Ore. on Aug. 12, 2022. (Jovelle Tamayo/The New York Times)

In 2018, senior executives at one of the countrys largest nonprofit hospital chains, Providence, were frustrated. They were spending hundreds of millions of dollars providing free health care to patients. It was eating into their bottom line.

The executives, led by Providences chief financial officer at the time, devised a solution: a program called Rev-Up.

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

Rev-Up provided Providences employees with a detailed playbook for wringing money out of patients  even those who were supposed to receive free care because of their low incomes, a New York Times investigation found.

In training materials obtained by the Times, members of the hospital staff were instructed how to approach patients and pressure them to pay.

Ask every patient, every time, the materials said. Instead of using weak phrases  like Would you mind paying?  employees were told to ask how patients wanted to pay. Soliciting money is part of your role. Its not an option.

If patients did not pay, Providence sent debt collectors to pursue them.

More than half the nations roughly 5,000 hospitals are nonprofits like Providence. They enjoy lucrative tax exemptions; Providence avoids more than $1 billion a year in taxes. In exchange, the IRS requires them to provide services, such as free care for the poor, that benefit the communities in which they operate.

But in recent decades, many of the hospitals have become virtually indistinguishable from for-profit companies, adopting an unrelenting focus on the bottom line and straying from their traditional charitable missions.

As Providence illustrates, some hospital systems have not only reduced their emphasis on providing free care to the poor but also developed elaborate systems to convert needy patients into sources of revenue. The result, in the case of Providence, is that thousands of poor patients were saddled with debts that they never should have owed.

Story continues

Founded by nuns in the 1850s, Providence says its mission is to be steadfast in serving all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. Today, based in Renton, Washington, Providence is one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country, with 51 hospitals and more than 900 clinics. Its revenue last year exceeded $27 billion.

Providence is sitting on $10 billion that it invests, Wall Street-style, alongside top private equity firms. It even runs its own venture capital fund.

In 2018, before the Rev-Up program kicked in, Providence spent 1.24% of its expenses on charity care, a standard way of measuring how much free care hospitals provide. That was below the average of 2% for nonprofit hospitals nationwide, according to an analysis of hospital financial records by Ge Bai, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

By last year, Providences spending on charity care had fallen below 1% of its expenses.

The Affordable Care Act requires nonprofit hospitals to make their financial assistance policies public, such as by posting them in hospital waiting rooms. But the federal law does not dictate who is eligible for free care.

Ten states, however, have adopted their own laws that specify which patients, based on their income and family size, qualify for free or discounted care. Among them is Washington, where Providence is based. All hospitals in the state must provide free care for anyone who makes under 300% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that threshold is $83,250 a year.

In February, Bob Ferguson, the states attorney general, accused Providence of violating state law, in part by using debt collectors to pursue more than 55,000 patient accounts. The suit alleged that Providence wrongly claimed those patients owed a total of more than $73 million.

Providence, which is fighting the lawsuit, has said it will stop using debt collectors to pursue money from low-income patients who should qualify for free care in Washington.

But the problems extend beyond Washington. In interviews, patients in California and Oregon who qualified for free care said they had been charged thousands of dollars and then harassed by collection agents. Many saw their credit scores ruined. Others had to cut back on groceries to pay what Providence claimed they owed. In both states, nonprofit hospitals are required by law to provide low-income patients with free or discounted care.

Gregory Hoffman, Providences chief financial officer, said that the Times findings about the hospital systems treatment of poor patients are very concerning and have our attention. He said Providence wanted to get things right, on behalf of our communities and on behalf of our patients, though he acknowledged that the Rev-Up program initially had some hiccups, including sending Medicaid patients to debt collectors.

Melissa Tizon, a spokesperson for Providence, said the health system stopped doing that in December, although that was two years after an executive raised internal alarms about the practice. Providence has also instructed the debt collection firms it works with to not use any aggressive tactics such as garnishing wages or reporting delinquent accounts to credit agencies, she said.

Tizon said Providence was the largest provider of charity care in Washington. While the hospital system has been providing less of that care in recent years, she said, Providence has been treating more patients on Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for poor people.

Our practices comply with and in many instances exceed state requirements, she said.

Dont Accept the First No

When the federal government created Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s, millions more people suddenly had insurance that covered medical expenses.

The IRS began allowing hospitals to justify their tax exemptions by providing a broader range of loosely defined benefits to their communities beyond treating patients for free. Some hospitals took advantage of the new leeway, arguing that things like employees salaries counted toward the IRS requirement.

Top government officials warned that hospitals were abusing their privileged status as nonprofits.

Some tax-exempt health care providers may not differ markedly from for-profit providers in their operations, their attention to the benefit of the community or their levels of charity care, IRS commissioner Mark W. Everson wrote to the Senate in 2005.

Some hospital executives have embraced the comparison to for-profit companies. Dr. Rod Hochman, Providences CEO, told an industry publication in 2021 that nonprofit health care is a misnomer.

It is tax-exempt health care, he said. It still makes profits.

Since Hochman took over in 2013, Providence has become a financial powerhouse. Last year, it earned $1.2 billion in profits through investments. (So far this year, Providence has lost money.) In 2019, the latest year available, Providence received roughly $1.2 billion in federal, state and local tax breaks, according to the Lown Institute, a think tank that studies health care.

The greater the hospital systems profits, the more money it could pump into expanding. In addition, the greater its cash reserves, the stronger its credit rating. A pristine rating allowed Providence to inexpensively borrow money, which it could then funnel into further growth.

Over the past decade, Providence has opened or acquired 18 hospitals. Hochman earned $10 million in 2020.

Even before the Rev-Up program, Providence was collecting money from poor patients, sometimes in violation of state laws, according to five current and former executives and a review of patient complaints filed with regulators.

Harriet Haffner-Ratliffe, 20, gave birth to twins at a Providence hospital in Olympia, Washington, in 2017. She was eligible under state law for charity care. Providence did not inform her. Instead, it billed her almost $2,300. The hospital put her on a roughly $100-a-month payment plan.

It was more than Haffner-Ratliffe, who was unemployed, could afford. When she fell behind on the payments, Providence dispatched a debt collector to pursue her.

For people already on the financial brink, debt collection companies can push them over the edge. The companies often inform credit-rating firms about patients debts, which can torpedo their credit scores. That, in turn, can make it much harder and more expensive to buy or rent a car or home or to borrow money. Haffner-Ratliffes ordeal chopped her credit score by about 200 points. For years, she couldnt get a credit card.

In 2018, Providence was looking for ways to save money. It had recently merged with another nonprofit hospital system, and integrating the two was expensive.

Providence turned to the consulting firm McKinsey & Co. The firms assignment was to maximize the money that Providence collected from its patients, the five current and former executives said. In essence, the hospital system wanted to apply the tactics it had used with Haffner-Ratliffe to even more patients.

McKinseys solution was Rev-Up, whose name was an apparent reference to the goal of accelerating revenue growth.

Training materials instructed administrative staff to tell patients  no matter how poor  that payment is expected, according to documents included in Washingtons lawsuit and training materials obtained by the Times. Six current and former hospital employees said in interviews that they had been told not to mention the financial aid that states like Washington required Providence to provide.

One training document, titled Dont accept the first No, led staff through a series of questions to ask patients. The first was How would you like to pay that today? If that did not work, employees were told to ask for half the balance. Failing that, staff could offer to set up a payment plan. Only as a last resort, the documents explained, should workers tell patients that they may be eligible for financial assistance.

Another training document explained what to do if patients expressed surprise that a charitable hospital was pressuring them to pay. The suggested response: We are a nonprofit. However, we want to inform our patients of their balances as soon as possible and help the hospital invest in patient care by reducing billing costs.

Tizon, the spokesperson for Providence, said the intent of Rev-Up was not to target or pressure those in financial distress. Instead, she said, it aimed to provide patients with greater pricing transparency.

We recognize the tone of the training materials developed by McKinsey was not consistent with our values, she said, adding that Providence modified the materials to ensure we are communicating with each patient with compassion and respect.

The Rev-Up program alarmed some Providence employees.

Taylor Davison, who worked in the emergency department of a Providence hospital in Santa Rosa, California, until last year, said Providences tactics had struck her as predatory. She was told to approach patients as soon as doctors had finished examining them. She was required to document in the patients charts that she had repeatedly pushed for payments.

Employees were urged to collect any amount, no matter how small, she said. Here are people coming in at the worst moment of their lives, and Im asking them to empty their wallets, Davison said.

Providence paid McKinsey at least $45 million in 2019 for its assistance, tax filings show.

 2022 The New York Times Company
The White House condemned a Friday ruling in Arizona that allowed the states abortion ban to be enforced, saying that it will set women in the state back more than a century.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Saturday that the potential consequences of the ruling are catastrophic, dangerous, and unacceptable.

The ban, which was originally passed in the 1800s before Arizona became a state and has been blocked since the Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, forbids abortion in all cases except for when the life of the pregnant person is at risk.

If this decision stands, health care providers would face imprisonment of up to five years for fulfilling their duty of care; survivors of rape and incest would be forced to bear the children of their assaulters; and women with medical conditions would face dire health risks, Jean-Pierre said.

An Arizona judge ruled on Friday that the state could enforce the ban, as it was only blocked because of the courts ruling in Roe. More than a dozen states have had trigger bans go into effect or passed legislation banning abortion since the courts June ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturned the federal right to abortion.

Protecting abortion rights has become a key issue as Democrats vie to keep control of Congress in the November midterm elections.

Republicans, who have largely focused their attention on the economy and criticizing high inflation, were performing better in the generic congressional ballot and in certain individual races before Roe was overturned, and Democrats have closed the gap since then.

Polling has shown abortion access is one of the top issues on voters minds, trailing the economy as the top issue, but by a smaller margin than before June.

Several Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), have sought to distance themselves from Sen. Lindsey Grahams (R-S.C.) proposal to ban abortion federally after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Story continues

Graham said on Tuesday that abortion is not a states rights issue, but Senate Republicans told The Hill that they support letting the decision be made at the state level.

Jean-Pierre said in her Saturday statement in reference to the Arizona ban, Make no mistake: this backwards decision exemplifies the disturbing trend across the country of Republican officials at the local and national level dead-set on stripping women of their rights, including through Senator Grahams proposed national abortion ban.

Jean-Pierre said President Biden and Vice President Harris will continue to work to pass legislation to codify the abortion rights that Roe protected into federal law.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The White House patched through a phone call to a rioter during the Jan. 6, 2021, violence at the U.S. Capitol, a tech adviser chillingly revealed in an excerpt released Friday from an upcoming 60 Minutes interview.

You get a real a-ha moment when you see that the White House switchboard had connected to a rioters phone while its happening, Denver Riggleman, former senior technical adviser for the Jan. 6 House select committee, told CBS host Bill Whitaker.

Thats a big, pretty big a-ha moment, Riggleman added.

Riggleman, an ex-military intelligence officer and former GOP congressman from Virginia, said he made the discovery after assembling a team of analysts to pore over 20 million lines of data, including emails, social media posts, phone records and texts, to trace the connections leading up to and on Jan. 6.

Groups that popped up included the Trump team, Trump family, rally-goers, unaffiliated defendants charged by the Department of Justice, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and others, including state legislators, alternate electors, things like that, Riggleman added.

We were able to do things, I think, in a way that had never been done before with millions of lines of data and to actually create a graph that shows how these groups actually intermingled, he explained.

As for the communication via the White House switchboard, I only know one end of that call, said Riggleman, who didnt provide details. I dont know the White House end, which I believe is more important. But the thing is the American people need to know that there are ... connections that need to be explored more.

The information raises the ominous possibility that the storming of the Capitol last year to disrupt certification of the presidential electoral vote could have been coordinated between someone in the White House and the rioters.

From my perspective ... being in counterterrorism, if the White House, even if its a short call and its a connected call, who is actually making that phone call? Riggleman asked.

Story continues

Was it an accidental call? Riggleman asked. When the White House just happened to call numbers, that somebody misdialed a rioter that day, on Jan. 6? Probably not.

Riggleman, who stopped working for the committee in April, said he aggressively pushed the panel to trace White House phone numbers.

A committee spokesperson told 60 Minutes that the panel has vigorously pursued various leads, including those arising from Rigglemans work.

The representative said that Riggleman was unaware of much of the recent progress the committee had made because he left prior to our hearings and much of our most important investigative work.

Since his departure, the committee has run down all the leads and digested and analyzed all the information that arose from his work ... and a thorough report will be published by the end of the year, the spokesperson added, without offering details.

The full Riggleman interview will be presented on 60 Minutes on Sunday night.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon (Mich.) joked on Friday at two separate events about the foiled kidnapping plot against her opponent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D).

For someone so worried about getting kidnapped, Gretchen Whitmer sure is good at taking business hostage and holding it for ransom, Dixon said at a campaign event in Troy, Mich., according to video posted by an Associated Press reporter.

The sad thing is that Gretchen will tie your hands, put a gun to your head and ask if you are ready to talk.

Two men were convicted last month for kidnapping conspiracy and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction in the plot to kidnap Whitmer. The men now face maximum sentences of life in prison, CNN reported.

Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., along with two other individuals who pleaded guilty, allegedly arranged the plot in retaliation against the governors COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in 2020.

At a second event on Friday, Dixon laughed alongside Donald Trump Jr. at one of Whitmers facial expressions.

The look on her face was like, Oh, my gosh, this is happening. Id rather be kidnapped by the FBI, Dixon said, referring to an appearance Whitmer made with President Biden at the Detroit Auto Show.

The conservative political commentator, who was endorsed by former President Trump in the gubernatorial primary, denied that her first comments about the kidnapping plot were a joke after criticism.

Im like, No, that wasnt a joke. If you were afraid of that, you should know what it is to have your life ripped away from you, she told her audience at the second campaign event, according to CNN.

Michigan Democrats condemned Dixons comments about the kidnapping, with Whitmers spokesperson calling the Republican absolutely unfit to serve in public office.

Threats of violence and dangerous rhetoric undermine our democracy and discourage good people on both sides of the aisle at every level from entering public service, spokesperson Maeve Coyle told CNN.

Story continues

Threats of violence  whether to Governor Whitmer or to candidates and elected officials on the other side of the aisle  are no laughing matter, and the fact that Tudor Dixon thinks its a joke shows that she is absolutely unfit to serve in public office.

Democratic Governors Association spokesman Sam Newton called on the DeVos family, political giants in Michigan who are backing Dixon for governor, and the Republican Governors Association to condemn her dangerous extremism.

Multiple people were convicted in a domestic terrorist plot to kidnap the Governor and Tudor Dixon thinks its a laughing matter, he wrote. Dixon is too dangerous and completely unfit for office.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Whitney Franks, 26, used the dark web to find an assassin to murder a female victim. (Thames Valley Police)

A woman who attempted to hire a hitman to kill her love rival has been jailed for 12 years.

Whitney Franks, 26, used bitcoin accounts and the dark web to try and find an assassin to murder a female victim in her 20s.

But she was caught after an investigation commenced as a result of a report from the BBC, which was investigating the dark web - a collection of hidden internet sites.

The victim never came to harm, and Franks was arrested on 10 September 2020, before being charged by a postal requisition on 25 August last year.

Franks, of Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, was found guilty of soliciting to commit murder following a trial at Reading Crown Court in July and was jailed at the same court on Thursday.

Read more: Horse rescued after getting stuck in sinkhole in boggy field

Franks was jailed at Reading Crown Court. (PA)

Between 17 August 2020 and 1 September 2020 in Milton Keynes, Franks embarked on a campaign of making threats to kill the victim.

Case investigator Lindsey Devoy from Milton Keynes CID, Thames Valley Police, said: Following a thorough investigation, Franks was arrested and interviewed on 10 September 2020.

Her mobile phone and iPad were seized and evidence was located that proved she had downloaded browsers to access the dark web.

Franks set up Bitcoin accounts and made a request for the murder of a female victim."

Read more: Shoppers left spooked after 'Boris Johnson sounding' voice is randomly played in town centre

Devoy said the offence was born out of jealously and deceit.

He added: Our victim was safeguarded from as soon as we were made aware of the possible threat to her life and she can finally rest more easily now that Franks has been convicted and is behind bars.

Making threats to kill and preparing to carry out these threats is an extremely serious offence, and Franks has now been handed a significant prison sentence.

I hope that the conclusion of this case will serve as solace for Frankss intended victim. I would like to commend her for her courage and patience while we investigated this case and brought it to court.
Iran has been rocked by protests over the past week following the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody who was detained after allegedly not wearing a hijab properly.

The countrys morality police, which is responsible for enforcing what is deemed proper religious observance in public, arrested Mahsa Amini earlier this month for violating the state dress code. She collapsed the day she was arrested and died a few days later from what Iranian authorities have said was a heart attack.

But many inside Iran and throughout the world, including the United States, have cast doubt on the governments claims, and hundreds of women have taken to the streets to burn their hijabs in protest of the countrys policies.

A hijab is a head covering that some Muslim women wear, covering their heads, necks and ears but leaving their faces visible.

Iranian officials are attempting to get the largest protests in years under control, using live ammunition, tear gas and pellet guns. Authorities have reportedly confirmed at least 17 deaths, while others have made higher estimates as thousands of Iranians in cities nationwide protest the governments actions.

The leader of the morality police announced in 2017, while the more moderate President Hassan Rouhani was in power, that arrests for dress code violations would no longer occur, but the police force has cracked down this year under President Ebrahim Raisi, who is considered a hard-liner.

A video filmed in the Iranian city of Kerman shows a large group of protesters gathered in public as a woman not wearing a hijab cuts her hair and raises her fist in the air, CNN reported.

Protests have broken out in Iran a few times over the past several years. Demonstrators marched against high fuel prices in 2019 and water and electricity shortages last year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Associated Press

The defense team in the Capitol riot trial of the Oath Keepers leader is relying on an unusual strategy with Donald Trump at the center. Lawyers for Stewart Rhodes, founder of the extremist group, are poised to argue that jurors cannot find him guilty of seditious conspiracy because all the actions he took before the siege on Jan. 6, 2021, were in preparation for orders he anticipated from the then-president  orders that never came. Rhodes and four associates are accused of plotting for weeks to stop the transfer of presidential power from the Republican incumbent to Democrat Joe Biden, culminating with Oath Keepers in battle gear storming the Capitol alongside hundreds of other Trump supporters.
A Wichita police detective was arrested Friday night on suspicion of DUI after she crashed with a city bus in downtown, Wichita police spokesperson Chad Ditch said Saturday.

Police were called to the wreck involving a blue Mazda car and a city bus around 11:50 p.m. Friday at Douglas and Waco. MaryAnna Hoyt, who has been with the department 15 years, showed signs of impairment, Ditch said in a news release.

The bus driver was not injured and the bus had minor damage.

Hoyt, who was off-duty, was booked into Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of DUI, Ditch said. She has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

Hoyt testified last year during the trial of two women who organized protests in Wichita following the killing of George Floyd. Black Lives Matter protests occurred nationwide after Floyd, who was Black, was killed by a white officer in 2020. Protesters across the country called for the end of police brutality and the defunding of police.
By Crispian Balmer and Keith Weir

ROME (Reuters) - Millions of Italians will vote on Sunday in an election that is forecast to return the country's most right-wing government since World War Two and usher in its first woman prime minister.

Italy's first autumn national election in more than a century was triggered by party infighting that brought down Prime Minister Mario Draghi's broad national unity government in July.

A right-wing alliance led by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party appeared on course for a clear victory when the last opinion polls were published two weeks ago.

Meloni would be the obvious candidate for prime minister as leader of an alliance also featuring Matteo Salvini's League party and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia.

That would cap a remarkable rise for Meloni, a 45-year-old from Rome whose party won only 4% of the vote in the last national election in 2018.

Voting runs on Sunday from 7.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. (0500-2100 GMT), with exit polls released when balloting ends.

However, the complex calculations required by a hybrid proportional/first-past-the-post electoral law mean it may be many hours before a precise seat count is available.

With a polls blackout in force in the two weeks before the election, there is still scope for a surprise.

There has been speculation that support for the left-leaning 5-Star Movement, the biggest party in 2018, has picked up in recent days.

A late surge by 5-Star could jeopardise the rightist alliance's chances of winning a majority in the Senate or upper house, complicating the process of forming a government.

Even if there is a clear cut result, the next government is unlikely to take office before late October, with the new parliament not meeting until Oct. 13.

CHALLENGES

Italy has a history of political instability and the next prime minister will lead the country's 68th government since 1946 and face a host of challenges, notably rising energy costs.

Story continues

The outcome of the vote will also be watched nervously in European capitals and on financial markets.

European Union leaders, keen to preserve unity after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, are concerned that Italy will be a more unpredictable partner than under former European Central Bank chief Draghi.

For markets, there are the perennial worries about Italy's ability to manage a debt pile that amounts to around 150% of gross domestic product.

Meloni plays down her party's post-fascist roots and portrays it as a mainstream conservative group. She has pledged to support Western policy on Ukraine and not take undue risks with an economy hit hard by rising prices.

Italy is also benefiting from 192 billion euros ($187 billion) of post-Covid EU recovery funds, offering a powerful incentive to stick to agreed reform plans.

But there are signs of division between Meloni and her allies on foreign policy.

League leader Salvini has criticised the impact of higher energy prices on Italians, blaming it in part on the blowback from Western sanctions against Russia. Berlusconi sparked outrage late in the campaign when he appeared to defend Russian President Vladimir Putin.

($1 = 1.0252 euros)

(Writing by Keith Weir. Editing by Jane Merriman)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday offered guaranteed protections to Russian soldiers who surrender amid the conflict between the countries after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was calling up 300,000 reservists to replenish Russian forces.

Appealing directly to Russians during an address, Zelensky said Ukraine could guarantee three terms to Russian soldiers in exchange for their surrender. He said such Russians will be treated in a civilized manner, the circumstances of their surrender will remain undisclosed and Ukraine will find a way to ensure those who do not want to return to Russia are not exchanged.

Putin announced the call ups on Wednesday as Ukraine pushes Russian forces back from territory they captured during the war. Ukraine has undertaken a major counteroffensive this month through which it has recaptured thousands of square kilometers of territory.

Putins announcement sparked protests nationwide in Russia and led to more than 1,000 arrests. Flights out of the country sold out or their prices soared after Russia called up another round of soldiers, marking the first such mobilization since World War II.

Zelensky said Russian authorities are aware they are sending citizens to their deaths but do not have any other option at this stage of the war.

The Pentagon said last month that Russia has seen 70,000 to 80,000 casualties since its war in Ukraine began in February.

Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians. They just need to replenish the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or the Russian soldiers that were captured, Zelensky said.

He said every Russian citizen knows that Russia is the one bringing evil even if they do not admit it. He told Russians that surrendering to Ukrainian captivity is better than being killed in the war.

So, the key moment has come for you: right now it is being decided whether your life will end or not, Zelensky said.

Putin reportedly signed laws on Saturday strengthening the penalty for Russian soldiers who voluntarily surrender to up to 10 years in prison. Those who refuse to engage in combat will also face 10 years imprisonment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
OLHA HLUSHCHENKO  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 01:52

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said that he was "shocked" by Israels lack of aid for Ukraine since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion.

Source: President Zelenskyy in an interview with Ouest-France, quoted by Suspilne

Quote from Zelenskyy: "I am shocked and I do not understand [this]. Israel gave us nothing, nothing, zeroI understand that they have to defend their land, but I have received information that Israel is exporting its weapons to other countries."

"These are straight facts: there were discussions with the Israeli government, but they have not helped Ukraine. Why wouldnt they give us air defence [equipment]?"

Details: Zelenskyy stressed that he was not blaming the Israeli leaders but was simply stating the facts.

He also explained that Russia still had an ability to influence Israel.

"We can see Russias influence over Israel. [Though] I do consider Israel to be an independent state," he added.

At the same time, Zelenskyy is convinced that Israels civil society supports Ukraine.

Previously: Military and political officials in Israel have been leaning towards supplying defensive military aid to Ukraine.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 22:11

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine guarantees captured Russian soldiers civilised treatment, confidentiality with regard to the circumstances of their surrender, and the opportunity not to return to Russia.

Source: Zelenskyy in his evening video address

Quote: "Ukraine guarantees every Russian soldier who surrenders three things:

you will be treated in a civilised manner, in accordance with all conventions; no one will know the circumstances of your surrender, no one in Russia will know that your surrender was voluntary; if you are afraid to return to Russia and do not want an exchange, we will find a way to ensure this as well."

Details: Zelenskyy addressed the Russian people in Russian.

He emphasised that Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians - they just need to fill the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or those who were captured. And those spaces can be filled with "either young IT specialists who have not served [in the army] at all, or pensioners who served only in the Soviet army.

So, now is the key moment for all of you: right now it is being decided whether your life will end or not. It is better not to take a conscription letter than to die in a foreign land as a war criminal. It is better to run away from criminal mobilisation than to be crippled and then bear responsibility in the court for participating in the war of aggression. It is better to surrender to Ukrainian captivity than to be killed by the strikes of our weapons, absolutely fair strikes, as Ukraine defends itself in this war," the president emphasised.

He stated again that Ukraine will liberate all of its territories, emphasising that this also applies to Crimea.

Background:

On 21 September, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the partial mobilisation of Russian citizens.

It is officially planned that 300,000 reservists will be mobilised. Later, it became known that there is a secret paragraph in the decree on mobilisation which allows the Ministry of Defence to call up one million people for the war.

On 24 September, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law amending the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, introducing harsher penalties for desertion, looting and surrender.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work!
IRYNA BALACHUK  SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 00:12

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said that Ukraine had proposed a "formula of peace, its way to the stabilisation of international relations" at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

Source: President Zelenskyys video address

Quote from Zelenskyy: "At the General Assembly, Ukraine proposed a formula of peace, its way to the stabilisation of international relations. And the world heard it loud and clear. The reaction to my speech at the General Assembly was really positive.

Different countries shared a willingness to hear the specifics [of Ukraines pathway to peace]. Specifics on how to restore peace, how to end this war. Ukraine presented its vision. Clear, logical, fair and realistic."

Details: Zelenskyy said that Ukraines "formula of peace" contains five points:

First: punishment for the aggressor.

Second: protection of life, that is, ensuring Ukraine gets all the defence assistance that it needs.

Third: restoration of security and territorial integrity.

Fourth: security guarantees.

Fifth: the worlds determination to achieve these goals together with Ukraine.

Zelenskyy added that Russia, in turn, has offered nothing but "lame excuses, complaints and constant lies and propaganda, which the world got tired of long ago, but Russian representatives are still continuing to repeat."

The Ukrainian president thanked "all the heads of state, all the politicians, public figures, cultural and business leaders" who expressed their support for Ukraine at the UN General Assembly and other events that took place in the US over the course of this week.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda!
Saturday's Virginia 10 Miler turned into the most competitive road race Lynchburg has witnessed in years.

Four elite runners entered the race's halfway point at Riverside Park in a tight pack, then stayed clustered together for the race's final 5 miles, until Ethiopian runner Melkamu Wube, 20, broke away as he crested Farm Basket Hill to win the 48th edition of the race with a time of 47 minutes, 48 seconds.

The four top athletes  including runner-up James Ngandu, Shadrack Keter (third) and former Liberty University standout Sam Chelanga (fourth)  all finished within eight seconds of each other, which is basically unheard of at the event. Online records dating back to 24 years show no instance of a quartet of runners at the top of the field separated by such a thin margin. And ideal weather conditions  temperatures hovered in the low 50s while elite runners battled the course  created another anomaly: 10 runners at the top of the field posted sub-50-minute times, which hadn't occurred since 2016.

"It was a really good group," Chelanga said of the quartet that broke away from the field on Rivermont Avenue before winding through a cool, shady Riverside Park. "When I saw the list, those guys are really talented. They are really good at road racing. I'm really good at track. Road racing is a little different. Most of those guys have a lot of experience. ... Overall, hey I think this is one of the best fields ... in this race."

Chelanga  the 37-year-old Kenyan-born star who ran at LU from 2008 through 2011 and is a two-time NCAA cross country champion and owner of the NCAA 10,000-meters record  was running in his first Virginia 10 Miler, and he wanted the win badly.

"That's what I came here for," he said. "But I felt like you can only do what you can control. ... I tried to go out the last mile and it just didn't work out. Those guys were much stronger than I was today. Sometimes you win some, but it was definitely a good experience for me."

Wube and the 32-year-old Ngandu each ran an average of 4:47 per mile. Keter, 21, and Chelanga each were at 4:48. Wube defeated Ngandu by one second after trailing in that group for much of the race. Keter was at the front of the group for much of the race. Wube found his kick in the final 400 meters or so for his first 10 Miler victory after finishing fourth in Lynchburg three years ago.

Chelanga (47:56) was a crowd favorite Saturday because the local running community is well aware of his collegiate achievements, which include two additional NCAA titles in track and field.

"I see these people, they root for me for a reason," he said. "I wish I had won, but I did my best. If they were watching, they definitely saw. I was in until the finish. That little kick, you can't control that."

He received the largest ovation of the day at the awards podium.

To have someone of that caliber return [to the area] just really raises the game of all of our elites, Fedorko said.  That type of competitiveness and respect was really feeding the competition on the course and made for just an amazing finish.  It was fun to see.

Kenyan runner Monicah Ngige, participating in her first 10 Miler since 2017, finished first among the women and broke a course record along the way, just six days after winning the Philadelphia half marathon.

Ngige, 28, posted a 53:18, shattering the previous mark of 53:39, set by Vicoty Chepngeno in 2019. Ngige finished 18th overall.

It was amazing, Ngige said. I was not expecting to break the record.

Some folks guessed she would break the record earlier this week.

I knew that there was a chance that she would come close to it, race director Jeff Fedorko said. I did not dream of a 20-plus-second break in that record.

But halfway through, she knew she was on pace for a good day. At Mile 5, she said, she realized she was running well. At the 8-mile mark, she clocked herself at 42 minutes, so getting through the next mile in 48 or 47 minutes wasnt out of the question. Then itd just be a matter of finishing strong.

She did just that, breaking away from her only serious challenger, 2021 10 Miler womens champ Sarah Naibei, despite the grueling climb up Farm Basket Hill.

I can push it and push and push. I did that all the way to the finish, Ngige said of her showing on the back half of the course, adding the change in elevation was hard, but in Kenya we are used to hills.

Naibei finished second with a 54:20  improving on her time last year by over a minute and a half  and two other runners also posted sub-60-minute times. Kelsey Bruce and Marybeth Chelanga were third and fourth with a 59:05 and 59:21, respectively.

Naibei finshed with a pace of 5:26 per mile, behind Ngiges 5:20 per mile.

I liked the course. The weather was good, and the people were spectacular, Ngige said Saturday, six days after winning the Philadelphia half marathon.  It was really amazing out there.

Mark Fairley was the first Lynchburg-based runner to cross the finish line. The 26-year-old posted a 54:10.

Gabriella Smith, 25, was the first Lynchburg-based female to finish, clocking in at 1:16.43.

Cooler weather and a better training plan helped Lynchburg's Jeff Harrington shave nearly five minutes off his time from one year ago. The 52-year-old, who has participated in an estimated 25 Virginia 10 Milers, won the Male 50-54 and Male Grand Masters divisions, placed third in the Males Masters division and finished 44th overall with a time of 1:02.39.

"This year was perfect," he said of the conditions. "But then you try to go faster. So I had a little side stitch here that just means I was pushing it hard. And then you wanna kick it the final stretch here [up Farm Basket Hill], but for me it was like little vise-grips on the back of the hamstring, and little girls are passing me and I'm like, 'I gotta go! I gotta go!' But still, it's so much fun."

Bruce traveled to Lynchburg from Brackettville, Texas, and stayed with a host family before catching a flight Saturday afternoon.

"I've done it a couple times, so I love coming back here because everyone's so friendly and just the atmosphere," she said. "... It just provides an all-around experience that's really fun. ... It was tough, but it's always tough. I know going in to it that it's a tough course."
Volunteers keep Midlands Humane Society running properly, and Derek Rollins is looking for new recruits to help serve the cats, dogs and other animals that come through the shelter.

Rollins is a Council Bluffs native and a member of the Lewis Central High School Class of 2016. After high school, he attended Iowa State University to study animal ecology.

Rollins said the emphasis on his major was interpretation, and he worked giving tours and keeper talks at zoos and the Bear Center in northern Minnesota. However, he graduated during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down any sort of action Rollins was used to.

During this time, Rollins moved westward to the Front Range of Colorado. While in Colorado, he ended up working for an animal shelter for a bit before moving back home to Council Bluffs.

Rollins is still residing in southwest Iowa, and hes putting his education and past experience to use serving as the new volunteer coordinator at Midlands Humane Society.

Rollins has only been in his position for a few weeks, but he said its been a great experience so far. He said hes been enjoying getting to know his colleagues, as well as the animals. He actually just took a kitten home to foster for a bit, but he said theres a chance that foster could end up staying with him. Its a common instance called being a foster failure, when a foster parent gets too attached to the animal theyre watching and end up adopting them for themselves.

Rollins said that volunteers are a vital part of any animal shelter, Midlands included. He said hes thinking about adding extra volunteer orientation meetings each month so that he can reach more people, some who may be limited in their work or life schedules. Those interested can learn more and reach out via the volunteer tab at the Midlands website.
The Lewis Central Community School District Board of Education voted this week to get tough on students caught with tobacco or e-cigarettes on school grounds.

Under the revised illegal substances policy, if a middle or high school student is found in possession of tobacco or vapes, they will be reported to the police. That makes the response the same as it is for alcohol, board member Brian Stoufer said.

Superintendent Brent Hoesing said school personnel had confiscated vapes from high school and some middle school students. E-cigarettes, like tobacco, contain nicotine, which can be addictive.

If students cant get through the day without it, theres a problem, he said.

In addition, vaping cartridges sometimes contain other more harmful substances, Hoesing said. In the past, students have been subject to disciplinary action, such as suspension.

Its getting to the point where suspension doesnt really work, because the parents arent usually home, he said. We just want to do whats best for the safety of the students.

Council Bluffs Community School District, which has school resource officers based at its middle and high schools, has a similar but perhaps more flexible policy.

Our school resource officers are typically involved when we become aware of a student possessing an e-cigarette or tobacco in any form, said Tim Hamilton, chief of student and family services. Although students do receive disciplinary action, including possible suspension, we also take the opportunity to reinforce with the student and family the negative health impact of using these substances.

The school resource officer is a key part of the response, Hamilton said.

Student possession or influence of alcohol or any other illegal or controlled substance at school or on school grounds would result in disciplinary action, including the involvement of our school resource officers, who then make the determination on any criminal charges, such as minor in possession, he said.

Hoesing said parents of Lewis Central Middle and High School students will be notified of the policy change, and it will be included in the student handbook for the 2023-24 school year.
Moroccan city of fez will host the 9th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations on Nov.22-23 to discuss ways of promoting dialogue, tolerance, pluralism and diversity in identities, beliefs, faiths and traditions.

The announcement was made in New York following a meeting held between Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita and the High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Miguel Angel Moratinos.

The UNAOC High Representative thanked Morocco for hosting this important international event. The Forum takes place in a global context marked by a surge in violent extremism, terrorism, xenophobia, hate speech to racism, discrimination and radicalism, etc.

The 9th Global Forum of UNAOC will address many challenging transversal and global issues with a special focus on Africa, a continent that has not yet gained its rightful place when it comes to collective action and global mobilization, said Bourita.

The need to save the planet is often mentioned, but we are also required to learn to live together, to respect each other, and to understand the existence of different religions, cultures and civilizations, and Morocco embodies this, stressed Moratinos .

Set up in 2019, UNAOC is a global platform for intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation. Its goal is to reduce cross-cultural tensions and build bridges of compassion, entente and tolerance between communities and nations. It also seeks to promote a culture of fraternity and peace.
Country music artists Jason Aldean and Cody Johnson will headline the Viaero Summer Jam concerts during next summers Nebraskaland Days in North Platte.

Johnson is scheduled to perform June 23, and Aldean will close out the festival the next night. Nebraskaland Days officials announced the lineup Friday; opening acts will be named at a later date.

Tickets for both concerts go on sale at 9 a.m. Wednesday and can be purchased at nebraskalanddays.com. Both shows are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Wild West Arena.

Tim McGraw and Miranda Lambert headlined the concert series this year.

Aldean is a multi-platinum selling artist who received the Country Music Award for single of the year in March for his duet with Carrie Underwood, If I Didnt Love You.

Aldean has produced 10 studio albums starting with his self-titled debut in 2005 to Georgia, which was released in April. His fourth album, My Kind of Party, is certified triple-platinum and features his cover of Dirt Road Anthem.

My Kind of Party earned a Grammy nomination in 2012 for best country album and for the best country duo for the single Dont You Wanna Stay with Kelly Clarkson.

Aldean is currently on his Rock N Roll Cowboy Tour that included a stop at the CHI Health Center in Omaha Aug. 5. The tour is scheduled to run through late February. Nebraskaland Days is listed as the next appearance after that on his website.

Johnson is currently touring as an opening act for the Luke Combs  who was a Nebraskaland Days headliner in 2021  and the tour is scheduled to make a stop at CHI Health Center on Oct. 28.

Johnson also has announced a tour with Randy Houser that is scheduled to begin in January.

Johnson has released eight studio albums, including Aint Nothin to It in 2019, which reached the top spot in the U.S. country charts. His most recent album is Human: The Double Album, released in October 2021.

Johnsons song Till You Cant topped the country charts for two weeks this year, and the video for the single won Male Video of the Year during the CMT Music Awards in April.
Police on Thursday identified the woman who was stabbed to death in a north Lincoln mobile home park Tuesday night as 36-year-old Jasimin Champion.

The Lincoln woman died at a local hospital sometime after she was stabbed multiple times in the torso at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at the mobile home park where she was staying off of North First Street near Interstate 80, according to police.

Less than 12 hours after the stabbing, police arrested Charles Alexander, a 61-year-old Lincoln man, at around 10 a.m. Wednesday near 11th Street and Lincoln Mall after a Lancaster County judge signed a warrant for his arrest stemming from the stabbing.

At a Wednesday afternoon news conference announcing his arrest, Assistant Lincoln Police Chief Jason Stille said witness interviews led investigators to Alexander.

Prosecutors charged Alexander with second-degree murder in Champion's death. Judge Laurie Yardley set the 61-year-old's percentage bond at $2 million at his initial court hearing Thursday afternoon. Alexander must pay $200,000 to be released from the Lancaster County jail.

"You said 20 years?" Alexander asked Yardley, after she read the possible penalty he faces if convicted of the crime.

"Twenty-to-life, sir," the judge said. "You're charged with second-degree murder."

At Wednesday's news conference, Stille said Alexander and Champion knew each other, but the exact nature of their relationship remained unclear to police.

Investigators haven't recovered a suspected murder weapon, Stille said, but he said it was thought to be a knife.

It remains unclear what led up to Tuesday night's stabbing. Stille said investigators were still working to determine a timeline of events.

The affidavit for Alexander's arrest  the document that outlines what gave police probable cause to arrest the 61-year-old  was sealed by a judge Wednesday, according to court filings.

Champion's death marks the ninth suspected killing in Lancaster County in 2022  a total that surpasses all of 2021 with still three months left in the year. Her death is the seventh suspected killing to occur within city limits this year.

Austin Gress, 26, was stabbed to death July 1 amid what police said was "somewhat of a mutual fight" at a gas station near 27th and Dudley streets. Police later arrested and charged Steven A. Alexander with manslaughter, first-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony after a three-day manhunt in Lincoln.
Halle Baileys boyfriend DDG says he wasnt aware racism was still an issue until the Little Mermaid backlash: I thought Martin Luther King canceled that shit out!https://t.co/sw6a1xLzNL  philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 23, 2022

*shuffles through papers, Googles name, comes back with a shrug* I'm sorry, I don't know this man

*throws papers in the air in exasperation*

DDG () is the less famous part of the relationship to his girl, our live action Ariel, Halle Bailey -- and he wasn't aware that racism still existed until he saw the backlash she was getting for the trailer, which released a few weeks ago.In a conversation with DJ Bootleg Kev (), he talks about how Halle laughs it off 'but they be going a little too hard', as well as the following;

I didnt know people was this racist  I didnt know this was a thing, [...] I thought Martin Luther King [Jr.] canceled that sh*t out! This sh*t is crazy, I was like what the f*ck is these n*ggas talking about?



Yes, he thought famed Fortnite icon MLK Jr canceled racism.



No word on if this man was born last month, but watch The Little Mermaid live action May 26th, 2023 and stan lil sis.



src



Can't wait for his collab with Shamiek Moore on their album about civil rights icons./s
She should have explained this so much sooner though.

Why? Why does the onus fall on women to explain their trauma to the world? Why can't men stop being pieces of shit that believe women belong to them/owe them something?







Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

which user made this comment? i just wanna know.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Thank you for this post, OP. This backstory behind that tweet completely recontextualizes it. Im glad she was able to take time away to focus on her mental health and feel better now share her story.

Reply

Thread

Link

At the time, I thought her tweets were nagl. However, now learning that she needed to leave that environment (which never should have happened in the first place), her tweets are totally understandable.



I hope she has good supports in her life.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I dont know about anyone else but I feel like an utter cunt having used that dislike comment meme for so long, especially as a mixed Asian woman myself. We should have done better.

Expecting to be able to leave a toxic work environment for a clean slate and then getting pulled back in must have been so demoralising.

Reply

Thread

Link

I feel really bad too, but to be fair we didn't have any context whatsoever. And this isn't a complaint about what she did or didn't say, it's just something that happened. An unfortunate combo of her initial comments being vague + the show being beloved by many so no one would've imagined this + this actually being unknown to most people.



Edited at 2022-09-24 04:44 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I feel bad too especially for believing the rumors when they were so vague. I feel horrible for her.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I feel terrible too, for having side-eyed that tweet she made without bothering to consider the circumstances behind it. Learning now of the trauma she'd been experiencing this whole time is just heartbreaking.



And it's on me (and the internet) for judging rather than reaching out to her, to see if she was alright.



Edited at 2022-09-25 01:08 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Hmm. I remember a few of us wondered if some sort of on-set misconduct was the behind the infamous "dislike" incident. I believe her, and not just bc this shit is horribly common, but like...between this & the reveal of her suicide attempt, I still kinda wish she'd own up to her own behavior on set? I feel like the fact that she apparently mistreated the people "below her" got totally lost in all this. You can call out bullshit & admit your own shit at the same time (without saying "I guess I deserved to be harassed" or whatever).

Reply

Thread

Link

yeah i was feeling the same way, like i haven't forgotten that mixed into all of this were the people saying she was a nightmare to work with across multiple sets, not just FOTB. maybe she does talk about some of that behavior in her book and it just hasn't been publicized, idk

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Those rumors were so vague and difficult to believe to begin with. No one had a real story. It was just vibes.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Maybe she apologized privately to those she allegedly mistreated. I dont think she owes the public an apology for stuff that we werent even involved in.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I know people personally who have impacted by Constance (and not just hearing it from rumors~). The film and television industry is way too small for this to not be known. I think people need to realize that people who perpetuate toxic environment on others can still be victims of abuse too. Constance did not deserve the level of backlash nor abuse she received from this producer and I'm glad she got help, but it also doesn't excuse how she's treat others too, particularly crew members below her and those who have less power. Both can be true and I don't know why that's so hard to understand?



Edited at 2022-10-01 10:03 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I hope she is doing much better now, and I wanna know who the guy is.

Reply

Thread

Link

It was either Eddie Huang or Melvin Marr, they're the only two Asian male producers.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Eddie Huang was only involved with the show in the first season.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The latter. An article about this said the producer's initials was with an M and a tweet from someone who worked on the show confirmed that's who this is about.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I know Eddie and he does not go for Asian women so definitely not him lol

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It's definitely not Eddie. As someone said, he's not into Asian women and as the author on his first adaptation, he actually doesn't have much power, which is why he left in the first place and doesn't openly support the show that much. You just get the Executive Producer title because it's his original IP.



Edited at 2022-10-01 10:06 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It sucks that she had to disclose this in order to people to reconsider than reaction to her frankly harmless tweet. The amount of insane projection was hard to witness.

Reply

Thread

Link

mte!

I thought her tweet spree was hilarious at the time and could not find it in me to be outraged when so many terrible men do outright sociopathic shit and thrive.



It really shouldve been a thing that everyone laughed off as kooky Hollywood shenanigans and moved on from in a week.

the fact that she was run off the internet and had peers calling her a disgrace was such a massive overreaction.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

that's what happens when POC don't have enough representation that for the few who do make it big, they have this unfair 'responsibility' to represent the rest of us 'well'/perfectly when literally everyone is flawed

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It was! The posts here were horrible too.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Tbh I never watched the show and never cared for her in movies, but the way the public treated her over a few rage tweets was too much. I hope we as a culture have learned a lesson - like the woman didn't outright hurt anyone that was too much

Reply

Thread

Link

I appreciate her speaking up, and I absolutely hate that she "had" to in order to help rehabilitate her career  whereas the predator that caused so much of this harm will likely not ever face any backlash on the same scale.

Reply

Thread

Link

mmm...this adds context to why she couldn't wait to move on from the show, you never really know what's going on.

Reply

Thread

Link

I never got why there was SUCH a huge and lasting response to her reaction to the renewal. Like I get that she already had a reputation (fair or not) for being unpleasant (at best) to people beneath her on set, and maybe that coupled with people generally feeling anyone (let alone a woman of colour) should be eternally grateful to have such an opportunity, but it still seemed oddly outsized a reaction to her reaction. Especially because if youre seeing the star of a show reacting that way so publicly (especially a woman of colour who knows she will be perceived as ungrateful and difficult by doing so, both of which can be career ending - see Aunt Viv #1), clearly everything on set isnt copacetic.

Reply

Thread

Link

People were just so unfair to her about it. Like it may be so many people's dream to be on a TV show, but at the end it is just a job, even setting aside the fact that she was harassed  which should not have happened, of course -- she was 100% within her rights to not want to be in that environment anymore and move on.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Exactly. It was her job, and who hasn't wanted desperately to quit a job at some point in their life?

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Like I get that she already had a reputation (fair or not) for being unpleasant (at best) to people beneath her on set



But that's the thing, she didn't. Those stories didn't start popping up until her tweet. Up until that moment, Wu was very well liked and respected.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I imagine a man wouldnt get as much a too too terrible reaction towards so Ill give her that. But in general publicly displaying how much you are not happy with your show getting renewed and the main reason (at the time) being because she cant book other projects as a result wasnt gonna go over for her or most people.



Its a commonly known issue with tv actors that the scheduling of the shows screw up other opportunities for them, so she wasnt exactly a special case. I remember the original post mentioning how other actors had lowkey mentioned their gripes with that.



And then the fact that no one stood up for her and suddenly rumors and talks of her being rude behind the scenes also gave her this diva-like image especially it looked like crazy rich Asians success got her big-headed. It just wasnt a good look overall.



So I get why she got criticized for it at the time.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

ia and to add on to that, i rmbr there were rumours at the time constance couldnt sign onto a big project bc of fotb, which ppl took as ungrateful of her big break, but tbh she was a woc in her early 30s at the time. we all know what happens to actress roles and after they leave their 20s, forget being an actress of colour. so to miss out on a big opportunity in a movie bc youre stuck to a show where a boss committed SA on you and people know but dont care? her feelings are valid. people really shouldve went lol at her dislike memes and just moved on

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I remember people here saying she was ungrateful and that a show being canceled meant people would be unemployed and that she was selfish for not wanting to go back...

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

god that idea of not ruining opportunities for your community if you voice how someone within it has harmed you is one of those unnecessary responsibilities of the

representation game in hollywood (and anywhere), so can see why coupled with the tweetstorm, that being called a blight deeply hurt her.

Reply

Thread

Link

the pile on she received for something that, while a little tasteless, was otherwise harmless, was ridiculous. as people pointed out, plenty of men have been just as derisive of their projects and not been treated like an ungrateful bitch. hell, daniel craig said he would rather slit his throat than work on another bond movie and all he got was... offered more money to do another one.

Reply

Thread

Link

I like his Bond but Daniel shouldve absolutely being dragged HARD for bitching about the Bond series while collecting that nice paycheck!! Im sorry but you know what that franchise was about!! He had some 20-30 years of public idea regarding the series.



Thats why Id rme anytime he mentioned that it was sexist and misogynistic, like yeah no shit, Sherlock!! No miss me with that 

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I'm absolutely certain that Daniel's bitching about Bond was at least partially money motivated. The more disdain he poured on, the more money Babs Broccoli offered him, especially since she's been in the news recently complaining about how difficult the process of hiring a new Bond is. The cost-benefit analysis over whether it was worth it to continue the franchise and keep him, a Bond they know worked, worked out in his favour hugely.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Some people DID call him out but most (here and elsewhere) actually celebrated him being so "eh" about Bond (though I would argue a lot of that was him being done with male journalists being so overexcited about the role). Just like they did with Harrison Ford over Star Wars. Men get praised, women get blamed.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Men and power, it's really a disease.

Reply

Thread

Link

I'm glad she's being vindicated for this. The way she was dogpiled for one (1) mildly rude tweet compared to what others* can get away with was disgusting



(whites, men, white men most of all)

Reply

Thread

Link

we all owe her an apology tbh

Reply

Thread

Link
For decades, we have known that transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward a decarbonized economy was essential to the health of our planet and of future generations. Its almost impossible to overstate what is at stake if the world continues to burn fossil fuels at a continuous or increasing rate. Experts say that in a business-as-usual scenario, ecological and economic devastation are not just a threat, but an inevitability. So why has the clean energy transition been so slow, piecemeal, and contentious? A huge part of the issue is the simple momentum of the status quo. The world already functions on a carbon-based economy, and turning that entrenched system on its head will cost an enormous amount of time, effort, and investments. Indeed, the initial price tag of redesigning and remaking the worlds energy sector and all of its associated carbon-based supply chains is daunting to say the least, especially for developing nations. It is misguided, however, to think that the clean energy transition will be a costly and overall expensive venture. In fact, it is the only plan that makes any economic sense in the medium or long term.

A brand new empirically grounded report from Oxford University finds that switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy could save the world a whopping $12 trillion US dollars by just 2050. For years, scientists have been reporting that the renewable revolution will overall save money  lots of money  over a long enough timeline, given the devastating negative externalities of climate change, but that amount has grown larger and larger as the cost of renewable energy technologies has continued to fall.

The cost of solar energy alone has plummeted by 80% since 2010, and renewables as a whole were the cheapest source of energy in the world in 2020. In fact, renewables have consistently fallen in cost faster than experts have projected, making the renewable revolution even cheaper than anticipated. While renewable energies have not been spared from the soaring prices and supply chain snags that have characterized the energy sector this year, they are also far from the worst perpetrators, and have in many cases been a failsafe for energy security amidst the crisis fueled by Putins war in Ukraine. In fact, in the context of the energy crisis in Europe, new renewable sources, based on contracts outside the market, offer power at under a quarter of current and projected wholesale electricity prices.

"Even if you're a climate denier, you should be on board with what we're advocating," Prof Doyne Farmer from the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School told BBC News. Going forward, clean energy is going to continue to be the cheapest option, whether you factor in environmental externalities or not. But when you do factor them in, oh boy is it a no-brainer. Insurance giant Swiss Re calculates that climate change could cost the global economy $23 trillion USD in 2050. An April analysis by the United States Office of Management and Budget calculated that climate change could cost $2 trillion each year for the United States alone by the end of the century.

Related: Whats Inside Of Bidens Big Electrification Plan?

The report also found that the federal government could spend an additional $25 billion to $128 billion each year in such areas as coastal disaster relief, flood insurance and crop insurance. Just this week, in fact, the Biden administration has pledged that the federal government will cover 100% of the cleanup costs in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona barreled into the U.S. island territory. This is just on the heels of the $12 billion already granted  the largest single inversion ever granted by FEMA  to Puerto Rico to rebuild a more resilient energy infrastructure in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which wiped out the islands grid exactly five years ago.

These kinds of climate-driven crises are only going to become more frequent, more powerful, and more costly. For every additional tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted into the atmosphere, the higher the price tag of delaying the clean energy transition. The Oxford report empirically underscores the fact that not only is decarbonization an economic imperative, the faster we do it, the more money well save. The models are clear: times a-wastin.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Dieleman said higher fuel costs for vessels mean ship operators are switching to dirtier-burning fuels like diesel or crude oil on these long-haul trips.

Jan Dieleman, Cargill Inc.'s head of ocean transportation business, says that shipping emissions are on the rise as Europe rushes to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.

Sanctions against Russia over Putins unprovoked devastation in Ukraine are forcing EU countries to resort to use of dirty fossil fuels.

Western countries' unilateral sanctions slapped Moscow with ignite even more man-made carbon dioxide emissions from the shipping industry as Europe rejiggers energy supply chains away from Russia by sourcing energy products from far away. Jan Dieleman, Cargill Inc.'s head of ocean transportation business, told Bloomberg that European importers are hiring tankers for long-distance hauls of energy products from countries halfway around the world. If it weren't for the sanctions, natural gas and other refined energy products would flow via pipelines from Russia to Europe.

But since Europe is hellbent on rapidly shifting its entire energy supply chain away from Russia. EU importers are hiring tankers to source liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Asia.

Dieleman said higher fuel costs for vessels mean ship operators are switching to dirtier-burning fuels like diesel or crude oil on these long-haul trips.

Related: Key Takeaways From The EU's State Of The Union Address

Meanwhile, EU countries are aggressively restarting fossil fuel power plants ahead of what could be a very dark and cold winter. Some governments have even asked residents to burn firewood to heat their homes as the energy crisis could induce rolling blackouts during peak demand hours.

So the whole strong climate action EU has been promoting to decarbonize its grid to save the planet is at risk of unraveling this winter.

The very fact that Europe has to source LNG from Asia on longer routes while vessels burn dirtier fuel is entirely hypocritical to the bloc's stance about saving the planet. For some context, shipping is responsible for almost 3% of man-made carbon-dioxide emissions.

By Zerohedge.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Two people were killed and four others were injured in a three-vehicle crash in Bellevue Friday evening.

According to the Bellevue Police Department, officers were dispatched to the intersection of Cornhusker and Fort Crook Roads shortly before 8:15 p.m. for reports of a crash. The preliminary investigation indicates that a Honda Odyssey was southbound on Fort Crook Road when it ran a red light and struck two cars, a GMC Envoy and a Kia Sorento, both traveling eastbound on Cornhusker Road.

Victor Munoz Garcia, a 30-year-old passenger in the Odyssey, and 23-year-old Kirsten Fritz, the driver of the GMC, were both killed in the crash, according to the police department. Garcia was pronounced dead at the scene. Fritz died at Nebraska Medical Center.

All three occupants of the Kia Sorento, Sally Harrington, 38, Ladell Harrington, 46, and an unnamed 16-year-old girl were injured and taken to Nebraska Medical Center. The driver of the Odyssey, 33-year-old Maria Diaz Castelan, was also injured and taken to the hospital.

The Sarpy County crash team responded to process the scene. No citations or charges have been issued.
A man wanted on outstanding warrants for skipping his sentencing after he pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl in Omaha was arrested Wednesday in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

The Webster County Sheriffs Office, in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Office, located Cameron D. Carodine at a residence in Fort Dodge, according to a press release from the Sheriffs Office.

When law enforcement entered the residence, Carodine jumped out of a second-story window and attempted to flee but was apprehended, the press release said. After being cleared at UnityPoint Medical Center, Carodine was taken to the Webster County Jail on a hold order for his federal criminal case in Nebraska.

Carodine pleaded guilty in March to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm while committing a drug trafficking crime, according to documents filed in federal court. The drug charge carried a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, while the gun charge carried a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Two years before Carodine pleaded guilty, a confidential source purchased fentanyl pills from Carodine at his Omaha residence, according to the plea agreement. The source paid $8,500 for the pills in what was described as a controlled buy.

A lab analysis determined the buy netted 377 pills totaling just over 42 grams of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that, according to the National Institutes of Health, is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.

While surveilling Carodines residence in March 2020, law enforcement watched him get into a car without license plates, according to the plea agreement. They then conducted a traffic stop and took Carodine into custody.

A search of his home found 658 fentanyl pills, totaling more than 71 grams, and a .45-caliber handgun with 10 rounds of ammunition.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop two other counts at Carodines sentencing, which was scheduled for June.

Carodine failed to appear at his sentencing, though, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest, according to court records.

Carodine will make his first court appearance at the federal courthouse in Sioux City before being transferred to Omaha.

The Webster County Sheriffs Office said any individuals who assisted Carodine in evading arrest may face criminal charges.
CLINTON  Clinton was frothing over Saturday with humans, ham and beans for the 54th annual Apple n Pork Festival.

Volunteer Nathan Lippert was up bright and early again this year  just like in 2021  to help prepare over 300 gallons of the events main culinary draw: ham and bean stew.

The food line started forming at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, he said.

(Its the) perfect weather where everybody wants it, said Lippert.

Also pleased with the pleasant weather was Joey Long, director of the C.H. Moore Homestead and DeWitt County Museum, which hosts the festival as a fundraiser.

Long said ham and beans is the signature dish, and traces back to the fests founding with just a single kettle. And, the long lines at the bean stand show just how much people enjoy it, she added.

A lot of families have made (it) a tradition, Long said. I've been coming since I was a little girl, and I always brought my children.

She said many generations have enjoyed the festival, and its promising that future generations will do so as well.

That very tradition is still honored by Donna Dillon, of Canton, Georgia, who attended with her daughter Sarah Bertram and grandchildren Renley Bertram, 4, Gigi Dillon, 11, and Miles Gunter, 8. Donna Dillon said she began attending 47 years ago, and heard about the fest after moving from Chicago to Bloomington.

Dillon said they eat ham and beans at the festival, and take ham sandwiches home for dinner.

Nailing it

The gathering also simmers as a melting pot of Central Illinois culture, history and cuisine, featuring mansion tours, Abraham Lincoln impersonators and crafts makers.

Long said they had about 25 food vendors, most of which offered old-fashioned pork or apple foods. Others included apple cider floats, homemade root beer, sweet corn on the cob, and baked goods.

She noted the C.H. Moore Homestead is the centerpiece of the festival, and the proceeds made it possible to restore the structure. Long said the museum is funded entirely on admissions, donations and membership fees, but its the festival that allows us to survive.

They also booked around 250 flea market booths, she said, making it one of their highest years in some time. Vendors were selling items for home decor, furniture, antiques, crafts, art and pottery.

There were also rope-making demonstrations, using an antique machine from 1901. Festival volunteer Kraig McMath, 62, of Clinton said its a fun thing to do, and helps teach children how things were made in the old days, when they had to do manual labor.

A lot of work on the farm was manual labor and this is part of it, he said.

Terry Husted, of rural Clinton, helped run a blacksmith display showing how old nails were made. He said he likes passing on the knowledge to keep the craft going.

He heated a mild steel rod in a coal-powered forge, and then drew out the end on a square taper to make a point. Husted said after cutting it all the way around, he heated it up again, broke off the end with a nail header, and locked the tip in a pritchel hole to forge the nail head.

Husted, 68, said there were very few blacksmiths left around 50 years ago, but their numbers are growing again through several organizations.

Bob Sherman, of Springfield, hauled out a wood shaving bench that he refers to by the German term "Schnitzelbank."

Sherman said hes been making handmade benches at the festival since 1977. He added he encountered a family that has bought 14 wood benches from him over the years.

He said his experiences have taught him how to be more proficient with woodworking.

I learned that you don't try to force your will onto wood, because you'll lose every time, he said.

Back by the bean stand, Rodney and Debra Harmon got their fill. The Atlanta married couple noted its a tradition for them, too. Rodney Harmon said his dad played in the mansion when he was a teenager.

After their meal, he said he planned to try some corn on the cob, a caramel apple, kettle corn, and then I pass out.

The event continues from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
BLOOMINGTON  Enrollment at Illinois Wesleyan University dropped by 127 students, or almost 8%, this year from last year. Total enrollment this fall stands at 1,526 students, including 426 new students.

The decline was in most part due to a large graduating class last year and the fact that some international students were not able to get visas to come to the United States, said Kasey Evans, dean of admissions.

I know that it was 20 or more that struggled with visa issues, she said.

Forty international students were able to make it to IWU.

In 2018, IWU welcomed 540 new students, far above the norm over the past five years. In 2017, for instance, there were 418 new students and in 2020 there were 487 new students.

Due to the size of the incoming class from 2018, Evans said IWU officials knew that enrollment may decline this year as those students graduated.

The new students this year include 33 transfer students, Evans said. She said the university is continuing to work to sign transfer agreements with community colleges and bring in transfer students.

The percentage of students of color ticked up slightly too, from 29% to 30%, according to data provided by IWU. Evans is proud of the growing diversity at the school.

Part of that diversity is reflected in the number of countries represented on campus, which increased from 22 to 33, data provided by the college say. That includes several countries from Central Asia, such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which have sent increasing numbers of students to IWU in recent years, she said.

We learned from our current students that students in those countries are interested in studying abroad, she said.

This is the first time in at least five years that enrollment has dropped below 1,600. The number of new students this year, which includes freshman and transfer students, is a decline of 10% from the 473 new students brought in last year. This is the lowest number of new students since 2017, when 418 students joined IWU.

However, Evans sees promise for next year, as application numbers so far are double what they were at this time last year, she said. Students seem excited to apply and get their information in early.

She had a recruitment trip out of state earlier in the week and said she was impressed by the number of students who had heard of IWU and had the school on their short lists already.

I can tell that the work were doing is working, she said.

Recruiting feels more normal than in recent years, as the pandemic and associated restrictions further ease, Evans said. Recruiters are able to travel and welcome students to campus in person, and she feels that having an effect on how potential applicants feel.

I think students are starting to feel comfortable and excited to explore colleges, Evans said.
GRIDLEY  After nearly a century as an unidentified POW casualty, Private First Class John L. Ferguson's remains will return to Central Illinois for cremation and burial.

Ferguson, of Flanagan, who served in the Army Air Force during World War II, died in December 1942 at the Cabanatuan POW Camp in the Philippines after surrendering earlier that year and marching in the Bataan Death March. He was 20 years old.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said in a press release that scientists examined the remains and used DNA, dental and ancestral records to identify Ferguson.

Duffy-Baier-Snedecor Funeral Home in Pontiac is in charge of the funeral, which will take place with full military honors at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Gridley Cemetery.

Rick Baier, the funeral director, said Ferguson's remains will arrive Tuesday afternoon at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, where they will be escorted by two veterans groups, Rolling Thunder and the Illinois Patriot Guard, to the funeral home.

Baier said the family requested Ferguson's remains be cremated. "He already has a headstone," Baier added.

"His ashes will be placed on his final stone and on his mom's and dad's graves," he said.

Jeff Hastings heads The Flag Man Mission, an organization that plants American flags at and around the burials of U.S. servicemembers.

In a press release, Hastings requested volunteers to help plant 1,200 to 1,500 flags along the funeral procession's route starting at 3 p.m. Thursday.

The press release also requested volunteers to help retrieve the flags at noon Sunday, Oct. 2.

Hastings can be contacted via email at theflagmanmission@gmail.com or by phone at 618-409-0323.
Eight-year-old Brooklynn has had a difficult few years working to manage her weight.

In a very short time, within a year, her weight (shot up) and her doctors were really concerned, said her grandmother, Beverly Huffman, of Peoria.

Brooklynn, whose last name is not being used because of her age and the sensitivity of the issue, was diagnosed with pre-diabetes related to her weight gain. In addition, doctors say she has an impulsive eating disorder coupled with depression.

She worked with the multidisciplinary team at Healthy Kids U, a weight management clinic operated by OSF HealthCare Childrens Hospital of Illinois, and her grandmother describes the experience as totally amazing.

In anticipation of their first session of the Healthy Kids U clinic held at the Greater Peoria YMCA on Tuesday, Brooklynn was very excited and eager to change into her exercise clothes. She was ready to go, Huffman said.

Im hoping that the whole trend can break here, and (my granddaughter) can be better and healthier, she said, noting that both she and her own daughter had trouble managing their weight.

As September marks Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, health experts across the state say they have found there is no one-step solution to managing children's accelerated weight gain, especially in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns that exacerbated the threat.

A growing problem

The most recently available data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows about 15.2% of high school-age children in Illinois were classified as obese and about 15.5% were classified as overweight in 2019.

That's slightly better than the national rates of 15.5% and 16.1%, respectively. And CDC data also shows Illinois has the lowest obesity rate of its neighboring states for high schoolers and the second lowest overweight rate, second to Wisconsins rate of 14.6%.

However, this data is all self-reported, said Dr. Amy Christison, a pediatrician, board certified obesity specialist, medical director of Healthy Kids U Clinic and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. So I get the feeling its probably more of a problem than is self-reported.

In her recent research with OSF HealthCare, Christison said she and her team measured more than 43,000 children across Illinois from 2018 to 2020. They found that close to 6% of the children had severe obesity, and one in 10 adolescents had severe obesity.

She said 70% of the children that she sees in her clinic and others across the country already show signs that indicate increased risk for problems like heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Metabolic issues that can result from obesity include type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and heart disease, said Dr. Kavitha Selvaraj, medical director of the wellness and weight management program at Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago. Biomechanical issues may include physical limitations, joint pain and fatigue.

Selvaraj said because of the reported increase in childhood obesity during the pandemic, the medical field has seen more demand for specialty services surrounding nutrition and weight management. And this is not just us; this is a national trend, she said.

Christison said these health problems are what concern her most as a pediatrician.

This is really not a skinny jeans conversation. This is really about the health and well-being of our children and to make sure they're living healthy and long lives, Christison said, noting diabetes rates among children and teenagers increased during the height of the pandemic.

She said she has yet to meet a parent who doesnt want a healthy, long life for their child.

I want her to learn how to exercise, keep active so that she doesnt go backward, and that way, her whole life shell be able to keep her weight managed, Huffman said of her granddaughter. Its a challenge, and I feel it. My goal is to show her that if I can do it, she can do it, even at my age.

Physical activity & nutrition

This is not simply a mathematical equation for children nor for adults either  that the problem is people were eating too much, they weren't exercising enough and directly burning calories, so therefore they were gaining. This is more than that, Christison said.

Weight gain is affected by several factors, including:

sleep quality, which changes metabolism, hunger and feelings of fullness;

lifestyle, including being too sedentary;

stress level and mental health;

genetics and medications being used;

quality of food and behavior surrounding food.

As Christison put it: A thousand calories at McDonald's is not equivalent to a thousand calories of fruits and vegetables.

Regular physical activity also is important. The American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization recommends that children should exercise on four or more days of the week.

The Illinois CATCH onto Health Consortium works with schools across 15 counties in Southern Illinois to encourage healthy choices, including those related to nutrition and exercise.

CATCH  the Coordinated Approach to Child Health  and the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute promote the go, slow and whoa system for food choice. Go foods can be eaten almost anytime; slow foods can be eaten sometimes; and whoa foods are for once in a while.

Its a coordinated approach to child health, said Ashley Moss, program coordinator at SIU School of Medicine and project director for the Illinois Delta Network behind the consortium. It works with instilling healthy messages regarding food.

For example, go foods would include fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables without additives, whole-grain breads, cereals and pastas, fat-free or 1% dairy products, meats trimmed of fats and skin, non-fried fish and shellfish, legumes, tofu, egg whites and egg substitutes and other items.

Its also teaching that no food is entirely off limits, either, Moss said, emphasizing the importance of helping children develop a healthy relationship with food.

Food insecurity can play a significant role in a patient's weight management and their behaviors when it comes to food.

This feast and famine relationship with food, Christison said. Its so powerful. When you dont have food, all youre thinking about is craving those extra treats as a kid, and then when you get it, you just want to eat all of it, and you do.

Those who live in food deserts may struggle to access the quality of food that can help to stave off accelerated weight gain, heart disease and other issues.

Christison noted that low-quality but more available foods can promote inflammation and increase hunger rather than satiate it.

Selvaraj, the Lurie Childrens director, said systemic barriers and socioeconomic disadvantages may be related to higher rates of obesity in Black and Latinx populations, as well as in rural areas.

But its also neurological.

When people struggle with weight gain and eating habits, Christison said, they might feel like they failed or theyre unsuccessful, but its not because theyre weak-willed.

Your brain is saying you need to be a certain size; its protecting that size, even though it's abnormally set high in your brain, she said. What we like to do then is to think about what is it that's modifiable ... whether it's that balance of not calories, but it's really the quality of the food and your sleep and your muscles and the medicines you're taking and your well-being, because stress is a big driver.

She emphasized the measure of success is not about fitting into a certain size, but instead reducing the risk of disease.

Recalling a patient and their mother coming to her office, Christison said, I think what they've encountered everywhere is people telling them that they should be chihuahua size, and they need to watch it. I said, You all are born German shepherds  Let's be proud of being German shepherds, but let's work together so that you're the healthiest and the strongest German shepherds you can be.

Christison said she has worked with some patients whose weight gain affects their ability to get quality sleep, further compounding the issue.

I have had patients, 16-year-olds coming in to me, and they are literally dying from their disease in front of me. They can't even stay awake to talk to me because their sleep is so bad, because they've got obstructive sleep apnea, she said.

It is those patients who need bariatric surgery, which typically involves altering the digestive system to limit the amount of food it can hold, Christison said. However, such surgeries and some medications designed to help manage weight typically are not covered by insurance.

I have had patients who live on the edge of poverty who've been denied the services, and to me that it's just not fair to them, she said.

Setting a routine

Samantha Iwinski, a fourth-year doctoral student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said research shows that routines are a significant factor in a childs health.

Having this set routine in place provides a sense of, almost a safety net for children, because they can expect consistency, she said. But lack of routine and structure can affect health outcomes beyond those related to childhood obesity, Iwinski said.

She and Kelly Freeman Bost, child development and psychology professor at the university, found in recent research, household chaos  which can include high levels of noise and crowding and low levels of routine and organization  combined with poor nutrition can inhibit a childs executive function before they begin elementary school, potentially causing problems with memory, decision-making and other cognitive abilities.

Sehyun Ju, also a fourth-year doctoral student in the human development and family studies program, noted a childs self-regulation intersects with their eating behaviors, and childrens approach to food is determined based on their temperamental characteristics and parental feeding practices.

Children regulate their intake from birth, Ju said, but as they grow up, that self-regulation is influenced by the types of food available, their emotions and the treatment of food  like viewing foods as highly rewarding.

That has been shown to be linked to parental responses to feeding, like restrictive feeding, parents' perception of a child's weight status or whether their concerns regarding a childs obesity can lead that parent to implement strategies like restrictive feeding, she said.

Investing in the kids

The work to combat childhood obesity is seen at all levels, and in Illinois, nonprofit organizations take up the challenge alongside state agencies.

The Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity is an organization through the Illinois Public Health Institute that brings together several partners in their effort to address and improve obesity in the state.

Janna Simon, director of the Center for Policy and Partnership Initiatives for IAPO, said the alliance was formed around 2010 in the midst of national momentum surrounding the issue, spurred in part by Michelle Obamas Lets Move! initiative that aimed to improve childrens health through physical activity and quality nutrition. More than 140 organizations play a part.

Simon said the alliance has worked with federal and state organizations to improve infrastructure so people can use sidewalks more easily, to improve food access and to promote healthy eating while also taking cultural and religious traditions surrounding food into consideration.

The alliance is also working on the Illinois State Physical Activity Nutrition Program  a five-year, $4.6 million initiative to implement physical activity and nutrition interventions designed to make it easier for Illinoisans to live the healthiest lives possible.

Simon said the alliance partners with several state-run agencies, but part of their advocacy is calling for more investment in community-based funding for chronic disease prevention, which is how the state classifies obesity.

Federal funding is often grant-based and not always consistent, so its really hard to keep up this work," she said.

At a state level, the Illinois Department of Public Health works to promote kids' physical and emotional health through the School Based Health Center Program. The program aims for early detection and treatment of chronic and acute health problems and identification of risk-taking behaviors.

The centers are certified by IDPH and funded through state and federal Title V funds, estimated at about $5 million per year. Not all schools in Illinois participate, but the centers are affiliated with local health departments, hospitals and federally-qualified health centers.

The Illinois State Board of Education carries school nutrition programs to offer balanced meals to students across the state and works to ensure children have meals when they are not in school through the Summer Food Service Program.

However, despite six requests made to ISBE regarding information about physical education and school meal programs as they relate to childhood obesity, no one from the agency was made available to speak on the topic.

Looking forward

Since opening Healthy Kids U 10 years ago, Christison said doctors better understand how to treat pediatric obesity.

Theres a lot more still, a lot to learn, she said. One key has been learning that for children and for adults, that accelerated weight gain is ... not just calories in, calories out, lose weight. It's much more complicated.

Moss at SIU said when it comes to making healthier choices, every day is a new day.

It's never too late to start, she said. It really is just a lifestyle, and I think framing it that way, most of all, as just being part of your family's lifestyle, it makes it all that much easier.

In the last decade of working with the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity, Simon said shes seen several good state and federal policies arise from advocacy efforts, including the strengthened school meal programs that have made a substantial difference in kids lives.

Simon said she is optimistic their work will bring about further policy changes at both the state and national scale.

It's important that we keep these kinds of things in the forefront for people because it definitely impacts everyone's lives from day to day, she said.
YORKVILLE - Kendall County States Attorney Eric Weis is suing the state of Illinois in an effort to change the cashless bail system scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2023, joining several other suburban states attorneys who have made a similar move.

The suit was filed Friday in Kendall County Circuit Court by Weis and Kendall County Sheriff Dwight Baird and names Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly as defendants. Weis told Kendall County Board members he needs to try and prevent the horrendous unintended consequences of some provisions of the SAFE-T Act.

Will County States Attorney James Glasgow and McHenry County States Attorney Patrick Kenneally also filed similar suits in the last two weeks, arguing the bill goes too far.

It will have huge impacts and I just dont think people realize whats really coming, Weis said. Its not a Republican or Democrat thing. The two states attorneys who filed first are Democrats, so Im telling you this is not politics. It is something that truly needs to be addressed, and if its not addressed before Jan. 1, it will be almost impossible to fix.

He expects the suit to be consolidated with the others, including suits in Kankakee and Grundy counties.

The SAFE-T Act was meant to create a more fair court system and promote police accountability. Proponents say the elimination of cash bail addresses a long-standing problem that keeps poor defendants, mostly people of color, locked up while awaiting trial because they dont have the means to make bail.

In Kane County, States Attorney Jamie Mosser and Sheriff Ron Hain released a letter to the public where they urge residents to contact their representatives and ask them to rethink bail reform.

They wrote that people in the countys jail are held because of an evidence-based risk assessment that showed them to be a threat to public safety or a flight risk. But under the new law, defendants in serious crimes, including aggravated driving under the influence or drug-induced homicides, would not be detained, they said.

We are asking that the beginning of the Pre-Trial Fairness Act be pushed back six months to allow the legislators to sit down with prosecutors and law enforcement to craft a bill that will eliminate cash bail while protecting our community, they wrote.

For some offenses, including first-degree murder, police and prosecutors will have to convince a judge the offender is a continuing threat to a specific, identifiable individual, Weis said. If a person killed his or her spouse and there was no one else at risk, the murderer would not be detained, he said.

Weis also said the act will make it more difficult for law enforcement to ensure a person charged with a crime shows up in court. The sheriffs office will have to present the accused with a rules to show cause document if the offender does not appear in court. But deputies would need to find the individual first, which could be a large burden on police, he said.

What will you tell victims? Weis said. Sorry your case cant be ruled on because they arent here?

There are a lot of good things and reforms as part of the act, but there are a lot of unintended consequences and they need to be fixed, Weis said. I would hope the General Assembly would do something to correct some of these issues.

Jeremy Gorner of the Chicago Tribune contributed to this article.
CHICAGO  Illinois residents have until Saturday to submit claims for their cut of a $100 million class-action settlement reached this spring in a lawsuit against Google over alleged violations of the states biometric privacy law.

Anyone who appeared in a photo on Google Photos between May 1, 2015, and April 25, 2022, while they were an Illinois resident is eligible to submit a claim and can do so on the settlement website or by mail. Attorneys estimate class members will receive between $200 and $400 each, though the exact amount of the payments will depend on how many people submit claims.

The lawsuit alleges Googles face grouping tool, which sorts faces on Google Photos by similarity, violated the states biometric privacy law. The law, known as the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, requires companies to get users consent for the use of such technology.

Google did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement. In April, company spokesperson Jose Castaneda said the company would roll out opt-in consent to face grouping in Illinois and more gradually across the U.S. He confirmed Friday that opt-in consent had been fully rolled out in Illinois.

A final approval hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday before Cook County Circuit Judge Anna M. Loftus, who granted preliminary approval of the settlement agreement this spring. If the settlement is approved, claimants could receive their cash within 90 days of the approval, though any appeals would slow the process down.

The Google Photos settlement resolves a group of lawsuits filed by five named plaintiffs, the first of which was filed in 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Two plaintiffs filed suit in state court in 2019 after a judge found they lacked standing to sue in federal court; additional plaintiffs later filed their own lawsuits. Each of the five named plaintiffs is eligible for payments of $5,000. Their attorneys will be able to apply for up to $40 million in fees plus costs and expenses, to be paid out of the settlement fund.

Illinois biometric privacy law is among the strictest in the U.S. and has sparked hundreds of lawsuits since its passage in 2008.

Another class-action claim deadline looms in November for state residents who use Snapchat. The apps parent company, Snap Inc., reached a $35 million settlement in a lawsuit last month over allegations its lenses and filters violated state law.

The deadline to submit claims in the Snapchat settlement is Nov. 5; residents can do so on the settlement website. Attorneys estimate payouts will range between $58 and $117.

Snap did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement. The company said last month it vehemently denies its technology violates Illinois law and said it has rolled out in-app consent in the state out of an abundance of caution.

This spring, some Illinois Facebook users received payouts of almost $400 after Facebook reached a $650 million class-action settlement over its facial tagging feature. Final approval in the case was issued in February 2021 but payments were delayed by an appeal.
Well, there goes the United States Air Force.

The wokesters who have been wrecking our colleges for years with their insane diversity and inclusion codes have infiltrated the Air Force Academy.

Cadets there now have to take a training class that includes a slide presentation titled, Diversity & Inclusion: What it is, why we care, & what we can do.

The diversity pitch not only instructs cadets that they should include all genders when they speak among themselves, it tells them to drop terms like mom and dad.

Why? You guessed it  some poor cadet might be made to feel uncomfortable or sad because they do not have a mom or a dad.

Our Air Force cadets, says the presentation, are to refrain from using mom and dad because Some families are headed by single parents, grandparents, foster parents, two moms, two dads, etc.: consider parent or caregiver instead of mom and dad. 

Not using mom or dad ought to generate a few good laughs on campus.

Can you imagine a future F-15 fighter pilot casually asking one of his beer buddies, Is your parent coming down for Caregivers Weekend? or Did your caregiver send you another box of they great chocolate chip cookies?

Colleges have been enforcing pronoun madness and other politically correct codes of woke speech and behavior for years. Big corporations too, like Disney and Google, are all in.

The whole woke thing is absurd, but its not funny. Its being pushed by some people who want to destroy America and blow up our public and private institutions.

Every individual American obviously should be free to be what they want to be. The Woke should be free to call each other by whatever pronoun they want, or gender-identify any way they want, and the rest of us should be tolerant and leave them alone.

But we should not be letting the Woke bully the rest of us or harm our children with their wackiness. You or I would never be allowed to go into a classroom with a Bible and preach to the kids about the joys of Christianity  or even free-market capitalism. But apparently a lot of people think its perfectly OK to spread the Gospel of Transgenderism to third graders.

Now our military is catching up on wokeness  and letting itself be weakened by a bunch of bad ideas that appeal to a minuscule percentage of Americans.

But instead of telling the Woke mob to get lost and leave the armed services alone, the military leadership of today is enabling and welcoming them.

Think about how the military leaders of yesteryear would handle this subversive threat. The leaders who wouldnt cry in public or botch a withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The ones who were real men, who fought wars to win, not to tie. The ones who knew why the military had to be as tough, ready and well-armed as possible.

Unfortunately, today all of the good leaders in our military are apparently cowering in their foxholes, afraid to publicly stand up to those who are emasculating our armed forces. If our current batch of military leaders had been in charge during World War II, there would have been no D-Day and wed all be speaking German. Heck, if they had been leading us in 1776, we would still be a part of the British empire.

The sad truth is, though, weve essentially lost every war since World War II anyway. The next big war will likely not go well for us, either, because weve been slowly destroying our military from within.

So whos going to defend Taiwan from China? The Woke U.S. Marine Corps? The All-Inclusive U.S. Air Force? The U.S. Navy Crybabies?

Im sure President Xi is shaking in they boots.
Far-right activist Dan Proft has proved time and time again that he is very effective at calling attention to himself and getting under Gov. J.B. Pritzkers skin in the worst way.

Profts newspapers have, for instance, published several articles with photos of Pritzkers daughter. Sometimes the stories were wrong, like when a false claim was made that Pritzkers daughter was sitting outdoors at a Chicago restaurant with several friends in violation of the 10-person rule during the pandemic.

It wasnt her, Pritzker told reporters back in November of 2020, when COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations were rising sharply. But the picture falsely identifying her started making the rounds on social media, helped along by the trolls who permeate these social media platforms these days. My office put out a statement making clear this wasnt my daughter. But that didnt stop Republican elected officials, a network of propaganda publications in the state and some radio shock jocks from telling people that the picture was of my daughter, despite knowing that this was a lie.

Put yourself in the shoes of a high school girl who is being weaponized against her father by his political opponents. Weaponized with lies, Pritzker said. Even so, the photo and the story are still online.

The papers, owned by parent company Local Government Information Services (LGIS), have run articles showing the young woman partying in the Bahamas outdoors, riding on a horse outdoors and having fun with friends outdoors at Lollapalooza.

Proft also co-hosts a morning radio show with Amy Jacobson, who spoke at a public rally against the governors pandemic mitigations and regularly showed up to Pritzkers press conferences to ask loaded questions, to the point where she was eventually banned from the pressers, although the ban was lifted not long after.

Profts exact affiliation with LGIS is not clear. The print version is being mailed unsolicited on a regular basis to large numbers of registered voters. The latest edition features a front-page claim that Pritzker and his transgender aunt (a wealthy Republican who supported Bruce Rauner) are in league to eliminate the myth of gender, a claim that has been circulated by far-right websites for months.

The papers have also been accused of publishing incendiary racist stories about accused criminals who would soon be released into suburban communities. Pritzker himself addressed that edition, calling it messaging thats coming from a racist political consultant. The paper also printed wildly false claims by a states attorney who warned that the reforms in the now-notorious SAFE-T Act would bring the end of days.

Its unclear who is funding the papers, but Proft also heads the People Who Play by the Rules PAC, an independent expenditure committee backing Darren Baileys gubernatorial campaign and funded solely by far-right billionaire Dick Uihlein.

Last week, a Shaw Local newspaper story about the Proft papers noted in passing that LGIS was using Paddock Publications postage permit. According to a recent Illinois Press Association news release, Paddocks Schaumburg printing facility is owned by the Daily Herald Media Group.

Many journalists and others were stunned by the revelation. Profts papers have been accused of deliberately spreading disinformation and amplifying racism and homophobia. The Illinois Press Association has tried its best to point out that LGIS is not a member and the companys papers are not actually news. That a respected publisher was printing and mailing those papers came as a shock, particularly since the Daily Herald has taken an active role in the Illinois Press Association.

Pritzker then goosed the story into overdrive by backing out of a debate hosted in part by the Daily Herald. Hours later, Paddock Publications announced that it had dropped its printing and mailing contract with LGIS, claiming it wanted no part in the fight between Pritzker and Proft, but denying that it did anything wrong. In a bitter response, Proft claimed that he was a longstanding client of the Daily Herald, so you gotta wonder how long the Daily Herald has been doing this.

The big loser in all this is the Daily Herald, which lost an incalculable amount of respect for its integrity that it may never regain because of its active participation in a tsunami of viral disinformation during dangerous times. Pritzker prevailed and was able to keep the focus off other important campaign issues. And Proft got attention for himself and his radio show and a platform to say things like calling Pritzker a bedwetting, spoiled brat.
NORMAL  The Bloomington-Normal Asahikawa Sister City Committee has announced an opportunity for a high school student to live and study for 10 months in Asahikawa, Japan.

Eligible students must be entering high school as a sophomore, junior or senior in August 2023 and must live in Unit 5 or District 87.

The selected student will receive an introduction to Japanese language and culture before departure. They will depart in August 2023 and return in June 2024.

Applications are due Monday, Oct. 17.

An informational meeting for students and parents will be held from 2-2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, in the conference room on the second floor of the Central Illinois Regional Airport terminal. Attendees should park in the two-hour parking spaces.

More information, including a link to the program application, is available at bnsistercities.org/programs/high-school/index.php.
The Ambassador of Ghana to China, Dr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, on Thursday stated that the Embassy of Ghana in Beijing has nothing to do with En Huan, also known as Aisha Huans return to Ghana.



He said the Chinese national who was deported from Ghana to China in December 2018 for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities in the Ashanti Region did not take any visa from us.



Dr Hammond made these remarks here when two Chinese investors paid him a visit in his office, to among others, discuss issues of common interest and mutual benefit, including investment in Ghana, job creation for Ghanaians and transfer of technology to spur economic growth.



Dr Hammond told the Ghanaian Times that it was necessary to respond to some unfounded allegations made against the Ghana Embassy for facilitating the return of Miss Huan to Ghana by issuing her a visa.



While saying that the law should be applied to the letter, he noted that En Huangs case ought to be handled with utmost caution so as not to jeopardise the healthy relationship built by Ghana and China.



Dr Hammond noted there were many genuine Chinese businesses in Ghana contributing to the growth of the Ghanaian economy but said that those who flouted Ghanas laws must be dealt with in accordance with law.



En Huang had already made two court appearances following her arrest, first at the Circuit Court on September 6, and at the Accra High Court on September 16 in respect of different offences.



At the Accra Circuit Court, En Huang and three others, Jong Li Hua; Huang Jei and Huiad Hiahu had been charged with engaging in illegal mining in Ghana as well as engaging in sale and purchase of minerals without licence.



On September 16, the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Lydia OseiMarfo remanded the accused until October 11.



The prosecutor, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice charged En Huang with undertaking mining operation without licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals contrary to section 24 of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573) and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.

Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Every dog must be vaccinated once every one or two years to help Ghana achieve immunity by 2030.



The critical proportion of all dogs that ought to be vaccinated is 70 per cent in order to break the dog-to-dog transmission of rabies.



Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at Ghana Health Service, disclosed these ahead of this years World Rabies Day celebration at a press briefing in Accra yesterday.



He said mass vaccination of dogs should be preceded by evidence-based research of the dog ecology, population numbers and transmission in Ghana.



After this, adequate planning in strategy and logistics informed by policy is needed. All these must be done as quickly as necessary, considering the exigencies of the times. Community engagement and participation is key in assuring success of set targets in mass dog vaccination, he stated



Dr Bekoe said this years celebration would be held on the theme One Health, Zero Deaths to coincide with a recent record of cases of human rabies in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, saying the one health approach is an intersectoral collaboration between institutions concerned with human health, animal health and environmental health.



Rabies is considered a proxy for One Health because it has human, animal and environmental components. This year, we want to remind ourselves of the One Health strategies and approaches, the systems, institutions and other resources we will fall on, and what our objectives ought to be from now till the next celebration he stated.



He said from May 21 to 25, 2018, relevant stakeholders met to develop the current Ghana Rabies Control and Prevention Action Plan (2018-2030) whose goal was to use the One Health Approach to control rabies in Ghana.



The plan he said highlighted prevention and control of rabies, data collection and analysis, laboratory diagnosis, dog population management, information, education and communication, intersectoral collaboration and legislation.



Dr Bekoe pleaded with all relevant stakeholders to collaborate to drive progress towards Zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.



Dr Patrick Abakeh, Acting Chief Veterinary Officer said human vaccines were expensive and that it was currently estimated to cost USD$4,087,970 annually.



For him, every exposed person who received a PEP vaccine, 50 dogs could have been vaccinated at the same cost, adding that in the hierarchy of importance of control of rabies, vaccinating dogs came first, followed by vaccinating exposed humans.



Dr Abakeh called for the resource of the Veterinary Service Directorate (VSD) to be able to deal with zoonotic diseases as Ghana, together with other countries in the sub region, were endemic to rabies which is a Neglected Tropical Zoonosis.



Dr Guyo Guracha, a representative from World Health Organisation, said his outfit regularly updated and disseminated technical guidance on rabies, for example, epidemiology, surveillance, diagnostics, vaccines, safe and cost-effective immunization, control and prevention strategies for human and animal rabies, operational programme implementation and palliative care for human rabies patients.



Benjamin M.Adjei, Assistant Food and Agriculture Organisation Representative of the United Nations, added that Rabies had a significant impact on lives and livelihoods, particularly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and that the poor and marginalised communities were most heavily impacted as they often could not afford treatment or transport for care.

Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab says the task to improve the global food insecurity situation will require a concerted effort rather than what he described as separate approaches and stance.



As a global community, one of the bitter lessons we are supposed to have learnt from the twin issues of the Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine War is the food insecurity issue which now poses a threat to hunger, insufficiency and malnutrition in various parts of the world, which requires a united front to address.



Mr. Hannan Abdul-Wahab was addressing the just-ended International Forum on African-Caribbean Leadership in New York on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly Session.



The Forum was organised by the London-based African Leadership Organization, publishers of the African Leadership Magazine.



It was on the theme Redefining trans-regional cooperation for sustainable peace and development and was attended by some Heads of States, business leaders, diplomatic community, donors and the academic institutions.



He told the Forum, the current imbalances in food sufficiency call for urgent convergence of ideas and resources to ensure adequate food access to some 821 million said to be hungry globally.



The United Nations and the World Food Programme have said two billion people experience moderate to severe food insecurity and that one out of seven children is born underweight.



It has also been predicted that hunger and malnutrition is expected to increase in the next few years if urgent steps are not taken to curtail the worsening global food crisis.



The President of Guyana, President Ifraan Ali who officially opened the Forum demanded a level playing field to enhance growth in developing countries.



The quest for global food security cannot be won on ideological lines by superpower nations, he said, urging greater protection for freshwater which he said will become a very important commodity in most nations.



While affirming the commitment of Guyana becoming the leader in food security in the Caribbean, President Ali asked world leaders to set timelines to phase out fossil fuels.



The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Terrance Drew and his counterparts from Antigua, and St. Lucia, Gaston Browne and Phillip J. Pierre told the forum the Caribbean nations have readied themselves to support any last efforts to end strive in developing nations including pragmatic strategies for food security.



The first Commander of the United States Africa Command Center, Gen. Willam Ward was hopeful the United Nations would find an end for the raging Russia-Ukraine War soon in order to alleviate its devastating impact on other nations.



The Publisher of the African Leadership Magazine, Dr. Ken Giami said the annual forum was to create a platform for African and Caribbean governments to reassess their roles in international systems with a view toward increasing partnerships and collaborations towards achieving peace, prosperity and sustainability for all.



The Forum awarded some individuals including Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab who was presented with the Special African Business Leadership Commendation Award in recognition of his works in ensuring food security in Ghana.



Other recipients of the award included the President of the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association of Nigeria, Barrister Mrs, Vicky Irabor whose advocacy works on SDGs were also recognized.



Ghanas delegation also included the Board Chairman of NAFCOo, Mr. Henry Nana Boakye.

Source: graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Once again, residents of the five regions of the north are at their wits end.



This is because the annual ritual of flooding in the north, the combined result of the spillage of excess water from the Bagre and the Kompienga dams in neighbouring Burkina Faso and heavy rains in that part of the country, has reared its ugly head.



State actors, including the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), are struggling to contain the humanitarian crisis, with three lives already lost, hundreds displaced and extensive damage done to farms and properties.



Checks by the Daily Graphic revealed that about 28 districts in the Upper East, Upper West, North East, Savannah and Northern regions have been affected by the floods.



However, the worst affected areas are the Wa East and the Wa West districts and the Lawra and the Nandom municipalities, all in the Upper West Region; the West Mamprusi municipality and the Mamprugu/Moaduri District, both in the North East Region, as well as the Bawku West District in the Upper East Region.



Given the unfulfilled promises by successive governments to find a lasting solution to the perennial problem, it appears there is no end in sight for the yearly flooding which occurs between late August and early October.



As had been the case in the past, this year the best the authorities could do was appeal to residents to move to higher ground when the managers of the two dams announced plans to spill the excess water.



As usual, residents living along the downstream of the White and the Black Volta rivers, are the worst affected.



Current situation



In its September, October, November (SON forecast), the Ghana Meteorological Agency warned of flood risk, saying there is a high chance of occurrence this year in the northern half of Ghana due to the impact of the rains and the likelihood of the spillage of the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso.



The managers of the two dams signalled the decision to open the spill gates on August 31, this year, when an official statement they issued indicated that the water level of the Kompienga Dam was 234.71 metres, with a rising rate of 98.40 per cent.



Consequently, this year's spillage has been described as unprecedented, and having been compounded by the month-long torrential rains in the north, residents are struggling to come to terms with their losses.





In the Upper West Region, a mother and her baby drowned in the Dikpe River in the Lawra municipality when they were returning from a market in a nearby Burkina Faso town last Sunday, and at Kinkang in the North East Region, a mud building collapsed on two persons, resulting in the death of one and injury to the other on the same day.



Large acres of rice, millet and sorghum farms have been completely wiped out.



Some communities are reporting that crocodiles have invaded their homes and devoured livestock, thereby creating panic in communities affected by the floods.



Farmers count losses



A farmer at Babile in the Lawra municipality, Seidu Adam, said he had lost his 20-acre maize and soya beans farm which served as the only source of livelihood for his family.



"I am just devastated because the farm which has been destroyed is the only source of livelihood for the family. Now I don't know what to do because all my investment has gone waste," he said.



Another farmer in the West Mamprusi municipality, John Sibiri, whose story was not different, appealed to NADMO and benevolent organisations to go to their aid to help alleviate their plight.



The Upper West Regional Director of NADMO, Mustapha Ahmed, told the Daily Graphic that the floods had affected transport services between the country and its northern neighbours along the western corridor.



He noted that for now the people, particularly farmers, had been left to their fate, and that there were fears that the disaster could cause more devastation, since water levels were still rising in the region.



Mr Ahmed advised the inhabitants, especially farmers along the Black Volta River, who had not yet relocated to move upland, since the rains had not yet stopped and there were fears that the spillage of the dams could bring more floods.



Explaining the situation to the Daily Graphic, the North East Regional Director of NADMO, John Kwaku Alhassan, said presently some communities in the Mamprugu/Moaduri District and the West Mamprusi municipality could not be accessed, as they had been cut off by flood waters.



He said NADMO officials would have to wait for the flood waters to recede before they could access those places with canoes to conduct an assessment on the damage caused.



If you want to go to the Mamprugu/Moaduri District, you cannot use the Kpesenkpa road from Walewale, the West Mamprusi capital, through Wulugu, a journey of about three hours, because a section of the road has been flooded.



Now you have to go through Bolgatanga-Navrongo-Fumbisi in the Upper East Region, which is about eight hours, before reaching Yagba-Kubori, the capital of the Mamprugu/Moaduri District, he noted.



Aside from that, Mr Alhassan indicated that some farmlands below the Nakpanduri Scarp in the East Mamprusi municipality had also been submerged and could not be accessed because of the high water levels.



In the Northern Region, the Saboba and the Chereponi districts were cut off from the regional capital, Tamale, and adjoining districts following days of rain in the area last month.



The routes leading to Saboba and Chereponi from Tamale, Yendi and Wapuli were all inaccessible and one had to use a canoe to access the area.



The bridges at Kpalba and Wapuli, which connect Yendi to Saboba, Chereponi, Tamale and other parts of the country, were washed away by water.



Rescue efforts/sensitisation



In the days leading to the spillage of the dams, the Director-General of NADMO, Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, had gone on a working visit to the northern parts of the country to assess the readiness of NADMO to undertake rescue and relief responses and meet with the chiefs and regional and district officials on the issue.



He told the Daily Graphic that chiefs in various communities were helping NADMO in the effort to get the people to move to higher ground, and warned that it was clear that the flooding was going to be worse this year.



Within the White and the Black Volta enclave, residents appeared to be helpless, but NADMO continued to intensify measures to save lives and properties.



Looming food crisis



A major threat coming out of the flooding is a looming food crisis because most farmers could not harvest their produce before the floods swallowed everything.



According to the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), about 3,000 hectares of farmland had been damaged, with an estimated 2,000 farmers being negatively impacted.



The Head of Programmes and Advocacy at the PFAG, Dr Charles Nyaaba, said: The number of hectares could double by the end of September, with more risk to farmers. If nothing is done immediately, 2023 will come and well still be in the same situation, watching our farms being ruined by the spillage.



Pwalugu multipurpose dam



As part of efforts to address the perennial problem, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in 2019 cut the sod for the construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam in the Talensi District in the Upper East Region.



The $993-million project, which is being financed solely by the government, had been on the drawing board since the early 1960s, and the sod-cutting ceremony was thus considered historic.

Source: graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Dr Edward Ampratwum, Head of Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ghana, on Friday urged Ghanaian market women, commercial drivers and artisans to exercise peace and tolerance in their daily activities.



He said tolerance for pluralism was an essential component of the culture of peace and for building sustainable and resilient societies.



I wish to remind all and sundry that it behoves us to collectively promote positive social relations for a peaceful society, Dr Ampratwum stated in his keynote address at a Community Engagement on peaceful coexistence in Accra.



The workshop, which was organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) in Ghana on the theme: Managing Ethnic Diversity in Ghana for Sustainable Peace, was attended by market women, commercial drivers and artisans.



It forms part of activities marking the week-long celebration of the 2022 International Peace Day on the theme: End Racism. Build Peace.



The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the UN General Assembly to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.



Dr Ampratwum said discriminatory attitudes and behaviours were learned and not a characteristic of human beings; declaring that therefore, it is imperative that as early as possible, and most importantly in the home environment and continued in the school environment, children learn the value of diversity and respect for and appreciation of difference.



He said Ghana had rightly been described as the oasis of peace in Africa, and this was something that was not achieved on a silver platter but under its strong national institutions and commitment to peace and democratic values, they were optimistic that Ghana would continue to be peaceful for development to thrive.



He said the theme for this years International Peace Day celebration was very important to remind all of us of the need to acknowledge our differences but respect our common humanity.



He reiterated that millions of people continue to be the victims of varied forms of racism, racial discrimination, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and related intolerance, adding that these threats to human existence were not only persisting but are continually assuming new forms.



He said the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) committed all State parties to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination and to promote understanding amongst all races.



Dr Ampratwum appealed to all market women to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination at the marketplace, saying the market is a space of cultural expression.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Ghana does not, and will not, recognise any Ukrainian territory that is unilaterally and forcefully acquired or dismembered from a sovereign entity, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has stated.



She, therefore, urged the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally cease its operations, withdraw its troops from the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine and respect its neighbours sovereignty and political independence.



The Minister stated Ghanas position in her address at the United Nations Security Council High-Level briefing on Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine, during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.



The statement was made available to the Ghana News Agency by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.



The meeting, which was organised by France, places focus on the Russian - Ukraine war.



The need for a credible pathway for a genuine diplomatic process is urgent," the Foreign Minister said.



"The barrel of the gun does not provide such a pathway. It only leads to needless loss of lives and destruction on both sides.



Indeed, the costs of the war have been high, not only for the parties, but also for the rest of the world.



She called on the UN Security Council to act in an urgent and unified manner to end the near-paralysis of the Council and the war in Ukraine.



She noted that the toll of that war was intolerable and the lack of a unified resolve risks making "our universal organisation an enabling factor for impunity in Ukraine".



The damage to the standing of the Charter might be incalculable, she added.



She reiterated that Ghana was especially concerned about the intensification of the war in Ukraine across several lines, with civilian populated areas and civilian infrastructure being the targets of bombardments.



We regret that the basic laws, which govern the conduct of modern warfare and protect ordinary people, who are caught in the crossfires of war, have not been respected, Madam Ayorkor Botchwey stated.



We are distressed by the diverse horrifying and painful humanitarian threats which have accompanied the war."



She noted that some 14 million people, mostly women and children, had been displaced from their homes and faced heightened risks of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence.



She said human trafficking, filtration processes, enforced disappearances, torture and other violations of the rights and freedoms of the people were widespread.



We remain gravely concerned by the manifest threats of a nuclear episode, whether by accident or deliberate action, because of the constant military engagements around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant."



The Minister said the disregard for the requisites for nuclear safety and security, including for the delineation of a safe zone, were deplorable.



She said Ghana supported the efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to avert a nuclear catastrophe.



With the rising death toll, civilian casualties and growing reports of war crimes and other human rights violations, the UN Security Council must uphold its responsibility as a Council and send a clear message that perpetrators of atrocities would be held to account, she urged.



Ghana supported the importance of ensuring accountability for all war crimes committed in Ukraine, she emphasized.



We must affirm our determination that the litany of atrocious acts that have taken place in Ukraine would be submitted to thorough, transparent, and independent investigations to establish the facts, and for the attribution of international crimes to their perpetrators.



She said, Ukraine, as a sovereign State and a member of this Organisation, had every right and, indeed, a responsibility, to defend its territorial integrity and political independence.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Intriguing details are beginning to emerge about the murder of Munira Moro, which sad incident occurred recently at Abeka, Accra.



Detectives are said to have reached a stage in their investigations where the body can be buried.



Earlier, her elder brother Samba, a resident of Mamobi in the Ayawaso North Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, had refused to have the body of the deceased buried immediately. He wanted a thorough investigation to precede the procedure.



When DAILY GUIDE spoke to him, he was managing to subdue the trauma he suffered after seeing the gruesome spectacle of the body of his sister.



Two theories have been bandied around following the murder, one being that her former boyfriend who had spent a lot of money in her education was behind the murder. This, however, soon evaporated into thin air as the allegation lacked substance and therefore, dropped by detectives in their search for clues in the dastardly murder.



DAILY GUIDE has learnt from an audio by a certain Hajara Burkina, a social commentator which has gained currency in the Zongo communities that on the fateful day the first wife was said to have asked her mother-in-law to accompany her to go and visit her premature baby at a hospital.



The two made the trip in a taxi even when she has a personal car.



It has also been said that the dumping of the dead body in the room of the first wife was intended to be a ruse. The remains of her rival in her room would remove any doubts that she was the source of the murder and would indeed attract sympathy for her rather.



Until this latest information, she did attract such sympathy anyway.



Hajara Burkina, in Hausa, speaks volumes about the murder of Munira who met her death ten days after her wedding.



The woman was not killed by a gang to which she belongs as being speculated by some persons. The killing was done by the first wife and her brother, she alleged in the audio.



She alleged the first wife had a premature baby and on the fateful day she did not use her own car as she proceeded to the hospital to visit the premature baby with her mother-in-law and kids, leaving nobody in the house, she said, adding that she went by a taxi.



Upon reaching the said hospital, Hajara Burkina continued that the first wife asked her mother-in-law to wait in the hospital as she returned to the house with the same taxi driver, stopping briefly on the way to pick her brother.



Upon reaching the house where the bride was, Hajara Burkina said the first wife and her brother entered as she asked the cabbie to wait.



After waiting for too long the cabbie went into the house to find out why his client was still not coming out. She queried him saying that after all she was going to pay him for the service so he returned to the car and waited. Armed with a metal and with the support of her brother, they hit the woman on her head, killing her instantly. They pulled the dead body to the suspected murderers room to serve as a convincing ruse.



After the crime, she changed her dress and with her brother who dropped on the way, she returned to the hospital not before locking the room.



From the hospital, she and the mother-in-law returned to the house as if nothing had happened, the narration continued.



The mobile phone of the suspect is said to have provided important clues with which detectives are working with. Hajara Burkina concluded in Hausa in the audio: I wish to state that the first wife and her brother murdered the customs officer aged 32, a resident of Mamobi in Accra but relocated to Abeka when she got married.



The husband, Hajara Burkina added, had a Mamprusi woman as a wife before marrying the suspect with whom they have five kids. As a result of endless issues in the marriage, the woman left the marriage and returned to the North following which the man married the suspect, she said in the audio.



She added that the husband has developed a mental challenge following the murder of Munira Moro.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A 70-year-old cocoa farmer, Opanyin Kweku Oppong Abdulai, has been found dead on his farm at Dapong village, near Upper Bobikuma in the Agona West of the Central Region.



The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Swedru Municipal Government Hospital mortuary for autopsy.



A source at the Upper Bobikuma Police Station, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency, said the family of the deceased reported that Opanyin Kweku Oppong Abdulai went to the farm on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, to harvest cocoa, but did not return.



The source stated that a search team, comprising Police CID personnel, were deployed to the farm where the lifeless body of the deceased was found covered with timber slaps under a mango tree on his cocoa farm.



According to the source, the Police have arrested a 24-year-old man, Samuel Appiah, also a farmer as a suspect.



He was alleged to have threatened to kill the deceased for accusing him (suspect) of stealing his cocoa beans.



The deceased had alleged stealing of his cocoa beans by the suspect, who lives in the same village with him (deceased).



The source said the suspect denied murdering the cocoa farmer and that investigation was ongoing to unravel the circumstances that led to his death.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Campaign Manager of defeated Northern Regional Chairman hopeful of the governing New Patriotic Party(NPP), Alhaji Hindu Abdallah has disclosed that he will lead the campaign of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumias.



His decision to support the Vice President he disclosed in a radio interview, is not borne of being a Northern brother but because Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia can provide the quality leadership the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Ghana need going forward.



To him, it will be imperative for all members of the New Patriotic Party to rally behind a man who has proven beyond reasonable doubt that he is capable of helping the party break the eight.



Alhaji Inusah Dagomba Boy was speaking on Radio Tamale when he made this known.



If Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is contesting, then I will be the lead campaigner for him. Im not supporting Bawumia because he is a Northerner or Muslim but rather supporting him because he is competent, he said.



He continued; Dr. Mahamudu is extremely knowledgeable and fit for the job. Theres nobody who is more popular than Bawumia in the NPP.



The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will choose a new leader for the 2024 elections. The Governing political party seeks to make history in Ghanas political space by going past the eight-year cycle enjoyed by all political parties in the country.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Some celebrities attended the one-week memorial service for the late comedian Francis Yaw Ofori, also known as Baba Spirit.



The remembrance service held at the Art Centre in Accra saw family and friends converge to express their grief over the passing of the comedian, who died at the age of 41.



The funeral rites of the comedian would be held on November 19, 2022, at the Art Centre, with the interment service scheduled for his hometown, Akim-Oda.



Ghanaian boxer Ayittey Powers, who was a known friend of Baba Spirit, told the Ghana News Agency that he was in disbelief at the death of his friend.



''I still can't believe Baba Spirit has passed. Prior to his death, he always talked about some bad dreams he was having and felt he was under some form of spiritual attack.



''He often did seek spiritual guidance from pastors, but unfortunately met his untimely death. I would want to console the bereaved Family and that they should put everything in the hands of God,'' Ayittey Powers said.



Baba Spirit was one of Ghana's finest comedians and had a unique way of going about his craft, which won him numerous awards.



He died on Thursday, September 8, 2022, at the Kotoku Medical Centre in the Greater Accra Region.





Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Sunstar

The journey from one to 10 kilometers has taken me five years. So, no, there were no shortcuts. I paced myself.But I did not set out to be a runner when I got on the treadmill in 2017 to warm up for my conditioning exercises at the gym. An open partial nephrectomy had weakened my coreI just wanted to regain my strength.Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think Id run or race. And at 58?In December of 2019, a friend invited me to join a 5K fun run. And why not? It sounded fun. By then, I had
After a string of delays, Carnival Magic, Phukets newest USD$ 190 million theme park, finally soft-opens today with much fanfare to a crowd of thousands. Interest in the theme park has been immense and thousands of tickets have been pre-sold, reported Kittikorn Kewkacha, creator & CEO of Carnival Magic.

Visitors on the first day of business were foreign tourists, with Thais and local residents making up about 20%, according to Carnival Magic internal survey.

Carnival Magic is the worlds first Thai carnival theme park. The park has a number of attractions inspired by Thai culture and festivals including a 2,200 theater housing an indoor parade, and an illumination park that broke many world records.

We plan to launch a world-wide promotional campaign covering most of Asia, Australia, North America and Europe once the pandemic is over. But for the time being, our focus will be Thai nationals and visitors from Southeast Asian countries, Mr. Kittikorn said.
A satellite image shows Hurricane Fiona on September 23, 2022, at 1400 GMT.

Hurricane Fiona barreled towards Canada on Friday with Nova Scotia province on high alert after the storm swept past Bermuda, where it left much of the population without power but caused little damage.

The US National Hurricane Center said Fiona was packing sustained winds of near 125 miles (205 kilometers) an hour and was "expected to be a powerful hurricane-force cyclone" when it makes landfall overnight into Saturday.

"It is certainly going to be a historic, extreme event for Eastern Canada," Bob Robichaud, a meteorologist for the Canadian Hurricane Center, told reporters.

"It's a major hurricane... All that momentum is trapped within the storm, so it's very difficult for something like that to actually wind down."

In its latest bulletin, the CHC described the storm as a "severe event" that will "impact Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec with heavy rainfall and powerful hurricane force winds beginning tonight."

At midnight GMT, the hurricane was located just over 200 km south of Sable Island, a small sandy strip off Nova Scotia, and was moving north at a speed of 56 kph, according to the CHC.

Authorities in Nova Scotia issued an emergency alert on phones, saying power outages were likely and people should stay inside with enough supplies for at least 72 hours.

Empty outdoor dining space at a restaurant in Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda, as Hurricane Fiona churned past the Atlantic island.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the storm "a bad one," adding it "could have significant impacts right across the region."

In Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, stores sold out of propane gas cylinders for camping stoves as residents stocked up.

"Hopefully it will slow up when it hits the cooler water, but it doesn't sound like it's going to Dave Buis of the Northern Yacht Club in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, told Canadian television.

Puerto Rico hard hit

Bermuda had earlier called on residents to remain inside as strong winds raked over the British territory, but no fatalities or major damage were reported as Fiona passed roughly 100 miles to the west of the island.

The Belco power company said 15,000 out of 36,000 households were without power on Friday evening, with electricity being rapidly returned to many areas.

The Royal Bermuda Regiment said it was waiting for winds to die down before clearing roads. Residents posted images of downed power lines and some flooding on social media.

Residents are seen outside their homes in northeast Dominican Republic on September 21, 2022 after the passage of Hurricane Fiona.

"We had some minor damage to the premises but nothing serious," Jason Rainer, owner of a souvenir shop in the capital Hamilton told AFP, saying some doors and windows had been blown out.

Store owners had covered windows with metal and wood sheets.

The island of about 64,000 people is no stranger to hurricanesbut it is also tiny, just 21 square miles (54 sq km), and one of the most remote places in the world, 640 miles from its closest neighbor, the United States.

Bermuda, whose economy is fueled by international finance and tourism, is wealthy compared with most Caribbean countries, and structures must be built to strict planning codes to withstand storms. Some have done so for centuries.

Fiona killed four people in Puerto Rico earlier this week, according to US media, while one death was reported in the French overseas department of Guadeloupe and another in the Dominican Republic.

President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Puerto Rico, a US territory that is still struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria five years ago.

In the Dominican Republic, President Luis Abinader declared three eastern provinces to be disaster zones.

Explore further Strong winds hit Bermuda as Hurricane Fiona heads for Canada

 2022 AFP
A scanned lace monitor lizard (Varanus varius) image produced by using new technology. Credit: Rapiscan Systems, Author provided

Blue-tongue lizards and sulfur-crested cockatoos are among the native animals frequently smuggled overseas.

While the number of live animals seized by the Australian Government has tripled since 2017, the full scale of the problem eludes us as authorities don't often know where and how wildlife is trafficked. Now, we can add a new technology to Australia's arsenal against this cruel and inhumane industry.

Our research, published in Frontiers in Conservation Science today, shows the potential for new technology to detect illegal wildlife in luggage or mail. This technology uses artificial intelligence to recognize the shapes of animals when scanned at international frontlines such as airports and mail centers.

Exotic species are also smuggled into the country, such as snakes, turtles and fish. This could disrupt Australia's multi-billion dollar agricultural industries by introducing pests and diseases, and could also threaten fragile native ecosystems.

An animal welfare problem

Wildlife trafficking is driven by several factors, including purported medicinal purposes, animals having ornamental value or for the illegal pet trade.

It can have fatal consequences, as it usually involves transporting individual animals in tight or cramped environments. This often results in the animals becoming stressed, dehydrated and dying.

Some people have even tried to use chip packets to smuggle Australian wildlife.

Traffickers often transport several individuals in one go, in the hope one animal makes it alive.

We don't know the complete picture of which animals are being trafficked, how they're trafficked or even when it's occurring. But examples from seized cases in Australia suggest traffickers highly prize Aussie reptiles and birds.

Shingleback lizards are one of Australias most trafficked animals. Credit: Shutterstock

For example, shingleback lizards, a type of blue-tongue lizard, are considered one of Australia's most trafficked species.

Apart from being cruel and inhumane, wildlife trafficking can also facilitate the introduction of alien species into new environments.

This brings significant biosecurity risks. For example, zoonosis (diseases jumping from a non-human animal to a human) involves people handling stressed, wild animals. Exotic species can also disrupt natural ecosystems, as we've famously seen with the damage wrought by cane toads in northern Australia.

Unregulated wildlife entering the country may also harbor new diseases or destructive parasites. This could damage agricultural industries and potentially raise the prices of our fruit and vegetables.

Creating an trafficking image library

Our new research documents a variety of wildlife species, which have been scanned using state-of-the-art technology to help build computer algorithms using "Real Time Tomography."

Real Time Tomography is an imaging technique that uses a series of X-rays to scan an item (such as a lizard). It then produces a three dimensional image of the animal which, in turn, is used to develop algorithms. For example, mail and luggage can be scanned at the airport and, if wildlife are enclosed, the algorithms will alert operators of their presence.

Our study scanned known species of trafficked Australian animals to create an image reference library. A total of 294 scans from 13 species of lizards, birds and fish were used to develop initial wildlife algorithms, with a detection rate of 82%, and a false alarm rate at just 1.6%.

This research is the first to document the use of 3D X-ray CT security scan technology for wildlife protection within the peer-reviewed scientific literature. It's also the first to report results for the detection of reptiles, birds and fish within such scans.

The detection tool is designed to complement existing detection measures of Australian Border Force, biosecurity officers and detection dogs, which remain crucial in our fight against wildlife crime.

Wildlife algorithm successfully detecting a shingleback lizard. This is a screenshot from the user interface alerting the operator of a detected shingleback lizard (Tiliqua rugosa) via the green bounding box which has labelled this a lizard. Credit: Pirotta et al. 2022

How else are we stopping wildlife trafficking?

The tools currently helping to detect and restrict wildlife trafficking mainly rely on human detection methods.

This includes cyber-crime investigations or Australian Border Force and biosecurity officers manually searching bags. Biosecurity detector dogs patrolling airports are also useful, as are smartphone reporting apps such as the Wildlife Witness App.

Also crucial are efforts to dismantle illegal trade networks at the source. This is by understanding and reducing consumer demand for wildlife and wildlife products, providing alternate livelihoods for would-be poachers, and enforcing stronger governance and monitoring.

Seized animals can be used as evidence to identify traffickers, with previous cases resulting in successful prosecution by environmental investigators. For example, a former rugby league player has been jailed for four years after getting caught trying to smuggle a variety of animals in and out of Australia.

Continuing the fight

All these measures help fight wildlife trafficking, but there's no single solution to predict when and where the events will likely take place.

Wildlife traffickers may adapt their behaviors frequently to avoid being detected. As a result, innovative and adaptive solutions, such as our new technology, are vital to support existing detection techniques.

Any effort to stamp out this terrible activity is a step in the right direction, and the potential for 3D detection enables us to adapt and evolve with how traffickers may change their behaviors.

Explore further Using 3D X-ray technology for the detection of illegal wildlife trafficking

More information: Vanessa Pirotta et al, Detecting illegal wildlife trafficking via real time tomography 3D X-ray imaging and automated algorithms, Frontiers in Conservation Science (2022). Vanessa Pirotta et al, Detecting illegal wildlife trafficking via real time tomography 3D X-ray imaging and automated algorithms,(2022). DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.757950

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Longhorned ticks. Credit: University of Missouri

The Longhorned tick causes the loss of millions of dollars in agricultural revenue to cattle producers worldwide, and it is now in northern Missouri.

Originally found in eastern Russia and the Australasian region, this tick was first found in the United States in 2017 in New Jersey. It has since reached the Mid-Atlantic, New England and Midwestern regions of the U.S., and now has been discovered in northern Missouri for the first time by researchers at the University of Missouri.

Last year, the Longhorned tick was found in the southern part of the state. This latest discovery indicates an additional economic burden to cattle producers due to ticks; as the Longhorned tick infestation could lead to significant loss in weight gain for cattle, similar to an already widely prevalent disease called anaplasmosis; but so far, the threat from this species of tick to cattleand people and their petsin Missouri remains low. However, researchers emphasize that the discovery of the Longhorned tick in the state increases the need for more vigilance towards ticks in general.

While most ticks reproduce traditionally, female Longhorned ticks can lay thousands of eggs without the help of a male, which makes it easier for them to quickly establish in new areas. Infestation of the Longhorned tick can lead to possible transmission of bovine theileriosis, a disease that kills red blood cells in cattle.

While there have currently not been any confirmed cases of bovine theileriosis in Missouri cattle, this discovery further heightens the need for Missouri cattle ranchers to make informed decisions regarding quarantining protocols when introducing new cattle into their herds in an effort to protect the health of their livestock, which has significant economic implications.

"Studying the prevalence of invasive ticks in different geographical regions can help veterinarians and farmers take proactive, preventative steps that may ultimately protect the health of livestock, which has huge economic implications," said Rosalie Ierardi, an anatomic pathologist at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine who recently discovered two Longhorned ticks in Linn County, Missouri, while conducting anaplasmosis surveillance research.

Ierardi collaborated on the project with Ram Raghavan, a professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and MU School of Health Professions. Raghavan, who has been tracking the spread of various species of ticks in the U.S. for 15 years, predicted the potential geographic distribution of the Longhorned tick back in 2019. So far, the tick appears to be establishing in the areas that he had predicted in that study. He said there not only appears to be an increase in the abundance of all ticks in the Midwest in the past decade, but also an increase in the pathogens and diseases they transmit to cattle, humans and pets.

"Warmer temperatures in the Midwest seem to be creating perfect conditions for ticks and the pathogens they carry to thrive, and this problem may get worse going forward as the planet continues to warm, which is concerning," Raghavan said. "We must be vigilant and devote resources toward trying to prevent these ticks from spreading diseases that harm the health of cattle, humans and their pets. The discovery of Longhorned ticks in northern Missouri greatly increases the need for more vigilance towards ticks in general and the need for routine monitoring of the pathogens they transmit."

Ierardi encourages cattle ranchers who notice weakness, jaundice and pregnancy loss in their cattle to contact their local veterinarian and the MU Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory for assistance with tracking down the causes for such signs.

"Symptoms of this disease can be often mistaken for anaplasmosis, so we encourage producers and practitioners to be vigilant and get their animals tested whenever there is a doubt," Ierardi said. "Although these Longhorned ticks are known to transmit a number of human disease pathogens, at the moment the threat from them appears to be mostly bovine theileriosis, which impacts cattle."

For more information about Longhorned ticks, visit the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) website.

Explore further New tick species spreading in the US

More information: R. K. Raghavan et al, Potential Spatial Distribution of the Newly Introduced Long-horned Tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis in North America, Scientific Reports (2019). Journal information: Scientific Reports R. K. Raghavan et al, Potential Spatial Distribution of the Newly Introduced Long-horned Tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis in North America,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37205-2
Republican congressional candidate Liz Lemery Joy announced she has agreed to debate U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, in a debate to be televised at 8 p.m. Oct. 27 on WMHT public television.

The two candidates in the 20th Congressional District also have agreed to debate at a League of Women Voters forum that has not yet been scheduled.

Tonkos campaign confirmed the debate arrangements.

In other regional political news:

NRA neutral in Assembly race

The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund did not make an endorsement in the 113th Assembly District race between incumbent Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, and Republican challenger David Catalfamo, an economic development official and writer from Wilton.

Woerner received a B grade on a recent NRA report card, based on her voting record on gun issues.

Catalfamo received an AQ grade, based on his answers to a questionnaire.

Woerner was one of just four Assembly Democrats who received B grades, the highest grade of any Assembly Democrats.

The rest of Democratic Assembly candidates received grades of D or F, or no grade because the NRA could not find sufficient public information about their positions on gun issues.

Elsewhere in the region, Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-Horicon, who is running unopposed, received an A rating.

NRA grades Stec as A+

The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund endorsed state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, for re-election, and assigned him an A+ grade, based on his voting record on gun issues.

Stec is running in the 45th Senate District against Democratic challenger Jean Lapper, a certified public accountant and financial adviser from Queensbury.

The NRA did not grade Lapper because the organization was unable to find sufficient public statements on her positions on gun issues.

Stec is one of just two Senate Republican incumbents that received A+ grades.

The other was Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda.

Elsewhere in the region, the NRA endorsed Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, who received an A grade.

Tedisco is running in the 44th Senate District against Democrat Michelle Ostrelich, a Schenectady County legislator, who received an F grade.

The NRA did not endorse in the 43rd Senate District, which is an open seat.

State Assemblyman Jake Ashby, R-Castleton, received a B grade.

The NRA did not grade Democrat Andrea Smyth, a health care and family issues policy advocate from Troy, because it could not find sufficient public statements about Smyths positions on gun issues.

Humane Society report cards

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, received a 100+ grade on a new annual report card from the Humane Society Legislative Fund, the lobbying arm of the Humane Society of the United States.

Tonko received a perfect score, on a scale of one to 100, based on his co-sponsorship and voting on priority animal rights legislation this year, plus extra credit for leadership on animal welfare issues.

It is the fourth consecutive year Tonko received a 100+ score.

Tonko is running for reelection in the 20th Congressional District against Republican challenger Liz Lemery Joy, a former blogger and speaker from Schenectady.

In the 21st Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, received a grade of 18, out of a possible 100 points.

Her grade, in part, was based on not endorsing several of the groups priority bills in 2022.

She also voted against the groups recommendation on two bills.

She voted against two amendments to economic competitiveness legislation that would curb the trade and trafficking of wildlife.

She voted for an amendment to a budget bill to remove language intended to reduce sport hunting of elephants in Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The group praised Stefanik for voting in favor of a budget bill that provided $1 million for the protection of manatees, and $5 million for a Department of Veterans Affairs equine therapy program.

The group praised her for co-sponsoring and voting in favor of legislation to reduce the number of tigers, lions and big cats in captivity, and to prohibit public contact with the wild animals.

Stefaniks score of 18 is her lowest score in four years.

She received scores of 44 in 2020 and 2021, and 67 in 2019.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. received an 83 score in 2022.

The group did not compile a report card for Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., in 2022.

AFL-CIO endorses Castelli

The New York AFL-CIO on Sept. 19 endorsed Democratic congressional candidate Matt Castelli.

We look forward to educating, engaging and mobilizing our members to ensure a victory for all of our endorsed candidates, sad state AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento in a news release.

The AFL-CIO waited until after the primary to endorse in the race, said Darcy Wells, a union spokeswoman.

Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official who lives in Glens Falls, is challenging U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, in the 21st Congressional District.

Castelli on Sept. 20 announced endorsements from the New York State Public Employees Federation and from SEIU Local 1199, the states largest health care union.

I appreciate what Matt stands for, said Tina Bender, SEIU 1199 member and a nurse at Canton-Potsdam Hospital. Matt is an advocate for unions and he will work hard to protect our members and their rights.

Stefanik endorsements

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, on Thursday announced that the Lieutenants Benevolent Association of the New York City Police Department endorsed her reelection bid.

The unions members include retired lieutenants that live in the 21st Congressional District.

Elise Stefanik is absolutely opposed to any and all calls to defund the police, said Louis Turco, the unions president, in a news release.

Stefanik is running against Democratic challenger Matt Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official who lives in Glens Falls.

On Wednesday, Stefanik announced that 41 elected officials from Hamilton County endorsed her candidacy, including Indian Lake Councilman John Rathbun, a Democrat.

On Sept. 20, Stefanik announced that 70 elected officials from Fulton County endorsed her candidacy.
Vietnamese border provinces, Chinas Guangxi strengthen educational cooperation

The Vietnamese border provinces of Cao Bang, Lang Son, Ha Giang and Quang Ninh, and the Education Department of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, held a video conference on education and vocational training cooperation on September 23.













At the event. (Photo: VNA)



Each year, Guangxi grants the four Vietnamese border provinces 18 to 25 scholarships each for university or postgraduate training. The provinces of Lang Son and Ha Giang provide two to five scholarships for students from Guangxi to attend a university course at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under Vietnam National University, Hanoi.



During the videoconference, the two parties discussed solutions to deal with the problems related to the applications for scholarships and the study of foreign students in the context of COVID-19, maintain and increase scholarship programmes on human resources training. Experience in finalising mechanisms and policies on vocational training and renovation of vocational training was also shared.



They signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to continue maintaining the periodic exchange mechanism in the field of education between Guangxi and the four border provinces of Vietnam, establish a liaison and coordination mechanism between the two sides.



Addressing the event, Vice chairman of the Cao Bang province Peoples Committee appreciated the educational cooperation achievements between the two sides, especially in the field of human resources training, improving Chinese and Vietnamese language proficiency through scholarships, teacher and student exchanges, contributing to improving the quality of their human resources as well as to developing the friendship and cooperation among the localities./.


Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi on Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the ever-enriching connotation of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership, and pledged to follow through on the important consensuses reached between the two heads of state, and to continuously deepen practical cooperation between the two countries in various areas towards building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future.

The two sides exchanged views on the 2022 Group of 20 (G20) Bali Summit.

Noting the negative spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis and the grave risk of a global economic recession, Wang called on major developed countries and emerging economies to take the summit as an opportunity to strengthen policy coordination and cooperation, so as to bring hope to a global recovery.

Wang said China expects Indonesia to exercise leadership during its G20 presidency, to encourage all parties to center on the original aspiration of the G20, maintain solidarity, and put development front and center, and to prompt participants of the summit to reach consensuses on such pressing issues as food, climate, energy and supply chains.

China fully supports Indonesia in successfully hosting the summit, and stands ready to coordinate closely with Indonesia to push for positive outcomes of the summit, he added.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Myanmar issue.

Wang said that China supports Indonesia in taking over the rotating presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and supports sticking to the "ASEAN way," maintaining ASEAN solidarity, and encouraging different parties in Myanmar to carry out consultation and dialogue so as to reach a political consensus within the framework of Myanmar's own constitution and laws. 
CAMBRIDGE  Henry County is planning to request $12,395,003 in general fund expenses for fiscal year 2023, up from $12,057,456 last year. Revenue is projected to be identical for a balanced budget.

Preliminary budget figures were presented Thursday in a special board meeting before the regular county board meeting.

To date, next year's projected property tax rate is $.8326, which is down from this year's requested rate of $.8355. At $.8326, the owner of a home with a market value of $100,000, as long as his assessed value remained the same and with no other exemptions, would pay $277.53 in county property taxes, which is down 96 cents from this past year.

The county is paying for $10,3 million in three capital improvement projects over the two fiscal years. The courthouse projects are a new HVAC system, a new roof and a new programmable logistics controller, which is the system that controls doors, cameras and lights in the jail. County Administrator Erin Knackstedt said that because of healthy revenues coming in over the projection this year, the county has been able to pay the beginning portions of the project without depleting the general fund reserves.

Overall, the three projects are expected to lower general fund balances from $7.8 million to $3.5 million. The county is also using $2.3 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funding for the HVAC project, and over $2 million is being spent from public safety tax funds for the three projects. Tort funds are also being used for the HVAC and roofing projects.

Ag resolution

Steve Nightingale of Osco, president of the Henry County Farm Bureau, recognized the county board for passing a resolution of support for Henry County agriculture.

"Coming off the pandemic we experienced the importance of national food production," Nightingale said. He noted the county's farmers not only raise crops and livestock but also pay taxes that support the rural way of life.

The resolution was approved by unanimous voice vote.

Frank resigns

The board accepted the resignation of board member Angie Young Frank. Party chairmen will be sent letters about the vacancy in order to receive their recommendations for filling it.

Other business

Transportation committee chairman Jeff Orton said county crews did an emergency repair to the guardrail at the Atkinson exit on Interstate 80, but the county is still talking with the Illinois Department of Transportation about the overall repairs needed there. He said painting the lines on Wolf Road remained a problem because of issues with a paint supplier in Texas.

The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with Stark County for the functions of the Office of Emergency Management with a 16% increase in what Henry County charges Stark, to $41,200.

The Office of Emergency Management will have 15 walk-in, no-charge clinics for flu and COVID omicron shots; for information see the health department's website.

Public safety chairman Jim Thompson noted that four sheriff's department vehicles had been involved in accidents, with three vehicles being totaled and one under repair.

"The good part is the deputies were not severely injured and were able to return to duty," he said.

He said two of the squads were newer and one was an older transport vehicle.

The board also voted to award a $113,916 contract for asbestos removal for the HVAC project. The asbestos in question is wrap-around piping on some 400 linear feet indoors and outdoors. Knackstedt said the asbestos was roughly 35% of the total asbestos in the building.

Finance chairman Mark Burton said with 75% of fiscal 2022 completed, the county had spent 88% of projected expenditures, largely because of the capital projects, and had taken in 89% of projected revenue.

The board sent county board rules back to committee in order to determine what was voted on previously regarding per diem pay. Some county board members thought they remembered that it was decided to allow more than one per diem if a county board member attended more than one meeting in a day, contrary to how the new rules read. State's attorney Catherine Runty suggested pulling the meeting notes in order to get the correct language.

There are currently no COVID cases among either staff or residents of Hillcrest Home. There are 77 residents, and health and social services chairman Jan May said the home hopes to reach 80 by the end of the week, which is the maximum with the present staff. The home's maximum capacity overall is 106.

In response to the newspaper request under the Freedom of Information Act, the county responded that the county administrator's new salary is $115,000. The increase was voted on at a special county board meeting Sept. 5. The board had voted to give Knackstedt a raise to $94,000 last spring.
Marty Jackley, 2022 Republican nominee for South Dakota attorney general, is running unopposed this November, but took the time to speak at the Black Hills Forum & Press Club in Rapid City Friday afternoon, fielding questions from abortion and crime to human trafficking and Native American relations.

A hot topic of the afternoon was the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision taking away the constitutional right to abortion, and interpretation and enforcement of South Dakotas trigger law.

Jackley referenced the trigger laws origins, when the statute was passed by the state Legislature in 2005.

What that meant is basically the legislature said in the event that the United States Supreme Court says it's a state's right to determine the rules with respect to abortion, that that statute would kick in, Jackley said.

When the Dobbs decision came down, Jackley said, the statute became effective, saying in essence, that the only way you can have an abortion in South Dakota, is  its called the medical judgment exception for the life of the mother.

An abortion performed any other way, he explained, would be a class six felony, punishable up to two years. Jackley said he anticipated potential statutory changes with the health and life of the mother and the other exceptions such as incest and rape at the next legislative session.

Therell be passionate debate about that topic, he said.

Dave Johnson, legislator and president of the Rapid City Right to Life Organization, asked what Jackley as attorney general saw as the top two issues with enforcing or interpreting the trigger law as it exists.

Part of where youre going to see my focus on the enforcement side is protecting that state right, Jackley said. There's already issues where in Washington they've indicated it's not necessarily a states right because of funding.

Jackley said theres going to be a fight over who controls this beyond Dobbs  the federal government or the state. He also said hed be focused on the enforcement side, indicating theres been confusion over whether the female or the doctor gets charged.

Jackley said he reads it as not charging the female, but 66 state's attorneys in South Dakota could interpret it differently.

You'll probably hear me being in the legislature, me asking you to give me direction, give the prosecutors the direction of what we're supposed to do  don't make us guess, he said.

If the Legislature asked Jackley to prosecute women in those situations, it will lack jury appeal, he said.

Those are gonna be tough cases, he said.

Vince Vidal, candidate for state representative in District 33, asked how Jackley would defend a womans rights  take the other side.

Jackley, who openly states he's pro-life, said in instances where an abortion is allowed under the current trigger statute  health of the woman or a medical judgment  he would defend their right irrespective of his beliefs on exceptions or laws.

Other topics of discussion included a growing prison population in South Dakota and if a womens prison in western South Dakota would be a priority over evidence-based drug treatment.

Are you thinking in terms of approaching criminal justice reform in any way, shape or form? one questioner asked in regards to the growing prison population. Are you pretty much satisfied with the status quo?

Jackley said he was certainly not satisfied with the status quo, saying focus needed to be given to addiction treatment and prevention.

He said they need to look at who could be benefit from treatment and be productive versus folks who are dangerous.

Youve never heard me say we need another prison, Jackley said. Ill go about it in a way where were looking at individuals. Were seeing what can we do to get them out in the public.

Other attendees asked questions regarding Native American jurisdictional issues, restoring confidence in law enforcement and human trafficking.

What are your plans for a relationship with the Native nations of South Dakota with relationship to missing and murdered and familial human trafficking? one attendee asked.

Jackley said two individuals have been tasked with law enforcement and the tribes with respect to about 144 missing persons right now, most of which are Native. He also said the Attorney Generals Office working directly with the tribes is key.

In regard to relations with the tribes, Jackley said "for the most part, when I would go there and listen, I can't necessarily fix those things, but I can certainly listen, and I plan to continue to do that. And I would encourage other state officials to make that trip down there."
Residents of the West Boulevard Neighborhood Association voiced concerns Thursday over any future plans to potentially close Wilson Elementary School, but understand the age and deteriorating condition of the building leave few options open.

Wilson was built in 1929 at the corner of Franklin and Ninth streets. The three-story structure consists of clay bricks and limestone. It sits on 1.4 acres and is landlocked.

Even though the building itself is three stories, Rapid City Area Schools Director of Facilities Kumar Veluswamy told the group Thursday that Wilson actually has at least 10 different levels within the structure.

"As you're entering the main entrance, you have to walk up the flight of stairs to go up to the office," he said. "As you go down, you have to take an additional set of stairs to go to the library or walk your way to the east and down another flight of stairs to the gymnasium."

The multiple levels cause concern for students with disabilities, Veluswamy said. Installing an elevator or lift-assist technology on the multiple stairs within the building are not an option because of the different levels and the weak structural integrity of the interior walls.

Wilson Elementary is one of 13 schools in the district that does not have air conditioning. In early September, school administrators had to close those schools in the afternoon because of the heat.

RCAS Interim Superintendent Nicole Swigart said the temperatures on the third-floor of Wilson were "unbearable," when temperatures rise. Even when portable air conditioners are used, the building does not cool down enough to safely hold classes.

Plus, Swigart said, the electrical system at the school cannot handle the additional load if more portable air conditioners are used, or if the school district were to upgrade to an HVAC system. Veluswamy said the district has requested upgrades to the electric lines, but has been denied.

"We have a single-base circuit to the school, which is what you would have in your home, roughly," he said. "We have asked Black Hills Energy to upgrade that and we have not been successful, yet."

Veluswamy cautioned that the current electric system is the situation they are dealing with right now, and he doesn't want to speculate on what might happen with the request in the future.

When the school district was attempting to install new multimedia boards in classrooms at Wilson, the walls couldn't support it. Over the summer 2022, the installation process caused holes in the wall and dust in the building.

Because of the age of the building, that also opened up concerns for asbestos dust. Swigart said the walls were tested for asbestos prior to the installation attempt of the multimedia panels, but only to a certain depth. Once the installation failed, additional testing was completed on deeper sections of the walls and asbestos was discovered.

"Asbestos is a pretty significant concern," Swigart said. "We had to close out that whole building. Luckily, summer school had just ended, but some people had gone to try to get to their rooms and clean up after summer school... We had to have testing done and we had to have asbestos removed."

Individuals who attended Thursday's meeting at the Minneluzahan Senior Center spoke on how they enjoy neighborhood schools, and the smaller size of the buildings themselves. They said the historic nature of Wilson is one that should be saved, if at all possible, and to continue using smaller schools instead of a large school.

District officials and three members of the Board of Education  Clay Colombe, Michael Birkeland and Jamie Clapham  who attended the meeting said they understand the want and desire to preserve smaller schools. They said the same story they are hearing from Wilson patrons is repeated by patrons at the district's other elementary schools that are also plagued with infrastructure issues.

While the district ponders a way forward  whether that be another bond issue or fixing state limitations on school funding  Swigart encouraged Wilson patrons to talk to parents at other neighborhood elementary schools that are dealing with overcrowding concerns and failing infrastructure because of age.

"We are hearing it from all of them. Robbinsdale doesn't want to be closed. Canyon Lake doesn't want to be closed. Horace Mann doesn't want to be closed. There's so many and there's so much need," Swigart said. "The infrastructure thing is just the tip of the iceberg."
A nonprofit designed to mentor children through some of their most formative years by following the Lakota way of life launched Friday with the support of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

Friends of the Children, a national nonprofit that pairs children with paid, professional mentors, opened a chapter in Rapid City. Friends of the Children-He Sapa officially opened with a ceremony Friday afternoon in north Rapid City on East North Street, where the chapter will share facilities with Oaye Luta Okolakiciye, an existing Lakota-based nonprofit that focuses on supporting those with substance abuse issues.

Our children are our future. We consider them sacred. They carry the future with them, so part of that is us supporting them and being the kind of support system that they need, said Lila Mehlhaff, board chair of the He Sapa chapter. The fact that Friends of the Children intervene very early in their lives, I think is tremendously important as well.

Oglala Sioux Tribe Vice President Alicia Mousseau spoke at the event and signed the tribal resolution supporting the chapter and a future chapter on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Notable people in attendance at the event included Terri Sorensen, the national CEO of Friends of the Children, who is from Rapid City. She grew teary-eyed when she spoke about the chapter opening in her hometown. Duncan Campbell, founder of Friends of the Children, traveled from Portland, Oregon for the signing ceremony.

Three OST council members also attended the ceremony: Gerald Cournoyer, Wendell Youngman Jr. and Julian Spotted Bear. State Sen. Red Dawn Foster also attended the event.

"It makes my heart so happy," Foster said. "As a legislator, it is difficult to sit there and listen to the numbers and the statistics that come through the Social Services and the Department of Human Services and to know that we are such a small portion of this state population, but we represent high numbers in the foster care system  unbelievable numbers, and that those are our relatives. Those are our babies."

According to South Dakota Department of Social Services 2020 numbers, Native American children make up 12.4% of children in the state and account for 52.8% of children in foster care.

A board has been formed for the chapter to include Board Chair Lila Mehlhaff of Rapid City; Vice Chair Gene Tyon of Oaye Luta Okolakiciye and Board Member Tasha R. Fridia of Friends of the Children - National.

The chapter is seeking to hire two full-time "relatives" to take on mentorship of 16 children starting at ages 4 to 6 and continuing until they graduate from high school.

Executive Director Valeriah Big Eagle said the organization is looking to hire people who are educated or have experience working with children as well as bring cultural understanding to the table. The Rapid City chapter is designed to follow the Lakota way of life and include naming ceremonies, making of relatives, coming of age ceremonies and healing camps.

Friends of the Children normally calls their mentors friends, but Big Eagle explained that word relative better encompassed the values the Rapid City chapter is based on.

What I'm looking for is someone who has that cultural awareness or understanding that cultural grounding so that they serve in that capacity being a cultural adviser, Big Eagle said. For us, professional, salaried mentor, we dont like using that term. Thats a western way of looking at it. To us, were saying relatives.

Although the program is designed to cater to Native American children, Big Eagle said they intend to be inclusive, and non-Native people interested in the Lakota way of life won't be excluded.
For 101 years, Rapid City Rotary Club has championed projects as diverse as sponsoring Storybook Island, feeding the hungry and eradicating polio. After a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rapid City Rotary Club is celebrating its centennial this month.

The club is hosting a gala on Sept. 29. The Rotary International organization was formed in 1905, and Rapid City Rotary Club was chartered in December 1921 with 26 members. The clubs mission is service above self. Rotary Club members are committed to promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education, growing local economies, and protecting the environment.

Rapid City Rotary Club is not a political or religious organization, and its open to anyone interested in joining. Club members have volunteered hundreds of hours over the past century and have donated to local nonprofits as well as Rotary International projects such as The School of St. Jude. Rapid City Rotary Club also has two sister cities in Japan and India.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, club members teamed up with the Lakota Homes Residents Association to create a food pantry that Rotarians continue to stock weekly with non-perishable foods. The clubs newest project focuses on aiding Indigenous women and fighting human trafficking.

From its earliest days, the club attracted Rapid Citys prominent citizens. An article marking the clubs 75th anniversary in 1996 notes: Alex Johnson himself joined the Rapid City Rotary Club in 1929, when he resigned as vice president of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company and left Chicago for Rapid City. The Rotarian roster over the years reads like a Whos Who of Rapid City: OHarra, Jackson, Dahl and Devereaux. The vast majority of Rapid Citys past civic leaders have been Rotarians, and that tradition continues today.

After decades as an exclusively male organization, Rapid City Rotary Club admitted its first female member, local attorney Portia Brown, in the 1980s.

Sid Goss has been a member of Rapid City Rotary Club since 1983. For the clubs upcoming gala, hes preparing a presentation that recaps the clubs achievements  and he said hes impressed by how many Rapid City Rotary Club members have made their mark on the community.

As I was researching our history, a number of buildings are named for Rapid City Rotary Club members, Goss said. Jackson Boulevard is named for Dr. Robert Jackson, the second club president. He was also the mayor of Rapid City. He donated the land that is Canyon Lake Park.

The buildings named for Rotarians include the Ben French Power Plant, Connolly Hall at South Dakota Mines, Dahl Arts Center, the Deveraux Library and OHarra Stadium and the former Bergquist Elementary School among others.

Most Rapid City mayors have been Rotary Club members. As we look back on our history, Im honored to be part of it, Goss said. A number of things that leave a mark on the town are due to the good work of the Rapid City Rotary Club.

Rapid City Rotary Clubs hallmark achievement is founding Storybook Island, the nonprofit childrens theme park that first opened in 1959. After the 1972 flood, the Rapid City Rotary Club helped restore the park. Storybook Islands financing, management and operation continues to be the clubs major project, according to rapidcityrotary.org.

Rapid City Rotary Club also contributes to childrens charities and causes that support education and enrichment through partnerships with The Boys and Girls Club, The Journey Museum, local schools and the Little Free Library at Storybook Island.

The club also contributes to a variety of nonprofit local and regional organizations and special projects such as Feeding South Dakota and Whiteclay Makerspace.

It is a good feeling serving others, Goss said.

Ruth Brennan joined the club seven years ago because she knew people who were members and, in retirement, she was looking for something worthwhile to do.

What I like about Rotary is they do so many good things for the community and the area, Brennan said. What we support varies from time to time and year to year because needs varies.

That commitment to service is a value all club member share and its what attracts new members to Rotary, Rick Rogers said. He serves on the Rapid City Rotary Club board and is a second-generation Rotarian.

Weve been getting a lot of younger members in their 30s and 40s, and theyre seeing that its a good organization to join, he said, adding that Rapid City Rotary Club is always looking for new and younger members.

In Rapid City, we get a lot of members just because Storybook Island is our project. People see that and want to come help that, and then they see what Rotary International does, Rogers said.

One of its biggest goals worldwide is to eradicate polio, which recently re-emerged in the United States.

Rogers father, Doug, now 90, first joined Rapid City Rotary Club in 1962. Rick initially joined in 1984 at his fathers insistence and later served for 15 years as chairman of the lighting commission for Storybook Islands Christmas Nights of Light.

Rotary Club was a good way to meet the movers and shakers in town. In those days, you had the president of every bank, of the School of Mines, the CEO of Black Hills Corp.  thats the kind of prestige it had back then and it still does internationally, Rogers said. Its a major honor to get invited to join a Rotary Club. You get into a Rotary Club and you instantly get business contacts, friendships and helping people.

Rapid City Rotary Club meets at 11:30 a.m. every Thursday at Rushmore Hotel. Anyone interested is welcome to attend a meeting, or go to rapidcityrotary.org for more information about the upcoming gala and the Rotary organization.
South Dakotas newly proposed social studies content standards could easily be mistaken for a bad joke. Unfortunately, the proposal is very serious.

As the parent of a first grader, I looked first at the proposed standards for that grade. They are wildly age inappropriate. Among many other things, first grade students would be required to:

 Tell the story of the Persian Wars, Peloponnesian War, Punic War, Roman civil wars, conquests of Alexander the Great, French and Indian War, and War for Independence.

 Identify the major cultural features, stories, and contributions of ancient India, Babylon, China, Rome, Athens, and the Hebrews.

 Identify figures in Greek mythology, key Roman Emperors, and events of the Roman Empire.

 Tell the biography of Christopher Columbus, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson.

 Tell the story of the founding of Jamestown, the founding of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, Paul Reveres ride, the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and of how the Americans won the War of Independence.

 Explain the history of slavery, European motivations for exploration, the triangle trade, the Columbian exchange, the rule of law, compared and contrasted in the Magna Carta to the arbitrary rule of man, why the colonists declared independence, and the meaning of created equal.

How was something so out of touch seriously proposed? A lesson in recent history is revealing.

South Dakotas content standards are revised every seven years or so, with subjects being rotated so that everything is not updated at once. This normally sleepy process was completed in 2021 by a workgroup of over 40 South Dakotans.

But, when the Department of Education released the draft social studies standards, the workgroups proposal had been sanitized of many references to Native Americans (who notably make up about a quarter of Rapid City students). Members of the workgroup and the public protested erasing Native Americans from our history. This resulted in the Governor putting the standards process on hold, then scrapping the original proposal all together.

The standards currently proposed were not written by South Dakotans, but rather by William Morrisey, a former professor at Hillsdale College, at a cost to the State of $200,000. A group of only 15 people was handpicked to rubber-stamp the standards prepared by Morrisey. The only two practicing South Dakota K-12 educators in that group publicly oppose the new standards and report being dismissed by the Governors chief-of-staff when they tried to suggest changes.

Hillsdale College is a private Christian college in Michigan that has gained notoriety for advancing its 1776 curriculum after Donald Trump formed his 1776 Commission. Hillsdales president, Larry Arnn, recently caused controversy when he said that teachers are trained in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges in the country. He also said last year that Governor Noem offered to build us an entire campus in South Dakota.

The potential political benefits for a Governor seeking national office are clear, but the burdens and costs of this political stunt will fall squarely on South Dakotas kids, parents, educators, and taxpayers.

State content standards are supposed to be a baseline, with individual school districts having the freedom to determine what curriculum (e.g. books and lessons) they will use to teach to those standards. But, these proposed standards are both so specific and so abnormal that the only curriculum that will align with them is the curriculum sold by Hillsdale itself. That curriculum is even more extreme than the more generic standards. Our schools could be compelled to spend millions on very flawed new materials at a time when we cant even afford enough bus drivers and paraprofessionals. Meanwhile, some politically connected folks at Hillsdale will be getting rich.

There are a number of flaws with the proposed standards aside from just their creation process and age inappropriateness in the early grades. They focus heavily on memorization rather than thinking and analysis, do not address current events, and pack indigenous history into a high school elective. The American Historical Association has opined that the standards would do significant harm to students in your state.

It is time to put an end to this bad joke. Our kids should not be pawns in a political game, and South Dakota educators need to be included in writing our content standards. The full text of the proposed standards and a form to leave a public comment can be found at: https://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/ss-review.aspx

Kyle Krause is a parent, attorney, and resident of Rapid City.
Cyclists in the City of Hamilton have a new option when it comes to minor bike repairs.

The City of Hamilton has partnered with Bike Walk Bitterroot, The Rapp Family Foundation and the Bitterroot Public Library to fund, install and maintain a public bike repair station outside the Bitterroot Public Library.

The repair station is equipped with a bike pump, as well as wrenches, Allen wrenches and screwdrivers of varying sizes. The tools are attached to cables to prevent them from being stolen. There is also a QR code that leads users to videos covering an array of common bike-repair topics, ranging from repairing a flat or removing a wheel, to adjusting gears, v-brakes or a front derailleur.

You can hang your bike on the rack, there's a pump so you can inflate your tires  all this stuff, said Hamilton Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf. So you could be a kid in this town and be like, Oh, my bike is broken, and head down to the library, carry your bike down and fix it and ride it home. Or if you're traveling through town or whatever it happens to be like, Hey, I need to make some repairs on my bike. They follow the wayfinding sign. It takes them to the library. It's free to use of course.

The number of commuters using bicycles has increased over the years as has bicycle tourism in the state of Montana. The Bitterroot Trail, with 50-miles of paved trail stretching from Hamilton to Missoula, provides recreational opportunities for locals as well as serving as a destination for cyclists searching out Montanas scenic views. The new bicycle wayfinding system, currently in its final stages, will provide signage that routes touring cyclists off of the trail and into downtown Hamilton.

We're almost finished with bicycle wayfinding. Thats going to route people on the Bitterroot Trail through town, said Hamilton City Planner and Bike Walk Bitterroot board member Matthew Rohrbach. It'll route people by the library, by the bicycle repair station, all the touring cyclists that come through. That should be installed before the end of the year. Itll take them off of Highway 93 and then it'll bring them right by there and let them know that's a spot where they can go fix up their bikes."

The bike repair station is located outside, so it's available to patrons at all hours, even if the library is closed.

You know, other cities in Montana have them. I saw one in Bigfork, they're super neat. Mayor Farrenkopf said. So I'm really glad that the city has one now.

Bike Walk Bitterroot is a local organization made up of cyclists, elected officials, business owners and community members that works to promote and improve biking and walking in the Bitterroot. Along with the bike repair station and wayfinding system, Bike Walk Bitterroot is also working to partner with downtown businesses on a bike rack program.

We've partnered with the city and downtown to get those new Hamilton bike racks, and we're just trying to focus on some of these smaller projects," Rohrbach said. "One of the things we're looking at doing is a bike rack program with businesses. So if businesses want to install bike racks, Bike Walk Bitterroot would share the costs with them and take care of kind of getting those bike racks ordered."

We're just trying to make this place, make Hamilton and the Bitterroot more bicycle friendly," Rohrbach said. "And also kind of getting some of these amenities that help people bike and walk in Hamilton."

For more information on Bike Walk Bitterroot or to participate in the bike rack program, visit bikewalkbitterroot.org or email bikewalkbitterroot@gmail.com.
An adult female grizzly bear captured in the Gardiner Basin after raiding a chicken coop inside an electric fence, along with other incidents, was euthanized due to its repeated conflicts with humans, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks reported on Friday.

FWP bear specialists captured the grizzly on private land on Sept. 20. In the weeks prior to the capture, the bear had broken into a fenced compound and frequented a home that had no unsecured attractants or natural foods. The bear was largely undeterred by hazing efforts, which included rubber bullets, paintballs, electric fencing and noise-making devices. The bear also had been captured and relocated twice in prior years because of similar conflicts.

Due to the recent incidents and the bears history, and in consultation with the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service, FWP euthanized the bear on Sept. 21.

The female grizzly was accompanied by a small cub, which was captured on Sept. 21. The cub will be transferred to a zoo in the coming weeks.

In addition to this incident, several hunters have reported encounters with grizzly bears this year.

On Sept. 20, FWP received a report of an adult male grizzly bear that was shot and killed in self-defense by a group of hunters on private land west of Emigrant. The hunters were not injured. FWP and the USFWS confirmed the grizzly bear mortality and are investigating the incident.

On Sept. 14, a group of hunters reported they were charged by a grizzly bear near Rock Creek in the Tom Miner Basin. One of the hunters shot at the bear with a pistol, and the bear ran away. The U.S. Forest Service issued a temporary road closure while FWP wardens and bear specialists investigated the incident. After searching from the ground and from a helicopter, no sign of an injured bear or bear tracks were found. The area was reopened with an advisory of high bear activity.

In recent weeks, FWP game wardens and bear specialists have also responded to numerous conflicts with black bears in residential areas of Bozeman, Belgrade, Big Sky, Helena and Butte. Several black bears have had to be euthanized after they gained access to garbage and other unsecured attractants, creating human safety risks and habituated bear behavior.

Bear Aware

Unsecured attractants, such as garbage and bird feeders, can lead to human safety risks and property damage. Relocating and releasing bears that have associated human activity with food usually leads to further conflicts because bears often return to the same area where they were captured to look for food. Unfortunately, bears in these situations cant be rehabilitated, so they often must be euthanized.

Montana is bear country. Grizzly bear populations continue to become denser and more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year. Bears also become more active in late summer and fall as they spend more time eating in preparation for hibernation.

Avoiding conflicts with bears is easier than dealing with conflicts. Here are some precautions to help residents, recreationists and people who work outdoors avoid negative bear encounters:

 Keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants in a secure building. Keep garbage in a secure building until the day it is collected. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available in many areas.

 Never feed wildlife. Bears that become food conditioned lose their natural foraging behavior and pose threats to human safety. It is illegal to feed bears in Montana.

 Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.

 Travel in groups whenever possible and make casual noise, which can help alert bears to your presence.

 Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.

 Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.

 If you encounter a bear, never approach it. Leave the area when it is safe to do so.

Tips

Hunting in places that have or may have grizzly bears  which includes areas of Montana west of Billings  requires special precautions:

 Look for bear sign and be cautious around creeks and areas with limited visibility.

 Be aware that elk calls and cover scents can attract bears.

 Bring the equipment and people needed to help field dress game and remove the meat from the kill site as soon as possible.

 If you need to leave part of the meat in the field during processing, hang it at least 10 feet off the ground and at least 150 yards from the gut pile. Leave it where it can be observed from a distance of at least 200 yards.

 Upon your return, observe the meat with binoculars. If it has been disturbed or if a bear is in the area, leave and call FWP.

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the USFWS, working closely in Montana with FWP, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, Wildlife Services, and Native American tribes. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

For more information and resources on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Thursday with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, stressing the importance of strengthening China-Germany partnership in the current international situation.

During the meeting on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wang said that since their last meeting in Bali, Indonesia, practical cooperation between China and Germany has made a lot of progress, sending a positive message and showing the potential and resilience of China-Germany relations.

The steady advancement of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries since they established diplomatic relations 50 years ago has brought benefits to the two peoples, Wang said, adding that given that there's no fundamental conflict of interests between the two countries, they should enhance communication and deepen mutual understanding.

He said the two sides should make adequate preparation for the high-level exchanges and intergovernmental consultations, comprehensively reviewing various areas of cooperation and laying out the development of bilateral ties in the next 50 years.

Under current circumstances, it is of great significance to further strengthen the China-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership, Wang said, adding that the Chinese side is ready to work with Germany to honor their due responsibilities and obligations as major countries, so as to make joint contributions to peace and development.

For her part, Baerbock said Germany adheres to the one-China policy, and attaches great importance to maintaining high-level exchanges and cooperation in various fields with China.

Describing China as a globally important force, Baerbock said Germany appreciates China's ambitious emission reduction target, and its exemplary role in tackling climate change.

Germany, she said, is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in green transition and innovative development, and take the lead in such fields as achieving the goal of the Paris climate accord and jointly tackling global challenges.

They also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue.

Wang expounded the "four musts" put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the issue, saying the Chinese side is always committed to facilitating peace talks. The international community should make concerted efforts to secure a ceasefire and end the conflict, so that peace can be realized at an early date, he said.

Humanitarian emergencies and the spillover effect of the crisis should be properly handled in the meantime, Wang added.

The two sides also exchanged views on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, among others topics. 
Wildlife managers are trying to capture and relocate two grizzly bears in the northern Bitterroot Valley before the bears get into conflict with humans.

The grizzlies, a pair of subadults that arrived in the area between Lolo and Florence sometime in mid-August, haven't come into conflict with humans, but "the bears have been continuing to hang in areas where there are quite a few attractants," according to Vivaca Crowser, the information and education program manager for Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 2.

Three culvert traps were set Wednesday at two locations on the west side of the valley just north of Florence, she said, just outside of the Bitterroot Recovery Zone for the protected species. In 2021, the Montana Legislature passed Senate Bill 337, prohibiting FWP from relocating grizzly bears that are outside of recovery zones and have been in conflict with humans. Since these bears have yet to get into conflict with humans, FWP can relocate them if they're captured.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service still has the final say over where the bears go, Crowser said, and if the bears were being captured due to conflict, then the federal agency would be responsible for relocation.

"This really is a preemptive effort," Crowser said.

The attempt to capture and relocate the bears comes after they traveled from the Upper Blackfoot Valley and down into the Bitterroot earlier this summer. They first attracted wildlife managers' attention in early August, according to Jamie Jonkel, a bear specialist with FWP Region 2, when a couple of grizzlies showed up in Potomac, "and they were right in the middle of the road feeding on a deer carcass."

A few days later, around Aug. 4, the bears were spotted attempting to feed on a carcass on Interstate 90, prompting "a rash of phone calls," Jonkel told the Missoulian in late August. FWP believes that the bears crossed Interstate 90 to the south around that time. In both cases, the bears had moved on before managers arrived, but "we were all looking at the pictures and going, 'Hmmm, we think this is the same pair.'" In the following weeks, photos and calls poured in from the Bitterroot between Florence and Lolo: "Again, the photos were like, this has got to be them," Jonkel said.

FWP recommends that people across western Montana, home to grizzly and black bears, secure bear attractants such as food, trash, birdseed and chickens, and review bear safety protocols before recreating in bear habitat. Tips on how to live and play safely in bear country are available at fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear/be-bear-aware. To report a grizzly sighting around Missoula or the Bitterroot Valley, call 406-542-5500.
A federal judge in Pennsylvania has ruled that Empire Diner, the owner himself and a manager are liable for $1.35 million in back wages and liquidated damages to 107 servers and kitchen workers following a five day trial which confirmed the business used an illegal tip pool and engaged in other wage and hour violations.

The litigation followed an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labors Wage & Hour Division, which confirmed the violations, specifically that the employer failed to comply with the federal requirements for tip credit and using servers tips to pay bussers wages. In doing so, the company violated federal minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

According to the lawsuit, for a period of three years the employer paid servers $2.83 per hour and claimed a tip credit for the difference between the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and the cash wage of $2.83 per hour. At the end of each shift, the defendants required the servers to pay approximately 10% to 15% of their tip money to the defendants.

This money seized from servers tips was retained, at least in part, by the defendants and was not used in furtherance of a valid tip pool. The defendants therefore willfully violated Section 6 of the act by intentionally seizing the servers tip money and failing to pay servers the $7.25 per hour minimum wage required by the act. The defendants also misled the servers  and the Department of Labor  about how those seized funds were used.

The lawsuit alleged that the manager understood the restaurants tip pooling practice and had the authority to correct the violations of the Act that are at issue in this case and was therefore personally liable. Unlike federal discrimination laws, individual managers can be personally liable for violations of the FLSA.

In the courts 23-page ruling, the court determined that the employer willfully violated the FLSA by failing to comply with the tip credit requirements and misused their tips to pay wages of other employees.

In announcing the ruling, the Department of Labor stated, Tipped workers in the food services industry rely on their hard-earned tips to make ends meet. By diverting a portion of these tips, restaurant employers violate federal labor laws and harm workers and their families.

The DOLs investigation determined that the employer not only required servers to turn over 10 to 15% of their tips to pay the wages of others, but also interfered with the investigation by telling employees to lie about the unlawful pay practices. The employer also failed to pay the proper overtime rate of pay and used an improper practice of paying servers an improper overtime rate, according to the DOL and the courts ruling.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 900,000 food and accommodation service workers left their positions in June. The Department of Labor has made it a priority to ensure fair wages are paid to service workers. The DOL said of the ruling, Employers who take advantage of workers by violating their legal rights will find it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain the people they need to fill jobs and stay in business.

Employers who operate any tip pool or use a tip credit must understand the complex rules around tip sharing and wage payments, and must make sure there is 100% compliance with this. This includes understanding that managers cannot receive any portion of a servers tips.

The agency operates a helpline at 866-4US-WAGE, and information can be found at dol.gov.
Lapides pleaded guilty in January to two counts of receiving or transmitting child pornography. He was sentenced on Tuesday to five years in prison for each count, with five years of probation. The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively, meaning that he effectively received a 10-year sentence.
In the first year of accreditation ratings since the COVID-19 pandemic began, 89% of Virginia public schools are fully accredited  a 3 percentage point decrease from three years ago.

In response to the slight dip, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow and Gov. Glenn Youngkin, in separate statements quietly released Thursday night, cast doubt on this years ratings, citing significant declines in achievement on Standards of Learning tests.

These ratings call into question the effectiveness of our accreditation standards in identifying schools where students are struggling to achieve grade-level proficiency, Balow said.

Of the 193 schools that did not receive full accreditation status, 41 are in the Richmond area, according to a Richmond Times-Dispatch analysis. None of the 193 had their accreditation completely denied, rather they are all listed as accredited with conditions or slated for an alternative accreditation plan.

State education officials waived accreditation ratings during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years because of the pandemic. Although Virginia public school students fared better on the 2021-22 Standards of Learning results than the previous year, the scores were still below pre-pandemic levels.

Accreditation is one of the primary drivers of state interventions and local efforts to improve outcomes for students, and frankly, the school ratings we are releasing today fail to capture the extent of the crisis facing our schools and students, Balow said.

For the 2022-23 academic year, 89% of public schools across Virginia earned full accreditation, compared to 92% being fully accredited in the 2019-20 school year. Schools accredited with conditions  schools with one or more school quality indicator that is below state standards  also changed by 3 percentage points. In 2019-20, 132 Virginia public schools, or 7%, were accredited with conditions, compared to 190 schools, or 10%, this year, according to a Department of Education news release.

Sixty-nine of the 193 schools not fully accredited for the 2022-23 school year were fully accredited for the 2019-20 school year. Of those 69 schools, nine are in the Richmond region  four in Richmond, three in Henrico County and two in Chesterfield County, according to The Times-Dispatch analysis.

After not receiving full accreditation three years ago, 26 schools across the state are now fully accredited, including Old Hundred Elementary in Chesterfield, which was conditionally accredited in 2019-20 as a new school; and J.L. Francis Elementary in Richmond, which was accredited with conditions three years ago.

Richmond region

Of the 44 schools within Richmond Public Schools, 16 received full accreditation, according to state data, while 28 were accredited with conditions.

Three years ago, 20 were fully accredited, while 22 were accredited with conditions and two schools were pending approval for an alternative accreditation plan.

A schools spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment by deadline Friday.

Eleven of Henricos 67 public schools were accredited with conditions. Thursdays ratings represented an additional two schools to receive an accreditation with conditions from the 2019-20 academic year.

The school accreditation information released yesterday aligns with what we already know  students and teachers are deeply engaged in learning, and despite pandemic setbacks, they are moving forward with grit and determination, said Eileen Cox, a schools spokesperson, in a statement on Friday.

We know that learning gaps exist, but we also know that they are not insurmountable. Our teachers and administrators are focused on providing remediation and tutoring resources for students to not only catch up but to excel, Cox said.

Almost all Chesterfield public schools received full accreditation for the 2022-23 academic year. Two schools received accreditations with conditions, only one additional school from 2019-20.

I am intensely grateful to Team Chesterfield for this achievement, which reflects the do-whatever-it-takes attitude of our teachers and staff as well as the hard work of our students, said schools Superintendent Merv Daugherty in a statement. Last year was our first full year of in-person instruction since COVID-19, and SOL scores improved.

All Hanover County Public Schools received full accreditation status, the same results as three years ago.

Although we are proud of the achievement of earning full accreditation, we recognize that the impact of the pandemic on our students, families, and staff is undeniable, Superintendent Michael Gill said in a statement.

In a statement Thursday night, Youngkin said the accreditation ratings reflect a broken accountability system.

Todays accreditation ratings do not reflect catastrophic learning loss and growing achievement gaps facing Virginias students, he said.

This broken accountability system fails to provide a clear picture of the academic achievement and progress of our schools to parents, teachers, and local school divisions. Virginia must have the most transparent and accountable education system in the nation and these accreditation ratings demonstrate the imperative for change.

In 2017, the Board of Education adopted an accreditation system that evaluates schools based on three school quality indicator categories: academic achievement, achievement gaps and student engagement and outcomes.

School performance for each indicator is rated as either a level one, meets or exceeds state standard; level two, near state standard; or level three, below state standard.

Indicator data and overall school ratings are skewed by several factors, Balow said.

An example, Balow said, is that with lower expectations on reading tests introduced in the 2020-21 school year coupled with how growth is factored into accreditation, it resulted in more schools achieving at Level 1 in English than before the pandemic. This masks the catastrophic learning losses experienced by our most vulnerable students.

Youngkin said his top education officials, Balow, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera and the state Board of Education will work together to design a new accreditation and accountability system.

The governor said he expects next years ratings to provide an accurate and understandable picture of how well every one of our schools is preparing our students for success in life.

Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, expressed criticism regarding Youngkins statement in a tweet Thursday night.

The @GovernorVA is not happy that Virginias schools achieved accreditation. Bizarre. Hes calling the ratings fake because these numbers do not fit the narrative he is trying make in order to defund public education, wrote Hashmi, a former college administrator and chair of the Senate Education and Health Committees Public Education subcommittee.

Del. Candi Mundon King, D-Prince William, also weighed in on Youngkins statement discrediting this years accreditation ratings.
Virginia Union University has agreed to pay the state $35,000 annually to keep four illuminated logos atop an on-campus tower that was designated as a historic landmark.

VUU violated a contract it made with the state that prohibits large signs from being displayed on the tower, said Julie Langan, director of the states Department of Historic Resources. Langan plans to sign the agreement next week.

Authorities are concerned about the 83-year-old Vann Memorial Tower and whether it can safely hold the 17-foot-tall signs without causing damage.

Weve been put in a very awkward position, said Langan, noting that Virginia Union voluntarily made the agreement that prohibited putting large signs on the tower. They knew what they were agreeing to.

A spokesperson for VUU did not respond to a request for comment.

The private university, in Richmonds North Side, reconstructed the 165-foot tower at its current site more than 80 years ago.

In 2010, VUU agreed to a deed of easement, which allowed the university to receive $340,000 from the National Park Service to fund the restoration of the tower and adjoining Belgian Building.

As part of the easement, VUU agreed not to alter the tower or building. The contract specifically restricts large signs, billboards or other advertising on the buildings exterior.

But in January 2020, VUU installed on each side four 17-foot-tall, illuminated signs visible from miles away.

If VUU had chosen to put a sign on any other building on campus, the state wouldnt have a problem with it, Langan said.

The tower and Belgian Building are the only parts of campus restricted by the easement.

The Department of Historic Resources initially asked for the signs to be removed, but VUU refused, Langan said. Allia Carter, a vice president for VUU, told the Board of Historic Resources that the tower was a campus focal point and a light in a dark time.

Last year, the Board of Historic Resources proposed an agreement to keep the signs. VUU would add a preservation section to its master plan, hire a structural engineer who will inspect the tower, sponsor two historical markers on campus and pay to keep the signs in place.

The state proposed a $50,000 annual fee. Virginia Union asked for $25,000, and the two sides settled in the middle.

If it is determined that the signs damage the tower, VUU agreed it would remove them. The historical markers are intended to educate the public about the history of VUU and the Belgian Building.

The tower is named for Robert L. Vann, a VUU alumnus. The Belgian Building was designated as a historic landmark by the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.

It was originally constructed by Belgian architects for the 1939 New York Worlds Fair. At the beginning of World War II, Belgium decided to give the building to an American college as a gesture of friendship.

Virginia Union was picked as the recipient, and the building was disassembled, shipped to Richmond and rebuilt in 1941.

The state isnt the only government entity concerned with the signs. According to Richmond BizSense, the city of Richmonds Commission of Architectural Review determined that the signs violate the citys historic preservation guidelines.

The City Council can override the commission and award a certificate of appropriateness, which the city says the university needs.

The states agreement with Virginia Union has no effect on the city and its decision to approve or deny the signs, Langan said.
Given his criticism of teachers, the transportation system, taxes and LGBTQ rights, its no surprise that when Gov. Glenn Youngkin shows up, fights break out.

Its a surprise, though, to find Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, in the middle of at least two of them.

Seeking a third term  in a redrawn district whose center of gravity was shifted from the suburbs of Richmond to those of Washington  Spanberger has a convenient target in Youngkin, calling him out over ways to keep traffic moving along Interstate 95, a congested lifeline for the old and new 7th, and his proposed rollback of protections for queer and transgender public school kids.

Del. Danica Roem, D-Prince William  synonymous with both issues as a Northern Virginian and the nations first openly trans state legislator  says Spanberger, who will represent the eastern half of heavily Democratic Prince William County should she defeat Yesli Vega in one of the nations most closely watched contests, reflects an election-year axiom: Good policy is good politics.

Youngkin depicts Spanbergers attacks as a sign of trouble for her campaign. Spokesman Rob Damschen said, The strategy of attacking an increasingly popular governor is not one that a confident campaign deploys.

Never mind that a just-out poll by the University of Mary Washington shows Youngkin, whos again out of state testing support for a possible presidential bid, with an approval rating in state of 45%.

That Spanbergers punch list of campaign topics includes taking a metaphorical punch at Youngkin might seem contradictory for a Democrat ranked by an independent monitor of Congress as one of the top-five most bipartisan House members. That is despite supporting the impeachments of Donald Trump and falling in line with her caucus to back Joe Biden, unpopular in a state he won in 2020, on pricey infrastructure and coronavirus relief bills.

But shes irritated left-leaning Democrats by demanding, post-George Floyd  and in blue language that underscored her passions, not her party affiliation  that they support the cops.

Spanberger also is outspoken on ethics, pressing for a ban on stock trading by members of Congress  an idea that could come up for a House vote next week. Its opposed as bull---- by fellow Democrat Elaine Luria, a member of the 1/6 committee locked in a toss-up race with Jen Kiggans in the defense-rich 2nd District of coastal Virginia.

Republicans, of course, arent buying any of it. Ken Nunnenkamp, executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia, accused Spanberger of lying about Youngkins pro-growth, pro-parent, pro-freedom policies, labeling her an emblem of far-left special interests.

That Spanbergers would seem a blended record  one Democratic operatives would spin as a centrist alternative to the extremism demanded by both parties  has the grass roots talking her up as a possible gubernatorial candidate in 2025. Shed join such other prospects as Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, who sought the nomination in 2021, and Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, the former House Speaker toppled as Democratic minority leader in an April coup.

Because the first unbending rule of politics is flexibility, Spanberger isnt ruling out a run for governor, though she has apparently said privately thats not her focus. Also, Spanberger would seem a logical fit for the U.S. Senate, should Democrats Tim Kaine and Mark Warner not seek re-election in 2024 or 2026, respectively.

Stephen Farnsworth, a political analyst at the University of Mary Washington, says Spanbergers criticism of Youngkin, who campaigned with one Republican gubernatorial candidate Thursday in Kansas and has upcoming stops with others in Georgia and Arizona, lifts her visibility statewide and even nationally, which can help her raise campaign cash this year and perhaps help set the stage for a gubernatorial campaign down the road.

Spanberger took on Youngkin over transportation after the release in August of an inspector generals report detailing the states bollixed response in January  under Youngkins Democratic predecessor, Ralph Northam  to the snow and ice storm that clogged Interstate 95 near Fredericksburg, stranding some motorists for 24 hours.

In a letter to the governor, Spanberger, having pestered as well Northams staff about conditions on the motorway, wanted to know what Youngkin would do to prevent a repeat of that winter calamity.

Youngkin, in an interview with conservative media, dismissed Spanbergers letter as a political stunt  an indication, he said, that the contest is close with Vega, a MAGA Republican who endorsed shutting down the federal government, a huge source of jobs in the 7th District, as a way for the GOP to restrain Biden on spending.

In criticizing Youngkins LGBTQ plan  among its features: requiring trans pupils use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their sex at birth except to the extent that federal law otherwise requires  Spanberger said it is disrespectful of such children; that it will lead to their involuntary outing and possibly drive up rates of depression and suicide.

During Youngkins private meeting Tuesday with the states congressional delegation  accounts of which appeared in The Washington Post and online Punchbowl News  Spanberger and Rep. Bob Good, R-5th, a culture warrior and Trump acolyte who won his seat by berating his opponent for presiding at the same-sex marriage of campaign volunteers, angrily mixed it up over the governors new policy.

Defending Youngkin, Good said grooming was causing suicides among gay and trans youngsters. Spanberger said that was false, underscoring her point with the f-word.

Spanbergers office was more circumspect in its language when queried on the dust-up, saying she brought up her concerns, as a parent of three, about recent education policy announcements by Youngkin. As for Goods claims, Spanbergers office said she will always stand up against QAnon conspiracy theories that harm or attack Virginias students, their parents and their educators.

The clash with Good over Youngkins LGBTQ policy mustve made for an interesting drive back to the 7th District along Interstate 95.

The conversation probably was animated. Bet the traffic wasnt.
Protecting Americas Future is the theme for the 2022 National Farm Safety and Health Week, and Clemson University is helping South Carolina high school students learn about agricultural safety.

The Clemson Agricultural Safety Program recently held an Ag Safety Day at the Piedmont Research and Education Centers Simpson Research Farm in Pendleton for more than 250 students, teachers and volunteers. Hunter Massey, principal lecturer for the Clemson College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences Agricultural Sciences Department, coordinated the event.

For many students, I expect that this was the first time they have been exposed to some of this information, Massey said. Many people took time to participate in this event and share their knowledge and experiences about agricultural safety. Without question, students who participated learned a great deal about this important topic.

Stations related to agricultural safety were set up around the farm. Students learned about safety topics related to working on a farm, or other tasks such as mowing a lawn. Topics included hazard identification, equipment operation, ATV/UTV safety, power tool safety, tractor safety, grain bin safety, safe load, pesticide safety and electrical safety.

Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report farmers are at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. In addition, farming is one of the few industries in which family members also are at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries.

Teacher Deion Latimer brought a group of Belton-Honea Path High School agricultural sciences students to the event. He believes information from the Ag Safety Day will be valuable when students learn about tractor and equipment safety operations in his class.

Agricultural safety is very important, Latimer said. We live in a very rural area. Some of our students live on farms and activities such as this helps broaden their horizons and better understand how to safely perform farming operations such as driving tractors, working around grain bins and so on.

Belton-Honea Path High School sophomore Ty Parnell enjoyed the experiential learning format of the activities.

My favorite event was driving the tractors, Parnell said. I enjoyed it because it was more of a hands-on exercise. I learned how to maneuver the tractor and I also learned how to properly turn it on and turn it off, as well as use the brakes and other accessories. I like tractors. I think theyre pretty cool.

Emily Rodman from the S.C. Governors School for Agriculture was especially interested in learning about hauling materials on trailers.

I learned about how to properly and legally secure items being hauled on trailers, Rodman said. Knowing this and other safety procedures is important because agriculture is a very dangerous industry, especially when youre dealing with heavy machinery every day. Anything can happen.

Everyone benefits from knowing about ag safety

Shelley Lovern is a Clemson masters student in agricultural systems management with an emphasis in ag safety from Fort Lawn, South Carolina. Lovern helped plan and coordinate the Safety Day events.

We reached out to several companies, organizations and people so that we could provide a variety of information for this event, Lovern said. Ag safety affects everyone. When people wake up in the morning, put on clothes and eat breakfast, they have been touched by agriculture. We have farmers who are involved in agricultural incidents every single day trying to keep us clothed and fed. Losing just one farmer is a big issue.

Lovern said they had the largest number of students participate, making the 2022 Ag Safety Day at Clemsons Simpson Research Farm a success.

Representatives from the following organizations presented information during the field day included:

South Greenville Fire Department Task Force 6, grain bin safety.

Blue Ridge Electric Coop, electrical safety.

Clemson Cooperative Extension Service.

Clemson Piedmont REC, Simpson Research Farm, safe tractor operations.

Clemson Agricultural Mechanization and Business program, agricultural mechanization (cutaway tractor).

Cayden Gates, 2021 South Carolina Future Farmers of America president, safe mower operations.

Ag Pro Companies donated equipment used during the day.

A second 2022 Ag Safety Day will be held Sept. 30 at the Sandhill REC near Columbia.

The Ag Safety Program is part of Clemsons Department of Agricultural Sciences. This program uses experiential learning to teach about agricultural safety to youth ages 14-18. Topics covered by the program include tractor and equipment maintenance and operation, roll-overprotective structures, power hand-tools, pesticides, electrical systems, lawn mower maintenance and operation, grain handling equipment and structures, safe loading procedures, hazard identification, and all-terrain/utility task vehicles. For information, read the Agricultural Safety blog.
WILMINGTON, N.C.  Freshly formed Tropical Storm Ian  the designation was earned overnight  is in the Caribbean Sea but wont stay there and could be near, over or well away from the Carolinas by Thursday.

The National Weather Service Office in Wilmington, N.C., on Saturday issued its first bulletin on the storm, which as of the morning was south of Jamaica with 40-mph sustained winds.

The forecast track has it forming into a major hurricane as it transits the warm water between Cuba and Florida before it lands in Florida early Thursday morning as a powerful hurricane, according to the briefing.

While large uncertainty exists, impacts could be felt across the Carolinas late next week, Tim Armstrong, meteorologist and climate program leader at the Wilmington office, wrote in the briefing.

Depending on Ians eventual track, we could experience heavy rainfall, strong winds, coastal flooding, and tornadoes. Armstrong said. Later updates will provide more specificity.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Sabry on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Sabry on Friday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

As strategic cooperative partners, Wang said, China and Sri Lanka have always shared weal and woe and sincerely helped each other.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Sri Lanka and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact, which is an opportunity to build on their past achievements and take them forward, Wang said.

China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to strengthen their traditional friendship, consolidate strategic mutual trust, and deepen and expand practical cooperation, he added.

Wang congratulated Sri Lanka on its progress in stabilizing the situation and alleviating the difficulties in the country. China has provided medicine, rice, fuel and other emergency humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka and will continue to help the country overcome its temporary difficulties within its capacity, he said.

For his part, Sabry highlighted the solid foundation of the friendship between Sri Lanka and China.

Sri Lanka will never forget China's strong support over the years to its economic and social development, especially when the South Asian country encountered difficulties, he noted.

China is an important development partner of Sri Lanka, and Chinese enterprises have made contributions to Sri Lanka's growth, he said, underlining that the so-called "Chinese debt trap" is an utterly groundless rumor.

Sri Lanka welcomes investments from all countries including China, and will ensure the security and reasonable returns of the investments, Sabry noted. He also thanked China for helping Sri Lankan students resume study in China.

China-Sri Lanka cooperation is South-South cooperation based on equality and mutual benefit, Wang said. The narrative of "debt trap" created and spread by certain countries is essentially a trap of underdevelopment for developing countries, he added.

China and Sri Lanka will continue to render mutual understanding and support, and will stand firmly together on issues of sovereignty, independence and national dignity, Wang said.

Both sides agreed to jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and help boost Sri Lanka's economic recovery by leveraging the Hambantota Port, Colombo Port City and other flagship projects.

The two sides will speed up the negotiation process and strive for an early conclusion of a free trade agreement, thereby boosting the confidence in and stabilizing the expectations for their economic and trade cooperation. 
In our humble opinion, the best thing that a regional film festival can do for its program is include a block of films devoted to genre and fantastic cinema. Hola Mexico Film Festival, the largest Mexican Film Festival outside of Mexico, does exactly that.

Their Nocturna program may be a small part of the overall program but they have programmed the best that the Mexican genre scene has to offer. The program includes Satanic Hispanics (Mike Mendez, Demian Rugna, Eduardo Sanchez, Gigi Saul Guerrero & Alejandro Brugues), Huesera (Michelle Garza Cervera) and Mal de ojo (Isaac Ezban).

On top of that, there is the Batman movie that you didn't know you needed until now: La Mujer Murcielago (Batwoman).

Batwoman is called to investigate a whacked out scientist that is capturing wrestlers and using their spinal fluid to create a Gill Man.

This 1968 film (Si, around the same time as the Adam West TV series), directed by Rene Cardona, was lost for decades but it has been restored and will play on October 8th, 8:00 PM, on the rooftop of the Montalban Theater. You have to watch the trailer posted below. It's glorious and will make up for the recent WB shitshow.
Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com .
Supreme Court justices return to work next month following a tumultuous last session in which the majority issued some controversial rulings, most notably the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Liberals in general and Justice Elena Kagan in particular, are upset by the decisions of the conservative majority.

Justice Kagan recently spoke at Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. She said: When courts become extensions of the political process, when people see them as extensions of the political process, when people see them as trying to impose personal preferences on a society irrespective of the law, thats when theres a problem.

As conservatives see it, what Kagan objects to is precisely what liberal judges have been doing for more than half a century. Conservatives have seen the court as too often making law from the bench that has little or nothing to do with the Constitution, only what the justices think it ought to say and would have said had they written it.

Former President Barack Obama once revealed the objective of many liberals. During an interview in 2001 he seemed to disparage the Constitution as merely a charter of negative liberties. It says what the states cant do to you. Says what the federal government cant do to you, but doesnt say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf.

In fact, the Constitution limits the power of the federal government to preserve and protect individual liberty. Thats why the Preamble begins We the people of the United States not you the government. The late Justice Antonin Scalia was on point when he said: As long as judges tinker with the Constitution to 'do what the people want,' instead of what the document actually commands, politicians who pick and confirm new federal judges will naturally want only those who agree with them politically.

Following criticism by then-president Donald Trump about judges who reflect the ideology of the presidents who appoint them, Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare statement in rebuttal: We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.

If that were true, there would be no dissents and all judges would have the same view of the Constitution, but clearly in modern times they reflect the view of law of the Democratic presidents who nominate them. That is not always so with Republican presidents. Earl Warren, John Paul Stevens, Harry Blackmun, Warren Burger, Sandra Day OConnor, David Souter and Anthony Kennedy were all named by Republican presidents and to one degree or another (some more than others) voted in ways, from abortion to same-sex marriage, that delighted Democrats.

So far as I can tell, only one judge named by a modern Democrat did not completely reflect the views of the president who nominated him. That was John F. Kennedys pick of Justice Byron White, who was in the 7-2 minority when Roe was decided in 1973.

If there are no Bush, Obama, Clinton, Trump and Biden judges, how else could they be described?

The Founders intended the Supreme Court to be the least powerful of the three branches of government. That would eventually change when Justice John Marshall ascribed to the Court powers the Framers of the Constitution never intended it to have. In Marbury vs. Madison, Marshall placed the judiciary in a position of primary authority on constitutional law and established judicial review as a fundamental principle and the sole responsibility of the Court.

That philosophy would be reflected later by Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes, who claimed, We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is.

So, the ideological, political and legal war rages on. Welcome back, justices.
Elton John transformed the White House South Lawn into a musical lovefest Friday night as he played a farewell gig to honor everyday heroes like teachers, nurses and AIDS activists. But as it turns out, the event was also to honor the 75-year-old British songwriter  President Joe Biden surprised him with the National Humanities Medal for being a tidal wave who helped people rise up for justice. John said hed played some beautiful venues before, but the stage in front of the White House, beneath a massive open-air tent on a perfect autumn night, was probably the icing on the cake.
NEW YORK (AP)  The tide of international opinion appears to be decisively shifting against Russia, as a number of non-aligned countries are joining the United States and its allies in condemning Moscows war in Ukraine and its threats to the principles of the international rules-based order.

Western officials have repeatedly said that Russia has become isolated since invading Ukraine in February. Until recently, though, that was largely wishful thinking. But on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, much of the international community spoke out against the conflict in a rare display of unity at the often fractured United Nations.

The tide had already appeared to be turning against Russian President Vladimir Putin even before Thursdays U.N. speeches. Chinese and Indian leaders had been critical of the war at a high-level summit last week in Uzbekistan. And then the U.N. General Assembly disregarded Russias objections and voted overwhelmingly to allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be the only leader to address the body remotely, instead of requiring him to appear in person.

That shift against Russia accelerated after Putin on Wednesday announced the mobilization of some additional 300,000 troops to Ukraine, signaling the unlikelihood of a quick end to the war. Putin also suggested that nuclear weapons may be an option. That followed an announcement of Russias intention to hold referendums in several occupied Ukrainian regions on whether they will become part of Russia.

Those announcements came at the very moment that the General Assembly, considered the premier event in the global diplomatic calendar, was taking place in New York.

Numerous world leaders used their speeches on Tuesday and Wednesday to denounce Russias war. That trend continued Thursday both in the assembly hall and at the usually deeply divided U.N. Security Council, where, one-by-one, virtually all of the 15 council members served up harsh criticism of Russia  a council member -- for aggravating several already severe global crises and imperiling the foundations of the world body.

The apparent shift in opinion offers some hope to Ukraine and its Western allies that increasing isolation will add pressure on Putin to negotiate a peace. But few are unduly optimistic. Putin has staked his legacy on the Ukraine war and few expect him to back down. And, Russia is hardly isolated. Many of its allies depend on it for energy, food and military assistance and are likely to stand by Putin regardless of what happens in Ukraine.

Still, it was striking to hear Russias nominal friends like China and India, following up on last weeks remarks, speak of grave concerns they have about the conflict and its impact on global food and energy shortages as well as threats to the concepts of sovereignty and territorial integrity that are enshrined in the U.N. Charter.

Brazil registered similar concerns. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa make up the so-called BRICS bloc of countries, which has often shunned or outright opposed Western initiatives and views on international relations.

Only one country, Belarus, a non-council member and Russia ally that was invited to participate, spoke in support of Russia, but also called for a quick end to the fighting, which it called a tragedy.

We hear a lot about the divisions among countries at the United Nations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. But recently, whats striking is the remarkable unity among member states when it comes to Russias war on Ukraine. Leaders from countries developing and developed, big and small, North and South have spoken in the General Assembly about the consequences of the war and the need to end it.

Even a number of nations that maintain close ties with Moscow have said publicly that they have serious questions and concerns about President Putins ongoing invasion, Blinken said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was careful not to condemn the war but said that Chinas firm stance is that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected. The purposes of the principles of the U.N. Charter should be observed.

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the trajectory of the Ukraine conflict is a matter of a profound concern for the international community. He called for accountability for atrocities and abuses committed in Ukraine. If egregious attacks committed in broad daylight are left unpunished, this council must reflect on the signals we are sending on impunity. There must be consistency if we are to ensure credibility, he said.

And Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Alberto Franca said immediate efforts to end the war are critical. The continuation of the hostilities endangers the lives of innocent civilians and jeopardizes the food and energy security of millions of families in other regions, especially in developing countries, he said. The risks of escalation arising for the current dynamics of the conflict are simply too great, and its consequences for the world order unpredictable.

Foreign ministers and top officials from Albania, Britain, France, Ireland, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico and Norway delivered similar rebukes.

Russias actions are blatant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, said Albanian Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka. We all tried to prevent this conflict. We could not, but we must not fail to hold Russia accountable.

Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard called the invasion a flagrant breach of international law and Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said: If we fail to hold Russia accountable we send a message to large countries that they can prey on their neighbors with impunity.

Unsurprisingly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was unapologetic and defensive at the same time and specifically targeted Zelenskyy. Citing a phrase often attributed to President Franklin Roosevelt, Lavrov called Zelenskyy a bastard," but said Western leaders regarded him as our bastard.

He repeated a long list of Russias complaints about Ukraine and accused Western countries of using Ukraine for anti-Russia activities and policies.

Everything Ive said today simply confirms that the decision to conduct the special military operation was inevitable, Lavrov said, following Russian practice of not calling the invasion a war.

Russia has denied being isolated and the foreign ministry used social media to publicize a number of apparently cordial meetings that Lavrov has held with foreign minister colleagues at the UN in recent days.

Still, Blinken and his colleagues from other NATO nations seized on what they believe to be growing opposition to and impatience with Putin.

And, several speakers, including Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, pointed out that Lavrov skipped the meeting except for his speaking slot.

I notice that Russian diplomats flee almost as quickly as Russian soldiers, Kuleba said, referring to Lavrovs hasty exit along with recent Russian troop retreats in Ukraine.

This story has been corrected to show the Indian official's title and name are Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, not Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jayashankar.
JACKSON, Miss (AP)  A Mississippi man has been charged with a federal hate crime for burning a cross in his front yard to threaten his Black neighbors, the U.S. Justice Department announced Friday.

Axel Cox, 23, has been charged with one count of criminal interference with the right to fair housing and one count of using fire to commit a federal felony.

According to court records, Cox chose to burn a cross in front of a Black family because of their race. He also allegedly addressed the family with racially derogatory language, the records show. The incident occurred on Dec. 3, 2020.

Federal prosecutors said the Gulfport man violated his neighbors' housing rights. The statute Cox is accused of violating falls under the Civil Rights Act of 1968. That law says it is illegal for an individual to interfere with any person's housing rights based on race.

Vangela M. Wade, president of the Mississippi Center for Justice, said cross burnings harken back to the overt racism of the Jim Crow South.

This is another stark reminder of how bigotry, racism, and hate-fueled violence are alive and well in our country. Mississippi is no exception, Wade said. "The fight to dismantle Mississippis deeply entrenched culture of injustice and a better tomorrow continues. We are thankful for the courage of the members of the federal grand jury to indict this hate crime.

A grand jury indicted Cox in September. Court records were unsealed before his first court appearance on Friday. Judge Robert Myers ordered Cox held without bond pending a jury trial, which is scheduled to start Nov. 7.

Cox could face multiple years in prison and a $250,000 fine concerning each charge if convicted.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Cabell Jones for the Southern District of Mississippi and Noah Coakley II of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

Cox's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Associated Press.

Michael Goldberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mikergoldberg.
The annual fiesta has drawn pilots and spectators from across the globe to New Mexicos high desert for 50 years now.
Quick: Where are you while youre reading this? You might be at work. Or relaxing in a cafe. Perhaps youre driving your car (please dont read Slate while driving your car). Or you might be sitting on the toilet.

Honestly, youre probably sitting on the toilet. According to one assuredly scientific survey conducted by an electronics trade-in website, 75 percent of Americans bring their smartphone with them to the bathroom. But this is a terrible idea. We already spend all day on our computers or our phones, feeling those repeated blasts of rage and despair and envy. And then we retire to the bathroom and dive right back into the same mess?

Advertisement

Look, I do it too: keying while peeing, scrolling while unrolling. But I wish I didnt! Because thats not what the bathroom is for. The bathroom ought to be a respite from the loud, angry world, a place to purge our bodies of waste and clear our minds for the time ahead.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Our forefathers, and foremothers, had a solution for this problem: the bathroom book.

You remember, right? Your mom or your best friends mom placed a small basket or magazine stand on the floor of the powder room. Within, a few paperbacks: a travel guide, or a collection of National Geographic photographs. More likely a quirky humor tome, impulse-purchased at the Barnes and Noble or Urban Outfitters register. A Far Side collection. Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey.

Advertisement

Advertisement

A bathroom book has one simple job: It must be briefly diverting. Sometimes the bathroom book diverts with facts, as in the Guinness Book. Sometimes it diverts with jokes, as in The Preppy Handbook or collections of Onion headlines. The bathroom book is not meant to compel, to whisk you to another world, like a novel; after all, you have a job to do in there. Its not meant to challenge you, as in the best narrative nonfiction; you get enough of that in all the other rooms of your house. Its merely meant to deliver two to eight minutes of mild interest.

For a long time, readers had to find their own bathroom-oriented literature. The publishing industry ignored bathroom reading as a category. But that changed in the late 1980s, when brothers John and Gordon Javna created Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader, the first purpose-built bathroom book. At the time Readers Digest was the go-to, John Javna told me when I Zoomed with the brothers recently. We thought that was boring. You could do more interesting stuff. They compiled historical oddities, eyebrow-raising trivia, I-cant-believe-they-said-that apocrypha, and proto-memes into a single tome. Most New York publishers rejected itcomments ranged from dumb to disgusting, Gordon saidbut St. Martins Press bought it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In 1988, putting an actual toilet on the cover of a book seemed cheeky, maybe even a tiny bit naughty. St. Martins sent bookstores a toilet-shaped dump display for the sales counter during the 1988 holiday season, and Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader was a huge success. Soon there were moreupwards of 30 editions, now. People bought it as a joke gift for people who spent too much time in the bathroom, said Gordon, and then it became an expected gift every year. The series inspired innumerable copycats and, by the time the Javna brothers stepped away from the line in 2016, they estimated theyd sold more than 14 million books.

But things are different in the 21st century. Theres been a real change in reading behavior since smartphones came around, Gordon Javna said. The ubiquity of the smartphone seems to have made the bathroom book seem superfluous. Bathroom books still get published, of course; just last year the comedian Joe Pera released the delightfully titled A Bathroom Book for People Not Pooping or Peeing But Using the Bathroom as an Escape. But I hardly ever see them in the wild, in the powder rooms of my friends and neighbors.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Several interior designers told me that in recent years a trivia compilation atop the toilet tank has come to seem old-fashioned, not to mention a tiny bit gross. I have designed lots of bathrooms, said Susan Sutter, a Northern Virginia designer, and I have never had a request for books in the bathroom. I think people now might view that as a cleanliness issue, having books that everyone touches in there.

But I say its time to bring back the bathroom book! Nothing is keeping you from a more civilized powder-room experience. Buy a little wicker basket at Pottery Barn. Stock it with what I believe to be the worlds most perfect bathroom books: Death in Yellowstone and Death in Grand Canyon. These historical compilations attempt to document every single time someone has died in our nations showcase parks, and while they are somberly written, they remain gruesomely diverting. Turn to any page and youll land on a compelling story of foolhardiness, ill fortune, or just plain cosmic absurdity: poachers falling into 175-degree hot springs, hikers traipsing down Bright Angel Trail in flip-flops, foragers eating the wrong parsnip. (The sheer number of dudes who have shown off for girls on the rim of the Grand Canyon and then fallen straight in! Its astonishing.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The fact is, books are way more satisfying to read on the john than phones are. Theyre bigger; theyre more tactile; they wont cost $800 to replace if you drop them on a tile floor (or, god forbid, in the bowl). And the best bathroom books are engaging but not addictive, the way your phone is. Screens hypnotize you into staying there longer, Gordon Javna pointed outnot necessarily what you want in a bathroom environment, where sitting more than 10 or 15 minutes is counterproductive, even unhealthy. You want reading material that conforms to your needs, not that entices you to sit in one place forever, legs eventually going numb.

So what is standing in your way of becoming, once more, a Bathroom Reader, instead of a Bathroom Scroller? Lets dispense with the germ issue, to start with: Yes, you pick up a bound block of paper that has been in the bathroom, touched by othersbut if you follow proper hygiene practices, thats the lesser of two evils. Just wash your hands after you put the book down, as you should do anyway. Thats certainly better than holding your phone while crapping, washing your hands, and then picking your phone back up again.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

And if youre worried about your bathroom seeming old-fashioned, Rebecca Quandt, another Northern Virginia interior designer, says bathroom books, chosen wisely, can feel on trend. The powder room is a place you can get a little more playful, Quandt told me. People are starting to have more fun in this space, trying to integrate humor. Is it a design feature that I specifically recommend to my clients? No, but I might throw an idea out. (Quandt says she keeps a copy of the cartoon collection T. Rex Trying in hers.)

Think of the bathroom book as a gift you give to everyone who enters the sanctum of your powder room. Open me, the bathroom book whispers, and step away from the braying news, the wheedling ads, the braggadocio of social media. And it can serve, in its way, as a statement of household values: a declaration by the family, writ large, that this item, these facts, these jokes, are how a person ought to spend her most contemplative moments. Its OK to let your guard down. On the can, no one can hear you chuckle.
This story is part of Future Tense Fiction, a monthly series of short stories from Future Tense and Arizona State Universitys Center for Science and the Imagination about how technology and science will change our lives.

By the time Tara returned from the protest, SafeT gauged her Wellness at 60% and Chase felt sick. For the last two hours hed watched the number on his phones app tick down, from safe green to warning yellow: 87%, 74%, 60%. On his newsfeed, masked chanters waved signs before the wire cage shielding the five megapipes that breached the marshy shore of Lake Michigan. Each pipe was owned by a consortium of Lakes United companies. Their great steel veins wormed the city, bearing water from LU to the drought-scarred West and South, whose nations paid more per acre-foot than Milwaukees citizens ever could.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

On the feed Chase hadnt been able to see Tara or the sign shed painted that morning: Our Lake, Our Water. What he had seen were the security corps of at least three consortia, clumped beneath their ever-circling camera-drones, bull-horning the chanters that they were risking corporate slander. If arrested, theyd be hauled off to one of the consortias private prisons. There they could be coerced into confessing they were linebreakers, guerillas who spliced pipes to siphon off clean water to Milwaukee neighborhoods that couldnt afford consortia prices. Protestors sometimes returned from these prisons. Linebreakers never did.

dont worry, theyre not arresting today, Tara had texted. theres too much real press, not just the consortia drones.

Advertisement

Fingers numb, Chase had tapped SafeT to view the breakdown of Taras Wellness aggregate into its individual components: risk of arrest (15%), risk of indictment (20%), risk of job loss (27%), risk of injury (31%).

seriously. dont worry.

He worried. Even when she had texted home in 30 and hed cleared her route in the SafeT maplow smoke risk, low contagion risk, 93% chance of safe arrivalhis jaw only eased when she stepped through the door. Taras thin face was ferocious, cheeks red against her yellow hair. Black grease spotted her strong hands. Over the decade theyd shared, hed watched age sharpen her into herself. Now, impassioned, she was fiercely beautiful. He almost forgot her yellow number, until she saw him, and her smile sagged.

Advertisement

Advertisement

He almost forgot her yellow number, until she saw him, and her smile sagged.

Oh love, she said wearily. I was fine. Tugging him away from his monitor, she glanced at his phone before hooking him in a hug. She held her hands out to avoid smearing him with gunk. It pegged my Wellness at 60%? Liars. I was never close.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Tara believed the conspiracy theory that the consortia monitored SafeT, juking it to deter protests by making participating in them seem more dangerous. Chase always felt mildly accused by the theory, since the consortium that included his employer owned SafeT and its affiliated risk assessment tech. But he did not want to fight about it again. Was there a sootfall? he asked, touching her greasy hands.

Oh. Um, yeah. It wasnt dangerous. In the mid-20s, the Wests drought, unstaunched even by pumped Michigan water, had leapt the plains to Wisconsin. The Northwoods had been burning for a decade now. I was fine. Everything was fine. Please trust me.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Chase hid his face in her neck and tried to be reasonable. Tara was an engineer for Milwaukee Hydro, which processed the water sucked out by the big-five pipes before sending it west. Its consortium, Community Union, owned the smallest pipe and was constantly fending off attempts by the other four to bribe or shame it out of business. As the only co-op among the big five, CU couldnt afford a security force or prison, so had to tolerate its employees occasional slander. As long as Tara did nothing crazythe hardcore stuff, like linebreaking or sabotageshe was safe.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Besides, SafeT wasnt infallible. It only digested the info you fed it, as Chase did every day for work. Tara never fed it anything, so of course it couldnt take her precautions into account.

Advertisement

Im just glad youre safe, he said.

He felt her hug tighten, then relax as she understood he wouldnt press her. Her voice went bright and determined.

I was checking the weather on the way home. You know Orion will be visible tonight? I want to see it. While youre at work this afternoon, Ill bus up to Whitefish Beach to scout a good spot. Then tonight well head out. We can make a picnic of it! Wait she began as he raised his phone reflexively and tapped. Locations, unlike people, had simple risk calculations. Whitefish Beach: risk of contagion (13%), risk of smog (33%), risk of unrest (67%). The assessment flashed yellow: overall safety, 75%.

Advertisement

Advertisement

He felt her shoulders tense. Guilt soured his throat. Did she think he wouldnt check? Or maybe she had already checked, and had hoped his relief at her return would make 75% seem reasonable. Once they had been what the kids on the dating apps called a 70/80 couple: safe but not-too-safe, hitchhiking to the edge of Nebraskas heat-zone for a glimpse of the Milky Way, pawning their health credits to afford a telescope. Lately Chase was only comfortable when his Wellness topped 90%. Tara had not assessed her own in two years, which was longer than the last time theyd seen the stars.

Advertisement

But Whitefish Beach is near a pipe junction, he said. SafeT says high unrest. Is there a different protest going on there? If theres something you havent told me

Advertisement

Its not even close to where theywe were this afternoon. Check, if you like. Her voice was tired, and a little sad. I thought youd want to see Orion.

I do. But couldnt we try tomorrow?

This is the first day the smoke has lifted in two years.

He watched her watch him, her face strained. Before he could answer, she added quickly, Thats exactly why Im going this afternoon, to ensure its safe. You can even follow me on SafeT. If the beach dips below 75%, tell me and Ill come back. And if it stays there, we can go tonight. Is that OK?

Chase breathed slow, trying to exhale his way to reason. Over the past five years, Tara had learned that inviting him to anything below 80% overall safety, whether protest or adventure, was futile. She no longer cajoled him or leaned on their love as an excuse. In response, hed agreed not to stifle her with worry. She was trying. He could try, too.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

He leaned forward to kiss her dry cheek. At the very least he could prove he wasnt paranoid. If he wasnt the same man shed married, well, no one was the same after 10 years. The world wasnt the same.

OK, he said.

He met her eyes, saw the wince before her answering smile. Thanks, she said.

He watched her kneel to shove an extra sweater into a backpack. Outside, the bleached sun of late winter beat feebly on the city. Above their single windows clean square of glass, the sky was filmy blue. Tara was right: It was clearer than hed seen it in years. Some freak Canadian wind must have scythed down to slice through the smoke from a continent of fires. On the salt-grey streets below, people sipped air over their masks, as if they trusted its cold purity to scatter that years flu (a bad one: 5% hospitalization rate, 0.2% death rate, 83% overall safety).

Advertisement

Tara stood, stuffing her hair into a toque. Her smile brightened the little pricks of red on her chapped cheeks. He felt as he always had with her: an interior being, a cave dweller, marched briskly into the light.

He felt as he always had with her: an interior being, a cave dweller, marched briskly into the light.

The clench in his chest unwound suddenly into a flood, and he caught her in a hug as she was turning to leave. He clung, gritting his teeth as he did when he could not find words to match the strength of his feelings.

Love you, he whispered, and bit back, be safe.

When she was gone, Chase spun back to his monitor. He had 10 minutes before work started. His pulse beat in his jaw, and his eyes would not focus. How soon could he reasonably text Tara to check in? What if she didnt respond?

Advertisement

Advertisement

He couldnt advise clients in this state. To calm himself, he swiped his feed to the mindless gameshow Would You? In the popular import from North Atlantic, contestants were asked to choose between a set of contextless risk percentages, each representing an unknown task. The higher the risk, the more money they got for completing the task on camera. Chase enjoyed watching the great reveal, when contestants learned exactly what theyd signed up for. It helped put his own fears into perspective.

Today, a tired-eyed man was grimacing as he waited to discover what lay behind the 30% overall safety hed chosen. Rick was a home nurse for a wealthy family in New Dixie. He wanted his daughter to attend college abroadcode for Pacifica or North Atlantic or Canada. Rick had not let the network show pictures of her during his introduction, which was code too. Chase watched the wet ring of sweat around his lips.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The music blared. The screen scrolled: 30%: Drink a Cup of Runoff! On the close-up, Ricks jaw was stone. The host held out a glass; behind him flashed a grey pic of the Bronx estuary, waves frothed with yellow foam. The man nodded, and took it.

Chases monitor dinged. Shaking his head, he closed Would You? and opened his work screen. At least he and Tara were not that desperate.

He brought up that days client. She was a mother with stage-three cervical cancer. Radiotherapy had a success rate of 60%, but there was an 80% chance it would bankrupt her familya 98% chance if she had to leave work, which meant losing insurance. Chemo was slightly less effective as a treatment (50% success), but cheaper (65% chance of bankruptcy). Chases job was to contextualize these numbers, offer comparisons, make recommendations. He drew a deep breath. The mother was brave. She tried not to break down on calls. But his was not a service you turned to if you still had other options.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Chase didnt like the work, but it was secure. His employer, Medestimate, was the biggest shareholder in Health Solutions, the consortium that owned the largest of Milwaukees five pipes, along with SafeT. For the last six years it had been targeting Community Union, trying even harder than its competitors to buy out CUs water rights. When Tara had gotten her job with CU, hed joked, Guess youre married to the enemy now. She hadnt laughed.

Advertisement

On the side of his screen, Medestimates program continued blinking through his clients assessment. Its risk calculator was one of the originals from which SafeT had been developed, before SafeT grew so popular Health Solutions had spun off a separate corporation to manage it. Chase had used some version of SafeT for years longer than most people he knew.

Advertisement

He didnt like to think about how it had changed him. Was it visible on his face? When he clicked through photo albums from a decade ago, he did not look freer to himself, except insofar as everyone young looked free. The year he and Tara had married, theyd pooled money from their shitty office jobs and rented a lakeside cabin on Rose Island, at the tip of Wisconsins sharp-nailed thumb. That summer, an alewife die-off had coated the beach in putrid surf. Fumes washed their windows. They had to wear masks, even inside. But the stars had been magnificent.

Here, a midnight selfie from the trip: in the cameras white flash, Taras purple buzzcut and wide, wry grin; his sheepish moue at his wormy mustache. Behind and above, the Summer Triangle blazed. Theyd both tugged down their masks for the shot. Hed worried most about the mustache.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Once he had been better about worrying. In the old days, when the world still seemed fixable, he had even tried to change things. When the country had split six ways and the fascists taken the South, he and Tara had marched in Chicago. When their new nation, Lakes United, had privatized everything from schools to septic, theyd worked long hours organizing Milwaukees neighborhoods into co-ops. When LUs biggest corporations had formed consortia with their own laws, police, and prisons, theyd joined the monthlong sit-in on the Magnificent Mile. They had tried so hard.

Advertisement

But the citizens whod moved to LU from the other disunited nations embraced its identity as a corporate haven with a bare-bones government. The ones who didnt mostly couldnt afford to leave. And those who stayed to fight had little leverage. The consortia that ran LU were just too powerful. They possessed what no other former U.S. nation did: vast reserves of fresh water.

Advertisement

Chase still caredof course he did. But nothing he or Tara did seemed to matter, and the world had only gotten worse.

He knew this objectively, because SafeT let him track it. The app was the latest and most successful in a line of risk-assessors that were first popular in the 30s. Developed by health insurers like Medestimate, they initially offered a list of specific risks: death by a hundred common accidents, injury by a thousand more. As the assessors expanded to other industriesbanking, education, agriculturetheir variables grew more complex. Everything was a risk; every risk could be quantified, with increasingly greater accuracy by better-informed assessors. Plugged into your thermostat, they beeped if you used too much gas. At work, they estimated before your boss did whether you were worth keeping. If Chase and Tara had had a car, the assessors would have graded their driving. They were compatible with everything.

Advertisement

Everything was a risk; every risk could be quantified, with increasingly greater accuracy by better-informed assessors.

A few years after the assessors had expanded from insurance to everywhere, personal risk-aggregators appeared. These distilled hundreds of variables down to your Wellness: a single convenient percentage, as SafeTs ads put it. Most people used SafeT now, even outside Lakes United. It was, after water, LUs top export.

As SafeTs influence had grown, Chase had learned that as a white, middle-class guy who worked from home, his Wellness rarely fell below 80%. He was not proud of the number. As his job had taught him, you could live for years as a 99-percenter, and still the freak crash, the fire, the illness, or any other accident could slice your life in half, until you sat on a fuzzy call swallowing tears before your children, wondering what you could sell to afford survival. Your number wouldnt protect you. Still, as the years passed, hed found he was most comfortable when his own remained above 90%.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Tara was convinced that the consortia had bought their way into SafeT, using it to track users phones and inflate locations risk ratings as scare tactics. Why waste money catching linebreakers when you can just frighten them off? shed asked. Chase found this far-fetched. But he couldnt disprove it. At least they mostly didnt fight about it anymore.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The screen blinked before him: his client, calling. He realized his heart was thudding, sluggish kicks in a chest that felt thin as paper.

He tapped his phone. Whitefish Beach was 80% now, nearly safe enough, even for him. His pulse eased. how is it?

cold, Tara replied, and sent a picture. The lakes grey palm balanced a sky of frosty glass. Strangely, there was no trace of the beach itself, or Tara: just air and water. but clear.

Advertisement

great, he said.

perfect for stars.

great.

xoxo.

He breathed. He flipped on his calm, then his screen. The dying mother stretched her wan, brave smile.

Tara did not text again for four hours.

After the first hour, he sent her an old cat meme, pretending it was new. When she hadnt read it after a half-hour, he texted her a joke. She didnt see it either. Maybe her phone had died. Its battery was shot and susceptible to cold, and the company that ran the buses had lowered the heat to prevent people sleeping in them.

He tried not to think of Taras friend, a sewage specialist whod been convicted by Health Solutions for synthesizing a low-cost water purifier and distributing it to the tent towns clumped in the shelter of Milwaukees old harbor. Copyright infringement, the consortium had called it, and there was no court to say otherwise. Tara had not seen her for two years.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

On SafeT, Whitefish Beachs yellow number had blinked up to 85%. He would not panic.

Maybe he really was paranoid. If Taras theory were true, the beach must be safe, because if any consortia were targeting it, they would have made it seem more dangerous. 85% overall safety was unlikely to stave off protestors, and certainly wouldnt dissuade linebreakers. Indeed, it was basically an invitation.

Chases neck prickled. Hed never thought of it this way before. Theoretically, consortia could tweak SafeT in the other direction. The illusion of security could be a deadly snare. If the prey was confident their hunters goal was to scare them off

The air in his lungs knotted, sinking to a hard ball in his stomach. What if

Advertisement

No, no, he was just being paranoid. Taras logic held. If Health Solutions wanted to protect its pipes, scaring linebreakers away was much more efficient than luring them in.

To distract himself, he turned back to his case files. His next client was a woman fighting her insurer to cover surgery; she wanted to take it to court. There was a 55% chance shed lose. Taras face kept intruding before his screen. He saw her eye, burst in a crunched socket; her mouth red; her arms clutching her knees as she rocked in bed and refused to tell him where shed been. The last time it had happened, the time she promised shed be safer, she had not touched him for six months.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

hey could you text me back? sorry, but i havent heard from you and Im worried.

When she didnt answer, he rummaged for her burner phone, to see if the protest group she ran with had mentioned any bad soot drafts or flash quarantines. But the phone was gone. Of course, that meant nothing; Tara usually took it with her these days. Scanning the closed chat groups to which he still had access for whitefish beach yielded little: only a few weather reports about rain and sootfall, and an oddly detailed map of pipe junctions. When he disaggregated the risk factors for the beach, not much had changed: risk of contagion (13%), risk of smog (33%), and an even lower risk of unrest than that morning (40%). The beachs overall safety number still blinked yellow, an ambiguous warning.

Advertisement

Advertisement

He thought of Orion, waiting below the horizon, and of Taras upturned face in the starlight.

please answer when you get this.

tara?

tara?

When the door finally opened two hours later, she must have seen it on his face, because she didnt even unlace her shoes. Sliding her bag to the floor, she knelt by his chair to hug him, again bending back greasy hands. My phone died.

Advertisement

Waves of heat flushed him. Glad youre OK, he managed.

Are you OK?

He hunched in her arms and didnt answer. The ice of fear in his chest was melting into giddy angerunfair, he knew. Still, she could have just stayed home.

The apartments air was pinking. Outside, the blue sky had faded to a thin honey. Just above the corner of a condo blinked a pale dot: Venus, rising. Holding her face neutral, Tara stood and shucked her sweater. Chase watched her, telling himself there was no point, she was home and safe and thats what mattered.

Advertisement

Then, as she walked towards the kitchen, she stumbled on the little pack shed brought with her that day, which shed had for years and had accompanied her everywhere: their first date, their honeymoon, and every protest. It did not move as her foot hit it, but resounded with a thick metallic clump. She froze at the sound. Straightening, she turned to look at Chase, her face guilty, caught out, as if expecting accusation. He didnt know what she thought he was charging her with. So, he only said, You didnt have to go.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I came back safe.

But you might not have.

Did SafeT tell you that? How much have you been checking it today? Her voice was nervous, with a touch of irritation.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Heat filled his face. What could he say: I thought up an even stupider conspiracy than yours, and even though I cant prove its true, Im still afraid it will kill you? Shame swept over him. Below it, ice spidered back up his throat. Its not worth it, Tara. Theyre just stars.

Did SafeT tell you that too?

They looked at each other. Her face was pained and weary, his stiff as a locked jaw. It was an old pose. If they held it another minute, the incipient fight would sink like water into the ground.

They held. The crisis passed.

Just stars, she said. Right. She looked down, away from him. I need to eat something.

Advertisement

She shuffled out to the kitchen. On her way, she pressed a tired kiss to his forehead.

He remained behind in the evenings falling shadow, his face lit with his phones blue-white glare. They had not yelled, at least.

When she returned, her hands were clean and she was holding her winter coat.

Advertisement

Very calmly, she said, Im still going tonight. You dont have to come with me. But Im going.

His heart sank. Youre leaving already? You just got back.

I want to get a good spot.

Tara. He flipped open SafeT. Whitefish Beach: 90% overall safety, its number now a cheery green. It should have reassured him, but his own theory beat in his throat. Could I ask you not to? And then, hating the self-pity that drove him to it, For me?

Advertisement

He could hear her breath quicken, though her voice remained calm. Your app says its fine.

Whats wrong?

Nothing. Its justa bad feeling.

Isnt the whole point of your risk assessors to take feelings out of it? She smiled painfully. You cant be afraid of everything, Chase. If you are, then theyve already won.

Advertisement

Chase looked down. Silence hung between them. In his palm, the green number blinked. Nothing was ever certain, Tara told him sometimes, nothing ever 100% safe. Maybe it was true: SafeT had ruined him. But now that he had it, he couldnt not use it. What kind of a partner would he be if Tara died running a risk she could have avoided? Though he was not much of a partner anyway, these days.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Maybe it was true: SafeT had ruined him. But now that he had it, he couldnt not use it.

Before him, on his work monitor, shone the woman with the 55% chance.

A tinny ring buzzed his headset: She was calling. He switched on his video. In the background he heard Tara filling a thermos with coffee, clanking around in the backpack. She sounded as if she was preparing for work, not stargazing. But he did not turn. Face bland, he told his client her options, and comforted her when she started to cry. He heard the front door open, hesitate, then click slowly shut.

Like a coward, he did not look up.

After the call ended, he watched sunset go velvet in the window. When the light was navy, he opened his phones Sky app and held it to the glass. The screen showed what constellations hung behind the light. Slowly he swept it across the horizon: Polaris, Rigel, Betelgeuse, Orions red fist. Orion, Chase remembered, was hired by the king of Chios to save his people from wild beasts terrorizing their island. In response, Orion swore to kill every beast on Earth. It was just safer that way.

Advertisement

It was not until shed been gone an hour that he realized Tara had not stopped to charge her phone.

hey, he texted.

hey, she replied immediately, and he knew.

He couldnt tell where she was, so he should not have risked calling. He remembered, too late, what the combination of his text and her tools jangling in her backpack might reveal to any watching consortium drone. Protestors returned from the prisons; linebreakers never did. But a white reckless heat, fear or anger, was filling his throat. He thought of her greasy hands, her guilty wince. Hed already texted: Any consortium would know where she was, if it wanted to. He dialed.

Advertisement

Chase? Her voice was worried. Whats wrong? Are you OK?

Advertisement

I thought your phone was dead.

She went silent. It lasted so long he worried she would hang up, but was also reassured that if she didnt, she would not make excuses.

No, she said at last. Im sorry, Chase.

Youre a He cut himself off, in case the call was monitored. Paranoid, he was so paranoid. How long?

Not that long. A few months.

Fuck, Tara. Why didnt you tell me?

He could hear the pain catch in her voice. I wanted to tell you. I wanted to show you, tonight. But you wouldnt come.

Advertisement

Advertisement

So that was a test?

I didnt want it to be. I thoughtI really thought youd want to see the stars.

Advertisement

He felt himself sinking into his chair. The heat spread through him, carving him hollow. So this was how it began; this was what the fracture felt like. He saw Taras wind-chapped face turning away from him, her eyes dark with the scornful pity no love could survive. It did not matter how long shed been linebreaking. That she had never told him she was considering it meant she no longer trusted himnot only to stand beside her, but even to keep her secrets.

A dull pain arched up his back. He felt like a raging monster, blinded by its own rank fear, swinging his arms while Tara strode bravely away from him, toward life.

Can you at least tell me where you really are? Are there many of you? Is it safe?

Through the phone, a broad roar of wind drew the scene for him: Tara on blue sand before black waves, torching a hole in a pipes steel flank as the winter constellations flared overhead. Her team knelt around her, real partners, brave ones.

Advertisement

Advertisement

It is near Whitefish. I didnt lie about that. And yeah, its a big job. As for safetywell, you should check your app for that. He heard the barb in her voice, and could almost see her flinch after. Im sorry. Now I have go. Please dont call again.

Love you, he whispered, before she hung up.

love you, she texted back. And then, a second later: orion really is beautiful.

He sat staring at his phone for a few minutes. Then he opened SafeT.

95%, blinked Whitefish Beach: perfectly green, impossibly safe. He clicked the disaggregator for risk of unrest: 10%, the lowest hed ever seen it. An acid surge of fear rose in his throat. He swallowed it, and it burned in his stomach beside the fury. He could not tell if he was angrier at Tara or himself.

Outside his window, night was striding over the city. Though Chase could not see him behind the buildings, he knew that somewhere the Hunter was raising his spear.

Tara was smart, he reminded himself, smart and skilled and quick. She was not reckless, like some linebreakers. She would do her job quietly and get out. The consortia didnt know where she was, and were likely too distracted with the protests up at the big-five pipes to be monitoring Whitefish Beach. She would be fine.

Advertisement

Advertisement

His mouth was dry. He needed a distraction.

He switched his feed to the North Atlantic channel. A new Love Gamblers was outone of those catch-the-cheater shows, not Chases favorite, but it would do. Most hook-up apps now included risk assessments. After rigging these, the show followed cheaters as they tried to romance their own aggrieved spouses under a false photo and promise of a 95% discreet encounter. Sometimes the cheaters were too smart to take the bait. No ones 95% discreet, one savvy woman scoffed. More often, though, they leapt eagerly into the trap.

Advertisement

Todays guy was doomed, Chase saw immediately. He watched the mans stubbly, oversized face peer at his phone. 95%! He watched him meet his own wife at the restaurant. He watched the reveal, the explosion. He watched the post-mortem interviews with the guys friends and boss, who shook her head and said solemnly, I just dont know. Were a family company. Chase recalled that it was often bosses who initiated these set-ups, as pretext for firing troublesome employees or shaming them into quitting. The employees marriage was secondary, beside the point.

Advertisement

In the painful hollow of the days memories, something echoed.

He thought of the consortia drones circling on his newsfeed. Tara was right that Health Solutions would never use inflated SafeT ratings to lure linebreakers to its pipes, just to turn around and throw them in prison. Why bother when it was easier to deflate the ratings and scare them off? The prisons were a scare tactic too. Chase had never really thought about itit frightened him too muchbut most consortia likely saw linebreakers as more of a nuisance than a threat.

Linebreakers were irritating, but a consortiums real enemy was its competition.

Cold filled his stomach. Tara worked for Community United; many linebreakers probably did, feeling protected by the consortiums comparative lenience. But it would be very embarrassing for CU if their employees were caught breaking another consortiums pipe. If the expose were big enough, CU might find itself in what the financial pundits called an untenable position. What happened to the linebreakers was beside the point.

And Health Solutions owned SafeT.

The cold reached up to close his throat. A big job, Tara had said. Could he have tipped them off? How many times had he checked Whitefish Beachs safety rating today? How many times had he checked Taras Wellness?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But no, no, he was being paranoid. He worked for Health Solutions. Surely everything was fine. He would prove it to himself.

He switched on his work monitor back on. A yellow alert was flickering across Medestimates version of SafeT, informing him he might need to handle several emergency cases tomorrow. Heart skipping, he clicked through for more information. A list of injuries appeared beside their approximate likelihood: risk of tear-gas exposure, 89%; risk of rubber bullet contusion, 65%; risk of hypothermia, 54%. Milder injuries followed. At the bottom of the list, comically, risk of sand burns, 13%. Below the list a note informed him that only 15% of the possible injured would have insurance. CU employees didnt, as a rule.

Then something red flashed on his screen: a new box, instructing him to report any of the above injuries up the line, directly to Health Solutions headquarters.

Panic roared through him, deafening as the wind from the lake at night, and as unstoppable. His throat filled with shameof himself, of his theory, of this world he helped keep spinning that backed you into impossible choices and blamed you for fearing them. He would sound like a coward, or a traitor. But it didnt matter. He had already lost Taras respect.

Advertisement

please listen. I checked safet for the beach and its at 95%, but my medical app is telling me to prepare for riot injuries. i think the rating is a trap. they made it look safe so theyd catch you and embarrass CU into giving up their water rights. they dont care what happens to you. PLEASE get out of there

Fingers numb, he pressed send and waited.

She did not respond.

tara? please tell me you got this. they know. theyre waiting for you, i swear im not crazy

Advertisement

tara, please

His empty screen blinked. She was angry, but she would never ignore him. She must have turned off her phone again.

He glanced at his watch: Shed only been gone an hour and a half. If he left now, he might be able to warn her in time. Then again, he might not. Then again, she might stay, even if he warned her. Unlike Chase, she refused to let them win.

He looked up. In the window, the citys violet-orange night shrouded the buildings like thick felt. Above, at skys apex, navy had become pitch. Snared between skyscrapers, Venus blinked like a tawny eye. He thought of their little cabin in Door County, the stars icy above the lakes oily miasma. He had seen clearly then, despite the smoke. The world had thickened since.

Advertisement

Advertisement

He had seen clearly then, despite the smoke. The world had thickened since.

95%, blinked the green number.

Somewhere in that violet dark, a Health Solutions corporate SWAT team was probably racing north toward Whitefish Beach, armed with PR spinners, lawyers, drones, and guns. He would be lying if he said he was only afraid for Tara. In every family hed ever counselled, his clients had accepted their own deaths. They worried only for their children, spouses, friends. He could never be so selfless. Life was dangerous, and getting worse all the time. How could he ignore that?

He thought of his doughy younger self in Taras photos, whom hed despised at the time, but who had blubber to spare. He felt skinless now. It was too late. He was too old, too scared. What did she expect him to do?

100%, blinked the app, green as earth. You could kill every beast in the world, and still it would never be safe.

Rising, he shuffled to the coat rack behind the couch. Pulling on his jacket, he edged through the door. His hand held his phone in his pocket. On the concrete balcony leading to the stairwell, the night air was sharp with cold. It was cleaner than hed smelt in years, only a slight tang of smoke, funk of lake.

Advertisement

Advertisement

He wondered what Tara could smell, where she knelt grafting a life-giving branch to the pipes thick trunk. Above the buildings, the tall darkness gulfed like a well. Craning his neck north, he squinted, trying to catch Health Solutions drones taking position above the beach, preparing themselves for the final coup over CU. But the vast black returned nothing. Higher up, stars glistened.

He looked up at them, faint promises of light, then down the stairwell, black and waiting; then up again. He could stare forever.

Read a response essay by an expert on health economics and predictive analytics.

Read More From Future Tense Fiction

Collateral Damage, by Justina Ireland

Beauty Surge, by Laura Maylene Walter

The Wait, by Andrea Chapela

Ride, by Linda Nagata

If We Make It Through This Alive, by A.T. Greenblatt

Good Job, Robin, by JoeAnn Hart

Empathy Hour, by Matt Bell

The Woman Who Wanted to Be Trees, by Cat Rambo

Out of Ash, by Brenda Cooper

This, but Again, by David Iseron

All That Burns Unseen, by Premee Mohamed

The Only Innocent Man, by Julian K. Jarboe

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Making the movie was difficult.

Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled

Her movie Svetlonoc (Nightsiren) won the Contemporary Cinema section at the festival in Locarno, Switzerland. The Slovak audience will be able to see the movie soon. In her film about witches, director TEREZA NVOTOVA explores several sensitive themes, such as violence in the family, voluntary childlessness, and conspiracies.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

"When someone changes their mind - maybe because they realize something - they become inconsistent in the eyes of others, if not a moron. It's a terrible mistake. When we do not allow ourselves to change and develop, we close off the chance for those who have been labeled idiots, but who could perhaps still change and grow in a good direction," she says.

Do you think that even in the 21st century someone would accuse a woman of witchcraft?

Yes. Actually, it happened. In 2001, a man killed a woman in Slovakia because he believed she was a witch.

His wife?

I don't think she was his wife. Based on the anthropological research used in the development of the movie, it usually doesn't work like this in a closed community that such a close person is accused. Either a neighbor is blamed or someone who may be envied, whom others think has a motive to harm someone. Gossip and slander only reinforce these ideas.

The character of the witch Otyla, an important part of the movie, was inspired by a real person.

Yes, I have her picture on the mirror at home. When I'm getting ready, I look at her and always tell myself that all our beauty requirements are actually stupid. She lived alone in the mountains and had to take care of herself.

Related article

Related article Opekance, pupaky or bobalky: Poppy seeds were supposed to keep witches away, bryndza a luxury Read more

So who was Otyla?

A woman who lived in a wooden house that my father bought with his high school classmates. I didn't know her and even he met her maybe once. There used to be a smaller settlement with several wooden houses where she lived. People raised animals there. But then they decided to move their houses down to the village, leaving her at the settlement. She wanted nothing to do with the village. It's said that she walked barefoot and gradually became an oddball, later taken to a psychiatric hospital. I didn't learn more, you simply don't talk about such things. Her story inspired us a lot and was actually behind the movie.

Even though it contains cultural elements difficult to transfer, your movie was well received by foreign audiences. What kind of reception do you expect from the domestic audience and critics?

In my opinion, a worse reception, because the biggest criticism is at home. However, I'm ready, because it's a movie that will antagonize our society. I also expect some people to get angry, because they'll feel that we're portraying Slovaks like morons and that we'll look terrible abroad. However, that wasn't the intention. It was created for us, our society, so that we could see each other.

What the movie depicts is not very pretty. Violence, beating children, and sexual assaults are shown as a big part of our culture. Have we really moved nowhere?
by Olatunji Saliu

ABUJA, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Nigerian secondary school students in colorful clothes beat drums and sang songs on Friday to celebrate the reopening of a remodeled Chinese learning center in their school.

The Chinese Center in the Junior Secondary School (JSS) Garki Area 11, Abuja, was upgraded by the China Railway 18th Bureau Group, a Chinese construction firm, to better promote understanding between the two countries at the grassroot level.

For most of these young students aged between 11 and 15, the Chinese Center in their school gives them an opportunity to learn about China, its people and culture.

"I feel that our learning and academics will be inspired," Benedicta Edu, a grade-3 student of the school, told Xinhua. "If I have the opportunity, I would love to travel and learn more about their (Chinese) culture. I will like to learn more about their language and their books."

Built in 2008, the Chinese Center in the JSS Garki Area 11 was established to provide local people with an opportunity to learn the Chinese language and culture.

After years of operation, the center needed to be refurbished and upgraded.

"I want to say a very big thank you to the Chinese people that upgraded this center, and I feel very happy that they have upgraded this place. I feel that they have done a good job by doing this," said Daniel Oghene, another grade-3 student.

For Oghene, the renovated center, equipped with modern workstations, a large multimedia screen, ceiling fans, and bookshelves, will help him to learn more about the Chinese language and culture.

Alhassan Sule, acting head of the Universal Basic Education Board in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said the longstanding bilateral relations between Nigeria and China have been immensely beneficial to the FCT education authority.

Sule said the local education administrators were thankful for the upgrading of the Chinese center and would continue to ensure the maintenance and security of the "facilities put in place, so as to maximize their benefits to our teachers and students for a reasonable period of time."

Noting the center served the purpose of enhancing the educational exchanges between the two countries, Zhang Yi, minister counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, said China would continue to support and prioritize the development of local schools in the most populous African country.

"Education is the foundation of social progress and national development, therefore educational exchanges between China and Nigeria are the Chinese embassy's priority," Zhang added. 
https://sputniknews.com/20220923/elijah-mcclains-autopsy-amended-to-say-cause-of-death-was-police-administered-ketamine-overdose-1101157257.html

Elijah McClains Autopsy Amended to Say Cause of Death Was Police-Administered Ketamine Overdose

Elijah McClains Autopsy Amended to Say Cause of Death Was Police-Administered Ketamine Overdose

Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, died in August 2019 following a police stop. Accused by police of being uncontrollable, McClain was given a ketamine... 23.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-23T23:12+0000

2022-09-23T23:12+0000

2022-09-23T23:12+0000

americas

colorado

coroner

ketamine

police

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/17/1101157112_0:0:1608:906_1920x0_80_0_0_4999139cbd76044f5de8172d61117b66.png

The Adams County Coroners Office in Colorado on Friday released an amended version of McClains autopsy report, based on new information provided to the office.The report now lists the cause of death as complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint - it previously described McClains death as undetermined.Since then, this office has received additional material for review, including extensive body camera footage, witness statements, and additional records, he adds. It is worth noting that these materials had been requested prior to release of the initial autopsy report, but the material was either not provided to us or not provided to us in their entirety. Having insufficient information as of November 7, 2019, was one of the reasons the cause and manner of death in this case were deemed undetermined. Additional material of relevance has also been generated through the grand jury investigation.He then describes how McClain had a high blood ketamine level and that the newly viewed footage showed he was extremely sedated within minutes, including evidence that respiratory arrest was imminent.He added that a carotid control hold had been applied to McClain by police, but that he could not determine whether it contributed to McClains death. However, he noted that McClain was likely under physiological and emotional stress, which can result in several metabolic abnormalities, of which it is not possible to determine their relation to his death.Aurora Police stopped McClain on the night of August 24, 2019, following a 9-1-1 call about a sketchy person in the neighborhood. McClain, who was walking from a convenience store, was wearing a ski mask for warmth due to a blood circulation disorder and had headphones on, dancing to the music on his walk. When police approached him, he didnt immediately respond because he didnt hear them, and officers treated this suspiciously. Later, a struggle with police ensued, and they restrained him and ordered medics to give him a ketamine shot to calm him down. It was later determined they had both considerably exaggerated his hostility and his size, leading to medics giving him a larger dose of ketamine than was appropriate.An Aurora Police Department investigation afterward exonerated the three responding officers - Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt and Randy Roedema - of any criminal wrongdoing, and a subsequent review of their actions in February 2020 found their application of force consistent with police training. However, an independent investigation commissioned by the Aurora City Council eviscerated the officers actions, finding that "Aurora police and paramedics made substantial errors at nearly every stage of their interaction with Elijah McClain and the detectives tasked with investigating the incident that led to the 23-year-olds death stretched the truth to exonerate the officers involved."McClains death became a major focal point for the 2020 nationwide Black Lives Matter protests that followed the murder of George Floyd, and thousands of protesters demanded that officers be held responsible for McClains death as well. Protesters who led a series of militant marches, including a protest outside an area police station, were later violently arrested and charged with a slew of crimes, including attempted kidnapping and attempting to influence a public official. Judges threw out the charges after a nationwide campaign was mounted to exonerate the demonstrators.

https://sputniknews.com/20220921/playing-with-human-lives-texas-sheriff-opens-probe-into-desantis-marthas-vineyard-flights--1101025003.html

americas

colorado

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Fantine Gardinier

Fantine Gardinier

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Fantine Gardinier

colorado, coroner, ketamine, police
https://sputniknews.com/20220923/gop-congressman-matt-gaetz-likely-to-dodge-charges-in-sex-trafficking-probe-1101155739.html

GOP Congressman Matt Gaetz Likely to Dodge Charges in Sex-Trafficking Probe

GOP Congressman Matt Gaetz Likely to Dodge Charges in Sex-Trafficking Probe

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is less likely to charge Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) after prosecutors recommended against doing so, the Washington Post reported... 23.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-23T21:35+0000

2022-09-23T21:35+0000

2022-09-23T21:35+0000

americas

us

matt gaetz

sex trafficking

doj

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107704/97/1077049704_0:160:3075:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_d5c5ed62f8bfc1443acb0c46aec51ff8.jpg

According to the report, prosecutors are concerned about the credibility of the two central witnesses. One is an ex-girlfriend of Gaetzs, and the other is Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole County tax collector and a personal friend of Gaetzs. Accordingly, they have recommended against pressing charges theyre afraid wont stick.The DOJ has made no official comment on the matter of the prosecutors recommendations. However, it is rare for their counsel to go unheeded.However, the case gets weirder. Stephen Alford, a Florida business executive, has separately pleaded guilty to trying to extort Gaetzs father, a former Florida state lawmaker, for $25 million with promises he could get Gaetz a presidential pardon from Trump. Alford later claimed the offer was a lie, but was given 5 years in prison for wire fraud.Gaetz is a strong supporter of Trumps and has promoted the former president's claims that the November 2020 election was marred by fraud by Democrats. Last month, Trump endorsed the Florida congressman's re-election bid.

americas

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Fantine Gardinier

Fantine Gardinier

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Fantine Gardinier

us, matt gaetz, sex trafficking, doj
https://sputniknews.com/20220923/khartoum-praises-russias-stance-on-sudan-eyeing-development-of-ties-with-moscow---leader-1101158748.html

Khartoum Praises Russias Stance on Sudan, Eyeing Development of Ties With Moscow - Leader

Khartoum Praises Russias Stance on Sudan, Eyeing Development of Ties With Moscow - Leader

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Khartoum appreciates and commends Russia's stance toward Sudan and hopes for the development of relations with Moscow, Abdel-Fattah... 23.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-23T23:50+0000

2022-09-23T23:50+0000

2022-09-23T23:50+0000

africa

sudan

russia

un general assembly

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0e/1093036965_0:0:3001:1688_1920x0_80_0_0_efbd3e87dd5aa7f34a9f08a5b0a6ab48.jpg

"Firstly, I am so pleased with this meeting with a friendly country that supported Sudan and is still by the side of Sudan. We appreciate and commend Russias stance toward Sudan. We hope our relations develop in a way that achieves the objectives," Burhan told the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly.Lavrov, for his part, told Burhan that Moscow was ready to support the normalization of the situation in Sudan.In October 2021, the Sudanese military, led by Gen. Burhan, overthrew the government, declaring a state of emergency and establishing a transitional sovereign council under his leadership. Subsequent protests forced Burhan to sign a pact stipulating the reinstatement of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, releasing all political prisoners, holding elections in July 2023, and handing power to an elected civilian government. The political crisis persisted, however, and Hamdok stepped down on January 2.Weekly protests against military rule have continued in Sudan, resulting in dozens of deaths.

sudan

russia

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

sudan, russia, un general assembly
https://sputniknews.com/20220923/syria-supports-grain-deal-blames-west-for-problems-in-poor-countries---foreign-minister-1101158281.html

Syria Supports Grain Deal, Blames West for Problems in Poor Countries - Foreign Minister

Syria Supports Grain Deal, Blames West for Problems in Poor Countries - Foreign Minister

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Syria fully supports the grain deal between Russia and Ukraine, considers Western countries responsible for the problems developing... 23.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-23T23:48+0000

2022-09-23T23:48+0000

2022-09-23T23:48+0000

world

syria

grain

turkey

un general assembly

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103756/26/1037562697_0:327:4000:2577_1920x0_80_0_0_68045db96c1a091c712fb5cd4903c593.jpg

"We support fully this [grain deal]. Western countries are responsible for the problems being faced by developing countries. They are not accepting to give any facilitation for Russian goods to go into the international markets while they want the Ukrainian side to do everything. I think this is absolutely unfair," Mekdad said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Friday.Mekdad called the alleged Western plans to let Ukraine play the same role as Russia has played, including its support for the development of countries around the world, "absolutely illogical."The lack of commitment on the side of Turkey is the only obstacle stalling the Syria peace process under the Astana framework, Syrian Foreign Affairs Minister Faisal Mekdad told Sputnik.Mekdad added that the Astana process has so far been "the only viable component that has succeeded on the ground," and resulted in "many successes." The Syrian minister noted that there have been no contacts or meetings with the Turkish side during the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week."There are no negotiations, there are no contacts, there is nothing at least on the level of foreign ministers," Mekdad said.

https://sputniknews.com/20220923/lavrov-guterres-confirm-need-for-full-implementation-of-grain-deal---foreign-ministry-1101111289.html

turkey

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

syria, grain, turkey, un general assembly
https://sputniknews.com/20220923/unga-77-moscows-position-gets-attention-despite-the-wests-anti-russian-rhetoric-1101156017.html

UNGA 77: Moscows Position Gets Attention Despite the Wests Anti-Russian Rhetoric

UNGA 77: Moscows Position Gets Attention Despite the Wests Anti-Russian Rhetoric

While Dutch, Belgian and other EU officials have turned their UN appearances into an exercise of Russia-bashing, other leaders, such as those from Serbia and... 23.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-23T21:38+0000

2022-09-23T21:38+0000

2022-09-23T21:41+0000

world

unga

ukraine

nato

russia

brics

eu

serbia

hungary

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/16/1101075561_0:317:3079:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_4f0b091a2a916b621b72de18200d5e99.jpg

The list of speakers at the General Debate of the 77th UN General Assembly session on Friday included the president of the European Council Charles Michel, as well as Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo and his Dutch colleague Mark Rutte. All of them started their speeches with the topic of Ukraine.According to Charles Michel, the Kremlin is leading a hybrid war that combines violence with poisonous lies." Michel dismissed Russias allegations that Kiev has been committing genocide against the Russian-speaking population in Donbass and spoke about stories of rape, torture and mass graves, for which he blames Moscow, and which he claimed to have heard while visiting Ukraine.Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed his respect for Mikhail Gorbachevs legacy in ending the Cold War. He also said that Russia stands on the wrong side of history and that its aggression must be stopped.According to Rutte, Moscows special military operation was unprovoked, as he added, Russia is not a victim, it is an aggressor  no one was invading Russia, no one was threatening Russian people. His view was echoed by Charles Michel, who also said that no one threatened or attacked Russia.Willingly or not, both Rutte and Michel, however, have failed to mention the 8 years which preceded Moscows direct involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, when OSCE constantly reported the shelling of peaceful citizens in Donetsk by the Kiev regime, or atrocities committed by the Ukrainian army against ethnic Russians in Donbass, with hundreds of human remains found in the Luhansk Peoples Republic in March this year by Russias Investigative Committee.Another fact, which both Charles Michel and Mark Rutte have omitted, is NATO's eastwards expansion, which has continued throughout the post-Gorbachev era and doesn't look like it is stopping anytime soon, with Finland and Sweden waiting for the ratification of their NATO applications and Kiev refusing to abandon hopes of joining the alliance - something, which may bring NATO troops to Russian borders, and which is obviously seen as a threat by Moscow.But despite all the anti-Russia rhetoric at the UN General Assembly, Moscow is far from isolated, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has held dozens of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the main event with politicians from Asia, Africa, the Arab world, Latin America and Europe.Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa have also had BRICS talks on the sidelines of UN GA.On Friday, Lavrov held talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Perhaps Serbias own experience of being sanctioned and bombed by the US and NATO in 1999, when around 500 peaceful Serbs lost their lives, has played a role in the countrys current moderate position on the Ukraine issue.When asked by the Russian media whether Serbia will introduce sanctions against Moscow, Vucics response was negative:"They havent been implemented, and I'm hoping they won't be"  he told reporters.Lavrov has also met with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto, with whom he discussed gas contracts and the plans of Russias Rosatom corporation to build the Paks nuclear plant in Hungary. Hungary depends on Moscows energy supplies, as the country receives most of its oil and gas from Russia.On Thursday, Sergey Lavrov delivered a speech at a United Nations Security Council ministerial meeting on Ukraine, highlighting the "impunity" and "lawlessness" of the Kiev regime for the crimes committed against Russian-speaking citizens in Donbass after the Maidan coup detat in 2014 and in the 8 years which followed. On Saturday, Sergey Lavrov is expected to speak at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

russia

serbia

hungary

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Denis Bolotsky https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/0b/1083128270_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_8cd81dafcbaac1c176c25141f8af1d2a.jpg

Denis Bolotsky https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/0b/1083128270_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_8cd81dafcbaac1c176c25141f8af1d2a.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Denis Bolotsky https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/0b/1083128270_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_8cd81dafcbaac1c176c25141f8af1d2a.jpg

unga, ukraine, nato, russia, brics, eu, serbia, hungary
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/equatorial-guinea-africas-longest-serving-president-teodoro-obiang-to-seek-new-term-1101161915.html

Equatorial Guinea: Africa's Longest Serving President Teodoro Obiang to Seek New Term

Equatorial Guinea: Africa's Longest Serving President Teodoro Obiang to Seek New Term

Teodoro Obiang, the president of Equatorial Guinea, who has led the country for more than 43 years, is the longest serving head of state in the world... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T10:33+0000

2022-09-24T10:33+0000

2022-09-24T10:33+0000

africa

africa

election

equatorial guinea

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/18/1101170479_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_0da28ec0f75eac7d0ebc1528d09af7dc.jpg

Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has led the country for more than 43 years, will run for a sixth term in the November presidential elections, according to a statement by the vice president and incumbent presidents son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, on Friday.The presidents Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) currently holds 99 of the 100 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and all 70 in the Senate. The president himself has never received less than 93 percent of the vote in an election. Previously, there had been debate over whether Teodoro Obiang or his son would run for the presidency. Equatorial Guinea earlier moved up its presidential election to November 20, calling it for the same day as the parliamentary elections. The decree justified the decision to move the date as necessary to group together costly polls amid economic hardships due to Western sanctions on Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, per Africanews.

https://sputniknews.com/20220918/senegals-president-appoints-first-prime-minister-in-three-years-1100918166.html

africa

equatorial guinea

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Olga Borodkina

Olga Borodkina

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Olga Borodkina

africa, election, equatorial guinea
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/eu-countries-denounce-the-referendums-in-donbass-1101156866.html

EU Countries Denounce the Referendums in Donbass

EU Countries Denounce the Referendums in Donbass

On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including the CDC sounding the alarm on the skyrocketing rate of STDs, and the... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T07:57+0000

2022-09-24T07:57+0000

2022-09-24T07:57+0000

the backstory

referendum

nuclear

wef

donbass

russia

radio

radio sputnik

joe biden

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/17/1101156720_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_b16d3e2b19749d67f96c187f98491fa3.png

EU Countries Denounce the Referendums in Donbass. On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including the CDC sounding the alarm on the skyrocketing rate of STDs, and the G7 refusing to recognize the referendum in Donbass.

Ian Shilling - Geopolitical Analyst, Researcher, and Blogger | Cultural Fights in England, Liz Truss, and Nuclear Weapons in the UKTyler Nixon - Attorney, Media Relations Specialist | Yale Law, Obama Was Groomed by the Intelligence Community, and Alex Jones's EnemiesIn the first hour, Lee spoke with Ian Shilling about the referendums in Donbass, the British media, and the undemocratic election of Liz Truss. Ian talked about the images of voters in the Donbass region of Ukraine and how the media refuse to cover the voting process in Donbass. Ian contrasted the voting in Donbass from the rigged voting process in Western countries.In the second hour, Lee spoke with Tyler Nixon about Joe Biden's history in politics, Hunter Biden, and lawfare tactics. Tyler discussed the attacks on Alex Jones and how the legal system has been used as a weapon against Alex Jones. Tyler spoke on Barack Obama's past and how the radical left embedded itself in politics.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

donbass

russia

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Lee Stranahan https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png

Lee Stranahan https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Lee Stranahan https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125222_0:0:293:292_100x100_80_0_0_a8bc846f559660e5bf7574f8a9608a1d.png

referendum, nuclear, wef, , donbass, russia, radio, radio sputnik, joe biden, alex jones
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/future-of-the-world-order-being-decided-today-lavrov-says-at-unga-1101184976.html

Future of the World Order Being Decided Today, Lavrov Says at UNGA

Future of the World Order Being Decided Today, Lavrov Says at UNGA

The foreign minister's speech at the United Nations' annual General Assembly meeting comes in an atmosphere of unprecedented tensions between Russia and the... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T17:42+0000

2022-09-24T17:42+0000

2022-09-24T20:36+0000

sergei lavrov

world

russia

general assembly

nato

ukraine

unipolar world order

world order

us

european union

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/18/1101185241_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_fa333d79631f0b88c28bcc33797e0e09.jpg

The future security, economic and political architecture of the planet is being decided on today, and it's up to the people of the world to determine whether it will continue to be an order dominated by the West and the golden billion, or by progressive global forces, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has indicated."We are meeting at a difficult and dramatic moment. Crises are growing, and the situation in the area of international security is deteriorating rapidly. Instead of having an honest dialogue and looking for compromises, what we're dealing with is disinformation, frame-ups and provocations," Lavrov said, addressing the UN General Assembly on Saturday.Accusing Western powers of undermining trust in international law and institutions as guarantees of fairness and the protection of the weak against the strong, the foreign minister suggested these negative trends have been put on open display "in concentrated form" at the UN, eroding the principles upon which the body was founded.The Russian diplomat stressed that unipolar model of global development, "which served the interests of the so-called 'golden billion'," which amassed its wealth using the resources of Asia, Africa and Latin America, is receding into the past."Today, we're witnessing sovereign states ready to defend their national interests, and this is resulting in the creation of an equal, socially-oriented, multipolar architecture," Lavrov said. The West considers these processes a threat, and the United States and its allies "want to stop the march of history," he added.America's God ComplexLavrov suggested that "at some point, having declared victory in the Cold War, Washington elevated itself almost to the position of the messenger of the Lord God on Earth, who has no obligations, but only the 'sacred' right to act with impunity" anywhere in the world. "Any state can be declared a zone for such actions - especially if it somehow displease the self-proclaimed 'masters of the world'."The diplomat recalled the US wars of aggression conducted by the US far from its home shores in recent decades, from Yugoslavia to Iraq and Libya, which claimed hundreds of thousands of innocent lives."Were the truly legitimate interests of the United States impacted in any one of those countries? Was English banned or any other language of NATO countries banned there? Were mass media, culture [threatened]? Were the Anglo-Saxons declared to be subhumans, were heavy weapons used against them?" Lavrov asked, in a veiled reference to some of Moscow's justifications for launching its military operation in Ukraine.Bloc ConfrontationWestern powers' attempt to preserve their 'rules-based order' has led to the drawing of dividing lines of bloc confrontation across the globe, with their motto being "you're either with us or against us," Lavrov said.Having worked to push the NATO bloc east and bring its military infrastructure all the way up to the Russian border, the United States now has the goal of subjugating Asia, according to the foreign minister."At NATO's June summit in Madrid, the so-called defensive alliance declared the indivisible security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific. And under the slogan of Indo-Pacific strategies, closed formats are being created which undermine what has been built by the ASEAN [group of nations] for decades - namely an open and inclusive regional architecture. On top of that, they're playing with fire around Taiwan, and promising military support to Taipei," Lavrov said.Lavrov slammed the US approach to sanctions for what he characterized as its appalling "cynicism," emphasizing that only civilians suffer from such restrictions, losing access to foodstuffs, medicines or vaccines. "The American blockade of Cuba is an egregious example of this policy. It's more than 60 years old. The General Assembly has long and persistently demanded its immediate lifting by an overwhelming majority of votes," he recalled.West Lit Match of Global Economic Crisis, Lavrov SaysThe Russian diplomat urged UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to make good on his special responsibility in mobilizing efforts to overcome the planetary food and energy crises resulting from Washington and Brussels' "out of control" money emission during the Covid pandemic, and the EU's recent "irresponsible, unprofessional acts...in the hydrocarbon markets."US, Allies Seeking to Wipe Russia Off the MapPointing to what he described as the "grotesque" scope of Russophobia in the West today, Lavrov accused Washington and its allies of seeking to liquidate Russia as a state.The foreign minister asked what actions taken by Moscow over the past three-and-a-half decades justified the West's aggressive position.Lavrov quoted at length Pentagon deputy chief and future Iraq War architect Paul Wolfowitz's 1991 conversation with NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Wesley Clark, in which Wolfowitz outlined US plans for the coming decades:Roots and Consequences of Ukrainian CrisisLavrov expressed confidence that someone's memoirs would one day reveal how the US strategy of fomenting the Ukrainian security crisis was hatched, even if "Washington's plans in this regard are obvious." The diplomat recalled that Moscow supported the agreements signed in February 2014 between the Yanukovych government and opposition forces to resolve the Euromaidan crisis, only to see them "trampled underfoot" after the Ukrainian president's ouster the following day.The diplomat recalled how, several months later in the spring of 2014, "the West simply shrugged and watched in silence how the coup-installed government began the bombing of eastern Ukraine, where people had refused to accept the results of the putsch. They watched [as Kiev authorities] made accomplices of Nazis into national heroes. Were we expected to agree in Kiev's intent to ban the Russian language, education, our mass media? With their insistence on chasing Russians out of Crimea or waging war against the Donbass, whose residents were proclaimed by authorities in Kiev as specimens, rather than human beings?"The foreign minister stressed that the Security Council supported the implementation of the 2015 Minsk Peace Agreements - which promised the Donbass autonomy in exchange for the region's return to Ukrainian control, but which Kiev's wound up failing to implement over the next seven years.Finally, Lavrov recalled the broad security proposals tabled by Russia in December 2021, based on the principle that no nation or bloc is allowed to strengthen its security at the expense of others."The reaction [from the West] was an arrogant rejection. The incapacity of Western countries to negotiate, and the continued war by the Kiev regime against their own people left us with no choice but to recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and start a special military operation to protect the Russian and other people in the Donbass and to remove the threats against our security, which NATO had been consistently creating in Ukraine at our borders," he said. "I am convinced that any sovereign, self-respecting state would do the same in our stead," Lavrov said.Commenting on Western hysteria over the ongoing status referendums currently being held in the Donbass, and the areas of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions where pro-Russian administrations have been established, Lavrov suggested that the residents of these regions are "only reacting" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's 2021 comments asking residents of the Donbass to decide whether they were Russians or Ukrainians, and if they're Russians, to get out and go to Russia "for the future of [their] children and grandchildren.""And that's what the inhabitants of those regions are doing, taking their land with them, where their ancestors have been living for hundreds of years," the foreign minister suggested.Decline of Multilateral InstitutionsLavrov lamented the West's efforts to turn international institutions "into tools implementing their own selfish interests," whether it be at the UN, or the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, where in his words, "fierce attempts are being made to prevent creating a mechanism which would ensure transparency on the hundreds of military biological programs that the Pentagon has around the world, including along the perimeter of our country and throughout Eurasia."Lavrov expressed Russia's support for making the UN Security Council more democratic, "excusively through broadening the representation of countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America. We note India and Brazil in particular as key international actors and worthy candidates within the Council...It is very important today to make sure that all member states unequivocally and without reservation reaffirm their commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter as a first and necessary step to restoring collective responsibility for the fate of humanity," he said.Focusing on regional conflicts, the Russian foreign minister reiterated the need to prioritize "overcoming the impasse in creating an independent Palestinian state...restoring the nations of Iraq and Libya destroyed by NATO aggression," "neutralizing threats to Syria," building "a sustainable process of national conciliation in Yemen, overcoming the heavy burden of the NATO presence in Afghanistan," as well as restoring the Iran nuclear deal, and assuring a comprehensive settlement on the Korean Peninsula. "We are concerned by the situation in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the United States and the EU are stubbornly leading to the destruction of the international legal basis," Lavrov said."At times like these, it's natural to seek wisdom from our predecessors. So to quote the pithy expression of former Secretary General Dag Hammerskjold, who remembered the horrors of world war, he said, and I quote: 'The United Nations was not created in order to bring us to heaven, but in order to save humanity from hell.' These are very topical words, and call on us to understand our individual and collective responsibility for creating the conditions for the peaceful and harmonious development for future generations. And everyone needs to show political will for that," Lavrov concluded.

https://sputniknews.com/20220811/african-nations-unwilling-to-be-involved-in-new-cold-war-to-choose-between-west-or-china-or-russia-1099481207.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220909/just-3-of-deliveries-under-grain-deal-sent-to-needy-countries-putin-1100604550.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220916/putin-western-countries-have-cultivated-idea-of-russias-collapse-for-decades-1100871960.html

https://sputniknews.com/20200131/german-lawmaker-reveals-how-nato-fooled-gorbachev-about-blocs-eastward-expansion-plans-1078193547.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220416/genocide-of-donbass-civilian-population-evidence-from-the-lens-of-photojournalist-valery-melnikov--1094807994.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220317/russia-believes-components-of-biological-weapons-were-created-in-ukraine---mod-1093960475.html

russia

european union

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Ilya Tsukanov

sergei lavrov, russia, general assembly, nato, ukraine, unipolar world order, world order, us, european union
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/general-debate-at-77th-united-nations-general-assembly-enters-fifth-day-1101160864.html

General Debate at 77th United Nations General Assembly Enters Fifth Day

General Debate at 77th United Nations General Assembly Enters Fifth Day

The 77th session of the UN General Assembly kicked off on September 20. During the main event  the General Debate  world leaders gather to discuss global... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T13:00+0000

2022-09-24T13:00+0000

2022-09-24T13:01+0000

world

united nations general assembly (unga)

debate

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/0a/1083353164_0:123:2367:1454_1920x0_80_0_0_f737657aeb0f3247f1acb3025a8ed9ad.jpg

Sputnik is live as day five of the General Debate is taking place as part of the 77th United Nations General Assembly at the UN HQ.High-level delegations will discuss global affairs, with the General Debate continuing until September 26. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will take part in the session.The 77th High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly is the first in-person gathering of the body since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More!

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

General Debate at 77th United Nations General Assembly Enters Fifth Day General Debate at 77th United Nations General Assembly Enters Fifth Day 2022-09-24T13:00+0000 true PT1S

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

united nations general assembly (unga), debate, 
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/israel-oks-sale-of-air-defense-system-to-uae-as-thaad-patriots-fail-to-stop-houthi-drones-report-1101174224.html

Israel OKs Sale of Air Defense System to UAE as THAAD, Patriots Fail to Stop Houthi Drones: Report

Israel OKs Sale of Air Defense System to UAE as THAAD, Patriots Fail to Stop Houthi Drones: Report

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced in June that Tel Aviv had been working with Arab governments on the creation of a US-backed Middle East Air... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T12:55+0000

2022-09-24T12:55+0000

2022-09-24T13:14+0000

military

united arab emirates

israel

air defense system

air defense

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105079/05/1050790580_0:0:1051:591_1920x0_80_0_0_734cc6ee9e4541df62ff4b2e91174135.jpg

Israel has moved forward with the sale of an advanced piece air defense hardware to the United Arab Emirates, Reuters has reported, citing two sources said to be familiar with the matter.The deal was said to have been signed sometime in the summer, with Tel Aviv selling Abu Dhabi the SPYDER ("Surface-to-air Python and Derby"), a short-to-medium range air defense system manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The system can be equipped with Python-5 and Derby air defense missiles, which have a range of 20 and 50 km, respectively, and an aircraft detection range of 70-110 km. The systems are designed to intercept and destroy enemy drones, cruise missiles, and aircraft, including projectiles flying at low altitudes.Israel has previously exported SPYDERs to Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.The UAE suffered a series of missile and drone strikes in January and February, with the projectiles launched by Yemens Houthi militia in response to Abu Dhabis continued involvement in the Saudi-led coalitions operations in the war-torn southern Arabian nation. The UAEs US-purchased Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot missile defense systems had proven incapable of intercepting the drones and missiles launched by the Houthis, Reuters sources said.The UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco established ties with Israel in 2020, striking peace agreements with the Jewish state brokered by the Trump White House. In January 2022, Israeli President Isaac Herzog paid a formal visit to Abu Dhabi, where he promised to shore up Israeli support for the UAEs security needs. Now ex-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett followed suit with his own trip to the UAE in June.Also in June, Defense Minister Gantz announced the creation of a regional air defense alliance with a group of Arab nations. The program is already operative and has already enabled the successful interception of Iranian attempts to attack Israel and other countries, Gantz said during his announcement. He did not elaborate on these purported Iranian attempts or name any specific countries partnering with Israel.A week after Gantzs announcement, Israels Channel 12 reported that Tel Aviv was planning to ask the Biden administration for approval on the sale of Iron Beam laser-based air defense systems to Gulf States, including the UAE and possibly Saudi Arabia, a nation Israel has no formal relations with.Also this summer, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon had organized a hush-hush meeting in Egypt in March to discuss ways for regional powers to improve air defense cooperation against Iran, with then-US Central Command chief Frank McKenzie and senior military commanders from Israel and Arab countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, said to have been in attendance.Iran has repeatedly warned that it would launch massive retaliatory strikes against Israel in the event of Israeli aerial aggression against its peaceful nuclear program, but has also emphasized that its military operations in the Middle East are defensive in nature and aimed at combating Islamist extremism. Tehran has urged its regional neighbors to avoid setting up relations with the Zionist regime, and has accused those that have done so of betraying the Muslim world.

https://sputniknews.com/20220626/us-organized-secret-talks-between-israel-saudis-on-anti-iranian-air-defense-coordination-report-1096682817.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220628/israel-reportedly-seeks-us-go-ahead-to-provide-arab-gulf-states-with-laser-weaponry-1096765216.html

https://sputniknews.com/20200901/uae-disgraced-forever-by-deal-to-normalize-ties-with-israel-irans-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-says-1080339209.html

united arab emirates

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Ilya Tsukanov

united arab emirates, israel, air defense system, air defense
HANGZHOU, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- When Adikin Rose Mary, from Uganda, married a Chinese man and settled in a Chinese village eight years ago, everything seemed strange to her. Now, she is no different from the local wives, speaking fluent Chinese and cooking authentic Chinese dishes. Her social media videos recording her daily life have become a hit on the internet.

Rose's videos are mostly about her cooking for her husband and son in Yecun Village of Suichang County, Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province. She often shows the whole cooking process, from the field to the table, and cooks all kinds of dishes, from hot pot to Peking Duck and soup dumplings. In her videos, she interacts with her family and neighbors amiably in Mandarin with a local Suichang accent.

The mouth-watering dishes, the countryside sceneries, lifestyle, and the uniqueness of Rose's identity have made her videos a hit on the internet. Since July last year, when she posted her first video, she has won 11 million followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

"I just wanted to give it a try at the beginning. And I did not expect that I could win so many followers!" she said.

Rose, 29, was born and grew up in the countryside in Uganda. Eight years ago, she contacted a Chinese man, Wu Jianyun, online after Wu's cousin, who was working in Uganda, introduced them.

After getting along for a while, she made a courageous decision -- to travel to China. Later, Rose and Wu fell in love and decided to marry and set up a family in Wu's hometown Yecun Village.

In the beginning, life was not easy for Rose. She could not speak Chinese well, and her husband had to work in the city to earn money. Gradually, her Chinese became fluent, and with a bright personality, she made friends with her neighbors. She felt a part of the village.

Wu once worked as a chef, so Rose learned to cook from him. After their son was born, Rose's cooking skills improved by the day as she always made her son different foods. Inspired by China's booming short video market, she decided to share her life and cooking online.

"It seems as if Rose is a local woman." From her videos, we enjoy the beauty of life, appreciate the delicacies, and learn how to cook." Rose's videos have been drawing floods of positive feedback from internet users.

Currently, Rose has a five-person team for the filming, and her husband has returned home to join her in making short videos.

During the past eight years, Rose has also witnessed changes in China's countryside.

"In the beginning, the roads and the villagers' houses were not as good as nowadays," she said, adding that most of the men went to work in cities away from home, while the development of the countryside is offering chances for young people to work at their doorstep.

In recent years, in line with China's rural vitalization strategy, the city of Lishui has been developing countryside tourism and rural industries to help farmers improve their livelihood.

Rose is satisfied with her life and hopeful for the future.

"This is my ideal way of living -- the family staying together and our son growing up healthy and happy," she said. 
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/italian-ngo-observer-at-donetsk-referendum-says-un-asleep-as-ukraine-shells-civilians-1101179392.html

Italian NGO Observer at Donetsk Referendum Says UN Asleep as Ukraine Shells Civilians

Italian NGO Observer at Donetsk Referendum Says UN Asleep as Ukraine Shells Civilians

DONETSK (Sputnik) - The United Nations has been indifferent to Ukrainian attacks on the Donetsk Peoples Republic as it voted Saturday on whether it should... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T14:31+0000

2022-09-24T14:31+0000

2022-09-24T14:59+0000

donbass, kherson & zaporozhye referendums to join russia

russia

donetsk

donetsk people's republic

donetsk region

donetsk peoples republic

donbass

referendum

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/18/1101179497_0:0:2866:1612_1920x0_80_0_0_d33a385b886393eb472d453f2a0fe13d.jpg

"Unfortunately, we see that the UN is asleep. Not only when it comes to Donbass but also to other countries in a similar situation. The UN has not been reacting," Vito Grittani told reporters in Donetsk.Grittani heads the International Diplomatic Observatory (ODI-VG), which has consultative status with the UNs Economic and Social Council. He said shelling by Ukrainian troops has been going on "despite them knowing that people are voting.""We will report about this in our home countries," he said, adding that Italian observers had also received threats and "recommendations" not to go to the polls.Voting in the Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics, as well as in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, began on Friday and will close on Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin said this week that Russia would accept any decision people made during the referendums.

https://sputniknews.com/20220924/german-observer-extols-transparency-of-referendum-to-join-russia-in-melitopol-1101171523.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220923/a-look-at-history-of-dpr-lpr-kherson--zaporozhye-regions-1101118920.html

russia

donetsk

donetsk region

donbass

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

russia, donetsk, donetsk people's republic, donetsk region, donetsk peoples republic, donbass, referendum
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/mounting-pressure-on-argentine-vp-kirchner-reflects-global-political-systemic-changes-says-prof-1101183711.html

Mounting Pressure on Argentine VP Kirchner Reflects Global Political, Systemic Changes, Says Prof

Mounting Pressure on Argentine VP Kirchner Reflects Global Political, Systemic Changes, Says Prof

The attempted assassination of Argentine Vice-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was referred to by the country's President, Alberto Fernandez, for the... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T18:31+0000

2022-09-24T18:31+0000

2022-09-24T18:31+0000

opinion & analysis

us

argentina

cristina fernandez de kirchner

latin america

latin america

venezuela

brazil

brics

belt and road initiative

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/02/1100290853_0:0:3243:1825_1920x0_80_0_0_0473c5720b8aa2fb058bfc8e6686c5d1.jpg

On 20 September, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez started his UNGA address by condemning the shooting attempt on his deputy's life on 1 September in Recoleta, Buenos Aires. The assault has not only affected public tranquility but threatened a democratic compromise Argentina reached in 1983, Fernandez said.Four suspects have been detained so far for the botched attack with investigators believing that the assault was planned. The major culprit is 35-year-old Fernando Andres Sabag Montiel, who approached the vice-president, pointed a gun at her head, pulled the trigger twice, but the jammed gun failed to fire.The Argentine president's reference to 1983 is poignant: the nation's general election that year marked a return of constitutional rule after the military dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983.Having seized power in the March 1976 coup, the military junta launched the Process of National Reorganization, also known as "the Dirty War," a campaign of state terrorism involving torture and extrajudicial murder of left-wingers and supporters of former Argentine President Juan Peron [Peronists]. It is estimated that between 10,000 and 30,000 citizens were killed; many of them simply disappearing after arrests. Democracy was restored to Argentina when Raul Alfonsin of the Radical Civic Union, a major center-left political party, won the presidential election of 1983.The attack on Kirchner recalled strong memories of the purges and prompted concerns over potential political instability in Argentina and beyond. Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the frontrunner to win an October election in Brazil, issued a gloomy prediction on 2 September, saying that politicians should be prepared to face a climate of violence after the botched attack.Lula da Silva's forecast comes at a time of great global political and systemic changes, notes Mele, who adds that the Brazilian politician's concerns are not unfounded given that some of his followers have been killed in the run-up to the October election. Lula da Silvas party treasurer, Marcelo Arruda, was shot dead and another follower, 42-year old Benedito Cardoso, was murdered with an axe.Corruption TrialTo complicate matters further, the assassination attempt came during a renewed media campaign about the Argentine vice-president's alleged corruption case, the professor says.In August, the prosecutor's office indicated that it was seeking a 12-year jail sentence and a life-long ban from office for Fernandez de Kirchner over an alleged criminal conspiracy during her two terms as president between 2007 and 2015 in the so-called Vialidad (Transport) case. The case was launched in 2019, soon after Fernandez de Kirchner assumed the vice-presidency. She resolutely rejects the allegations, saying that she is a victim of political persecution by anti-Peronist groups.Fernandez de Kirchner has been acquitted in several cases for alleged crimes that are supposed to have taken place when she was president, but the vice-president still faces five trials in the courts, according to the Buenos Aires Times. Speaking at the trial earlier this week Fernandez de Kirchner's legal team referred to errors and contradictions in the accusation presented by the prosecution and accused the judge and prosecutors of political bias.One glaring example concerns Lula da Silva who was faced charges of alleged money laundering and corruption in 2017. However, in 2022 the Brazilian Supreme Court threw out all corruption charges against the former Brazilian president.The Intercept suggested in 2017 that the remover of Latin America's socialist governments in the 2010s through a series of "anti-corruption" trials appeared to be a coordinated effort by right-wing elements in Latin America and US conservative institutions. The latter apparently had a motive given that Latin American socialists moved away from the US-backed neo-liberal economic model and challenged US dominance at the start of the 21st century.Argentine Corporate Press is After CFKThe Argentine opposition and corporate media are capitalizing on Fernandez de Kirchner's Vialidad case to smear the vice-president and the Peronist coalition ahead of the 2023 general elections, according to Mele. Earlier, Fernandez de Kirchner hinted that she could throw her hat into the ring next year.The former Argentine governments of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and her husband and predecessor Nestor Kirchner had several conflicts with major media groups, including media conglomerate Grupo Clarin, daily newspaper La Nacion and weekly newspaper Perfil. CFK accused the media of deliberately promoting her overthrow. In 2008, Fernandez de Kirchner lambasted Grupo Clarin for "fomenting civil unrest" as the latter sided with farmers striking against her export taxes, according to the New York Times. The NYT also quoted Grupo Clarin critics as saying that the media group "colluded with the military dictatorship in the Seventies, giving it advantages over competitors, before aggressively expanding by pressing democratically elected leaders to loosen antimonopoly measures."Liberal center-right coalition Together for Change, which was co-founded by former Argentine President Mauricio Macri, is likely to be the beneficiary of the media's "war on Fernandez de Kirchner" as they are preparing to cross swords with the Peronist Front for Everyone coalition. Peronists lost their majority in Congress to Together for Change in November 2021.Still, Mele emphasizes, the liberal opposition does not have any new ideas to fix the economy and continues to push ahead with the economic agenda that has already failed throughout the South American continent.Apparent US Factor in Brewing TensionsAt the same time, there could also be a US factor behind the mounting pressure on the Peronist coalition, according to the professor.Washington is up in arms about Latin America's left-leaning governments strengthening relations with Russia and China, since it still sees Latin America as its backyard under the 1823 Monroe Doctrine. That said, the US leadership has plenty of reasons to be dissatisfied with Buenos Aires.The former Fernandez de Kirchner government used to maintain working relations with both Moscow and Beijing. Furthermore, her administration agreed in 2015 to permit Argentina to host a Chinese space-tracking station in the south-western province of Neuquen, which "caused consternation in the United States because of its potential for strategic uses, despite the stations civilian designation," according to the Diplomat.Meanwhile, on 6 February 2022 the Fernandez government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Beijing. In June, President Fernandez announced during the 14th BRICS summit that his country was seeking membership of BRICS, an acronym for a group of major developing economies  Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.Even though Fernandez criticized Russia's military operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, his government has ignored the West's anti-Russian sanctions. Argentine opposition lawmakers lambasted Peronists for failing to take a "more critical stance" towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. The opposition demanded that Fernandez issue "a clear and forceful condemnation of Russia's actions", and deliver "the immediate alignment of our country with the West in the formulation of sanctions and actions aimed at restoring peace," as quoted by Buenos Aires Times.The US still maintains a strong influence on the Latin American continent, according to the professor.The United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), located in Doral, Florida in Greater Miami, is responsible for "providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation" for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. In particular, in April 2020, the US Southern Command resorted to nothing short of a psy-op near Venezuelan shores aimed against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. The show of force followed the US-backed failed the 2019 coup attempt in Caracas and preceded a botched armed incursion code-named "Operation Gideon" in May 2020 to remove the president.Regardless of growing internal and external pressure, Mele is confident that Argentina will overcome these obstacles and evade political violence at a time when the world is undergoing a profound shift in the geopolitical status quo.

https://sputniknews.com/20220122/a-second-pink-tide-how-argentina-brazil--chile-could-facilitate-new-south-american-union-1092453698.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220919/borrell-sees-ukrainian-conflict-as-good-occasion-for-enhancing-eu-latin-america-ties-1100983183.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220627/kremlin-on-argentinas-desire-to-join-brics-moscow-supports-organizations-expansion-1096719883.html

https://sputniknews.com/20200513/the-bay-of-piglets-how-botched-venezuela-raid-strips-washington-of-its-prestige--soft-power-1079292489.html

argentina

venezuela

brazil

china

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Ekaterina Blinova

Ekaterina Blinova

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Ekaterina Blinova

us, argentina, cristina fernandez de kirchner, latin america, latin america, venezuela, brazil, brics, belt and road initiative, china, monroe doctrine
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/no-visible-police-presence-reported-in-beijing-amid-coup-plot-rumors-1101178888.html

No Visible Police Presence Reported in Beijing Amid Coup Plot Rumors - Video

No Visible Police Presence Reported in Beijing Amid Coup Plot Rumors - Video

BEIJING (Sputnik) - There was no visible security presence in Beijing on Saturday, a week before China celebrates the founding of the Peoples Republic, a... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T14:15+0000

2022-09-24T14:15+0000

2022-09-24T17:04+0000

world

china

beijing

fake news

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103250/91/1032509198_0:114:4001:2364_1920x0_80_0_0_b1bec3126c511c600efed3a43d2b6a35.jpg

Unconfirmed media reports suggested this week that the Chinese military was plotting a coup during the so-called Golden Week of public holidays that precede Chinas National Day on October 1.It is possible to travel to and from Beijing. Air and train tickets are available online, although prices are up ahead of the holiday week. There are no internet or social media blackouts or changes to TV schedules.Hundreds of air flights to and from Beijings airports have been cut, down from the reported thousands. Delays and cancellations have been an ongoing issue in China for months due to pandemic restrictions.

china

beijing

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

china, beijing, fake news
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/peaceful-settlement-of-taiwan-issue-incompatible-with-its-independence---beijing-1101159294.html

Peaceful Settlement of Taiwan Issue Incompatible With Its Independence - Beijing

Peaceful Settlement of Taiwan Issue Incompatible With Its Independence - Beijing

BEIJING (Sputnik) - A peaceful settlement of the dispute in the Taiwan Strait is incompatible with Taiwan's independence from China, Chinese Foreign Minister... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T03:54+0000

2022-09-24T03:54+0000

2022-09-24T03:54+0000

world

beijing

taiwan

china

one china policy

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/17/1101117661_0:1238:1355:2000_1920x0_80_0_0_6339666a9e87cf7e3c408085246bad5c.jpg

"A peaceful settlement is incompatible with Taiwan's separatism and independence; the more unrestrained the actions to achieve the island's independence is, the less likely that there would be a peaceful solution," the Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Wang as saying at the meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.In order to protect peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, it is necessary to oppose and stop any actions aimed at achieving Taiwan's independence, Wang said.The foreign minister noted that China and the US have common interests and profound differences, adding that both sides knew they were dealing with a country with a different political system, "which in no way prevented them from cooperating based on common interests and should not serve as a reason for opposing and confrontation between Beijing and Washington."Wang expressed hope that the US would correct its perception of China, reconsider its policy toward Beijing, stop communicating with the Chinese authorities from a position of strength, and would not impede China's development.The situation around Taiwan escalated after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in early August. China condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island. Several countries, including France, Lithuania, the United States, and Japan, have sent their delegations to the island since then, further increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan  a territory with its own elected government  maintains that it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.

https://sputniknews.com/20220919/bidens-taiwan-defense-vows-how-us-using-salami-slicing-strategy-to-dilute-one-china-principle-1100977719.html

beijing

china

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

beijing, taiwan, china, one china policy
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/protests-against-un-peacekeepers-unfold-in-middle-of-mali-national-holiday-1101171099.html

Protests Against UN Peacekeepers Unfold in Middle of Mali National Holiday

Protests Against UN Peacekeepers Unfold in Middle of Mali National Holiday

A military parade in Mali, featuring fighter planes performing a fly past, took place on 22 September to celebrate the country's Independence Day... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T13:59+0000

2022-09-24T13:59+0000

2022-09-26T03:59+0000

africa

africa

mali

protest

independence day

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/18/1101177844_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ac5326d696e22f52a8ba8cd389168b57.jpg

Protests broke out in Malis capital city, Bamako, against UN peacekeepers while the country was celebrating its Independence Day on 22 September.A huge crowd of protestors with Malian - and, occasionally, Russian - flags marched through the streets of the capital chanting anti-UN slogans.MINUSMA has operated in Mali since 2013, aiming to ensure security, assist the reestablishment of state authority and to promote human rights in that country, according to a mission statement from the United Nations Peacekeeping force.Last June, the UN Security Council extended MINUSMA's operations for a year until 30 June 2023, but for the first time without air support from France.This year was the first time Mali celebrated its Independence Day with no French troops on its territory, as the French left the country after its 9-year Operation Barkhane in Mali, which was aimed, according to French officials, at fighting Islamist terrorism in the Sahel, a semi-arid region in Africa.The end of Operation Barkhane in Mali was accompanied by the country's government blaming France for supporting terrorists inside the country.On 14 May 2022, young Malians demonstrated in support of their army's leaders who were said to be pursuing a strategy at odds with French interests.After the last French soldiers withdrew from Mali in August, France's Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu claimed that his country's presence in the Sahel and "reinforced cooperation with the countries of the area, eg Niger" will continue. In the wake of leaving Mali, France move Operation Barkhane's headquarters to Niger.On 18 September, demonstrators from Niger marched through the streets of that country's capital, Niamey, to protest against French troops who had been newly deployed in their home.The protestors were holding banners saying criminal French army - get out and The colonial army of Barkhane must go". Many of the protestors were carrying Russian flags.

https://sputniknews.com/20220920/why-nigerien-protesters-want-french-army-out--wave-russian-flags-1101019233.html

africa

mali

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Olga Borodkina

Olga Borodkina

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Olga Borodkina

africa, mali, protest, independence day
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/radiation-level-at-zaporozhye-npp-remains-normal-after-shelling-by-ukraine---russian-mod-1101179695.html

Radiation Level at Zaporozhye NPP Remains Normal After Shelling by Ukraine - Russian MoD

Radiation Level at Zaporozhye NPP Remains Normal After Shelling by Ukraine - Russian MoD

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The radiation level at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP) remains normal after a shelling by Ukrainian forces, the Russian Defense... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T14:35+0000

2022-09-24T14:35+0000

2022-09-24T14:36+0000

nuclear power plant

ukraine

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/08/1b/1100054229_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_4d3a527f581b6e9fd5ec4cfa394e7572.jpg

Russian artillery took down a Bayraktar TB2 drone that was heading from Kiev-controlled Nikopol region toward the ZNPP earlier in the day, the ministry said. Ukrainian forces also fired 10 artillery projectiles at the village of Volna, located near the ZNPP, but the Russian forces successfully countered the attack, it added."The radiation situation at the Zaporozhye NPP remains normal," the ministry said.Located on the left bank of the Dnieper River, the ZNPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of the number of units and output. During the military operation in Ukraine, launched by Russia on February 24, the nuclear plant and surrounding area fell under the control of the Russian forces. The NPP has recently been targeted by the Ukrainian troops, though Kiev has blamed Russia for the attacks.An international mission led by the IAEA visited the Zaporozhye NPP from August 31 to September 3. As a result of the visit, the agency issued a report on the situation at the facility and called on all sides to the conflict to end the shelling of the plant and establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone around it.

https://sputniknews.com/20220908/moscow-hopes-for-objective-assessment-of-situation-at-zaporozhye-npp-by-iaea-1100556593.html

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

nuclear power plant, ukraine
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/seoul-believes-north-korea-gearing-up-for-slbm-launch-report-says-1101175680.html

Seoul Believes North Korea Gearing Up for SLBM Launch, Report Says

Seoul Believes North Korea Gearing Up for SLBM Launch, Report Says

SEOUL (Sputnik) - South Korea believes that North Korea's activities in the eastern coastal city of Sinpo may indicate that Pyongyang is preparing to fire a... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T12:48+0000

2022-09-24T12:48+0000

2022-09-24T12:49+0000

military

south korea

north korea

ballistic missile

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/05/07/1095338945_0:0:2863:1611_1920x0_80_0_0_629de09a5ffcbaeb9ec4b733c604a8d5.jpg

Sources told Yonhap that the South Korean military recently detected possible signs of preparations for the SLBM launch in the North Korean city of Sinpo."We are closely monitoring North Korea's SLBM-related facilities and activities, and maintaining a thorough readiness posture," an unnamed military official was quoted as saying by the news agency.These alleged preparations may come as a response to the arrival of the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier for military drills scheduled for late September, the news agency noted.On Wednesday, a US-based think tank 38 North shared commercial satellite photos of the Sinpo south shipyard from September 18 that showed six barges and vessels gathered around a construction quay. The think tank believes that the new position of the vessels at the port indicates that Pyongyang is preparing to launch a new submarine.North Korea conducted a successful test launch of the Pukguksong-1 SLBM in 2015. The third modification, Pukguksong-3, was launched in 2019 from a submerged barge. In October 2019, North Korea demonstrated a new missile, Pukguksong-4S, at a parade in Pyongyang, with Pukguksong-5S presented in January 2020.In October 2021, North Korea announced that it had tested an SLBM from the submarine dubbed "Hero of August 24." Although Pyongyang did not reveal the name of the missile, it is believed to be the Pukguksong type.In May 2022, South Korea said its northern neighbor launched one short-range ballistic missile, presumably an SLBM, near the Sinpo Port toward the Sea of Japan.North Korea's latest SLBMs are presumably constructed for a 3,000-tonne submarine that is still under development.

https://sputniknews.com/20220606/us-south-korea-test-fire-8-missiles-in-response-to-north-koreas-launches---reports-1096039303.html

south korea

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

south korea, north korea, ballistic missile
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/trumps-strategy-helped-shield-us-from-energy-collapse-amid-bidens-spr-sell-off-analysis-suggests-1101178603.html

Trumps Strategy Helped Shield US From Energy Collapse Amid Bidens SPR Sell-off, Analysis Suggests

Trumps Strategy Helped Shield US From Energy Collapse Amid Bidens SPR Sell-off, Analysis Suggests

US media warned this week that the nation iss running on empty and risks calamity as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve - a crude oil stockpile meant for use in... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T14:37+0000

2022-09-24T14:37+0000

2022-09-24T15:26+0000

americas

us

joe biden

strategic petroleum reserve (spr)

oil

energy

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107820/19/1078201903_0:173:1920:1253_1920x0_80_0_0_6a0dc1b083c8ae56f6c5b1377d68c598.jpg

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) tends to grow during Republican administrations and fall under Democratic ones, and the energy independence strategy pursued by recent administrations, including Donald Trump's, may help shield the country from an energy catastrophe even as the Biden White House continues to eat away at the reserve supply, veteran energy expert Robert Rapier believes.In 2005, the SPRs 685Mln barrels of sweet and sour crude was enough to cover 68 days if all other sources had become unavailable for whatever reason. Today, the SPR is down to about 427Mln barrels  its lowest level since 1984, and enough to last only 22 days.Still, thanks to the increased availability of domestically sourced crude, Rapier believes that the SPR carries less strategic importance presently than it once did, and that a 700Mln-barrel reserve may no longer be necessary.'Political Decision'The observer characterized the Biden administration's move to siphon off up to a million barrels per day to the market from the SPR beginning in March as a political decision that contradicts the Democrats stated goal of reducing carbon emissions, with an increase in supplies actually expected to bring down prices, which means keeping both demand and emissions high.But even though the Biden administration wants to tackle rising carbon emissions, high gasoline prices cause incumbents to lose elections. So, they try to tame gasoline prices even though it contradicts one of their key objectives of reducing carbon emissions, Rapier explained.When Biden took office in January 2021, the SPR had about 640Mln barrels of oil. This week, pointing to the shrinking of the reserve by more than 30 percent, an editorial in the Wall Street Journal blasted the president and described his actions as a potential national security risk.However, Rapier pointed out that the use of the SPR for political goals has been a long-established practice in American politics, with presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama similarly using the reserve around election time, whereas Republican presidents (until Donald Trump) added to the SPR. Trump was estimated to have withdrawn about 10 percent of the reserve during his tenure, and failed to top it up substantially during the unprecedented crash in oil prices in the spring of 2020.Although Biden officials have announced that the administration intends to replenish the SPR sometime after fiscal 2023, Rapier doesnt believe that this will take place until after the 2024 presidential election.Dr Mamdouh Salameh, an international oil economist, disagreed with Rapiers analysis, warning that although the drop in the SPR under Biden may not cause problems in the short term, long term, this could be critical for US energy security, particularly in view of the deteriorating situation between Russia and China on the one hand, and the US and the EU on the other over the Ukraine conflict and Taiwan, respectively.Salameh said that US shale production was a spent force that has proved its inability to increase output dramatically, and warned that there is an ever-shrinking global oil spare capacity, including within OPEC+, making it more difficult for the US to replace the crude it released from its SPR.Burning Through the ReserveThe US Department of Energy announced last week that it would sell off an additional 10Mln barrels of crude from the SPR in November, extending the drawdown of up to a million barrels per day announced by Biden in March.Republicans and other Biden critics slammed the president this summer after reports emerged that millions of barrels of crude from the SPR had been shipped abroad instead of being used domestically to lower prices, with some of the oil reportedly sold to companies affiliated with the presidents son Hunter.The SPR was created by President Gerald Ford in 1975, two years after western countries suffered the impact of the devastating OPEC oil embargo placed on them over their support for Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Formally, the SPR is supposed to be released only in the event of a severe energy interruption which poses a threat to US national security.

https://sputniknews.com/20220924/us-oil-buffer-at-historic-low-in-wake-of-joe-bidens-unprecedented-spr-release-strategy-1101162021.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220924/americans-have-lost-42k-in-income-as-crippling-inflation-under-biden-wipes-out-trump-gains---study-1101160066.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220913/why-bidens-draining-of-strategic-petroleum-reserves-is-grave-mistake-1100737615.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220907/totally-stupid-decision-west-in-no-position-to-dictate-conditions-on-energy-prices-putin-says-1100482488.html

americas

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Ilya Tsukanov

us, joe biden, strategic petroleum reserve (spr), oil, energy
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/unga-77-lavrov-discusses-bilateral-cooperation-with-uae-malian-foreign-ministers-1101159739.html

UNGA 77: Lavrov Discusses Bilateral Cooperation With UAE, Malian Foreign Ministers

UNGA 77: Lavrov Discusses Bilateral Cooperation With UAE, Malian Foreign Ministers

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Malian Foreign... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T04:55+0000

2022-09-24T04:55+0000

2022-09-24T04:55+0000

world

united nations general assembly (unga)

sergei lavrov

mali

uae

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/07/1c/1097886421_0:0:2917:1640_1920x0_80_0_0_8e1db7969f4794a29f46f777b2df46ce.jpg

According to the ministry, Lavrov and Al Nahyan have discussed the development of Russian-Emirati cooperation, as well as confirmed the joint intention of Moscow and Abu Dhabi to strengthen bilateral relations with "mutually beneficial cooperation" in trade, economy, investment, and energy.During the meeting with Diop, the sides discussed issues of Russian-Malian cooperation and the problems of countering the terrorist threat in the Sahel region.The Russian side has reiterated its intention to continue participating in collective efforts toward a settlement in Mali, including within the United Nations and the UN Security Council.In May 2021, the Malian armed forces led by then-Vice President Assimi Goita removed interim President Bah Ndaw and acting Prime Minister Moctar Ouane from office after accusing them of breaking transition rules. A military council took control of the country and announced its intention to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in 2022. In June 2021, the Constitutional Court of Mali declared Goita the interim president.In July 2022, the authorities of Mali made the decision to suspend the rotation of the military in the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), including those already announced and planned. The decision was made against the background of the detention of 49 soldiers from the Ivory Coast, who, according to the Ivorian authorities, arrived as part of a UN mission. Malian authorities said that the soldiers were allegedly mercenaries and planned a coup. In early September, three women from the detained military were released.

mali

uae

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

united nations general assembly (unga), sergei lavrov, mali, uae
https://sputniknews.com/20220924/weekly-news-wrap-up-europes-energy-contraction-russia-partial-mobilization-1101157673.html

Weekly News Wrap-up; Europe's Energy Contraction; Russia Partial Mobilization

Weekly News Wrap-up; Europe's Energy Contraction; Russia Partial Mobilization

The Ukraine crisis has escalated and many international observers are concerned that a clash of superpowers could result in a nuclear catastrophe. 24.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-24T08:00+0000

2022-09-24T08:00+0000

2022-09-24T08:00+0000

the critical hour

the critical hour

donald trump

fbi

ukraine

mobilization

us federal reserve

venezuela

cuba

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/17/1101157527_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_72c7d2562aec33fd86554cf060d4fecc.png

Weekly News Wrap-up; Europe's Energy Contraction; Russia Partial Mobilization The Ukraine crisis has escalated and many international observers are concerned that a clash of superpowers could result in a nuclear catastrophe.

Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss the Middle East. Israel is trying to sabotage the Iran nuclear deal. Also, Canada extends its military mission in Iraq and Saudi money is flowing into US political parties.Dr. Jack Rasmus, professor in Economics and Politics at St. Mary's College in California, joins us to discuss the economy. The House GOP is setting an agenda of austerity that includes medicare and social security cuts. Also, the Federal Reserve is making moves that guarantee the US will fall deeper into recession.James Early, former Assistant Secretary for Education and Public Service at the Smithsonian Institution and board member for the Institute for Policy Studies, joins us to discuss the threat of nuclear war. The Ukraine crisis has escalated, and many international security analysts are warning that a nuclear apocalypse could result from a clash of world powers.Steve Poikonen, national organizer for Action4Assange, and Jim Kavanagh, writer at thepolemicist.net and CounterPunch, and author of "Let Roe Go: Winning Abortion Rights," join us to discuss this week's important news stories. President Biden is facing cries of hypocrisy after arguing that nations can not take other nations by force as the US illegally occupies Syria and Iraq by force of arms. Also, we discuss Julian Assange and the EU economic crisis.Margaret Kimberley, editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents, and Dr. Colin Campbell, DC senior news correspondent, join us to discuss this week's stories. Senator Bernie Sanders is blasting GOP Senators for opposing a resolution against a military coup in Brazil. Also, Russia and China vow to fight together to oppose NATO expansion, and the US State Dept. will stop publishing military expenditures.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

ukraine

venezuela

cuba

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Garland Nixon https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125302_0:0:239:239_100x100_80_0_0_d5d43c970b0740f228597fbcdb4ffd66.jpg

Garland Nixon https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125302_0:0:239:239_100x100_80_0_0_d5d43c970b0740f228597fbcdb4ffd66.jpg

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

Garland Nixon https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125302_0:0:239:239_100x100_80_0_0_d5d43c970b0740f228597fbcdb4ffd66.jpg

the critical hour, donald trump, fbi, ukraine, mobilization, us federal reserve, venezuela, cuba, , radio, radio sputnik, julian assange
A flood-affected family stand outside a makeshift shelter on the outskirts of southern Pakistan's Hyderabad on Sept. 24, 2022. (Str/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed in monsoon rain-triggered flash floods during the last 24 hours in Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.

Four children and two women were among those who lost their lives in separate flood-related incidents, according to a report released by the NDMA on Friday evening.

The country's southwestern Balochistan province was the worst-hit region with six killed, followed by the southern Sindh province, which reported four deaths, the report said.

The report said 17 houses were destroyed and 26,506 livestock animals perished in different parts of Pakistan.

The total death toll in Pakistan from this season's monsoon rains and floods since mid-June has risen to around 1,606, along with 12,863 injured, the NDMA said.

Additionally, 2,016,025 houses have been destroyed, while an estimated 1,067,241 livestock animals have perished in the rains across the country, it said.

Rescue and relief operations by the NDMA, other government organizations, volunteers and non-governmental organizations were underway in the flood-hit areas. 

A woman holding a kid enters a makeshift shelter on the outskirts of southern Pakistan's Hyderabad on Sept. 24, 2022. (Str/Xinhua)

Flood-affected children play on the outskirts of southern Pakistan's Hyderabad on Sept. 24, 2022. (Str/Xinhua)
This week's Rewind column is the regular monthly edition of 'Picture Parade.' As is the custom it has a central theme and all of this week's old pictures are from the once mighty metropolitan Montreal tracks Blue Bonnets and Richelieu Park. These two world class tracks played host to numerous great races, driver competitions and other headline events for many decades. The job at hand is to identify the personalities in each picture and send along your answer with the corresponding number. If you just like to look and perhaps reminisce, that works as well.

#1 - Let's start with an easy one. In this vintage photo you have to name the driver and the horse.

#2 - A visiting driver from Italy Gino Borelli (far left), in Montreal for a special day, pauses for a chat and a photo with two Montreal regulars plus a judge standing behind. If you can name them all or at least the two drivers and let us know.

#3 - These two chaps start out the race day with a handshake and a "May the best man win" wish to each other before a Labatts competition.

#4 - Long before the "No Smoking" or "Defense de Fumer" rules were in effect these two guys paused to light up. Who are they?

#5 - Who are these two youthful competitors? Tell us who they are.

#6 - Looks like the portrait of a driver. Can anyone identify who it might be and also who the two admirers are?

#7 - This fellow on the left was so well known at the Montreal tracks that you can't mistake him, or at least I don't think.

#8 - Anybody back there? This driver appears to be checking for any nearby competitors as he nears the finish line. Can you identify him?

#9 - What track do we have here based on what you see in the background?

#10 - This very popular driver raced at both of the featured tracks but "loved" Blue Bonnets the most apparently. (Harness Horse photo)

Special Photo

Can you identify these two well-known individuals, neither involved with harness racing, as they paid a visit to Charlottetown, P.E.I. in 1964. This lady was known to have a great love of horses.

Quote For The Week: "It always seems impossible until it's done." - Wisdom of Nelson Mandela


Area sixth graders filled the Wildcat Hills Nature Center for a day of hands-on learning for the annual Branch Out field trip on Thursday, Sept. 22.

The purpose of Branch Out is to give sixth grade students the chance to benefit from the expertise, knowledge and passion of a number of local agencies that work with trees on a regular basis, David Griess, professional learning coordinator for ESU 13, said.

Seven classes from Bridgeport, Minatare, Bayard and Morrill experienced a day all about Panhandle trees in activities organized by ESU 13 and Nebraska Game & Parks. Representatives from area agencies teamed up to man eight stations for the groups to rotate through  tree planting, the SNAG tree, tree products and benefits, build a tree, tree identification, urban canopy, forest health and forest firefighting.

Chilly temperatures and brisk winds kept the groups inside the nature center with the exception of three stations.

Emily Stine, from the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, lead the tree identification process beginning inside the center before braving the outdoors.

The second outdoor station was tree planting with Todd Filipi and Ken Ridgeway from the North Platte Natural Resources District. Filipi began by holding an apple up to the students as a representation of our planet. He then cut away portions of the apple until a tiny sliver was left.

Were down to this little piece that we can actually grow food to sustain ourselves to live, Filipi said. We need to protect that little amount and one of the ways we do that is with trees.

The chilly, windy station ended when the students huddled in a tight circles to plant a tree, water it, gave it a name and then sing it Happy Birthday.

The third outdoor station, a popular one for many of the students, was learning about forest health from Luke Gazak with Nebraska Game & Parks. The kids lined up to take a turn using a tree boring tool to sample a ponderosa pine trunk. Conversation sparked about the strong smell and signs of damage from beetles, even the cost of the boring tool.

We looked it up earlier today, theyre over $300, Gazak said to a group from Bridgeport.

The station creating the most noise was also the overwhelming favorite, Chrissy Land with the Nebraska Forest Service taught students the purpose of the layers of a tree trunk, limbs, leaves and roots. The organized chaos began after the lesson when Land handed out laminated cards. The cards assigned each student a role to act out.

So you are the lateral roots, your legs are the roots going out laterally and youre going to go schloooop, Land said to Andrew Wimberly from Andrea Horts Morrill class.

After practicing their part with the help of Land, the group joined together to loudly exclaim their role with plenty of laughter thrown in.

Hort said her class enjoyed learning about trees and Mother Nature, and how they are important to us.

This will tie in perfectly with our science unit on ecology and the environment that we are learning about right now, she said.

Griess explained how the Branch Out field experience ties into the Nebraska College and Career Ready Standards for sixth grade science.

For instance, in sixth grade, Nebraska students learn how to construct an argument based on evidence for how plant and animal adaptations affect the probability of successful reproduction, he said. Going around from station to station, I got to see students were given multiple opportunities to gather, analyze and communicate this evidence.
Three candidates were named for the City of Scottsbluff city manager position during the Monday, Sept. 19 council meeting. As the council moves through the interview process, the Star-Herald requested each candidates application materials for insight about their qualifications.

One candidate, Kevin Spencer, is an internal candidate, serving as interim city manager and the citys police chief. Two of the candidates, Shawn Metcalf and Matthew Schmitz, are also weighing other options, having been named finalists for the Hastings city administrator position, according to a Norfolk Daily News article published on Sept. 14.

Shawn Metcalf

Metcalf resides in Rawlins, Wyoming, and is currently employed as the city manager/CEO for the City of Rawlins, a position he has held since September of 2020. Rawlins population is 8,820 people.

A review of Metcalfs cover letter shares details about his current position, his education and he describes his leadership style as a servant leader. As Rawlins city manager, he oversees 12 direct reports, 120 full-time employees and a $33 million budget.

I am a servant leader and treat employees as an organizations most valuable asset, Metcalf wrote in his cover letter. I have a deep understanding and ability to build a culture of trust with elected officials, citizens, and employees.

Prior to his city manager position, Metcalf served as the associate vice president of human resources for Uintah Basin Technical College in Roosevelt, Utah, from 2015 to 2020. He worked as the assistant city manager and finance and human resources director in Roosevelt, Utah, from October of 2013 to May of 2015. He also served as a senior budget and management analyst, in 2012-13 for the city of San Antonio, Texas, and management analyst for the city of San Antonio.

He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Brigham Young University in recreation management and public administration, with an emphasis in finance and local government. His background includes qualifications as a finance director and human resources director.

Matthew Schmitz

Schmitz is currently employed as the director of community and economic development for the city of Lansing, Kansas. He has held this position since March 2018.

Prior to that role, he was a management analyst/right-of-way manager for Shawnee, Kansas, from August 2015 to March 2018; a senior engineering technician from 2012-2015; and engineering technician for Shawnee from 2006-2012.

A review of Schmitzs cover letter indicates he has experience with managing large and small projects with budgets from $900,000 to $150 million as well as overseeing staff in a municipal environment.

...The depth of my experience in public administration and management offers you the opportunity to hire a real pro who needs little or no training, who is comfortable in high stress environments, and who has experience with situations which have a major impact on the community, he wrote in his cover letter.

Schmitz earned his master of public administration from the University of Kansas in Overland Park, Kansas; a bachelor of science in business administration from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas; and associates of applied science  civil engineering technology from Johnson County Community College in Overland Park.

Kevin Spencer

Spencer resides in Gering and is currently serving as the Scottsbluff chief of police and interim co-city manager. Spencer and city Finance Director Liz Hilyard were named interim co-city managers on Feb. 21, following the termination of city manager Dustin Rief.

Spencer has served as chief since May 2013, but has been employed by the Scottsbluff Police Department since March 2001. Prior to his tenure in Scottsbluff, he served as the police chief in Morrill from 2000-2001. He has also served as a deputy with the Pawnee County Sheriffs Office in Larned, Kansas, from 1999-2000, and as a patrolman, corporal and detective with the Great Bend Police Department in Great Bend, Kansas, from 1991 to 1999.

Reviewing Spencers cover letter for the city manager position, he outlined his leadership experience and abilities to implement policies and project oversight.

I have a proven track record in labor negotiations, and my focus on building strong, professional relationships has been a beneficial asset throughout my career, Spencer wrote.

Spencer earned his associate degree in criminal justice from Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas; completed 62 undergraduate credit hours at Fort Hays State University; graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy (FBINA); completed 19 undergraduate credit hours at University of Virginia; and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from American Military University.

During the Sept. 19 Scottsbluff City Council meeting, the council discussed holding interviews with the thee candidates via Zoom on Sept. 30 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The council plans to narrow the applicants down to the top two candidates. At that time, those two candidates will be asked to come in-person for interviews. That will be the communitys opportunity to engage in the process, according to the process outlined during Mondays meeting.

Within the applications, only Metcalfs listed a current salary range for his position between $125,000 and $139,000. Schmitz and Spencer left those fields blank.

Comparatively, former Scottsbluff city manager Rick Kuckkahn started at $93,584.50 and during his service as interim-city manager he made $120,000 and was compensated in lieu of other benefits full-time employees are entitled to, such as insurance, retirement, vacation and sick leave. Former city manager Nathan Johnsons salary was $117,875, in addition to benefits, when he left the position. Most recently, city manager Dustin Riefs starting salary was $150,000. He left the position making $157,500, in addition to benefits.
Every October, the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum celebrates the former first lady and Wytheville native daughters birthday. But this year is a biggie  150  and the museum is going all out with tours, a special dinner, breakfast and a worship service.

The celebration begins at noon on Saturday, Oct. 15, Bolling-Wilsons actual birthday, with museum tours from noon to 4 p.m. Then at 6 p.m., reservations are required for Dinner Wythe Edith in the ballroom of the Bolling Wilson Hotel.

The next day, there will be a hoecake breakfast at St. Johns Episcopal Church at 8:30 a.m., followed by a the church worship service at 10 a.m. The hoecakes will be made using Bolling-Wilsons favorite recipe.

The guest speaker for the Italian-themed Dinner Wythe Edith is journalist Rebecca Roberts, who is writing a biography of Bolling-Wilson. The daughter of journalist and author Cokie Roberts, Roberts book, Untold Power, will be published by Viking next year.

Roberts has served as a journalist, producer, forensic anthropologist, political consultant and radio talk show host. Currently, she is the curator of programming at Planet Word, a museum that celebrates the joys and wonders of words and language. Roberts serves on boards of the National Archives Foundation and the Womens Leadership Committee of the Trust for the National Mall. She is also on the editorial advisory committee of the White House Historical Association.

An award-winning educator, author and speaker, Roberts books include, The Suffragist Playbook: Your Guide to Changing the World; Suffragists in Washington, DC: The 1913 Parade and the Fight for the Vote; and Historic Congressional Cemetery. The International Literacy Association named The Suffragist Playbook as the best young adult non-fiction title for 2021.

Also during the birthday dinner, Wytheville resident and retired teacher Betsy Ely will portray Edith and greet guests as they arrive at the hotel and share stories of her life as first lady.

In addition, local radio personality Thom Moore will portray Chef Boyardee. As a young man, Ettore Boiardi, who later became known as Chef Boyardee, caught the eye of President Woodrow Wilson during one of his stays at a resort. The encounter brought Boiardi to Washington, D.C. in 1915 to cater the president and Bollings wedding reception. The chef so impressed the couple that they asked him to oversee a dinner they planned for 2,000 soldiers returning home from the first World War.

Museum founder and Executive Director Farron Smith said that Elys portrayal of the first lady is the museums most requested program. She said that during the dinner, Ely will share memories of Ediths life in Wytheville as well as the first ladys last birthday party in Washington, D.C.

According to Smith, few people today personally knew Bolling-Wilson.

Two of her family members will attend the dinner, and they love sharing their stories of their Aunt Edith. It is wonderful to have them back in Wytheville to support the birthplace of Edith and also of their own grandparents, Smith said.

The museums Board of Trustees, Bolling family members and our volunteers are pleased to celebrate Mrs. Wilsons birthday once again after dealing with COVID these past couple of years, Smith added. And to have such a respected author as Rebecca Roberts travel from Washington, D.C., to speak at Dinner Wythe Edith is the icing on the cake  that is Ediths birthday cake!

Tickets are $75 per person. Seating is limited, so Smith encourages everyone to buy tickets early either online at www.edithbollingwilson.org, at the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum, or by calling 276-223-3484.
The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday brought in a much larger floating crane to remove the Alert, one of two vessels that sank near the Interstate 5 Bridge. The former World War II submarine chaser should be lifted and moved to the shipyard within three days.

While the process of lifting and moving the Alert and the sunken towboat Sakarissa is complex and expensive, nearly $3.25 million, theres a plan for Oregons government to have a much better way to prevent boats from becoming derelict.

The Oregon Legislature will consider the new plans in the next session, which might lead to also removing the roughly 250 other abandoned derelict boats in the Columbia and Willamette rivers.

Im so grateful we got to a solution here, said Capt. Scott Jackson, commander of Coast Guard Sector Columbia River.

Removal

Beginning at about 7 a.m. Saturday, the D.B. Pacific Lifter ship, the largest crane barge on the West Coast, will begin lifting the Alert, which sunk in November. Diving crews already threaded chains underneath the hull of the vessel, and the crane will lift the ship up slowly while crews observe to see if the hull is holding together.

If the ship doesnt start collapsing and tearing open, it will be either patched up so it can float, or it will be placed on a floating dry dock and taken to Diversified Marine where any oily water left in the ship will be removed. The Pacific Lifter ship is contracted to work on the site for three days.

The Oregon Department of State Lands will then retake control of the two ships and scrap them.

If the Alert starts tearing open during lifting this weekend, the Coast Guard will stop and reassess its options. One possibility is to remove as much contaminated water and trash in the boats and then cut the ship open while its still in the water. The Coast Guard had to do that recently with another sunken ship in Astoria called Tourist No. 2.

The Sakarissa was lifted by a smaller floating crane barge and removed by the Coast Guard earlier this week. It is now at Diversified Marine being cleaned of contaminants.

The historic Sakarissa and Alert ships were planned to be restored and turned into museum exhibits by Harvey Walter James, but he could not raise enough money for the fix-ups. James died sometime in the last few years, but details about the former owner are sparse.

Both ships had homeless people living on and in them. The Coast Guard saw evidence that someone had cut holes in the pipes and the hull, causing both ships to sink within the past year.

The Oregon Department of State Lands, which owns the land underneath the sunken ships, officially seized control of both boats after they sunk. The agency was aware of the boats and the homeless people living on them, but there isnt a state program to coordinate the removal of abandoned ships until theyve sunk and caused a greater issue, said Bill Ryan, Deputy Director for Operations at The Oregon Department of State Lands.

Ryan said that local law enforcement was reluctant to remove the homeless people living on the ships, further delaying the removal.

Once the ships sunk, the removal process became easier for both the Oregon Department of State Lands and the U.S. Coast Guard, said Ryan.

That might change with a new push to have a system to better prevent and also remove the other derelict boats in Oregon, mostly in the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.

Ryan said he wants Oregon to replicate some of Washingtons vessel oversight programs. He wants Oregon to have the ability to better register boats, enforce insurance requirements for boats and track who owns them. Washington has a law that the seller and buyer of a boat must have insurance.

A draft of a bill is being analyzed by the Oregon State Governors office now, he said.

If people have an old boat, and they want to get rid of it, they can sell it to someone for a dollar, he said. If youre driving your car down the street and you leave it on the side of the street, it would take police a short time to know whose it is.

A rough estimate to remove all the 350 or so abandon or derelict vessels in Oregon could cost $40 million, Ryan said.

The Oregon Department of State Lands is next month going to consider ending overnight camping on the stretch of Hayden Island beach near the sunken ships where there has been an increase in homeless camping. There are still signs of campfires and encampments near the sunken ships.
For the third year in a row, Give More 24! broke its fundraising record and goal, bringing in more than $3.6 million for Southwest Washington nonprofits.

On Thursday, more than 200 organizations in Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania counties participated in the annual 24-hour online fundraiser held by the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington.

The 36 participating Cowlitz County nonprofits collectively raised $413,240 of the total.

FISH of Cowlitz County raised $51,975 from 53 donors, boosted by matches from an anonymous donor, the Kirchner Foundation and the Firstenburg Foundation.

Board President Bob Theriault said this is the most the all-volunteer organization has raised in the last few years of participating. The online fundraiser is FISHs largest outreach to the general public for donations, though it raises money from other sources throughout the year, Theriault said.

FISH cant do what we do without, No. 1, over 300 volunteers in the community, ... and No. 2, without financial assistance from generous people throughout the community, he said.

The nonprofit partners with churches to distribute food, and also helps pay for utility bills, prescription medications, emergency dental care, eye exams and other emergency needs.

This boost was really important to us to help us recover, help us get through a slow spot in our finances because of our extra efforts during the pandemic, Theriault said.

Local organizations, like Stageworks Northwest Theatre and the Southwest Washington Symphony, held in-person events during the campaign.

The Ethnic Support Council of Cowlitz County was one organization that brought the virtual fundraiser into the community.

The nonprofit partnered with Kelso restaurant Fiesta Bonita Mexican Grill & Cantina, which donated a percent of sales to Ethnic Support Council. The organization raised $10,250 online, but also received checks from less tech-savvy supporters, said Cindy Lopez Werth, council board member.

I thought we did very well this year in Give More 24!, she said. Im just really amazed at how generous people are.

The fundraiser is a great community effort, of businesses pitching in prizes and hosting nonprofit events, Lopez Werth said.

Although the overall number of donors was down from about 6,600 to 6,065, the average gift increased about $8 to push the fundraiser over its goal, said Maury Harris, Community Foundation spokesman. Many nonprofits also secured matching funds, for a total of about $1.74 million that was almost 100% fulfilled, he said.

The one-day fundraiser is an efficient way for organizations to raise money outside of typical fundraising efforts, Harris said.

Communities coming together all on one day for this urgent challenge is fun, exciting, he said. (Its) something that feels different to a donor, so they might give that extra gift that day.
PORTLAND  Oregon state Rep. James Hieb will not face charges in connection with his August arrest for alleged disorderly conduct and other charges at Clackamas County Fairgrounds.

A memo obtained by KOIN 6 News says the Clackamas County district attorney is declining to pursue charges based on a lack of evidence and a recent change in Oregon law.

The Republican lawmaker from Canby previously said the incident Aug. 17 happened after he had consumed four beers and then lit a cigarette. He said a woman asked him to put it out and then summoned officers.

Authorities had released body camera footage showing sheriffs deputies and Hieb's interaction.

It ended with Mr. Hieb asking to be arrested and throwing himself on the ground, Deputy District Attorney Bryan Brock wrote in the memo. Mr. Hiebs request was granted and he was taken to the jail.

The sheriffs office recommended charges of second-degree disorderly conduct, interfering with a peace officer and second-degree criminal trespass.

The district attorney determined Hiebs behavior did not rise to the level of creating a disturbance to qualify for disorderly conduct. Brock also concluded prosecutors couldn't prove the criminal trespass allegation because the member of the fair board who told Hieb to stop smoking didn't tell him to leave.

Deputies also said Hieb refused to show them his identification, but Brock noted that is no longer the crime of interfering with an officer, after the Oregon Legislature changed the law in 2021.

Hieb was appointed to represent Oregon House District 39 by Clackamas and Marion County commissioners  replacing House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, who stepped down to run for governor.

When asked about his alcohol consumption this week, Hieb said he would now refrain from alcohol while serving in the state House, the news outlet reported.
More than a million people in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are waking up without power again Thursday after Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc on critical infrastructure earlier this week, also leaving some residents without running water as the Category 4 storm nears Bermuda.

The forceful storm has killed at least five people across the Caribbean, including one in Guadeloupe, two in Puerto Rico and two in the Dominican Republic. And many residents are now enduring the aftermath of what became the first major hurricane of this year's Atlantic season.

"This was something incredible that we've never seen before," Ramona Santana in Higuey, Dominican Republic, told CNN en Espanol.

"We're in the streets with nothing, no food, no shoes, clothes, just what's on your back," Santana said. "We don't have anything. We have God, and the hope help will come."

In Puerto Rico, where Fiona delivered flooding rains and an island-wide blackout as it made landfall Sunday, more than one million homes and businesses were still without power Wednesday, according to the government's emergency portal system.

Additionally, more than 450,000 people across the island were without water service or experiencing intermittent service as of Wednesday night, according to the website.

In the Dominican Republic, where Fiona made landfall early Monday morning, nearly 350,000 homes and businesses were blanketed in darkness Wednesday, according to Maj. Gen. Juan Mendez Garcia, director of the country's emergency operations center. And there was no running water for more than a million customers, he said.

More than 600 homes were destroyed and some communities were cut off from aid due to the storm, Garcia said.

As Fiona hit the Dominican Republic in the middle of the night Monday, Iverice Viera said she was in waist-deep floodwater as she rushed to wake up her neighbors in Higuey.

She is now trying to dry out her belongings. "The rooms are empty, I had to throw away a lot, there's no electricity or water to wash anything," Viera told CNN en Espanol.

Puerto Rico is making some progress on the relief front: President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the US territory Wednesday, FEMA said. The move allows residents to access grants for temporary housing and home repairs as well as low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses.

"This ensures that our people will have access to additional help from FEMA to recover from the damage caused by this event," Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said in a tweet.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams deployed a team of representatives from various city agencies to Puerto Rico to help officials surveying the damage.

"The team will include representatives from New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM), New York City Department of Buildings, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and the New York City Department of Design and Construction," according to a news release from the mayor's office.

Fiona on path to impact Bermuda next

Packing sustained winds of 130 mph early Thursday, Fiona was located about 600 miles southwest of Bermuda and about 1,300 miles south-southwest of Nova Scotia, Canada, according to CNN Meteorologist Robert Shackelford.

The center of the storm is expected to pass just west of Bermuda early Friday.

"The National Hurricane Center is certain that Bermuda will experience tropical-storm-force winds. Once Fiona passes by Bermuda, the storm is forecast to impact Nova Scotia by Saturday afternoon," Shackelford said.

Officials in Nova Scotia held a news conference Wednesday to warn residents of the impact they may face this weekend.

Jason Mew, director of the emergency management office, said residents should prepare by securing outdoor items, trimming trees, charging cell phones and creating an emergency kit.

Mew added that shelters will be open to house people experiencing homelessness and anyone else who needs them.

Meanwhile, US officials issued a travel advisory, warning Americans not to travel to Bermuda as Fiona approaches.

The State Department has also authorized family members of US government personnel to leave Bermuda due to the impending storm.

Bermuda is currently under a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch because hurricane-force winds could extend out 45 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend out up to 195 miles, Shackelford said.

Turks and Caicos also experiencing power outages

After Hurricane Fiona battered Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, it also menaced parts of the Turks and Caicos on Tuesday.

Many areas on Turks and Caicos were still without power Wednesday, specifically on Grand Turk, South Caicos, Salt Cay, North Caicos and Middle Caicos, according to Anya Williams, the acting governor of the islands.

Officials there said they were relieved no one was killed in the storm as they began visiting several islands and making repairs.

Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, crews have faced setbacks in restoring power to the island.

Many lines believed to have been repaired were temporarily knocked back offline because of various equipment issues, Josue Colon, executive director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority said Wednesday.

The repairs are taking place almost exactly five years after Hurricane Maria plunged the island into an extended blackout in 2017.

Across the island, more than 800 people were housed in dozens of shelters Wednesday, according to Puerto Rico's Housing Secretary, William Rodriguez.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
NASA has spotted an asteroid called 2022 SK which will come dangerously close towards the Earth today, September 24. Know if it can strike our planet.

The Earth has been playing hide-and-seek with asteroids for a while now. But it doesn't always win. In March, an asteroid named 2022 EB5 crashed into the planet north of Iceland in a remote coastal area. The asteroid was just a few feet wide and disintegrated just as it made impact, causing barely any destruction. But today, September 24, the Earth is facing a 160-feet wide asteroid strike threat that can destroy cities if it strikes the planet. Yes, it is that asteroid is big and scary. NASA has revealed that the asteroid will be coming dangerously close to us and it does pose a serious concern. So, will this asteroid strike us or will the Earth win another round of hide and seek? Read on to find out.

The tech marvel that guards the Earth

The reason NASA is able to predict and report on asteroids that are about to approach us not just today but months later is because of a very special telescope known as the NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer). Launched in 2009, this space telescope was reassigned to observe asteroids and other near Earth objects in 2013. The telescope operates on an infrared spectrum allowing it to see objects that even escape the eye. It uses four bands of the spectrum  3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 micrometers  to observe any space rock moving towards us in the inner circle of the solar system.

Giant asteroid today

According to information from Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Small-Body database and Center For Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), departments of NASA who all collate the information from NEOWISE, we know quite a bit about this asteroid. It is named 2022 SK and it was first spotted on September 16 of this year. And that is a shock as it would have left no chance to Earth to try and deflect it ot prepare for disaster on Earth. A close approach of up to 6.9 million kilometers is expected but given that the asteroid is traveling at a mind numbing speed of 59,904 kmph, it can close that distance in hours if not days, if a last moment deviation took place.

Asteroid strike chance?

For now the Earthlings can rest easy knowing that NASA believes the asteroid will make a safe passage and will not strike the planet. But it is constantly monitoring the space rock so nothing unexpected happens while we are not paying attention.
Treasury Secretary should give Elon Musks satellite Internet service Starlink clearance to operate in heavily sanctioned Iran.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen should give Elon Musk's satellite Internet service Starlink clearance to operate in heavily sanctioned Iran as the country faces widespread protests, a bipartisan group of lawmakers said.

Musk recently stated that SpaceX would seek a license to provide its satellite based Starlink Internet service to Iran, the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Yellen. If such a license request is submitted, we urge you to approve it immediately. Musk called for the exemption in a tweet on Monday.

The letter was led by Representatives Claudia Tenney, a New York Republican, and Tom Malinowski, a New Jersey Democrat, and signed by a number of other lawmakers. They also asked Treasury to clarify its policies for fostering communications access in sanctioned countries and urge the department to issue any necessary comfort letters to entities that may seek to provide communications services under previously issued general licenses.

Congress is calling on the Treasury Department to do everything in its power to help the Iranian people stay connected to the Internet, Tenney said in a statement. We need to cut through any bureaucratic red tape and get this done.

Demonstrations in Iran started last Friday following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a young woman who fell into a coma after Tehran's so-called morality police arrested her for allegedly flouting Islamic dress codes. Protests have since been reported in scores of towns and cities including the capital Tehran as well as Karaj, Shiraz, Tabriz, Kerman, Kish Island, Yazd, Neyshapur, Esfahan and Mashhad.

Iran Protests' Death Toll Rises to 17 as the Unrest Deepens

Iranians are taking to the street demanding justice for Mahsa, Malinowski said. We need to do our part to ensure that Iranians remain connected to the outside world.

Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement that the US must do everything in our power to help the brave Iranians protesting against injustice.

A Treasury spokesperson said the department already allows some services related to Internet communications, including those that use satellite terminals as Starlink does, and that it welcomes applications for specific licenses related to Internet freedom in Iran.

Daniel Tannebaum, a partner at Oliver Wyman, said companies are sometimes wary of exposing themselves to the risk of running afoul of US sanctions even when the service they provide is expressly authorized by Treasury. This is especially true in the case of heavily sanctioned jurisdictions such as Iran.

It becomes a business decision based on risk appetite in the space, Tannebaum said in an interview. You need to trust that you have the right controls in place to stay on the right side of the exemption.

Treasury has begun advertising for a chief sanctions economist who officials say will help mitigate these types of concerns.
NASA has announced that the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope will be observing the historic DART asteroid impact.

The entire scientific community is excited and anxious about the historic NASA DART asteroid impact on September 26. This will be the first time humanity will test out its defense capabilities in case an asteroid is ever headed towards its direction. And while there will be Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) live streams, which will show the images from the impact site just 3 minutes after the impact, NASA scientists do not want to miss even a second of the action. And that's why they have called upon the veteran Hubble Space Telescope and young star James Webb Space Telescope to observe the event live. But what can these two tech wonders achieve by observing the impact? Read on to find out.

What is the NASA DART asteroid mission?

The NASA DART asteroid mission is a test of planetary defense mechanisms that can be used in a contingency situation if Earth is facing an asteroid strike threat. In this mission a spacecraft has been sent to the Dimorphos asteroid to collide with it. The collision is expected to deflect the asteroid from its current trajectory. The test mission will help NASA learn about the amount of deflection that can be done, the velocity required for said deflection and other such information.

This is a unique opportunity and a unique moment to take all the resources that we possibly can to maximize what we've learned, Nancy Chabot, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Baltimore and the coordination lead for DART, said during a news conference, reported Space.com.

Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope to watch the event

NASA will be collecting data from this impact in multiple ways. A cubesat has been placed on the spacecraft itself to document the event. It will send images as soon as three minutes after the impact. The European Space Agency (ESA) will also send a spacecraft later in 2026 to study the impact effects in detail. Apart from that, several ground based telescopes will also be live streaming the event. However, NASA has felt the need to take the services of the Hubble and Webb telescopes.

One of the reasons is that the space telescopes can provide a clearer image of the event without the disruption of Earth's atmosphere. Another reason is that these telescopes work on different spectrums and can collect different data that can help fill some gaps for the scientists.
After NASA smashes a car-sized spacecraft into an asteroid next week, it will be up to the ESA's Hera mission to probe crime scene.

After NASA deliberately smashes a car-sized spacecraft into an asteroid next week, it will be up to the European Space Agency's Hera mission to investigate the "crime scene" and uncover the secrets of these potentially devastating space rocks.

NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) aims to collide with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos on Monday night, hoping to slightly alter its trajectory -- the first time such an operation has been attempted.

While Dimorphos is 11 million kilometres (6.8 million miles) away and poses no threat to Earth, the mission is a test run in case the world someday needs to deflect an asteroid from heading our way.

Astronomers around the world will watch DART's impact, and its effect will be closely followed to see if the mission passed the test.

Then, the European Space Agency's Hera mission, named after the ancient Greek queen of the gods, will follow in its footsteps.

The Hera spacecraft is planned to launch in October 2024, aiming to arrive at Dimorphos in 2026 to measure the exact impact DART had on the asteroid.

But scientists are not only excited to see DART's crater, but also to explore an object that is very much out of this world.

- 'A new world' -

Dimorphos, which orbits a larger asteroid Didymos as they hurtle together through space, provides not only a "perfect testing opportunity for a planetary defence experiment, but it is also a completely new environment," the ESA's Hera mission manager Ian Carnelli said.

Hera will be loaded up with cameras, spectrometers, radars and even toaster-sized nano-satellites to measure the asteroid's shape, mass, chemical composition and more.

NASA's Bhavya Lal said that it was critically important to understand the size and composition of such asteroids.

"If an asteroid is made up of, for example, loose gravel, approaches to disrupt it may be different than if it was metal or some other kind of rock," she told the International Astronautical Congress in Paris this week.

So little is known about Dimorphos that scientists will discover "a new world" at the same time as the public on Monday, Hera mission principal investigator Patrick Michel said.

"Asteroids are not boring space rocks -- they are super exciting because they have a great diversity" in size, shape and composition, Michel said.

And because they have low gravity compared to Earth, matter there could behave completely differently than expected.

"Unless you touch the surface, you cannot know the mechanical response," he said.

- 'Behaved almost like fluid' -

For example, when a Japanese probe dropped a small explosive near the surface of the Ryugu asteroid in 2019, it was expected to make a crater of two or three metres. Instead, it blasted a 50-metre hole.

"There was no resistance," Michel said.

"The surface behaved almost like a fluid," rather than solid rock, he added. "How weird is that?"

One way the Hera mission will test Dimorphos will be to land a nano-satellite on its surface, in part to see how much it bounces.

Binary systems like Dimorphos and Didymos represent around 15 percent of known asteroids, but have not yet been explored.

With a diameter of just 160 metres -- around the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza -- Dimorphos will also be the smallest asteroid ever studied.

Learning about the impact of DART is not only important for planetary defence, Michel said, but also for understanding the history of our Solar System, where most cosmic bodies were formed through collisions and are now riddled with craters.

That's where DART and Hera could shine a light not just on the future, but on the past.
The discovery offers new support for the theory that life on Earth was seeded from outer space.

Specks of dust retrieved by a Japanese space probe from an asteroid some 300 million kilometres from Earth have revealed a surprising component: a drop of water, scientists said Friday.

The discovery offers new support for the theory that life on Earth was seeded from outer space.

The findings are in the latest research to be published from the analysis of 5.4 grams of rocks and dust gathered by the Hayabusa-2 probe from the asteroid Ryugu.

"This drop of water has great meaning," lead scientist Tomoki Nakamura of Tohoku University told reporters ahead of the research's publication in the journal Science on Friday.

"Many researchers believe that water was brought (from outer space) but we actually discovered water in Ryugu, an asteroid near Earth, for the first time."

Hayabusa-2 was launched in 2014 on its mission to Ryugu, and returned to Earth's orbit two years ago to drop off a capsule containing the sample.

The precious cargo has already yielded several insights, including organic material that showed some of the building blocks of life on Earth, amino acids, may have been formed in space.

The research published Friday says the team found a drop of fluid in the Ryugu sample "which was carbonated water containing salt and organic matter", Nakamura said.

That bolsters the theory that asteroids like Ryugu, or its larger parent asteroid, could have "provided water, which contains salt and organic matter" in collisions with Earth, Nakamura said.

"We have discovered evidence that this (process) may have been directly linked to, for example, the origin of the oceans or organic matter on Earth."

Nakamura's team, comprising about 150 researchers -- including 30 from the United States, Britain, France, Italy, and China -- is one of the largest teams analysing the sample from Ryugu.

The sample has been divided among different scientific teams to maximise the chance of new discoveries.

Kensei Kobayashi, an astrobiology expert and professor emeritus at Yokohama National University who is not part of the research group, hailed the discovery.

"The fact that water was discovered in the sample itself is surprising," given its fragility and the chances of it being destroyed in outer space, he told AFP.

"It does suggest that the asteroid contained water -- in the form of fluid and not just ice -- and organic matter may have been generated in that water."
Partisan division over U.S.-Mexico border security threatens to tank a Democratic effort this month to ramp up federal grant funds to help migrants who recently crossed the border, including those whom Republican-led states have bused and flown across the country.

Both the White House and Senate Democratic leadership hope to include language in an upcoming stopgap funding measure to boost assistance for local nonprofits that help asylum-seekers.

The push represents Washingtons response to Republican governors who, in order to voice opposition to the Biden administrations border policies, have sent migrants to areas they perceive as politically liberal  such as Chicago, New York City and Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts  in an apparent stunt that has local governments asking for help.

Those actions have prompted public outcry, litigation and threats of criminal probes  and now behind-the-scenes negotiations on whether funding will be included in the spending bill that must be passed before the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown.

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committees Homeland Security panel, said in a brief interview Wednesday that the local programs to help migrants are going to shut down, theyre going to run out of money.

The grant program, known as the emergency food and shelter program, provides funds to local nonprofits and social services combating homelessness. In fiscal 2022, Congress allocated $150 million toward this fund, part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to support organizations helping migrants released after crossing the border.

Its hard to imagine the consequences of not increasing the humanitarian assistance line item, Murphy said.

But the request to bolster the program, one of a number of requests in the stopgap spending bill ahead of midterm elections in November, could fall prey to political outrage over border security that has kept Capitol Hill gridlocked on even more narrow immigration measures.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced earlier this week that it has already logged more than 2.1 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border this fiscal year, marking the busiest year at the border in recent history and prompting outcry from congressional Republicans.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the top Republican on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, said Wednesday that the Biden administration has not convinced me that they have a plan to handle 2 million people that have come across the border.

Until I see that, Im not looking too favorably on it, Capito said of a potential boost to grant funding.

Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, raised similar concerns.

If our solution to that is just to put more money into helping those who arent coming legally, or coming as asylees, we need to switch the policy, Portman said.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, however, signaled he may be open to including language boosting the grant program in the continuing resolution.

As long as the administration isnt going to fix the border, weve got to figure out what to do with these folks. I think we all agree they need to be treated compassionately, humanely, so Im certainly willing to look at that in the interim, Cornyn said. If we have to do something, we have to do something.

On the other side of the Capitol, spending leaders say that negotiations over what to add to the stopgap funding measure are still in early stages.

House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said Wednesday they are still in discussions and could not provide anything more definitive.

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., who chairs the Appropriations Committees Homeland Security panel, said negotiations are still going back and forth and final language is still in flux.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, vice chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, also raised concerns that extra grant funds could be provided to Northeastern cities at the expense of border communities that receive thousands of migrants each day.

One of the things I will look at very carefully is make sure that there is no effort to divert most of the money to the eastern coast, as opposed to the southern border, Cuellar said.

The funding debate comes as Republican governors from Texas, Arizona and Florida grab national attention for sending migrants to major cities across the country that are not accustomed to such an influx.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a Sept. 14 news release that after receiving 11,000 migrants from border states, the citys shelter system is nearing its breaking point.

Earlier this month, nearly two dozen House Democrats from cities including Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago, asked for an additional $50 million above current levels for humanitarian assistance for migrants, warning that busing migrants has increased funding requests across the Northeast and the Midwest.

According to the lawmakers, about $85 million of the $150 million in migrant emergency funds remained as of late July, and the emergency food and shelter program may exhaust its funding. The White House asked for language in its recent anomalies request that would allow the Department of Homeland Security to spend program funds as needed to help those jurisdictions. And Senate Democrats have quickly backed the request.
MONONGAHELA, Pa.  House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy on Friday confronted President Joe Biden and the Democratic majority in Congress with a conservative midterm election agenda filled with Trump-like promises, working not only to win over voters but to hold together the uneasy coalition of his own party.

McCarthy, who is poised to seize the speakers gavel if Republicans take control of the House in the fall, never once mentioned the former president. Instead, the GOP leader traveled to battleground Pennsylvania hoping to replicate the strategy that former Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia used to spark voter enthusiasm and gain a majority in 1994.

What the Commitment is, its a plan for a new direction, McCarthy said at a manufacturing facility in a historic building along the Monongahela River.

The House GOPs Commitment to America gives a nod to the earlier era but updates it in the age of Donald Trump, with economic, border security and social policies to rouse the former presidents deep well of supporters in sometimes-overlooked regions like this rusty landscape and rolling farmland outside Pittsburgh.

Slim enough to fit on a pocket card, which McCarthy pulled from his suitcoat, the agenda uses broad strokes  A Future Thats Built on Freedom  supplemented by more detailed proposals on energy, security and an end to liberal social policies, particularly in schooling.

President Joe Biden hit back quickly in a speech to the National Education Association.

He dismissed McCarthys agenda as a thin series of policy goals with little or no detail. But he provided his own details in urging support for Democrats in the midterm elections.

If Republicans win control of the Congress abortion will be banned, Biden said. He also criticized other GOP lawmakers for proposals to require reauthorization votes for Social Security and Medicare and opposition to gun control laws and efforts to lower prescription drug costs.

In 46 days, Americans are going to face a choice, he said. We have a real alternative here.

In Pennsylvania, McCarthy said that if Republicans win the House, the first bill next year will be to repeal funding approved by Democrats to bolster the Internal Revenue Service with more employees.

On Friday, he stood with a wide cross-section of lawmakers  from far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to less extreme GOP members of Congress  offering a portrait of unity despite the wide range of views that make up the House minority  and the Republican Party nationally.

The GOP in the Trump-era has shifted from its focus on small government, low taxes and individual freedoms to a more populist, nationalist and, at times, far-right party, essentially still led by the former president, who remains popular despite the deepening state and federal investigations against him.

Propelled by Trumps Make America Great Again voters, the Republicans need to pick up just a few seats to win back control of the narrowly split House and replace Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But even so, McCarthys ability to lead the House is far from guaranteed.

While Republicans and Trump did pass tax cuts into law, the GOPs last big campaign promise, repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, collapsed in failure. Republican speakers, including Gingrich, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, have been forced from office or have chosen early retirement, often ground down by party infighting.

House Republicans are really good at running people out of town, said Matt Schlapp, chair of the Conservative Political Action Coalition.

McCarthy, first elected to office in 2006, is among the remaining survivors of those House Republican battles, a leader who, somewhat like Trump, has shown more ability to communicate than to legislate.

A key architect of the Republican tea party takeover in 2010, the California Republican personally recruited the newcomers to Congress  many who had never served in public office and are now long gone. McCarthy was an early Trump endorser and has remained close to the former president, relying on Trumps high-profile endorsements to propel GOP candidates for Congress. He abandoned an earlier bid to become speaker when support from House colleagues drifted.

He spent more than a year pulling together the House GOPs often warring factions  from the far-right MAGA to whats left of the more centrist ranks  to produce a mostly agreed-upon agenda.

In traveling to swing state Pennsylvania, where Biden holds emotional ties from his early childhood, McCarthy sought to counter the Democratic presidents fiery Labor Day weekend speech, in which he warned of rising GOP extremism after the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

McCarthy he and fellow lawmakers chose Washington County not Washington, D.C. Because its about you, its not about us.

Along with as many as five House seats Republicans believe they can pick up in Pennsylvania in November, the state has one of the most watched Senate races, between Democrat John Fetterman and Trump-backed Dr. Mehmet Oz.

If you are a hard-line populist and you really want anger, Kevins a little frustrating because hes not going to be angry enough for you, Gingrich said. On the other hand, if what you want is to have your values implemented and passed in the legislation, he is a really good leader and organizer.

Gingrich has been working with McCarthy and his team to craft the style and substance of the proposal.

Conservative Republicans complain privately that McCarthy isnt leaning hard enough into their priorities, as he tries to appeal to a broader swath of voters and hold the party together.

Many are eager to launch investigations into the Biden administration and the presidents family, with some calling for impeachment. Legislatively, some House Republicans want to fulfill the partys commitment to banning abortion, supporting Sen. Lindsey Grahams bill prohibiting the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Former McCarthy rival Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio who joined the event Friday, vowed to launch investigations including into the COVID-19 crisis if Republicans win the House.

Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, has advocated for withholding federal funds as leverage for policy priorities, a tactic that engineered past government shutdowns.

Putting out like, you know, principles about, Well, well secure the border. I mean, OK, but what are we gonna do about it? Roy said.

Its notable that McCarthy alone has proposed a plan if Republicans win control of the House chamber. In the Senate, Republican leader Mitch McConnell has declined to put forward an agenda, preferring to simply run against Biden and Democrats in the midterm election.

Kevins done a very good job of being in position to become the speaker. And then the question is, what do you do with that? Schlapp said. This helps as a roadmap.
As Republican governors transport migrants from Texas all over the country, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said the policies are exposing the hypocrisy of Democrats and the media on their stances on immigration policy.

During an interview Saturday with the Washington Examiners David Drucker at the Texas Tribune Festival, the Republican from Texas extended an invitation to his political adversaries and the media to visit the southern border, a trip he said they have been avoiding.

It is utterly dysfunctional, and part of the reason why it happens is the press, Cruz said. I think weve got every reporter in America at TribFest. The press facilitates the Biden White House lying on this issue because they dont cover it.

In recent months, Gov. Greg Abbott and other GOP governors around the country have spent millions of dollars to bus or fly migrants from Texas and other border states to places such as Washington, D.C.; New York City; Chicago; and Marthas Vineyard. The relocations have drawn outrage from advocates who say the governors are using real people as pawns in a political fight. Meanwhile, Washington and New York have been overwhelmed as they try to find shelter for the migrants, who arrive without any warning from Texas or other states.

But Republicans have accused the Democrats of hypocrisy, arguing that they are now acting alarmed about migrants arriving in their communities after downplaying the idea of a crisis at the border.

Painting a gruesome picture of the horrors he has seen at the southern border, including seeing images of children and elderly people dying in Texas after theyve tried to cross, Cruz placed blame at the feet of President Joe Biden and Democrats who have handed the agenda over to the radicals and the extreme.

What we are seeing on immigration has never happened in the history of the country, Cruz said. The reason South Texas, I think, is turning red is because they are seeing this chaos. You cannot see it and defend it.

Cruz credited the administration of former President Donald Trump for largely solving the border issue but criticized the Biden administration for reversing course. In particular, Cruz said the explosion of illegal immigration was due to Biden halting construction of Trumps border wall, reinstating the failed policy of catch and release, and pulling out of the remain in Mexico policy.

In fact, construction on the border wall has continued in some places under Biden. And while Biden took steps to undo the remain in Mexico policy, which requires asylum-seekers to cross back over at the southern border as they await their asylum proceedings, courts until recently barred him from doing so. The Biden administration announced in August that it would end the policy, but Title 42, a pandemic-era health policy that allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection to rapidly expel migrants, remains in place for now.

Data suggests that migrant arrivals are breaking records  they have surpassed 2 million this fiscal year, according to government numbers. Border encounters in 2019 under Trump were around 1 million, and they dipped in half in 2020  largely due to the pandemic.

We went from the lowest rate of illegal immigration in 45 years to the highest rate of illegal immigration in 62 years, and it happened overnight, Cruz said. And Biden could fix this problem tomorrow  reverse those three decisions.

But while Cruz said he is pessimistic about the potential for immigration solutions in the short term, partly because of the ongoing political civil war, he said he remains optimistic long term that a majority of Texans and Americans agree with him on immigration issues.

Cruz also sounded off on Trump, describing how he went from a harsh political opponent to a vocal supporter of the former president.

For every Republican, that was a complicated decision: How do you deal with Trump? I made the decision that when he does things that are good and praiseworthy, I will praise him. And when he says things I disagree with, I am just not going to engage in the color commentary, he said.

He said when Trump does something wrong, there will be plenty of people on every TV station hyperventilating.

And I actually think the American people grew kind of numb to it, he said. Because if you look at the media for four years, everything he said and did was World War III.

Asked about his interest in the 2024 presidential election, Cruz suggested that he was waiting  like everyone else  to see whether Trump will run again.

Everybody is waiting to see what Trump decides, Cruz said. And the reality is he is going to do what he wants to do. I dont know if he is going to run for president. Nobody else does, either.

Cruz said he was more certain about whether Biden will run for reelection. He wont, Cruz said, and many of the top-tier of candidates who will line up to replace him were at the Tribune Festival, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Hillary Clinton, who said at the festival Friday that she wont run for president.
ORLANDO, Fla.  Tropical Storm Ian grew overnight in the Caribbean, still with a path that could bring it to Florida this week as a hurricane, prompting Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency across the Sunshine State.

The National Hurricane Centers 2 p.m. update puts Tropical Storm Ians center about 270 miles south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 520 miles southeast of Grand Cayman with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph moving west at 16 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 60 miles.

The long-term path has shifted since Saturday morning, though, so the NHC projects landfall farther north along Floridas Gulf Coast north of Tampa, although that projection is likely to continue shifting through the weekend, forecasters said.

Ian is moving into a lower shear environment over very warm waters, and it should not take long for the system to shed its tilted structure and develop an inner core. Once that occurs, significant to rapid intensification is expected while Ian crosses the northwestern Caribbean Sea, NHC hurricane specialist Brad Reinhart said. Limited land interaction is expected as the cyclone quickly passes over western Cuba, and Ian is forecast to be a major hurricane over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and Wednesday as it approaches the west coast of Florida.

Most of the state of Florida is within Tropical Storm Ians cone of uncertainty, now, although the NHC cautioned computer models continue to diverge beyond 72 hours on where the storm goes in the Gulf of Mexico after leaving Cuba.

Regardless of its exact path, Ian will start impacting Florida this week.

Dont get fixated on these little changes [in the cone], said Jamie Rhome, acting NHC director. It can just as easily move back and dont get fixated whether youre in or out of the cone.

Rhome said there is increasing confidence of a potentially very impactful hurricane for the western coast of the Florida peninsula. Forecasters are particularly concerned about potential storm surge in that area, Rhome said.

We really need you to be prepared and start moving through your hurricane plan, he said.

The NHC said the Florida Keys and South Florida could see heavy rain as early as Monday with limited flash and urban flooding possible projecting 1 to 3 inches with some areas up to 5 inches through Tuesday morning.

NASA decided Saturday morning it wasnt worth risking a launch attempt from Kennedy Space Center for its Artemis I mission to the moon on Tuesday as well, but wont make a decision until Sunday on whether or not to roll back the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft to the safety of the Vehicle Assembly Building. The rocket can withstand sustained winds of 85 mph at the launch pad, so if it stays a potential launch could happen on Oct. 2.

The storm, forecast to grow its winds to sustained Category 3 hurricane strength of 115 mph, prompted DeSantis emergency declaration.

This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations, he said. We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm.

DeSantis also requested a federal emergency declaration ahead of landfall that would free up funding sources for emergency protective measures. The counties in the order are Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and St. Lucie.

Not in the order are Orange, Lake, Seminole or Volusia counties.

The latest cone of uncertainty still has the system approaching Florida late Tuesday, parked 100 miles to the west of Naples on Wednesday morning, and making landfall Thursday morning as a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds and 130 mph gusts north of Tampa in Hernando or Citrus counties.

Forecasters expect it to gain hurricane strength quicker that earlier forecast, as soon as Sunday night.

Im a Floridian. so Im going to speak to you candidly. Dont panic, Rhome said Friday. It is important that you take this threat seriously and begin to execute your hurricane plans in a calm and orderly fashion while theres still time to get ready.

A hurricane watch is in effect for the Cayman Islands with a tropical storm watch in place for Jamaica.

Elsewhere in the tropics, Hurricane Fiona became Post Tropical-Cyclone Fiona as it headed toward Canada. At 11 a.m., it was located 100 miles west-northwest of Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. It was moving north at 25 mph.

Tropical Storm Gaston, meanwhile, was heading away from the Azores islands in the Atlantic and Tropical Storm Hermine continues to churn off the coast of Africa. Finally, the NHC is monitoring a disturbance several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.

Since Sept. 1 the tropics have begun to play catch-up, churning out six named storms in three weeks after nearly two months of quiet.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in early August updated its season prediction that 2022 would still be above-average with 14 to 21 named storms, although not a single named storm formed in the month of August.

The 2020 hurricane season set a record with 30 named systems, while 2021s season was the third most active with 21 named systems. An average year calls for 14 named storms.

Through Ian, 2022 has produced nine named systems.
The Texas A&M volleyball team will host Tennessee for a pair of 2 p.m. Southeastern Conference matches Saturday and Sunday at Reed Arena.

A&M (9-3, 1-0) opened SEC play with a 19-25, 25-22, 26-28, 25-19, 15-10 comeback victory at Ole Miss on Wednesday in Oxford, Mississippi. Caroline Meuth had 24 kills, and Ifenna Cos-Okpalla had nine blocks for the Aggies, who won their third straight match and eighth in their last nine.
Terry L. Dill of Grand Island was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Lincoln to eight months in prison for failing to register as a sex offender.

Dill, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard. The sentence will be consecutive to about a six-month sentence previously imposed by the court due to Dill violating the terms of his supervised release. After serving his sentence, Dill will be placed on supervised release for five years. There is no parole in the federal system.

On Nov. 7, 2014, Dill was sentenced in the District of Nebraska for possession of child pornography to 70 months imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of supervised release.

Due to that conviction, Dill was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. In September 2020, while on supervised release, Dill absconded from a halfway house, and his whereabouts were unknown. He was ultimately arrested in Grand Island in December 2021. Dill failed to register during the time he had absconded.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood,visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Support Brown for mayor

After reading about the so called debate between Doug Brown and Mayor Roger Steele, Ive made up my mind to throw my support behind Brown. From what I read, Steele just proved hes out of touch with the community and chooses to ignore the problems Grand Island actually has, i.e., employment, police and teachers, not to mention, the clean up issues by stating its no different here than other cities.

My question, Mr. Steele, is why shouldnt Grand Island strive to be better than say a Lincoln or Kearney or for that matter any of the other city in Nebraska. I really hope our next mayor can rally people behind him to get Grand Island back on track and focus on the real things we need, as I mentioned before, and not picking these stupid (my opinion) pet projects, like the obsession with roundabouts especially at 5 Points and on North Road. If the time and effort spent on those kinds of projects would have been spent towards finding a solution for our law enforcement, housing, education and employment shortages, just think where we would be now. Instead we are just like many other cities. I love Grand Island, always have, good or bad times, but to settle for being mediocre is just sad.

Robert Paup

Grand Island

The manufactured outrage machine hits Nebraska schools

The battle for control of public schools has become a divisive issue in many Nebraska communities. Organized groups, who claim to be patriots, wanting to protect Nebraska children, have taken up the cause of opposing everything from mask mandates (designed to protect children and educators) and certain books to CRT, CSE and SEL. Although legitimate parental concerns exist, much of the outrage aimed at our schools is manufactured. The motivations for stirring the pot go beyond merely informing parents, and the disinformation spread by these groups is damaging to educators, students and our communities alike. Look no further for evidence of the blatant lies these groups are willing to spread than to the film they promote called The Mind Polluters. Disguised as a documentary, this unfounded smear-job on educators is disgusting.

Driven by a deep concern for the future of Nebraskas public schools, Danielle Helzer is running to represent our community on the State Board of Education. Danielle is the mother of children in public school and an experienced award-winning educator who has taught in rural, suburban and urban schools. Unlike some candidates, Danielle has not joined the mudslinging. She hasnt accused teachers of being groomers and traffickers, she hasnt called our schools indoctrination factories, and she hasnt run her campaign on fear or what shes against.

Instead, Danielle offers a positive message. She will fight to address the real issues of students struggling with behavioral, mental health and identity concerns, a critical shortage of professionally trained teachers, adequate funding for public schools, and efforts to censor school libraries and classroom course content. Danielle will support programs that address the needs of all students and help create an atmosphere where teachers are respected, not disparaged.

Im voting for Danielle Helzer on Nov. 8. Please join me.

Janet Fox

Kearney

Not happy about puzzle changes

Changes to The Independent's puzzles has cost you my business. Being elderly, I need to keep sharp and the puzzles kept me sharp. I especially liked the ones  not on the comics page, it was way too easy  on Monday, Tuesday and sometimes Wednesday. I can get the L.A. Times puzzle on my computer, but it is not the same.

When my subscription is done, so am I. Ive already given up Facebook and TV stinks. Whats left?

Barbara Arnold

Beaver Crossing

Unhappy with puzzle, comics changes

I have enjoyed the paper early and could work the two puzzles at breakfast and see the few comics that are good. That really flew out the window  no more decent crossword puzzles, just the LA one. Now are all of you doing the LA one? Took my choice away.

I spend almost $2,000 a year on daily papers; yours has been one that is always there when I get up. Have appreciated that, but I really dislike the changes, they are not for the betterment of the paper. You could lose subscribers from this.

Wihlma Price

Hastings

Reader unhappy with changes

I am very unhappy with recent changes in the paper. First, I always looked forward to Fridays paper to read the Seek the Lord column  it was always inspiration. After I read it, I would pass it to a friend and she in turn would pass it to two of her daughters. (Ed. note  Seek the Lord continues to run on Fridays)

Secondly, I consider the comic page a disaster! The only things I read were: 1. Marmaduke, 2. Family Circus and 3. Frank and Ernest, now theyre gone. The third one I mailed to friends in Minnesota.

I dont care for the puzzles either. Please consider changing back to the former format. Thank you.

Elizabeth Hunt

Albion
SPRINGFIELD  State Sen. Emil Jones III pleaded not guilty in federal court Friday to three felony counts stemming from an alleged bribery scheme involving a red light camera company.

Jones, 44, is a Chicago Democrat who has served in the Senate since 2009. He is also the son of former Senate President Emil Jones Jr., who served in the Senate from 1983 to 2009.

The charges are the result of a long-running investigation into public corruption in the Chicago area that has resulted in indictments against several state legislators. Part of that investigation has focused on officials ties to companies that operate automated traffic enforcement systems, or red light cameras.

Those are devices that can detect when a motorist runs a red light and issue automatic traffic tickets. The companies provide that service to certain municipalities in exchange for a percentage of the revenue generated.

In 2019, Jones proposed legislation calling on the Illinois Department of Transportation to conduct a statewide study to evaluate those systems. The bill passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee but was never voted on by the full Senate.

The charges, which were made public Tuesday, allege that in exchange for a payment of $5,000 and a job for an unnamed associate from a company that operates red light cameras outside the city of Chicago, Jones agreed to focus the study only on red light cameras in Chicago.

Jones was also charged with facilitating the scheme by using a Google email account and with lying to federal investigators.

Combined, the three charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison followed by nine years of supervised probation and fines up to $750,000.

During Fridays arraignment, which was conducted by teleconference, Jones waived his right to a formal indictment by a grand jury and allowed prosecutors to file the charges through whats known as an information.

He remains free on an unsecured bond of $10,000, meaning he would only have to pay that amount if he fails to show up at any court proceeding. He was also ordered to surrender his passport and not to leave the United States without permission from the court.

Prosecutors said Friday that there is voluminous evidence that Jones defense team is entitled to review.

He is also running unopposed for reelection from the 14th District. On Thursday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker called on him to resign his seat but Jones has not responded to that statement.

His next court appearance will be a status hearing scheduled for Nov. 4, four days before the general election.
CHARLESTON  South Carolina Ports efficiently handled a container ship at the deepest draft to-date, reinforcing the importance of Charleston Harbors new 52-foot depth.

The MSC Rayshmi recently set a record for deepest draft at SC Ports, arriving at 48 feet and 11 inches of draft. Five cranes  standing 155 feet above the wharf deck  worked the MSC Rayshmi at Wando Welch Terminal. Crane operators seamlessly moved 2,758 containers on and off the ship.

SC Ports can efficiently handle fully loaded mega container ships at any tide thanks to our strategic investments in port operations, the talent of our maritime community and the success of the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project, SC Ports President and CEO Barbara Melvin said.

With four of the five deepening contracts already completed, Charleston now has a 52-foot depth leading up to its two biggest container terminals  Wando Welch Terminal and Leatherman Terminal. The 52-foot depth removes tidal restrictions for fully laden, post-Panamex vessels.

The Charleston Harbor Deepening Project will wrap this fall. The remaining contract will yield a 48-foot depth to North Charleston Terminal.

The Charleston Harbor Deepening Project will be completed faster than any project of its kind in the country, Melvin said. This amazing feat was made possible with the great support of Gov. Henry McMaster, the South Carolina legislature and the congressional delegation, and through our strong partnership with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District.

SC Ports continues to invest in key port infrastructure to support port-dependent businesses throughout South Carolina and beyond. In August, SC Ports handled 223,411 20-foot equivalents (TEUs) and 123,011 pier containers at Wando Welch Terminal, Leatherman Terminal and North Charleston Terminal.

SC Ports moved 16,410 vehicles at Columbus Street Terminal in August. Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon handled a combined 12,977 rail moves last month.

To maintain fluidity in the supply chain, SC Ports has deployed creative solutions, such as opening gates seven days a week for motor carriers, prioritizing vessels with balanced imports and exports, and deploying thousands of chassis through SC Ports new SMART Pool.

While supply chain challenges continue, ocean carriers and cargo owners can diversify their gateways to take advantage of SC Ports berth availability and terminal fluidity, Melvin said. We are applying the lessons we learned in the past year to implement responsive supply chain solutions to ensure we can efficiently handle cargo for exporters and importers throughout the Southeast.

South Carolina Ports Authority, established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport and intermodal facilities in Charleston, Dillon, Georgetown and Greer. Port operations facilitate 225,000 statewide jobs and generate nearly $63.4 billion in annual economic activity.

SC Ports is soon to be home to the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet. SC Ports is an industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility.

Visit www.scspa.com to learn more about SC Ports.
COLUMBIA  The South Carolina Department of Commerce has been awarded a State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant from the United States Small Business Administration for the 10th consecutive year.

The state received its full requested amount of $250,000 to support and encourage small business export success.

Export services are key in helping companies grow their business and reach new markets, Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said. We are grateful to the U.S. Small Business Administration for once again awarding our state with this grant, which will allow us to support South Carolina companies looking to expand their reach around the globe.

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of STEP funding, which continues to support export growth and international expansion among small businesses. To date, the program has awarded more than $200 million in grants nationwide to directly support small businesses going global.

"More than 83% of businesses that export in South Carolina are small- and medium-sized enterprises, said R. Gregg White, district director for the SBA South Carolina District Office. S.C. Commerce has been very successful in using these funds to support businesses wanting to tap into foreign markets, and we look forward to seeing the states export services continue to grow.

This latest round of grant funding is projected to assist 35-40, small- and medium-sized companies in South Carolina. Along with helping support and expand statewide export services, the funding reimburses a portion of grantee companies participation in S.C. Commerce trade missions.

The funding also provides these companies an opportunity to participate in major international trade exhibitions and U.S. Commercial Service programs.
Its about helping transform the community, said the Rev. Jerome Anderson, pastor of Unity Fellowship Community Church in Orangeburg.

Anderson is referring not only to monthly meetings that he and other Orangeburg leaders are holding, but the actions resulting from those meetings. One of the goals of the meetings is for community members and leaders to take actions that will eliminate crime.

At 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, the community is invited to the second in a series of monthly meetings.

The meeting, sponsored by Community Action Partners will take place at the Orangeburg City Gym, located at 410 Broughton St.

The meeting will feature presentations by Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Director Charles Austin and Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell, Anderson said.

In addition, a mother whose son was killed due to gun violence will make remarks.

Hayward R. Jean, Orangeburg County School District Director of Student Services, also will provide an update to the One Child, One Chance mentoring program he discussed at the prior community meeting held last month.

Anderson said meeting organizers have established six tenants of the communitys transformation.

Last month, the community meeting focused on how supporting education can help reduce crime.

Tuesdays meeting will hear from law enforcement.

Anderson said next months meeting will focus on mental health.

In the months that follow, community members will hear discussions by leaders in the areas of business, politics and faith.

The meetings are open to the public.

For further information about the monthly community meetings, contact Rev. Jerome Anderson at 1-803-682-4919.
Medshore Ambulance has received the American Heart Associations Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Plus achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attack, ultimately saving lives.

Medshore is honored to once again be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to providing optimal care for heart attack patients, Medshore Ambulance Clinical Manager Austin Sanders said. While an honor to receive an award, it signifies a much more important result  excellent response to STEMI heart attacks from our talented team of EMS professionals and improved outcomes for our patients. The Mission: Lifeline program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, so patients have the best possible chance of survival.

Event connects local students, 90 colleges AIKEN  Recruiters from over 90 colleges and universities will be available to meet with high school students and parents at this years CSRA 

Medshore Ambulance met the AHAs standards for Mission: Lifeline in both its Upstate operations, including the Anderson County 911 system, and its operations in the Low Country, including Barnwell and Bamberg counties.

Each year, more than 250,000 people experience a type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible by either mechanically opening the blocked vessel or using clot-busting medication.

SNAP-Ed preps childcare providers The SNAP-Education Program collaborated with the Bamberg County School District to prepare 21 childcare professionals for the new school year.

Mission: Lifeline is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive disease states, such as severe heart attacks. The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks  starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack patients takes coordination between the individual hospital, EMS and health care system.

The health care professionals who interact with a patient even before he or she enters the hospital or emergency room play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks, said James G. Jollis, M.D., volunteer chair for the GWTG-CAD Systems of Care Advisory Work Group and professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. Since they are the first medical point of contact, they can save precious minutes of treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming heart attack patient.

The Mission: Lifeline achievement award is earned by agencies that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based practices as outlined by the American Heart Association.

Founded in 1976, Medshore Ambulance is the largest privately owned ambulance service in South Carolina and is the 911 service provider to Anderson, Barnwell, Bamberg, Sumter, Lexington and Richland counties. Medshore is a member of the Priority Ambulance national family of companies.
SPARTANBURG (AP)  A mother was shot and killed by her 3-year-old child who found a gun inside their South Carolina home, authorities said.

Cora Lyn Bush, 33, died at the hospital a short time after the Wednesday morning shooting, the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office said in a statement.

The child's grandmother was in the Spartanburg home and what she told deputies matched the evidence in the home, the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Deputies continue to investigate how the child was able to get the gun and why it wasn't secure.

Nearly 200 children have unintentionally fired a gun they found in 2022, resulting in more than 80 deaths, according to data collected by Everytown for Gun Safety, a group working to prevent gun violence.
Mosquitoes can transmit serious diseases, such as dengue fever, the Zika virus or malaria. Now an app is helping to locate them.

As of this year, Luxembourg has been monitoring which mosquitoes are on the move here. This is because more and more mosquitoes, which can transmit dangerous diseases, are now on the move in Europe.

Until now, only random samples were taken, but this new monitoring by the Ministry of the Environment and the Museum of Nature seems to be more efficient. For example, a tiger mosquito was discovered in the country for the first time a few weeks ago.

For this monitoring, traps are set up in different places where many mosquitoes fly by in the summer. If an invasive species is identified here, the health inspectorate is allowed to decide what measures need to be taken.

In addition, you now can also help to systematically record the occurrence of mosquitoes yourself. This is done with the help of a mobile phone app called 'Mosquito Alert'. You can use it to send photos and information about mosquitoes, which can then be identified by experts. The app is available in 19 different languages, including Luxembourgish.

The app can be downloaded from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.
The police had to deal with eight inebriated drivers on Friday night.

In six cases, the police decided to withdraw the respective motorists' driving licences, while the other two drivers were fined.

One of the individuals was not only inebriated but had also knocked down four traffic signs in Steinfort, while another had damaged parked vehicles in Ettelbruck.

In Gasperich, a driver caused an accident that resulted in damage to property.

At around 10pm, the police received reports of a person behaving aggressively at a bar in Luxembourg City. The individual was taken to the police station.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, the police caught a person in Remerschen while they were in the middle of keying several cars.
The European Commission has just published the 2022 edition of its European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS), which aims to measure and compare the relative performance of the 27 EU Member States in terms of innovation.

Luxembourg maintains its seventh position from last year and thus remains among the so-called "Strong Innovators". Its score is 118.6% of the European Union average, remaining very close to the score obtained in 2021.

In particular, Luxembourg maintains its position at the top of the ranking of the most attractive research systems. The three indicators under the heading "attractive research systems" are international scientific co-publications, most cited publications, and the share of foreign doctoral students.

In addition, the areas in which the country ranks best are publications resulting from collaboration between the public and private sectors, the share of the population with a higher education degree, and employment in knowledge-intensive activities.
In his speech, the Luxembourg Prime Minister addressed the Ukraine war, global famine and climate targets.

Luxembourg is running for another term to become a member of the UN Security Council. This was announced by Prime Minister Xavier Bettel in his speech to the 77th General Assembly in New York on Friday. The candidacy refers to the years 2031 and 2032.

The war in Ukraine has made it clear that the UN Security Council should be reformed, Bettel said. He then recalled that Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, had paralysed the Council in recent months with its veto, and therefore stressed that Luxembourg was working for a more efficient Security Council.

During his speech, Bettel also stressed that he remains committed to peace and security in Ukraine, Mali and the Middle East. In addition, he continues to stand up for human rights and support humanitarian action in the Sahel, Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan.

Luxembourg was one of the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council for the first time in 2013 and 2014. The five permanent members are France, the USA, the UK, China and Russia.

PDF: D'Ried vum Letzebuerger Premier Xavier Bettel op der UN-Vollversammlung den 23. September 2022
LARAMIE  A representative from the University of Wyoming student government shared a list of student concerns with the Laramie City Council during a meeting Wednesday.

Landlord relationships, mental health and campus construction projects encapsulate some of the issues facing students that the city could help with, Associated Students of UW director Caitlin Heddins said.

The University of Wyoming is in the midst of a new residence hall project that has caused closures across campus parking lots and roadways. The $250 million project warrants the closure of the union parking lot, which will be replaced with a walkable lawn for pedestrians.

UW trustees and the Wyoming Legislature have moved forward with the plan despite students vocalizing a desire to keep the parking lot open to maintain transportation options and safety on campus, Heddins said.

Students are very upset about this, she said. A lot of students love to park on campus. It gives them more mobility and freedom in between classes.

Respondents to a student survey about parking on campus said there arent enough parking permits or spaces to go around and that these permits are too expensive to be practical.

The university is building a parking garage on Ivinson Avenue meant to make up for the loss of parking spaces from the union lot closure, but Heddins said there are some gaps in this plan. Many students rely on the union parking lot to get them to and from classes, especially when there is winter weather or its late at night.

The UW bus service ends at 6:30 p.m., leaving students with evening classes or projects to walk back to the Ivinson Parking Garage late at night in potentially cold, icy weather.

The extended nighttime walking distance presents a safety concern for students, Heddins said.

With the construction on 15th Street as well as Ivinson (Avenue) right now  its been extremely difficult for students to get around, and no one is looking forward to the union (parking) being taken away, or the new construction on 15th Street, she said.

Laramie City Council member Erin ODoherty agreed with Heddins, noting that she also was worried about student safety and ease of access for disabled people.

ODoherty mentioned these concerns to UW President Ed Seidel and UW Operations and Community Affairs employee Bill Mai during a recent meeting.

Seidel said the university is committed to student safety, but neither he nor Mai shared specifics on how it was incorporated into the new residence hall and parking plan.

The current plan allows for accessible parking and some student parking behind the Wyoming Union, along with options for paratransit and traditional bus transit along the east side of the building, Mai said.

Some parking also will be available on 13th Street near Coe Library and Knight Hall.

All told, the project will produce an additional 250 parking spaces across campus, Mai said. He added that plans to create a roundabout at 15th Street would improve traffic flows and that the university is not planning to stop traffic on that street.

Heddins said the student government is working to get bus routes and times expanded, lower parking permit prices and get more emergency call posts on campus to help mitigate transportation concerns.

It sounds like the Legislature passed that they want a green campus, also the Board of Trustees, ODoherty said. Theyre micromanaging the campus, so it would be good for students to speak with their legislators.

Heddins touched on other concerns students had, including mental health and a desire to get involved in the Laramie community.

A lot of students are disconnected from Albany County, Heddins said. They feel that Laramie and the university are very separate and would like to get more involved at the city level, so that is something we are also working on.

Students also have reported struggling with landlords failing to maintain their properties or breaking lease agreements.

Anxiety among UW students has been on the rise since previous years, with 68% of respondents in a student survey saying they had dealt with anxiety in the past month. Some city council members expressed their desire to support and work with students to help solve some of these issues.

Mayor Paul Weaver encouraged college students to advocate for themselves to the Board of Trustees and lawmakers.

Students are more likely to be paid attention to than the Laramie City Council when were talking to the leadership at UW, the Board of Trustees, the administration and the Legislature, he said. Youre an underrepresented community that people presume to speak on behalf of without truly knowing where students stand on these issues.
GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION: The Cypre development consists of seven wells and subsea trees tied back to the existing Juniper platform via two new 14-kilometre flexible flowlines.
COLLABORATION: NGC president Mark Loquan, second from left, congratulates bpTT president (outgoing) Claire Fitzpatrick on the signing of a new gas supply contract between the two companies yesterday at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain. Minister of Energy Stuart Young, left, and incoming bpTT president David Campbell observe the agreement.